My Original Baby Girl

Yes the original Precious "Lilli" Gaither as opposed to her baby Scrappy Doo Gaither.  This post is about her, as most of our family knows she walks weird and always has kinda like a toy soldier, very stiff... like she doesn't have knees or elbow joints or something.  She was never able to jump onto the couch or bed and she stopped jumping down from them a while back b/c I think she hurt herself one time since then she uses steps.  She got to the point many years ago where she wouldn't play ball outside which she loves.  I never really understood it I just took it as it was and thought, "well she has arthritis", since the vet has always told me that for a breed that's known to have loose knees her knees are great.

Well since being in Guam the issue has gotten worse and her bad moments are much more frequent than before.  I talked to a neighbor and put her on some great glucosamine pills that seemed to help tremendously with her walking and she even played ball out in the yard :)  This made me think Arthritis and joint issues.  Later on she had some bad spells and I ended up taking her for X-Rays to see what the real issue was so that we could take care of it once and for all... so I though.  I dropped her off at the vet and while in their care they noticed she couldn't stand on the linoleum tiles in the office so wile doing the x-rays of her back legs they decided to go on a hunch and do them of her neck as well.  Turns out she has a Atlantoaxial Luxation which is a very serious disease she was born with and will suffer from for the rest of her life.  It is basically the first two vertebrae aren't fuse together so the head hangs down and slowly causes spinal cord damage.  Oh one little problem, there is nothing we can do for her here on Guam and she would have to be seen in the states and the only real treatment is surgery.  I was scrambling when I got home trying to find a vet in the states to give me an estimated cost; turned out this specialist charged like $7,000 and don't get me wrong I absolutely love my dog but at that point I have to think about our bank.  I decided that I would just wait and see how things went till we go home (back stateside) well here we are.  

Here is Lilli's x-ray

you can see the second vertebrae is sticking out away from the first.  The surgery fuses these 2 vertebrae together with screws and bone cement.

They had their health certificate visit on Monday and the Dr. told me I should really have her seen by a specialist and at least talk to them about our options even if surgery wasn't an option.  I was thinking about how she would do during the procedure and her age.  Then the Dr told me that since she is gradually getting worse she will get to the point where she can't use her legs at all... my heart broke.  She just turned 8 and to think in a few years she won't be able to walk which mean surgery now to save her or putting her down when it came time.  The latter was hard, still is when I think about it esp when my mom has 2 Yorkies that are going on 14 and 13, yes they are showing their age but they are happy and still here, so knowing my girl could have that as well if given the chance.  I knew what Aaron would tell me after hearing the first estimate I got.  You see we have a different view about our dogs, not that he doesn't love them but it's just not something he would do b/c we could pay all of this money and then she could die tomorrow of something unrelated.  For me it's my baby and the thought of putting her down is heart breaking when there is a chance I could help her to live a fuller happier life than ever.  So I started doing research again and found a Neurology center in Jacksonville that can do it for less than half the cost as the first.  YAY YAY YAY :)  I told Aaron and he jokingly said "just put'er down"  he says things negative about Lilli cause he knows it gets to me (even though he's never serious) but I knew this time he was kidding and I think I can convince him it's needed.  Even if he knew it was he would want to see me beg ;)  So it turns out she WILL be getting her surgery once we are in Jax and hopefully not be in anymore pain and can live a happier life!!!  I told Aaron that if I can find someone to do for a decent price I will make it happen no matter what I have to do.

All this puppy talk... the dogs left Guam on the 21st and are actually sitting in Atlanta as I type waiting to get on their plane for Tally!!!  I have been a crazy puppy mommy checking their flights and tracking them to make sure they did get on those flights.  We had a minor bump but nothing my amazing mom couldn't take of for me, love you!!  They are staying with her and my dad till I get there.  Their Yorkie family will be whole again (my mom has Scrappys daddy and brother) and lots of playing will take place!!!  Makes me happy!

TTFN

Positive News

Hey peeps... well as teh title says we got some decent news this week that hopefully turns out to play in our favor.  The guy taking Aaron's place at the sqaudron here on Guam got his orders this past week... ya ya so what right.  Well that means we should be next, Aaron thinks within a month (fingers, toes, legs, arms and whatever else crossed).  Normally they send out the overseas bullets first so if he has his (overseas) then we should be getting ours since it's a rotation type thing!  I am oh so hoping that this is true b/c I would LOVE to be home for Christmas and have family around and to be able to have those 2 weeks to get a house (I have no doubt it'll only take one time going to Jax to find the perfect one but...)

