In the Land of Enchantment

Time Off...

2009-07-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

I have been working since the very first monday I got back to CA. It has been a huge blessing!! I was so worried about interviews and I got to skip it entirely! Not to mention Im actually working and being paid the most Ive ever been paid before! I have been there for about 2 months and I love it! I cant even begin to explain how wonderful it is to love going to work!! I have my "I dont want to go to work today" days but once Im there I couldnt be happier!! I am so thankful for that!

This week however the office is closed so I get a little vacation. Madison is going to go to preschool in the mornings and then we will have tim etogether in the afternoons. Originally I planned to take it easy, just relax and have some me time but now it looks like Im crazy busy!! The front office girls are going to Soak City water park tomorrow and have pretty much talked me into going. I havent been to a water park since I was in 5th grade!

Tuesday we are going to the beach with our really good friends and old neighbors. We always have a blast hanging out with them. We used to go to the beach a lot with them too so I know its going to be a lot of fun. It might also be my only chance to go this summer so Im very excited!

Wednesday I might actually take it easy. I have a couple old friends Ive been trying to get together with so that might be the day to do it.

Thursday I have to go into the office to be trained for bleaching teeth. I dont get paid but I do get my teeth whitened. Im a little nervous only because so many people tell me its painful and Im a big chicken!! After that I might try to take Madison to sea world or something fun like that.

Friday I have to get my jewlery fixed and possibly groceries and the usual friday funness.

I might also go bug Bethany and Delaney at somepoint during the week.

Man I cant believe the week is aready over now! haha Sounds like a busy week but Im excited.

Update

2009-06-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok so its been way too long! I originally started this so everyone would know what was going on in my life in New Mexico and now that Im back I havent written. Im bored because Johnny is running and Madison is asleep so I guess I will atleast give an update....

Im working in a dental office in poway for one of the coolest Drs Ive ever met! Shes so down to earth and never looses her cool, its very easy to work there! We are currently living with Johnnys parents which has been working out nicely. I miss having our own place but for now it is great. Johnny is working at walmart as a cashier, hes still figuring out what he wants to do.

Madison turned 3 last week. I cant believe how big shes getting and how fast its happening!! I really love being able to talk with her and finally have a taste of what her little mind is thinking! I still have bits of baby fever but have been way to busy to really think about that so thats good. There are so many things that need to happen before we have # 2! It does make it hard though when all our friends that have kids maddys age have # 2 and even # 3. Oh well, we have plenty of time for all that.

Right now everything is really good. Johnny and I are happier than we have been in a while and its nice to have that back!

Well sorry I havent written in a while and I dont know if anyone besides David (since hes my only follower!) will read this hahah but I will try my best to write again!

Stay at Home Days are Gone...

2009-05-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

On saturday we head back to CA and I am beyond excited!! Jessica is flying out here tomorrow, we are going to squeeze in every sight seeing thing we can on thursday and then pack up the truck on friday. We are planning on taking 2 days to get back so we should be there in time for Mothers Day! Happy Mothers Day Lynne!!!

I was really nervous about finding work but today I had some really great news! My friend has been working at an office for a while and told me forever ago that I needed to come back because they were going to be hiring. She told me that they wanted to interview me and probably start on the 18th. Sounded good to me, but I hate interviews!!

Today she told me that the Dr. fed up with an assistant so badly today that she fired her so this week things are going to be crazy. She told me to just show up in scrubs ready to work on monday! So no interview!!! Im not officially hired, its more of a fill in/working interview so at least I have work for a day!! If things go well they will hire me on and the Dr. was saying that as long as I can xray and suck spit there shouldnt be a problem! Very happy to not have to stress about that now!!

Poor Johnny has to unload the truck by himself though until I get off work....Anyone want to help? haha!!

Stressin It Up!

2009-04-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today is one week from when Jessica will be flying in. Im very very excited!! Today Johnny had work from 2 - 10 so we had a nice relaxing morning of tanning and swimming. Once he left for work I had no one to entertain my brain so I was forced to confront all my worrying. I cant wait to be back in California but once again we are moving without find work first. Everyone has been telling us how bad California is and I cant help but freak out at the possibility that its going to be difficult for us to find work. About 2 weeks ago I was replying to ads on craigslist for RDAs. I got a couple calls back but everyone needed someone to sart right away. They told me to call when I get back in town but chances are they have already found someone. I still see atleast 1 ad a day for RDAs and chances are better now before school is over and the new graduates are job hunting!

Im sure everything will work out, I just cant help stressing about it!

Dash for Trash

2009-04-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

A few days ago we were really impressed with Madison's running! Last night Johnny decided to run a 1 mile race with Maddy. He was originally going to run the 10k but found out he had to work at 8 and didnt want to call in sick so instead he took the week off of running. The 1 mile race with Maddy would be easy and for fun.

We stood in line to register them and someone from the race a couple weeks ago recognized Johnny and was asking if he was going to smoke them again. He ended up giving in and registering for the 10k.

Maddy got her number and headed to the starting line with Johnny. They ended up getting dead last mostly because Maddy was distracted by water and signs and of course her favorite park! She finished the race running with a big grin on her face!

Johnny had to hurry and warm up for his race and they were off! I headed over to the other side of the river to get a picture and to cheer him on. As he ran up to us at about 1/2 way, I heard a man telling everyone around that he was the one who had finished first at the Ocotillo race. It was cool to see that people recognized him. We headed back to the finish line where Johnny came in third.

All in all it was an exciting morning and Im very happy that we are getting Madison interested in running at such an early age! I really want to sign her up for gymnastics and soccer and swimming and everything I can when we get back now that she will be 3!!!

2 More Weeks!

2009-04-22T07:25:00.001-07:00

2 Weeks from today my bestest friend in the whole wide world is flying out here to help Johnny and I move back! Im so excited! We have been friends for over 10 years and are in need of a fun adventure! We only get one day to fit in everything we can possibly do in this town but thats all you really need! We are pretty much finished packing and Johnnys last day of work is a week from thursday. See everyone soon!

Best Day!

2009-04-21T06:21:00.000-07:00

My mom got back from California on Sunday evening, she had been gone for a week on a nice little vacation. She was out there because my grandpa had to have a hernia repaired and she wanted to help out my grandma. The surgery went well and he seems to be recovery quickly. Anyways, while she was in CA, we were here in our usual routine with Johnny working and me taking care of Cole. It was a tough week. Cole and Madison seemed to fight more than ever!! So I decided Monday needed to be a good day with just Madison and me.

I realized that back in CA I never really did anything fun with just the two of us. We always had friends or Johnny come along. There isn't that much to do here and we go to the park a lot so I decided we should go to the Living Desert State Park and Zoo. Its a tiny little place but its only $5! Its nice because its one loop around the park so it is easy to see everything. We started off looking at the birds, then pigs, and their black bear. My favorite are the wolves. They are always so active running around their exhibit. Then we saw the snakes and prairie dogs, deer and bison and ended at the wild cats. That is also really cool! There was a mountain lion laying out on the rocks like 10 ft away. The bobcat was hiding in the shade but still really easy to find. We went through the exhibits and I would ask her what noises they make or "whats that?" It really was a wonderful Mommy Daughter trip! When we were done we got lunch and were about to head to the park but my mom needed us to pick up Cole.

Johnny was off at 4 so then we headed to get him. Madison fell asleep in the car so when we got home, we took advantage and cleaned and packed up. We got most of our clothes and shoes we don't wear packed up, so now we are pretty much done.

After Madison woke up Johnny wanted to go run so Maddy and I biked along with him. Its really fun to get out and exercise together! Johnny's foot was hurting him so we switched but now Madison wanted to run with me. Johnny stayed on the bike in case she got tired but she ran almost a half mile with only a couple stops for water or curiosity. Johnny was really impressed and excited to see her love to run. He couldn't believe how easy it was for her to run the entire way and didn't even seem to be out of breath. We might take her to the track and see how long she can go.

