The Petty Life

Surgery Time -- Baby Day Part 2

2009-08-20T13:25:00.001-06:00

Finally, they took me back into the operating room and began he prep work. They said Chris had to wait until it was time for surgery before he could come in. The anesthesiologist came in to give me my spinal. He had me sit on the surgery table with one leg on either side dangling and said to just relax. Since Chris couldn't come in yet, the nurse was so nice, she sat next to me and held both my hands and helped keep me calm. He said to hold really still and that if I feel a tingle or have the urge to move or flinch, not to! Yeah...Easier said than done! When he started to insert the needle, it hit a nerve and caused my leg to fling up at the knee. He says to me..."That is what I was talking about, I told you not to move!" I wanted to say to him, have you ever had a spinal? Do you think I have any control when you hit a little nerve and cause my reflexes to flinch? He wasn't mad, he just really needed me to sit still, so two nurses came over and held both my legs down. It was all done and I started to feel the cement legs. Then they prepped my belly and were just about ready to get Chris when my nose itched, so...I itched it. In doing so, I moved my blanket and it rubbed across my stomach, so they had to re-start the sanitizing process. Ooops! Finally Chris was able to come in with me. I was so excited to see him. We were not allowed to take any pictures or video of the c-section until it was time for baby to come out. We found that out the hard way when we were reprimanded. Ooops Again! Chris decided to take pictures of me instead to help pass time.

Laying here having a baby is exhausting...JK! Me and Chris waiting for lil man to come out. Chris taking a self portrait. A few minutes before we get to meet our baby! Since Chris could see what was going on and I couldn't, I kept asking him, what are they doing? What about now? Is it time? Now What? Finally the Dr. said. Ok get your camera ready, it's just about time...Here comes Baby!!!

Getting Ready -- Baby Day Part 1

2009-08-20T11:01:00.000-06:00

It's baby time! I was up all night freaking out that we were having a baby and that I was going to have surgery. So after barely any sleep, we arrived at the hospital at 10am. My surgery was scheduled at 12am. They nurse started all of the monitors and IV and took blood samples. She wasn't very clean about it and blood squirted all over and was dripping all over the floor. Luckily I wasn't watching her do it, I would have passed out for sure! The C-section before me ran late and so they pushed my out to 1pm, so I had to sit and wait even longer. Thank goodness Chris was able to hang out with me in the room.

Waiting to get my IV...So Excited! Chris keeping me company. Kissing is always a great way to pass time!It's almost time...Chris getting ready! All ready to go. He looks so HOT!!! Finally just after 1pm, they took me back to the OR and told Chris they would come get him when it was time. Mom and Cassi were in the waiting room, so he quickly went to see them and to get a quick bite to eat before surgery time. See you soon love...

Our Anniversary

2009-08-18T22:38:00.002-06:00

Today is our 3 year anniversary and I am soo in love! Chris is the absolute love of my life and I couldn't have asked for anything more. He puts up with my crazy moods and does the sweetest things for me all the time.

Since we are having a baby TOMORROW, we decided to say at the Silver Cloud Inn on Ruston Way in Tacoma. We thought it would be a nice relaxing get a away before the craziness of a baby. The staff was so cute when we checked in, they upgraded our room for free and put a Happy Anniversary card in our room. They asked me "When are you due?" When I replied "Tomorrow" they were shocked. I guess most people don't stay in a hotel to celebrate their anniversary the night before they have a baby.

Chris and I before we went to dinner at the RAM

Dinner at the RAM

After dinner, we came back to the hotel. I had been wanting to make a belly cast before I had the baby, so being that this was our last night, that is what we did. Chris had a lot of fun putting all of the molding strips on my belly (and chest). I had to stand still for the 20 minutes it took him to put them on and then another 15 minutes while it dried. I was going crazy. It was the messiest thing ever and we probably shouldn't have done it in a hotel room. I would post a picture, but I don't know if that is appropriate. Maybe when its dried and I paint and decorate it I will.

Well, its my anniversary and my patient husband is sitting here while I blog, so I better enjoy the night with him. We have to be at the hospital at 10am tomorrow!

Here Comes Baby

2009-08-15T22:24:00.001-06:00

I had my last doctors apt yesterday. I scheduled the C-Section with my doctor for next Wednesday the 26th. I am so excited to know that it is finally time for him to come out! But after Chris got home from work, he told me that he was being sent to a school in North Carolina for 10 days and he would be leaving on the 22nd. Totally panicked that he was going to miss the birth of our baby. I called my doctors office and being that it was after hours and the weekend, I left a long message basically begging and pleading to move it up, at least to the 21st so Chris could be there. Today the nurse called me back and said my doctor would be on call at the hospital on Wednesday the 19th and there was an opening for my delivery. She must have heard the desperation in my voice and decided to call me back even on a Saurday. After thanking her a million times, I took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh of relief. I told Chris and he was so excited, because now he will be there for the birth and will be able to take me home from the hospital. It will be the day after our anniversary, but we will take it!

So, now I am starting to freak out, because I'm having this baby in 3 days!!! I have everything ready, but I'm sill stressing. I better get some sleep before I worry myself sick.

Belly Picture Catch Up #2

2009-08-14T10:23:00.000-06:00

Here are the past few weeks of belly photos to catch up from the last post at 25 weeks.

26 WEEKS

27 WEEKS

28 WEEKS

29 WEEKS

30 WEEKS

31 WEEKS

33 WEEKS (missed 32 weeks)

34 WEEKS
35 WEEKS

36 WEEKS

37 WEEKS

38 WEEKS

ALMOST TIME FOR BABY!!!

Nursery

2009-08-08T14:14:00.001-06:00

After stripping wall paper, painting, setting up crib and changing table, and decorating ...the nursery is finally ready! I never knew how hard it was to strip wallpaper, but I now know I will never wallpaper anything in my house. Decorating the nursery was a lot more work than I expected, but it turned out so good, it was all worth it. Thanks to dad and Cassi helping to paint, I was able to get it done before baby comes.

The Nursery

Changing Table--I still need a pad cover

Car Seat and Stroller are all ready to go!

The Bedding

The curtains

I painted the dresser to match the room

Ranger Ball

2009-08-02T12:47:00.001-06:00

Friday was the annual Ranger Ball. Being that I am 7 months pregnant, Chris and I originally decided not to go. Last minute Chris was told that he had to do the color guard at the ball. He called me from work on Wednesday afternoon to let me know that I needed to get a dress and get everything ready for the ball on Friday. I called my mom and she met me at the super mall that night to shop for a formal dress that would fit a 7 month pregnant chick. After hours of shopping, we finally found a formal dress at Motherhood Maternity. I was sooo lucky, because Motherhood does not carry formal dresses in the stores, only online, but someone had bought it online and then returned it to the store. It fit almost perfectly. I just had to tighten the shoulder straps and I swapped out a plain black plastic clip on the front with a rhinestone broach to make it look a little more formal. Thanks to Amie...we got the dress altered and I was ready to go. Thursday I got a spray tan to give me a little color, got my toes and nails done, and made a hair apt. Friday came around and it was time to go...

Chris and I before the ball.

I was feeling VERY pregnant about now!

One of our formal pictures taken at the Ball.

I had a great time meeting all of his friends and their wives. Maybe next year I will have a little more than 2 days to prepare and wont be 7 months pregnant!

South Carolina

2009-06-23T13:59:00.005-06:00

After Chris' deployment, he got two weeks of vacation, so we decided to go to South Carolina to visit his family. We flew out Friday morning and were there for almost two weeks. We rented a condo at the beach with his sister and brother in law. Here is a photo recap of the vacation.

Chris when we first got to the beach condo.

Me at the condo...6 1/2 months pregnant!