As of now, I quit my job on December 20th (assuming we would get them in January there would be no point in going to work after Christmas break January 6th) but if we end up getting them sooner then I will quit ASAP.  That talk was a little difficult for me since I love my job and my boss and the fact that they asked me to stay and just let my husband go on to Jax without me (jokingly of course).  The shop will be in a rough spot a few weeks after I leave but I have been training a friend of mine to hopefully take my place eventually!

We are having a BBQ on the 30th of this month as a good bye thing and have all of our friends over and rent a bouncy house for Blake and all of his friends!  That's gonna be the hardest part of leaving... the saying good bye; my family knows I hate them and I'm no good at them.  You'd think I'd get used to them eventually being married to a military man and all but it doesn't... take my word on it!

Anywho, there isn't much going on in the Gaither household except for packing up some Rubbermaid totes so I don't have to wash clothes when everything arrives in Jax and well I don't trust the packers.. any of them.

I will of course keep everyone updated on here since I know family reads this and we will send emails when the time comes to pass along ticket info :) hopefully that will be sooner than later!

TTFN

The Count Down Begins

Well now that it's October I think it's safe to say that we will be outta here soon.  We are still hoping our orders get here in December... or January.  

We have been talking about it a lot lately and it finally hit me that everything from here on out will be our "lasts" on Guam as a family.  With Aaron leaving for deployment on December 2nd everything we do from here on out will be our last.... thank goodness :)  Although I love Aaron and will miss him so very much leaving this island can't come soon enough.  We have about a month and a half till my furry babies leave me... tear, and then about 2 months till Aaron leaves us, and then hopefully 3 months till we leave!!!

Aaron brought up something I was curious about with our pack out, he is going to have a friend of his come to the house and help me out with it... in other words he is going to be in charge of making sure everything gets written down on the house hold goods list AND that everything makes it in the crates.  Many ppl here have issues with things not being marked and then placed in the cab of the truck.  Not to mention the movers taking things in their pockets, so needless too say I am happy that he will have somewhere here!

I have been looking up furniture for the living room so when we get there I will have an idea of where I need to go b/c apparently leather furniture... real leather furniture can only be purchased in a few places.

 

Other than the usual we haven't been up to anything since well, there is nothing to do here... just dreaming of home :)

New Toy

Okay maybe not a toy or anything that I actually can play with by any means but.... only the BEST blender EVER!!

 

Behold the Ninja!  Like I said before I love my Mocha Frappes and I had a Oster blender that was great but just didn't cut it when making mixed drinks or frappes.  They always came out frothy... like liquid on the bottom of the cup and foam on the top.  Well I saw this at the BX about a week ago and looked into them and thought that this would solve my problem.  Lo and behold my Blue Hawaiians are yummy and my Frappes are perfect!!!  

Another thing I am excited about is the Wal-Mart Family Mobile plan by T-Mobile now has SIMs cards for the iPhone 4... YAY!  This means I can keep my cell phone when I move back to the states and just take it to a Wal-Mart and have them insert and activate a plan for me as soon as I get stateside.

TTFN

Lately

Well Blake is back in school which means I got to go back to work through the week and no weekends :)  can we say YAY!!!  I also got a MUCH needed raise.  It feels great to be out of the house and doing something productive.  Weekends were terrible b/c we were so busy which means the day goes by quick right... not, not when you are writing the time every 10-15 minutes.  It reminds you that it's only 9am when you were thinking it was 12... awful!

We also haven't heard anything about orders although Aaron is going to try to call him this week.  Hopefully it's only 3 months till we are outta here.  Big thing right now for me is getting away so Blake and I can get over our sinus issues.  We both have been on and off for the past few months and it's getting old yet we still have a few months to go :/  The rainy season feels great but it's a killer on our sinus'.  As a matter of fact if I was still up in the air about leaving early this would do it for me.