Even though it was about 6:30 when we were done it was so hot we decided to go swimming. Madison was a little timid at first. She stayed on the float and would tell me what animal to pretend to be. After being a dolphin, dog, frog and splashing her as Shamu, I talked her into getting into the water. I had her kick and blow bubbles and then she hung out on my back while I swam around telling me to be flounder but not to go under the sea. It was getting cold so we were getting ready to get out when she says,"Momma, wait. I want to go under the sea now" So I showed her how to hold her breath and I plugged her nose and we went under really quick. She came up with a big smile on her face and was so proud of herself! Looks like Johnny and I will be competing over swimming and running!

It was a really really great family day. As much as we enjoy Cole, it was really nice to have a day with just the 3 of us.

Easter

2009-04-13T15:33:00.000-07:00

Egg hunts and Easter baskets that's what Easter is all about right? I have no idea but this Easter really hit me. On Friday I started thinking about what had happened that day so long ago and what the weekend was really all about. I have always considered myself "religiously confused" that's what I like to call it. My mom never went to church when I was younger so the only time I went was with friends. I participated in Sunday school and learned about God's history. Then I went to visit my aunts in Colorado and went to church with them. They are Jehovah's Witnesses and what I started hearing at their meeting was different from what I heard with my friends. I began arguing with the sermons mentally thinking, "No, that's not right." I didn't favor my friends churches, that was my reaction to every conflicting sermon I heard no matter what church I was in. So I gave up, turned to science. I have always been a logical thinker and it worked better for me. I had a teacher in high school that believed in evolution but also believed that some force helped push it along, I liked that idea.

That changed completely on June 11, 2006. How can you not believe in God when you witness the incredible miracle of life?! I began to crave a stronger relationship with Him. Johnny's hardest days of work were on Sundays and I wasn't ready to go to church by myself even thought the thought crossed my mind many times. I am really looking forward to going back to Escondido and having normal lives so we can start going to church. I really want Madison to grow up going to church, I think a healthy relationship with God is a wonderful thing.

I sat thinking about this a lot yesterday and laughed at myself in my earlier days praying for some boy to like me or to help me find the homework I lost. I realized how I have changed so much in that department as well and I hadn't even realized it. Now I find myself praying for strength to overcome things or patience or guidance. I feel so ridiculous for what I used to beg for! I hope that means I am becoming more mature and will help me understand Him better as I try to grow closer.

Anyways this Easter the Easter bunny came but I also made a point to read Madison stories from the Children's Bible. I also made my first ham by myself and it turned out really great!

Ocotillo Trail Challenge

2009-04-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Today Johnny ran the first ever Ocotillo Trail Challenge. They had a 2 mile walk/run and a 5 mile run. There were about a hundred people there which was more than they had anticipated. Johnny was very excited to actually run a race out here especially since he missed the Carlsbad 5k. We got there really early so Johnny had about an hour to try and stay warmed up.

The start was up at the Living Desert Zoo and went down onto the city streets. It was way different from the races Johnny ran in CA. They block off roads and have so many people that come out to cheer and run. Here they were lectured over and over about watching out for traffic and there was no one out watching, Im not sure many people even knew about the race.

As soon as the guy blew the whistle to start the race (no guns here either) Johnny took off to lead the pack. He had been running this course to get ready for a few weeks so he knew his limits. I took Cole and Madison down to the halfway point to try and get another look at him before he crossed the finish.

At the halfway point you would have no idea there was a race going on. I stood waiting in the High School parking lot for about 10 minutes and finally saw Johnny running up the street. We yelled good job and our love yous and headed back to the finish. There was no one in site, Johnny was in the lead by at least a mile!

We waited at the finish for another 15 minutes or so and saw him again. We were all very excited as he turned the corner to take first place!! Because both the 2 and 5 mile race were at the same time no one really realized he was the first to finish for the 5 mile. There definitely wasnt the cheering crowd hes used to at all the other races. Johnny cooled down and a few people came to congratulate him and comment on his speed. It was at least 10 minutes before any other 5 milers crossed the finish. About 30 minutes later everyone headed into the zoo to have lunch and wait for the awards. The top 2 runners (boy and girl) from both races got deer trophies. All the runners got a tshirt, admission to the zoo and lunch. It was a really fun morning and we are very proud of Johnny!!!

Craziness!

2009-04-10T21:46:00.001-07:00

Ive seen a bazillion previews for the new Hannah Montana Movie that came out today. Ive watched the show a few times and its pretty entertaining but theres something I cant stand about Miley Cyrus. Im not a huge fan of her singing either. Anyways I saw previews for her movie an saw that Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts were going to be in it as well. Now I had to go see it. Im a sucker for all the girly teeny bopper movies. I have all the High School Musicals and all the movies Hillary Duff made so why not give Miley a try on the big screen?

Now that Im in this middle of now where town I wasnt sure if it would be playing here today. There is one movie theater in town that only has three screens in it and then a drive in that also has three screens. I checked Fandango but they didnt even have the theater listed!! So while I was out running errands I decided to drive by the theater and see if it was playing. Sure enough it was so I drove home and talked my mom into going to the 7:10 showing.

Come 6:40 I was freaking out to my mom. "We got to go, we got to go!!" She assured me that it was only a 5 minute drive there and it wouldnt be busy. Obviously my mother didnt realize how popular Hannah Montana was and that this was opening night! There was no way we were going to get good seats!!! We get our tickets and my mom waited in line for snacks and told me to go save some seats. I hurry to theater 2 and walk in to find that I was the only one there! I could help but bust up laughing. So I picked out perfect seats and was alone for about five minutes before people started coming in to join me. Beside the fact that it was a tiny movie theater, it was also ancient seating!! NO STADIUM SEATING!!! I cant believe people still have that!!

The movie stated a good 20 minutes late with only about 20 people there to watch. I guess my mom was right! I did find it pretty interesting to see that the ushers came in a lot through out the movie and would ask people to quiet down or put their feet down. Could you imagine how many people they would need to do that back in San Diego? There definitely wouldnt be a job shortage! They also had signs all over saying that if caught on the phone or texting at all in the auditorium more than once you would be kicked out. I cant remember the last time I went to a movie and didnt see the glow of someones phone!

The movie was actually really good. My kind of movie, lots of country and horses. Man Im a dork but tonight Im definitely wishing I was in Tennessee!

Cole's Birthday

2009-04-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today Cole turned 7. It was a pretty busy day for him with school and tutoring and then baseball. We also went on a bike ride and watched Slum Dog Millionaire. Johnny and I got him some legos and pjs. He was acting like a brat as usual so Johnny told him he needed to watch out for the birthday goblin. He knew we were were kidding but it was the on going joke of the evening.

When he went to go to bed Johnny looked like he was going to go try and scare him but decided not to in case he scared my mom when she went to tuck him in. I couldnt help it, I had to do it! So when he went to tell my mom to tuck him in I ran in to hide under his bed, its a bunk bed so its not too difficult to get under because there isnt a bed underneath the top one. I figured he would probably see me right away but luckily he didnt. My mom came in to tuck him in but spotted me, luckily she didnt tell him. As she was leaving Cole called her a big fat monster and she told him to watch out talking to people like that. PERFECT! So after she turned off his light of course he went and turned it back on so I had to quietly text Johnny to turn them back off.

As soon as the lights were off I knew I had to move fast before he turned them back on again so I grabbed his comforter and yanked it off of him! I have never heard someone scream so loud or high pitched. I yelled the Birthday Goblin strikes again before I turned his lights back on. I feel bad but just couldnt help it. Needless to say his lights are staying on tonight and I am well aware that I am evil!!

The Best Birthday Party Eber!

2009-04-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

Cole turns 7 on monday and so we had his birthday party today. He wanted a transformer party so we got all the themed cups and plates and my mom figured that would be enough. We had decided the weekend before that we should make it a pool party since the pool was all cleaned out. We found a few days ago that there was supposed to be really strong winds this weekend so I set out to find a back up plan.

I started looking online for tranformer themed parties and I got a bunch of ideas from there. We had a lot of fun but it was a lot of work. I found the different autobot characters from the movie and printed out pictures of them in robot and in vehicle form. I cut the vehicle up into puzzle pieces and put them in an envelope on the back of the robot picture. The idea was for them to complete the puzzle and that would transform them into their vehicles so they could find the allspark.

