2010

It's 2010 and this is my first post.  I really took a break from blogging due to the fact that most of you have added Facebook.  Facebook is something that I check a little bit more than this blog.  I would like to get back to blogging though!  2010 is almost over and it's been a busy year.  This is my first full year of living in Bakersfield!  I moved to California on June 1st, 2008 ( just a couple hours afer my wedding!) and moved to Sequoia National Park and lived there until October.  Then I stayed in Bakersfield until May of 2009, moved to Tulare and worked for Sequoia National Park again until November.  I have been here in Bakersfield ever since!  Luckily I accepted a seasonal job at the Bureau of Land Management here in Bakersfield.  I am very happy that I am finally able to live (and work) with Brian.  It has really made us a lot happier.  We got married a couple years ago because we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.  With working in two different parts of California, it made it very hard to spend our lives together!!  In case you didn't know, California is a really big state!  I will be working for a little bit longer in Bakersfield while Brian leaves this week for El Centro, CA again.  He is working there as a medic at the Imperial Sand Dunes.  He has been working every holiday (not during fire season) since we moved here.  He really enjoys it.  This year will be a little different however.  Instead of going for a couple days over Halloween, he will be staying until a couple days after Thanksgiving.  This is going to be tough.  I was looking forward to spending more time together now that the fire season is "over".  I haven't been on a fire in over a month.  The temperatures are dropping and rain has returned to the San Joaquin Valley.  We moved into our very first house in April and it still feels like we haven't unpacked.  My goal is to unpack and try to get organized. 

Well, I feel I've rambled enough for one evening.  Time to spend a little time with Brian and get some sleep before work!  Thanks for reading.

News!

Hello everyone! So I know it's been over a month since I posted! My bad! I hope you all are not too upset with me. Just wanted to let you know what we have been up to in the past month! Brian has been busy moving his fire department to a new station! He is still working with the BLM in Bakersfield, just a new station. It is located in Taft, Ca however. So just a little bit more of a commute to work. He has been very excited because his station need all new furniture and appliances. He's been busy shopping for his department. They are completely moved over so now they are just getting everything organized and decorated. Brian will also be heading down to Yuma, AZ over President's Day weekend. This will most likely be the last time he goes down to the Sand Dunes until Halloween. Brian has been going down to El Centro, Ca and working on the Northern Glamis Sand Dunes as a Paramedic. This upcoming trip will be on the Southern dunes and will be closer to Yuma, AZ this time. He is getting pretty excited.
After Brian comes back from the Dunes he'll have a little time to relax. Then it will be off to L.A. He has to go to his paramedic refresher at UCLA. I'll be going with him for that trip. So it looks like February will be over before we know it!

I will also be going to training this month! The second week of February I'll be taking a fire class. I will have to drive 8 hours north to Susanville, Ca. I am very excited to take this class. It is a class for Public Information Officers. Another great thing about it is that I don't have to pay for it! I am getting all my travel and lodging paid for by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. I applied for a Fire Prevention Tech. If I get the job I would be working as a Public Information Officer (PIO). I would also be informing the public about fire safety and prevention. I would be working with homeowners that live in the park and help them with living in the wildland urban interface. I will hopefully be getting a phone call from the park soon! I'd like to know if I have a job! I feel pretty good about it though if they are willing to pay for my additional training. I'll keep you all posted.

In other news.....The Stelzig's are coming! That's right my mom and dad are flying in to visit us this March. We are very excited! This will be the first time my Mom will visit us in California. Meghan and my Dad drove out here right after the wedding to bring a lot of our stuff out here. Before we know it March will be here and so will my parents! I can't believe that it is February! I also believe that this short month will go by so fast. I leave Bakerfield this Sunday and Brian leaves on Wednesday. When we get back from you trips, we'll head to Tulare for the weekend to visit Brian's parents. Then off to L.A.! What a month! I have a feeling that from this month on, the year will fly by. Fire season will start up in March and go through October. If it's a busy season then I probably won't be seeing Brian much at all! Also, if I get the Fire Prevention Tech. job at Sequoia National Park, I will start that in early May. I think 2009 will be a busy but event filled year! We can't wait!

Ok, so now you're all updated! Gotta run and get the apartment clean up! Take care everyone!

