Arlington National Cemetery

Trey's grandfather, Walter Matthew Winoski, is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was a colonel in the US Marine Corps and served in Korea and Vietnam wars. He passed away in 1995 from cancer and was laid to rest in Arlington, along with many other veterans. Trey went to the funeral but hasn't been back since, so as we were coming home from Dover, DE last weekend we decided to take a detour to visit him!

Trey had never seen the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, I went but it was years and years ago, so we also stopped to see that. We were also able to wait around and see the changing of the guard ceremony.
Pretty view as we were walking through

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier


Keeping watch

View of the city from the Tomb of the Unknown Solider

Changing of the guard ceremony about to begin
Looking back up, towards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier


We were actually able to look up his location online, it is done by section number then gravesite number. We didn't realize until after we found his gravesite that the tombstones actually had the gravesite numbers on the back and actually went in order! At least we know for next time, so it's easier to find. Luckily we started off in the correct general area so we didn't have to search for too long to find him.



His view

There were wreaths on each grave in his section, they are a part of the Wreaths Across America project. That link takes you to the Arlington Cemetery website, as long as it is the month of December it should tell you about that project.

Wreaths on every grave in his section

His with a wreath, again

It was an awesome pit stop on our trip home that we plan to make a habit!

Until we meet again at the rainbow bridge...

On Tuesday, November 29th our sweet old man Snoopy passed away, he was almost 15. That is a long happy life, but we definitely miss him. He has now joined Shadow up in doggie heaven. Shadow passed away the day after his 15th birthday, April 2, 2011. Neither situation has been an easy one, but it almost feels like Snoopy's passing has been a little bit harder on us, since now my parents' house is empty, but at least we know that now they are up in heaven running around together again. I can only imagine that Shadow was excited to see him, the same way he was when Snoopy came back to the house after being gone for his gallbladder surgery, a few years back.

Those two dogs were some of the best dogs you could ask for. Shadow has been a part of my life since I was 10! Basically, I can barely remember life before him. Snoopy found his way into our lives 5 years ago. Before him, we never even thought of having a second dog around, but after he came in to our lives we couldn't imagine it without him. It's very hard to not have them around, but luckily I have two sweet pups to love on me every day :) They also go visit grandma and grandpa quite often, so that their house doesn't get too clean or empty.

It's always fun to look back through pictures of them, so I'm using this page as a collection of some of my favorite pictures to remember them by.

We used to mesaure him by the squares of the kitchen floor


One tired puppy!


Always loved sleeping on the vent


Tyson giving Snoopy kisses!


Snoopy and Tyson were great friends!

My snow dog


3 pals


A beach boy!


Shadow napping

His favorite spot while camping


Riding on the dash board


Notice no hair on his tummy... after gallbladder surgery!


love <3


We did tricks, now give us those treats!

Sleepy boy


Nice hood ornaments

A new toy for Christmas


Best friends

Shadow, Phoebe and Snoopy


Shadow making friends

LOVES those rawhides

On the dash .. everytime we drove!

His spot on the couch


Somebody's been digging

Playing with the basketball, just like Vegas does now

Playing with Alex when he was a baby



Always watching over us





Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge,

When a cherished pet passes away, that pet goes to the Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends
So they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine
and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor.
those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,
just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing:
they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes
when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.
His bright eyes are intent, his eager body quivers.
Suddenly he begins to run from the group,
flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend meet,
you cling together in joyous reunion.
The happy kisses rain upon your face;
your hands again caress the beloved head,
and you look on once more into the adoring eyes of your trusting pet,
so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together,
Never again to be separated….

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I LOVE Christmas time, partially because I get almost two weeks off of work, but mostly because of the Christmas cheer :) Holiday decorations just make me HAPPY! I started decorating the day after Thanksgiving, since I had time off from work but we just finished the outside lights this weekend.
I made this wreath!! It was actually very easy
Our tree! (I "edited" this on Instagram... I love that app!)

Our stockings

This is the first time that we have attempted icicile lights, they look pretty cool (especially from far away, so you can't see that they aren't exactly icicle-like). Last year after Christmas we bought a few more wreaths to go on our front windows.... Trey had a big job on his hands :)


Trey working hard

I also bought colored lights to decorate our back porch! It's so pretty at night to see these lights shining in through the kitchen windows.

Christmas lights by our newly fixed kegerator!


Bright porch :)

And my mom bought me the White Christmas Yankee candle... I just love that smell!

Our surprise early Christmas gift... have to be able to use it all season!

I just love this time of year!
Tyson in his Christmas bow tie!