They had to complete a couple missions before transforming which didnt go totally as planned because of the wind and dirt flying in everyones eyes. The kids had to run across the yard with a handful of ice and cover megatron with it so he would remain frozen. They also had to get energy spheres out of a bucket that I filled mostly with bubbles so it was hard to see the colors and they had to get only blue ones. They had fun but we rushed it and headed back inside. They transformed into their cars and had to go on a scavenger hunt to find the allspark. Which was a box I decorated and then filled with their goodie bags. I was a little irritated because there was an older girl there that would find the clues, read them to herself and then take off for the next one leaving the little kids clueless. Then she went on about how it was so easy. I did plan it for 6 and 7 year olds not 11. Oh well!

Then for some crazy reason the kids still wanted to swim so while we made lunch we let them. It didnt last long though before they ran inside shivering! They had lunch and cake and Cole opened his presents. The other idea I read or heard somewhere was writing out the thank you cards while they opened presents and then putting it in the kids treat bags to take home so that made things really easy. I feel a little bad that Cole didnt write them though. Maybe Ill make him write more.

We finished the party with the pinata which we realized had way too much candy!!! Every kid had probably more than they got trick or treating last year!

Forever Ago!!!!

2009-03-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

I was looking through old pictures and videos on my moms computer and found a few videos of Madison from last year when we came to visit for my spring break. I cant believe how little she looks!!!! SHES GETTING SO BIG!!!! I miss my little baby girl!

Johnny has been working 7 - 4 lately and Cole is on spring break so it has been a pretty boring week now that Kellen is gone. Not to mention its been really cold so we cant even go swimming! We are currently watching Bolt for the 6th time.

Johnny and I also have a move back date. We should be back in California on May 10! My bbf is flying out here on the 7th and then driving back with us. Its going to be so much fun!! Not to mention I dont have to deal with Kellen's farting and stinky feet! There are so many things I want to do once we are settled in CA!!! Sea World and Disneyland are at the top of my list! I cant believe we thought we could survive without Disneyland!! Anyway back to my Disney movie...

For Grandma Boo Boo

2009-03-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

Enjoy!

FINALLY!!!!

2009-03-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

My mom called me around 5:30 this morning to let me know that it was snowing!! We have been waiting for about 4 months now to see it snow and finally we did! It wasn't like the blizzard my brother is currently stuck in but we still got to see snow falling and there was enough for the kiddos to play with when they woke up.

Happy Birthday Uncle Mark!!

2009-03-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today is Marks Birthday, well yesterday was for him since hes in Italy. So sad we dont get to visit him while hes there! Oh well, someday I'll go! Anyways Happy Birthday Mark!!

Kellen's Spring Break

2009-03-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

Kellen came down saturday afternoon and stayed until wednesday morning. Although he spent a lot of it working on the back yard or out with mom, we had a really fun tuesday. Johnny had the day off, the pool was clean, and it was nice and sunny. Madison and the boys were brave enough to get in the pool but I thought it was way too cold so I figured Id try and get a shade of darker white. We had a bunch of fun!

When it was getting cold we headed inside to play Rock Band 2 and have dinner. I always thought Kellen was a pretty decent singer but hearing him try to sing the right notes was a painfully entertaining!

We ended the night watching Australia whish is a good movie but man is it long!

Wishing I was at Davids House Today!!

2009-03-21T20:16:00.000-07:00

As much as I would love a nice relaxing saturday, that is not how this saturday went. Kellen came down for his spring break and arrived around 3. My mom decided that since its her day off adn we have Kellen, that its time to get the backyard ready for summer. We rented a rotatiller to dig up and level the dirt for the pool.

It was a long hard day (well afternoon) of work and we are only maybe half way done. Tomorrow we are going to take Cole to teh batting cages and then go to the beach before working on the yard again.

Kellen got me the Twilight mdvd for my birthday so Im very happy about that!!! I was going to go to the midnight release party but we went to check it out at 10 and there were a bunch of little middle school girls giggling about how hot Edward is. I decided it wasnt worth it so I went home to bed.

Days Off are Good for Everyone!!

2009-03-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a really great day! Johnny had the day off so we finally got to spend some time together! We slept in until about 10 and then Johnny went running. I made breakfast for everyone and got ready for the day while Madison and I waited for Johnny. We finally decided to get Pinocchio and we splurged and got it on Blu-ray because it also comes with a regular DVD copy. It in inevitable that Madison will scratch it so its nice to have a 2nd copy!

After shopping we headed to the park for lunch and some outdoor play time. We got Wendy's and discovered that after not having fast food for a couple months its just not the same. I ended up giving the rest of my chicken sandwich to the ducks, well the bread anyway. It was a lot of fun!

Madison was getting tired so we went home and took a family nap. I finally got Madison's bike seat attached to the bike I got myself for my birthday, so when we woke up it was time for our daily bike ride. This time Johnny ran alongside us. We are trying to teach Madison left and right so we let her yell out which way to go throughout town. I think she already knows he left and right better than I do!

When we were finished with that Johnny and Cole practiced baseball while Madison and I jump roped on the trampoline. We had a really good rib dinner and then settled down to watch Pinocchio before finally doing to bed.

One of my top 10 days by far!

All Better

2009-03-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today Im 100% feeling better. It was nice! Although for some reason we got up at 5 this morning and couldnt fall back asleep. We have officially decided to move back to California so I usually have my mind spinning with thoughts about that instead of sleeping. Its going/is a boring weekend because everyone works so Im stuck with no car and kids. Oh well, Im going to try and plan a fun day with them tomorrow.

It rained yesterday which was really weird. That is the one and only time we have witnessed rain since we have moved here. Oh wait there was one other time and it had actually hailed, but still 2 days in 3 months!

Nothing else really new...

Not so Great Day!

2009-03-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Apparently I am not allowed to have awesome days so to even it out I woke up this morning with the flu. Its been over 12 hours and I'm finally able to eat a little. Ugh, I hate being sick!!!!! Not only that both Johnny and my Mom worked today so I was left all alone with the kids. Anyone want to join my pity party? haha. Well off to try to sleep it off. Goodnight!

PS

2009-03-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

I forgot the best part of the day! When I was making my moms cake, Madison kept stomping back and forth around the kitchen mumbling nothings in a very angry tone. Finally I asked what was wrong. She stopped looked at me with her hands on her hips and said,"I'm just so mad!" "Why?" "Because I don't like cake and candles!" I couldn't help but crack up which only made her stomp and yell louder. Shes just so dang cute!!!!!!! Man I love my kid!

Very Great Awesome Day!

2009-03-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

Today was a really really great day! Johnny had the day off which was really nice. Today is my moms birthday and on top of that I had am interview at the hospital for a nurses aid.

Most of the morning went to preparing for my interview at 1. I got there and the nurse informed me that she hadn't seen David (the guy who would be interviewing me) all day and he had already missed an earlier interview. So I went to wait. Luckily he remembered my interview.

It went really well, he asked me a few questions but we mostly talked about the position. He told me that he was going to recommend me to HR and then they would be the ones to make the official job offer. So I take it that means the interview went well.

Great news right? Well...the huge downside is its a 12 hour night shift and the pay isn't the greatest. Johnny really doesn't want me to take it because he likes me staying home with Madison, which I agree with but I want to help contribute. The other huge thing is that Johnny wants to move back to Cali by June so what the point in me working and then having to leave? So I told him to find out if he can transfer to CA sooner than later because there are 2 offices that are hiring right now that I would be able to get. So hes going to find out tomorrow and then I have to get back to David on Friday. Ugh..Decisions!!

After the interview I headed home to start the birthday preparations. I decided to make bbq chicken, potato salad, and a cake from scratch. We cleaned and cooked for the rest of the day. Then had a really nice sit down dinner, which we almost never had. We watched American Idol and then Johnny and I watched Nick and Norahs Infinite Play List.

All in all it was a really great day!!

Unexpected Surprise

2009-03-09T17:45:00.001-07:00

Today we got a package from Mark. It totally made my week. There was a really nice jacket for Johnny, pages from a newspaper with Marks picture, and a letter. Right away Johnny noticed that the picture of Mark in the newspaper was a picture that Johnny had taken when we were up in slow. So one of Johnnys pictures has officially been published but without credit. Mark said hes going to try and get Johnny paid. It was pretty exciting to see that. The note was also really nice. I know that Johnny is really close with Mark but I have always felt closer to David and Bethany. It was nice to hear he was thinking about all of us and in a way brought me closer to him. Very stoked, Thanks Mark!!!!