Lastly, I'm told I have a slight addiction to Mocha Frappes, this may or may not be true but I will say that driving by Island Girl (an amazing local drive through coffee place) Monday, Wednesday and Fridays does NOT help, but it sure does taste good!  I think I may have a tiny problem when most coffee shops on island know me and know what I want... including what Aaron wants... does that mean he has a slight addiction too :)

TTFN

Things I Miss

and look forward to having again :)  Ever since I decided to come home in December I/we have been talking about all the great stuff we have to look forward to!  Not that we haven't enjoyed our time here on Guam but it's just not the same as stateside living.  If anything living here has opened my and made me appreciate the little things about the great US of A!!  If you have never lived elsewhere then you have no idea what I'm talking about but know that you are lucky even when it comes to the small things.  So on to my list...

1.)  family like at least within flying distance and not a 24+ hr flight either more like 4-5... that will be awesome!

2.)  being able to go grocery shopping any day of the week (the commissary, the military grocery store, is closed on Monday and now Tuesdays)

3.)  having fresh produce even organic and not having to go from one end of the island to the other to complete my shopping list

4.)  along with the 2 & 3 not spending an arm and leg on groceries esp. the organic/gluten free kind :)

5.)  seasons... oh the coolness of Florida fall and spring.  Don't get my wrong having beach weather year round was great but I miss the cool days

6.)  being able to open the windows in the house on those cool days

7.)  Target, oh how I've missed you... like BIG time

8.)  Publix, oh how I've missed you too... like real BIG time

9.)  going out side and NOT sweating instantly

10.)  being able to wear pants and be comfy not burning up.  I miss those pant and sweat shirt days

11.)  having things to do on the weekends.  Island life sounds great right... not when you're trapped on that island and it's quite pricey to leave.  There's absolutely nothing to do here except the beaches and pools and don't get my wrong it's great but that's all there is here

12.)  having a house with room and a yard... won't that be great!! Being able to let the dogs out in a fenced in yard and play and be dogs without fear that another dog will come by and have lunch!

13.)  Getting Scrappy-Do home, she is allergic to the soil and grass here so she is itchy scratchy all the time to the point of losing hair

14.)  being able to talk to family whenever we want... phone calls get expensive

15.)  not being sick, since being here I have been sick 6 months out of the year and we have been here a little over 2 yrs, you do the math it = a miserable Jennifer

16.)  having options with anything and everything from restaurants, shopping, food, etc.
17.)  being able to shop online or have things shipped via mail and not having to worry whether it'll make to me... the PO workers are great at putting the wrong external box keys in the wrong PO boxes and then not everyone is honest

I'm sure there are many other things that I just can't think of at the moment but these are enough for me :) I am so excited to be going home!!   

Winter Shopping

haven't done that in a while... winter shopping that is and I am so excited to do so... I can't stand it!!  I haven't had to buy or worry about warm clothes in ohhh I don't know 2 1/2 yrs (in Dec).  But since Blake and I are going home in Dec/Jan we need warm clothes so while at the BX I noticed that they had some stuff in Blake's size, I got enough to get to Florida and not have to wash clothes or go out and buy stuff right away.  The BX gets winter clothes here during the "fall" and they don't last long so I jumped on it not knowing if they would have anything for him when I would really need it.  I don't really need anything except a jacket or sweatshirt and maybe a few long sleeve shirts.

I also bough an AWESOME carry on bag for the flight.  I normally have a backpack but when coming here it just seemed to be a lot of wasted pockets and bulk so when I saw this I knew I had to have it!!  I love Vera Bradley stuff and this is perfect for traveling (like all of her purses... super convenient with lots of pockets... VERY important) and NO wasted space... score!!!  Now I think I'm all ready to go... is it Dec yet?!?!

I think it's hitting Aaron that Dec will be here before he knows it b/c he started going through some of his stuff and making sure I am going to have everything I need paperwork and point of contact wise.  He also talked to a friend of his asking if he wouldn't mind taking care of his car while we are both gone.  I think we're on the same page now!!! I am sooo excited and ready for our new adventure  :) 

I had my plan as to my house hunting, cell phone getting, hotel and car reserving down then Aaron told me I wasn't allowed to go look at houses without my dad there...  I get it but it possibly ruined my plans a bit... Grrr!  Everything will still happen but hopefully it won't inconvenience my parents too much.

I also have an idea as too plans for Blake's spring break but that's another post... until I know when we are leaving.

