August 23rd:

So I bet you are wondering what we have been up to this last month. I know I am so bad at keeping our activities up to date, I swear I will get better. Here it goes:

First off, Stoney is still in his quest to become a firefighter. He has joined the Volunteer Fire Department, they are helping him learn a lot of stuff. They are also going to help get him into the fire academy and other schooling. And so far he is having a lot of fun. He has gone on a couple of calls and so far nothing to dangerous or dramatic, that which I am grateful for. He has started to study first responder books and is still getting used to looking at broken limbs and such, but he will have to It is an 8 week program filled with classes, physical tests, fire training, etc. It is like police academy, just for firefighters. He will have to live at the academy Monday - Friday and it is about an hour away from where we live. So while he is at the academy I will be traveling back to Arizona. Yes you read right I am coming home in October, so mark your calendars.

Stoney & I joined a 4v4 grass volleyball league over the summer and it ended a couple of weeks ago. It was really fun, cuz there was good competition and we have never played on grass before. So it took a little getting use to the grass and some days was really hot outside. The first 7 weeks were pool play and then the last 3 weeks were tournament play. And I have to brag that my team and Stoney's team each got 1st place in the tournament. Our teams recieved prizes for winning the tourney, so this is what we picked, we each got a brand new volleyball. (I know there is only one in this pix, but I didn't know where the 2nd was.) But we had a lot of fun and really liked our teams. We also are playing on a sand v-ball coed team and that ends in September. So I will let you know how we did.

Also this summer we have gone to see a lot of movies. Here is a list:

I am sure there are more, but this is all I can remember. Some of the movies were really good and some were boring. But I am making a predicition right now that Heath Ledger will when an oscar for his role as the Joker. He was absolutely fabulous!!

Now I guess it is time for some updates:

Our garden is nearing the end of the rope. We got some really good stuff and what we didn't get the bugs and animals got to. We had a lot of tomatoes ready to be picked but picking time came and there were bugs all over them. The bugs were killing the plants and were making the tomatoes rot. Then there were a couple of cantaloupe that just need a week or two more before picking. Stoney went out to look one day and noticed that some kind of animal had borrowed their way thru each and every cantaloupe! So really the only thing we have left is Watermelons, and they are growing big and strong. I will take some pictures this week so you can see. We also starting gettin chicken eggs 2 weeks ago. Our mama chicken starting laying eggs, at least 1 a day. On a sad note we also lost 3 chicks to an owl or something. So we have 6 chicks left that get bigger everyday. Now they aren't cute anymore.

Also for the last couple of weeks we have had a visitor in our backyard. At least once a week we can look out our kitchen window and see this in our yard

Yes that is a deer. I know so weird. She just comes out to nibble on the plants and make friends with the chickens. Well last week I was looking out the window and she was back, but this time she was not alone. Yes she had her baby with her. It was so stinkin cute.

I also was thinking about how last time I posted a picture of the outside of our house. This time I thought I would give you a grand tour of the inside.

First we go in the front door and straight up the stairs.

Then you walk into the living room.

I know we have great furinture and entertainment center!

Next you come to the office table.

Then you enter the kitchen and dining area.

Yes we don't have a table, so our love seat sits were a table should be.

Next there is the bathroom, laundry closet and bedroom.

If you saw our other bathroom, you would realize that this one is small in comparison, but it does have the same function.

Finally we come to the bedroom, again small in comparison, but I guess we only need it for sleeping.

And of course our closet

The limited storage space is something I am still getting use to. Which I am sure you noticed because of the boxes lining a wall in our bedroom!

We also have a pantry by our kitchen and it was really really messy. I had been putting off cleaning it, because it was a project. But I finally couldn't stand it anymore.

Before:

After:

So that is our place, small but cute and comfortable.