Caitlin and Joseph

Another New Job!

2011-08-09T07:13:00.001-07:00

Yes, that's correct. Since "no one" is hiring, I have found another job. And each one of my jobs keeps getting better and better! But it has also seemed that with my jobs, they all start great at first and then turn to crap. Lets review. In the past two years I have had four new jobs.

Directv, blah. No need to get into detail there. Training was fun, and then it went to crap fast.

From Directv I got hired on at Craft Warehouse. I was so happy to have that job so I could run as fast as I could away from Directv. Even though it meant a three dollar and seventy-five cent an hour pay cut :/ I didn't care! It was fine for the first couple of months. Then people started showing their true colors. And yes, there is drama at any place you work (trust me I know. Have five hours and I can tell you about Men's Wearhouse. Men are worse than women, not kidding) but its different when people just tell blatant lies about you. I'm sorry I'm 30 years younger than you. Take that one up with God. But I do my job. Anyway! The last three months of working there where just awful. I loved some people I worked with, but others I couldn't stand to be around anymore.

So finally, my big break!! Or so I thought. I got a job at St. Lukes! Yes! A hospital job! This is going to be amazing! Its so hard to get into a hospital and once your in your golden! Yea right! I was hired as a flex employee in Central Processing. They do a lot for the OR. Pick case carts for surgeries, put instrumentation kits together, auto-clave (aka sterilizing) instruments, and clean dirty instruments from surgeries. It was discussing. But I didn't care because I thought it was going to be super easy to get an MA job since now I was in the system. The good: I got out of Craft Warehouse, it paid two dollars and seventy-five cents more and hour. And even though I was flex my training would take about a month, a little more and I would be working full time on the day shift. 7-3:30. The bad: Well, from my very first day people where already complaining to me that they hate their job and that their boss sucks. Really people? Its my first day. Give me a little more positive feed back here! And on my first day I found out that I have to work for six months before I could transfer. Ok, that's not that big of a deal.
I got through my first week of training and a few days of my second week when the assistant told me that her and the boss wanted to talk to me. I thought great, I've been here a week. What did I do already?! They informed me that up stairs in the OR (ok so you walk into the hospital and your on the main floor, the basement is the OR and we where below the OR!! No windows, artificial light. We where the basements basement!) they have orderly's. They run around and help during surgeries. Getting equipment, taking specimens to the lab and etc. And that everyone that was working on the night shift had quit or transferred to another position. (that should have been my first clue) Jim, the director over the OR and in CS (central processing where I work, they called it CS) needed some help and wanted someone from CS to go help in the OR until they hired their new staff. I would be doing a huge favor to Jim and blah blah blah. So my supervisor made it sound like I could go help and if I liked it I could chose to stay up there or to come back down to CS. So I go help. I did because I knew it was another guarantee of 40 hours a week for at least another month. But it was the night shift 3-11 so that sucked but you got paid more. So that was awesome. I got to walk in on some pretty awesome surgeries. Some drama but again that was to be excepted. Mostly just some misunderstandings about what we where suppose to do. I got annoyed only because I was never trained. I was thrown up there and they just expected me to know what to do. An orderly from the day shift came and helped but she got annoyed too because day shift and night shift was really different and people just expected her to know what she was doing. She did, but during the day they do it different. Anyway that got resolved in a day or two. So I was up there for just over two months. The supervisor told me that if I wanted to stay they would give me and interview. So I applied, and I got my interview. I thought really it was just a technicality. At that point I was pretty much trained. So you would think that they wouldn't want to waste any money and just hire me since, again, I was already, for the most part, trained. Interview went really well. The next day he came up to me and said, and I quote "we are hesitant to hire you because you went to school to be an MA and we are afraid you are going to find a job in two weeks and leave us and we will be back to square one." Really? Freaking awesome. I was pissed. There was a lot of transion going on. It was a mess. To make a long story short, I didn't get the job. They hired two other people, and I HELPED TRAIN THEM. Does this make any since to anyone? Then one day they said, ok we don't need your help anymore. You can go back downstairs. One of the great things about an MA is we are trained in everything. Yes, you see them more in doctors offices but we got trained in, front office, back office, lab, pharmacy, etc.
So I went back downstairs. I got hired on full time down in CS but on the night shift. That it was fine, I got benefits. So I finished my training. Took about another month. Since I had to start all over. I was just so upset. I got to know everyone up stairs, then I got to know everyone on day shift down stairs just in time for me to be thrown into another shift with different people! I just wanted to stay in one area! I was tired of having to get to know new people all over again!! And oh my there was some interesting people that worked on the night shift. I was ready to go crazy. I hated it and I didn't care if people knew. I wasn't rude or anything but if they asked me if I was liking it I would say "no". Haha I think that threw people off a little bit. I'm not really known for speaking my mind, but working there kinda changed that a little bit. They last day I was working days, the supervisor (the one who no one liked) asked me if I was excited to go to nights. I said "no". She kinda looked at me funny and said "I thought you where excited to be working full time" I said "I am. But that doesn't mean I'm excited about working nights." She said "you where so excited when I offered you the full time position." I replied " again, I'm exctied to be working full time but not happy about the hours." She replied with " well, I like my employees to be happy." So I said "really, that's good. I'm not." Now that may not seem like much to you. But you have to know me. When it comes to supervisors I'm usually all, oh yes everything is great I'm so happy blah blah blah. As I walked away I was over come with holy crap! You just said that to a supervisor! I was very proud of myself, speaking my mind. I wasn't rude, per-say, I kinda had an attitude in my voice but my mom doesn't call me Catitude for no reason.