TTFN

New Kicks

So I have been looking at new running shoes lately but here in Guam we don't the options like Foot Locker or any other sports stores. 

I absolutely LOVED my Nike Free's they were so comfortable and airy and of course light weight but when I bought a new pair of shoes I went with the New Balance Minimus which were okay but the qaulity and comfort of the Frees just wasn't there.

 Photo from sporteluxe

Then came the new Nike Free Flyknit, I am really liking them.  They have everything that I loved about my other Free's but I can go with out socks and still have that sock feel :)  I'm weird about things getting in my shoes and being able to feel those things but I think the sock like tops will serve that purpose!  So, I will be once again upgrading my running shoes!!  

I am hoping once we get settled in our house in JAX that I will be able to run again on a normal basis!  I may even try to do a 5k or two!!  It is just WAY too hot here even early in the morning but I do still go to the gym but I really do miss running! (I can't believe I just said that)

TTFN

My Mind is Made Up!

So since my last post about Blake and I possibly moving to Jacksonville early I have decided that that is in fact exactly what we are going to do whether this means packing out by myself after Aaron leaves and house hunting on my own. 

Since talking about it with Blake and thinking about it ALL the time I think that it IS doable even on my own, I mean military spouses do it all the time so it can't be that hard and my family lives 3 hrs away if I really need something.  I also contacted the school district Blake will be going to and there is no time frame I have to get him back in school so that is helpful.  Not that I want to have him out for weeks and weeks but I have time to get things situated and I don't have to rush. (I am hoping we can leave in Dec that way we have time but it's not necessary... just gotta get those orders) 

My plan is to fly into Jax and get a rental car and drive to the base, get a hotel and much needed sleep, then the following day or that afternoon (flights normally get to the states from here in the AM) go look at houses and hopefully find "the one" within a few days.  Then set up and change all of my info to the address so I can get Blake into school ASAP.  Then after all of our Jax stuff is done we will go to Tallahassee and spend time with my family.  

The only down side to all of this is we will be without our house hold goods and my car for a little while.  We do however have some things in storage that we didn't bring here b/c our house is too small, so we have a bed and I will be packing either boxes to mail with sheets, towels, games, etc. or packing a few suit cases or both (probably the latter).  

So needless to say, I am soooo EXCITED about going home and having the house set up before Aaron gets home in the summer.  Aaron is a little UGH about it b/c we'll have these options when it comes to groceries and things to do and he'll be on the ship or Japan :)  I told him I could mail a box....  :)

Now that I have made up my mind I have to get our house ready for the pack out which includes painting over some colored paint that I painted a while back and selling stuff that we don't use or need anymore.  I will also be leaving my job in November probably depending on if we have our orders yet b/c my car is going to be shipped out ASAP!!

On another note we got Blake enrolled into Taekwando last night and he loves it so far.  Lots of stuff to remember but he'll do just fine once he gets the hang of it!

TTFN

Howdy

I know it's been a while and I always say I'll do better about writing and it never happens... I apologize :)

Anywho, what's been happening around here lately... let's see my mother in law cam to veisit for a week and a half.  we had loads of fun and did a ton of Guam stuff much of that included spending our days in the sun!  We went snorkling multiple times which Sue said she could do all day.  We also had Blake's 6th birthday party while she was here, all the kids had fun and were worn out by the end of it... mission complete!!

I'm not sure if I have written this or not but Aaron is getting deployed again in Dec (5 months before we are suppose to leave) and Blake and I were suppose to go to Iwakuni to visit him for Christmas well his Officer in Charge has decided to go to Okinawa sometime before the ship leaves but he doesn't know when. So this leaves me hangin' with no way of knowing whether we could come visit so I asked Aaron if Blake and I could leave early like before he leaves for deployment :)  So that seems to be the plan as of now.  This is the military and things happen (case in point) but as long as we get our orders before the end of Dec or around then, (which I'm pretty sure we will) then we are outta here... thank goodness!!!!  I am soooo tired of being sick, the crappy selection of food at the commisary, everything is expensive here and there nothing to do here!!  Blake and I had a talk about this today just to see where he stood b/c I would be taking him out of school mid-year and changing him to a school in Jax and for those of you that know him he has a history for HATING change... like big time.  This time not so much I asked if he would like to go home and be with his Mimi and Grandad for Christmas or did he want to stay here and hope that we made it to Japan.  He chose the obvious answer :)  I gave him the low down and he said he would love it... so fingers crossed we get orders in time :)  So let the count down begin... 4 months!!

