MY FAVORITE PEOPLE

Here are my two favorite people in the world. Aren't the so handsome in their Sunday best? I love you guys.

AWESOME SUNDAY

Today was one of those days that was just perfect. Calvin woke up in a great mood. We took our time getting ready for church (doesn't start 'til 1). Then church was great. The talks in sacrament were very inspiring. It was about being a modern pioneer. Calvin slept through the whole thing so I actually got to listen to the talks. Then Calvin slept through most of sunday school too. So, I got to participate in that as well. it was on keeping your faith through trials and why heavenly father gives us trials and it is up to us what we do with those trials. Very good topic. always need that reminder for some reason. Then relief society was good. only a few sisters there today probably everyone is on their last vaca before school starts. and the lesson was on temples. it was such a good lesson. oh, then i got a new calling today. i am going to be the assistant librarian. sounds pretty easy compared to counselor in the primary. but none the less i am excited. i'll get to help out people with pictures and videos. get chalk and do all kinds of stuff. after church we came home. i made joe's favorite dinner...chicken, rice and mixed veggies. then we just hung out as a family. I am feeling really blessed right now. and so i just wanted to write about my great day. i also want to express the things that i am thankful for.

1. My membership in the Church. I love knowing that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father and that He loves me. I love going to church and being with fellow saints and learning and getting those much-needed reminders to help me become a better person and disciple of Jesus Christ.

2. My family. Joe is a great husband who has matured a lot this past year. He is providing for me and for Calvin and I am really happy that he is my husband. Calvin is the most precious thing in my life. And I love him so much. Just thinking about him makes my heart ache to hold him. He is so much fun and so sweet. I love his smile and his noises he makes trying to communicate with us. He is a doll.

3. My family that is far away. I love my parents, my in-laws, my grandparents and sisters. They are all such wonderful examples in my life and am really grateful that I have been blessed with such great people for me to look up to.

4. I am grateful for my new job. It wasn't an easy task to find a job. And I am grateful for that hunt to be over. I am excited to help out my family save money and be more financially prepared for whatever may come our way.

5. I am grateful for the scriptures. I am not always the best at reading them. A fault I plan on fixing. But when I do find the time to read them I am always uplifted and enlightened.

6. I am grateful for friends (old and new). To my great friends back home. I love you and miss you a lot. I think of you often and you are always in my prayers. To friends in far-off places (like Utah and even as far as the Netherlands), you too mean a great deal to me. And for friends I am making now. I know we have friends wherever we go. Sometimes they are just for the moment and sometimes we meet someone who will be a friend forever. But friends are great no matter what.

7. I am grateful for the Air Force. never thought that would make my list. But I am grateful because it is giving our family an opportunity to be on our own. It will bring about a whole new set of opportunities to meet people, to travel, to be of service. It is something my husband loves to do and I am grateful for that as well.

8. I am grateful for so many things. These are just a few. I am glad to have this moment to reflect on my life and realize I have a pretty awesome one. Sure life brings you crazy trials that you never thought would come your way. But, through it all, life is wonderful and I really should never complain. Remind me of this if I ever do.

SATURDAY

Okay, so I am really excited for today, basically because I have a few things I plan on doing but have no schedule whatsoever. Joe left earlier this morning to go on a bike ride with some guys from his squadron. He's been fixing up his motorcycle and is really excited to take it on a good long test run. As for me, Calvin got up around 7:45 to eat. He was in a good mood, so that was great. I've since then sent him back to bed, while I myself am still lounging around in bed playing on the computer and watching a movie. Well, today I have big plans to go to walmart to get a few things I need for the house (especially a swiffer wet mop that I am desperate for). I am also on the hunt for a blessing outfit for Calvin. That is only a few weeks away and so I hope to find one, otherwise my mom said she would make him an outfit. So, that's it. Isn't that great. I love days where I can do what I want when I want and have a way to do them (Joe has been needing to use the car while fixing up his bike these past 2 weeks). So, hopefully all will go okay and I will have a great day.

CRYING AT BATHTIME

Okay,first I have to say Calvin is such a good baby. He hardly ever cries and when he does, it's really not that loud. He sleeps through the night, eats good and is learning new skills all the time. The one thing that just started about 2 weeks ago is he starts to cry after he gets out of his bath. He loves the actual bath part. But then once he is in his towel and the whole time I try to dry him off he screams at the top of his lungs. He never did this before and I wonder why it just now started to bother him. I'll get his diaper on...he still screams. Put his clothes on and still is screaming. It doesn't matter what time of day it is. Hmmm, any thoughts to why he started this. I actually think it's kinda funny. Poor little man.

NEW COUCH

I really want to get a new couch. The one we have is someone else's. Joe picked it up here on base. It is actually really comfy, but I think it kinda smells. I have to put blankets all over it just so I feel comfortable sitting on it. The little loveseat we have is not as comfortable. So I want a new couch. I'm thinking about a set or maybe a sectional. This is my absolute favorite. I love the blue but it comes in many colors. We'll have to wait a bit until we save up money (thank goodness for a new job!). And this will be our first purchase. Can't wait.

BABY BOY

Here he is sleeping in his crib


And here he is in his stroller on one of our walks

Doesn't he look like a little man here?