What really was the breaking point for me was when my grandma died. Now, if you know anything about my extended family you know there's some family drama. Again, there's drama in every family but I think my fathers side has more than most. The grandma that died was my dads mom. Now we haven't talk to her in like seven years I think. I haven't even ever ran into her. My dad has but the last time I saw her was our family trip to Arizona back in 2003 (i think) Now we found out on a Tuesday. I was working nights, so when I got off at 11:30 I had a text from my sister saying that she had passed. So, now what I'm going to tell you may sound awful and judge me if you wish but I was needing Friday off to go to a friends wedding and I was just going to call in. Well, her funeral was on Friday. But in California, so we weren't going to the funeral. (My dad didn't even go) So I was going to go in the next day tell me that she passed, which was true, and that her funeral was on Friday, again all true. I never said that I was going, I was only speaking facts. Anyway, both the supervisors where gone on Wednesday. So I thought well crap I want to give them at least a few days notice. But oh well, not my fault they where gone. Well Thursday came and the assistant was gone. So I saw the super in the locker room. I asked her if she was leaving. She said no that she was going to a meeting and asked me if I needed something. I said yes. And these where my exact words "my grandmother died. Her funeral is on Friday. So I'm not going to be in." She said, ok when I get back from my meeting we will talk and TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE. What? Take a look at the schedule? No I'm sorry no nothing. It doesn't matter if we where close or not. You don't say that to someone who's relative just died. What if we where super close and she said that. That just pushed me over the edge. You have to have respect for your employees. And she did not. If it didn't effect her, she didn't care. Well, she got back from her meeting and just left. She didn't even talk to me. So I told a few people what happened and that I wasn't going to be in the next day. I tried to give them plenty of warning. Not my fault they weren't there. So on Monday the assistant came up to me and said so i see there was some confusion about you needing time off. What confusion? "Cindy said that you had talk to her about needing time off but that you never followed up with her and didn't know why you needed it off" I was so mad. I said "I told Cindy in the locker room that my grandmothers funeral was on Friday and I wasn't going to be in. She then told me we would talk after her meeting but she just left after it and ever followed up with me. How the that confusion? I found out on Tuesday you and her where both gone and Wednesday and you where gone on Thursday. I tried to tell someone. There was on confusion. I told her." That little statement could have gotten me fired. But I didn't care. At least if they fired me I could get unemployment until I found a job.
I was so tired of just settling for jobs because they where giving to me. I was tired of waking up in the morning dreading going to work. There's a difference between having one of those days where you just don't feel like working. Everyone has those days. And dreading you job. On my way home from the wedding I was talking to Joe about how I was feel about my job and such. So I looked on Craigslist on my phone. And I saw an add for a Front Office Coordinator for a Physical Therapist. As soon as we got home I applied. The next day, Saturday, I got a phone call and set up an interview for Monday. From the moment I set up the interview I felt like the job was mine. I did the interview and for once an interview felt like it went well. I can never really tell. A few days went by and early Friday morning I got a phone call offering me the job! I was so happy! I started that coming Tuesday. Monday was the fourth. So I didn't give two week. I didn't really care because if your employer has no respect for you, why should you give them respect. There was some more "confusion" about me working they fourth. She scheduled me to work day shift on the fourth. She didn't even ask me. She just did it. I said no, I work nights. Now if you want me to start working all days I will. But that's not the case for just because its convenient for you I'm not working on the fourth! She was actually mad when I said no. I told her I would work nights if they needed someone cuz that was the shift I worked.(again could have been fired for that statement) YOU DIDN'T ASK ME. It may have been different if you did. But you did. So sorry! I only worked there for four months anyway and I'm not going to use them for a reference! Plus they needed me to start right away and I couldn't pass it up. I called in on Friday so I could have a four day weekend. Went into work late Monday night, got my stuff and slipped a note under her door, thanking her and telling her sorry I couldn't give two weeks but that I QUIT. Amazing feeling.
So I have been working at Physical Therapy of Idaho for about a month now. I like it. I can get boring at times but usually I find something to do! I get paid more, they are flexible with time off. (That was another thing. I St. Lukes you had to have PTO to take time off. I think that's stupid. I know alot of companies do that. But don't you think they would be happy not to pay you? And I guess the supervisor was really bad about giving people time off even if they asked for it months and months in advance.) Now with my track record, I don't want this job to turn to crap :( I like working the front desk. I hope it doesn't! Its funny. The therapist that hired me resigned like two weeks after I started. So I have a new therapist already. Not too much drama.