So if that pans out I have to start down sizing our stuff and getting ready to move and pack out!  We will probably be in Jax for around 3 months without any of our stuff but it'll be worth it... can't wait!

TTFN

 

Boring-ness

Well this weekend was like all the rest which means we didn't really do anything.  This is what our Saturday morning talk sounds like...

Aaron- "what do you want to do today"

Me- "there's not much to do... same crap different day... pools, beaches, golf, bowling"

Aaron- "so what do you want to do"

Me or Aaron- "Blake do you want to go to the pool, go golfing or bowling, or go to the beach"

Blake- gives his answer and we normally end up doing it

For the most part this happens every Saturday and Sunday unless of course we have something planned with friends ahead of time which usually means we are going to the beach.

Friday we decided to go to a restaurant that we have heard good things about, Meskla Dos, it's suppose to have great burgers and BBQ well we apperently don't have the same taste in food as some of our friends and most others on the island.  So we ordered 2 things, Blake was going to split with me.  Aaron paid and noticed the man took his money and then turned around and put together a burger no gloves, nothing.  The other man was glove-less as well gross right :/  Well we got our food and Aaron decide to try his burger.... can we say salty, to the point where he took 1 bite and couldn't eat anymore, his fries were the same way.  We have never gone to a restaurant and ordered food and turned around and walked out without eating.  So we ended up at another place that we like and then had Gelato for dessert!  If you're a regular reader you know that's my fav!!  Although I was sad they didn't have mint :( it was still good!

Saturday we hung out around the house and did nothing really.

Sunday we drove down to the Navy base and went to the pool.  Blake had a blast as usual!

With all of this said we are sooooo ready to be home again with the endless options of things to do!  Jacksonville, FL has it all and we can not wait to be back :) I think we talk about things we look forward to about being back stateside daily and it just makes me excited thinking about it... even though it is right at a year away before we turn over the house!  I keep telling myself that it'll go by quickly but I'm not so sure.

TTFN

Catch Up

Again we haven't been up to much these days, we have both been working and them we hang out on the weekends.  I have come to appreciate my weekends these days!!

We have been going to the beach quite a bit here is Gab Gab from this weekend, here is some pictures from Ritidian and Tarague.  Here is the pictures from today Funday Sunday!!

The USO and MWR brought Toby Keith to play for both the Navy and Air Force bases.  We wanted to stay for the whole thing but our little Munchkin got tired and was ready to go home, so we left way early.  Here are some cruddy pictures that I took with one of our phones, htey aren't great but they're proof :) 

This weekend we went to GabGab (the link above if from then) and had a great time and after a lot of talk, convincing, and Blake arguing, and angry with me I got him to go snorkeling with me!  He had a blast and saw lots of fishies and cool stuff... can't compare to the aquarium :)

Last week Aaron called me at work to tell me that he was going to be deployed again before we leave... not really a huge shock but something that wasn't written in the Mustang's (LDO) schedule till last week when they found out someone wasn't coming as a replacement.  Sounds bad right... well when the schedule was made months ago we always kinda thought that there was a good chance it would change and I told him that IF he was going to be deployed again and he was going to Iwakuni, Japan that Blake and I would be there in a heart beat.  We absolutely LOVED it there and I am soooo excited to be going back, except this time it will be in Dec and when it's cold.  We are going to be going for at least 2 weeks this time, last time it was right at a week.  Blake and I got sick so that left less time to explore.  So this time I am coming prepared and although there is a very good chance we will get sick we will have 2 weeks :)  Aaron will leave Dec 10th or so and we will be leaving a week or so later.  So it'll be a Japanese Christmas for the Gaither's this year!!!

Since he will be deployed up until about a month and half before we leave I will be doing the household good pack out and shipping my car before he gets home!  The pups will be going back home the beginning of Dec before our trip (only 2 months sooner than the original plan).  From December to April when Aaron get home we be busy busy for me but it'll help pass the time :) and then we'll be homeward bound.... YAY YAY YAY!!  I can't even stand it I'm excited.  

