Excited!!

So I am so very excited! I start the new job on Monday! I am so blessed to have gotten this job! Things have been going really well for Tyler and I. I have a much more positive view of things now... and Tyler is getting used to Army life. Sometimes he doesn't get home until 8 when he leaves the house before 5... but sometimes he gets off at 1! We are both learning to take the good with the bad and make the most of it. Tyler is doing really well in school... he is halfway through with his first semester! It takes up a lot of free time... but it is definately worth it. I really cannot believe it is already November and that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I am going to attempt to cook a meal complete with all the trimmings... we'll see how that goes! :) I am excited about decorating for Christmas and doing some shopping! It actually is a little bit cooler with all the rain...so hopefully it will kind of feel like Christmas here. I have started attending a new church (for a while I was going to the church on post). I actually found a Southern Baptist church here only about 10 minutes away and it is awesome! The people are very welcoming and I started going to a women's Bible study as well! So things are good and soon I can help Tyler save for our future life after the Army!! So excited!! :)

No More Waiting!!!

I HAVE A JOB!!!! I am soooo excited!!!! It feels like I have been waiting forever! Really it has only been 2 months...but still! lol! I will soon be working as a full time radiologic technologist at Tripler Army Medical Center. I am sooo excited about this job. It is the first one I applied for and the one I wanted the most. I am so glad I will get to use my degree here in Hawaii and contribute to our income. I think that this will be a rewarding job to be working with military soldiers and families. I am so blessed!!! :) (Also, a big plus is no weekends and no holidays! This is very rare in medical positions!!!)

Still Waiting...

So...I am still waiting to hear about the job. :( It's been a week now since they have closed the announcement, and momma said it can take a while with the government jobs, but I'm still hopeful! :) I finished the photo album and it is in the mail along with my zumba dvds! Still working on the quilt! Tyler and I bought Dakota food and toys over the weekend. She will be here in less than a week and then I definately won't be bored anymore! For the rest of the week I will either be at the beach, reading, or working out! I love the gym here! Tyler and I are going to see Eclipse Thursday night and he might be off on Friday! :)

Waiting...

So Hawaii is still great, but I am starting to get restless! I should know about the job sometime this week which is good! We had to move Kota's flight back a week :( so now its 2 weeks from tomorrow till she gets here! still not long at all! I have skyped with momma so I get to see kota too! I bought a cheap nightstand and chest of drawers from K-Mart for the spare bedroom and we put them together. Once we get the bed we will be ready for visitors! :) I have been working on my wedding quilt and photo album and they are both coming along...slowly...lol! I get easily distracted...but I am going to finish the album this week! Tyler had staff duty this weekend so I was pretty bored. I have been laying out at North Shore so I did that yesterday and last night we went out to eat while Tyler was on his break! This morning I went to the church on Schofield and really enjoyed it! I will def continue to go there!

New home!!

So it has been a while since I have posted anything on here! We are finally settled in our new house! :) It is way more roomy than I thought it would be! We have 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, and tons of storage and closet space! I have the walk-in closet in the bedroom all to myself and Tyler has one that is in the hallway. His has tons of shelf space and he made his own clothes rack! We have a linen closet, coat closet, pantry, and shelves in the garage! :) It's pretty awesome! Our house is an older style and it is not remodeled, but we have the garage and fenced in backyard that some of the other houses don't have! We lived in the house for almost 2 weeks I think with loaner furniture before our stuff could be delivered. Not the most fun time but it was a lot better than the hotel! :) Getting our stuff really was like Christmas! I loved unpacking everything! We are now finally getting to use our wedding presents which has been fun!! We got our stuff on a Thursday and Tyler got to take a 10 day permissive leave starting that next Monday! It has been a great little vacation! We went snorkeling and he is teaching me to golf! We have gotten everything organized and I bought lots of plants for our yard and I got a small desk for the spare bedroom where I can sew! Oh, and Tyler planted grass twice and it is starting to look pretty good! (We had some bare spots and the birds like to eat our grass seed!!) We have made some new friends too! Tomorrow we are going to see Pearl Harbor and go to the beach! I applied for a job at the Army Medical Center today and it would be pretty perfect if I could get it! Kota's flight is booked for August 16th! :) Once she gets here, everything to do with the move will pretty much be done! We still have to buy mattresses and maybe a chest of drawers and nightstand for the spare bedroom, a dining room table and hutch, and I want to get a couple small palm trees and make a flower bed by the front door! Oh, and I have to put up some curtains! I am very happy in our new home and am ready to get back into a routine and have Kota here! :)

Starting month 2!

