For our Fans Everywhere

I'm realizing that this blog thing could be a great way to catch up with family that we hardly ever see, like my mom's family out west and Joe's relatives in Seattle and Corpus Christi. (You know who you are!) I've just been using it as a way to chat with friends who are already around here so far!

Soooo...the latest and greatest, of course, is baby Benjamin. He was born August 22 in a very dramatic, 2-hour, no-time-for-pain-meds fashion. Several of you received my TMI email with that story...I don't think I'll post it here. 

He is completely different from Morgan as a baby. She was fussy, colicky and cried -- no, screamed -- every night until 4 a.m. He is generally very happy, and he sleeps beautifully...goes to bed around 9 and sleeps until 7 if he is well fed before bed. Then he'll nap a bit more if I let him after breakfast. Awesome! God knew I couldn't handle another crying baby!

But Morgan is a wonderful child now! (Of course, she always was, just a non-sleeping wonderful child!) She started Kindergarten this year -- two days before Benjamin was born. I had worried that all the change at once would weird her out, and that she would be jealous, etc. Not at all...she's doing very well in school, is learning to read and write very well, and is absolutely in love with her baby brother. Our problem is keeping her from smothering the poor child with hugs and kisses!

As for us, we are now teaching a Sunday School class of young married couples. I guess we're cool enough to hang with the 20 year olds. ;) I should say that Joe is actually the teacher, and I chime in way more than I ought to. That used to be a pet peeve of mine, so I suppose I should cut it out. 

We do still have our business through Quixtar, as several of you have asked (for product). We've taken it a notch down from what it ought to be since Benjamin was born, but we're still building it and have some big plans for January. We have some really great, new young people on our team, and we are working on building our customer base. Thanks to those of you who buy XS, skincare, etc. from us.

Benjamin starts Mother's Day Out two days a week on Jan. 3, and that's when I'll start some business-to-business sales calls again that I had begun when I was pregnant. This was a lot of fun...I can be productive and still not have to have a "real job" that takes me away from the kiddos. (No offense to those of you who have to do that; this is just how it worked out for our family!)

We are trying to buy a house that we LOVE right across the street from Morgan's school. We've decided to put the whole thing in God's hands and not put ourselves into a burden trying to get it...we have to sell something first, and that hasn't happened just yet. But no stress, not today anyway. 

Once again, too much today. Let me know what's going on in your world! (Yes, that means leaving comments.)

Oh, yes, it's Ladies' Night

I really, really should go to bed, but after several days of staying up way too late, I might  as well go ahead and post. 

I finally got to go out tonight with Brandy, Christina and her friend Rhonda from Florida.  I've been wanting to go for a girl night for a while now, but I always felt like I was "running out" on Joe with the little kiddos! I ended up bringing baby Benjamin, and he did great.

Nothing too crazy (church folk as we are)...we went bowling on the Air Base, then to Starbucks. But let's just say, as far as conversation goes, boring we are NOT.  I think as they warm up to me, as I have not been around much socially just yet, we'll really have some fun conversations and good times.

Here's where I wax philosophical about my previous bad experiences with female friends, and how I'm really having to learn to be a "girlfriend." For years and years, I've been more comfortable with the guys. I'm ready to hang with the ladies now!

Hope we can do it again soon, girls. And this time someplace where I can HEAR better. ;)

New Photos

Not much else to say today, just wanted to share the newest photos I just got from Joe-on-the-road.

He'll be back mid-day tomorrow, he says. Good, I'm lonely! My play-date (ha) with Beth got cancelled because her hubby is back in town early. (I'll let you off the hook for that one, girl.)

Joe the Humanitarian

OK, since there's no new or exciting news from Joe other than he's on the way back, I'll tell you about his "big" present for Christmas.

You probably all know about his active duty service with the Air Force. There's a story behind this gift, and I'm probably totally botching it (I am fixing it - me, Joe). My apologies if it's wrong or I say something incorrectly. (Will correct details when Joe is back!)(I'm baaaack!)

Sometime during the Mogadishu famine crisis in 1991 (1993), I think, he was a loadmaster aboard a C-141 (The most awesome airlifter ever, C-141B Starlifter). His plane landed on a tiny dirt strip (Kismaayo, Somalia) there to deliver some rice (we literally had to do a fly-by to run ostriches off the runway!). About that time, they turned away the other C-141s because the strip (airfield at Mombassa, Kenya - our staging area) was too small (for the large & in charge C-141), but several C-130s were there to complete the mission. Joe has photos of himself physically handing bags of rice out the back of the plane to locals who needed it, as did the other 141 (we were the ONLY 141 in theater at that time) and 130s (the same as the whining C-130 crews).

