Today is my birthday!

Happy birthday to me! I don't know why it is, but I love birthdays! They don't even have to be mine. I love wrapping paper, ice cream, candles, funfetti cake, people in a good mood. I love all of it! And this year is no exception. My mom has been sending me a card everyday for the last three days counting down. My in-laws have both called me this morning. My little brother called me from 1st period! I'm meeting Rob at Subway for birthday lunch and we'll have dinner at Chapel tonight. I remember when I was little and had joint birthday parties with my sister. I loved getting to put on my new dress and party hat. We would have one of those big cheesey cakes with lots of icing (the one thing i don't like) that you get at Sam's Club. All of our family from both sides would come and stay for hours. It was always very exciting!
I'm so happy that we are coming home soon! It will be so nice to spend time away from here. From our house, from this office, from California in general! We can't wait to see Mae and all of her new fun tricks! I hear she can clap and give high five. It will be so much fun to have her here this year to watch and play with! Only 16 more days!!!

Funfetti cake time!!!!

tomorrow i will have been alive and kickin' for 22 years! that's very strange to me. i got my present from rob early this year (like every year) and was so excited! it is a gorgeous antique silver tea set and tray. i was so happy i cleaned off my dining table to make room for it! he even polished it for me. we have tree lighting this sunday and then next week we will be in Tahoe! and the week after that we will be home!!!! december is going by very fast, and i like it.

fun with dan and wanda

that would be Chaplain (LTC) Minjares and his lovely wife. they held a Christmas reception in their home this afternoon for the Unit Ministery Team. i won't lie, it was awkward at first but everyone ended up talking and eating and having a great time together. it is always nice to see the installation commander out of uniform and able to socialize with everyone like she's just a regular person, when in the military world she is the very top of the chain on this base. it's always nice to meet the higher-ups in an informal setting like that. it makes you realize that they are people, which sounds stupid, but it's easy to forget that they are real live people and not just ranks. i think that rob and i have been very blessed in a lot of subtle ways with this job and one of them would be that rob has gotten to meet alot of higher-ups, at least in the army, that he wouldn't have met otherwise. being able to meet people from the c-3 to the installation chaplain, the commanding officer to the installation commander. it's not anything that will mean anything for rob's immediate job or rank, but i think that it is always really important to have this sort of experience for the future. i also think that being in the place has given me alot of great information on the role of the wife. my very new, and very good friend Arlena is teaching me alot about the different ways to get involved and get information that you may need on base. my friend Jodi (& Arlena) shows me the way of an officer's wife, and what's expected of them as well as where to draw the line and not abuse your husband's rank. these women, and many more, seem to almost be grooming me to what i should be if Rob does choose to go to OTS. they are showing me the ropes of how to be the 'grown-up' wife as opposed to the younger, less structered wife that alot of new, young military wives reflect. i am very fortunate that i have had the opportunity to watch these women and learn from them.

Tis the Season

Thanksgiving is over and behind us and now we move forth (or are shoved, I can't decide) toward Christmas. This time of year is always a blur to me. I think that with work this year may be worse. I have five seperate engagements next month and Rob and I are talking about going to Tahoe to celebrate my birthday and our Christmas. That means that the 15-17 we are in Tahoe, and come back to Monterey only to leave the 21st for Ft. Worth. Speaking of the birthday... I turn 22 in 10 days. As busy I have been lately it feels like it is sneaking up on me. I should circle it on my calendar or something so I don't forget it!
Mom tells me Mae is army crawling like a pro these days! She'll be walking by the time we get there!! (not really) She is very talented though. She pulled herself up onto the edge of the table. That's brilliant for a 7 month old! I can't believe she is 7 months old. And will be 8 when we see her! She's growing so fast. I have baby, baby pictures of her I was looking at last night and it was so amazing to see how much she has changed in the past 7 months. We can't wait to come home and see her, and if everyone else is there, I guess we'll see them too... 24 more days!!

are you kidding me?

There was a letter to the editor in the Monterey Herald titled "Get the Military Out" that is blowing everyone's mind around here. Apparently some moron woman wrote in saying that DLI is just a conspiracy to cover up that it really is a place where the FBI is training men and women to kill other people. (are you kidding me?) And that Ft. Ord and POM are tricks by the government to buy up all of the land out here to make it so the military members are the only ones who can afford to live out here. (again, are you kidding me?) Sincerely, moron woman

Well I would like to use this to reply to Ms. Moron.
Let me start off by saying that your letter did not have one ounce of truth to it. It is obvious to me that you have never seen past the gate of POM. If you ever did manage to slip in, you would notice that there are no firing ranges, no grenade training, no anything cool like that. It is a school, you blubbering idiot. The FBI is an organization that can be described as the top police of the country. They do not care what is going on at DLI. They have very little to do with our military. Especially, the military out here. As far as your second rambling, there is nothing I would like better than to pack up and move. I would give up most of my possessions to tell you and all of the people like you to kiss me between the back pockets as I drive out of town, but right now my husband has a job to do. Never mind that the job he is doing will probably take him away from me very soon so that he can go and fight to protect your dumb butt. Lets just forget for a second that people like my husband train and train hard while they are in a school like this so that one day they can spend at least 10 hours of their day every single day working to make sure that we are safe. And that this is a 24/7 job. Do you think that I am bitter when people like you start running your mouth without taking into consideration all of these things? You better believe it sister. We miss holidays, birthdays, anniversarys, ball games, and family gatherings all the time so that you have the liberty to say ignorant things that critcize my husband and our friends. With all of that out of mind for a sec, I will simply point out the fact that we are not millionares. While you sit writing your huffy-puffy letter in your 2.5 million dollar home, we sit over in Seaside making an E-5 paycheck stretch as far as it can possibly go. And we are the only ones who can afford this place? Military members shop in special stores like the Commisary, because groceries at Albertsons are too damn expensive. Yes, Monterey is beautiful, but what is the point when we can't spare the money to buy gas to go and see all of these beautiful things? Lady, let me close with this: the day that we get to pack our house and say goodbye to this place forever will be one of the greatest days of my life. Not because it is so expensive. Not because it isn't beautiful. But because we will finally be rid of a city that is so chocked full of their own self righteous beliefs that they can't see that these are real people that are fighting, and these are real people that are dying, and these are real family members left behind. So when you go and rest your little head in your safe and comfy bed tonight I hope you can't get out of your mind the picture of men and women over seas standing gaurd, sleeping on cots, and getting shot at every day just to make sure you feel safe writing hate mail from your dining room.
Sincerely, Proud USAF Wife

Six kicks.... bottom

In six weeks from today, at 12:30 to be exact, Rob and I are headed home! In ten months, 3 weeks and 4 days we will be leaving California for good! We have already been out here for over six months of a year and a half tour! That is worth celebrating. If only we knew where to after San Angelo... And for the last bit of information, I will be 22 in 27 days. That, my friends, is crazy.

