Norfolk VA Trip

This past weekend we had the great opportunity to go and visit my brother and finally meet his new wife. Eddie and I's dad was there as well. We had a lot of fun. The first day we went to Nauticus, a museum that houses the USS Wisconsin and some Marine animals. CJ really enjoys looking at the history of the Navy and so going to these museums is a lot of fun for us! We went with 4 Sailors (CJ, Eddie, his wife, and his sister-in-law) so we had our own little private tour!On Sunday we went for a stroll down to the beach. Eddie's sister-in-law lives right up the street from the beach. It was pretty much empty, except for a couple people. So we spent some time picking up sea shells and enjoying the beautiful view!
It was nice to get a break and go see the sites. We want to take full advantage of living on this side of the country. We really enjoyed driving through the small towns and looking at the homes. Can't wait for the next adventure!

Crafts

Here is another round of crafts! It has been nice to have time to do these. Making my house homey and more our style!

This one is a Sentsy Flame-less candle. It was plain black so I took white vinyl and gave it a little style. This is now on our counter in the kitchen.
Here is a Spring ring that i put together. Thank you to a friend back home that started making these. I want to make one for each holiday and/or season.
My friend Ashley wanted to make a chalkboard. She had some left over chalkboard paint from Lowes and a cupboard that we bought for $5 at Habitat for Humanity Resale. Then I took scrap paper that had travel pictures on it and modge podged it on. I will probably hang this, but not sure where yet!
I am also working on learning how to crochet more, I am really liking it! I will post pictures later!

I am trying to be crafty!

Since CJ is in school all day and then studies fro two hours each evening I have a lot of free time. So I decided to try and be crafty. I have finished a few projects and have many more to come.

When we first moved here I tried my hand at making necklaces. These are the first two I made and I just picked up more beads and will make a couple more.

So since we don't really have a yard I have to go out and be on dog poop patrol and we have been saving plastic bags. At first they weren't taking up much room, but then it was over taking my laundry area. So I made a bag holder. Pretty easy.
Next I have been wanting a new apron for the kitchen, so Wal-Mart has this new thing where you by the package and the material is the pattern, all you have to do is cut it out. EASY. Directions are basic and the pattern is cute. I am excited for my new apron.

Next crafts to do:

*I have two skirts that need to get done

*Make a few more necklaces

*Decorate Scency Candle with vinyl lettering

*Make two Dog beds (this is going to be hard)

The Ultimate Feeling

This past week CJ and I were able to go and help clean the South Carolina Temple. Since there are not very many wards around here the Temple calls upon each to help clean. I was so excited to go and see what this Temple looked like.

We were even more excited that we were going on our anniversary! I just figured we would get assigned to a bathroom or endowment room for vaccuuming, well some did, but I well I was chosen to go and clean the Celestial room, ALL BY MYSELF! Oh I will have to say I felt like a little girl about ready to enter Disneyland. I had butterflies and I couldn't stop smiling.

Everytime I go to the Temple I am filled with excitement and I have the usual over whelming feeling. I can usually feel the spirit and can relax and forget about everything in life. This "cleaning" time was a little different. Have you ever sat in a Celestial Room by yourself? Or been to one where NO ONE was talking?

I felt so encompassed by the Spirit that while I was vaccuuming I was teary eyed. While dusting I couldn't help but remember my first time in a Celestial room. It was so quiet I could hear myself praying and I could just sit and feel Heavenly Father sit beside me.

I LOVED being able to give service to God and be blessed while doing so. I will always remember the beautiful and peaceful feeling of sitting with God in His House.

I am so thankful for the blessings of my life and I can not wait for the next time I am able to go and give service to those who have gone before me!

Bringing in the New Year!

This last year has brought so many blessings in our lives and one is moving to the beautiful East Coast. We have been here for almost two months and this is our first trip to the beach. We were excited to be able to go and explore. Since it is the off season we can take the dogs and walk along the water.
I would love to live in one of these houses, but not when a hurricane is in the forecast. But the view is just one of God's beautiful creations!