It's 2009!

So it's 2009! I still can't believe it. I feel like 2008 flew by so fast! Looking back at the year a lot happened! Brian and I got married, we started new jobs, and moved to California! It's been an exciting year yet there has been some major heartaches as well.

As some of you may know, I did not pass my forestry exam that I went back to Wisconsin in December to take. This was suppose to give me my degree. Right now I don't have one and it's really resting heavy on me. I do have other options, I am just waiting for some phone calls to tell me everything is a go. I will keep you updated on the outcome.

The best part about a new year is a new start. I have always tried to think of it as a fresh start and I believe this year will be even more exciting. I have applied for a job and I have a really excellent chance of getting it. It would be a Fire Prevention Tech position. It is at Sequoia National Park again. So, unfortunately Brian and I would be apart for the summer again. We both also know that Brian will be busy with fire season and we made it last summer so it shouldn't be so bad!

Brian and I are finally together more often since fire season ended in October. Once March start however I know he will be busy again. Hopefully by then I will have that job and I can help support our family. Brian and I are doing very well for being newlyweds and we can be doing even better with two incomes! Our goal is to try minimize our debt and increase our savings; I know that's ultimately every one's goal! I would like to settle down a little more and hopefully save enough to put a decent down payment for a house. I feel like that would be our next big step. Even though I say this, we both know this will take awhile! This is going to be a long term goal!! Don't email or call me saying "what are you thinking?!? It's too lofty of a goal!"Or "Now it would be nice, but you really need to think about this. And you should wait for awhile!" Just some examples. This is long term and me just thinking out loud! OK, enough said about that!

I also hope with 2009 that I will post a little more! I tried posting a video of our apartment just now but it won't work! Sorry! I will try and work on it later. I know I said I would post it earlier but now you will have it when I work out the bugs!!

I'll try and post more later!

Almost Merry Christmas!

Well last time I wrote it was Thanksgiving! It's Christmas next week! It has been a busy month! Right after Thanksgiving Brian and I flew to Wisconsin! What a whirlwind of events! It was great seeing everyone! We saw almost all of my family and almost all of our friends. We haven't seen some people since the wedding six months ago. It was so cold but it was a good change from California! We had 3 early Christmas celebrations so it has already felt like Christmas. Only 1 more Christmas left for the year, and that will be starting tomorrow. We will be going to the Puckett's for Christmas this weekend. It's been almost a month so it will be great to see family again!

Other than going to Wisconsin and back not much else has gone on. Brian is back at work and I've been around the apartment trying to keep busy. I did have one exciting thing happen though! I am applying for a job I really really want! It is only a seasonal job. It is a fire prevention tech job. The job is back at Sequoia National Park. I will find out if I am hired around the end of January. I have a really good chance of getting the position! I'll be crossing my fingers. I would start work at the beginning of May. I'll keep you all posted about the position.

Brian will be headed to the Sand Dunes again over New Years Eve. He doesn't know how long he'll be down there yet. He's excited to go back. He was there last over Thanksgiving. He will possibly find out tomorrow how long they need him for. I'm sure I'll be able to let you all know.

Well, it's time to make some lunch. I just thought I should probably write a little bit since it has been so long! I will try and be more on top of things for the rest of this year and next year :).
We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Long Time, No Post!

Sorry it has taken so long since the last posting!! A lot has happened since I last posted. I was in Wisconsin and now am back in California! Next week I'll be in Wisconsin again! I am so excited to go back. This next trip will be on much happier circumstances. My last visit was to attend my Uncle's funeral. This visit home I can hopefully go and visit his burial site. I had to fly back to California before he actually showed up. Nothing anyone could help so oh well!

So most of you know that I have been trying to lose weight. It has been a little hard to try and I mean really try these past couple of months. With school, getting married, moving to a new state, new job, etc. When I lose weight it just comes right back. Well I started watching a little more of what I eat and Brian and I are trying to cook healthier. I've lost 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks so I'm happy about that. My ultimate goal is to lose 50 pounds. Over the past 5 years I have gained 70 pounds. Out of that 70 pounds, 50 of the pounds were gained in the past 3 years. So I am hoping by this time next year I will be 50 pounds or more lighter. Wish me luck. Our apartment has a mini workout room so I've been visiting that almost once a day. Living in an upstairs apartment helps too. Also, our mailbox is about a block away too! Anyway, the hardest part for me is the cooking and eating part! I am having an issue with portion control. I also don't have a lot of easy recipes so if any of you guys have a great easy tasty recipe, we would appreciate all the help we could get!