Playing games at the arcade on the pier.

I didnt' win, but I sure tried...

Enjoying a night out on the windy pier

Outside a burger joint at the waterfront.

Chris and Grandad Petty (first time I met him)

Dinner at Medieval Times. We were the Red Knights!

Medieval Games

The Knights fighting

Playing at the beach...we burried Chris in the sand.

He climbed out like a monster and scared Tanner.

Too much time at the pool and beach!

Ouch...Southern Sun!!!

Chris got burned too!
As you can see...we had a ton of fun!!! We were there for my birthday too, so his family threw me a surprise party with a yummy ice cream cake. After a long hot vacation and burnt to a crisp...we headed home!

He's Home!!!

2009-05-22T23:14:00.001-06:00

I was able to pick up my honey yesterday. It was so NOT what I was expecting. I had imagined some scene out of a movie or something. I thought I would go out to the tarmac and would be waiting for him to step off the plane and we would run to each other and hug and kiss. It was totally the opposite...when I arrived, I was told to sit in a waiting room and that when the bus arrived from the air force base they would come get me. Another wife arrived, so the two of us waited for about an hour. We heard a bunch of noise out in the hallway, so we poked our heads out and saw the guys coming in...they forgot to come get us!!! Just as I started to walk down the hall towards the guys, I saw Chris walk around the corner. He didn't see me, so I yelled...CHRIS! He turned and saw me and ran over and gave me a big hug! It was the best hug ever! After a quick hello, he had to leave to go turn in his gear and get signed out. I went out to the truck to wait for him. 30 minutes passed...an hour passed...have to pee...another 30 minutes...2 hours...really have to pee...two and half hours...starting to hurt really bad...3 hours later he was finally released and we were able to go home! I would have went inside to use the bathroom, but they only have a men's bathroom, so really there was no place for me to go. Long day, but I'm glad he's home!!!

Do you think he'll notice?

2009-05-21T14:40:00.001-06:00

This morning I got a call to let me know I get to pick up my hubby today. I am so excited, yet so nervous at the same time. He left when I was 6 or 7 weeks pregnant and I didn't even have a baby bump and now he's coming home to this...

25 WEEKS

Do you think he'll notice?

Even though I have an excuse for the extra weight I have gained and I get to walk around with my belly stickin out instead of sucking in, I still want to feel pretty and sexy for my husband who I haven't seen in almost 4 months. I guess all I can do at this point is get my hair done and buy a new maternity outfit and try to look hot. Wish me luck tonight!

Time Flies...

2009-05-11T22:27:00.000-06:00

...When your Pregant! It's already May and it's time for my hubby to come home! I am so excited. When he left, I swore this day was never going to come. I am not sure when he will be home, but I know it's sometime towards the end of the month. I am heading back to Washington on the 15th to make sure I am home in time. I had left my car here when Chris and I moved all our stuff to WA, because I knew I would be coming back here to work. But now, since we are having a baby and I know I will be in Washington for a lot longer this time, I will be driving my car back. Mom is flying here to drive back with me. So again...time to pack!!!

Utah Baby Shower

2009-05-02T12:16:00.001-06:00

Yesterday Suzanne threw me a baby shower in Utah before I left. It was so thoughtful of her! The invitations were super cute and everything at the shower was so nice.

She served lunch and it was so yummy!

It was a cake made of cupcakes...so good!

I got tons of awesome presents from everyone.

I never knew boy stuff could be so cute too!

The funniest part of the shower was when I was reading a card from one of my co-workers and it said something like "Congratulations on your new Son" I looked up with this scared look on my face and said "Son...I'm having a SON!?!?" It hit me that he was going to be my 'SON'. I had never thought of it that way. I mean I knew I was having a baby and that it was a boy, but the word son just scared me for some reason. Maybe because I associate a SON with a boy who gets into lots of trouble or who gives mommy a hard time. Maybe because it meant I had to be a MOTHER instead of a MOMMY. Sons need mothers and babies and boys need mommies. To say i'm haveing a baby or it's a boy sounds so much nicer and so much more innocent. I'm sure when the time comes to call him my son, I will be over the fear...until then lets just refer to him as my baby boy!

Belly Picture Catch Up

2009-05-01T21:37:00.000-06:00

Since I haven't posted any belly pictures other than the first ones, here is a little catch up week by week...

15 WEEKS

16 WEEKS

17 WEEKS

18 WEEKS

19 WEEKS

20 WEEKS

21 WEEKS

22 WEEKS

23 WEEKS

First Belly Pics

2009-02-28T10:37:00.001-07:00

Well, Chris made it off ok and YES I was a blubbering baby when he left. Now I am back in Utah and living with my sister and her family again while I work. I have been super busy moving in and unpacking and adjusting back to work. Chris has called a few times and I love hearing from him. Even though he always calls me in the middle of the night when I am sleeping, it's comforting to talk to him and know that he is ok.

I thought I should send Chris a few pictures of his wife's baby bump, so he's not shocked when he comes home. Sadie was so nice to be my lovely photographer...

13 WEEKS

Update on Chris

2009-02-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is Chris' first deployment, which means it is my first deployment as an Army wife as well. I am learning that I dont get to hear from him very often and when I do, it is in the middle of the night and he only get a few minutes to call. I am always anxious to hear from him and I worry when I have not heard from him in more than a week. He has only been gone a month, but it is still hard everyday worrying about him, not knowing where he is or what he is doing. When we do talk, it is difficult, because there is so much that he can not say and so much that I can not ask. When I ask something as simple as what time is it there or what did you do today? His simple response "Shell..." lets me know its not a good question and to not ask again.

My First "Red Line Message"

2009-02-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

Before Chris left, he gave me the name and number of one of his SGT's wife and said that if I needed anything to call her and that if anything happened to him, she would call me. I didn't think anything of it and just tossed the number. I figured I wont need anything and nothing is going to happen to Chris, so I'm good. Well, yesterday while I was shopping with Sadie, for some maternity clothes, I got a call from a 253 area code. My battery had been beeping low for over an hour and it had already cut off earlier while I was talking to mom, so my initial thought was to ignore the call because my phone would probably just die anyways, but then something told me to just answer it. When I answered the call I was actually in a dressing room trying on clothes. She said her name and let me know she was calling with a "Red Line Message". Not knowing what that meant, I said 'OK' and paused. She continued to tell me she was going to ready the information she received. She said that there was in incident during a mission where a bunch of people were injured in a specific company of the battalion. She then said, if your soldier was wounded, you will get a 2nd call later today, and if your soldier was not, he will personally call you when he is given the opportunity. And that was it...she said good bye and my phone died. I have no idea how my phone made it through that 7 minute call in the first place, but I am so grateful it did.

Sitting in the dressing room I starting to panic, tears filled my eyes and I had the sickest feeling come over me. Luckily Sadie was with me and could give me a hug and tell me it was going to be ok. All I could think about was, We are having a baby in a few months and our baby needs a daddy...Chris has to be ok, he has to come home safe, he's only been gone a few weeks! I quickly changed back into my clothes and we raced out of the store and went directly to the Verizon store to buy a new battery, so I could answer hopefully my husbands call. If not answer the 2nd call to tell me he was hurt. I got a new battery and waited anxiously for another call from somebody, but nothing! Sadie encouraged me to relax and just finish shopping, so we did. Hours and hours passed and still no phone call. Bed time came and still no phone call...Finally at about 2am, Chris called! It was so comforting to hear his voice and know that he was ok.

I never want to get another call like that, but unfortunately they will probably happen again.

It's Time...

