Baby Charlie's Birthday

For those of you who don't yet know we will be having baby Charlie via C-Section. His birthday will be July 28th 2011 (39 weeks). Through out this pregnancy we've beeen battling an ovarian cyst that's been growing on my left (and only) ovary since our very first "you're pregnant" ultrasound. Our prayer was that the cyst would shrink or burst on it's own however that hasn't happened. We're so very thankful for modern medicine & have been advised by our doctors that removing Charlie & the cyst in the same procedure will increase our chances to grow our family in the future. Thanks so much for all your prayers...we're counting down 6.5 weeks to go & so looking forward to meeting our little guy!

Welcome Audrey Lee Bass!!!

The Bass Family continues to be blessed with children...Daniel & Mikel (Jon's middle brother & sister-in-law) Welcomed their third daughter Audrey Lee into the world this past week. We were so grateful that her birth & our trip home from Atlanta coincided so perfectly. It was a real treat to meet her at just 4 days old! Big Sisters Madison & Ashlyn were excited to show off their new family addition. As always it was so fun to see & spend time with the Dan Bass Clan.

a weekend of weddings...

We had a bit of a whirlwind memorial day weekend filled with two weddings, a visit from our sister-in-law Tiffany Bass and a 20 hours car ride to and from Atlanta. Needless to say it was well worth it & we couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity we have to DRIVE (not FLY) for special events like these!

Haybat (a dear friend of Dave & Tiffany...Jon's brother & sister-in-law) married Matthew on Thursday evening in McLean, Virginia. It was a treat to be there and celebrate their happiness. We love going to weddings & the simple reminders that come with listening to two people exchange vows & pledge their lives to one another...After Haybat & Matthew's wedding we were able to bring Tiffany back to our house for a short but very sweet visit. It was a treat for us to have her in our home and visit with her (all alone). Something that's never happened before & will probably never happen again...although we do greatly look forward to a visit from Dave, Tiffany & their 5 kiddos sometime next summer!After getting Tiffany on a plane to see her parents, Jon & I made our way to Atlanta, GA. For the wedding of Captain DZ to Miss Erica Foglia. DZ & Jon served for 3 years together with 3/7 to include both deployments to Iraq & Afghanistan. Above: you can see all the guys who made an effort to be at the wedding...Jon described the wedding weekend as "special". He was very touched to see all these guys again after all their shared experiences in combat. 30 weeks pregnant (good thing my calf/ankles...cankles are discretely hidden in this photo)

Captain & Mrs. were welcomed to the Marine Corps with a traditional sword arch. You can see Jon, second in on the right. Erica received a swat on the bottom after kissing her Marine under the arch of swords...

The Kayak

We recently made a great Craigslist purchase: one two seater ocean kayak, three paddles & a bunch of fishing equipment- all for a killer deal! After moving back to Virginia we'd been on the hunt for a Kayak, but weren't willing to pay full price at REI. So when this one came available we jumped at the opportunity to buy it.

We literally drove straight from buying the Kayak to Gander Mountain to buy fishing gear and then on to Lake Lunga (a nice family friendly lake on base in Quantico) let's just say Jon was anxious to try out his new purchase. We met up with friends Packy & Stephanie for a great afternoon of fishing and boating...we already feel the Kayak was worth every penny!

29 Weeks Pregnant

Here we are officially in the home strength...12 more weeks to go! On Thursday May 19th we were 29 weeks pregnant. Jon & I have now completed 2 of the 4 required "Birthing Preparation" classes at Mary Washington Hospital. The experience has been comical to say the least, although we do feel a bit more prepared for whats to come. I continue to feel great, although my belly is definitely starting to get in the way. The midwife gave Baby Charlie a clean bill of heath at last weeks doctors appointment...very active with a nice strong heartbeat!

Sweet Sisters

let's just say I am really enjoying the combination of not working & living 90 minutes from my sister! We've already made countless trips from Fredericksburg to Charlottesville...and back again. Yesterday, I drove to C-ville to have lunch with Barrie...it was so sweet to catch-up, talk, enjoy lunch & frozen yogurt. All while still making it home in time for dinner with Captain Bass.

Hello & Good-bye

The USMC is full of amazing wives! Pictured below: Lauren Lee, Christine Bouchard, Lindsey Buffamante & Erika Cuevas. All ladies that I met while we were in 29 Palms, CA. In true military fashion our husbands all received PCS orders but it just so happens those orders brought us together again in Quantico, VA. So wonderful to have built in friends when you move! Sadly, it's already time to say good-bye to the Buff's who are headed to North Carolina...we will miss you Joey, Lindsey & Sydney. Enjoy Camp Lejeune!

Mothers Day with our Mom's

Jon & I were both able to celebrate Mother's Day with our Mothers! What a sweet treat & one of the many blessings we're enjoying now that we live within driving distance from our families. I headed to Richmond/Charlottesville to see Mom & Barrie. Jon made his way to Raleigh to celebrate the 2nd & 4th birthdays of our sweet nieces; while getting a chance to spend Sunday with his brother Daniel & his mom. I count it a true gift to be able to love on & spend time with our families while we can...