He loves his little chair. He thinks he's pretty hot stuff in it because he can sit up and look around

Oh, how cute he is when he is asleep

WORKING GIRL

Well, I've been looking for a little part-time job to earn some extra money that we can use to start a savings (fyi the air force doesn't pay all too great). I've been looking on and off base for something and getting pretty discouraged. All I wanted was something really easy for a few hours a few times a week. I had applied to quite a few places. Unfortunately most of them require on-line applications which I think sucks because you really can't make a great first impression on line. Soooooooooooo, after a month of looking, I finally snagged a job at Bed Bath and Beyond. I worked there previously when we lived in Gilroy. I thought about applying earlier but I was trying to find something a bit closer (it's 8 miles away). So, I walked in yesterday afternoon for an application (I remember they didn't make you apply on line). Filled it out on the spot and got to speak with the store manager. He gave me an interview right then and there. He told me I was definitely in the running and would here from him the next day. I was pretty sure I got the job because I thought I had a really good interview, had previous experience at the same company, he gave me his business card....well, that same day he called me up and offered me the job. Woohoo!!!! I really liked working there before. I'm really excited. Joe is such a big help. He will watch Calvin while I work and if our hours overlap a bit I have a babysitter all lined up. Ah, the power of prayer. It wasn't anything desperate for me to get a job, so I didn't pray much about it. But I finally let go of my pride and prayed to Heavenly Father to help me find something. Hmmmm, what do you know....the same day I prayed about it I got a job. Coincidence...definitely not. Wish me luck on my new job and earning some moolah for our family.

CALVIN 12 WEEKS TODAY

Calvin, you are getting so big. You are doing so many more things now. You love to smile and coo funny sounds. You love to be with your mommy and daddy. You've moved up to your 3-6 month clothes. And you are so interactive now. Your favorite things to do right now is hold up your arms and stare intently at your fists. You also like to stand up and also, you really like it when daddy does superman with you. You are getting a lot stronger and I love your little personality. You are so cute.


Calvin's crazy 'do after dad gave you a bath
Staring at those fists

Beautiful eyes little man

Making your cooing noises in this photo

SWIMMING

We decided to take Calvin to the pool that is near our house. I was so excited to see how he would react to the water. He did such a good job. It was really hot so we only stayed for about 15 minutes. But the water was so nice and I can't wait to go back. Calvin loved the water. He didn't fuss one bit. He loved it when Joe would put him on his belly and "swim".



Check out those shades. Mr. Cool

This is one of my favorites. His little legs just float at the surface of the water. It looks like he is really swimming

Chillin' after the pool

FHE=HUNTING FOR LIZARDS

Okay, so the other night, around 10, Joe decided to help me clean out the vacuum because it was giving me problems. He opened up our sliding door that went to the back patio. There was this little lizard on the outside window. Well, before I could tell Joe to shut the door, it ran inside up our kitchen wall. Joe tried to get it, but it was too quick. Next thing you know, it went inside our laundry room which is just off the kitchen. it went under the washing machine. So, here I am with a broom right by the door, so i could scare it out the door in case it came my direction. Joe got on top of the washer and was trying to find it. We couldn't really see it, so we got a flashlight and Joe tried to scoot the washer forward. Well, we couldn't find it anylonger, so we lifted up the washer and dryer. We saw this pool of red and thought it could be blood. EWWW! I didn't want to leave a bleading lizard in my washing machine because that is just gross and i didn't want it to smell. Well, we looked and looked and looked. And to no avail, we could not find this stupid little lizard. Let's just pray that it found it's way outside when we weren't looking and it's not hiding somewhere (dead now probably) inside my washer or somewhere in my pantry. I have to admit, it made for a very interesting evening. Nothing like good quality time hunting for lizards. I have a few pics to post, but that will have to wait a few more days.

UPDATE

So, once again I'm without the internet. We'll get that taken care of really soon. I'm back at the library and just wanted to post that we are doing good. It is starting to get really hot here. It was 95 at 9 oclock this morning. Supposed to only get to 111 today. There is a pool by our house, but it is too hot to take Calvin out. I'm just staying inside most days where it is cool. I'm currently looking for a very small part-time job. Just something to get out a bit, meet new people and make some extra money that Joe and I can put away for a rainy day. So, that's about it for now. Oh, for those that know I'm trying to lose some weight. I've lost 3 pounds this past week. I never really got started in June and so now in July I'm doing double duty to make up for being a slacker.

ASLEEP

Calvin was pretty cranky this afternoon. I tried to rock him, feed him, do all of the usual. It wasn't working so I decided to pick him up and rock him over my shoulder. Within 30 seconds he was out. Isn't he soooo adorable?

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

We had a very nice 4th of July. We didn't really do anything during the day. Around 6 we headed to the park on base where they were holding the festivities. We found a great place in the shade and we set out the blankets and chairs. We ate hotdogs and hamburgers, listened to live music and enjoyed the time with our new friends. Here are a few pics from that evening.

Calvin slept for the first while. So cute.

This is our little friend Wyatt

and his little sister Lilly

Joe took this picture of Calvin's feet when I was playing with him. Good job honey.

Playing with Calvin

Family picture.

Super Baby! Check out the belly!

Cute babies

Fireworks time! Calvin did a great job for the fireworks. He was looking at them with a lot of interest. The noise didn't bother him at all!

SUMMER STORMS

I was just sitting here a few minutes ago goofing around on the computer and Joe comes inside and says "Melanie come outside now" okay so I go. Then right as I walk outside (under our car port thankgoodness)....BOOM! lightening and thunder. It is a summer storm. It was really beautiful to see the sky light up. But I'm a scaredy cat and after a few minutes of watching it outside (still under the car port) I'm quite content being back inside and watching it from the safety of my home.

Calvin, 9 1/2 weeks....is now reaching aimlessly for toys. When he hits them, he gets so excited and keeps swinging his arms to try and hit it again.! Sorry it's sideways. I can't figure out how to fix that.

MORE PICS

Here are a few random pics that I thought were cute....