They wouldn't be walkin' in Texas...

I took these pictures this morning outside the Chapel. Every single stinkin' morning there are close to ten gigantic wild turkeys gobble-gobblin' on our front steps. I told Inge, our secretary, 'They wouldn't be walking around this close to Thanksgiving where I come from!" I tell you, if I had the stomach to defeather one of these beasts I'd save myself a good $20 or $30! I guess I'll stick with the ones Alberston's or the Commisary provide free of feathers. And it's not just the turkeys. The deer back home made it a point to get across the street quick, fast and in a hurry. Not here. These deer are huge and will stand in the road and stare you down. They dare you to hit them. They'd probably find an enviro lawyer and end up driving your car off. Crazy Californians...
Six weeks until the homecoming!!!

Yeah, she's adorable!

"The Lord is a Geek."

Words of wisdom from the younger Drew Denham. My little brother is so funny. Not always in the 'haha' way, but always funny. Right now he's totally into the guitar. He's a total rock star! Which is really funny, because we should have seen it coming. There is a video of my chubby brother strumming a plastic guitar and singing 'Don't break my hort. My aachee breaaakeee hort. I jus don't thank he'll understand.' from years ago!
I was sitting in my office today thinking about what to put up on the Chaplain's bulletin board for Thanksgiving. I decided on a large cornacopia and in yellow cursive 'Give Thanks'. It looks very nice, but it immediately brought my little brother to mind. I love that kid. I am so thankful, looking back, that I had him growning up. He was so funny as a little boy. It's weird to think that he'll graduate next year (God willing). He seems like a whole different person when we go home now. Not quite a grown up, but definitely not my chubby baby brother. So I thought I would give him these words.
Little brother, I love you
and I always will.
Even though you're a freaking giant,
your my little brother still.
Although we are states away now,
And it seems like I am so far,
Call me if you need me
And I'll be there by plane,
By bus, or car.

LOVE YOU DREW!!

November : )

Today is November 1st! It is almost magical. It means light in the night is over (which was a big success, by the way) and we can creep slowly into Angel Tree and Tree Lighting. It also means there are only seven weeks until Christmas and Rob and I coming home. It feels weird to think that I will have been away from Texas for six months! And Rob hasn't been home since Maelie was born and that will be like 8 months! I can't tell you how excited we are to be coming home! We miss family. It's going to be a crazy between mom and terry and going to Oklahoma to see Rob's aunt and uncle, but it's nothing we aren't used to. It would be nice if they were closer, but where's the challenge in that?! It's a 26 hour drive from Monterey to Fort Worth, another 50 minutes from my mom's house to his mom's house and about a 3 1/2 hour drive to his aunt's house, and of course another 26 hour drive back to Monterey. And this is all in about 13 days.
Bring on the Holidays!!

Light in the Night

Right now I have clocked more hours doing tiny, little-bitty things for our fall festival than pretty much anything else. It's almost, almost ridiculous. Right now i'm taking a lunch from painting Bible verses on butcher paper. It's not a glamourous job for sure. I have to wonder why God put me in this position. I thought, 'hmm, i must not have gotten the children's position, because i've spent my life around kids and there isn't really a lot 'new' i can learn in that position. Maybe i got this position so i'll be ready if and when i get to open the bakery.' But really I'm clueless. This job has given me nothing but grief since the week I started. Between people trying to boss me all over the place and being told that I'm basically a moron, I haven't found the joy I was hoping for. So I go back to the trusty question of 'what God?' What does He want me to gain from this, if anything. If I am here strictly to act as a jumping point for someone else to learn from I sure don't get it. Right now the only thing I do know is that God is in control and eventually He will tell me something.

I also spent last night making fried chicken (coated, not crispy) and potato salad for Spc Brown's family, because his grandfather's memorial service is tomorrow. Let me tell you... good stuff!

Military Wives are Funny!

Some military wives are angry and bitter though. I was just introduced to SpouseBUZZ.com and read a really funny blog about how this Marine wife feels like an animal in the zoo. People always asking the "Is her spouse deployed?""When will he return?""Is it hard?" type of questions. This woman clearly has a sense of humor about the whole thing that is keeping her spirits a float, but the responses were even funnier! Some MilSpouses are just bitter! And I can say that, because I know there have been times and will be plenty more when the military tries to screw us, but it was very funny to see the way different women are handling there emotions.
I was at a party last Friday with a group of military wives from Chapel. It was probably the funnest thing I've been able to do in a long while. Hearing their stories about kids and dealing with kids while their husbands were deployed and dealing with finances while there husbands were gone. They all had a great sense of humor, like ' I knew what I was getting into, so there is no point in being bitter. Just laugh it off' and we did. I think that it's hard for civilians (funny to hear me call you a civilian, huh?), even those somehow connected to the military, to understand. These people that I just met on Friday and spent a few hours with felt like instant family and life long friends. It is just how it has to be. My sister was telling me how nice it has been to have mom there to help out with Maelie, and how it would be really hard to do it without her, but rest easy. In this life, we all become family very quickly. I could run through a list of people I have known less than 6 months here that I wouldn't think twice about intrusting something to.
Do I miss my family? You better believe it! But it's nice to know that in this life my new 'family' is growing and no matter where we go next it will only continue to grow.

Is it Christmas yet?

I'm sitting here listening to Brad Paisley's Christmas CD that I bought at Target last night. I have yet to find a time where it is inappropriate to listen to Christmas time (or Brad Paisley for that matter, the boy is just too stinkin' good looking). I don't know what it is about the simple verses and melodies, but Christmas music is always soothing to me. I listen to it year round. I think it reminds me of home. Being little and having bacon and eggs for dinner with my family on Christmas Eve, waking up early to see what Santa brought, getting everything loaded and getting dressed to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Even if I knew that meant I was going to have to deal with some pretty awful cousins : ) it still seems like such a happy time to me. I miss that time as an adult. I miss the smells and the lights and all of the hullaballoo that stressed out our parents. It makes me want my own kids to stress over. I don't think that Christmas is about presents, but I think it is about being together as a family and making memories together. I think that is probably pleasing to God.
"Be near me Lord Jesus. I ask thee to stay close by me forever and love me I pray. Bless all of the dear children in our tender care, and take us to Heaven to live with the there."

life with Brown

Spc. Brown and I took a tour of the Chapel today. It is such a cool building! the baptism pool is huge! and there are all of these secret rooms and walk ways. There is a giant organ in the balocony that was imported from Germany in the 50s. It was a very cool insider's view. I have to go to legal tomorrow to clear the air around my contract and make sure all is on the up and up.
I miss the simple times when Mae and Em were here! Em I hope you are doing okay after the crash. That sucks big. Too bad it wasn't the 'stang!
Hope all is well!

