Leia's 1st report card

Leia got her first report card yesterday. She got all S's which is satisfactory for age. She loves school and on weekends she still wants to go.I tell her I need Mommy time on weekends.

She had picture day yesterday as well. She got to wear a skirt, her white dress shirt, and a pink sweater. She looked adorable. I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of her that morning. SO I guess it will be a surprise when we get her pictures.

Things are going well. We are getting ready for the yard sale this weekend. I just hope the weather cooperates. Chris ran the mile and a half today in 12 1/2 minuets. I am proud of him for that. I believe he will pass that PT test. Then it will be time to concentrate on the written test which he will take in Korea. I bought him the computer software so he can study over there and make next rank. He still has to pass the PT test which is in like 30 days,but I think he will be able to do it.

bubble head

This is what happens when you accidentaly dump 1/2 a bottle of bubble soap in a bath. I think I had 5-6 inches of soap above the water. Leia had a blast playing in so many bubbles.

boat engine prices

I have obtained pricing in several different packages. Please keep in mind that there may be some further testing once completed to verify proper rpm ranges.
5.0l MPI w/ closed cooling comes complete with a Bravo Drive and Transom.Engine/Drive package $11,562.00. Plus 25 Hours labor to install.
5.7L 350 Mag Engine only$7,992.75 plus 15 hour's to install.
5.7L 350 Mag w/transom assembly and alpha drive $12,266.25 plus 25 hours to replace.
5.7L 350 Mag w/transom assembly and bravo drive$12,905.25 plus 25 hour's to install383 MAG stroker w/transom assembly and Bravo drive$14,653.33 plus 25 hours to install
All product is Remanufactured by Mercruiser and carries a one year parts and labor warranty. Extended contracts are available.5.0L 275 HP5.7L 300 HP383 350 HP
.
Chris went and got prices to get the engine fixed He said we wouldn't even get 5 grand for it the way it is but check out the prices. If we took the cheapest package plus the 2 grand they would charge to put it in ,the new boat total would be 21 grand 11 is what we owe and 10 to fix. We could probably only sell it for 12 and that's pushing it. Any suggestions on what we should do??? This is driving me crazy.
Nothing else is new.

ACK!!! I now have a 2nd job!!!

Gulf Coast Hospital called me yesterday and want me to be PRN. They said they could let me work as much as I want because another person has quit. So I will be working there Monday-Thursday 8-2:30 and then go straight over to MRI on Tuesday-Thursday and do 2nd shift there.the latest I will work there will be to 9pm. So it won't be too bad. Lately I've been getting home by 6pm. And then I work all day Friday 7:30 to 5pm. I needed another part time job just because I was going to be $500 in the hole every month and was considering working at the mall for holiday shift which would start in November. But this will work out much better money wise. It's not like I do much around the house visiting everybody. Leia's in school and Chris is asleep. So I just clean house all day and wait to go to work.I've been getting everything ready for the yard sale. We have so much to get rid of and I hope people will come to it.
Chris is doing fantastic at loosing weight.He has lost close to 10 lbs. He needs to loose as close to 20 more but its not as critical as he made it seem. The more he looses the more points he gets towards passing the test. He only has to loose 1 more inch from his waist and Increase his sit ups and run the mile and a half in 13 1/2 minuets. Which he has increase both and has done it. So the critical thing to do is still work on maintaining all of that and loose weight and he should pass the test. I am so proud of all his hard work. He's been going to the gym 2 hours a day 5-6 times a week. And he also goes to FIT classes which they put him on a special nutritious diet and I have to say I think I'm going to switch over to his. I've only lost 4 pounds on mine and I'm starving. He seems to eat all the time including forbidden foods like fruit and bread. I know he can do this.
Leia is doing well in school. She has mainly smiley faces on her calender. Since she's started she has only missed 2 smiley faces which means she wasn't being good that day. I told her I want a smiley face everyday. She is learning so much. She loves using her thinking cap.She does get homework, so I have to remember to have her do it. It's not often but enough to keep you on your toes because most of it involves the parents to participate. Lat night we had to make up a counting story of teddy bears so they are learning addition and subtraction. And then We practiced guessing how many marshmallows were in a jar. She loved that one because on subtraction she got to eat them.
I have to get going. Gulf Coast called and they want me to come down for another drug test because the time has ran out from the first one.