With all of that said I have been looking on the internet at plane ticket for Japan, things to do in Japan, houses in JAX, schools, in JAX, cell phone service for when the time comes.... so much to do but from what I'm told is a long ways off!!!

Anyways, I hope everyone has a great week and I will try to update next weekend!

TTFN

Guam Diving

 Friends

 

Puffer

Turtle

I think it's a puffer

Us

Pretty Turtle

Aaron

Me

Hope you enjoy :)  

TTFN

Howdy

As usual I have nothing exciting to write about from this lovely island of Guam except for the fact that we have ORDERS!!  Aaron finally got through to his detailer and we got NAS Jax in Jacksonville, FL and we are so so so soooo excited to be going home and to a place we loved :)  Only bad part about this is that we don't leave here until next June so we have a whole year left here instead of the 9 months or so that we wanted but you give a little take a little right?!?   

Oh and Blake is reading now which is awesome :)  We have a rewards chart written up so that every time he reads 5 books he get some kind of treat or goody, so tonight it's a Baskin Robbins kinda night!!  I think I am more excited than him cause their Cotton Candy ice cream is AMAZING!

This Saturday Aaron has to work but will be off on Monday so I took off so we could go dive (I'll hopefully have some good pics to post).... and get my frappe and go to lunch!  He laughs at me b/c I get so excited about restaurants, mind you we only go to like 3 different ones here (a Mexican, a Thai and a Indian) but there are really good and stuff I can't make or like Mexican is so time consuming to make home made that it's worth it to me to go out the others are just way better when we go eat out!

 This Sunday is Easter and there is a little boy in the house that just can't wait to see what goodies the Easter bunny brings him!  I always gather things to put in his basket b/c the store bought ones are either A) filled with candy which we don't really eat or B) filled with really really bad dollar store toys.  So needless to say I try to collect things to "build" my own so we know he'll enjoy everything.  We also ordered some organic candies that I think he'll really like :) 

Then the next week is Blake's spring break so he and I will both have off to play and drive each other a little crazy :)  It's just him and I around here when daddies at work b/c our neighbors moved away so his little friend is gone. 

I am working right now on getting the pictures from our dive with our friend up so hopefully (fingers crossed) I can get them off of her FB page!

TTFN

Howdy

Just writing to give everyone a little update on what's been going on the Gaither household.... NOTHING!  I have been working 3 or 4 times a week and Aaron has worked the past 2 weeks straight so needless to say we have been busy.  

On the work note, I am really liking my job and have learned a lot.  My boss has left me there alone so I would say that's a good thing :)  Most of the time it's slow but when we have business it's a crowd.  It beats sitting at home on Pinterest... I mean internet!  At least my job pays right.

We are also in our window for picking orders which is SUPER exciting for me!  I so so so SO can't wait to get back home and be able to be with our families again.  Annnddd Florida is on the list this month 3 or 4 times :) which is our first choice!!  The only problem is, is that Aaron's detailer won't answer his phone nor email him back so we are playing the waiting game and I don't like it.  I am hoping that when we do hear from him it's an email saying we got the orders and we should expect them in a few months... that would be AWESOME!

off topic but something else I am excited about is our KING size bed that we got a few weeks ago.  Might I add that Aaron has been sleeping in the middle the past few nights and he's the one who didn't really care if we got one or not HA!  But really we really needed a new mattress since our older one was bowed and was a killer on our backs and I have always wanted a king size so we splurged and got something that would last and it just so happens to be BIG! :)  I'm in LOVE and hate having to get up in the AM.

There has been quite a few post where I have talked about our backyard neighbors as Blake calls them, the couple with 2 kids that lives behind us, well they are moving away in 2 weeks.  Which means I won't have my "Chatty Cathy" partner anymore and Blake will lose his best bud but I am told Blake will be fine b/c then he "will have their back patio to play on".... yea not sure how long that will be fun since Blake and Joseph play everyday for hours.  he's gonna be one bored kids till he gets used to it. 

We went diving about a month ago and our friend went down with us and well I would have some pictures but I didn't bring my camera b/c he brought his and his is fancy and takes great pics... well I still haven't gotten the pics from him so I will try to get them so I can post those.  We saw a few turtles and he got some great shots ad can't wait to see them!!  

