{The Long Sail Home - RNSIT 2010 Finale}

I try to find videos that are posted on YouTube because some are only posted on Facebook and I can't share them here on the blog. Hopefully I'll post a lot more soon. This is shot from the audience (obviously) and I'm on the side of the stage (right hand side of the video) that you cannot see. But I'm there, playing my ♥ out 'cause I LOVED this song in the finale! Ahhhh....can't wait 'til next year!

{Another Video of BAF @ RNSIT - 7 July 2010}

{Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo 2010 - Closing Ceremony}

A little more video for you to watch....our feet are KILLING us at the end of this. 22 minutes of standing at attention! Sheesh!

{Kimberley Pipe Band Sings to Band of America's Few on the 4th of July}

This was SOOOOOO amazingly awesome! What a wonderful thing for them to do! We were all in tears @ the end and felt all the love and heart that they put into it!

{BAF in Halifax!!}

PHEW! I know people have been waiting to see photos of us, etc. We've been SO busy, I haven't had a lot of free time to put stuff up here, or even download my own pictures etc. Last night was our first FULL dress rehearsal. So everyone was in their uniforms and we had full lighting cues and everything was AMAZING! Here are some pictures...we look HOT out on the floor! I'm in the very back on the far left-hand side. They didn't use the percussionists for the set bands, so Shannon said, "Uh...didn't you practice the clarinet? Why don't you come up on set with the clarinet?" So I grabbed a clarinet and a flip-folder (thank goodness THAT music isn't memorized!) and am now in the set band too...as well as the "Hits of the Blitz" sequence on the floor. MUCH happier about doing that and not just sitting around! Shanny is so smart...probably why we've been friends all these years! I'm on the right hand side of the set for the clarinet stuff. Hopefully I'll be able to get some closer up pics of that soon. Meghann has arrived, she got here at 2:30am Halifax time on June 29th. I'm a happy Momma to have my baby here! We move into the rental house today, so that should be nice! They have air conditioning and a pool! WooHoo!

{Halifax, BABY!}

I've arrived! Got in late last night (well...I gained 4 hours, so it was only 6:30 "my time") and checked into the dorms where we quickly had a ♥fest with all our old friends! We met in our common area and talked for a few hours before we decided we all needed sleep. So around 2:30am we went to bed. At 3:30am we had a fire drill! One of the college students on the 10th floor set off the alarm. But we're over it now!

{♥ Happy Father's Day! ♥}

♥ Happy Father's Day!! ♥

I want to wish my 2 favorite men a Happy Father's Day!

My Daddy has done EVERYTHING right in raising me and treating me as a cherished daughter. The care and keeping of a daughter's ♥ by her Daddy is something that is difficult and my wonderful Dad rose to that challenge with the highest of standards and success. There aren't enough words to express how grateful I am that you are my Dad. You continue to amaze me every day with your caring and commitment. I ♥ you Dad! You've stepped up as a Father to Mike as well and given him a wonderful example to follow so that Meghann is getting all of the wonderfulness that I experienced as a child. You have 2 very grateful girls for that!

Mike...Meghann couldn't have a more wonderful Daddy! You play video games with her, you think of HER needs constantly above your own, you encourage her in all that she does, you discipline her in a loving way, you show her that she can be whatever she wants to be, and you are always THERE for her first and foremost. Thank you very much for all that you do as a Daddy! We ♥ you!

{4 Days & a Wake-Up 'til Halifax!}

4 more days and I'll be on a plane to Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada! Amazing how fast the time has flown! Meghann flies out in 10 days to meet Vince and Aleks and then drive up to meet Shanny, Derek and I already in Halifax. I can't wait to start posting some pictures, eh?!

{Stupid Epidural!}

Well...I think we were kinda expecting it because a lot of people told us that this is usually the way it goes; Mike's 1st epidural didn't work. He's in as much pain as ever...so now we have to wait until he sees his spinal doc tomorrow so that Worker's Comp can approve the 2nd shot. And I'll be in Canada, which freaks me out! Thankfully we have a LOT of really good family & friends that have already stepped up to be his ride to/from the surgical center. But we sure were hoping that he'd finally be pain free again. :-(

{♥17 Years of Happiness!♥}

Happy 17th Anniversary!!

{Awwww...we were BABIES!}

17 years ago, I married my best friend! Many people were naysayers because of our age, because we were both in the military, because we knew each other for ONE month before we got engaged (married 10 months after meeting)...but here we are, 17 years later! Through thick and thin we have endured...because ♥ endures ALL things! We have grown together and become the people that we are today BECAUSE of everything we have gone through by each other's side. I love you more now than I did then...Mike, you are my life, my best friend, my everything! Happy Anniversary!