Mothers Day 2011

In honor of becoming a Mommy this year, Jon gifted me a two day landscaping project in our front yard as my Mothers Day Gift! Even though we were a weekend early, we decided to get started-taking full advantage of the 70 degree weather and a long weekend for Captain Bass.

Getting started...you can see that our yard consisted entirely of boxwood's & mulched beds without flowers. One of the things we've both been looking forward to about becoming first time home owners, was the chance to get dirty in our yard!

Jon doing battle with a boxwood; we broke 2 shovels trying to get them out!!! Then finally decided it was worth the $25.00 at Lowe's to get one that wasn't wooden...we're still learning.

Jon did most (if not all) the back breaking work while I served as landscape designer, encourager and tool retriever. Here I am sitting in the shade...while Jon gets ready to dig the trench around our tree. I was most excited about getting the flowers in the ground. Thankfully- Jon is so patient with all the necessary prep-work.

I had to call my mom & apologize for all the spring seasons in my youth when I complained about planting impatients in the Humphries Family yard. A bit ironic to now be planting my own with such great anticipation...

We loved growing roses so much while we were in California...Jon really encouraged me to try my hand at East Coast roses and give them a chance. We'll keep you posted and let you know if this one makes it. In the mean time we've now got a yard free from 5 unruly boxwoods...replaced by 2 hydrangeas, one rose and tons of impatients.

Thankfully, today it's raining and we'll keep our hopes up that these Mothers Day flowers make at least until the end of the summer when I really become a Mommy :)

Pregnant with Baby Charlie at 26 Weeks

We are now 26 weeks pregnant & getting ready to start our third trimester. There's definitely someone inside there & we've so enjoyed feeling him kick, wiggle and squirm. With only 14 weekends until his due date, Jon & I are working hard to complete all our necessary home projects before August arrives. The nursery is coming along nicely and almost all the boxes from 29 Palms are unpacked. I'm hoping to get that burst of "NESTING" energy that everyone talks about but for now I'm getting used to my sausage like toes/ankles & many trips to the ladies room. Thanks for all your continued thoughts and prayers for Baby Charlie...

Bass Blog Rises Again...

One of the things I've been looking forward to about this next season of life is restoring our family blog...I apologize for the 1.5 year break. I must say that Facebook & Email make communication easy when you're busy juggling full time work, USMC life & deployments. Thankfully, we are settling into our new home in Virginia. Captain Bass (as of April 1st) is enjoying his new job at Weapons Training Battalion and I'm learning to embrace my new role as; stay-at-home-wife, unpacker & baby grower with each passing day! Stay tuned for Bass Family Updates & Family Pictutes as we enter into this next season of USMC life...

Frosty the Snowman

Each year MCCS (Marine Corps Community Services) puts on a Winter Festival here in 29 Palms. Free Christmas trees, a toy give-a-way, face painting, free lunch, a chance to see Santa & the ever friendly Frosty, Rudolf & the Gingerbread man! I volunteered to be a character this year and had the privilege of wearing the FROSTY suite. Pictured above with our sweet friends the Moureds and (Kate aka Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer).

Merry Christmas Friends & Family

The Bass Fall Festivities

I have no valid excuse as to why we haven't blogged since September...although I must say it's been a busy & fun filled fall. Here are a few moments captured on camera, to show you what we've been up to lately! You might think that growing up in NC would have been all the NASCAR we could handle; but surprisingly we jumped at the opportunity to see the Pepsi 500 in Fontana, CA with our friends the Sandlins.

What can I say the cars drive really fast in a circle, sometimes they crash, sometimes they stop for gas & new tires. Jon & Matt were in heaven (I actually managed to fall asleep on Jon's shoulder). All in all it was a great experience, it's the best people watching we've done in awhile. Jon had his money on Jimmy Johnson to win the race...and sure enough he did, what an exciting day at the motor speedway!

Once a year Jon's battalion holds a Jane Wayne Day. It's an opportunity for spouses to get down and dirty with their husbands at work. This year ours fell on a beautiful Friday in October. I took the day off work to wear a flack jacket & kevlar helmet, shoot a rifle, ride in a 7-ton & watch Jon work! I loved it and so did he...

I honestly don't know how they do this, actually expecting to hit something or someone. I just closed my eyes and pulled the trigger. I must say, it's always great to watch my husband do what he's best at...being a Marine. There were quite a few times during the event when things fell through; and Jon jumped right in and took charge!

On October 17th, I turned 26 and as always Jon made a big deal about my birthday celebrating in more ways than one. Since my big day fell on a Saturday we took the opportunity to head to Southern California's Apple Country in Yucaipa, CA. We visited Riley's Farm, something similar to what you'd find in Colonial Virginia only here in SoCal. We were a bit skeptical at first, but eventually came around.

Riley's Farm had many things to offer including pumpkin patches, apple orchards and the high light of the day a real Colonial Harvest Feast to finish out the evening!