2009-01-14T18:53:00.001-07:00

The dreaded day is here...Chris leaves on his first deployment tomorrow! I knew when he joined the Army, he would have to go, but I never imagined this soon. He has only been out of training for 3 months. I guess the one thing I have to be grateful for is that being a Ranger he only has to deploy for 3-5 months at a time. That is a lot better than the soldiers who go for 12-18 months at a time. I don't think I could handle that! Plus he would miss his the birth of our baby. He should be back sometime in May or June. I am not quite sure how I will do tomorrow, dropping him off, but we will see!!!

While Chris is gone, I will be back in Utah working. Part of the agreement, when I left Utah was that I could keep my job and work from home in WA as long as I came back there to work when Chris was gone. So, I myself better start packing and get ready to head back to Utah since I leave on Saturday.

I'm off to spend one last night with my hubby!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

To me, New Years is just dumb holiday for those that drink to have another excuse to drink (as if they need an excuse)! For the rest of us, what is the fun in forcing yourself to stay up late just to say "Happy New Year!" and then go right to sleep? Well, as dumb as I think it is, year after year I find myself participating in the tradition. So, last night Chris and I rented a few movies and got a pizza. We really wanted to spend as much time as we could together before he deploys next week. But As hard as I tried though, I couldn't make it to midnight, I was sound asleep well before 10pm. I told Chris it's because I'm pregnant and I'm just so tired! I think I'm gonna love using the pregnancy excuse...hehehe! But he was sweet and just let me sleep. Then just as the clock struck midnight, he leaned over and whispered "Happy New Year Baby!" with a sweet kiss on my cheek. I woke up long enough to return the gesture and wished him a happy new year. Maybe next year I'll do better at staying awake!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-29T13:19:00.003-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Fields usually spend Christmas at our house, but since mom and dad were in Utah, they called and asked if they could spend it with us. They came over Christmas Eve to spend the night. Grandma brought over some food and some snacks and treats for us. It was nice to be able to visit with them after being gone in Utah for so long and Chris in Georgia. We told Grandma the news about me being pregnant and she was so excited! Christmas morning we work up early and opened presents together. Then Grandma made us breakfast. It was so yummy! Here are a few pics of us Christmas morning...

Our Christmas Jammies

No, they are not Lincoln Logs Honey...Just an empty box I used.

Chris wanted 35 lb weights, but they were way to heavy for me to wrap up, so I bought two little 1 lb weights and wrapped them up. A first he was a little confused, but when I told him the real ones were hiding in my mom's closet he was excited.

Since I was not about to attempt an entire Christmas dinner myself, we decided to go with Grandparents to to Sean and Ann's for dinner. My aunt and uncle and cousin Chris were there too. It was a great dinner and so fun to share our baby news with them too!

This is a picture of us all dressed up before we went to dinner.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Our Christmas Surprise

2008-12-28T12:54:00.002-07:00

Christmas Eve morning I woke up snuggling in bed with Chris, enjoying the fact that neither of us had to get up to go to work. All the sudden it hit me...I hadn't bought anything for his stocking!!! What kind of Santa's lil helper would I be with no stocking for my love? Of course, I couldn't admit it to him, so I told a little white lie and said that I needed to go pick something up for dinner that I forgot. I ran to Rite Aid to get some candy and a few other things for him. When I was at the store, I walked pasted the pregnancy test isle...it got me thinking...when was my last period? I realized that I was 4 days late. My periods are so irregular I figured it would just come in the next day or two, but I thought to myself "I'll just pick up a test and if it doesn't come in the next few days, I'll take it!" So chocolate and pregnancy test in hand I checked out and headed home. When I got home curiosity got the best of me and I just had to know. I didn't want to tell Chris and get his hopes up if it was negative, so I snuck into the bathroom and took the test...waiting...waiting...waiting...POSITIVE!!! Totally not what I was expecting. I was so excited and I wanted to run upstairs and tell Chris, but I thought "What if its wrong?" I decided to wait an hour or so and take the second test. Sure enough...POSITIVE!

Now, how to tell my husband...hmmm??? It was Christmas Eve, so I thought about waiting until Christmas morning to tell him, but then I thought, I can't keep it a secret that long! We have a tradition of opening Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve, so I decided to wrap up both pregnancy test and give him them with his pj's. Sitting in our bed, I opened my new Christmas jammies and gave him his. He opened the jammies and then I handed him another present with a huge grin on my face! I could not stop smiling! He looked at me kinda funny and said "What's this?" I said it's a present just open it. With a confused look on his face he opened the present and sorted through the never ending pile of tissue paper I stuck in there. Finally he pulled out a small Ziploc with two little pregnancy tests in it. Still confused, he picked them up and took a closer look to see what they said. He looked up at me with the sweetest look on his face and tears starting to swell in his eyes and said with a little chuckle "Are you serious?" Still grinning I said YEP!

We called my sister's house and Chris wanted to tell my mom. It was so cute, because he was so excited and couldn't stop smiling. Then we called his mom and sister and told them too. It was the best Christmas present ever!

It's almost Christmas!

2008-12-22T13:26:00.002-07:00

With all the packing and unpacking after the big move, I am glad Christmas finally came. When we got here from Utah, Mom already had the Christmas tree up and decorated. She always sets it up the day after Thanksgiving (a lil family tradition). Dad and Chris hung lights outside, helping to make the house look all sorts of festive! Mom and Dad went to Utah to spend Christmas with everyone. Monica, Ash and the kids--Brandon, Kamara, and the kids--Cassi and Gavin. They were all together. Since Chris and I had basically been apart since January, we decided to stay here and have Christmas together, just me and him!

We only had one car here, because I left mine in Utah when we moved, so shopping for gifts was kind of hard. Chris would take the car to work and I would be at home working all day. So when night time came around, we would either go to the mall together and just shop separate or one of us would take the car and go alone. I shopped with mom a lot while he was away at work. Somehow we got it all done and with all the presents wrapped, we were ready for Christmas!

It's Snowing

2008-12-17T00:07:00.004-07:00

It snowed today! We were so excited, we went out to play in the snow. There wasn't very much, but it made for a few cute pictures. If we are lucky, it might just keep snowing for us to have a white Christmas, but probably not!

Our Dity Move--Part 2

2008-12-04T10:42:00.002-07:00

Monday morning came and it was time to start the long drive to WA, but we still had to pick up Chris' 4-wheeler. When we got to Cycle House, his entire engine was in a million pieces and sitting in cardboard box on the floor next to it. They said they didn't have time to get it finished...??? 4+ months and they didn't have time to do it! Completely pissed off, Chris loaded it up into the truck and we took off.

The weather started out fine, but then it started raining and the wind was blowing like crazy. Being the last week in November, we were lucky it was just rain and wind instead or snow. The U-Haul was swaying side to side pulling the truck all over the road. Chris was holding the steering wheel tight trying to keep us from an accident. As we continued to drive and the wind and rain stopped, but the trailer kept swaying all over the place. We pulled over to get gas and saw a sign on the side of the trailer that we hadn't noticed before. It showed you how to load the U-Haul. It said to put all of the heavy stuff in first and then everything else after. So basically putting the mattresses and table in first will all the heavy stuff in last was totally wrong. That is what was causing it to sway all over the road, the weight was not balanced right. At that point, there was nothing we could do. It's not like we were going to unload our trailer on the side of the road and re-load it, so we kept driving. To top it off, Chris noticed that his 4-wheeler gas tank cover was not properly secured and was flapping in the wind. Just as we were about to stop to fix it, it flew off bouncing down the highway! We were driving too fast to stop and get it, so we drove to the next exit and turned around to go back for it. Driving back towards where we lost it, we saw it up ahead in the middle of the freeway still in one piece. Just as we drove past it to turn around at the next exit...a truck flew by and blasted it! It went flying again. By the time we got the plastic cover, it was pretty mangled!

