Almost half way!!!!!

We have almost made it to the half way point! The end of this week will be the end of week 4! It is so great to be headed towards the downhill slide part of it. I'm not sure that it is going to be as easy as a slide though. I am really missing Chris and I'm excited to see him at graduation. I have started to look into flights and lodging and am planning to have that done by the end of this week!! Yay!
Communication has been slow because we are writing letters, but I have received a few now.
Chris is playing the piano in church on Sundays and he is a TRS lead, meaning that he is in charge of making sure that new trainees that are members make it to church on Sunday! He really likes having a calling and he thinks that it is pretty cool. Chris is also an element leader and he says that it is a lot of responsibility. When his guys do something wrong it is his fault and he takes the heat for it. They are cleaning the dorms and lockers twice a day. He says that is the hardest part so far. The running and exercise isn't hard, but he was in good shape before he left. Everything is pretty easy as long as you just do what they tell you to. He is making some friends and there are a couple of guys that go to church with him. One is even from Meridian, ID! What a small world!
They got to start doing some combat training last week and they even crawled in the dirt in tactical positions and combat marching, which Chris helps lead because he is an element leader! He says that they are finally getting into the fun activities and training.
I'm so glad that he is enjoying basic and I love getting his letters! He is doing really well, and standing out as a good leader! I know that he is working hard and that it is all going to pay off! I'm looking forward to finding out what his job will be and how long his tech school is going to be! This is such a fun and exciting adventure that we are embarking on.

I have been keeping myself pretty busy in California. I started coaching volleyball at Palm Valley School this last week and there is always something going on with my brothers around! I have finished yet another quilt and the piece work for a very large one! I have really enjoyed spending this time with my mother and being able to do all these fun sewing projects!!!

 So this pinwheel, blue and yellow, quilt is about full size! It turned out really nice. I'm proud of it!

This last weekend we went to a bunch of stores to look at long arm quilting machines and it was a lot of fun. I think that we might end up taking a class in Calimesa! They are kinda intimidating though. For those of you who don't know what a long arm is...  look at these Handi Quilters here!
There is still so much that I want to do and need to do that I know I will be able to stay pretty busy for the remaining time that I have here at home! I'm looking forward to more letter from Chris and I will update everyone once I get some new ones!!

Chris Update: Address!!

Well, it has officially set in that my husband is gone and I can no longer call him whenever I want to. I kept my phone by me every second of the day hoping that I would hear from him. By Friday I was getting a little desperate to hear from him. My brothers and dad had left for a hiking trip and so I no longer had them around to distract me. Not cool. On Friday afternoon/evening I got a phone call from the ward missionaries for the Lackland AFB. It was so great to hear from someone who had met Chris. Knowing that he was doing well, was such a great comfort to me. An answer to my prayers! She told me that Chris was doing well, got my email address, told me he was playing the piano for church on Sunday, and that I probably wouldn't hear from Chris for awhile. I went to bed prepared that I would probably not hear from Chris this weekend.
Boy did I wake up to a nice surprise! He called me on Saturday morning!! Oh it was so great to hear from him!! He sounded great. He is really loving it. He has been made an Element Leader and is going to be an Honor graduate. He finally knows how to make a bed right. He is working hard and he really likes it. The conversation was short because he just called to give me his address.

AB Perry, Christopher W.
331 TRS/FLT 577, Dorm A-9
1320 Truemper Street Unit 369572
Lackland AFB, TX 78236-6409

If you are a good friend of Chris you should write him because I am sure that he would love to hear from you. I won't get another phone call from him until week 4 and then week 7. I'm hoping that the time just flies by because I'm already ready to give him a big hug and a kiss. I miss him, but we just have to look at this time with an eternal perspective and then it will flash by in the blink of an eye!

On Sunday I got a picture of Chris, but I can't share it on any social media, so you can just take my word for it that he is handsome, even with his head shaved, and he looks GOOOD in a uniform! 

So, while Chris has been gone I have done my best to keep myself busy. This weekend I started working on some sewing projects with my mother. The quilt isn't finished, but once it is I will post a picture. However, I have finished a makeup bag that I made just today.

It's actually a pretty large bag, so I can put my straightener in it, which I am happy about! Also, my final project for my sewing class was a quilt and it is super cute so I thought that I would share it. I haven't measured it, but it is the perfect size for one person, like me! I'm hoping to one day make matching pillows and have it in our living room. 

The Revolution

So, we have been in Parma for almost two months now and I have still not found a job. A bummer, but I have had a lot of time to do crafts, and sleep, and clean, and waste time. I get board a lot and it is hard for me to find the motivation to get up and do stuff for lots of reasons. (I am very good at finding excuses to stay in bed a little longer.) I am getting to the point where I am sick of wasting all my time though. So, I have decided to do something about it. I have been working on lots of little sewing projects and I really love it! I had no idea I would love sewing so much, (I didn't really like it very much when I was younger because I lacked the patience to put everything together. I just wanted to sew sew sew!)

I have just finished two sewing projects. First, my dress for the wedding in Hawaii needs to be yellow so I found one, but it was a little too short. 

Before

 

After

Also, I did this skirt. I got it at forever21 a few years ago and I never really wore it because it was too short. Now, I think it is even cuter this way!

Well, that's that.

Pictures & Update!!

So, I didn't have the pictures before, but here they are to go with my last post. 

Valentine's Day craft...It still needs some work. Next year I will change the ribbon and magnet. 

 This is the baby girl blanket that I made. I'm excited to have a baby to wrap in it... That won't happen for awhile now though... news to come!

 This is the apron that I made Chris. It works just perfect for him!

So, The WONDERFUL news is that Chris and I got a puppy!!! Winston is a Brittney Spaniel and he is adorable... Words won't do him justice, so here are pictures!!