M is for Maelie!

Tomorrow!!! Tomorrow my Maelie comes to California for her first visit! We are so excited! I can't wait to pick them up tomorrow. It is going to be such a fun time. I have been so busy with the whole two jobs thing that Rob has had to pick up a lot of the extra slack around the house. He finished the guest room the other day and is going to make the kitchen shine this afternoon and I will take over after wednesday night dinner and couple's class. It is going so fast!!! I am just so very excited.

I know where she went!

This morning, actually about 15 minutes ago, I resigned as Librarian of this place to become the Protestant Perish Coordinator of Chapel. I am so excited. It is a much bigger job in every way. I will be going in today after my time in the library to see if my office is ready (I get my own office!)
I am so very excited, because at this time on Thursday my Maelie will be here! (She's bringing her mom too I think) I can't wait to see them! We don't have a lot planned, because we need to see what mood she'll be in each day, but just having her around will be great! We have to go and pick up her crib from Target today and get their room cleaned up. Right now it's acting as our second closet. I am just so excited about all of the things God is blessing us with right now. It is all moving so fast, but in that really cool way where everything is going good!
more later.

Don't stop believing

for starters, you guys suck at contests.
for seconds, it is a very stressful time in the life of Kasey. I'm not even going to go into details. Details are usually boring. Lets just say it has to do with three golf balls and a blow up sheep.
I am under going some serious thought. But I keep singing that Journey song and it always make me think... Page 5000 is printing right now from a contract I'm supposed to have filled out by 4:30 this afternoon. Yeah, my clock says 7:25p.m. too. Whoops. Don't stop believin' She's just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely wooorld, she took a midnight train goin' anywhere... don't stop believin
I'll keep you posted as to where it is she actually goes.

a contest if you will

Rob and I have had the greatest weekend ever! We spent all saturday watching scrubs and being lazy, went to chapel today, and then to salinas to see Ron White! it was hilarious. we had a great time.

now on to business. i'm thinking of a cutesy but not over the top slogan/sign for kaseypie's. anyone interested in throwing in some ideas can post them here or email me. last week i sold 11 cookies. i sold them 2 for a dollar and had to split rofit with the lady that runs the cafe so i only brought home $2.75, but hey, 11 cookies is the most i have ever sold! we've put the bakery plans on hold for a while, but if everything goes according to prayer, my new job will allow me to do the farmer's market which could open up doors here on the west coast. (i like to make it sound like i'm not selling it to a town of 500 people, but an entire coast line) plus i just watched a documentary on sam walton. very motivating. not a great 'family man' but very wealthy. and lets face it, his kids forgave him for never taking them to the park when he died and gave them billions of dollars. it's a happy story for all involved.
i may never be sam walton, mostly because i don't want my kids to resent me, but i would still like to do something that i love for the rest of my life and be great at it. i guess we'll just have to see.

Labor day!

It's been a while since my last post. And sadly, not much has happened that's exciting enough to remember. there was a bad headache, the discovery of a great home made mac and cheese recipie, a few couples classes, and work. not a lot though.
This weekend was fun though. we went camping in big sur on friday, right on the ocean with jon and mary. then we spent sunday morning at chapel and then went to the commisary and costco and alberston's (i hate when i forget something and have to go to a different grocery store after i just left one!). and we ended up having cereal for dinner, go figure! then today we went to our friends the Hyde's house and spent the whole afternoon there playing with them adn their four kids. tomorrow rob has to go pay a speeding ticket and i am driving jon and mary to san fran to catch a flight to canada. then lunch with robbie and an evening with the two smaller Hyde children. very busy weekend to a very boring week. more later.

So very tired

This week has been so very tiring. The kids are so wild. Discipline is obviously not part of the Californian vocab. I had a 1st grade class that was just a beating. Then recess duty makes me some what suicidal on a daily basis.
But I took Rob to see my library this week and it kinda made it feel better. I guess just being able to show him where I am and what I've been doing makes me feel like I have his support and appreciation. But it was a long, long week. I went to bed at 10 last night and then took a 3 hour nap today. Hopefully it will get better as time goes on. I have a three day weekend coming up in Sept. and two weeks off in Oct. and Em and Mae are coming to see the place! I can't wait to have them out. I told Em on Friday, I just want to come home. I'm so worn out here physically and emotionally. the people are mean. they are just so absent mindedly ugly and arrogant, and liberal! God bless the south and all who live there. (Texas is technically considered southwest, but I think that only starts when you head towards El paso. On the louisiana side it can be considered "south") I cant wait to return. Do you know how long it's been since i've seen rain? real rain? it's been a long time. it doesn't rain here. it fogs. because we are so close to the ocean moisture doesn't build up enough to rain. so it fogs.
Well I could list a thousand things I miss, but it will only make me yearn for home so i won't.
the end.

Whiz Kid

So today is going ok. No classes in the library on Monday. I go to lunch duty, then to upper recess. Nothing exciting. Then lower playground duty. This is the time 1st and 2nd graders get to play on the little kids play ground. The 'rules' are pretty strict and the kids are never allowed behind the portables. Today I saw one boy sneaking back there. I followed him, and there he stood, a steady flow of urine right in front of him! He was shocked, I was shocked! The bathroom is about 20 steps up. Not good enough. It was hilarious. The other playground monitor and I had to keep a straight face while we explained that he is never to go pee anywhere but in the bathroom. It was so funny.

L is for Laundry

HaHa Robbie!
Rob and I have a contest going on to see who can lose more weight/inches per week. I stomped him this week and my prize is that he has to do all of the laundry all week! and i've been saving up! I'm really excited for us though. together we've lost 15.2 lbs and 10 inches! that's like me when i was born! we've been rollerblading... i know... 1994. and at first we really sucked. well, i really sucked. i couldn't stop on my own so i got creative and used the combination of the tree in the front yard and my face. but now we're going to this long straight road on old base and it's alot of fun and really hard work. apparently i was more athletic as an 8 year old. who knew?! next time you see me... i'll be stuffing my face with fudge at the Cmas table. but i'll be taking up less space.
work is going well. we have heard that the gaurd co. on base is looking to hire civilians for $20/hr. and i would love to be the base greeter! "hi welcome to base! have a good morning!" but it isn't a promising schedule so we'll see. you can't beat weekends and holidays gauranteed off.

My quilt

Randy, I'm sorry about this, but it's a sad topic.