In an effort to experience all that the farm had to offer...Jon & I pressed our own gallon of apple cider. You can see from the picture that my sweet husband was doing all the hard work turning the crank, I had the easy job throwing the apples in the grinder. It was the best & most expensive gallon of cider we've ever enjoyed together, well worth the effort.

Prior to the Harvest Feast, we enjoyed some traditional colonial games. Here's Jon displaying his finest hatchet throwing skills.

My big birthday surprise this year came in the form of two tickets to see U2, one of our all time favorite bands. A true once in a Lifetime experience!

The concert opened up with the "Black-eyed Peas" who put on a really upbeat intro, but nothing could compare to the amazing performance that proceeded...Jon and I kept looking at one another saying - "They're such ROCK STARS". What a great gift, he knows me so well!

That same weekend we celebrated the 234th Birthday of the Marine Corps in Laughlin, NV. It was our best Birthday Ball yet. Mainly because Jon remembered my make-up bag, our car didn't breakdown, we got there on time & we knew more than 1 person. (all things that have tainted our ball experiences in the past)

The 4 most important jobs in any company are that of the CO, XO, Company 1st Sergent and Company Gunny. They are the brains behind any company operations...pictured are the leadership for 3/7 India Company.

I've been attempting this fall to branch out beyond our neighborhood & small group bible study to meet some new USMC Spouses. Thankfully I was presented the opportunity to participate in the OSC (Officers Spouses Club) Gourmet Dinner Club. I jumped at the chance to host the event at our home. It was a wonderfully delicious evening, and one inwhich I was able to meet quite a few women I might never have crossed paths with otherwise.

We finished off October with a Halloween Party in our Garage, serving 3 kinds of chili, corn muffins and cran-apple bake. Pictured above are Jonny & Lola Bass...you might know them?

We were fortunate enough to be visited by Brad Pitt from Troy, Flavor-Flav & Al Capone.

Welcome Home Tommy Lee!!!

Congrats to the Lee Family who are finally together again after 7 months apart! Lauren, Tommy & Zion have become our sweet friends since living here in 29 Palms. They are a vital part of our weekly small group bible study. (Bible Study this week was held on Victory Field at 2am!) Jon and Tommy overlapped in IRAQ for about a week. It was their first and only meeting...one of the disappointing aspects of military life. However, Lauren & I are looking forward to them becoming fast friends :)

Shiloh Reunion 2009

During college I had the amazing privilege of living with 12 girls in a huge old house in Harrisonburg, VA. Since 2005 we have been spread across the globe thanks to jobs, marriage, ministry, children, seminary, graduate school and so much more. This past Labor Day Weekend, we were all able to reunite together in Virginia Beach, VA for a short but fun filled weekend together! (starting with me on the top left-Margot, Sarah, Marie, Maghan, Sara-Beth, Martha, Ginger, Janna, Kari, Kimberly, Carly & Emily)Weekly Shiloh House dinners were a highlight during our college days. It was so fun to recreate that over the long weekend. Each girl had a buddy & each buddy team took a meal. We ate well might I add, everyone loved eating "chick food" as we like to call it! Lots of fresh fruit & veggies followed by lots and lots and lots of HUMMUS!We spent most of our time talking...hard to believe I know but so much has happened since college and the truth is we just picked-up right where we left off! There have been 9 husbands, 1 fiance, 10 children & 3 dogs added to the Shiloh family since we graduated from JMU. Two of those kiddos joined us for the weekend (Katy-Grace in the backpack & Hudson in Carly's arms)

So amazing to see where the Lord has brought each of us; our lives appearing very different & unique on the outside. But the truth was we were all still very much the same...neater, cleaner, and more organized might I add but still the amazing group of girls I remember from my college days. What an incredible gift the weekend was, we've all said how thankful we are for friends like these! This was our first attempt at a reunion & we're hopeful it won't be our last :)

3/7 Change of Command

Jon's Battalion (3/7) recently underwent a Change of Command. For those of you who aren't as familiar with USMC tradition this is a ceremony where the current battalion commander (Lt Col Wolfe) passes all rights, responsibilities & power to the new battalion commander, (Lt Col Tipton) who is stepping in to take his place. Infantry Battalion Commanders usually serve for the duration of one deployment. Enough time to train the marines, take them to war and bring them home. (pictured below: left-Lt Col Wolfe & right-Lt Col Tipton)You can see Jon standing with his back facing us, during this ceremony he was still holding the billet of India Company Commander. Facing us are 70 of his 250 India Company Marines.Below you can see that Jon is saluting the new Battalion Commander (Lt Col Tipton) as a sign of respect to his on coming authority. The red flag at his left is called a Guide-on, there is one for each company in a Battalion. You can see the numbers 3/7 in the lower left and the letter I in the lower right. So proud to see Jon leading his company, before the new battalion commander.

Boys & Dogs

The other night I was making dinner & looking through my back door could see this--four boys and two dogs digging in the sand in our backyard! What a glorious sight, Jon & I both said out loud "I hope that's us one day!" Josiah, Gabe, Robert & Sam all belong to our neighbors, but it was so fun to have a backyard full of stinky little boys & dirty dogs. Just one of the many bonuses to living in a close knit military community :)