The dogs are suppose to be on their leashes the entire time, but we came across a portion where no one was walking by and we let them off and threw a stick around for them. It took some getting used to the waves coming in, but once they realized the water wouldn't hurt them they jumped around!

We had such a great time, and can't wait to go back. It is so nice to be so close to the beach and be able to go when ever the sun is shinning.

To bring in the new year we spent time with our new friends the Blosil's and the Waldron's. We had great food and played some great games together.

Here is to hopefully another GREAT year!

Merry Christmas!

Well this year has been a very great and crazy year. So instead of a Christmas card, which I really didn't have time to do this year, I thought I would put together this blog and I can email it to people to read. SO here is our year in a glance.

January- cold month in Prescott Valley- We watched our new puppy grow at my parents house, and 8 months till CJ leaves for boot camp.

February- We brought "Abby" (our new puppy) home to be with us.

March- CJ left the Good Samaritan to work at a green house till he left for boot camp.

April- One year in our house and I have to find a renter for the fall...

May- My last month of teaching here in Prescott Valley. My sister graduated from high school, I can't believe she is going to college next year!

June- My sister is 18 (where did the time go!), and I am teaching summer school till the end of the month. 3 months till CJ leaves.

July- CJ leaves the Green house so we can square things away before he leaves and we "start" packing. We took a much needed trip to CA to visit friends and my brother, who is now stationed in Nevada (yeah!). Oh and my BABY brother turns 17 AHHHH!

August- Oh one month till CJ leaves and we have to pack the entire house and move it into a storage unit! Ok whirl wind you have arrived and I am not to happy! We did find a renter to stay at the house and everything starts to work out. CJ and were lucky to get to visit my step sister after she gave birth to a beautiful boy! My nephew Brogan! At the end of the month I turned 25 and for a birthday present my husband left for boot camp :(

September- On the first day I was in a daze the entire day while CJ traveled to Great Lakes IL to start boot camp. This was a long month, I finished leaning out the house and moved into my parents house. It was filled with prayers for CJ and waiting for the letters to come in on Wednesdays.

October- Moved like Molasses- CJ graduated Boot camp on the 28th and my mom and I and my in-laws went to IL to watch him and spend a few days with him. Now we wait for final word to get our stuff moved.

November- Well CJ flew to Goose Creek SC to start the first week in Nuclear training, and we racked up a pretty big phone bill because we can. On the 10th CJ flies home and we spend one last night with both of our families. The day before we left CJ, his parents and I were involved in a small car accident in Prescott Valley, Nedra ended up with some bad whiplash, and the rest of us had some soarness the next day, thankfully no one was badly injured. On the 12th CJ and I were off with the two dogs a full 16 foot moving truck and a trailer with our car. We drove over 2100 miles to reach our new home in Goose Creek SC.

MY BROTHER WAS MARRIED! Welcome Jes to the family!

The rest of the month CJ and I unpacked and CJ began his classes!

Thanksgiving was a little lonely and hard to be away from family!

December is here and another year has gone by. We have made some huge changes to our lives but we are so thankful for our many blessing and the opportunity to travel and see new things in life!

We are glad to bring in a new year that will not be so crazy, CJ will finish A-school and start a 6 month power school. Hopefully we will finish unpacking any remaining boxes.

CJ and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope that the new year will bring many new adventures and memories that will last a life time!

When your not looking...

My dogs are my life, my children right now. We spend a lot of time together, so much that I know when they are sick or upset. I love watching them play and do well weird stuff...

Abby is quite the show dog, she loves cuddling and she has the cutest face and you just can't say no to her.

Well yesterday I found her and Gage on the couch... She was looking at my laptop, but when I stood in front of her she looked at me.

This morning I was decorating inside the house and came outside to see if she was ok and I found her basking in the sunlight. She loves the sun!