Wow, this post was really long. Sorry! Well, I guess I could give you an update on everything else that's going on! Joe finished his summer semester and is starting fall semester here soon. He took Chinese this summer. Ne Hao. He would come home and talk about it and then we would start craving chinese food! haha. He is going to have a full work load this fall. Its the first time he isn't taking on line classes!! Three classes mwf and two classes t th!! Busy boy! Joe works in the morning pressure washing a few sonic parking lots. If you need anything pressure washed he'd be happy to do it! He's pretty much a pro! That's really it for now. Maybe if we where a little more interesting I would post more. Maybe one day we will be!

I PASSED!!!!!

2011-03-12T14:43:00.000-08:00

So I took my Certification Exam on Friday to become a Certified Medical Assistant and well you guessed...I PASSED!!!!! I'm so fricken excited!! I set up my date and time back in January and my thought process was to set it out a few weeks so I could study. So I choose March 11th. But that plan proved to fail because I studied once when I signed up, a few times in between and the night before. Haha but in all fairness I do study better under pressure. But I wasn't too worried about it because everyone that had taken it said it was easy and to just take the study tests in the booklet (that the school gives you) because that's where they get the questions from so that's what I did. Well to everyone that told me that...LAIR!! I did not have one question and was in that study book!! But its ok because I PASSED.

New Job!!!

2011-03-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

I got a job at St. Lukes Downtown!! I'm so excited about it its not even funny. My first day was on Monday (2/28) I'm working in central processing. So I pick cases, wash surgical equipment, sterilize equipment, wrap instruments and take them to the departments if needed. I was hired on as just a PRN position but everyone that I have talked to said that wont last long and I will be working full time. And if that's the case, it would AMAZING. For training I'm working full time. Each week i will be in a different area learning how its done. This week I pick cases. Which at first was really overwhelming but by Friday, I was a pro. I'm still not as fast as everyone else but on Friday I only had to ask about two things the whole day! Each case has usually four or five pages of stuff they need for the procedure. Some things we have, and some things the OR has. So if we have it its highlighed in pink and then we take it off the shelf and on to a cart. A week of doing that gets kind of old. They rotate every day so that would be so bad. My trainer says a week of everything gets old. Haha so once I can rotate it will be much better.

I'm most excited to just have my foot in the door at St. Lukes. You can transfer departments after only working there for six months. I'm taking my MA certification test on FRIDAY. (I'm freaking out a little) and if I pass...in six months I could transfer to a MA job!! That would be amazing!! I looked and they have quite a few openings in the internal job openings and a few that are to the public too. There are so many clinics that St. Luke owns so I really don't think it will be that hard to find a MA job. Ah!! I'm just so excited. I finally feel like I caught a break. It seems like everything was against us there for a while and things now are starting to look up. Makes me very happy.

I have to wear surgical attire and the cloth hats the hospital provides are so sexy, so i made this one. And I'm quite proud of it! And I have material to make a few more!! Woot!!

To celebrate we decided to go to Jackpot. We drove there gambled. And drove home. haha. We didn't want to spend the money on a hotel. We broke even including our gas! I mean I wish we came home millionaires but for three hours of fun, its better to break even then loose! We didn't start out so hot but then I found one single slot machine with the Village People. Haha. It was awesome. We won over 300 dollars on that machine alone! So it was fun. Once we started winning!!

In a nut shell...

2010-10-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

Well its been a while. I have done a lot these past few months. A few months after my last post we moved into a new apartment. Its a much better location and much bigger! We do miss our view of the lake but like how much we saved on gas. I finished my MA program and graduated. Finished my externship and now I'm just looking for a job as a Medical Assistant. That's not any fun at all.

Me, Amber and Tarin on the last day of school!!

Those little kittens Joe found at work, we got super attached to them and now we have our five babies to great us every day when we come home. Sadly we still have 100% agreed on their names...Right now they are Mellow, Stripe, and Gotee. Mel was super calm as a little one and is still pretty calm compared to her sisters. Stripe is stripe because she has a stripe of white going across her nose. It was much more noticeable when she was little. And Gotee has a goatee. They started out as Mel, Brit and Jermaine from Flight of the Concords. Then we found out they where girls. So Mel stayed Mel but transformed into Mellow. But Joe doesn't like Gotee since its not a girls name. And he doesn't think Stripe is a real name. So lately I have been calling them Snap, Crackle, and Pop. We will see if that sticks.

This is Miss Mellow. She was soo tiny!!!

Me and Jill seem to do everything together....even if we don't mean too. We graduated at the same time! It was really fun to share it together since we where a year apart in school.

Me and my teacher Mrs. Abel

Me and Joseph

The day I got done with school we decided to celebrate with a trip to Vegas. It was awesome and we actually won some money!!

Five bucks I turned into 95 in less than five minutes

Me and Joseph on Fremont Street

On the way out of town we stopped to see the Pawn Stars, Pawn Shop. There was a line to get in the front door.

