Back into the swing of things

Well August has almost come and gone... the middle of August already??...and our dull life is back into the swing of things. Jared started class with VP-30 and is LOVING every minute of it. :) He studies most days and nights, but has found quite a bit of time to go riding. I am enjoying being the passenger more and more and have learned to let go of control since I can't see the road or anything else in front of us. I think I will take a picture of us wearing our helmets and post it. I am told I look like a cop from CHIPs. :)


Although I did not successfully find a job (I don't count that one that I had for a week and quit) I have put my time to good use. I am now a volunteer receptionist and budget counselor/casework for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. It is a non-profit organization that helps sailors with financial hardships they may come upon. I have really enjoyed going in each day and having something to do. But not only that, I enjoy being able to help people when they really need it and learning so much about being in a real squadron from the other volunteer wives. The great thing about NMCRS, besides helping sailors, is the fact that it is found on every navy base and I will have a place to look for employment each time we move. I am hoping to get in a lot of hours and experience here and be able to apply for paid positions at the next base we go to.


Our good friend Katie is also hanging out with us for a bit while her husband finishes up flight school in Corpus Christi. It has been a lot of fun having Katie around! We went to St. Augustine again last weekend to go shopping and spend the day sightseeing and we went shopping/window browsing the weekend before that at St. John's Town Center a short ways away from us. Katie started her teaching job today (that is why she moved over here without her husband) and I am sure she will have a million stories to tell us about her kids (3 year olds!!) each and every day. "Miss Katie, you wore those under-roos yesterday... I saw them sticking out of your pants!" :) Hahaha. I am just waiting for her funny stories.


Hurricane/Tropical Storm Fay is supposed to be heading our way in the next couple of days. Good thing I went grocery shopping today and filled up our whole fridge and freezer :-/!! Since no one knows really how strong this storm is or where it is even going, they are evacuating the planes from here and taking them to Ohio and to Maine. Since Jared has no idea how to fly this plane yet he gets to stay home. His test for tomorrow has been canceled, much to his delight, and he is hoping for the rest of the week off too. I don't think he will be that lucky. ... Just in case anyone was worrying, I am pretty sure we will be fine. Our gas tanks are filled up, we bought jugs of water, Izzy has plenty of food, we have wind up flashlights, we have a propane grill, and we have a freezer full of meat. We should be good!

That's about all I can update you on! For those that are starting school again in the next few weeks... Have a great semester!!

Nothing really interesting...

So I haven't blogged in a month. I am sorry for being so inconsistent and leaving my very few readers hanging. Nothing has really happened since last month, really... nothing! Okay, so a few things but nothing that is really important.

Jared and I spent the day in St. Augustine two weekends ago. It was the last "study-free" weekend that Jared would have before starting class. (He started July 29th) We walked around downtown (St. George Street, I think), ate fudge from the chocolate shop, bought a piece of artwork to add to our collection (plus 1 makes 2 prints so far), ate some great food for lunch, and then headed to the alligator farm. It was a great weekend and I am glad that we got to spend the time together.

As I said before, Jared has started class... and so the studying starts up again as well. I am hearing more of the "I don't want to study" gripes more than ever now. Although he is back to class, he is seeming to enjoy the schedule and being back in the "learning how to fly the P-3 environment". We haven't really had a chance to get into a schedule with us, as far as this is how our day normally runs. I know that it will come when Jared is stuck at the squadron all day and then he will come home to study and we will have little to no together time. But for right now, we see each other - and get tired of each other - on a pretty regular basis! :) Oh oh, we put in our dream sheet again in September and say where we would like to go next. We will then find out in October, or around there, where we are really going. Washington State is still our number one, but I think I kind of want to put Hawaii as number two. I think it would be fun to live there, but I don't want to have to ship my car or my dog. I don't really want to stay in Jacksonville, maybe it's just me but I don't really like it. I like where we live, but I don't really like the area. I know it is close(r) to family, but I don't really like it.

The job front... let me first complain a little. Why don't they call you after an interview if you didn't get the job?? Do they think you are just going to assume you didn't get it because they didn't call you?? Has anyone ever heard of being respectful and giving the person a call instead of having them assume!!?? We all know what you get when you ASSSSSS out of UUUUU and MEEEEEE!! Okay, done ranting. Now let me explain. I should be a professional interviewee. I am serious, I have been on plenty of interviews - seeing as though I am a Navy wife that should be expected, right?. I have interviewed for at least... oh 5 or 6 jobs. And have only received one call saying they would like me to come in for another test, then to let me know I got the job. No other phone calls saying "thank you for your time, we have selected another candidate who would better fit with the position that is currently open in our office". Before you get excited that I got a job, let me also say that I have already quit that job. (GASP!!!) Okay don't get mad... let me explain further. I was working at a dental lab until this morning. Dental lab you say, what is that? The dental lab makes dentures and crowns (those fake teeth that people have to have to hold space or because their tooth was dead). I was part of the staff that painted/stained the fake teeth to make the color of the other teeth in the patient's mouth. I worked at the dental lab for a week AND one day! I drove 35-45 minutes to work and drove 35 minutes-1 hour home from work. I sat for 8 hours straight listening to my iPOD. Man, was that exciting!? NO! Not only was my paycheck being burned through at the gas pump, I was also bored out of my mind. So for the first time in my life, I quit a job for a reason other than moving. I had to do what was best for me and driving all that way and sitting all that time was not best for me. I would rather be sitting at home with my dog. So here I am now. Sitting at home. With my dog. And it is only hour 7 of being jobless again. I am bored.

I have not given up job searching just yet. I have painted pottery on a few occassions at a studio down the street and that is where I ended up today as well. I gave the owner a letter, basically begging her for a job, but sometimes you gotta stretch yourself and get down on your knees and beg. As you all know, money talks. That is what I like about working, the money! However... if the pottery place doesn't work out for a job either I am heading 2 houses down to the new Publix and applying for a job there. I mean, I will never be late, it is at the end of our street (literally two houses down, and I can see it from my front door). If that doesn't work out (I always have a backup plan) I am going to try to volunteer at the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society on base. I would rather volunteer than do nothing. It's the feeling like I don't have any of MY OWN money and feeling like I am not contributing that really lights the fire under me to want to work.

Jared has been taking me on rides on the motorcycle. It is kind of fun, yet scary at the same time because I can't see in front of me - only the back of Jared's helmet. We started out in a parking lot down the street to get used to 2 people and me riding, we have worked our way up to longer rides down the main road and down some long back roads. Jared is trying to get my psyched up enough to ride down Daytona for "Bike"tober Fest (in October). We will see!

Oh, Izzy news. This was a while ago, but I don't think I posted about it. We have red ants. Izzy was out in the backyard laying in the grass one morning. I let her in. She was itching a lot. I was getting a treat out for her, bent down, and noticed her left eye was swollen. Huh. That's weird. Then I noticed the left side of her lip was swollen. Huh. Then I noticed she had hives on the left side of her body. WEIRD! Then I noticed she had a large swollen, bumpy patch between her back legs close to her hindquarters. I called Jared and asked what I should due. He didn't know. Then it got worse in just a few minutes so I called a vet. Bring her in they said, ant bites have made dogs so sick they had to go on I.V.s! OH NO! So I take Izzy to the vet. Ant bites, they think. Give her some benadryl she will be fine. Whew. That's the story. Red ants bit Izzy, she was really swollen, she is fine now.

Here is an updated picture of Owen.