Speaking of food....Happy Thanksgiving! Brian and I had to celebrate earlier this week. Brian is down at the Glamis Sand Dunes again. He was there on Halloween and they eagerly asked him back to help out. He is one of the only paramedics down there so he is very valuable to the BLM. We had a good dinner of garlic and herb Parmesan crusted chicken.

It was delicious! This was our first big holiday together married and away from family.

I am writing this blog at midnight here in California. I was up watching the TV show "Top Chef". I love the show. I like to watch people cook. I also am watching the show with interest this season because of my roommate from Sequoia National Park. Her brother is on it! So for those of you who watch Top Chef keep watching for Josea! He is doing well and is still in the contest after 3 weeks. It is on Bravo and is on Wednesdays. So there is my plug! I'd say vote for him but it is not that kind of show.

So I have been rambling on because I drank too much coffee today! So I'm up and realized I have left my fans without reading material! Sorry!

So for an update....Brian and I will be in Wisconsin in one week. Brian will be back from the sand dunes on Monday and we fly out Tuesday. It will be a whirlwind of events. Once we get back Brian will continue working and I will start looking for a job here in Bakersfield. I will begin taking a Calculus course in January to complete my degree. Hopefully the 4th time taking calculus and taking it at a different school and state will help me get through it. Also having less stress.

Sorry there are no video or pictures posted yet of the apartment. I know I promised, don't worry it will be worth the wait! It will be a surprise! You'll just all have to keep reading to see it!

Ohh and today is my Half Birthday! There is another reason to celebrate haha. I celebrated by cutting my hair! I would post a picture but I wanted it to be a surprise for my family next week! I think they will like it but I'm going for the shock factor!

It is also almost 6 months since Brian and I got married! Hard to believe that it has been that long! I think maybe out of the six months we have seen each other for a total of 2 or 3 months. It seems like we are still running opposite schedules! Hopefully after the holidays things will slow down! One good sign of things slowing down is the rain! Bakersfield got over half and inch of rain! So now it's rained 3 days since I've been here! This is the most rain that we have gotten here! It rained today and yesterday. So hopefully no fires for awhile!

Well I feel like I have done enough rambling. I am going to try and get some sleep. I will be heading to Brian's parents today. It will be nice to celebrate Turkey day with family. I hope that you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and if you are traveling be safe!

Happy Birthday Aaron!

Happy Birthday Aaron! Hope you have a good birthday!

It's November! I'm back in Bakersfield. I'm getting the apartment back in order and packing for Wisconsin. I'll be in Wisconsin for a whole week! I can't wait to see my family and of course my dog Taylor! This is the longest I have ever been away from my family. Usually it is only 3 months at most. I'll be in Wisconsin, the land of happy cows, for a week and then come back to California for a couple weeks and then back to Wisconsin!

Also, Brian and I have a new phone number so if you want it let us know. It is our home phone number. We have a bad habit of going over on our cell phone minutes so hopefully having this phone will help out a little bit.

Pictures of the apartment and the Imperial Sand Dunes to come soon!

Happy Halloween

It's Halloween! It feels weird though. I am sitting in a hotel room without a costume. :( I do however have a t-shirt that says Trick or Treat. I got it awhile ago and am finally excited I can wear it. I am in El Centro, California. Brian is working the Algodones Sand Dunes as a paramedic for the Bureau of Land Management. I decided to come with Brian so that I could spend some time with him! I also wanted a break from Bakersfield. I love our new apartment but I needed a change of scenery. We are down here until Sunday. Brian is having a great time and I'm sure there will be lots of pictures.

On another note, I will be heading back to Wisconsin when I return to Bakersfield. Sadly my Uncle passed away earlier this week. I will be flying out I think on Wednesday and then staying for a week. It all depends on the ticket I can get.

Well, I have been trying to type this blog for the past two hours and I am just a little distracted! I'll add more later!