Apparently i'm the only one who posts anymore

Ok so I guess we've stopped using this pretty much, but I've got to write something cause i'm super excited, but I get to go to the temple tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys have no idea how excited I am, I haven't gone in since jan. or feb. So I am really really excited, we're going with my singles ward! I can't wait, I love the temple and it's been really sad for me, so i'm super duper excited, have I mentioned i'm excited? Lol I'm also really hyper cause i'm really excited, anyways just wanted to share my excitement with anyone who reads this, if no one does I'm sharing it with myself! Whoohooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow it's been a long time

Since anyone has posted apparently especially me, however I have some fantastic news! I GADUATE TECH SCHOOL IN 3 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ya'll have no idea whahow good of news that is I cannot wait to get off this base, I really don't care to see it again, (watch I get sent back to this base next assignment :p). Don't get me wrong I love the area it's small and in the middle of nowhere but I love it, I have grown to love my branch they are incredible, the amount of love I feel for them, and get from them is amazing! I have made some incredible friends, in the branch, I've seen people come and go, including the people I was supposed to graduate with 3 weeks ago :( Stupid washback! I will miss the branch so much,i'm actually kind of dreading leaving the branch all the people i've come to know and love, Amy, the kendalls, the mulhollands, pres. and sister Davis, Sean, Mayra, to name a few that i've gotten really close to. They are some of the best. But I can't wait to leave this base I know it doesn't sound that bad it's just tech school right? How bad can it be? Honestly I wish I could explain it but I can't it's something you have to experience to understand, all the stress it's not just academics all though they are quite stressful enough, it's being treated like a kid all the time, obeying rules you don't understand but have to obey them anyways, the fear of being washed back, not to mention all the drama, there's a realson they call this place goodfellow high! After a while it just wears you totally and completely down, and you can't explain how you feel to anyone who hasn't exerienced it, i've tried, it's just one of those things you have to experience, oh and always having to say goodbye to the people it feels like you just met. I mean it hasn't been all bad, i've had some fun, made some mistakes, learned some lessons. Overall though i cannot wait to leave! if I could just live in San Angelo I would just not the base! But I graduate in 3 weeks yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We were invited to a "Mystery Theatre" party last night - it was so much fun. It was set in the late 1800's and we each had to play a part. I was the flirtatious Holly Hickok and Bruce was Clay Colwell, strong and silent. Two of the players were called away just as we started. They gave a sick baby a blessing in the hospital about 40 miles away, but we kept the home fires burning until they returned and we could finally get someone murdered and solve it. Somewhat ironic??

WOO-HOO! HOT DOG! SHAZAM! He is back!

I tagged along with Andrea on a shopping trip and found this pic. We both thought it looked great and now it looks even better on the wall.

Facial time! Savannah came over and the girls did the facial photo shoot. Dang, they look attractive.

Elizabeth is safely back in San Angelo, David comes home in 4 weeks, Abigail is busy playing basketball for her school team, and Thomas is now in possession of his green exercise ball and bounces instead of walking. Work is going well for Bruce and he's now the High Priest group leader secretary while still being an Elder - figure that! We now possess a brand new transmission in the Suburban - it broke during our Christmas visit to Utah. I'm waiting for my next class and am starting to enjoy freetime much too much. That class better show up tomorrow or I may decide I like retirement more than studying. So there you have it. Wonder what will happen tomorrow????

It's a Tucson Christmas - lights and rocks. Didn't Bruce do a great job hanging the lights??

So I was looking at my mom's post from a while ago and I just found out tuesday where I will be stationed next, after tech school, I am going to cannon afb New Mexico! whether this is exciting or not I imagine I will find out once I eventually get there.

Bruce, the phanton painter, has struck again! He created a stunning visual with the last of our Tandoori Spice and put those surround sound wires into neat little boxes.