I guess I didnt really explain that Mark is in Italy playing football over there. Its an amazing opportunity and Im so jealous!

Derby Day

2009-03-09T17:12:00.000-07:00

So somehow I got suckered into making Coles Derby car by myself. Johnny and my mom had to work. The whole process was a disaster! I only had a little hand saw and I know nothing about designing awesome cars. So he got a triangle car with some nickles glued to it. It didnt take first but it also wasnt last so that was good. I will deffinatly not be doing it next year! Theres a bunch of hard core derby dads out there. A bunch of them built their own cars for fun races afterwards.

Madison found herself a boyfriend. Ian was a little boy running around and Madison glued herself to him. It was pretty interesting but untill I have a boy I think Im done with Derbys!

Missing Cali Already!

2009-03-05T08:26:00.001-08:00

We left at the same time Bruce and Lynne left for work. We hit really bad morning traffic but it wouldnt be a complete CA experience without morning traffic. We even went to the DMV because we discovered Johnny's expired license when trying to buy beer for Jessica's birthday.

The drive back seemed to take way longer! Madison did really well in the car so that was nice. She would either watch movies, sing or look out the windows. Shes such a good kid! She went the entire trip to Disneyland and back to NM without a diaper. I cant believe shes potty trained, when did that happen?!

All in all it was a great trip back. We saw most of the people we wanted to see. I wish we had more time to see the Haros and Sandy, hopefully next time! Only 3 more months!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-03-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

I turned 23 and wanted to spend that day with Mickey. We headed to Disneyland with Jessica and her nephew Alex on Monday morning. When we first go there it seemed really crowded but I think that was mostly because the park hadn't opened yet. We headed straight for Tomorrow Land, mixing it up a bit because we always go to Adventure Land. First ride? Space Mountain of course. Madison is finally over 40 inches so it was time to introduce her to the big rides. Johnny sat next to her and sadly it was really hard to enjoy because I was listening the whole time for her cries or screams. She never cried and when it was over she said, "Rocket fun, it go 'round and 'round and whoa whoa whoa!" Success! We went on Finding Nemo and Buzz.

Johnny and Jessica are extremely competitive when it comes to anything. One time when we went to CA Adventure Madison and I sat together and then Jessica and Johnny went on together, as usual but she had her nephew so she told him to pretend to shoot. Hahaha She knows shes evil! Anyways we finish the ride and discover that Johnny has the high score for the day. He was very excited and it was fun because they showed his picture on the tvs by the emailing station.

The rest of the day was a lot of fun. We went on pretty much everything and had to wait maybe 20 minutes. It rained for about 20 minutes and of course that was when we went on splash mountain! Madison really liked that ride, which only proves more that she takes after Johnny! Madison had so much fun with Alex. They were so cute together! It really made the day easy with them to entertain each other. We had so much fun!! I really loved Small World and all the new characters they added, it really made it fun to look for them throughout the ride! Now we just have to wait 3 more months before we go again! We are going to make Lynne go on her birthday. We are saving Maddy's first time Storybook land for when Lynne comes and I dont know how much longer we can stay off of it. Madison was asking about it while we were there this time.

We stayed till it closed (which was one 8) and caught the ending of Fantasmic so Madison could watch the fireworks. It made me cry watching her face light up as she saw Mickey. I love that we had made Disney such a big part of her life and that she absolutely loves Mickey and all the other characters!

I cant wait to go back!!!

Hello California!

2009-03-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

Johnny and I planned a much needed trip back to CA. We decided it would be fun to surprise Johnny's mom and then go to Disneyland for my birthday.

4 AM Thursday morning we headed to Cali. The drive went pretty fast, especially since we were really excited! Once we passed into California it was amazing. Looking around at all the green and trees, Johnny said it looked like we were entering into heavan or something. Then we hit traffic! I am loving that new carpool lane that is for sure!

Bruce tells us to meet him at IHOP and then we will wait for Lynne there, Johnny says,"So what happens if mom doesnt want to go out to dinner?" Long story short, she didnt want IHOP so we met her at Chilis. Bruce went in first and we followed shortly after. Lynne had no clue at all and was fully focused on her menu. We walked up to the table and said,"Can we sit with you guys?" It was exactly the reaction I wanted, Lynne's mouth dropped open and her eyes lit up. She almost looked like she could cry complete tears of joy. That was completly worth the 14 hour drive plus the hour waiting around for her. We had a good dinner, better than we would have had at IHOP so the change in resturants was fine by me. Then we headed back home to spend the weekend with the family.

The weekend was pretty fun. I saw my grandma for a birthday lunch and then on sunday we drove up to see David and Bethany's new house. Im so jealous! They have a beautiful front yard and is huge! Bethany is so amazing when it comes to decorating (I have no idea how much David helped but who ever did a wonderful job!) Its a amazong first house, not too big but not too small and it seriously looked like it could be a model house the way they had it all set up.

Madison and Delaney played while Bethany and I got pedicures. It was a very nice treat/birthday present! Thanks again Bethany!! Then we headed down for birthday dinner at Bruce and Lynnes. It was really nice to spend the day with my extended family! I really feel like we have always been family and Im greatful to be so close with all of them!

Welcome to the Twilight Zone

2009-02-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

Johnny keeps saying how he feels living in this town is like being in a Twilight Zone. I thought I would write about the totally crazy things that go on here:

The grass is yellow during the winter but some people spray paint their yards green

The main street is 25 mph as it goes through town

There are only 3 screens in the movie theater and it isnt stadium seating!

Admission to the Zoo is $5 for 6+ years old and free for those under 6

The high school here was supposed to be in Carlsbad, CA. Someone sent the plans to this Carlsbad on mistake and they built the school here. Its such a nice school too!

The only thing to do here is go to the movies, bowling, and camping and yet there is no where near as much graffiti or vandalism as there is in San Diego.

I found a handful of houses that are for sale for less than $40,000

The stop lights are sideways and green arrows go to full green so you never have to stop and wait to turn left, you just have to yield (unless its red of course)

There are way too many people here that dont know how to use computers, I guess thats the norm in small towns

Construction only delays you maybe 2 minutes

There are a bunch of abandoned buildings everywhere, it almost makes me feel like we are in Radiator Springs

It is perfectly acceptable to go around town, running errands in your pajamas

Theres probably a million more things I have yet to discover!

Go Thunderwolves!

2009-02-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was pretty fun. My mom, Cole, Madison and I drove up to Las Vegas, NM to watch my brother wrestle. It took us about 5 hours to get there but we stopped at Albertsons and that took an hour in itself. The drive was pretty uneventful, the kids watched movies in the back while my mom and I made small talk.

I realized I left my Sugarland CD in her car so I was very excited to have some music after a couple hours. After listening and singing along through the CD a bazillion times I decided I have to see them this year! I havent been to a concert since Green Day my freshman year of high school. I found out they are on tour with Kenny Chesney but they arent coming to San Diego. They are going to Albuquerque so hopefully I can talk my mom into going with me! I dont know why I have such a sudden need to go see someone sing in person but I do. I would love to see Taylor Swift or Rascal Flatts, but for some reason I want to see Sugarland the most. We will see if it happens...

Back to wrestling....We got there about 2 hours before the dual meet started so we went to find a bathroom. My incredible baby refused to pee in her diaper and waited for us to get to a bathroom. I didnt realize this until just before we got to the gas station however, I felt so bad! Then we just sat in the car in the warmth waiting for it to get closer to when we could go in to watch.

I hadnt seen Kellen wrestle since he was at EHS so I was really excited! Both teams took turns winning and Kellen was 4th to wrestle. That was so intense! We were standing and screaming and shaking and bail biting the whole time! Then of course Im in my hormonal state of mind for the month so I was fighting back tears that usually come with such tension! He has had a rough season so far and we know he has been struggling to keep in his weight class. We dont understand why he wont move up so he doesnt have to starve himself. Anyways after circling the mat a million times head to head Kellen finally almost had the guy pinned. The ref counted to 4 and then his opponent was able to get himself up. Kellen didnt pin the guy but he still won with the most points. We were very excited to see him win!