One of my most prized possessions (probably #2 to my wedding ring) is a mismatched red, pink, brown, stripey, polka dotted, well loved and hand made quilt I got before my 5th birthday from my great grandmother. Mamaw Riddlehoover gave these socially hideous quilts out one about a year before she passed away. None of the quilts I've seen have a color pattern, or a pattern of any sort, but every one of them is treasured and loved. Even Rob, who is fairly new to my life, knows there is something very special about my quilt. He doesn't know the story of how I remember standing on her porch when it was handed to me, he doesn't really understand why when I'm sick or scared this quilt brings me so much comfort.
Sadly there isn't much I remember about my Mamaw. I don't remember how much I loved her or how often I saw her in my five years of life. But I do know that she gave me this quilt and it is an enormous help through tough times of sick or sadness.
Like I said, my quilt is a variety of colors that range from red to pink, brown to black, and just about everything in between. On the orignal backing it read "Kasey 1989" in my great grandmother's handwriting. For some unknown reason, my quilt out of everyone's had a little something extra in it as well. Two old pennies. The dates weren't of particular interest to me. I don't really know why they ended up tucked in my quilt. But they have always been there. Two plus years ago my Grandma lovingly resewed my quilt, because it had become tattered from all the nights I had slept with it. Grandma assured me that she cut out the "Kasey 1989" from the quilt and had resewn it in the middle and then covered it with the new back. She also carefully replaced my two pennies into the side of the quilt. I wash my quilt every so often, because Grandma said that I should or it would wear faster.
Tonight I curled up in my big bed in my far away house to watch shark week and of course pulled my quilt around me. And there it was. A small tear. It was no bigger than 1.5 cm, but I could see the edge of an old penny. As I felt down the side of my quilt for the other penny I found another small tear at the opposite end. My 2nd penny is gone. My heart hurts right now for my lost penny. I know that sounds silly, but it was something I have had special for most of my life. And when I was younger I would feel around in my quilt for my pennies to hold onto or to rub when I was scared. I know that I am lucky to have spotted the tear before my final penny fell out, but I can't stop the feelings of sadness.
I will find my sewing needle and patch the small holes. And I will make a special new pocket for my penny out of new, thicker material. Maybe then all will be right in the world again.
I just hope that my Mamaw can see how special this quilt is to me. I hope she knows that I love it very much and am so thankful that she cared enough to give it to me. I hope that my handy work makes her proud.
I wish everyone had something that they treasure as much as I do my quilt. It is such a wonderful constant in my life and I hope that one day it will serve the same purpose for my children. I pray that when I tell them the story of the ugly quilt they will see the same beauty I do, and love it just as much.

a day in the life of a librarian...

pretty boring.
today was the first day of work. I am pretty sure my boss is crazy. he has absolutely no idea what goes on in the library. plus he made a schedule and forgot to add a lunch for me! he was like 'oh. hmm. i'll move stuff around." what?! but i was outta there at 12:30 and am free and clear for the day. it's going to be an easy week.
For Randy:
What happens to cows during earthquakes?

They give milk shakes!

back to school, back to school

tomorrow is the big day! i'm not overly thrilled, but i'm sure it will be fine. I'll keep you updated.
kasey the librarian strikes again...

For Randy:
Why did the picture go to jail?

it was framed!

a lazy day!

Today is going to be a very lazy day! Just chilling out and watching some chick flicks. I am very excited about it. I think we are going camping this weekend with jon and mary. it's really, really foggy out today all down the state coast (or so i'm told) so it dramatically drops temps. down. I think we are aiming for a high of 70 today. so i don't know what the weather will be in big sur if we go there to camp.
I should probably get ready for my big line up.
I think it will be: Serendipity, Steel Magnolias, 13 going on 30 and maybe some You've Got Mail to round out the day before Rob gets home. Sounds like a good day to me.
For Randy:
What happens when you eat yeast and shoe polish?

You rise and shine!

ho hum

Today is a busy day in a ho hum way. I slept in, go figure, then made a batch of cookies, met rob for lunch, found out I made $3 (wahoo!), went to Borders, spent an hour in the kids' section brushing up on what's the best, two little sisters (a 6th grader & a 4th grader) helped me know what is cool to 'big kids', (did you know that they read The Giver in 5th grade here? I read that book in 8th and was scarred for life) and then came home to a mess because the dogs found some paper towels, and now i sit. Tomorrow I meet with Principal Nelson to go over budget and supplies and what exactly i'm supposed to be doing. always a handy to-know tip.
I'm excited to start work though. I don't really know how this is going to work out, being the only librarian and all. that strikes me as funny. we'll see.
This is going to be a busy rest of week though. i have two seperate meetings tomorrow, friday i go to change my ss card (still says Denham, whoops), go to the dr to have blood taken, go to sheriffs office and get fingerprints, and then i think we are meeting jon and mary and going camping. and work starts monday. whew.
For Randy:
What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
frostbite.

homecoming

back in monterey today. the weather is beautiful. i think we are going to go see click, or go lay on the beach for a while.
I miss you maelie!!! hands down, she is the cutest thing i have ever seen. i love her little gummy grins and her affair with stevie the tv is hilarious. it was nice to get to see everybody, but i felt really busy all week. so, i guess it's nice to be home again where i can slow down and get a nap in. I know i could have there, but that kid is like crack. i didn't want to miss a second with her! i hope she and emily really do come out in october. a) i would love em to see the place and b) i would love for rob to get to see the baby! three more months.
For Randy:
a guy sits down at the bar after a long day and sees a bowl of peanuts sitting there. all of a sudden the peanuts come alive with things like "hey, I like your pants!" "New haircut? looks good!" "Have you lost weight?!" the guy starts feeling a little better and says "hey bartender, what's the deal with these peanuts?" and the bartender says "their complimentary." (does that help?)

TGIF?

It is a bitter sweet symphony.
Today is Friday. A) I get to see Rob's smiling face tomorrow after 6 days apart. and I get to go back to cold monterey! 65 degrees year round. that sounds nice on a day where it looks like it's going to be 108.
but B) it's my last day here and that means no more maelie for three whole months. she's in striped p.j.s right now so she looks like cindy lou who from who-ville! it has been so much fun getting to be around her and see her face smile and yawn. she's been so good too! yesterday she rolled over for the first time from her back to her tummy. it was a struggle, but she is very smart and pushed through it. I'm so crazy about her little face.
But at least I will see her in three months and not six like we were thinking. I know uncle rob will be very excited to see her again. he talks about her all the time. it's safe to say she is/will be spoiled.
A) i miss rob and the puppies and it will be nice to be in my house again and to be living out of the dryer instead of a suitcase (i'm not great with laundry). all in due time.

I have arrived!