After hours of poor reception, bad radio stations, and a couple dozen curse words (directed at the swaying trailer)...We made it to Washington, U-Haul trailer, 4-wheeler and all! Phew!!!

Our Dity Move--Part 1

2008-12-03T17:36:00.001-07:00

The time is finally here! We are moving to Washington. Chris was released to come get me and all of our stuff. I set up the U-Haul rental and finished packing. Luckily most of our stuff was already packed in a storage unit since I was living with Monica and Ash and only needed clothes.

The Army pays for us to move, based on weight and distance, so when Chris got to Utah, we had to drive to Heber to a certified weigh station to get the truck weighed empty. Then we could get the U-Haul and start loading our stuff. We had our king size mattresses and table stored in Monica's garage, because it wouldn't fit in the storage unit, so we decided to load it first. We put the table in then the mattresses on top and loaded my clothes and stuff from the house under the table and around the mattresses. After all of that was loaded, Chris went to the storage unit to load up the rest. We also had to pick up Chris' 4-wheeler from Salt Lake that had been in the shop for the last 4+ months that he was gone. When we called, they told us it still wasn't ready. Chris and I were pisses...they had it for months and basically sat on it and did nothing! They told us to give them another day or two, but we had to get a final moving weight from the weigh station, so we borrowed my sisters 4 wheeler. We loaded it up and hooked up the U-Haul. We thought we could go back to the same weigh station in Heber, but they were closed. We called pretty much every weigh station in Utah and none of them were going to be open because it was a Saturday. We had to hit the road on Monday to make it back on time, so we didn't have time to wait. Finally we found one in Evanston, Wyoming that was going to be open. We loaded up 4 of Chris' cousins for a fun road trip (and added weight...hehehe) to Wyoming at like 4pm. It was such a long drive! We didn’t' end up getting back to the house until almost 11pm. We now had both our weigh in tickets and were good to go!

No Fair!

2008-11-11T20:43:00.002-07:00

Chris obviously made it to Washington...
because he is enjoying a chocolate dip cone with Dad. I'm so jealous! Dairy Queen dip cones are like a Fields family tradition. As kids dad and mom used to take us there after family home evenings or for a special family date night. It was such a treat for us as kids. I don't think Chris understands how special he should feel that dad and mom took him there. I can't wait for him to come to Utah and get me, so I can have a chocolate dipped cone too!

It's Official...

2008-11-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

Chris is a Ranger! He finally graduated RIP and we were so excited when we found out he was going to be stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA rather than Georgia. Since he had his truck there, he was given a week to drive to WA to report on base. Knowing that it would not take him an entire week to get there, he decided to stop in Utah to see me for a few day. Chris and his friend Josh from RIP headed out west! He sent me his picture from the road to let me know he was almost here.
They got here on Thursday and were able to stay until Sunday morning. It was so nice to see him after so long. We mosting just hung out and spent time together. We went to Provo to see his aunt and cousins. It was fun to see them and they really enjoyed seeing Chris and listening to all his stories. Sunday came too fast and it was hard to say good-bye AGAIN. At least this time I know he will be back in a few weeks to get me. He has to report to base in WA and check in, then they allow him to leave to move his family (ME). I can't wait to see him again...I better get to packing!

Boo at the Zoo

2008-10-26T19:27:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, I have never been to Hogle Zoo. I have lived in Utah over 3 years and just never seemed to make my way over there. So today when Monica said she was taking the kids to “Boo at the Zoo”, I decided to tag along. There were different stations throughout the Zoo where you could trick or treat while enjoying the zoo animals. I was like a kid in a candy shop, snapping picture of everything. I was so interested in all of the animals that I had never seen close up. We didn't make it through the entire zoo, because the kids were tired of walking and were done trick or treating, but I would love to come back and see the rest of the zoo. Here are just a few of the bazillion pictures I took.

Black Bear taking a little drink

Pregnant Elephant

Tiger with huge paws!

Sleeping Rhino

Cute Little Penguins

Sucks for them!!!

2008-10-23T21:12:00.003-06:00

Driving home today, traffic starting to slow down and there was a huge cloud of smoke off in the distance. As I got closer to the smoke, I realized it was a car on fire!
You know, I have actually seen this 2-3 times before, but today it was a little different. In the past, the police and fire trucks block traffic so that no one can drive past the inflamed vehicle and they attempt to put out the fire. Today, as I drove by, there were 3 police cars parked off in the distance with the driver just watching it burn while tons of cars drove on the free way right along side it. Maybe they were waiting for the fire truck, but still. I known cars don't really explode like in the movies, but I also don't think that is necessarily that safe either. Oh, well, I was on the opposite side of the the freeway and I made it home safe, so I guess I have nothing to worry about. It just sucks for the car owner, because their car is toast...burnt toast!

It's the final countdown...

2008-10-22T22:02:00.003-06:00

Monday Chris had to do his final PT test and re-take his Ranger History test. He was sick all night and barely got any sleep. He said he barely remembers running the 2 miles or doing his sit ups and he said he felt himself start to pass out during the push ups and even blacked out, but some how made it through. Then he had to go straight to the classroom for the written test. He ended up passing both tests...WOO HOO!!!

Tuesday he had to fast rope from the helicopters and tore something in his elbow. He says it didn't hurt at the time because of the adrenaline rush, but it sure hurts now.

Wednesday he had to wake up at 3am and do a 12 mile ruck march (full gear, ruck sack, gun, etc.) in less than 3 hours. He was able to do it in 2 hours and 26 minutes, only throwing up a few times along the way. After passing the final ruck march, he was cleared to graduate. Before graduation he had to go buy his brown beret and patches. Look how cute he is in his new lil hat.

When I got this picture I said to him "Wow, you look so serious!" and he replied "It's a serious job Shell." I thought that was so cute of him to say, it make me laugh. After buying all his patches and hat and new PT clothes, he needed to get a hair cut. Can you tell?
Look at all that fuzzy scruffy hair! This text was titled..."hair".
I am so bummed I cannot go to his graduation on Friday, but hopefully he will find sweet lil old lady to take pictures of him for me. I am just so glad he made it through and will be permanently stationed somewhere soon.

Dehydration Scare

2008-10-19T22:22:00.007-06:00

As part of Chris' training, he has to pass a written test about the History of Rangers. The test is not multiple choice or fill in the blank, it is just questions and you write your own answer. Last Monday when he took the test, he failed. They don't tell you what you got wrong or how close you came to passing, its just simply a pass/fail. Luckily he gets 1 more chance before they make him re-start the training course. Tomorrow is the re-take and Chris is really nervous. He says he was never any good at taking tests in school and hates that he is having to take them now in the Army. I asked him today if he was studying for tomorrow and he sent me this picture with the caption "Uh YEAH!"

Knowing my husband too well, I said "Can I see you?" and this is what I got...

Just as I thought...listening to music!!! I highly doubt he is using his head phones as ear plugs, so I hope his crazy rock music helps him study and retain information. Doesn't he look so excited to be learning all about Rangers? I know he has been studying so hard all week trying to prepare for the big day, but yesterday morning he started feeling really sick. With horrible diarrhea and vomiting, he quickly became dehydrated. He has been passing out and so lethargic all weekend. He told me that he fell asleep in his bunk and woke up on the floor in the hallway. Scary!!! I keep telling him dehydration is a serious serious illness and it can kill you, but he just says "I can't go to the doctor, they can't even know I'm sick!" I lovingly remind him that I think they will figure it out when he is passing out and vomiting during his PT test in the morning! He just gets irritated with me and tells me he has to go, so I sweetly inform him that irritability is another sign of severe dehydration. Considering a kid in his last platoon passed out and almost died from dehydration, it really worries me. I know I all I can do is pray for him and have faith that everything will be ok. I guess there is no sense in losing sleep over something I can't control, I just hope everything goes well tomorrow!