We got to talk to him a little during the meet and then he met up with us afterwards. I dont get to see him much and even though he drives me incredibly insane, I didnt realize how much I really miss him. We gave him his Valentines cards and candy and then turned around to head home. The meet stated at 7 and was over by 8:30, and we had atleast a 4 hour drive back home. I drove home trying to let my mom sleep since she had to be at work early the next morning. We got home at 1 am and even though we were mostly driving it was a lot of fun and worth seeing Kellen!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T08:50:00.000-08:00

Today is 7 years since my first kiss with Johnny! Thats older than my brother!!! I just cant wrap my mind around 7 years! Sadly we are spending Valentine's Day apart, well the afternoon anyway, but thats ok. Johnny said hes going to leave out my present for when I get home.

Hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day!!!

For Hannah

2009-02-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

I know I havent written a new blog in a while, Im sorry. The truth is I decided to read the Twilight books again and that has taken up a lot of my spare time. Im on the last book now and Im thinking about rereading Harry Potter. I thought I would get bored reading these books again but Im just as glued to them as the first time through!

The weather has been so crazy here. We go through all four seasons in one day. Its winter cold in the morning, spring fresh in the morning, summer hot in the afternoon and then fall windy in the evening. Its hard to get used to. The other day it was so windy, I seriously almost was blown away! Ok maybe just pushed forward a bit but no lift off...Then the next day it was hailing huge hail for atleast 20 minutes. I made Cole run out and touch the sidewalk and run back. He goofed off so he mostly got rained on and missed the hail. I know Im a mean big sis!

Johnny works too much! Hes always gone! Then when he comes home he just uses me for meals. Oh well, I enjoy it! I love spending so much more time with Madison. The other day I told her to sing the alphabet with me and so she started,"A, B, C....I CANT DO IT!" Then she slammed her head into the couch cushion. She also peed on her first public toilet, Im so happy shes mostly potty trained!

We are heading up to Las Vegas, NM tomorrow to watch Kellen wrestle. Its only about a 3 -4 hour drive so it will just be a very long one day trip. It will be good to see Kellen. Johnny has to work of course so he wont be coming. Atleast we will have Valentines Day morning together!

Ok Hannah, hopefully you got your blogstalking fill :) Ill try to be better about updating again. Its hard to have blogworthy stories in a small town!!

How Old Are We?

2009-02-03T10:28:00.001-08:00

Too old to be playing tag thats for sure! But now I have nothing better to do so I will play this silly game. I am not going to tag anyone else though because Im sure most of you have lives. However, if you need something to do feel free to tag your self and keep this going...

25 Random Things About Me...

1.) I am so lucky! I have been blessed with amazing family and friends!
2.) Madison is truly a gift from God! She is so incredibly beautiful, smart and hilarious!!! I love her!
3.) Even though I mostly agree with Johnny's side I feel like I have to argue the side of those not present.
4.) I love cooking but hate dishes!
5.) I miss Disneyland! In fact Maddy and Johnny are looking at old maps and planning our next trip right now.
6.) I think if I were a couple years younger I could have seriously been Taylor Swift's best friend. She is so amazing!
7.) When I was pregnant and doing the paper route early in the morning, I would listen to country music and cry as hard as only a pregnant woman could cry. Hormones and sad music dont mix well!
8.) I love that I live in the middle of no where, when Im driving I can sing at the top of my lungs and I do!
9.) I wish I didnt feel weird about calling my in laws mom and dad. Bruce has been more of a dad than I have ever know and Lynne has accepted me as her daughter and they both have done so much for me. I am more thankful than they will ever know.
10.) I wish we could be neighbors with Tiffany and Brea forever! I miss living next to them.
11.) I think way too much about things.
12.) I cry during Shamu shows, Disneyland fireworks and parades, and when they play "Im Proud to be an American" on the fourth of July. They are tears of joy but I totally look like that girl on American Idol that cried for Sanjia.
13.) I have issues with my self confidence.
14.) I love my relationship with David and Bethany, I couldnt have asked for a better brother and sister. I am thankful for their love and acceptance of me.
15.) I wish New Mexico was working out better for us.
16.) Besides Madison, I think Benny is one of the funniest and smartest kids I know!
17.) I wish I had more patience
18.) Jessica is so much more than a best friend and I cant imagine my life without her! I am so thankful that Johnny loves her as much as I do, I cant even think of what it would be like if they didnt get along.
19.) Lynne has taught me to be less picky. I now love salmon and asparagus among others.
20.) I have only really loved one man in my life and he will be my one and only until I die.
21.) I think the Twilight books are incredible and I think I am going to read them again and I have never read a book twice!
22.) I am very emotional.
23.) I miss my friendship with Kelsey Henry. I have never been on so many adventures! My favorite was when her dad flew us to Borrego to have lunch with her grandparents and go swimming, that tiny plane was the coolest thing ever! I hope she knows how much I loved our friendship.
24.) I have way too many favorite tv shows and not having Tivo is ruining my dedication to them. (Probably a good thing)
25.) Even though Im only 22 I feel like my clock is ticking.

Man that was harder than I thought it would be, I kinda feel like I just played the Thanksgiving game, hahaha!

The Simple Things in Life

2009-02-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

The Office has only been on for 10 minutes not and it is so funny!! I love shows where I can sit and just crack up and forget all my stress. For those of you that missed the Office, you missed a good one! (Well I think, its only been 10 minutes)

Hahahaha!!

2009-01-30T21:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is just for you Bethany! Im bored out of my mind waiting for Johnny to get home from another long day of work so I thought I would write a blog. Johnny has been working all week cart attending at Walmart. He says its pretty easy but is really tiring. He thinks he is working too hard and he needs to slow down a bit because its taking a lot out of him. The other guys he works with are bigger slackers and he gets frustrated because a few times hes gone in to work and most the carts are spread all over the parking lot and then the guy who was supposed to be keeping up with it goes on lunch and leaves Johnny to clean it all up. Now we found out that he has to work tomorrow too so that makes 6 days in a row and Johnny was really looking forward to the weekend off.

It has been very different without Johnny around. Im trying to be the good little homemaker but it hasnt been as easy as Id hoped. Here is my day:
7: wake up with Madison
9: Shower and get us dressed for the day
10: Get Johnny up and make breakfast
1:take Johnny to work (I need the car)
3:Pick Cole up from school and start hw
4:take Cole to tutoring
5:pick up Cole and get Johnny for his lunch
530:start dinner
6:Take Johnny back to work
7:Bathe the kids
8:Kids in bed and try and clean
10:Pick up Johnny
1015:Pass out

Its very exciting I know and youd be surprised how much energy it takes to get everyone in and out of the car a million times a day! Oh well, I know Johnny is working way harder than I am so cant complain too much.

Who Needs Snowballs When You Have Water Balloons!

2009-01-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yes I know it is the middle of winter, that is exactly what I told Johnny and the kids when they came running to asking to go get water balloons. I searched all over Walmart and finally found some with the birthday stuff. I got home and we started the games. First I filled up 4 each for Johnny and Cole and they stood back to back with their balloons at the other end of the yard. They had to race back to their balloons and then attack. It was pretty uneventful because the balloons would just bounce off their bodies and break on the ground. I decided if I made them bigger they would be weaker and break easier. Johnny also had his own plans and just broke the balloon on top of Coles head by squeezing it. Cole didnt think it was as funny as we did so Johnny said Cole could break one on his head. Cole didnt listen to our advise and threw the balloon which of course just bounced off Johnny's head and broke on the ground.

Madison has been having fun painting while she waits for Cole to get home from school. Johnny found some water color paints while he was cleaning out Cole's room. She was doing pretty well painting but then she just wanted to play with the colors in the water. We are trying to incorporate fun with learning and had fun going over all the colors while she was painting. She gets so proud of herself when shes right, its so cute! Shes getting so big and so smart!

She really has been tiring us out. I love this picture of when Johnny was laying down with her to get her to fall asleep and he ended up passing out next to her!

My Husband Works at Walmart!

