hello!

it's been a while since we updated...
we have been busy it seems since we got home last week!
and we have been jetlagged as well, going to bed before 9pm! =)

we had a blast in california, and we are so thankful it all worked out!
just wish we could have seen more of you! =) maybe next time....

ben is busy getting ready to go underway again. BLAH.
we hate this time. =( but we have really been enjoying ourselves the past few days and are trying to soak in the moments we DO get to be together. God is good.


i have been staying busy making cards because i got a big order for christmas cards! while we were in california we were able to stock up on a bunch of supplies i had run out of, so its been fun to dive back into that. =) here is one of my favorites that i made a few days ago:


also, in relation to the cards - while i was traveling and ben was still in cali, he was so sweet and made me a website! so check it out if you have some time! =)
http://www.cardsbykristi.com

oh, and i said i was going to try to blog about all my crazy travel adventures. i dont even know where to start! i took military "space-available" flights starting in okinawa, japan... and on my way TO california, i stayed a night in guam, in a hotel room with people i had just met that day... used oxygen masks on one flight for 2 hours, had the engine die in another plane just as we were about to leave... stayed in the hawaii terminal for about 7 hours, and spent the night in the sacramento airport all to get to ben 4 days later! hahaha. =)

THEN on the way back TO japan i missed another flight and ended up flying to hawaii again and getting stuck there for 2 days... but i made a friend with the girl and i who were in the same boat, trying to get back to the same place - her name is michelle - here is a picture of us on our way back:


overall, it was definitely the craziest travel adventure i have ever done - especially by myself, but it gave me a boost of confidence that i CAN do it by myself if i ever need to do it again. =) but as for now, i am glad to have a break from flying for at least a few weeks! haha.

anyway, other than that we are pretty good. just wanted to say hi from japan!
miss you all!

parents, pretty weather, and... pictures!

so we are still having a grand old time in california. the weather has been great, and last week we were able to see my parents and brother, and bens mom! =)
we also checked out a surfing contest on the boardwalk of the beach - at this place called "the wavehouse". ben got some neat shots of that.
we had good food, played cards, played with some birds, went to the beach, had a tour of the USS Midway... it was great to get to visit with our families that we hadnt seen in so long. so here are some pictures!

















we had a great time! check out www.flickr.com/photos/benbengraves and the san diego, ca set to see bens pictures from the wavehouse, and all our other pictures. =) hope you guys are doing well! we love and miss you!

The Happiest Place on Earth!

i know its been a little while since we blogged, but its because we have been staying busy ever since i landed here in san diego! ben and i are having a GREAT time, and have been able to go do lots of fun things...

this past friday, we drove over to arizona to visit jess and jodie, and went to one of those pottery places where you paint your own pottery... here are a few pictures, we had a fun time!







and then sunday we took a trip to the happiest place on earth, DISNEYLAND! =) and we worked it out for charissa to go with us, too! (one of the girls from bens ship who is here went with us too) so here are some more pictures from our adventures...

















as always, there are lots more pictures on bens flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/benbengraves

hope you guys are doing good! my parents get in tonight and are staying through friday, and then bens mom gets in saturday and stays with us til sunday, and we are very much looking forward to seeing them! =) more pictures to come, i am sure.

Free Flight Aviary

Folks, I have to show you how much fun I had at the free flight aviary here in San Diego, Ca where I am visiting for a month while I'm at a Navy school.

I highly suggest if you're in the area to google the place and get directions to visit, it's a fun time for only 5$ per adult! =D  Enjoy the pictures!  I had a great time taking them!

There are birds all over the place, some you can even have hop up on your finger!  No cages to have to shoot through for most of the birds! =D Which always makes me happy!

I loved the feathers on this red one!



This blue one was so neat!



These two were sooo cute! =D



This one was my favorite, he was so friendly! =)



These guys were helping each other out, scratching each others back! hehe



This green fellow was quite excited to see me!




I loved the look of the blue feathers in this photo!




This little guy was trying to make me turn my head also! haha




I really liked this picture because of the wonderfully colored feathers!


Ahh and then of course there are a few fun shots of me and the friendly birdy!






And you want to know when a nice bird wants you to stop taking it's picture?  It sticks it's tongue out at you like this!


Well I hope you enjoyed looking at a few of my pictures from today's trip! =D 
There's some more at my flickr.www.flickr.com/photos/benbengravesbut I tried to pick my favorites to display here!