{Couple of Updates!}

Firstly...no change in Mike's back yet. Though they say it takes 3-5 days to know if the epidural works. Today is 3 days after the injection...so if it doesn't work by Saturday, we'll have to get him scheduled for a 2nd one. The waiting is hard...but we're hopeful. We've heard from MANY people that their 1st one didn't work but the 2nd one does.

Secondly...11 more days before I leave for Canada to rock Halifax with the Band of America's Few! There's been a slight instrumentation change for me...I will no longer be playing the clarinet, but instead will be a percussionist clanging my 'ol favorites...the cymbals! We had 2 snare drummers drop out, so we had to be creative. 2 other musicians jumped over to snare and my friend Shannon's son, Derek, will be joining us on bass drum and then I'm filling a cymbalist spot. I WAS trained by the Corps to do it...and did my fair share of it @ MCRD San Diego, so it's nothing new! It's ALL good because the needs of the band come FIRST...and it's about being with all my brothers and sisters in the Corps again for a wonderful musicial time in Nova Scotia! Can't wait until Megs joins us and we have a wonderful time together!

Thirdly...hoping that all the illnesses that keep on plaguing my lovely Momma will just QUIT! You are in our prayers and we ♥ you!

{Mike's Epidural is TODAY!}

Please say a little prayer for Mike today as he's going in for his epidural steroid/nerve block @ 11am. He's been on temporary disability for a few weeks now and has been in pain since February. We really don't want him to have back surgery again. This time, after the accident, Mike decided to go Worker's Comp on this one. So, unfortunately, things move VERRRRRRRY slowly when you go that route, so he's been in pain for a long time. Hopefully the epidural will work and I will be driving home a pain free husband from the doc today! :-D

{Mikey's Garden and Lani}

Mike has been very busy in the backyard...it's hard for him to do much at one time, so he takes it very slowly. Being on temporary disability has given him a LOT of time...and our backyard is looking nice because of it! Soon the drip system for watering will be all done! Yeah! He planted the raised vegetable beds with tomatoes (LOTS of them!), cucumbers, onions (they aren't doing so well), corn, and zucchini (doing VERY well!). So we'll enjoy eating a few num-nums from the garden this summer!

{Corn...hopefully there are male and female plants so we get actual CORN!}

{Cucumbers and tomatoes}
{Our 1st zucchini...it's about 7 inches long}
{Our 2nd zucchini...lots more flowers so we'll have a bunch!}

{The whole bed filled with zucchini}
{Pretty Lani tipping her head...}
{Get my good side, Momma!}
{Blue Hill Salvia}
{Lani likes to sniff the Blue Hill Salvia}
{Lani ALSO likes to sniff the camera!!}

{Happy Mother's Day!!}

♥Happy Mother's Day Mom!♥

We hope you guys are enjoying your cruise so far...I know it's only the 2nd day! I'm glad that you get to spend Mother's Day with Darren & Sepi! We're taking good care of your "other baby", Bitsy! Her and Lani are having a good time! We moved her crate into our room @ night on Mike's side of the bed so that everyone gets to sleep in the room with "Mom and Dad"! Hee, hee! Enjoy your day...hopefully they will do something special @ dinner tonight for all the Moms! Much ♥ for all that you have done and continue to do for us! We ♥ you so much for being such a wonderful guiding light in our lives!

♥Happy Mother's Day Mom!♥

♥, MMM

{My AWESOME Brother...and his cool job!!}

{Band of America's Few...Support Your Former Marine Musicians!}

Many of you already know the story...but I'll tell it again!

This summer an opportunity presented itself to a Marine Musician friend of mine. The Marine Corps bands used to participate in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in Canada every year. It's a HUGE entertainment extravaganza attended by people from all over the world and includes performers from all over the world. About 10 years back, the government decided to quit funding trips such as this. So the international community has been begging Marine bands for 10 years to come back. Since the government won't fund it, it can't happen, no matter HOW badly the Marines want to participate. A wonderful man, Guthrie Woods, a Canadian came forward and talked to the Marine Musician friend of mine and said, "What if you got together a bunch of your FORMER Marine Musicians, and I paid for uniforms to be made specially for you guys, and I got sponsors to provide instruments that you guys don't have access to?" Matt said, "I think I can DO that!" It was all approved through the Headquarters Marine Corps, and "The Band of America's Few" was born! I will be performing on clarinet this year...and Meghann will get to attend as well for 1 week with me! What an opportunity for us both...she, of course, never got to see her Marine Mommy perform, so this will be the next best thing! An AMAZING group of former Marine Musicians has been assembled and we will "Take Halifax by Storm" in June/July 2010! We are an ongoing group and will continue to support other "missions" that arise...we've already been requested for quite a few "gigs" and invited back for the 2011 Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo! The PayPal widget to the right @ the top of the blog page is to encourage you to donate to our non-profit organization...and help foster the goodwill that Marine Musicians have always provided to the local and international communities! Every dollar helps...so give a dollar, give 10...whatever you can, it'll be MUCH appreciated! The widget only shows what's been donated to "The Band of America's Few" through the widget...we've had our fundraising going for about 3 weeks now and have gotten a lot of donations, this is just one more way to get our name/story out there!

