Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Whoop for Rain!



I never knew much I missed the rumbling thunder storms of Texas until we were back in Texas in April and it poured in Dallas! :-) I'm also a bit excited about the rain because supposedly due to our lack of rain, the pollen levels are OUT OF CONTROL! Yuck!



I went to meet Nolan at the flight line to see the Blue Angels fly, not that I don't get to enjoy them every Tuesday and Thursday as they scream over/around the house (but I usually can't FIND where they are in the sky! somewhat funny!), and the down pour began... point being... :-) since I was soaked I thought I'd take Sandi out to enjoy her first rainshower!




As you can see she was less than thrilled by my idea. haha

Nolan is out in front...
the Marines ran back to the barraks from the flight line
good thing they are amphibious! ;-)

Friday, May 25, 2007

Being that Sandi is more or less our first child, whom we adore, yet love that when she's getting to be too much we can just put her in her kennel or outside, I can't help but post more pictures of her!

I am excited to also share that the past two nights I have slept for 7 hours straight! (For the past 2 1/2 weeks, I had been getting up every 3 - 4 hours to let her "go potty," as I felt sorry for her having accidents in her kennel at night) I think Sandi is now well on her way to being house broken! Aside from throwing up all of her dinner after a visit to the beach... guess she got a bit too much salt water! Oh and she saw the base vet this week and she weighs 11.2 pounds! :-)




Zoe and Sandi hangin' out in Zoe's bed...
Zoe looks just thrilled doesn't she!?
(Zoe is the Butler's dog - we have been watching for a week or so while they are in CA)

Look at me - I have my own bed now!
Sandi kept getting in Zoe's bed, so we had to get her one of her own!! ;-)

My favorite chew toy with a squeaker that is still going strong!!

Caught in the act!
After Sandi's first trip to the beach... she started playing in her water bowl!

Enjoying the Magnolia tree leaves in the backyard...
(since there is no grass to roll around in! ;-) )
One last thing...
to cut our cell phone bill by $40 a month, I gave in and got a Seattle cell phone number...
Long story short, a cell phone number in Seattle can't be on a family plan with a cell phone number from Texas... BOO! So one of us had to give up our numbers... to pay $40/month less for the same amount of minutes on a family plan I happily did the giving up... (being the penny pincher that I am :-) ) If you would like the number - email me! paigedean@gmail.com

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Disney and Sandi Pictures!

Since the link doesn't work... sent me an email if you liked to see the pictures! ;-)
paigedean@gmail.com


We've been back from our "Happy 1 Year to Us" Disney trip for 2 weeks now...
I've found what might be a better way for us to share pictures... if there are more than just a few...

Hope the link works!

I want to see the pictures!

Friday, May 18, 2007


Today is the day!
Thanks to my wonderful husband we will see it at 3:30!
WHOOP!

Monday, May 14, 2007

When it Rains.... It Pours!

So for the most part our lives have been pretty much the same thing, different day... until recently...

Sandi has been a great addition, but we/I had no idea that at 6 - 8 weeks of age (she is now 8 weeks old) she would have to be taken outside to potty every 3 hours... this need has definitely cut into my (and Nolan's on the weekends) sleep! Anyone who knows me at all knows that I value my sleep and aren't a very happy camper with lack there of. None the less, we are grateful to say that she hasn't had an accident in her kennel in over a week now! Yay for success! She's learning that "outside" means head for the door and down the steps out into the yard and now she will even venture to find the yard ALONE! :-)

I also had no idea that working on a Master's would involve a WHOLE bunch of reading, just to be able to comment briefly on whatever it was that I was reading about! I am now on week 2 and am getting organized so that I don't feel like I am constantly reading to keep up with both classes! :-) I also think I'm suppose to learn how to be brief - example - I will have to critique a 100 page report in less than 600 words!?! Being that it's Master's level work, that seems a bit too short! Once again, maybe at a Master's level I'm suppose to know how to concisely and eloquently say what I need to say and move on... I will have to learn! :-)

Who knew that right when I started these completely ONLINE classes, that my desktop would go kaput on me! We first thought it was just the monitor, so we bought an old fashion ginormous (not to mention cheap) monitor at BestBuy only to discover, that wasn't the problem. A local computer geek (no offense to anyone - it takes all kinds to make this world run) is currently in the process of trying to save what files he can! We are now looking to replace just the tower, since the problem wasn't the flat screen monitor that we already have!