Happy Saturday!!!

2008-10-18T08:27:00.001-06:00

"BEEP BEEP BEEP" Half awake I pick up my phone, flip it open, press OK to receive my message, and up pops this picture and text message.

"Good Morning my Love"

Usually I would get a little cranky on a Saturday morning if someone woke me up at 4:50am, but not today. Waking up to my hubby's face was so nice for a change. I know it is totally different than waking up next to him, but hey...I'll take what I can get. He is so sweet to send me cute little messages like this, I think I'll just remind him of the 2 hour time difference so I can sleep in tomorrow.

A Bugs Dinner

2008-10-16T23:13:00.000-06:00

Chris was apparently dinner for all of the spiders and bugs in Georgia. This is a picture of the back of his leg where he had nearly been eatin' alive. He said both of his legs looked like that front and back, just covered in bites. It was itching him so bad, he finally had to go to the store and buy some anti-itch cortisone cream and then put on long pants so he couldn't itch it anymore!

My visit with the Gavinator!

2008-10-13T20:56:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I drove to meet Cassi in Malad to pick up my mom. Mom was in Idaho helping move Cassi and Gavin into their new place and then needed to get to SLC to fly home. It was a long stressful drive, since we got our first snow here in Utah. On the way up, there were tons of accidents with a bunch of cars that had slid off the road. Luckily I made it to Malad safely and was able to visit with Cassi and Gavin for a few minutes. Gavin and I shared a moment eating laffy taffy in my car. He is getting so big and is so cute and talkative.

It was so nice to get to see him and Cassi again, it had been a few months since our last visit. It was also really nice to get to see mom again, even if it were for less than 24 hours. Every visit with her is nice, no matter how short. Thanks for a fun time Gavin, Cassi, and Mom!

1st snow of the year!

2008-10-12T10:18:00.001-06:00

I heard on the radio that it was supposed to snow on Saturday and Sunday. After no snow on Saturday and no signs of snow coming, I gave up on the thought of it. Then sure enough, Sunday morning when I woke up and looked out my window, this is what I saw...

I love when it snows, especially here in Utah, becuase the mountains are so beasutiful coverd in snow. My nephews were so excited, they quickly got on their snow gear and headed outside. Dallin started making a snow man and wanted to make an entire snow family, but ran out of snow after the first one.

Dallin and his Snow Man

Is that self tanner???

2008-10-09T21:26:00.000-06:00

Today, Chris went to Barnes and Noble to relax and read a good book. I asked him to send me a picture so I could see his handsomeness. This is what I got...
Don't get me wrong, he is a total stud muffin and I love him, but I couldn't help but notice how extremely ORANGE his face was looking. So, I asked him, "Did you put on self tanner?" He said no it was just the lighting, but I don't know if I believe him. Ha Ha Ha!!! I love you Christopher!

NASTY!!!

2008-10-05T21:39:00.000-06:00

So, today I learned about immersion foot, or trench foot. Why did I learn about it...well, because after receiving these photos from my hubby, I became a little curious.

You can see his feet starting to mold!!!

He said he almost ripped his sole off when he took his boots off...OUCH!!! Chris was told to go with out shoes for the weekend, so his feet could heal. After a day his feet started to dry out, which made then crack and bleed and hurt even more. Two days later he had to do a 5 mile run on his poor lil feet.

Now, that you have seen these nasty photos...here is what I learned. It is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions above freezing point. Immersion foot occurs when feet are cold and damp while wearing constricting footwear. The condition can occur with as little as twelve hours' exposure. The symptoms are: Affected feet become numb and then turn red or blue. As the condition worsens, they may swell. Advanced immersion foot often involves blisters and open sores, which lead to fungal infections; this is sometimes called jungle rot. If left untreated, immersion foot usually results in gangrene, which can require amputation. If immersion foot is treated properly, complete recovery is normal, though it is marked by severe short-term pain when feeling is returning. Like other cold injuries, immersion foot leaves sufferers more susceptible to it in the future.

I'm glad there was no amputation necessary here!!!

The Giant Zucchini

2008-10-01T19:50:00.005-06:00

Last week my boss brought me two zucchini from his garden. He knows that we have a not so successful garden at our house and since his produces more than he and his wife can eat, he thought he would share! They were not huge, but they were much larger than the ones you buy at the store. One Zucchini made 4-6 loaves of bread. When I brought them home, Cole was shocked at how big they were compared to the tiny zucchini from his garden. So, the next day I mentioned to my boss that my nephew was so shocked that the zucchini were so big. He told me that he could grow them much much bigger than that! He said that they had 1 more zucchini left and that he was going to leave it for another week and then bring it to me to give my nephew. Today he brought it in to work for me and it was ginormous!!! He said if he let if grow any longer it may not fit in my car. When I got home from work, I brought it in the house to surprise Cole. As soon as he saw it he freaked out! He thought it was the coolest thing ever. He was so excited, he tried to carry it to show his mom and dad, but it was a little too heavy. I wish I could have captured his initial reaction on camera, but the grin on his face shows how excited he still is about it.
The thing is almost 3 feet long and about 8-10" diameter. I am not really sure what we are going to do with it, but maybe we will have to try a few dozen new recipes to try to use it all up!

Let the Anxiety Begin

2008-09-30T22:02:00.004-06:00

Now that Chris has started the actual Ranger Indoctrinate Program, he is not allowed phone privileges. I rarely hear from him and when I do, it is a text her or a text there, but when I reply, he is gone! Today I got these very disturbing pictures from him with the following texts...

"I'm so sad!"

"My Leg"

"Can you see it?"

"Hamburger Feet"

Not knowing what the heck he was talking about and what happened, the anxiety attack began, I started to panic, worry, stress, and CRY! I tried to text back to say "Why are you sad? What happened? Are you OK? What wrong with you chest?" but he obviously had to shut his phone off and could not text back. Waiting in suspense, having major anxiety, I finally get a text back that said "Jujitsu 3 against me, broken rib, hurts to breathe, messed up knee". Again, I tried to text back to ask for details, but no response. All night I couldn't help but think about him and all the pain he must be experiencing. I can tell in the picture of his face that his head is swollen and bruised. The picture of his leg tells me that its his left leg, yeah the one that had $40k surgery. The one of his chest makes me nauseous to look at cuz you can totally see his rib sticking out. I can handle the "Hamburger feet" picture, because those are just really bad blisters that I am sure hurt him, but they won't kill him. He refuses to go to the doctor, because they will restart him and he doesn't want that. I know that all I can do is pray for him and have faith the Lord will bless him to be healed. Maybe this is why they say the less you know the better, because the more I know, the more I worry! And the more I worry, the less sleep I get!!!

Auntie Mom

2008-09-27T21:53:00.002-06:00

Today my brother in law was speaking at a Word Press Conference and my sister wanted to attend, so she asked if I would help out with the kids.

My day began at 8:45am with Cole and Dallin screaming as if there were a fire or some other emergency..."WAKE UP! Shell Shell...WAKE UP!!!" So, awake I was! I mosey on down the stairs to get my schedule for the day from my sister and out the door she went.

I ate breakfast, took a shower and got ready. Since it was Cole's day for 1/2 time snacks and treats for his soccer game, I had to finish baking and frosting cupcakes, and get the snacks and water loaded in my car.
Green sprinkles for the "Green Dragons"

I helped Cole get dressed for soccer and then helped Sadie make a card and wrap a gift for a baby shower. We dropped the gift and off we went to pick Dallin up from his Cartooning Class in Orem at 11:30am.
After picking up Dallin, we had to race back to Cedar Hills to have Cole and the treats to the soccer field by 12pm. Arriving only 5 or so minutes late, I told Cole to run out there and find his coach while I gather the treats.
Cole running for the ball, but the girl is kinda blocking him out of the picture.