2009-01-22T19:39:00.000-08:00

Well, as long as the background check and drug test passes, and it better! haha! Its not the high paying job we thought we would be getting but its something! Johnny probably wont be starting until next weekend and Ive started putting out more resumes and turning in applications. As much as Id love to make enough money at Walmart it just isnt very promising!

Anyways, Johnny Im proud of you and thank you for doing what you can to support us! Love you Babe!!

Its Been a Couple Days

2009-01-21T18:05:00.000-08:00

We really havent really been up to anything that exciting. We have been taking care of Cole, looking for work and playing with Madison as usual.

Madison gets funnier and funnier everyday! I got some candy because we were thinking about going to the drive in to see a movie. She found the box of Reeses Pieces in my purse and grabbed it while I wasnt looking. When I looked at her she was pretending to be interested in what we are doing but behind her she was trying to open the box of candy. It was so obvious that she was trying to sneak it but it was so funny because she thought she was being so sly! You also have to see her try and go a ninja kick, you will pee your pants! I just love her so much and I am so grateful for her!

We have been taking her to the park everyday to play and feed the ducks. It was so crazy yesterday, we were feeding the ducks at the "beach" and after a little while about 20 or more fish started swimming up to eat too. They were HUGE! It was crazy! Too bad you arent allowed to fish there, you could practically reach out and grab one of them! Johnny has also been taking Madison and Cole on walks while I make dinner. Madison holds the flashlight so they can see better, they dont have nice streetlights all over like they do at home. We really have been enjoying all the time we have been able to spend together!

I cant believe how smart she is either! I made this game to play with Cole with letters spread out on the floor, we asked Madison where the a was and she grabbed it, then she picked up an O and said "Look the letter O!"

Speaking of the game, I need help! I have been assigned as Cole's hw helper and it is just impossible! Johnny and I have come to the conclusion he had ADHD. He just will not sit down and do his his spelling words. It drives me insane!!!! I tried to make a game out of it. I made flashcards with all the letters from the spelling words so if he spelled all of the words correctly he would use up all the cards. If he misspelled one he wouldnt have the letters he needed. Needless to say he ended up pouting on the floor as you can see. Does anyone have any ideas how I can help him!! I test him and make him write his words everyday and then come test day he fails! I dont want to give up on him but Im loosing patience!

Anyways LOST starts in 15 minutes!!!! CANT WAIT!!!!

28 Days Missing

2009-01-18T17:54:00.000-08:00

Today has been 4 weeks since we have left California. All day today I kept thinking of all the things we've missed:

At least 4 play dates with Hannah and Benny
3 trips to Disneyland, probably more
8 Dinners with Mom and Dad (4 homemade and 4 from IHop, maybe Daltons)
6 or more shopping trips with Jessica (I need to go to Target and Im waiting for when your out here btw)
1 pedicure with Britney
3 Dinners with Pete, Tiffany, Kylie and Ashton
David's birthday
A night at the Mission Inn with horse and carriage ride
David and Bethany's new house
Alien chit chat with Delaney
Festival of Lights at the Wild Animal Park
Sea World

But mostly YOU!!!

A Walk in the Park

2009-01-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

We had a pretty lazy morning slowly crawling out of bed. Finally we got down to business and got ready to go out but only after Jonathan read about sluggers being lazier than pigs on vacation in the Bible.

When we were finally ready Madison didnt want to leave so we told her we could go feed ducks at the river. We drove to our playground first, but saw all the ducks on the other side of the river. We got ourselves lost trying to find another way back over but finally ended up at another park. We fed the 3 ducks we could find and then played on the playground for a while.

I thought we would be able to find more ducks at the "beach" so we headed over. There werent any ducks but plenty of sea gulls. The beach is this little section of the river where you can rent paddle boats and go swimming. It even has a little sand area to play in. It will be a lot more fun in the summer! We ventured out to the caverns but it was too late to go inside.

Johnny applied at Wal Mart and passed their assessment test, he was a little too excited about that, hah! My mom also told us that a dental office was really swamped and might need some extra help so Ill be stopping by there on monday.

It was too late for Johnny to go running so he decided to do his Yoga for Athletes video. Which ended up with us watching it, sitting on the couch, eating dinner...man what a workout!

All 'n all it was a good day!

Today's a Day When...

2009-01-15T23:28:00.000-08:00

I just really wish I was back home!

Man, I Love my Kid!!

2009-01-14T18:26:00.000-08:00

Madison cracks me up constantly! She keeps going around saying,"I want milk but not peanut butter milk." I had no idea what she was talking about and then Johnny told me she was talking about the buttermilk I had gotten for the dumplings. She thinks its peanut butter milk! Also today Madison was upset that Cole had to go to school so Johnny told her they could have school time. Her response, "Im sick then." Oh great, she already doesn't like school! Not only that but now what we ask her to do something she says,"Ummm.....no" and then walks away. Then yesterday she wanted something and I told her to hold on because I was doing something and she started counting to 3 like I do with her! She can be sweet too. Shes always offering food to Cole and inviting him to do things with her. Shes just so incredibly beautiful and sweet. I love when she says "O' Otay" and "thats amasing." Kids really say the darndest things! Thinking about how funny Madison is today really made me thing of her little friend Benny. I miss him! He really cracks me up!! I still cant turn on an oven without hearing his little voice saying,"It buurn you, it KIIILL you!" or "I have idea." Uh oh am I getting baby fever again??? Dont freak out Lynne, haha it wont be happening anytime soon, we are smarter than that!!

I also really think having Cole around is really good for Madison. He talks to her exactly how he would talk to anyone else and amazingly she really seems to understand most of what hes saying to her. Her talking has really stepped up a couple notches and I think it has a lot to do with Cole. Its really good for her to have someone to play with and hang out with all the time.

Another night of American Idol and I have to be honest...I wish David tried out!!!

Our Room

2009-01-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

For some crazy reason Johnny and I woke up before 5 this morning. Johnny started filling out more applications we had picked up while I tried to stay warm. At 7:45 I took Cole to school and saw that it was 27 degrees! It was soooooo cold!!! We finally got our room unpacked and cleaned up (and by "we" I mean Johnny). I did all the laundry though. Then Johnny and Madison colored pictures to put on the door. Its so nice to have the room unpacked!!

Tomorrow we might drive to Hobbs to put in a couple more resumes to the mine offices. My mom was saying that Johnny could get a temp job working at Brewers. Its a gas station store. My mom knows the owner and has been talking to him and he said he could use some help. It doesnt pay very much but more than nothing. Johnny has to talk to the guy still so we will see. The xmas money is running out though so we need to find something!

Happy Birthday Johnny!!

2009-01-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

Today Johnny turned 25. I was thinking about how I completely freaked out when he turned 20 and yet 25 was no big deal. He seemed so old jumping from 19 to 20! Now he just looks old...Just kidding!! We kept pretty low key today as usual, except I spent practically all day in the kitchen. I made Johnny a Birthday cake and chicken and dumplings. It wasnt the same recipe Lynne makes and Johnny said it wasnt as good either...Atleast I made the dumplings...hah. I got Johnny a couple video games and some socks.

There were a few more job listings in this weeks paper. We sent his resume to a cable company that is hiring people to install cable. One of the qualifications is the ability to climb or be able to learn to climb, haha, I think he has a good chance for that. He also could apply to be a cop and then get certified through the city but he said he would never want to be a cop. He could do the same thing for fire fighting, Im trying to talk him into it....I think he would be really good at that and a long time ago he told me that he wanted to be a fire fighter at Disneyland so he could spend the night there. Not to mention, Fire fighters are hot! hahaha!!! Or he could stick with the cable company...

Missing Sunday Bday Dinner

2009-01-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

This morning Johnny and I decided to run/bike together. He mapped out a 3 mile loop and he was going to run and I would ride my mom's bike. First we had to take off the baby seat we had attempted to put on the bike. When I attempted to ride it we realized the tires were flat. We got out the pump and after 10 minutes of pretending we were getting somewhere we realized that the tire must have a hole in it. So Johnny ran and I stayed home.

Then I ran out to get a few last minute things for Johnny's birthday tomorrow. I kept thinking that we should have a special dinner tonight since that is what we usually do but then I realized I would still have to make tomorrow special too.