I made it!! It's 3 a.m. and i'm about to have Mac and Cheese with my brother. I had to offer to make it for him so that he wouldn't sneak out the window and go to whataburger. more tomorrow... or today... ugh.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow!

alright, who didn't see that one coming?
Today has been busy, espec. for a saturday. we went on base to try to take the rob to the dr. That didn't pan out. so we took fresh cookies to the cafe, and found out (dumdadadum!) I sold twelve cookies! twelve of them! I made $5.50 this week! That's $4.50 I made more than last week! It's like i'm a household name now! i'm a cookie celebrity. you'll see my behind the scene story on VH1 in no time. "I used to bake a couple dozen a day, until I got hooked on brown sugar. After a stint in rehab, I can say I'm totally clean and can now bake without temptation. Don't think don't think about it... It's an everyday battle." I can see it now.


I GO HOME TOMORROW!!!!!!

hey hey hey!

Bill Cosby is 69 years old. and still very funny. except when he takesthe long pauses. i think that used to be part of the act, now it's a part of life.
we had a great time, except that the lady sitting next to rob caused hearing loss and some brain damage with her super obnoxious and incredibly loud laugh.
but when she shut up and we actually heard the jokes, it was very funny stuff.

2 legit.

Two more days!!!!!!!! i see my maelie in two more days!!!!!
tonight we're going to Bill Cosby. I'm so excited, having grown up wih the Huckstables. I've got my dress and shoes all ready to go!! and i'm pretty much packed for Ft. Worth too! I went shopping today to pick up a few things since it is so monkey hot there right now, and it's probably 60 here right now and windy and foggy and misty.
Jon and Mary are coming over for game night tomorrow and then church and then San Fran and I'm home! I can't wait!

attention class

so it's official! I am Foothill Elementary's new librarian. I'm very excited about it. I'll be the only librarian so the library is basically my classroom and i've been given permission to do with it as i see fit. how funny is that?! I can't wait. it's only half day and that is great! that means on tuesdays i can still do farmer's market! how great is this?! all praise be to God.

4 and auglug-ing!

i go home in 4, count 'em, 4 days! i can't wait!! i have a whole list of things to do!
Sunday- get in at midnight; go to mom's and go to sleep
Monday- prob. lunch with dad at Logan's; hang out with Maelie; maybe see the in-laws
Tuesday- hang out with maelie; have chick-fil-a; dinner at macaroni grill with Yo; more Mae
Wednesday- Hang out with Maelie; have taco bueno; eat mi hac; more Mae
Thursday- hang out with Maelie; eat chicken express; more Mae; more Mi Hac; Mae again
Friday- pack up : ( ; hang out with Maelie; eat chick-fil-a again; dinner party with the family
Saturday- get to DFW early morning; fly back to my Rob; watch some raymond

it's a very busy week! i'm very excited about it! I can't wait!
i'm watching Al Roker right now and he's saying the high in TX is going to be at least 95 today... we're hoping to break 65.

5 mwahahaha!

it has been the busiest day i have had in big CA. i hit the ground running at 5:30 this morning with rob and am just now sitting down at home. I had a 7:45 dr. appointment this morning that lasted until 9! and then i had to speed to alberstons to buy hose to wear (changed in their bathroom~gross) to an interview i had at 10 to be, get this, a librarian at an elementary school! that went well, i think. i was out of there buy 11 and had enough time to swing by home and change into jeans, let the dogs out, and grab some cookies i made for rob's class before i was off again to meet him for lunch with jon and mary. from there i stopped by the church and chatted with the preacher for about thirty minutes and then off to walgreens to fill a rx from the dr.s this morning. bring on dr. phil, because i could use an hour to stretch out on the couch and watch a large, bald man fix other people's problems in thirty minutes or less. i wonder if he flies his guests out or they come on their own dollar only to be told some crazy backwoods southern expression from a man that lives in L.A.? What true good ol' boy would ever reside in LA?
Puh-lease. all he's tryin to do is be a pimp in high cotton (words i once heard from a true southern, ah hem, good ol' boy) and live higher on the hog than his daddy did (words from the same southerner).
on a note, not much the same as the last, i get to see the most precious girl in only five short days! my little miss maelie is very excited about the visit too, or so i hear. usually it sounds like "mwaouauo blliahar" but you and i both know that that means " i love my aunt kasey and am very excited to see her pretty face in five days!" that's right, pretty. she loves me.

it's been one week...

who doesn't like the barenaked ladies?
I come home in one week!! i'm so excited! and mae and I get to spend the entire thursday together! i can't wait! i'd get on the plane tomorrow if i could. i mean, you know, it will be sad leaving rob and all. oh i'll be heart broken. what will i do with myself? SPEND TIME WITH MAELIE!!! rob understands he is now second fiddle. really he's fine with it. in fact, i think he prefers that all of my attention go towards her for a change : ) i am so excited! i miss my sister and my brothers! and of course brother matthew. you really don't get the right effect unless you see the mckillip boys together. and not to mention, my other brother matthew that actually has no family tie, but takes up residency at my mother's. and my mom! i can't wait to see my mama! and crazy! and val and nita! and possibly the ran and ash! and the whole of the bradford/rainwater clan! and my yo! and my dad (slash, business partner)! I have a very busy week ahead of me. except thursday. that's my maelie day.
i have to make myself not pack right now. i guess i really could. i don't wear anything that rises above my ankle here. it's too cold. oh Texas heat, how i look forward/dread you!

from both us

i'm sitting in our big red chair with rob watching the sixth season of Raymond. last night we watched almost 3 hours of it! it's such a nice thing to do on such a dreary day. now that we're out of church for the day we are able to relax and hang out. it's cold out and is gray and mistyand the perfect weather for a fire and movie day. actually this weekend has been like this. yesterday i had a tummy ache so we laid on the couch and watched beauty and the beast, aladdin, and then raymond. it's been very cozy and relaxed. i think that we needed that this week. it's been a crazy busy week with school and house work and everything, so it is nice to be able to calm everything down.
two weeks left until i get to see my family! i'm so excited about it. 2 weeks, 14 days, 336 hours, 20160 minutes Maelie! put on your prettiest outfit and biggest bow! tia kasey and tio rob love you very much!