The game was a ton of fun until Cole is kicked in the face and got a bloody nose all over. Trying to calm him down and keep myself from passing out I cleaned him up and shoved a tissue up his lil nostril. It finally stopped bleeding and being a tough guy, he was right back in the game.

After the game, I dropped Sadie off at the baby shower late and head home to get the boys some lunch. Feeling all motivated, I decided to clean my car inside and out.
Look how pretty, all shiny and clean!

Not realizing what time it was and that I was supposed to have a pasta salad made and delivered to the church building for Women's Conference by 4:45pm, I ran to Walmart, bought what I needed and raced home to get started. I threw it together super fast, delivered it to the church and hurried home to get myself changed and ready to attend Women's Conference. Monica got home just after 5pm, changed her clothes and off we went to be spiritually edified while Sadie watched the boys.

Over all it was a great day! I really enjoyed spending time with the kids and I am glad I was able to help my sister out to allow her to go support her hubby! I think I got just a glimpse of what being a mom is all about...running kids all over the place, juggling a million things at once, baking, soccer mom, etc. It was extremely chaotic and I am pretty sure I bit ALL of my nails off! I don't know how you moms do it everyday. I am just glad at the end of the day I was able to relax and enjoy conference with my sister.

Say WHAT???

2008-09-23T21:23:00.006-06:00

Today, while at work, I received this text message and picture

"You Ready?"

Chris is so cute. He was out shopping with some Army buddies, who knows where, and he stops to take a picture of a stroller to tell me he wants a baby! Typical guy...he picked out the JEEP stroller, the closest thing to a pimp car for his lil' one. He has been telling me for a while now that he wants to start having kids, but it is next to impossible to conceive a baby right now, with him in the Army. I know he wants one sooo bad and so do I, but it is hard for me, knowing that he will hardly ever be home to be a daddy! I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens, see what God has in store for us.

Mail Day!

2008-09-21T18:47:00.005-06:00

Chris and I have had over a dozen mailing addresses here in Utah in the past 3 1/2 years. I got sick of filling out 'change of address' forms, so I decided to set up a post office box. I did this about 2 years ago and it's great because I never have to worry if my mail is being forwarded properly or if mail is being returned to sender and I can check it whenever I want. When we were living in Salt Lake and the post office was only a few minutes away, we would check the mail every 2-3 days. It sort of became our date night...checking the mail...how romantic! Now that I am living in Cedar Hills and Chris is gone, I rarely check the mail. I know what is in there...BILLS, retail ads, BILLS, credit card offers, BILLS, grocery ads, and more BILLS!!! I could care less about all the junk mail and I am in no hurry to go pick up my heaps of bills, so I only check the box once a week. The last 2 week I apparently have been really busy, too busy to check my mail. So I went today and could barely yank it out of the box because it was crammed in there so tight. After much force and tearing a few pieces of mail, I finally got it all out. Sure enough, nothing but BILLS and junk mail.

Would you believe that all of that mail came out of an itty bitty post office box. I think the box itself is only 3" wide by 5" tall. Maybe I'll have to set myself a weekly reminder to avoid this in the future. Now I get to spend the next hour opening mail!

A day in the life of Private Petty

2008-09-20T21:18:00.002-06:00

Since my day was pretty boring and Chris obviously had an eventful day, I'll blog about his fun day instead of my lame day. He must have had a ton of fun, because these are just some of the many many pictures I received today. It first started off with shoe shopping...

"Can I buy these?"

He even got them on sale for $54.99, what a bargain shopper!

Showing me how good they look on his feet!

Trying on a matching Puma jacket...lookin' all tuff!

Time for a snack at Atlanta Bread Co.
He said it's not as good as Great Harvest Bread Co. here in Utah

Then a visit to the local Petco to check out the reptiles.

Oh, I hate snakes...and this one is looking at me!!!

Chillin' at some hotel waiting for his friend.

Dinner at Chili's on the way back to base.
(Chicken, Fries, and Corn--Yum!)
I accidentally deleted the real picture of his dinner, but this is what he ate.

Retired to his bunk for the night!

I am so glad Chris keeps in touch with me and sends me a photographic tour of his day. He is so sweet to do this, because he knows that I love getting pictures from him. It makes me feel like I am a part of his day, even though I am thousands of miles away.

Thank goodness for cell phones with Text & Picture Messaging.

Missing Chris

2008-09-16T23:04:00.008-06:00

Chris is so cute, he texts me a daily photo of himself so I don't forget what he looks like! I have pictures of him all over my office, in my bedroom, on my computer, in my wallet, and on my cell phone...how could I forget what he looks like? Anyhow, this is the picture he sent me today. He rarely smiles, but when he does its usually a cute cheesy grin. I love it! I will have to collage all of his self portraits sometime and post them for everyone to see.

Look how handsome my hubby is...

On days like today when work sucks, I'm super tired, I don't feel good, and I just want to lay in bed and forget about the world...it makes me miss Chris more than ever! I miss being able to come home after a bad day and just vent to him for hours. Now my poor sister and brother-in-law get to hear it. I miss Chris taking care of me when I am sick and don't feel good. I miss hearing him tell me "It's OK love! Things will get better, just don't worry about it tonight!" I miss snuggling up with him to watch a movie (movies are like Ambien...they put me right to sleep). I'll just keep counting down the days until I can have a "normal" husband and wife scenario, but until then, I better get used to the life of an Army wife.

E*Trade Baby

2008-09-15T21:28:00.001-06:00

Ok, so I'm sure EVERYONE has seen this, myself included, but tonight it was extra funny. Maybe it was just the mood I was in or that I actually paid attention to the commercial. Anyhow, check it out and see if you laugh as much as I did. The last line is the funniest!

What's a stye?

2008-09-12T20:55:00.005-06:00

So I have worn glasses and contacts since I was about 12 years old and have never had any problems with my eyes...other than being blind. Today, I woke up with the most painful lump on my eye lid. It hurts so bad, I couldn't even wear my contacts to work. I had to bust out my 7 year old glasses, which the rx is so not current, and attempt to drive to work. That was an interesting experience, making sure I didn't hit the other cars on the road and making sure I didn't miss my exit. After talking with some friends at work, I realized I had my very first stye. I had not clue what a stye was, so I googled it. Definition: A stye or hordeolum is an infection of the sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes. While they produce no lasting damage, styes can be quite painful. So basically I guess its just a clogged pore on your eye lid and they say they can be caused from stress. Check out my very first (and hopefully my last) STYE...

Can you see it?

So now the question is...how do I get rid of this NASTY looking thing? When looking online, they tell you not to pop it. It hurts so bad, like I'm gonna squeeze it. Then they said to apply a wet hot wash cloth for 10 minutes, but I couldn't keep the stinking wash cloth hot for more than a minute. Anyhow, they also say a gentle massage will help...so I gave it a try. And sure enough the next morning it had drained and was feeling much better. It is still slightly swollen, but it doesn't hurt as bad and I was able to wear my contacts today. Thanks to Google, I learned all about a stye!!!

The lost Watermelon

2008-09-06T13:57:00.004-06:00

Today, I went out side to water my sister's garden for her not expecting to find what I found. She and her kids planted this garden quite some time ago, but it just hasn't produced much of anything, but the one zucchini she found about a week or so ago.

As I was watering the dirt, I noticed that in the corner of her garden box, there was some weeds from outside of the box had overgrown in the garden box, so I decided to climb back there and remove them. To my surprise, I found a run a way vine with this attached to the end of it..

And also this...