We watched the Chargers game, Johnny for the Steelers and my Mom for the Chargers. It cracks me up because my mom cheers like she is at the stadium, VERY LOUDLY! Then theres Johnny who barely whispers, "Go, Go, Go" Its like hes afraid my mom is going to beat him up for cheering for the opposite side. We painted Cole's face in Steeler colors and had him run out yelling,"Go Steelers!"

Johnny had a bad headache so we ended up not going to church. We watched Dan in Real Life and then headed to bed.

Busy Bees

2009-01-10T18:27:00.001-08:00

First thing we did this morning was get dressed and go to project playground. Mom had to work all night so we wanted to get the kids out so she could sleep. It was 45 degrees out so we only stayed at the park for maybe 20 minutes.

We decided to drive around and explore. We found some really nice houses by the Zoo. They were HUGE! Its so crazy because every house in the entire neighborhood was different! I dont think there is a house in the entire city that is the same as another house.

While driving around we decided to check out the mall. Talk about another culture shock! There were maybe 20 cars in the parking lot when we drove up and I think at least half of those were employees! The mall was really quiet and only had maybe 10 stores. Theres a Sears, Claires, GNC, arcade, nail salon, hair salon, and a couple other stores. Definitely not the cool hangout in town.

We also have discovered that there are no kids here! I mean I know there are but we cant figure out what kids do in this town! Its so small and theres nothing here, its interesting to think of what they do for fun.

We spent the night finishing up season 2 of Big Love in preparation for the start of season 3. As well as watching a bunch of movies.

We're Boring

2009-01-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

Today was pretty low key once again. We spent the morning cleaning up so my mom wouldnt freak out when she came home. We got our tip money from the route, sent by Bruce and Lynne (Thank you!). Along with checks and cash we got gift cards to 7-11, Target and Regal movie tickets, all of which we do not have in Carlsbad! I thought that was pretty funny, all three giftcards we cant use. Oh well another reason for a trip back to Cali! haha!

Johnny has been putting in school time for Maddy everyday. They do flashcards, build legos, practice counting and planty more. Shes so smart, I really want to get her into a daycare. I know she'll do really well. Once Johnny has found a job then Ill start looking for daycare and a job for myself. We also decided that if he isnt working by thursday then Ill start handing out my resume to the dental offices in town.

We decided to take a trip to check out Hastings. Its a movie, book, music, video game and rental store all in one. We got a couple cheap movies and some new books for Maddy. They have a lot of really cheap used movies so that may be my new movie stop.

Johnny and I also played electronic banking Monopoly. I like that so much more than regular Monopoly! It makes the super long game a little shorter. We still gave up before anyone really won, but unofficially I won!

Now we are watching Dumb and Dumber... Johnnys movie pick....

The Interview

2009-01-08T19:15:00.000-08:00

Today was the big interview. Johnny was pretty nervous but it really hit him when he walked into the interview room and three men were waiting to interview him. He said they basically went over the application with him, asking if he was afraid of going underground or heights. He thinks it went pretty well and the only setback is his lack of experience. They said they have more people to interview and would call him when they were finished. Johnny said there was at least 3 other people in the waiting room waiting to get interviewed. So keep your fingers crossed for us!

That was pretty much all we did today. My mom is still up at Pueblo watching my brother wrestle. He lost both days and is really grumpy from starving himself to make weight, so its probably best that I didn't end up going up there. My mom is trying to talk him into going up a weight class so he wont be so miserable. Starving himself is not going to help him win any matches!

Tomorrow we need to get everything cleaned up from our no mom days and hope for that phone call!

Long Day

2009-01-07T21:03:00.000-08:00

Last night I didnt sleep very well because I kept debating whether or not to go to Pueblo with my mom. I knew if I stayed home the boys would be goofing off and playing video games which would leave me bored. On the other hand if I went I wouldnt be here to help get Johnny ready for his interview. In the end I decided to stay.

I got up at 7 this morning and had coffee with my mom. I woke up Cole and then walked him to school. Its nice that his new school is so close. It took me less then 15 minutes to walk there and back. Then I got Johnny up and we took a trip to storage to drop off some more boxes we have been slacking on getting there.

We spent the rest of the day hanging out and cleaning up a little. Johnny picked up Cole from school and took him to tutoring. We had dinner and then got ready for bed. It feels like I've done so much today but looking back I really didnt. Tomorrow is Johnny's interview so wish us luck!

No Good, Very Bad Day!

2009-01-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

Ok so not that bad but it wasnt the best either. First thing this mornign Jonathan went out and handed his resume out to a bunch of offices. All but one said they werent hiring. We are beginning to discover that it is deffinalty who you know in this town and not what you know. My mom is working on that one... After giving his resume to the rudest guy we decided to go next door and try the National Park Services. I think this would be the perfect job for Johnny. They told him he has to find an opening online and fill out the application. They couldnt even take his resume since its a government job. He has to do everything online. The lady Johnny talked to was very nice and gave us a few other places to check out. Johnny is going to keep an eye open for a Parks service job though. He also has a interview on thursday, we dont know much about it though. On the application it says it could be temp work but its better than nothing.

On our way home we decded to go get our hair cut. Johnny's turned out really nicely but they butchered mine! I said I wanted to trim my bangs a little shorter and she gave me a full set of new bangs that barely reach my eyes. Johnny Likes it and demands never to see my forehead again but I dont know yet.

Tomorrow I might drive up to see my bro wrestle. Im not sure though because I dont want to leave Johnny alone with the kids for 2 days but hes really excited about it. For some crazy reason he thinks it will be fun. Ill decide tomorrow probably last minute.....

Hooray for an Interview!!

2009-01-05T19:05:00.000-08:00

Johnny's phone died last night and he didnt realize until late today. When he plugged it in, there was a message from West Services wanting to schedual an interview. This company is a lot like labor ready. People come there looking for work and they send them out where needed. This company works directly with the potash mines only. Johnny also had given a resume to the company that works with the oil fields and that is where he would prefer to work. Tomorrow we are going to go around to a few more companies and give them resumes and see what they have to say before Johnny scheduals the interview. The mines would be temporary work and while that is better than nothing we want to make it a last resort. So we will see what tomorrow brings us.

Today it was SOOOOOOOO COLD!!! It was supposed to snow. It was 30 degrees but no snow. Its supposed to be cold all week so we are still hoping to see some. We tried to stay inside warm all day but Madison is getting used to going outside everyday ao we had to wander out into the cold. They rode bikes and jumped on the trampoline and then we ran inside because it was way too cold!

Tomorrow we once again start the job hunt and will atleast have a interview if not a job!!! Wish us luck!

A Velvet Covered Brick

2009-01-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

Once again we were lame-os all day long. Johnny played video games with Cole, took a few pictures and helped me clean up before my mom came home from work. I watched Monster in Law and fed everyone. It wasn't until I was serving everyone dinner when I started to think about what I was going to write tonight in my blog...I had nothing!

We were planning to go to church and that was what I was planning to write about but we missed both services this morning. Then I remembered there was a service at 7 that we would still be able to make.

Before we left for New Mexico we told Lynne she could pick out the church we would try out because we know how much she wanted us to attend. She picked First Baptist Church so that is where we headed at 6:45.

When we walked in we saw that we were the youngest ones there, with a little chuckle we headed to the pews. We didn't even sit in the very back! First the Pastor, Ed Meyers, came and introduced himself to us. Since it only took about a 1 1/2 minutes to get there we were very early! Then Tom came and introduced himself to us and sat down to explain the goings on. There are 3 different services: 8:15 is the contemporary service where they have the electric guitars and drums, 10:45 is the traditional service and then 7 pm is the service people go to that aren't very serious about coming every Sunday or are new to town. So I guess we picked the right service hah!

It started pretty much like every Sunday service I have ever been to started. Singing, prayer, more singing and then the main message. The pastor wasn't the best but we soon discovered that the church is looking for a new one so we don't know if he was a sub, try out or the old pastor. Everyone there was really nice so we will probably go a few more time before we decide to give up and find another church.

My mom keeps hearing about a Methodist church that is supposed to have a wonderful daycare so maybe we will look into their services as well. I don't really understand the difference between all the different names; Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran...??? David? Bethany? Lynne, want to fill me in?? hah, oh well.

