New Pics

The beautiful mountains at Sundance.

A giraffe at the Living Desert drinking water...check out his legs!

Rocky at on the mountain during our hike in Big Bear.


Greg and Rocky enjoying an Eagles' game

Huge Update

Hello everyone,

I apologize for taking forever to update my blog. As usual, I was waiting for something substantial to write about, and then all of a sudden a ton of things happened.

Since I've last written, I've been pretty busy. A few weeks ago, my friend Nick Roper from Groton came to visit us for a night on his roadtrip across America. It was fun to have a friend come stay, and to show him around. I took him to base, showed him Palm Springs, and went to the Living Desert, which is best described as a zoo without cages, in Palm Desert. It was a lot of fun, and great to catch up with him.

Last weekend I went up to Sundance, Utah, to help Ann out with her wedding planning. The resort is gorgeous - the mountains of Utah had fully transitioned to Fall, and all of the leaves were orange, red, and gold - something that's impossible to find here in the desert! It was so much fun to see Ann, Tyler, and my parents, and also to hang out with Paula and Jon, who are helping out with the third Collier wedding of '08. The food was great, as was the lodging (we stayed in an actual lodge on the property), and I can't wait to go back for Ann's wedding (although I'm not excited about the snow...one thing I don't miss about back East).

Also, the biggest news...I got a job!! And accepted it :). It's with the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, as a Marketing Specialist. I start on Monday, and I'm really nervous! I hate first days, and awkward transition times. I feel like I'm just starting to get out of the worst and most awkward transition of my whole life (moving to 29 Palms), and now I'm starting another one! How exhausting! I really hope I'll be pleasantly surprised and like it. Wish me luck!

Other than that, Greg and I have been enjoying the cooler temperatures (90-100 degrees). We've been honing our golf game, which is our new favorite pasttime. We also took Rocky on a day trip to Big Bear, which is a beautiful ski resort only an hour away from here. We took him on a hike, which was a blast. In other news, Greg finally left his temporary job, and checked in with the unit he will be with through 2 deployments over the next 2.5 years. I hope I meet some spouses through this unit, but it's nice to feel like we're finally here for a reason.

So that's the update...again, wish me luck on my job, and I will try to update again soon.

Revelation

Today, upon looking over from my job seeking post to see what Rocky was doing, it dawned on me: I may not have a job, and I may be new to California, but there is absolutely no denying that I keep this boy entertained all day long.... (and for those of you who can't read sarcasm, work on it!) :) See pics below for up to the minute footage of what Rocky looks like right now:

By Request

I have had requests to post up pictures of Palm Springs, so here they are! I hope you enjoy...and I hope they persuade you to visit!

First signs of Fall....

I can't believe it's been three weeks since I last wrote! Katherine's wedding seems like it was just yesterday. Time really is beginning to fly. I hesitate to say this, but I feel like Fall might be creeping into Yucca Valley, finally! The highs this week have been in the high 80s and low 90s, which has been so refreshing compared to the past few months. It has also brought an increase in "prehistoric critters," as Greg calls them. In the last week, we've had a tarantula and a scorpion in our house - gross!

Since I last updated everyone, I've been somewhat busy. The week after I returned from Chestertown, I went to a course on base called "L.I.N.K.S." This is a course for marine spouses who are either new to the Corps, or new to a particular base. Since I'm new to both, I thought it was a great experience. I learned all about uniforms, ranks, customs, and all about what there is to do on base. The most rewarding part of the course was meeting other wives who have been out here for a shorter time than we have. Since most people are only here for 3 years max, I'm already an old-timer, just for being here for 4 months! It was a great way to meet a few people, and share experiences. I've also been going to my workout class on base (which yes, still makes me sore every day! But I like it), and went to a day-long seminar yesterday taught by an awesome woman who is a journalist in Virginia. I really feel empowered now to use my strengths to deal with deployments and military life in general.

In other news, I FINALLY got a job interview!! It was with the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism, as a Marketing Specialist. I think I would really enjoy it, but I'm not sure if I got the job or not. My second interview was Monday, and I have yet to have heard from them. Keep your fingers crossed!

Greg checks into his "real unit" in a little over a week. We both can't wait. It will be nice to finally be able to meet other spouses and know that I'll be with them for a few years. It will also be nice for Greg to finally be in his real job, after four months.

That's pretty much the update here. Rocky is doing well, and is growing/shedding more and more every day. He is the most athletic lab I have ever seen. Last night, he jumped from a chair to the bed, which was easy a 4-ft leap in the air! I'm a little scared about what's to come once he's fully grown. As I write this post, he is keeping me company with his steady snoring.

Please keep in touch! We miss you all.