Thank you Mr. Washington!

well you're going to think i have flipped my lid. follow me though.
i went to base today to check and see how the week went cookie wise. I sold two cookies! two of them! granted i only made a dollar from this week, but just think, that's a dollar more than i had! plus, who ever bought them weren't in rob's squad. so two strangers liked my cookies and bought them. the lady said that she thinks it didn't do well because they were hidden on the counter, so next week she'll put them right out in the big fat center and we'll see if that does better. i'm really excited! i sold two of my very own cookies! someone likes my stuff! that's incredible. so included is a picture of my very first dollar (before i frame it : ) ). maybe next week i'll have more to show you...

nothing much

that's pretty much what's going on these days.
i have 17 days until i get to go home!! i'm so excited! i've been walking on the treadmill and watching what's going into my mouth so that i can shed a few lbs before i get home, because i am pretty sure it will be mi hac 3 square meals a day! and chick-fil-a... and freebirds... and mi hac... and chicken express... and mexican inn... and mi hac... and logans... and... do you know how long it has been since i had a reasonably priced GOOD meal?! two months!! living here actually makes me long for san antonio. all the great food everywhere that doesn't cost $35 for a burger. we went to this 'real' italian place and well, it sucked and still cost $30 for lunch!!! can you believe that? and the problem is I Love Food. i'll admit it. i'm a food junkie. i love the way it smells. i don't even have to eat it. i just love good food. and when you leave it, you miss it. the best place around here is Chevy's (20 miles away) and bubba gump shrimp ($30 a plate).
so i have made rob promise me that if i come back as big as a couch he will still love me. he was hesitant, but i think i won him over. i make a good cookie. that's worth sticking around for.

a cookie is an always food!!

who woulda guessed that cookie monster would be bad for my business?!

today is day one. i just got in the door from the java shop on base! i'm going to go back on saturday and see how week one has gone. while i was standing there at least five people were coming in for coffee or leaving with their coffee, so at least i know people really do go in there.

i will say this: base is confusing! my poor, sweet husband tried the best he could to map out the base so that i could find the px on my own, but bless his heart, it was time wasted! he was so sweet this morning and took time to email me a fairly detailed map and two different routes to get to the coffee shop, and i still ended up at the library, twice. parts of the base are barricaded off an it seems like the barricades are different every time i go there, so it's very tricky to find where you need. not to mention, all of the buildings look the exact same! they are all old and painted the same butter yellow.

in the end, rob showed me how to get there and the cookies are now safely resting on a counter begging to be bought! all is well with the world.

No one likes George

poor georgie (our beagle)! he has a long day ahead of him. i had to set straight the people at petsmart because they were dumb and said he didn't have his rabies vaccine. funny, when we took him to a petsmart in vegas two months ago to spend the night at the petshotel he was vaccinated! isn't funny how that works?! so i talked to the vet in san antonio and confirmed that i was right and then called petsmart to let them share in my rightness too. needless to say, george is at the groomers probably being shaved because he has this goo in his hair that won't come out. and at 4 he and little ollie are going to the vet! fun day fo them. i wonder if i could get the vet to give george more sedatives. he's almost out and that's the only way to really get him to do anyting. drug him, and then check his ears. drug him, and then wash his ears. drug him, and then i get a nap too. (not really, well except that we do drug him to check his ears out b/c he hates it. we have the pills b/c we drove 26 hours to get here so get off the phone with aspca)

mae

today was nice. i was able to get a lot accomplished today before rob got home. then we went to see The Lake House. it was good. the first is kinda lame, but what do you expect? over all i liked it very much. then we went to california pizza kitchen (one of rob's favorite spots) and had pizza. mine was santa fe chicken. not exactly the pizza you'd think. there wasn't even sauce on it. but it wasn't bad.
do you ever have days where it's just kinda blah. lately i've accumulated quite the collection of these days. i think i am just so ready to come home. i miss my family so much on days like this. i think back to the week we got to spend together before we moved out here. i cherish that week. i miss my sister and brothers. i miss my mom even though i saw her a short time ago. and mostly i miss maelie. i feel like i miss her more each day. and i barely know her. i guess i just always thought that when the day came for me to be an aunt, i would actually be there to be a support for my sister, and even more to be there to see my niece or nephew grow. i think about that week we shared together and how much she has grown since i last held her. i see her pictures and it lights my entire day. she's gotten so big. i hope one day i can be in her life like i want to be, and her brothers and sisters. i hope one day she'll have the same fond memories of times she spent with me like i do of my own aunt. emily tell her that i love her everyday and i will see her soon. i miss you guys.

In the beginning...

The ball is finally in motion! i say finally, but really this process has come to a start after what, a month?! i took a box of cookies to base yesterday and made my very first business deal! the little Korean lady that runs the java shop has ordered 2 dozen choc. chip cookies for monday! it is a small order and even smaller profits, but praise God, it is really happening! Rob took cookies to class today to try to pimp them to the snack shop in his building, but more to his classmates. (i thought that it was funny that i'm so okay with Rob pimping out his own wife) i just got off the phone with the landlady. i need her permission to have the health department okay me to run a bakery from a residency. i was dreading the phone call. if she said no then it was all over. but, again praise God, she agreed. she said as long as all liability falls squarely on me rather than her, the owner of the property. so i am now free and clear to contact the health department and once they okay me i can turn in my small business application and then i will be ready for any nonsense on base, the farmers market, and drum roll please,.... the coffee shop. yes the same coffee shop. we went in yesterday and asked what was said or if there was any feedback and the manager on duty said 16 of the cookies were eaten (one of the boys there ate it in front of me and said "these are delicious!", but what else could he say to my face...) and that 'Debbie' really wanted to get in contact with me so i left another business card. i feel like i'm caught in a whirlwind! it's all very exciting and nerve racking!
whew!
amen.

Go to the mattresses!

okay. cheesy. get past that. i have finally gotten to the point that i will do what it takes to beat out ANY competition. not all of them ( yet). but some one will fold. and when they do kaseypie's will step in and claw it's way to recognition. you find me a merchant that has a vendor, but shows the slightest sign of discontent, and i will beat the bottom line of that vendor and dance all through the streets to the bank, even if it's with a $5 profit! i know my stuff is pretty good, i just need an opening, and then i will make my break. i know it's coming. and God willing, i'll be there with bells on.
whew.

song for the night~ destiny's child: survivor ( what a geek i am!)

we have lift off

rob and i took my cookies to plumes this afternoon. the owners weren't there, but we didn't expect them to be. so we left them there with the worker girl and the manager. there are 1/2 dozen of the choc. chip, oatmeal, and oatmeal raisin. i wrapped each cookie individually and placed my new label on the back with all of my info. then i put them in a soft pink box and used my lime green ribbon with white polkadots and tied a bow and put my new business cards tucked in. presentation is how you get your foot in the door, right? anyway, i thought i might just have myself a mini heart attack with all of this excitement and sheer pressure! with all of my nerves on end we left them there. it was like taking the biggest test ever and waiting for a grade, or applying for the dream school and waiting for the yes or no letter... it's like one of the most nerve racking experiences EVER! and i doubt anything will come of it. i truly do. and that really is okay. it would be just so validating to hear that someone other than family and friends thinks i'm good. someone that doesn't care if my feelings get hurt. brutal honesty... i feel like i'm going to be sick...

pray for cookies!