Then, the Air Force awarded Humanitarian Service Medals to all the 130 (see whining C-130  above) folks, but not the 141s! They said he was not "directly involved in the humanitarian effort." He was always a little miffed about that. (Gigantically Miffed!)

Soooo....this year, I got him an honorary Humanitarian Service Medal (she really does love me!). I also made a little certificate saying it was not only for his Air Force service, but for service to his family, friends and others. I think that later we'll frame it up with the photos of him handing out that food.

I hope that doesn't offend any of you who are in the services. I asked Joe (after I gave it to him) if it was appropriate, and he said as long as it was stated as honorary it was cool.

Leaving Las Vegas...

....for good.

(Come on, sing with me!)

Joe called in a few times today, but I'm finding it difficult to gather enough info to make a coherent blog about someone else's travels. 

Next time I'll just have to go along and write. ;) All I know is, he was leaving Los Vegas this evening, and late tonight stopped in Flagstaff, Arizona, I think. He sent you these photos!

There were a few comments about driving through Area 51 but being too afraid to stop -- not of aliens, but of the redneck ghetto community it's in! 

Also, he crossed over the Hoover Dam tonight, which had incredible security measures going on since it's a terrorist target. He had to stop on both ends. He said the dam is BIG, he means REALLY big. Like he had no IDEA it was that big. 

He said that the drive has actually been pretty nice, for someone who doesn't really like to drive that much. The bummer has been that the car doesn't have speakers!!! I had sent him with a bunch of CDs and audiobooks. He said tomorrow he might stop long enough to rig up his computer to play while he's motoring. 

Tomorrow he'll be on I-40, headed for home. Yay!

On the homefront, I've been letting Morgan stay up late and watch movies with me. Tonight was Jungle Book, which she got from her Aunt Jackie for Christmas. We've been up way too late, but I figure those are the sort of fun things she'll remember when she's older. 

Our friend Bridget came over this afternoon in need of cake-making assistance, as she was assigned to bring one to work tomorrow for a send-off party for a manager's last day. Any excuse for me to cook, right? But my Pampered Chef mechanical pastry bag thingy exploded with VERY RED writing icing inside and made a huge mess. (Not to worry if you buy Pampered Chef; they've since improved the design and eliminated the ring that broke on mine.)

Tomorrow Beth will come over to hang out, since both our hubbies are out of town. She's going to help me jazz up this website. Blogsite. Whatever it is.

Too long, again!! And I still want to tell about Joe's special present. Maybe another day...

Can't sleep, playing on computer

OK, I had to add something. It's 2 a.m., as I had kindof stayed up to hear from Joe when his plane landed. That was an hour ago, and I'm still playing on the computer. 

I was searching for stationery, cuz I could use some, and found the CUTEST thing. Check it out and "design yourself." Send me an e-card when you do.

must...go...to...bed........baby will wake up in am....

A Very Totally 80s Christmas

I thought that while we wait for updates from Joe (just took him to the airport tonight), I'll go ahead and open up discussion for Christmas presents.

Who got or gave something really cool?

It wasn't his "big" present, but one I got for Joe was pretty cool. It was the Trivial Pursuit Totally 80s version. I mentioned this at our Sunday School class party, that I had wanted to pick this up but couldn't bring myself to spend what they were asking for it. Then, while shopping for our Giving Tree family at Target, I saw it was on clearance. Guess the 80s aren't as cool as they thought. 

Anyway, the web site is really cool. So sad, with all the has-beens, but cool. Be sure to check out the commercial, directed by Ms. Cyndi Lauper herself.

http://www.hasbro.com/trivialpursuit80s/

Maybe tomorrow I'll tell about his "big" present. There's a story behind it, and I've already talked too much tonight.

Let me know about your best gifts given and received!

Grand (Cherokee) Beginnings

Hey guys...we (OK, I [Christie]) finally got around to starting our blog. And it could be about so many deep, wonderful things... our Sunday School lessons, the meaning of Christmas, even what presents we got, etc. 

But not today.

Today, we start with what Joe has called "The Great Jeep Journey." Most of you know (all two people who might read this) about my super-cool old Cherokee Jeep that Joe bought me for Christmas. It is near Reno, Nevada, and it was to be shipped to us this week. Alas, the shipping company was of negligent work ethic, so Joe fired them. He's flying out tomorrow to drive it home himself.

He's so excited! My first inclination was to nag and beg for him to not do such a crazy thing. I did for about 30 seconds, and irritated him sufficiently. Then I remembered from several books I've read that I should LET HIM BE A MAN. This is an adventure, and he'll come back refreshed and fired up for his other manly responsibilities back home.

Anyway, I'll be posting his travel updates for the next couple days. I think it will be interesting to hear from him along the way and maybe get some photos from his cell phone, where it works!

Keep him him in your prayers for a safe, speedy and MANLY return!