So before I leave I guess I should explain my title. Tonight Pastor Ed talked about yielding to each other and one of his examples through the message was that to be a leader you have to be a brick, strong and stable...but to get things to work out with everyone you also should be covered with velvet because some people need a softer touch. I just thought that was kinda funny...Velvet Bricks, Ha!

Liar, Liar!

2009-01-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

So I have turned my kid into a liar. We have been struggling with potty training for too long now! Shes will go all day long as long as shes naked, once you put pants on she forgets everything and pees her pants! Its driving me insane! So I decided to try what my mom did with me, everytime she goes on the potty she gets some M&Ms. Shes so excited everytime she has to pee...but now she fakes it! Pretty much every 5 minutes she runs out telling us she has to pee, we put her on the potty and she jumps off 2 seconds later asking for candy. We got her to realize that she has to actually go potty before she gets candy and she even took off her diaper after her nap to tell us she had to go. We thought we were in the clear but then we had to get her dressed to go to the store....needless to say problem not solved!! UGH!!!!

The best part of my day happened this afternoon. This morning Johnny found a how to break dance video my mom had bought my brother. We laughed and I thought nothing more of it. When I left to give Madison a bath and came back I caught Johnny watching the video, trying to break dance. That is probably the funniest thing I have ever seen!!

We spent the rest of the night watching the Chargers game...Yay Chargers!!!!

New Firsts for the New Year

2009-01-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

Today I made my first casserole from leftover ham. I feel like such an adult recycling food into other meals! I cant believe how much this move has made me feel like a grown up! First we picked up the Uhaul and packed most of our stuff in it with only the help of my brother. We cheated on day two when Bruce came to help, but still. Then we drove two days, checking into a hotel on our own, and arriving at our new home. We also got our first storage unit and unloaded the truck by ourselves. That was a big reason we came out here, to grow up! We depended on Johnny's parents for so much and although we loved and appreciated it, it was time we both became responsible adults. Im glad at least one thing is going well for us out here but I guess real adults have jobs...hahaha...soon I hope!

Madison also put together her first puzzle. Its so cute how proud she gets with the simple,"Wow, Maddy, thats so good!" response. She has been sleeping in her own bed for the past 3 nights now but wakes up in the early morning crying for us. Which usually leads to me passing out to her crying before she finally falls back asleep in our bed. At least we have most the night, one day we will have the entire night Maddy free, but secretly I miss snuggling her when shes in her own bed. Last night was cute though, for the first time she didnt wake up crying. She just said,"Daddy...Madison sleep in mommy daddy bed....Pweeeze."

Cole is staying the night at his friends house tonight and my mom is going to bed early because she has to work tomorrow. Hope your night is more exciting then mine!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T19:14:00.001-08:00

At midnight I sent out a mass text to all my friends to wish them happy new year and was responded with a happy new year from them an hour later. It was a little weird to not be celebrating new years with my friends now that I am in a different time zone. Midnight was crazy! So many fireworks going off from every backyard but ours! Johnny and Cole ran from the front windows to the back a bazillion times trying to get a good look. We were too chicken to go outside with all the crazies and their firepower.

Ok so today wasn't as huge a waste as I thought it would be. We woke up and decided to take a drive around town so Johnny could get pictures of all the run down places. He keeps telling me what a shock it is to see these places. Business' run out of houses and so many abandoned old buildings. We just drove around and Johnny would yell, "wait pull over," and he would jump out and take another pic. When the kids were getting restless, I dropped them all off at their favorite park on the Pecos so I could run a couple errands.

My mom made a really good ham for dinner and we spent the rest of the night playing games and bathing kids. It seems we are taking over the parent role for Cole. We don't mind, he really needs it and he loves having Johnny around!

Tomorrow my mom has to go back to work, vacation is over and its back to the real world.

No Traditions This Year

2008-12-31T22:16:00.000-08:00

I realized today that we missed out on all of 2008s traditions. We spent Thanksgiving at my grandmas house because of Lynne's leg, we missed christmas shrimp and now the New Years buffet. For 6 years I have taken place in these traditions and I cant help but miss them a little as I say goodbye to 2008. I guess 2009 will have to be a year of new traditions.

We did nothing today, it was a pretty pathetic last day of the year. We were planning to go to Artesia for their celebration. They had a band playing and fireworks and stuff but we started watching movies and never really got ready to go. We have been hearing fireworks all night though since they are legal here. We still have 30 minutes before midnight so who knows how many will be going off then.

Tomorrow is the first day of a new year and yet it feels like a waste. Most places worth working for will be closed until monday so there is no hope for having a job to start the year off with. Although that is a bit discouraging we have more numbers to call for work and I found a dental office looking for a secretary, at least that would be a foot in the door to a dental job. My mom is going to see about the receptionist position at the hospital when she goes back on friday as well.

So goodbye 2008 and hello 2009! Hopefully it will be better then the last.

Taco Night

2008-12-30T16:42:00.000-08:00

Last night we finally started to unpack and clean up our room. We cleared off Maddy's bed and put away all her clothes so she could actually sleep in her bed. That lasted until 5:30 but hey its a start. I felt so bad because when Maddy woke up it was so cold out that Johnny and I didnt want to get out of bed!! My mom said it was 54 degrees when she turned the heater on this morning....Brrrr!!!!! Its supposed to be 55 for New Years Eve night.

Today we didnt get as much done as we hoped. We tried to hook up the kid carrier to my moms bike so I could ride with Maddy but the bike frame was too thick. Maybe Ill get a bike for my bday. Johnny and Cole played video games all day but we did get a few numbers for places to inquire about work. One of the companies was ranked in Fortune magazine among its "100 Best Companies to Work for in 2008." So lets keep our fingers crossed for that.

My mom found out that there is a receptionist position open at the hospital in the ER. I havent heard about any dental positions so I might apply for that while I wait for a RDA position to open up around here.

I also thought I would post some pictures of our new place. Its a pretty old house but its big and comfy for all of us here.

We miss you all!!!

Happy Monster Day!

2008-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:00

Today we set out to find Johnny a job. We went to 2 places, one for the mines and one for the oil fields. The mines arent hiring but that could change tomorrow and the oil fields said come back in the new year. Tomorrow we are going to get applications from other places in case those dont pan out.

After our hard 10 minutes of job hunting we decided to go to Roswell. We took Cole and Madison but left the movie player thinking they would fall asleep. Of course they did not. To keep the kids entertained Johnny started asking everyone their favorites. We discovered our favorite foods, movies, books, etc. Then Johnny asked, "Whats your favorite holiday besides Christmas?" Cole said Easter, Johnny likes St. Pattys Day, and I chose Valentines Day because that was when we had our first kiss. Madison simply answered with, "Monster." Johnny then declared that today was Monster Day. Cole laughed and said theres no such thing as monsters, Johnny pointed out a random guy walking through a field and said thats a monster and honked at him. Cole laughed the rest of the way to Roswell.

I ran into a few stores by myself and the kids stayed in the car with Johnny. While I was gone they planned to put on a play of Where the Wild Things Are. Cole was going to be the boy and the rest of us would be monsters. Sadly Madison was way too tired to put on the play so it will be postponed until tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Monster Day!

To a New Beginning...

2008-12-28T21:19:00.000-08:00

So here I sit, on a couch in Carlsbad, New Mexico, starting a blog to tell the stories of our new life. Johnny and I decided to come here for many reasons.

We have been here a week now and we are starting to feel more and more at home. We have taken Madison to the Park on the Pecos a couple times and she really loves it and its beautiful there! We love watching the sunset over the Pecos River...

Christmas was fun. We had everyone here including my grandparents and Kellen. We opened presents in the morning and then at night we went on the Christmas on the Pecos. It is a boat ride down the Pecos river where people decorate their backyards with christmas lights. It was really cool and Johnny and I ooed and awed at all the big fancy houses while Madison pointed out every Santa and snowmen. Madison loved it although she ended up falling asleep for the last 5 minutes of it.

Johnny, Madison and I are enjoying our new life so far. We made our own little room for video games and movies and sadly that is all we have been doing for the past couple days! Tomorrow is Monday and it is time to get back to the real world and find jobs.

Well here is to a new beginning and we look forward to sharing it with you.