This past weekend we took a little weekend getaway to Park City Utah with Joe's family. It was awesome. We had an opportunity to stay at this awesome 3000sq condo with three stories, four bedrooms, six bathrooms, six tvs, a two car garage (that could fit two full size tucks back to back) a hot tub and a ton of snow. It was fun minus the drive back. Of course we decided to go the weekend of the biggest storm in 10+ years! There was at one point complete white out conditions and some sliding around on the freeway. Luckily there was no cars around. Well...that least no cars that we could see. We did get sideways at one point but Joe was calm (unlike me) and got us out of it. Him laughing and me crying. We saw two cars that had slid off the road. But once we passed them the roads where dry so we were wondering how they did that and or how long they had been there. We did see a semi-truck off the road too. But it looked like a truck slid into it and then it slid off. Not really sure what happened there but luckily it was on the other side of the freeway because traffic was backed up pretty far because of it.

Joe decided to make a snow angel after sitting the in the hot tub.

But before that he decided to first. sled down the hill

This was Saturday morning after we cleared off the hot tub cover and table

This was Sunday Morning....

NEVER AGAIN

2010-05-02T17:41:00.001-07:00

I NO LONGER WORK AT DIRECTV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday April 26th best day of my life!!!

I now work at Craft Warehouse :)

I'm happy that I don't have to apologize for things that aren't my fault. And Joe is happy that I wont be complaining about not wanting to go to work. Its a Win Win.

Crazyness and Kittens!!

2010-04-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

So life at our house has been a little crazy lately. Sometimes I feel like my brain might explode! As some of you may know, I have started school. Only about four years in the making. I had decided to go to school for Medical Assisting at Apollo. I have heard some horror stories about them over the years but so far its been good. One thing that has taken me so long to start school was I couldn't decided what I wanted to go for. I knew it would be in the medical field but I kept going back and forth. I have always wanted to be a nurse but the schooling scares me. And I really didn't want to be in school that long. So I went back and forth between dental and medical assisting. Finally, I just jumped on it. Medical Assisting always stood out more. So I signed up and wouldn't let myself be talked out of it! The only thing about medical assisting that really scared me was I didn't think I could draw peoples blood. I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. Turns out, my second week, we where learning about blood....and how to draw it. So on my second week of school we started drawing blood. I was shaking and sweating and pretty much freaking out. Well my turn came, my first stick I got the vein! Drew the blood and now I LOVE IT!! I want to get my licence so I can be a professional Vampire! I seriously cant get enough of it. And I'm pretty good at it if i do say so myself. We practice on each other so for the past few weeks I have been looking like I'm on drugs. Then I bruise so it looks like Joe is beating me. Its been fun.

Haha! Oh yea also on our first day of blood drawing, I got poked and the first person got blood (witch is surprising cuz my veins suck! I have had about 12 sticks and only two people have gotten blood!!!) then we moved on and someone was trying on my other arm. He missed. So he was trying again, well he needed help finding my vein, so one of our teachers came by to help. She tied the tourniquet and it was soooo tight I started to fell a little funny. So I said umm I don't feel good. So she untied it. I closed my eyes and started to breath in deeply. Next thing i know I was on the floor and everyone was around me, someone was holding up my legs, someone had their hand under my head and my teacher was taking me blood pressure. Yea, I passed out!! I had never passed out before. It was weird. The plus side is, now everyone knows my name. Haha.

Also making things crazy is my stupid job that I hate. So yes, I'm still at Directv. I go to school Monday-Thursday 7:45-12:30 and I work Saturday-Wednesday 2:30-7:30. I still haven't adjusted to school and work and trying to balance everything. I hope it comes to me soon. That also leaves only one day where I do nothing. Thats Friday. At least I get one day!!

Also something that has made our house a little crazy is the fact that Joseph found three little tiny one or two week old KITTENS! Down at Boise they have a lot of stray cats running around and they keep producing. So he decided to bring these little ones home so they don't keep growing in numbers down there. We have had to feed bottle feed them. Even had to make them go to the bath room! Now they are eating solid food and can pretty much go to the bathroom by themselves. Its getting annoying finding poop all over the floor but they are getting better about using the litter box. The plan was to get ride of two of them and keep one....I don't know how we are going to part with them though!!!

First Day they where home!!

Joe feeding them!

They are always on top of each other. Its

warm that way!

That's Mellow, or Mel, sleeping with me!

Well I was excited...

2010-02-18T08:19:00.001-08:00

So its been a while like always. I'm really bad at updating this thing. But my last post states how excited I was to get this job. Well the fact that I'm getting paid is really the only good thing about this job. Other than that, Its pretty much the worst job in the world. Just still there all day listening to people verbally abuse, you for something that's not your fault, is not fun. The best part is when they say "i know its not your fault, but...yawda yawda yawda, yell yell yell, curse curse curse!" Its just taking soo much out of me. Then to top it off, I choose to be on the flex shift. When we where doing our bids they made it seem like the best shift in the world. Start no later than seven. Get off no later than nine. They went on and on. WELL they never said anything about working TEN hour shifts. And now that's all I am working. AAAAAHHHHHH. I know everyone says their job sucks and they hate their job. But unless you have worked for Directv or any other type of call center you really don't know. Lucky for Jill she gets to hear about it all over again. She tried to warn me but I didn't listen...I should have listened...