no 2nd job

I called yesterday about the C-arm job that one of the local Dr.'s had called me about, and was willing to take it, but they decided that they didn't need a button pusher and that the Dr. would do it himself. I just love being called a button pusher. Just wait until they figure out really how hard it is and that they don't know much about radiation safety. See how fast they can move the C-arm and do their job too. What a joke. But I am just a stupid button pusher who doesn't know anything. Things are going OK in MRI. At least I have that job.I am so glad they are paying me for the 50 hrs a pay check. I will be short a lot but we are going to majorly downsize our expenses and make it through. I can't wait to get out of here. Still no word on where our next base is.Test is in about 35 days so We'll see.We learned of 3 other people that we know, one being our old neighbor, that will be going to Korea. So at least Chris will know some people. We are already getting his things packed up. He was told to get his gear turned in soon and he is doing a bunch of the paperwork to get going. He already signed over our house lease and we are to be out Feb 15th at the latest, but I want to be home before that. I want to be home the end of January. Leia is excited and sad at the same time. She loves her daddy. They cooked dinner together tonight. She was the corn expert. She kept saying it was pop corn. and it smelled lovely. I am hoping to have a big Yard Sale in 2 weeks. I'd have it this weekend but with Oktoberfest and the rain,it kind of puts a damper on that. We haven't had any hits on the boat. I will have Chris help me with that this weekend to get it in more papers. But I don't blame people. Who wants a boat that needs a motor, and it's fixing to turn winter.

I am going to try to send my first video to this web site. If it doesn't come through it is of Leia cooking with Chris. She is so adorabel and her voice is so sweet. miss you all.

finally some of Leia's pictures in her uniforms

Leia's first day of school. She is wearing her white polo shirt and her navy blue skirt. Of course kitty isn't far behind. She just loves school.

One of my favorite uniforms that she has. She has a matching navy blue one too.She gives lots of loven in hugs and kisses.
She is such a happy go lucky kid. Her smile just melts my heart.
PS. Day care while Chris is doing the war exercise has been crazy. Luckily that one neighbor of my friend could watch her. I hate dropping her off to someone I've only meet briefly almost a year ago. But I meet with her today and she seemed really nice. It helps that her husband and Chris have worked together before and they do A.A.D.D.(airman against drunk driving) together.Today Tiffany has to pick Leia up from School which makes me a little nervous but she only has to go up the street so it's not that far. I have no choice in it being done this way.

my crazy life

Well just when I think things will go OK that Chris can watch Leia while I am at work and he can get enough sleep and won't be working while I am at work WRONG O. Hopefully it will only last this week because of the exercise that they are doing. I am scrounging around for a baby sitter. I think I have one but I won't know for sure until 10ish so I have an hour to pray that she can watch Leia until I get off of work.I have already called 3 people and they can't watch her and If this one I'm waiting on can't watch her I have one more hopeful.
I am going to try to go have lunch with Leia today. It is killing me only seeing her for a half hour in the morning. I did make it home late last night and got to finish the last of her story. So at least I got to do that and kiss her goodnight. I just have to keep reminding myself that I only have to do this until Mid January. Chris is going to try to get leave and we would be home Feb 1st. But I would like to take 2 weeks off and try to get things packed and cleaned. I am wanting to have a yard sale. This weekend I can't do it and was thinking next weekend,then I found out it's Oktoberfest for the base so I don't think I would get many people stopping by. The festival is on the other side of the base from 10am on. I guess I could have one from 7-10,but I am sure I wouldn't sell much.
I already began to convert our yard back to the way it was. Yesterday I took out 3 of my flower gardens and all of the concrete scalloping that we put up. I am hurting today. I still have the back yard one to do and 2 small ones left up front.Get this, they want us to plant grass. The whole 7 years that we have lived here I have never been able to grow grass. My yard was only green because of weeds. Grass doesn't grow well in sand. My yard looks like everyone else's. I was thinking about getting that Rye Grass to grow but doesn't it die off before February???
I also cleaned out Leia's room. I moved out 2 totes of clothes and one tote of toys that will be for the yard sale.You can't even tell that I took things out because she has so much stuff. I think everything in the shed should go. We haven't seen most of that stuff since 99. We also have to get rid of our shed and Leia's play set. Since they don't allow sheds on base anymore how to you discard one??? It wouldn't be worth much to sell it to some one off base. The great saltwater that we live by has rusted the roof some, so I am sure it doesn't have much life left in it anyway.
No hits on the boat yet. I fear I will have to drag it home with me. We are going to put it in some more advertisements to see if we can get her gone. 5 more months and I know it will fly by. I will keep you all posted.