Oh speaking of, we went to the beach today... shocking I know but we were at GabGab on Navy base and walked to the end and there is a small reef, it's really just rocks and pretty shallow well I was standing on this HUGE tire that was laying there (I think it came from the pier a little ways down) and I spotted a baby black tip reef shark :)  I told Aaron and Blake and they hopped up and then we saw 2... it was pretty cool, they were so cute (this coming from someone who is terrified of sharks).  They were probably 2 1/2 ft long.  I was kicking myself for not having my big camera or the underwater one but our plan was to go to the pool down there not the beach but it was closed.  I was so upset but it was pretty cool nonetheless!

Pretty Flutterby

TTFN

My J-O-B

So my last post a wrote about a new job at Axe Murderer Tours that I was suppose to start, well I started it last Tuesday and I am really liking it a lot.  I worked Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and everyday I have been reading PADI instructor study guides a lot of the time trying to get in the know about the PADI and what they stand for... entertaining I know but it was a must.

I am loving having something to do during the day while Blake is at school even if it is a few days a week.  Not that I don't love my alone time to read, walk around the exchange, workout, etc this beats all the above.  Being at home since we moved from Tallahassee and then getting pregnant and being a stay at home mom for the past almost 6 years (for a total 7 yrs) has been great I was SO over it.  I wouldn't change that decision if I could but I was so ready to be out of the house and being busy again and I have to say it's great :) 

I hope everyone's weekend was a great one!!

TTFN

J-O-B

If you read my last post you would have seen that I put in an application for a job at the dive shop, Axe Murderer Tours here on Andersen AFB and I had an interview... leaving with high hopes of getting an email with a schedule.  Well the email didn't come but I did call this afternoon and was told I start next Tuesday :)  To make a long story short the manager has been extremely busy and hasn't had time to do much of anything besides "set up shop".  Needless to say I am so, so excited about this opportunity to have a job that will be laid back and work around Blake's school breaks.

   

YAY!!

TTFN

Around these Parts

There has been a lot of outdoors activities going on around our house lately.  Aaron has been off since the weekend after Christmas and Blake has been out of school and returned on Monday so we have had lots of time to hang out and be a family. 

We've been on this tiny island for almost 2 years and Aaron still hasn't been driving around on the south end (he was deployed when have been so I guess he has an excuse).  It really is pretty down there and living here you really seem to forget how beautiful it is.

We went to some forts and parks so here are some pics from our adventures~ minus the ton that I can't seem to get off of a BRAND NEW SD card... Grrrr!

 Sirena Beach~ on base

Harbor

 

Two Lovers Point

  Some Spanish Fort

 

 

Fish Eye~ don't mind my crazy hand :)

 Great Barracuda behind Aaron~ he was 4-5 ft long and about 9" tall 

Snorkel date at GabGab while Blake was in school

 

 

Flowers around our house

On to other stuff...  since we have been here I have been looking for a job and putting in applications like crazy for the school but nothing ever comes from them, since I am not transferring from one DoD school to another I don't have that preference :( I also put in for a job at the old dive shop that was on base (a lady we knew worked there and was leaving) but their contract was ending.... not luck again.  But then a new dive shop opened up and I put in an application and went in for an interview and left with this "I'm offering you a position but need to write up a schedule and I'll email you in about a week after we get our new system".... how cool is that :)  So I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping this comes through and I will get my shop t-shirt to make it official!  This would be the PERFECT job for me~ fun, dive related, learn new stuff about diving and equipment, and possibly get higher certifications for free, and I won't be bored throughout the day and it will work around Blake's school time!  I am really excited just waiting for that email :)

I just want to share a product that I heard about on Pinterest and fell in love with, it's OPI Nail Envy!  It makes your nails stronger and makes them rounded on the sides to keep the edges from cracking, breaking, and peeling which seems to be an issue with my nail.  I usually have to repaint my nails every few days and lightly file them down every time but not with this stuff, you put 2 coats on with forst application then 1 coat every other day for a week, then remove and start over~ it is absolutely great.  I am hard on my nails since I'm not a girly girl I work out in the yard and flower beds, do dishes by hand... all the fun stuff and my nails are still going strong after a week and a half :)   I got the original here but they also have a Matte formula as well!



That's a wrap!
 TTFN