I'm Alive!

hehe Hey it's Liz remember me? Yeah I'm the girl who pretty much dropped off the face of the planet for 2 months. Anyways I'm back now and writing from San Angelo Texas. I got here on Monday and I've been in death by briefings all week. Pretty much really boring, I start class on Weds. So I'm hoping that will liven up my life a little. I'm not complaining though, because so far this place is so much better than basic it's not even funny, it's a much better environment so far, I hated basic, I really did I will be happy if I never go back again,(then watch all my kids decide to join) haha. I went to church today, it's a student ward, most people there are military though, or married to military memebers, it was the first time I'd been to a full church in two months, becuase at basc they were only allowed 2 hours, so it was really cool to go to a full service, the branch is really small, and there are quite a few more guys than girls, not that i'm complaining haha. But I'm doing pretty well here, I really miss home, I think that's one of the hardest things for me right now, but I'm trying my best and I think things will turn out great! If ya'll wna tot write my mom has my address, you can also email or call me.

Have you ever seen such big tumblers? They practically dwarf Airman Weston. Oh, did I forget to mention that we just attended her graduation from Basic Military Training?? Woo-hoo! She is now at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, TX and will begin her 5 1/2 month tech school for intelligence on the 18th. What a great accomplishment. We may never again see her bed this neat - enjoy the pic.

We're off to see Elizabeth graduate this Friday in San Antonio! What an exciting life she has ahead of her - except for the "hurry up and wait" part of the military. She will head to Goodfellow for the next several months for tech school and then who knows where she'll be stationed. I'll take the camera this time!!

The story behind Bruce's famous cookies - as told to Elder Weston

So here’s the story behind Dad’s famous cookies. You remember that we are a total geek family and enjoy watching documentaries, how-to shows, and get goose bumps when we find a particularly satisfying reference work?? Abbers checks out “How the Digestive System Works”, “Basic Carpentry”, and “Magic School Bus”. Thomas made a house for his pencil eraser named George, complete with a working safe – filled with miniature 100 dollar bills. So we’re pretty much gone, right? Well, Dad started watching How It’s Made, a show on how manufacturing works. I confess that I found it alluring eventually. Then he started on the cooking shows and here’s where we pick up the story. Alton Brown is a bespectacled chef with a totally weird cooking show. On one episode, he cooked these chocolate chip cookies with bread flour, kosher salt, unsalted butter, real vanilla, etc. and used parchment paper to cook them. Well, Dad was really excited and wanted to make those cookies. So I bought the stuff on my next shopping trip and he solemnly whipped up a batch. It was almost a holy experience. He carefully placed 6 cookies per batch on the parchment covered pan, measured in ½ cup increments (after the dough had chilled overnight). In his apron and with his brow creased, he expertly and anxiously (using only one oven since we don’t have two in this house) hovered over the process until he had 30 perfectly shaped chocolate chip masterpieces. They are very good and he uses only the finest ingredients. His Sunday school class was most gratified to be taste testers. I’ll tell you the rib story later…….

How cool is it to visit your former home and feel that great "we still love you" feeling? It did my heart good to see dear friends and know my affection for them is reciprocated. I took Bruce and the kids this time - Bruce said he would like to do it again! Someone asked me if I had fun in Escondido this weekend and I had to stop and think. I wouldn't call it fun. I would call it a filling experience that goes a little further than "fun". It's seeing people and realizing that ties that have been stretched with distance bounce back when you do. Thanks, everyone!! PS Jim and Ginger still have the best pool ever!!!

We now have a queen-size bed in our David/guest room just itching for people to stay. Of course, you must pass our thorough exam and have a background check! Party!

Elizabeth is nearly to her 4 week mark. She's hungry, tired, yelled at, and enjoying church more than ever in her life. She prays, reads her little Book of Mormon, and hangs on for dear life. She cries when she calls (two times already - they are the best female flight there and have been earning privileges), and when she reads letters from home. Here is a shot taken at Young Women just a few weeks before she left.

Look what Tucson has at 9000 feet?? Pine trees, and ski resort and RED LEAVES!! Talk about a breath of fresh air. We went to Mt. Lemmon, about 45 minutes north of us, and got out of the cactus and into the timber. It was great to be chilly, to listen to the quiet, and to take a chair lift up to the 9100 mark. This is where we had girl's camp this summer. Are we lucky or not??

Abbers' last game for volleyball was this afternoon. She has a great serve and even sent a few back over the net. It's been fun to watch her and I even got to be a line judge. Where's Serena Williams??

Guess which one is Elizabeth?? We were so pleased to hear from the missionary couple over Lackland that they met Elizabeth and she's okay. She attended church there Sunday and they took this pic. Someone is watching over her (besides all the angels we've been praying for) and that does my heart good. Dang, she looks good in camo!!