In the beginning of March, I rolled my ankle, took a break for a while, rolled it again at the beginning of April and finally went to the naval clinic last week to see why my ankle still is not right and why my toe is asleep 24/7!?! That visit didn't accomplish much, being that the doctor only gave me Naproxen (Aleve) which made me sick to my stomach! He also brought up that I have high blood pressure! Long story short, I'm good to go; we bought a blood pressure machine and my blood pressure is below 120/80 at home, every time... there just must be something about going to a naval medical office that gets my blood going! haha This week's doctor visit was better, although I found out I am working on a sinus infection! I've been to the doctor more this year than I have in the past 5 years! Soon I'm going to be normal again; I mean seriously, I can't be falling a part at the ripe old age of 24 can I?

Now for some good news!!!

While I was at the teacher job fair the weekend before last, Nolan had this grand idea that he would make up a menu of dinner items for us to each the next week (now two weeks ago)
All of the recipes that he found required LOTS of materials and lots of prep time! Most came out of various Presbyterian Women cookbooks, so I can only imagine that wonderful grandmother's had supplied the book with their recipes!

Our week's menu of dinners from scratch were AWESOME! :-)
Monday: Steak!

Tuesday: Chicken Kabobs (red, green and yellow peppers, pineapples)

Wednesday: Beef Fajitas

Thursday: Chicken Alfredo (homemade sauce made from various cheeses) with Bruchetta

Friday: Steak marinated for 24 hours in teriyaki sauce and bake potatoes with homemade Spinach and Artichoke Dip - YUM!

Yes, my husband never ceases to amaze me! I had no doubt the food would be good, I just had no idea how much of a chef he is! He really enjoyed all of the hard work he put into the meal and I really enjoyed all of the food!! YUM!

Oh and guess what is coming up?!?!
Our 1 year anniversary! Oh how time flies! :-)

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Blessed...


As it was my first year as a teacher, I will always hold a special place in my heart for my Jane Long family, but now, for the next two years,

I'm a....

Bellview Middle School
WARRIOR!


Today was the Escambia County School District's job fair and what a great Cinco de Mayo it was!

I was offered 2 math teaching positions...
One at Warrington MS and one at Bellview MS... I took the one at Bellview because the principal just gave me a good feeling! :-) She reminded me, in many ways, of Diana Werner, principal at Jane Long... a very warm, down to earth, and positive person!

I will be teaching either 6th or 7th grade math... my preference is, of course, 6th grade, but I am looking forward to either!

We feel so very blessed by how everything is falling into place for us here in Pensacola; just as we knew it would, all in God's perfect timing. It's so amazing to us to watch the great plans that God has for us just fall right into place...

- We got the base house that we so badly wanted, after 2 months of phone calls and such
- We have such wonderful neighbors (sadly 2 families moved out yesterday, but we hope to be getting more)
- I was accepted to the Master's program at FSU (my first two classes start this coming week)
- We found a full of life puppy that fit our need - financially and personality-wise (Sandi is a joy!)
- I have a teaching position lined up for the upcoming school year
- Nolan enjoys his mentoring "stash job" working with Enlisted Marines who are waiting to class up, as well as planning activities for them to participate in... dodge ball tournaments, 6 mile hikes, trips to the movies, etc. He will start flight training the first week of June.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our lives thus far; without your help we wouldn't be where we are today... We realize how each person and event in our lives has had a purpose and helped us in ways we never could have imagined...

We are looking forward to great things that are to come here... God has continued to bless us beyond measure, and for that we are forever grateful.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Introducing...

Sandi!


She was born on March 18th

We saw her this past Sunday, on our way to Orlando, and picked her up on Thursday afternoon!

She is lots of fun! :-)

We chose Sandi, so we will always remember we got her when we lived in Pensacola,
where the sand on the beaches are a light color... and with an i, so it's girly! ;-)

Pictures of the fastastic time we had in Orlando soon!



All Aggies!!!
Click Here:
http://www.twango.com/media/agggie06.public/agggie06.10001

Thanks Charla!