So it has almost been a month that we have been here in Hawaii! We get to go look at the house tomorrow afternoon and if we like it we can move in on Thursday! I am so freakin excited!! I called about our household items and it will probably be next week before we can get them... oh well! After we get the house Tyler has a 4 day weekend so I'm pumped about that as well! This past week I have tried to keep busy to help the time go by but there is not a whole lot for me to do right now. I went shopping some and saw a movie and ran some errands for Tyler. We had to go to the first FRG meeting last Friday (Family Readiness Group) and it was at the bowling alley, so I bowled for the first time in about 2 years! I met another Army wife, Andrea, who is awesome! :) We ate out Friday night with Andrea and her husband Jordan, and we went to Wal-Mart so the guys could buy their spear fishing supplies! We went snorkling/spearfishing Saturday morning and grilled out for lunch! It was a ton of fun! Saturday night Tyler bought a truck! It's a 1996 Chevy Blazer with only 64,000 miles! He got a great deal and it runs good! So we are turning in the rental tomorrow night! :) Sunday we ate lunch at a place called Maui Mikes in Wahiawa which is the town right beside the base and it was amazing!! I love that place now! Yesterday and today have been pretty boring...just waiting on the house!! I had to go pick up our insurance card for the new truck, and today I drove it to the NEX! I can't wait to have the Rav4 here too and be able to drive wherever I want when I want to!!! Only one more week and it should all come together! Oh, Tyler gets like 10 days off when our stuff gets here too! :) So that will be a great time to do some fun stuff together! :)

Big News...

I was waiting to say this until Tyler told all his family, but by the time he had done that then the news changed! The day we moved to the island they told us that the unit that Tyler had been assigned to was getting deployed. :( The unit left the week after we arrived. Tyler and all the guys that were coming over from his class were going to be sent over the end of July. I was not happy about this at all of course, so it put a damper on our first days here because instead of just enjoying everything, we were preparing for a deployment. But, Friday they told them that they are not getting deployed! yay!!!!!! The Army is so last minute and I am adjusting! The news could change again tomorrow but for now he will not be deployed.

We're getting a house!!!

I am so very excited!! We will be moving into a house July 1st!! Only 9 more days at the hotel!!! We won't get to look at it until June 30th but if we like it (which I already know we will) then we can sign the lease that day and move in the next! I am so ready to have my own space! It has 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms, a garage with storage, and a fenced in backyard. It's a two story townhome in a duplex! I cannot wait!

We also had another fun weekend that had a little excitement as well! Friday night we went to eat in Honolulu at Outback which was awesome! Saturday we went snorkeling at the Turtle Bay beach resort! There is a public beach right beside it that has reefs that you can swim over. It was neat to finally see some fish in the water! We got ready to leave and the jeep would not crank!! We had to get it jumped off by a guy from the hotel twice...something wasn't right about it...I don't really know what. Anyway, we called the rental place and they said we could bring it back but we needed to clean it out and fill it up with gas first or we would be charged fees...we took it back to the hotel to unload it first (we still had the grill in the back!) and then it wouldn't crank again! Our hotel did not have jumper cables so I rode the bus to the NEX to get some. I got back and we got a guy to try to jump it off...but it did not work. So, we ended up getting it towed through our insurance company. We finally got it back to the rental company around 8:30 and they were very nice about everything and waived any extra fees and gave us a nice car. (that gets better gas mileage!! lol! Sunday we went shopping for a few things we needed and then we looked at fishing stuff and golf clubs. Tyler want's a new set and he is going to teach me how to play! I also bought a new camera!! I haven't getten to use it yet but I have been practicing in the room! We rode around Hickam Air Force Base which is very nice! It was landscaped very well and had some great beaches! We saw a bunch of dogs and cannot wait to take Kota!!

