A cheesy Valentine post

I am all fingers when it comes to blogging. I sit here trying to think of what Witty thing I can come up with this week. That is probably why I go so long in between posts. My dear sweet mother was lamenting my lack of blogging so I am yet again setting the goal to blog every Sunday.

On to more pleasant things, I thought I would open up a part of my life that is not one I talk about much, MY Husband. I have got to be the most blessed wife in the whole world! Cheesy, I know! I would be remiss if I didn't say so.Nathan and I have been married for nearly 10 years. In that time we have never had a "real" fight. Nathan is a very gentle and loving man. He does not raise his voice with me ever! In order to grow closer to me Nathan has learned many of the things that interest me ie. ballroom dancing, interior decorating, and photography. Nathan is an extremely happy person and has filled our home with much laughter. My mother likes to tease that Nathan could make a toy out of anything and it is SO true. I am so very happy that Nathan chose me. I am more enamored with him now than I was 13 years ago when we met.

Thank you for indulging me in this extremely cliche Valentines composition.
Here is a sweet Valentine quote:
Loving is not just looking at each other, it's looking in the same direction. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939
Until Next week
Bless and keep you all well
NINA

Here are a few pictures from Christmas and a trip to Baltimore and the USS Constellation. An old wooden ship. It is a sister of old iron sides.

So this will prove how ditsy I am, can I respond to comments on my blog and the people who I am responding to receive the response? Please help me!

time for another update

I think I am constantly behind in my blogging. I can't even think about all that has happened since the last time I blogged. November was forever ago.
We had a memorable Thanksgiving with a fellow pilot and his family(one of the other two LDS families). The girls had a great time playing with their boys. We ate way too much and talked about our families back home.
December 20th began a large snowstorm. 24 inches fell in 24 hours. Our neighbors, who have lived in the same house more than 20 years, said it was the most they had ever seen. The Leake's struck again!
The Christmas season brought many joys. Time with new friends and old friends reacquainted. We had a very fun night of music with some of the members of our ward. We live in a very talented ward. Christmas eve we met up with some of our friends from California, the Moon family. We had so much fun with them. The girls taught their boys how to ballroom dance. I did all the cooking as the moons had only moved out here 2 weeks prior to Christmas. We again ate too much. I love holiday cooking! We had a pleasant Christmas morning in which we all slept in:) The favorite gift for everyone seems to have been a purple beanbag that Becca got from Santa Claus.
January was an uneventful month. February has started with a bang. Maryland has now had the 2nd worst storm in recorded history, more than 30 inches. That was last weekend. It was followed on Tuesday with another 15 inches. N has had no work since they closed the base to all but essential personnel. We have enjoyed having him home.
Homeschooling is getting easier and more enjoyable for me. The girls, however, often re numerate all the reasons they wish we still lived in Cheyenne. The #1 being that they didn't have to work so hard in public school. They say this even though they only do about 3 hours each day.
Nathan's back may never be the same after shoveling snow. He is enjoying flying as always. His classes for his masters are going well. He of course is getting top scores.
I am me! I teach the 7 turning 8 year old in primary. They are an energetic but smart and good group of children. My days and nights are filled thinking of homeschooling. It takes alot more work than just putting kids on the bus. And that is about it.
I think we have updated you all by word. Now the only thing left are pictures. They will come soon.
Love and blessings to you all
Nina

flight of my life

I believe that last Saturday night will be one of the unforgettable nights of my life. Each year as a "thank you" to wives of the pilots the squadron will hold a spouses flight. We have dinner and then get to go up in the helicopter for a short flight. In Wyoming we flew through the mountains and over a couple small lakes. This year, however, I got to fly over Washington DC at night. It was mesmerizing! We first flew over Bolling AFB and did a emergency landing to help one of the other helo's who's radio was not working right. We landed in the middle of a soccer field; way cool! After that we crossed the Potomac and flew over Ronald Reagan International. I think that we technically crossed the state line into Virginia but I can't be sure. We flew around the pentagon and saw the 9/11 memorial. Our flight engineer must have done the tour a few times because he was excellent. We learned the reason behind how the benches in the memorial were laid out. Who the first person killed in the pentagon attack was. We then flew up the into the Tidal Basin and we saw the Jefferson and Roosevelt monuments. The fountains in the Roosevelt monument from the air were beautiful! We flew to the side of the Mall. WE couldn't fly over the capital because it is a restricted area. We did get to fly about eight blocks away and had a pretty good view. We saw the national cathedral which is a stunning sight. I can't put into words the awesome experience this was. Unfortunately, for most people you can't get quite as close as you might like because most of that area is restricted it would be a little difficult. I guess that is one of the perks of the military. The only thing I didn't get to see that I really wanted to was the DC temple. It is supposed to be a great sight! I was unable to take any pictures because it was dark and we were going a little too fast so I thought I would add a couple of generic photos of DC at night.

oops!

Ooops, I forgot the good part

The girls "helping" to feed cousin Marshall

Nathan and the girls outside the home of Patty Bartlet Sessions, one of Nathans Ancestors

The Nauvoo temple at night! Isn't it Gorgeous!

Leake and Hacking kids at Liberty Jail in Missouri

Me and the Girls in front of the avenue of Flags at Mount Rushmore

Half of an update

It is 11:30p.m and so this will be really quick update.
We had a great time visiting friends and family as well as seeing some cool new sites along the way. House hunting started off a little slowly but we have found a house, Yeah! It is about 2 miles away from the Chesapeake Bay in a little community. I realize that to alot of my friends out west your thinking how can anything by D.C be little but I promise it is. The little town we will be living in doesn't even have a wal-mart. We have already taken advantage of the plethera of learning attractions that this area provides. Note to anyone that wants to come out this way, Take the metro to the Mall(that is what they call the strip that houses all of big attractions. Parking is nearly impossible and don't go on Labor day! The weather has been great! The trees are turning all red and yelow and orange(aren't you all jealous). It is beautiful! Mara does think there are too many trees. Homeschooling out of hotel rooms has been an adventure. Just yesterday the girls and I went to the National Colonial Farm and locked ourselves out of the car. It took 5 different locksmiths not showing up and 4 hours to get the car unlocked meanwhile we met three of the sweetest people and finally got back to the hotel at 11:00 p.m. The dark in a park all alone with your three little girls in the middle of Maryland is a little scary!Anyway I said this was going to be short Ha Ha!Here are a few pics of the things we have been doing. Enjoy and love to all