Yep, that's right...two baby WATERMELONS!!! After gently placing them back in their box, I quickly snapped some pictures and ran in the house to show my sister and my little nephew who insisted they plant mini watermelons in the first place. I told my sister her garden wasn't a complete failure this year, she had 1 zucchini and 1 1/2 watermelons. My nephew was so excited when I took him out there to show him the yummy lil melon he planted. It was so cute to see his reaction when he saw it. I wish I had a camera to capture the moment. Maybe I will get a picture of him when he gets to eat it!

Happy Birthday Chris!!!

2008-09-02T22:10:00.002-06:00

My hubby is 26 years old today. He was actually quite depressed about it. I guess getting older effects everyone in a different way. He felt like he was sooo old and hadn't accomplished anything. I had to quickly remind him that he was married and that was a huge accomplishment!!! Anyhow, he really wasn't buying it, so I just let him feel old for a day. Because I could not be with him on his birthday, I asked him to send me pictures of his fun filled day. So this is what it consisted of...

Morning PT and Chow

Lying in bed listening to some tunes

Fun Game of Battleship with Campbell

Chicken Parmigiana From Olive Garden

A little I-Pod action...and lights out!

It sounds like it was all just too much fun for words! I am sad I couldn't be there, but I am glad his buddy Campbell played a birthday game with him, went to dinner with him, and shared a bunk with him that night.

Happy 26th Birthday my love...Too bad I didn't get to see ya in your birthday suit :-)

I hate Utah Traffic!!!

2008-08-25T19:32:00.001-06:00

This is what I get to stare at for two hours every day, an hour to work and an hour home from work. Seriously, who wants to stare at the back of a Mitsubishi Mirage and a semi-truck? I don't!!! I mean sometimes it's a Toyota Corolla or a Honda Accord, but still, nothing I care about.

And it's not like they have anywhere to go, the traffic is stopped for miles.Then there are the lovely exits and on-ramps...see all the cars trying to get on the freeway? I never understood why exit and on-ramps always get so backed up...what is so hard about getting on and off the freeway, seriously people!!!Not only is this lovely traffic responsible for my car being in the shop for 3 weeks due to some idiot ramming into the back of my stopped car, but it is also the cause of hundreds of accidents every year. I think I see an average of 2 car wrecks per day involving anywhere from 2 to 8 cars per accident...It's ridiculous. If there were back roads from Cedar Hills to Salt Lake that didn't double my drive time, I would most definitely take them.

Even when you think traffic is starting to let up and you start to accelerate...5 mi/hr...10 mi/hr...25mi/hr....BAM!!!!...all you see ye break lights screaming in your face as you slam your breaks to stop. I guess that is why they call it STOP and GO traffic.

No I wanna drive the golf cart...

2008-08-21T20:56:00.001-06:00

Today my work had their annual golf tournament and since I am such a fabulous golfer...I was the official "check in" girl. I was responsible to make sure everyone showed up on time, checked in with me to get their goodies (golf balls and tees), received their team score cards and cart assignments, get everybody to tee off on time, and take a team photo at the end. Pretty important huh??? Well I sure thought so...I took my job very seriously, to the point I even yelled at a few people for teeing off late and making my whole T-time schedule screwed up. There were 11 teams of 4, so by the time the last group teed off, the first group was just about back. Luckily I only had to wait 30 minutes, which was just enough time to get some dinner...burger and fries...yum! I did practice my picture taking skills while I waited...

Check out the cart!

Finally the golfers started coming back. Some of the golfers enjoyed a nice cold beer or two, or three...or ten...as you can see in the photos at the end of 9 holes.

Ritchie and Jason
Taunya, Brian, Paul, and I have no idea
Jason (again), Dave, and Lynn
I dont know, Chad, Dan, and Brian
I dont know, I have no idea, Suzanne, and Mike
Darrin, Scott, and Greg...don't ask!!!
Scott, Pete, Not sure, and I can't remember
Hmmm, Jason, Eric, and Randy
Wes, Tim, and Good Question
Ted, Steven, and Not quite sure
???, Pete, Dave, and Drawing a blank
No clue, Don't know, Eric, and Mr. Bunny Ears

Overall it was a ton of fun. There were contests for best overall team score, longest drive, etc. Also, there were random drawings for tons of prizes and gift certificates. Since i was "JUST" the checker-inner girl, I was not in any of the drawings, but I did get a "Thanks for Helping" card with $30 to the Cheesecake Factory (Yes, I will be going alone since Chris is not here and I can't wait until he gets back to go!). I guess since I did so good this year, they already have me signed up for next year...maybe I will do better at remembering peoples names next year.

2 years and counting

2008-08-18T21:14:00.010-06:00

Today was mine and Chris' 2 year anniversary, and of course due to the lovely Army, we were not together. We barely even got to talk to each other...LAME!!! I just keep telling myself I have 50+ anniversaries to celebrate with him. Here are some photos to celebrate our marriage 2 years ago today...Our first kiss of the day!!!

So in love!

First Kiss as Mr. & Mrs. Chris Petty

To my sweet love...
Another year to create precious memories together.
Another year to discover new things to enjoy about each other.
Another year to build a life rich in love and laughter.
Another year to strengthen a marriage that defines "forever."

I LOVE YOU CHRISTOPHER WYNN PETTY!!!!

My Random Find

2008-08-15T22:43:00.007-06:00

Last night I was looking online for some Army frames or shadow box frames to put some of Chris' pictures and medals in and I randomly came across this...

I read it and thought it was pretty funny, especially since most of these things are already happening to me and its only been 8 months. Since it is so small and hard to read, here is what is says...

1) As soon as you find out her husband is deployed take it upon yourself to tell her exactly how you feel about the war and how WE shouldn't be over there.

2) Follow that up by asking how she feels about the President.

3) Look surprised and say, "I don't know how you do it, I could never LET my husband do that."

4) If she's pregnant be sure and ask if the military is going to send her husband home for the birth.

5) Tell her she should really consider getting additional life insurance since her husband has a good chance of getting killed.

6) Remind her how lucky she is that her husband gets all that extra tax free money when he's at war.

7) Try to relate to her by saying you know just how she feels because your husband was out of town on business for a week last month.

8) Ask her how she can be faithful for a whole year and if she worries about her husband cheating on her.

9) Inquire on whether or not her husband has killed anyone.a

10) Be sure to ask her when her husband comes home, if he's done with the military or if he has to go back.

So next time you talk to an Army wife...be sure to keep these 10 things in mind!!!

An Even Bigger Dilemma...

2008-08-14T21:41:00.007-06:00

Ok, so here I am freaking out about Chris' birthday which is in 3 weeks and our 2 year anniversary is on Monday the 18th. That date is even closer and I have the same dilemma, what to do for him? I have no clue. I will be working all day and Chris will probably be getting smoked big time by some mean Drill Sgt. That is definitely not how I pictured my 2 year anniversary! Maybe it's just a newlywed fairy tale, but I thought we would go on a 3rd honeymoon type vacation and just get away for a few days where we could think about nothing but each other. Yeah right!!! Instead we will both be spending the day alone. Well, me with co-workers and family and Chris with a bunch of random guys from all over the country. So romantic isn't it?

I guess I can try to be overly optimistic and think about all of the wonderful future anniversaries that we will be able to spend together, BUT as long as he is in the Army, I better not count on it. Now that I think of it, I can pretty much kiss birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, vacations, babies, etc. out the door for the next few years...man that's depressing! Gosh I am getting all sorts of sad, I better stop blogging about this before I make myself cry. I just have to remember that...