Feeling like Home

We have now been living in Oahu for over 2 weeks now! It really is starting to feel like home! (the island, not the hotel...lol) I am not a fan of living in a hotel at all! It just lacks that home feel...but not having to make the bed, cook, or clean is pretty nice...but also boring... at least it gives me time for other fun stuff! I am working on a wedding album on Shutterfly which is coming along great, getting my I-pod organized into folders, and getting out to see the sights while I do have the time...oh and I can't forget the pool! I forgot how much I liked to swim...in clear water... not as big of a fan of swimming in the ocean! I have also read a ton of books which I really enjoy!
Today it is actually cloudy and raining off and on...usually the clouds roll through and it only sprinkles. I did have enough time between showers to jog! I realized that the Navy Housing across the street had access to where I could get in, so I jogged around there for a little while.
The beginning of this week I went to a mall that is near Pearl Harbor. I had a book that I wanted to buy at Borders. I got to eat lunch at Moe's (Welcome to Moe's!) and it was awesome!!! I loved it! They also had a monorail at this mall...lol! Oh and a used bookstore with books for a dollar! So yea, I went a little crazy with the books. :)
Tuesday Tyler had to do a 24 hour duty thing at headquarters so I watched movies that night.
Wednesday he got home at 0900 from his duty so we went by the bank and to look for him some sunglasses. We had lunch and then he got tired so it was pool time for me! Yesterday I was feeling adventurous so I took the bus to Waikiki! I walked along the beach, looked in some shops and just walked around the streets! It was pretty neat and helped me to figure out where things were! I will try to go back to one of the beaches next week! Tyler got off aroun 3:30 so we went by Best Buy and Sams to shop a little! Overall it's been a really good week and I'm looking foward to a great weekend! :)

Chilling in the Hotel...

Tyler and I had a really great weekend!! Friday night we went shopping for beach supplies at the NEX, Target, and Wal Mart! Yay for Wal Mart!!! I had really missed it!!! There are 3 on the island here. One is near downtown Honolulu, so I probably won't be using it but the other two are pretty easy to get to! We ended up getting a cheap grill, charcoal and other stuff, and snorkel gear there! The prices are actually the same as in Alabama! Oh, and mail only takes about three days to get to Alabama too! :) We picked up one of Tyler's roommates from AIT and his wife and headed to the beach!! We went to the east side of the island and found a beach that was smaller and not very crowded and set up camp! Tyler got the grill put together and going and we had a great lunch! We played around in the water and walked the beach a little. Tyler talked to some guys about good fishing spots, and we asked another guy who had a dog about bringing dogs on the beach! We stayed until about 4:00 and then we were worn out from the sun! Saturday night we went out to eat in Waikiki at Jimmy Buffett's at the Beachcomber! It was awesome! Great atmosphere, food was not too expensive and tasted really good! I had a great time!

Sunday we just took it easy! Tyler had to make some calls to the family (he can't really call during the week becuase of the time difference), so we did some laundry while he did that. We went to the NEX for a late lunch and looked around a little bit. They now have Redbox on the island so we rented a movie!! :) A very good weekend overall!!

The start of our second weekend!

Tyler got in earlier last night and we got to go eat at Chili's! It was yummy! Pretty much like home! We went to bed early so Tyler could get some rest for his Ruck March this morning. (they have to run/walk 6 miles carrying 45 lbs on their backs!) Today I went to the post office..it's about a block away, and mailed a few letters. We'll see how long they take to get there! I took the bus downtown to see the leis get draped on the statue and it was pretty fun! Tyler got off early today (right around lunch) so he is taking a nap now and I am waiting for him to get done! I am excited about doing fun stuff this weekend!! :)

The Beggining of Week #2

So today is the start of week number 2 in Hawaii! I am feeling much better and more confident about everything. I went and got my hair highlighted today so that probably helps too. I am learning a lot more about the island and learning how to get stuff done on my own. (No car and living in a hotel doesn't make it easy tho.) This weekend is King Kamehameha Day which is a state holiday here. They drape the statue downtown with huge leis tomorrow and then Saturday they have a parade and festival. I am going to try to go down there tomorrow and then see what Tyler wants to do for the weekend. He had to work real late last night so hopefully he will be in earlier today!