Our Logo in Brass form...for our buttons and belts

Our embroidered Logo on the windbreaker

Here is the promotional video from the Tattoo website...how cool is THIS?!? Did you see the Marines?

{Meghann's 15th Birthday Party @ Grandma & Papa's House!!}

We got VERY lucky this year on Meghann's 15th birthday...it fell on a Saturday so that we could spend the whole day with Grandma & Papa in Hemet! Grandma planned out a whole day of fun for her party! We played games, ate WONDERFUL food, and enjoyed the BEST company! Meghann loves that her Grandma & Papa are so thoughtful and think of her all the time! We invited David to come and enjoy the day with us as well so that Grandma & Papa could meet him, since she's met both of his Grandmas...had to even up the playing field and subject David to the "once over"! Hee, hee! Of course he passed with flying colors...Grandma & Papa can see how happy he makes their granddaughter! Thanks again, Mom & Dad for your wonderfulness and for always making home such a happy place to be! We love you! ♥

{Decorations on the table}

{David and Meghann sitting on the couch}{Meghann and David swimming}

{Meghann peeking @ me...}

{Papa, David & Mike on the patio for lunch}

{David trying his best to "mail the lost invitations"! Sorry David...I beat you!}

{Megs making an effort to "deliver the lost invitations"! Sorry Megs...I beat you too!}

{Lani just laid there while all the envelopes were flying towards her...she didn't care!}

{David and Meghann getting ready to open the presents}

{AWESOME Grandma & Papa bought Megs an iTouch! They also bought her some wonderful watercolor pencils and paper for her to practice her art. She didn't look so good in that picture, so she can thank me for not posting it!}

{Nice green cover for your iTouch Megs...oh, wait, why don't you just hand that over to Daddy since you've been using HIS since Christmas and have all YOUR crap on it! Hee, hee!}

{Squinty Lani in the sunshine of Hemet}

{WTG Papa...distracting Mike with your antics so that NEITHER of you are looking @ the camera!
What AM I gonna do with you?!?!?}

{She huffs...she puffs...she gets all 15 candles blown out! PHEW! Yummy FunFetti cake...thanks Grandma, it was TASTY!}

{On the patio for lunch...couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather!}

Another year down...{SIGH!}...where HAS the time gone?? Our little girl is so grown up now...next year she'll be able to DRIVE! {YIKES!} We ♥ you baby girl and are so glad that you're ours!
♥,
Dad & Mom

{♥Fred & Rosie's 50th Anniversary Par-Tay!♥}

Family and friends all got together on 13 March 2010 to celebrate 50 years of marriage between Fred & Rosie Hernandez. These are 2 of the most WONDERFUL people in the world! They have overcome obstacles with love and patience and dedication to family. What BEAUTIFUL role models they are to everyone that meets them and is blessed enough to have them in their lives! We are SO lucky to be included in that bunch of people!{The 3 Walkers}{Dan, Elvis & Cindi}

{Joey, Roseanne, Fred, Rosie, Cindi, Kelsey & Dan Hernandez}

{All of the married couples dancing...the couple in front; Ana & Nathan, have been married over 50 years as well and just happen to be Fred's brother and Rosie's sister! That's right! The 2 brothers married 2 sisters! How AWESOME is that?}

{The newest married couple in the family}

{Meghann DRIVING? Oh NO!}{Kelsey is pretty sure Megs doesn't know where she's going!}

{Sisters @ ♥}

{Oh...those "teenie-boppers"!}

{Oh...those "teenie-boppers"...AGAIN!}

{Oh...those "teenie-boppers"! Oh wait...Mike, Michelle, Dan, Cindi, Denise, Robert}

{Fred, Rosie, Roseanne, Michelle, Meghann, Mike & Joey}