Birthday Dilemma

2008-08-13T21:03:00.005-06:00

Chris' birthday is in 3 weeks and I have no idea what to get him for his birthday!!! Normally this is not an issue because Chris always wants something. New shoes, a shirt, speakers for the truck, 4 wheeler stuff, electronics, etc. But now that he is in the Army and pretty much can't have anything, I am stumped. For most people, the question is "What do you get the person who has everything?", but my question is "What do you get the person who can't have anything?" I know this is probably a stupid thing to stress about for the next few weeks, but I can't help it. If I don't send anything, he will be sad and feel unloved. If I buy something and then pay to sent it, his drill sergeants will just take it and throw it away (or keep it for themselves, like they did with his new cologne) and that will be a total waste of money! So, what is the solution to my problem...? I could find a cute card and write in it how much I love him, but usually the card is attached to the gift. I could try and write a poem, but I suck at rhyming and he would probably just laugh at me for trying. I could buy him something really cool and send him a picture of it and tell him I'll save it for later when he can have it, but that is just torture to remind him the Army life sucks. I thought about making him a mini scrapbook with photos of us, but I have already done that for him in the past (repeat gifts suck). Basically I am out of ideas and will quickly be out of time, so my lovely husband will get nothing but an "I LOVE YOU" text with a virtual kiss. That is the best I can do!!!

My Sexy Soldier

2008-08-10T22:12:00.024-06:00

My wonderful hubby decided to join the Army back in January. I was not thrilled about it, but I knew it was what he really wanted. We both prayed about it and knew it was the right thing for him and for us so he signed his life away and off he went. This is him being sworn in as Private Petty. He looks so hansom and so ready with his shaved head!

He entered BCT or Boot Camp in Fort Benning, GA on January, 28, 2008. Rather than doing 9 weeks basic training and then 6 weeks infantry training, he did them together as a 17 week course. That totally sucked for me, because that just meant he would be gone even longer! There was a "family day" in the middle, but I was not able to go. His mom, brother, and sister in law drove down from South Carolina to spend the day with him. Here are some pictures from there family day.

Chris and his brother John-Michael

Chris showing his brother some combative skills

John-Michael trying on Chris' ACU's

Dropping Chris back off at the barracks

One last wave...I so would have been running after him crying hysterically!

After Chris returned to "hell" as he calls it, he continued his training and prepared for graduation. I was actually able to make it to that...thank goodness! His dad, brother, and sister in law also came down for the event. Here are some photos from graduation.

Turning Blue Ceremony
(that is where he gets the cool blue cord on his shoulder)
He looks so serious and so hot!!!

The soldier's loved one...ME...was supposed to be able to put the cord on him, but by the time I got down the bleachers to him, his Drill Sergeant had already done it, so we took a fun picture anyway. Also, this is the first time I had seen Chris in 17 weeks. When I saw him I just wanted to hug him and kiss him and well jump his bones, but he couldn't even touch me, he just had to stand there with his hands behind his back in formation. It sucked, but he did sneak in a little pat on my butt when we took this picture. After the quick snap shot, I had to leave him and go back to my seat for the rest of the ceremony...torture!!!

After the ceremony ended, Chris had to go back to the bay to get his stuff and was released from "prison" for 5 hours! Can you believe it...I don't see my husband for 17 weeks, barely get to talk to him and all the freakin' Army can give us is 5 hours.

Back at the hotel for our conjugal visit!

Well, we made the most of it and I dropped him back off at the barracks. The next day was the official graduation. Here are the photos from that.

Chris and I after the Graduation

Another picture of us, but my eyes were closed...dang it!

Chris with Drill Sergeant Brown

Chris with Drill Sergeant Hord

Chris and Kawolski talking to Drill Sergeant

After the graduation, Chris was able to leave base for the weekend, so we headed up the South Carolina to visit the rest of his family. Besides the fact we got stuck in traffic for 3 hours without moving an inch due to a semi rolled over across the highway, it was a lot of fun. I got to see his mom and sister and was able to meet my newest nephew for the first time, who was already a year old. We basically just hung out with the fam and relaxed.

Sunday morning we got back in the car and headed for Georgia. Chris had to report back that night and I had to say goodbye :-( Dropping him off was so hard. I cried and cried and cried some more! The crappy thing was, my flight didn't leave until Monday morning, so I had to go back to my hotel alone, knowing that my husband was only minutes away...torture AGAIN!!!

Chris is working on becoming an Airborne Ranger. He has completed Airborne Jump School and received his red Beret and his silver wings. He is currently in holding for RIP (Ranger Indoctrinate Program). That is where they weed out the good and the back before they sent you to the official Ranger School. He should be starting RIP in 2 weeks and then graduating from RIP 4 weeks later. Good luck my love!!!

Bye Bye New Car

2008-08-03T21:53:00.005-06:00

Tuesday after work, all I wanted to do was go home and relax. I merge onto the freeway and 5 minutes later I am stopped due to an idiot Utah driver. Yes, this is my brand new car smashed!!! I don't even have license plates for it yet.

It was typical stop and go rush hour traffic. There was a large lifted pick up truck behind me who obviously decided not to stop. The sucky thing is that I was completely stopped and looked up in my rear view mirror and saw him coming right at me. I thought to myself...Is he going to stop? So with my head turned looking in the mirror, he slammed right into the back of my new car. As you can see, he was much higher than me, which is why he barely damaged the bumper, he went right over the top of me. Fully knowing it was his fault and trying to avoid a ticket, he asked me not to call the police. But I am no idiot, I've been in too many accidents to not know the drill. I told him I already called the police, so we just pulled off to the side of the freeway to wait. After exchanging info and waiting 20+ minutes with no police arriving, I called back to see what the hold up was. The dispatch advised us to just leave as long as we had each others insurance info. Lucky for him, he got out of a ticket! And I though Seattle drivers sucked...Utah is so much worse!!!

My neck was pretty sore, so I went to the chiropractor that night for x-rays and an adjustment. Of course, the next morning I woke up extra sore. I am still recovering from the whip lash and I constantly have a headache and feel nauseated all day. My car is in the shop and will be for the next 2 weeks, so I get to drive an awesome champagne colored Chevy Malibu. Yeah, its pretty sweet! It's definitely better than the white cargo van that Enterprise tried to give me. Me driving a cargo van...now that's funny. I would surely kill myself and everyone else on the road driving that. I can't wait for my car to be fixed so I can be back on the road with my own set of wheels.

Patriotic Cookie

2008-07-27T21:37:00.006-06:00

I'm up to 2 posts now...doing good so far. I thought I would test out my cheesy blogger skills and blog about something totally random and see how I do. So today's topic is a patriotic cookie. This week Utah celebrated it's very own holiday, Pioneer Day, but it lasts the whole weekend, so I don't know why they call it Pioneer DAY! Anyway, that is definitely not worth my time trying to figure out Utah's thinking on such matters. So back to the patriotic cookie...my super crafty sister decided to celebrate the end of the holiday weekend today by making oh so cute American Flag Sugar Cookies. See Aren't they cute???

Okay, so we are missing 46 stars and 7 stripes, but you get the point. You try fitting all that on a 2" diameter cookie. I think they look pretty dang good and they tasted good too. If you want the recipe, its Pillsbury pre-made sugar cookies, 1 container of frosting, strawberries, and blue berries. Pretty tough one to screw up, so good luck on making your very own.

Starting Over!!!

2008-07-27T00:49:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time...I started a blog! However, I failed to acknowledge it's mere existence and NEVER wrote anything, so I have decided to try again. Due to the fact I forgot my password to the blog account and I no longer have access to the email account I set it up with, I am forced to start over. Maybe its for the better, this way I have a fresh start at proving myself worthy of the blogger life. If you are curious on just how lame my previous blog really was, feel free to check it out. It was oh so lovely, with 1 entry, 3 comments and yes...2 friends, my sister and her husband. I am officially starting over with this whole blogging thing, so wish me luck...