Day 8...Settling In!

So we have been here one week now! It's kinda feeling like home...lol! I rode the bus for the first time yesterday! :) I only went a few miles down the road so it wasn't bad at all. I went to a meeting at Navy Housing...which was not so helpful...no 2 bedrooms for 3-6 months. So, after that, I walked over to the NEX and looked around and got some lunch. I found the salon and scheduled a hair appointment for tomorrow! Excited!! :) And then I got back on the bus and made it back to the hotel safe and sound! Tyler got to come home early because he was supposed to go back to the base at like 0130 this morning! We had a few hours before he wanted to get some sleep so we went and saw a movie in Mililani...it's a town close to Schofield. We watched Killers which was really good! We came back and Tyler went to bed around 6. I got some food at the restaurant at the hotel (they give us 2 $10 vouchers per day to use at their restaurants where they serve breakfast and dinner). So I went and read by the pool and did some laundry. I went to bed early since I didn't wanna bother Tyler with the lights being on! He ended up getting there last night and they had cancelled what he was there to do so he came back to sleep before PT and now today he will be late getting in. :(

Today I went and laid by the pool for a while, went swimming, finished a book, and tried to fix my internet! I was finally successful with the internet which is a relief! Oh, we talked to the Army housing lady yesterday and they are holding a house for us!!!! The family moves out on the 18th and we will get to see it a few days after and then it should be ready to move into by the end of the month!!! So excited!! I am reading up on things to do on the island so I can plan some things for the weekends! Tyler got a smallpox vaccination so he can't swim for a month which kinda sucks, so we are going to do the non-water stuff first! :)

Day 6

Well today is Monday, day 6 in Hawaii! We had a great weekend exploring the island! Friday night we found a little shopping area that has a lot of restauants that is only about a mile from the hotel so we have been going there a lot. We ate at Ruby Tuesday's Friday night. Tyler was really tired from his long day so we went to bed early so we would be well rested for our adventures on Saturday!

We headed toward downtown Honolulu Saturday morning and rode along the water. We saw some parks, the marina, a huge cruise ship, and tons of tourists around Waikiki! There were a lot of restaurants and shops but traffic was really bad because they were having a parade down there! So after a couple of hours of being in traffic, we made it out and rode throught a really nice neighborhood with great views of the gorgeous water. We stopped at Sandy Beach and watched the knee boarders playing in the waves. The water was pretty rough on that side of the island and the lifeguards suggested that if you weren't familiar with the water you stay out, so I did! Tyler got in for a little bit but didn't go too far. We began to get hungry so we continued our trip around. We had a great time just cruising around with the windows off of the jeep! We stopped at a place called The Shack for lunch! (It's a chain on the island and California!) We continued our trip around to the North Shore. There were tons of people on the beaches! The locals were having like these big parties for birthdays and they would have tons of tents set up at all the beach parks. I guess they just camp out there for the weekend! There weren't any waves on the North Shore, but they are big in the winter. We came back through the middle of the island on H-1 (one of the three interstates!) and we stopped at the Dole Plantation and had some Dole Whip! (pineapple ice cream!) It was really sweet but good! We were worn out by the time we got back so we ended up going to get take out from Panda Express (which I had never had! yummy for fast food!) and then we crashed!