On the plus said Joe has started school. He is still trying to get the hang of it all. Working and studying. He will figure it out. Speaking of school...I am more than likely going back. Going to go to Apollo College and try my hand in Medical Assisting. I have wanted to be in the medical field for ever and I don't want to work at a job that takes me no where anymore. Its just hard because well...I don't want to pay for it. Haha being in more debt really doesn't sounds good to me right now. But I wont have to pay for it while I'm in school and they give you six months after graduation so it should be enough time to find a job. I hope so. Because this is something I really want to do. And have wanted to for a long time.

I look back and wonder why we where in such a hurry to grow up...

Job and School

2009-11-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

So I'm pretty much the happiest person on earth right now. As of today, I have a job. Also Joe just enrolled in the Spring Semester at BSU. Got the classes he wanted, when he wanted. This means, I will get a paycheck, we will get B.A.H (houseing pay) he can still work and go to school, and he will be getting a paycheck too.

I dont think I have ever been so excited to pay my bills next month, BECAUSE I CAN!!

Anyway, good day. Good day.

Dont Drink the Water

2009-10-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Just as a warning to everyone! I know five people who are prego. Three of which are due in May. So if you dont want a little one just yet or dont want anymore....DONT DRINK THE WATER.

But to everyone who is expecting a little bundle of joy congratulations!!!! I cant wait to see baby dump pictures!

and just to clarify I am NOT one of the five :)

Ugh!

2009-10-02T15:59:00.001-07:00

You know what?! Sometimes I get a little annoyed at work situation. I am looking for another job but nothing has come about. I get SO tired of just sitting there waiting and nothing. Five hours and nothing. While everyone else is busy all day. Now I know they have all put their dues in and had to build up their clientele. But STILL. Its frustrating. You get really tired of doing nothing. Sometimes I feel like my brain is going to explode.

Bike Rides and Baseball Cards

2009-09-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well its now September. Now that we are back in Idaho it seems like we don't travel much anymore! It costs too much plus Boise really isn't driving distance to much. Unless we want to drive five plus hours! But since we live so close to the greenbelt we have been bike riding every night (pretty much) after dinner. Its a nice work out and a good way to get out of the house! Today we road to art in the park in Julia Davis park. It was really fun. And it only took like 15 minutes. It was a little warm but lots of fun! Joe's tire went flat but a can of fix a flat, and un-twisting the tub that somehow twisted up under the tire, we where all set!

Another thing that we have been getting into, well i have been getting into and Joe is getting re-into is Baseball cards!! Its fun to buy a pack and hope to see if you get any good cards! We bought this box of random cards the other day at Target. Some where just old packs. Some where just loose but we got a few really nice ones! I got an old Mark McGwire card. And I just informed that Joe has a Sammy Sosa rookies card. He has a TON from when he was younger. In the old packs we got some came with gum...Joe and his bother tried some....yea gum isn't suppose to crumble. Needless to say they got up (at the same time) and spit it out. Joe knows me all too well, he got me Twilight cards!! (yes the make twilight cards)

We also got fish. Its been fun to see the cats trying to attack them through the tank. We also now have a never ending water bowl for them. Its been keeping them quite entertained.

Mexico!

2009-08-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

We went to Mexico! It was lots of fun! That means a lot coming from Joseph and me if you know how we feel about Mexico. But that's a whole different matter! Haha. We stayed at the Esperanza. When we got their a guy at the airport asked us if we where rich and famous cuz only rich and famous people stay there. It was really nice.

Driving from the airport to the resort. Its Honda!

Our beach at the resort! Sadly you couldn't swim in it.

The view from our balcony

Go Broncos!

Haha i love it cuz its soooo true!

Going para sailing! They say you get up like 400 feet. It was cool but scary.

Yay we survived!

Umm...I'm scared

Joe wasn't that scared

The tip of the Baja

Pirate Ship!

Us on the Pirate Ship. Waiting to leave to go snorking. It was sooooo hot! Sadly it was really chopping. So you couldn't swim very well at all. It was so tiring and we only saw a few fish. They got really close though. You could touch them. It was cool.

This lady was a good sales person. She got a lot of money out of Jim. That got really annoying. Everyone would walk by with what they are saleing and shove it in your face. But a few people got lucky!

Our giant drinks at Margaritavilla

Yum!

One of the pools. They where all "endless" pools. This one has an ocean view.

Pool Pics!! Look!!! Joe is smiling with his teeth!

Kissy Kissy!

This was on the morning we left. I was forced to get up early. I was grumpy.

Sad to leave...

