San Diego Wild Animal Park

I had never been to the Wild Animal Park (an annex of the famous San Diego zoo), so on New Year's Day, we went! It was awesome and very spacious. The weather was PERFECT (70s and sunny, oh right, that's every day in San Diego!) and we had a great time.

Some lovely tourists took our picture by the sign, which I'm pretty sure every visitor takes their picture with.

This was Brandt being a flamingo. For some reason he was embarrased because lots of tourists were nearby. But I LOVE action shots!!!!

The view from the Condor area, looking over the back of the park. Surprisingly pretty!

This elephant was so great! It was giving kisses to the keeper. Another elephant was getting a birthday cake, although I'm not sure what it was made out of.

Hello Mr. Giraffe!!! Too bad you are not real!!!

Let's see....where to start?

Okay, yep, I'm a terrible blogger. Any of you who really are interested in what I'm doing might just want to CALL me, because the chances of figuring out what is going on in my life from this blog are slim to none. But since I'm hanging out tonight waiting for pictures to be ready at Costco, I can update this thing!!!

Here are some pictures:

In November, we went beach camping. Perhaps I mentioned it in an earlier post? Anyway, we tried to take the train up to Carpinteria, but to no avail, as it was broken down. So Amtrak refunded our money and we had a nice little drive up the coast. My extended family camps here several times a year, but mind you, it's not real camping. There are Ralph Lauren sheets, lots of cute Coastal Living-type decorations, etc. It's a wonderful relaxing time of beach & family!! This is a picture of our campsite, which we combined with the friends next to us. Our tent-trailer was behind the red umbrella in the picture.

Brandt slept here in the tent below. Not quite as glamorous as the tent trailer, as there was a huge windstorm during the night and his tent wasn't tacked down. I had to go sit in it while he went to the bathroom so that it didn't blow away....I thought it was funny, but I don't think he was quite as amused :).

Gorgeous sunsets, though!!!

November means Marine Corps Ball, so we headed out to the Harrah's Casino for the 11th MEU's ball. It's fun getting all dressed up, and I love Brandt's "pirate costume" as I call it. We had a great time, although we girls were kind of sad that there will be no 2009 ball for us, as the guys will be at sea. Oh well!

Merry Almost Christmas!!!

It actually feels like winter here in southern California! It's in the 30s or 40s at night sometimes, and highs in the 50s or 60s during the day. Okay, so that's a light winter, but I'm getting to wear some of my winter clothes, so that is fun (most are in storage, but I have a couple of things!).

The family Christmas festivities have begun, as last night was my grandmother's 91st birthday at a British restaurant in Corona Del Mar called Five Crowns. There are carolers who come and sing at the tables, so it is always a hit with the gramma and the kiddos. It's a fun way to celebrate my gramma, and an annual tradition for many years. Yay for a wonderful gramma who is so cheerful and enthusiastic!

My parents arrived on Thursday, so my mom is racing around buying presents since she doesn't bring too many with her. The family Christmas Eve party will be at my gramma's again, then we'll do Christmas with my sister's inlaws on Saturday. Everything is spaced out this year over the whole week; in years past it's been 3 days in a row, so the less-than-frenzied pace is a welcome change.

I'm working the next 2 days, which is kind of a bummer, but I need the funds, so I'm game. Then I'll have 5 days off, and since I set my own schedule anyway, I really can't complain!!

I took the kiddos shopping for Toys for Tots last week (they each got a $10 bill to spend & I kicked in a little extra), and hopefully tomorrow afternoon we can go drop off their treasures. It was fun watching them pick out presents for other children. All 3 kids (even the 4 year old who wanted everything for herself) picked out great gifts and seemed to truly understand how important it is for us to share our resources and blessings with children who will have very little to open this Christmas, if anything at all.

I dropped B off at LAX last night for a red-eye to Tallahassee so that he can see his Dad & Stepmom & Sister & Brother in Law & Niece for Christmas. I know they will have a great time...I wish that I were there!!! They are all a great family and I love spending time with them. Brandt will enjoy relaxing and sleeping in!! Since he won't be around for the holidays next year, we spent Thanksgiving with his mom & stepdad and now he has Christmas in FL, so he is getting in lots of great family memories.