Sunday we went to look at some Navy housing that is close to Pearl Harbor. It was a very nice neighborhood right near the water, but there wasn't a PX close, so I'm kinda unsure about it! We rode down to Ewa Beach because they were supposed to have some townhomes for rent but all we found were ones for sale. We took a different rode up towards Schofield Barracks after that and picked up one of Tyler's friends from AIT (who is staying on HMR where there is no PX or anything really) and took him onto Schofield with us to shop! We rode by the neighborhood we might possibly live in and then we went to the library! Tyler and his friend had to print some paperwork out and I got to check out some books to entertain me while I'm at the pool! We went by the PX and got some supplies and then I had my first trip to the Commissary! Not my favorite place! lol! It was so crowded!! Hopefully when I go during the week it won't be so bad! But the prices were not bad at all! The only thing that we got that was more expensive was milk! (our mini-fridge is now packed full!) We got home and Tyler got ready for the week and then we ate dinner at Taco Del Mar! (It's kinda like Moe's and tasted about the same, but they didn't have any white cheese dip! :( ) Oh, and on the way to eat I saw a rainbow! I guess that means things are going to work out okay! :)

Today has been a lazy day for me. I straightened up the room, did some laundry, finished a book, and laid out for a little bit. I learned a lot about The Bus because I am going to try it out tomorrow to go to my Navy Housing meeting! Tyler is on his way home now so I will sign off! Aloha!

Day 3....Starting a New Life

So, welcome to my blog! I'm new at this kind of thing so bear with me! :) Today is our third day in Hawaii! We got here Wednesday around 1400. (2:00 PM for all you civilians!) The airport was very neat! The concourses were all open to the outside! We picked up all of our bags and went to the USO (United Service Organization...I think) to sign in. So since Tyler's orders said Fort Shafter we had to go on base to sign in. We got our rental car (a jeep!!) and got directions and made it to the base. Once we were there, they didn't have him in their system so they had to find a place for him, and the only spot they could put him in his job (so that he could keep his bonus) was at Schofield Barracks. This is a bigger base on the same island. So then since he was no longer with Fort Shafter, that changed where we could stay for temporary lodging. The hotel on the base was full so we had to go to an alternate hotel near the airport. We finally got to our room and were able to get some rest!!

On Day 2 a sergeant came to the hotel to take us to Tyler's new unit headquarters and start in processing. His unit is actually on a seperate military reservation than Schofield Barracks. It's at Helemano Military Reservation. (only about 5-10 minutes from Schofield) So anyway, we went to a lot of different offices (housing, Tricare, Dental, etc) to get info updated. We are now on the waiting list for housing on base and the earliest we could get a townhome would be the end of the month. But hopefully we will get that one. (We rode by and it looks pretty nice! It has a small fenced backyard and a garage with storage!) Tyler had to take some tests online so we went to the ACS (Army Community Service). I looked at their job book that has all the available jobs in the area and got a bunch of handouts and information about things going on. We were done when Tyler finished his tests so we made it back to our hotel and rested! We ordered pizza, watched some TV, and went to bed early! :)

Today Tyler had to get up early to go to PT (physical training) and then more in processing, so I stayed at the hotel. I planned on laying by the pool all day, but it was cloudy this morning so I slept in and ate a late breakfast. The clouds are breaking tho so I get to lay out after lunch!! :) I am anxious for all of our things to get here and to have a car that I can drive! (I have to be 25 to drive the rental.) We feel kind of overwhelmed because of all the info being thrown at us so fast, but hopefully it will calm down next week. We are excited about the new base because it is in the middle of the island so the traffic is not nearly as bad and it is a lot quieter out that way. I have an appointment Tuesday with Navy Housing because we heard it was really nice and that they will take Army as well. They have a waiting list as well, but we will see how long it is...now I just have to figure out how to actually get to the appointment! :) They have a city bus system that is supposed to be pretty good, so we are going to try it out tonight and go towards Waikiki to get some good food! Some things seem to be more expensive but others are not. We ate breakfast yesterday morning at McDonalds and it was about the same prices, but this morning when I ate at the hotel it was very overpriced.

So, I am going to go soak up some sun now and plan our adventures for the weekend! "So, don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it's own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34 I stole this from a friends blog, but I have a feeling I am going to need to read it every day! :)