Sexy sunglasses

These creepy statues. We saw a few of them.

Ugh its hot.

Ah!!!

2009-07-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

We have moved...again!! Three times in six months is a little crazy but we have packing down to a science! We have signed a one year lease so we don't have to move for another year!! We got a cute apartment right off state street. It has a view of Lake Harbor. Its in the Silver Bay complex. I LOVE it!! It has a bedroom!!! We don't have to sleep in the same room we live in!!!!! Its pretty much amazing. It also has a DISHWASHER! And five outlets in the living room alone! Not just the whole house! Ah the little things in life that make living much easier! We don't have to compact our poor kittens into one room and we don't have to hide them! They love to run around and look out the window. We just got our Internet installed today but I promise I will post some pics soon!!

Its been awhile

2009-06-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hello all!!! Well a lot has happend since april 7th...sorry. Im bad at this whole blogging thing. I will post pictures once they are on the computer. Things have been a little crazy lately. We got another kitten. She is black and her name is Remy. She is just a tiny little thing. She was five weeks when we got her. So almost four months now. Molly hated her at first. But now she loves her playmate! Joe got his orders. His final day is July 4th. How fitting. We picked them up May 31st. He is on termial leave until then so that means we are back HOME! We moved back June 7th. It took 16 driving hours to get home. We did it in a day....that was crazy. With stops it was about an 18 hour trip. Joe's mom and sister came down to help us. So that helped but that also ment 16 hours in a car with two kids....haha it actually wasnt too bad at all. Joe got to spend it with the kittens. Who did a better job in the car than we thought. My last day of work was sad. I really grew close to my co-workers. And now i am out of work...Well thats the jist of whats going on. I will post pictues soon!!!

Baby Molly

2009-04-07T18:58:00.001-07:00

We saved a kitten from the Yucca Valley Pound about a week ago. She was pretty traumatized the first day she was at home. But when i came home from work she seemed to open up a little. She hid under the bed for the first night then in her little bed the second then in between me and Joe the third and now she doesn't sleep, she just attacks you in the middle of the night...great. But she is fun and cute! Already gotten a little bigger. She is also VERY needy. She will sleep on you every chance she can. And when your not sitting down she will meow at your feet until you pick her up or you sit down so she can lay on your lap. Never really had a cat like that so its sweet. Its been fun having her around! Makes it a lot less lonely or boring when Joe is at work. She's are little, very spoiled, baby!

Molly and me the first day she was home.

Hahaha, we gave her a bath the other day. The lady at the pound said they had given her a bath so she should be use to it. She staid pretty still but didn't like it by any means.

Help me!!! Needless to say, she hated us afterwords. Poor little thing was shaking. We bundled her up in a towel and she pretty much slept and stayed in it, on my lap until she was dry. On the plus side she is really fluffy and soft now. Don't worry, she forgave us.

Oh yea, I have a blog

2009-03-21T21:55:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to jump on and say hi. Its been a while since i have put anything up. Nothing too exciting has really gone on. Last weekend we went to Irvine/Newport Beach. For Valentines day Joe got me Rascall Flatt tickets!!! I'm so spoiled. So we went and saw them. It of course was amazing. Jessica Simpson was the opening act and it was the infamous "i messed up" show. In case you haven't seen, its been all over MSN and such, she fumbled through two of her songs. So she said oops i messed up let me start over. It wasn't that big of a deal. Well MSN is saying she got booed. I don't remember any booing. So its kinda annoying. Yeah shes not the greatest singer or anything but she didn't get booed.

That week we had heard about this crash in LA, we didn't know it was in Newport. It was right up the road from our hotel. A Ferrari and a Porch where racing. The Porsh tapped the bumper of the Ferrari and it crashed into a light pole. Splitting the car in half. The driver, who was a co-founder of Tapout, died and his passenger was ejected from the car. She is still in stable condition with a broken arm but her other injures werent released.

We drove right where the crash happened. It was crazy to see it since we had just heard about it. There was a memorial where the light post should have been.

The next day we went to the beach. It was such a nice day!! We drove around with the top down and walked along the beach. I love the beach. Newport is all ritzy. There was one row of houses that had docks, all with giant sail boats or yachts in front. I felt poor!

It was a fun little get away. I got a really good deal on our hotel in Newport. Marriott for only 70 dollars. Go priceline! It was soo nice. Four starts. The bed was all down. It was so hard to wake up! Its always nice to get away for the weekend.

Nothing says Happy Valentines Day like a trip to Disneyland!!!

2009-02-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

For Valentines day this year Joe and I went to Disneyland!!! Joe got a really good deal on tickets on base. So for both of us to each get a three day pass it was only 89 dollars! Cant beat that! Our first stop....California Adventure! I had never been there so I was pretty excited. Its nothing too great. Disneyland is way better! But it was still fun. Our first stop was Grizzly River Run. It was a water ride. I was a little hesitant since it wasn't the warmest out side. Joe said we shouldn't get too wet as long as we dint sit on the edge. So on we went....needless to say we got soaked!!! I got the most wet in our whole tube! The first waterfall we went down me and Joe where backwards and yea. All the water came up and landed on me!!