This is Brandt sleeping in the car on the way up to Monterey for Thanksgiving....it was supposed to be a 7-8 hour drive, but it ended up taking us FOURTEEN. We had to pull over twice to sleep in the car. That's what we get for leaving at 4 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and attempting to drive THROUGH Los Angeles. Big mistake. We finally got there at 6 a.m. and B had to write a paper for his class....lovely. But the rest of the weekend was delightful!

B's shipboard deployment is likely pushed back to September 09 from July 09, so I'm happy about that! More time for us to enjoy together before he leaves!!!

I hope that all (well, really both) of you who read this have a wonderful Christmas!!!

Happy December!

Isn't it fun that it is December, and the whole world is preparing to celebrate Jesus' birthday?  I love this time of year, and it is great to spend the ENTIRE month with my family, instead of just a few days.  However, I must admit, I am missing DC, because this is a wonderful time of year there (winter is just setting in and not depressing yet...plus everything looks pretty!).  But I am appreciating the fact that it's 70 degrees here, not 15 like DC!  Blessings!!!

I am flying solo these days, as Brandt is gone for 2 weeks at sea until Friday.  That just means more time for me to get together with friends.  I'm having a Present Wrapping Party on Wednesday night with some San Diego friends, which will be great (thank you, Real Simple, for the idea!).  I'm plugging away  at the shopping, and have ma

de some great progress.  Only about 5 more to go.

Things have been great here; I have a job now, so that is a HUGE weight off of my shoulders.  My boss is a Christian, so we pray every morning before we start plugging away at work.  He's a solo attorney who does only Child Support Enforcement, meaning that we go after dads (mainly) who have not paid child support in years and make them pay.  It's difficult yet rewarding, and I'm learning so much.  Plus in this economy, I am just grateful to have an income!!!

Here's some pictures from our high school reunion--such a wonderful time to reconnect!!!

Upcoming Florida weekend!

Well, posting pictures really isn't as easy as it seems.  I have a hard time getting them to line up with words, and even to stay in the post at all!!!

But anyway, coming up next weekend is my high school 10-year reunion.  It will be so wonderful to catch up with my sweet friends from my lovely formative years of braces & colored jeans.  B is coming with me to St. Pete and I can't wait to show him Northside and introduce him to everyone.  He has no idea what he's in for!!!

We'll be going up to Monterey to his mom's for Thanksgiving, so this is our one fall Florida trip this year.  It will be short, but oh so great!!!  My friend Polly has done a wonderful job planning everything, and I know it will be special times.

This picture is of me with my friend Lesley from our DC Bible study.  Their wedding was in Tehachapi, CA, in August, so we were able to make the drive up and see the wonderful celebration!!!  

Pictures, FInally!!

I'm so bad about updating this blog!!!  But anyway, things are going great in California.  I'm still job hunting, which is enormously frustrating yet wonderfully educational in growing in my faith and trust in the Lord and His timing.  So for now, I am looking around (not as diligently as I should, but still looking!) and enjoying quality time with my family.

Aside from my dear 

friends and coworkers, the thing I miss most about DC is public transportation!!!  Don't Californians realize that driving everywhere is a pain, when they could just take the train???  Unfortunately the train runs at inconvenient hours, but I managed to take it to downtown San Diego & back today for an interview.  It worked out great and was so relaxing!!!  Plus no miles on my car or $3.50/gallon for gas!!!

Here are some pictures from the last 2 months...they're on facebook

 too, though, so you might have seen them already!!!

My dad and me at the USS Midway aircraft carrier.  Brandt & I took my mom & dad there to honor dad's 80th birthday!!!!  He sure doesn't seem that old!!!

B & me at on the flight deck of the carrier.  

Catch Up Time!

Sadly, I still have no pictures for you, because my computer is not hooked up to the internet from my house, nor have I added pictures from my camera to my computer.  Technologically, I'm a mess!!  But I am in California now, loving being at my sister's and getting used to the fact that the weather is beautiful ALL the time!!!

I'm still on the job hunt...I went to an interview for a job I wanted, but no luck on that.  This is a great time for me to grow in my faith that the Lord will place me in the perfect place, I just need to wait on His timing for that to happen.  I am finally getting serious about looking...until now, I've been playing way too much!!

The kiddos are so cute.  L just started 4th grade (time flies!), M is in 2nd, and A is a preschooler who is so anxious to go to big school.  She turns 4 on Wednesday.

B is liking his job and staying busy....we are making a few friends and loving spending time with my family.  We have 2 little nephews who are just adorable, so that is fun!