i know pretty much everyone that reads this blog just got an email about the same thing, but there is always the random thought that someone in the world might trip into this blog and they can pray too.
this morning rob went to a local coffee shop here in monterey on his way to school. he bought a coffee and an oatmeal raisin cookie. (we buy cookies where ever we go to see if mine are better or what i need to do to improve. ask my mom, i would be the best at the farmers market!) anyway, rob told the guy that he should try my cookies and that i was trying to break into the baking business. the guy told rob to tell me to bring my cookies in and if he likes them he'll start selling my stuff in the store instead!!! this would be the most amazing thing for the business!
please pray that what ever comes out of this will be God's will. please.
i'm so excited!

farewell

my mom left us yesterday. it was so weird and sad! it felt like the time just flew by. when rob and i got back last night it was like ' so what are we going to do tonight? ' ( a plane just flew by and it was the loudest noise, and longest, i've ever heard) we had so much fun with mom, but now i get to look forward to july!!! and i can see my very favorite girl!! i'm so excited to see her. mom brought a video of her smiling and cooing! it was so much fun to see her wiggling around and that big gummy grin! i am just so ready to come back to texas and see my family and eat mi hac! 4 more weeks!! but i am really excited, because rob suprised me with a date for the friday before i leave. he bought tickets to the theater because bill cosby is doing a show! i'm really excited that will be so much fun! 4 more weeks!

security gaurd steve

today was sooo much fun! we started out slow and then the naked hermaphrodite was there and we just couldn't stop laughing! we picniced in pfiefer burns park and then went to see the elephant seals and then to hearst castle where mom met our new stepdad (aka security man steve) there are two guides assigned to each tour of hearst castle and because we were laughing and being all around obnoxious we hung towards the back, and because the back guide was more attractive than the front one, and not wearing a ring!! it became all too clear he was really just following mom around. and then there was the mission to get his picture with mom, but he wouldn't stand still. it was like he was avoiding us, i couldn't imagine why.... here are some pics from our fun day.

my mom is here!

it's true! my mom is sitting right here beside me at our house. we've had such a busy day! we went to bubba gump's shrimp and cannery row, then took a boating tour from fisherman's wharf to lover's point and back, and then 17 mile drive to pebble beach golf course, and finally home by the fire. it has been a long day! tomorrow is church and then the strawberry fields in salinas. here are a few pics from today's adventure.

Cleaning

Today I am cleaning the house top to bottom. My mom is coming on Friday so I have to get things in order around here. Not that it matters. With two puppies in the house I have to clean dog hair off the couch every single day. Whoever said that beagles don't shed are liars.
I didn't clean at all yesterday. Not a drop. I didn't check my email or use my phone or anything. I just sat and read ALL day long I read The Devil Wears Prada all day yesterday. Very good book, but uses the f word for no real reason throughout. And that makes me wonder, because I really like the girl from princess diaries and I don't want to see this movie if she's going to be strutting around saying 'f' 'f' 'f' throughout. Other than that, pretty funny, pretty catty, and pretty long.
so, I didn't do anything. It was great. I think that everyone everywhere should do this. You always hear that nobody has time to do anything , because there is so much going on during the day that needs to be tended to. And I used to be one of those people, but no longer! I am living proof! You can take a day off to read a book, lay around, watch movies, do whatever it is that makes you smile... And the world will continue. And all of those things you thought you absolutely had to do, will still be waiting on you the next day. And most of the time you'll realize that some of it wasn't that life or death and really didn't need to be done in the first place. What a thought! Everyone taking some time to rejuvenate themselves and finish things the next day when you feel refreshed. I have decided (and rob has agreed) that at least once a month I will take a full day to do exactly whatever I want in the world and he can do the same! And at least once a week there will be an evening that is spent in complete leisure. Take some advice from a reborn slacker; do something for yourself for more than an hour. See for yourself.

lap time

Yea! today we're going to the pool again! i love the pool. it's this huge indoor olympic sized pool that goes from 3'5" to 12'. last time we did laps in the 10'5" lane. it is such a fantastic and fun work out. we were there for like 2 and a half hours last time. and there is a sun deck where you can lay out in private but really you're next to the street, but there is a big wall all the way around that blocks you from them. they've also planted all of this greenery around the area so it doesn't really look like you're in the middle of downtown. I don't know if we'll be visiting that area today. it's been so foggy for about a week. it lightens up in the afternoon, but not by much. they call is 'summer fog' i call it sucky. i hope it lets up. my mom is going to be here in just four days! i should probably clean... or replace the dead flowers in the flower pot... or clean the back area where the dogs hang out. maybe i shouldn't go swimming!
i know i'm not crazy about the george. i wasn't over joyed about bringing him with us, but he's suprised me. he's done really well. right now he is curled up asleep on the couch and is snoring and making all of these funny noises in his dreams! and ollie... she's a terror she is def. baxter's baby. she just bounces. it's never a run. it's never a walk. always a bounce. she's so cute and so funny. she likes me more than rob so usually she's curled up in my lap or beside me where ever i am. yesterday i was at the computer at the dining table and she curled up on my feet! it was so cute.

the softer side of the military

it's sunday so it's church day (believe it or not, emily) so we thought we would try the church one base. it's actually really funny, because the sign clearly reads: protestant worship 9:00 a.m. sunday mass 11:00 a.m. and it is exactly that! church lasted one hour and ten minutes, and then we had to clear out to the fellowship area so that the catholic worshippers could get ready for first communion. the church is really basic on the outside because a) it's an army base and they don't paint anything that has been painted in the last 50 years and b) it's not a gun range or artillery area so it's not on the top of the most important list. but the inside is very nice. very old with big wooden pews and really high arched ceilings. there are also huge stained glass windows down every side. and there are gorgeous chandeliers that look very antique that hang 3 or 4 to each side. it's all very nice.
But, the cool part is the preacher is a major. the music guy is a drill sergeant. the associate pastor is a captain. the youth guy is a sergeant. and so on. it's really interesting to see the softer side to the military. all of the deacons are retirees that still dutifully serve the church. they were all so impressed with rob when they asked him what he was out here for, but i know in the military world they wouldn't bat an eye if they saw him walking around base. it was so weird to hear the music man sing 'i can only imagine' and 'sanctuary' and laugh and joke when i know tomorrow he'll put on his uniform and go to work yelling commands at the newbies and barking orders all week. but it was really neat to see this part. it was like i was in a secret meeting. they were so passionate about worship and praise, just like they are passionate about their jobs and their country. it makes me crazy when the media dishes out story after story about how marines have lost their minds and are randomly killing people, and obviously are soldiers are reckless and irresponsible, but there is never coverage of the good and honest love for brother and love for country that these men and women share. when the preacher prayed for the men and women at war this morning it was really moving, because i know those aren't just words to him. he's probably been there. he probably knows a lot of people there now. and even if he doesn't know their names, those are his brothers and his friends and his heart is truly with them.
God bless our troops.

round two

yep that's right. we begin year two today! two years ago i was in the virgin islands preparing for the big walk. it's pretty hard to believe sometimes. on tuesday we celebrated out third anniversary of our first date. three years ago my mom scowled at my future husband as he walked up to our front door. and then she shut the door a bit too hard as we walked away. ah, memories! and now she just can't get enough of him. two years ago today our lives changed forever. it's the weirdest blessing i have ever had.
tonight we're going to a very romantic dinner and a movie. i believe that would be bubba gump shrimp and the breakup! the irony!