I'm freaking soaked. So much for straiting my hair that day!!! There was still a few spots on my pants that where wet when we got to the hotel that night! Like six hours later!!!

Joe got pretty wet too. Since he is in a black sweater you cant tell as much. It just looked likes he wet himself.

Here's both of us wet and cold...

When we first got there we got a fast pass for the roller coaster, California Screaming. We went to go on it when our time came but it was closed down!! We where sad.

The next day we got their earlier so we could beat the crowds parking and everything. The first day we had to wait 40 minutes to get our tickets. He bought them on base but they where just vouchers so we need our actual tickets...anyway, we went to California Adventure first so we could ride the roller coaster before we head to Disneyland. We got fast passes for the ride then decided to wait to ride. We rode it then turned around and used our fast passes to ride it again. When we where waiting for the second time Joe thought he saw Chuck Liddell but he wasn't sure. Well it turned out to be him! So we rode it again, this time in the front row!! I had never been in the front before! It was cool! After word we stocked Chuck for a little while. Joe wanted to ask to get a picture with him but didn't want to be "that guy" plus he was with his family so he didn't.

Yay Disneyland!! We knew there was a picture that took on this ride but we didn't know where! So we where posing waiting for it. But then we missed it. This is the Buzz Lightyear ride. Its so much fun. Its like a video game. You shot at targets and get points. Its fun.

We knew where it was this time so we posed. Haha

Joe called me a dork.

So this is a horrible picture. The sun was really bright. So then when we where looking at the pictures later, Joe said it looked like my "arr I'm a pirate" face.

That's better.

Us bored, waiting in line.

It got a little chilly so we decided to get our sweaters on. Joe likes to take random pictures. He takes them a lot where I'm not looking or us walking. Which is fine cuz i like pictures but for some reason i just like this picture. Its funny. When we where on the tram going back to the parking lot, one of the workers waved and said bye princess.

On the way back we had the tram all to ourselves. That's never happened before! When we got back to Disneyland the same worker said "oh good! your back to get her tiara".

Haha, me looking thrilled. We ate a lot of churros! They are sooooo good!!!

We had seem people all day eating these turkey legs. At first we thought they looked disgusting. But toward the end of the night we would walk by and they smelt good so we decided to try them. They actually weren't bad. We couldn't finish it. We didn't even come close!

Here is our little kitty. We decided to bring her to the park with us. We thought she might like Disneyland too. Haha just kidding. We saw two cats. This one, who is looking a little chunky from people food and one at the other park. We pet this one and gave him the rest of our turkey leg. She was pretty shy but liked our food.

This is the cutest goofy i have ever seen!!! They had a few of these round characters. Micky and Mini. Donald Duck looked like an egg. They where sooooo cute it was hard for me to choose. It was a very fun weekend. And a nice way to spend our first Valentines day actually together!!

Vegas Baby!!!

2009-02-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

The Marine Corps has a ball every year on its birthday. That's November 10th. Since this year the battalion was still coming home from Afghanistan they moved the ball to January 29th. So off we went to Laughlin Nevada (that's where the ball was held) The drive to Laughlin was soooo boring...but we got to get our kicks on route 66...haha that was lame i know.
But! This may look like a normal stop to stretch and to take a picture. But as we where about to get in the truck a car drove past. Didn't think much of it but a few minutes down the road that car was pulled over! So needless to say we where very happy we stopped to take the picture! After what felt like forever we finally got to Laughlin! Yay! We stayed at the Tropicana Express. I love Nevada because their hotels are really cheap! A room for a night was 19.87!!! It was a nice room too. We where on the 18th floor. Had a great view....of the desert.

Its was time to leave. This is the famous Caitlin putting on her shoes picture. We have another pretty much exactly like this one from the ball in 2006. I love these shoes. But they are so uncomfortable. They are four inches!! I'm just a hair taller than Joe but once he puts on his shoes he is taller.

Here is Joe at the ball looking so thrilled. He did look very handsome in his uniform. He always does. They had a lot of speakers. It felt like they talked forever but we where starving so that could be why. We pretty much ran to the buffet once it was time. We where really close though so yay.

Me and Joe after the ball. Ah look how cute! We had to walk through the casino all dressed up. Which is actually pretty fun. After we changed we went and gambled for a little while. Didn't win big. The next day we woke up and it was off to Vegas!!! But first we had to stop at in n out. It was in the parking lot of our hotel so i mean we had to! To break up the trip we stopped at the Hover Dam. Again another boring drive. The desert sucks to drive though.

Yay!!! Finally Vegas. Fremont street. We stayed at the hotel to the left. The Vegas Club and Casino. It was nothing special at all. It had a big room but that was the only thing going for it. But we didn't care. For two nights it was only 55 dollars!!! Sweet!!! That night we stayed on Fremont street. There's lots of stuff to do. We gambled and had lots of fun!!