life happens

The MRI job has offered me a great deal. I will be working 3-9 Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday. And Friday 8-5 If my last patient is at say 5 I will still get paid until 9. I told them that I needed 50 hours every 2 weeks and this is how they came up with it. I am so grateful,because I wasn't expecting it. I figure since Leia gets out of school at one and I don't have to leave the base until 2 I can pick her up on those days and spend an hour with her.I am also going to be taking Dr. Shores offer One day a week or 2 half days a week. So between the 2 jobs I will equal out the pay that I was making at Gulf Coast in X-ray.I will pull Leia out of her day time daycare which is 6-7 and they take her to school. That alone will save me 200 a month and they said if I have to drop her off in the morning they probably will have openings and will only charge me 5 bucks. I turned down the Ct job. I feel Like I need to be here. the money was going to be fantastic when I added it up with the MRI job, but here is where life happens. WE think Chris just got orders to Korea.He was told he did and the reporting date is late February. We do not have anything in writing so were not 100% sure . Things can totally change and be cancelled. Chris doesn't want me to tell everyone yet just in case it doesn't happen,but you know me I can't keep things this big under wraps. We don't know where our follow on base will be. I would hate it if it's another base down here in Florida.We have put in for several overseas bases but he would only have 4 years left and I don't see them doing that now. NOT this late in the game. Unless he passes his test and makes rank so he can get passed the 20 year mark. Them letting him retire is still up in the air. If he makes it to Korea his retirement will be saved. If not I see us coming home for good in the very near future. Please do not pressure him or ask him questions about it. He is under tremendous stress on what is going to be happening. It is like a presser cooker waiting to explode around here with our futures hanging in the balance.We do have a time frame. We will know about both in 90 days.I need everyone's support and prayers. I can't finish the rest of the story I have told too much of it all ready and I don't want him supper tick off at me. I am already making plans on moving in with Kelly in February,unless our next base is Eagland a few hours from here. But that's still up in the air too. I am sorry that I have to write it like this to everyone. I didn't want him to hear me talking to everyone on the phone about it.He only wanted me to tell Kelly, But I think everyone should know what might be happening. I hate secrets.

boat up for sale

We put our boat up for sale today. I called an add in the paper that said they buy boats, so We'll see what they say. I e-mailed him pictures of it and told him the problems that we have with it. That's why we're selling it so cheap. We owe close to 11 grand on it but we're asking 6 grand for it. No matter what,if we fix it we will still be out several thousand dollars. So we are hoping to sell it as is. She looks so brand new. We hardly used her. Dang Engine blowing up doesn't help. they always say the happiest days of a boat life is the day you buy it and the day you sale it. we had a lot of good times on it................................ I am tempted to syphon out all the gas. the tank was full and I know it has a huge tank. It would probably fill up my car and Chris truck. But How long can gas sit before it is bad??? 2 years is probably too long HUH???

Yesterday was a really bad day for us. I think I am out of the running for the CT Job. Since Chris P. left his position I get a lot more hours. Well In October Tracey is going to take a week vacation and then a few weeks later she is going to be gone again for a business trip for a week. I will be working double shifts those 2 week in MRI. I told Glenn My old boss who is going to rehire me about it and he sounded upset about it because that is my training time. I asked him if I should still go sign paperwork in human resources and he said no not yet. He had to go talk about it to the other CT techs. I am really scared I just got screwed out of that job. He was supposed to call me back today,but he hasn't. On the other hand I did call DR. Shores office and he Hasn't found anyone yet so I can pick up some hours at his office and work 3 nights in MRI and the pay will be close to what I was making in X-ray. Chris told me last night that they were putting him on Medical profile and that means if the military feels like it they can kick him out on Medical terms and he would loose his retirement and medical benefits. The Air Force is cutting 6,000 jobs by the end of this year and 16,000 more for next year. I am so upset about it. He said it could happen in 2 months a year or a few months before he retires. I think the medical boards will review his case. He has 5 more years before he can retire.But the person above him says if he's still in charge when it comes time for Chris to re-up next year he won't allow it. I feel like the rug is being torn from underneath us. I keep telling Chris just to suck it up and deal with the pain. He has very high arches and shin splints. I know it is painful but come on. this is your career. We are counting on his retirement and medical insurance for life. who knows if the army or the reserves will take him in. I could just scream. Anyway that's another good reason to sell the boat and try to save as much money as we can.I told Chris if he gets out soon we will move straight to Indiana. I need my family. I hate it here so much and miss you all.

AND NOW THIS

One of Leia's uniforms


Gulf coast called me up on Friday and said that a full time X-ray position was opening up. It would be day shift and I would have to give up MRI. I love MRI and don't really want to give it up. And I left X-ray there for a reason and nothing has changed in that department. Family wise that would be the best decision, but emotionally and financially it's not. With the combined Ct and MRI I will make over 1500 more a month than x-ray.(Closer to Kelly's pay) And when we move I will be making a ton of money because instead of the 20 dollar range it's in the 35-40/hr range. The pay just stinks down here. The down side is I would be working long hour weekends with CT and working mainly nights expect Friday and that's all day, at MRI A few times a week.I will definitely give up all other jobs just to stay sane.I would be able to see Leia and Chris Monday& Tuesday, Sometimes Wednesday. And as far as I know Friday will be short days at MRI 7:30-6 So I could spend time with her then. I can't get enough MRI hours to make it,but with the CT it sends me way over where I am doing well. And Part of me wants to work like crazy just in case they don't let Chris re-up next year. I pray that they do because we are counting on his retirement. if not we will be moving home in a year. Plus rumor has it at Southern Orthopedics they are tossing around the idea of opening up a part time CT machine day shift. so I could get plenty of hours in the day there. BUT it is only a thinking rumor and nothing is in action yet. So stay at Gulf coast and train , stay for the year and then if CT is up at SOS just go there. My job life is so complicated.