Ssgt. and Mrs. Robert Caruthers
June 2, 2004

kaseypie in da house!

the name finally fits! tonight baked my very first pie. it's a crumbled-apple pie from So.Living! it is super simple too. the book is like $35, but it is absolutely the best $35 i've ever spent. from the specialty cakes (like the kahlua cake) to roasted herb turkey, it has everything! i'm going to bring the book home with me in july and make treats ( i am of course assuming that we would all hang out as a family, and that just never happens... : ) )
I am working on a ME puzzle, which i know sounds like i'm 80, but i really like puzzles. anyway, it's a cute little ME girl in an inner tube with big green glasses and a big straw hat in a pool. I think ME is brilliant for starters, but there was something that kept drawing me to this puzzle. i've worked on it for two days and it has dawned on me. the girl looks like what i think maelie will look like at 5. she has a sweet little mouth and is just so dramatic in her glasses! i stopped mid-piece and teared up at what kind of fun little girl maelie will turn out to be. even if she doesn't have her aunt's flare for the dramatic, she is still going to be so incredible! i miss her so much. every time her little face crosses my mind i tear up. i have her as my desktop talking to the bear that rob and i gave her, and i have to admit that rob has walked in on me talking to the screen like she can hear me! she's not special or anything, her pictures just happen to cover my entire freezer door! I'll see you in July my sweet baby girl. xoxo

chastity bono

so talk about patience. yesterday i ranted about how i need to change my spirit, and today i thought it would be great if i changed my hair too. new look, new outlook?! wow. bad decision. i just went into great clips for a quick chop chop. when i went in i had a feeling, but i ignored it. never again. the GUY would not stop cutting. i almost literally do not have more than an inch and half of hair on the back and sides, but the top is longer. like sienna miller. it's disgusting. i called my mom and cried and rob, my sweet husband, told me that i looked like chastity bono... but not to worry, i could probably get more chicks than he could with this hair cut... he has no soul. but i went home and put alot of product in it and styled it up and it looks better. a challenge. i've never turned down a challenge...

out with the old

i've made a very important and big decision: it is time for an over-haul. I have been so negative about being here and about life in general (well, except Mae). i have fought with the husband and myself and God so many times here. and today i have to ask myself, why am i fighting? i know that's pretty dr. phil, but i'm tired. i've been fighting rob, because i feel like this has been completely about him and not about our 'journey' together. i've been fighting myself, because i want to hate it here so badly even if it is beautiful and my house is so cute and we're making memories here. and i've been fighting God, because i never know why He does things like move me half way across the country, away from my family, away from my friends, away from home, and not let me in on why. When i was home (in Texas) God and i got along a lot better. i didn't question as much about why things were, i just accepted that they were because God is bigger than me and that was it. Today I thought, 'God why are you fighting me so much...' and then my jaw dropped. since when do i have the authority to be so self-centered? Why is He fighting ME? who is it i think i am? I tell you one thing, i am not I AM. i wake up every morning by His grace, not my own. i am out here, because He knows what's best for me and what's best for us. it is not, and has never been that God is fighting me, oh no, He has not changed and will not change from state to state or country to country it is me who is fighting Him. If anyone has changed it is me, and it was not for the best. why would i waste my time and energy fighting what is out of control? why would i not let God do what He does best? you know, let Him create and direct and guide and show and bless and protect and all of the other things He promises He would do in the good book. from this day forward, with grace and patience, i will try harder to get out of my own way and let God do what He has done for the past 21 years. Whew!

my mom's coming!

my mommy is coming to visit me in two weeks! I'm very excited! It's almost a four day weekend here on the base. that may sound exciting, but not so much. Rob wants to go to San Fransisco, but we are going there in two weeks to pick up my mom. we are getting our $ from the theiving that happened in Vegas this weekend so we could pay off the credit card... or go shopping! yesterday we went to the monterey sports complex and swam all day. I know what you're thinking, 'kasey, you live next to the ocean. swim there.' but you think wrong. the ocean is freezing. it might as well be alaska it's so cold. so we went to the pool and did laps for an hour and a half. and then the fun began. they have a slide that is like 2 stories tall that goes into the pool. rob was knocking over kids to get on it as many times as he could. the boy went on it at least 10 times. it was pretty cool. it's $11 for both of us and you can stay in the pool the entire time or you can go play basketball or lift weights or go use the machines. it's a really nice place. there is a sunning deck where we dried off and got a little color. i can't wait for my family to see me! i've gotten a pretty color just from walking around out here. and we walk all the time. and we live on a hill that's about two miles high. not so fun for a fat girl, but i guess i won't be a fat girl for long with all this activity. we'll see. the lady just won both showcases on the price is right! what a great show. Rob says we can go there for my birthday! you'll have to watch for me! and give me ideas for a shirt so that i can be picked. i should probably be cleaning, but i think i'm going to go bake a cake.

the unpacking is finally over. well it's never completely over. the movers are coming back today to pick up all of the boxes and paper and junk. and if we're being honest, I still have a few boxes that i haven't gotten around to. but i'm way too busy today. today i'm going to get my business license! or apply for it at least. there is a farmer's market here every tuesday where people come and take over the main street downtown and traffic shuts down and everyone sets up booths to sell their goods. some sell produce, some jewelry, some crafts, I'm selling cookies! hopefully next tuesday i'll be a legit. business woman! as opposed to my last job... any ideas for names? rob likes "kasey's" he says keep it simple. I liked "kaseypie's" but he brought up a good point that I don't really make pies. let me know what you think.
my mom is coming out here in a month! that's pretty exciting. of course that means i may have to clear my busy schedule of watching the price is right and clearing out those last boxes. we'll see. and then in july i'm coming home to see my beautiful niece! Aunt Kasey loves Maelie!

once more

so many houses so little time. well that's actually a fat crock. we've put in applications for two house, but one lady is like pulling teeth to get a response from and the other guy doesn't look like he is going to be much easier. I don't really care, I just want a place to call my own. I'll let you know tomorrow. All I know is: I WANT TO GO HOME!!!

first timer

I'll try this out and see if it's easier than mass email. Those can be realy annoying. First and foremost, I'm Maelie's aunt. There will be pictures of her here soon. I'll keep you updated from here and let me know if this is better, or more entertaining at work : )
k