It was getting chilly so we went up to change. Then we headed down to watch the Fremont show. They had like five shows. They where all pretty cool!

So after a pretty long night we ended with the nickel slots. After touching a lot of coins this is the result!!! It was sooo gross.

So the next day was all about the sights. We went to the worlds smallest Ihop for breakfast, then down the strip. We walked up and down it for like six hours. It was a lot of walking. Our first stop was the MGM. We saw the lions. They where pretty cool. There was three guys in there playing with them. One threw a bone right at the male lions face. I wouldn't want to mess with them!! The female was pretty playful.

After the MGM we saw New York New York and everything else. I'm blanking on the names of everything...but after some walking we decided to eat at Toby Keith's restaurant. It used to be that if you showed them your military id you got a free meal. Well the waitress said that since the economy went down they stopped doing it. But it was still fun. It was sooo loud in there we couldn't really talk without yelling. Lots of country music!!

After dinner we saw the Venetian, Caesars Palace, then to the Bellagio to see the water show! This was sooo cool!! We watched two shows. I enjoyed this very much!!

Soo Cool!!!

Paris!!! I cant wait to actually go to Paris. We where pretty tired after walking around all day. So we head back to the hotel. We walked around Fremont for a little while then went to bed!

Then the drive back home....This was our view pretty much the whole way....exciting i know.

No, I'm from Boise.

2009-02-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this is Joe typing. While we were in Vegas, we went to an IHOP, which happened to be the smallest restaraunt I have ever seen, but thats not the point of this story. Our Waiter didn't exactly seem like he had been doing his job for more than a week, but being as passive as we are, that didn't bother us much. As we were paying, Caitlin went to the bathroom and I waited for our waiter to get off the phone so I could pay. He got off the phone and asked how our meal was. I told him good, and he said "Oh, I forgot to ask you, where are you from?" I simply replied "Boise". Before I could finish saying that 5 letter word, he replied, while pointing at my Ireland shirt, "Oh, Ireland I see that." I kind of just looked around in awkwardness, not sure if he was serious. Then he said, "It's a beautiful place, isn't it?" I just said "yup...". Well he gave me my change and said, " Enjoy your stay in America." I could only reply with a simple "thanks". Luckily Caitlin came out and we could go before it got more awkward.

Hoover Dam

2009-02-11T17:07:00.001-08:00

It only took four years to build. I think thats pretty crazy cuz its HUGE!

If you rub its feet it will bring you luck. Well we rubbed them. It brought us luck on our first slot matchine...not our second....or thrid....you get the picture.

We took a tour of the power plant.

This was up at the top. It was really bright.

Another picture at the top.

On our way back to the car. We tried taking a picture of ourselves then a guy offered to take a picture. He said say "dam it" hahaha. Actually it was pretty funny. Now off to Vegas Baby!!

The Move!!

2009-01-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

We are off to Yucca Valley!!!
We are off!!! You cant tell from this picture but my car is packed! The bed of the truck is full and so was the back seat. If we had anything else we would have been overflowing.

After a little bit of a late start we got on the wrong highway. Oops.

Haha, we drove down the Extraterrestrial Highway at about 2:30 in the morning. It wasn't really the way we needed to go but we wanted to drive down it, to say we did and to maybe see something. Well we drove for about two minutes then decided that we where too scared. It was really creepy! Mostly it was just us freaking ourselves out. But still. We just turned right around and headed on our way.

Alien Jerky anyone?

Vegas Baby!!

We finally hit Vegas at around 4:30 in the morning. I was excited because I have never been there. We could see the glow for like two hours before we actually got there. I was surprised to see so many people still out and how much traffic there was. But it was Saturday night/Sunday morning. It was cool. Lots of lights. I'm excited to go back and walk around.

We took a little nap. It was only for like 45 minutes. That was the only sleep Joe got until we went to bed at like 10:30 that night. I slept for maybe two hours on and off the whole drive.

Just after our little nap and breakfast we drove past this sign. Yep its Zzyzx Road.

That's our little home!

Joe did most of the heavy lifting.

This is all the counter space we have in our little kitchen. It also only has two plug ins. One behind the stove and one behind the refrigerator. Creates a little bit of a problem. Yay for extension cords.

It was pretty overwhelming. With all of our stuff jammed into the living/bedroom, it looked like we had no room. Once we got everything put into its place we actually had more room then we thought.

Yay.....the desert....

Lots and lots of windmills.

After a very long couple of days, blue skies and good weather was a nice thing to wake up too.

It's Warm!!! 71 that day. Going from 30 degree, inversion weather, to Palm Springs weather is such a nice switch!

Hello!!

2009-01-10T17:46:00.000-08:00

Hello all!! So everyone else is doing it, I had to as well!! Here is the start to our blog!!!

Heres us at the tubing hill. We are up in McCall on what Joe likes to call our "pre-honeymoon"

Heres Joe all bundled up!

Heres me all bundled up!!

Heres us up at Brundage. It was fricken freezing!!!