Chicago Temple & Other Such Things

We finally got to take a trip to the Chicago temple a few Saturdays ago on Cam's duty free day and had a lovely time. The temple here is much different than we're use too...it is pretty small even compared to Houston and the layout is really weird inside. Not to say we don't look forward to going back, it's just different. When we asked to rent a dress for my pregnant belly the ladies looked at us kinda funny and said, "we don't take money for things like that here". Well OK! Free is great too!

I practically ran down a passerby in the parking lot and asked her to take this picture. She was probably like "what the...? Who are these people?" Cameron still has to wear his "peanut butters" everywhere until he earns "phase 2".

Later on at the base we stopped to check out the RV campground on the lake and found that you could see the Chicago skyline across the lake!

It's pretty faint in the pic (and fuzzy-sorry!)  But isn't it neat!? I can't wait to actually go to the city.

A pretty view of the lake.

Triscuit

I thought I would put a few pics of Triscuit up seeing as he was our first baby and he's not going to get much attention after the twinses are born. Since we've moved he's really missed all his puppy friends back in Houston :(

Triscuit LOVES Emily. Maybe because she was the first person he met in his new home state...or maybe because she pays attention to his ego (which says you must throw balls for me to chase at all times, then give me a tummy rub in coencentric clockwise circles for 5 minutes, followed by scratching behind the ears for 4...).

Did I mention he loves to swing? There is a little kiddy park not too far from my apartment that has a dog park connected to it. Triscuit really likes to feel the wind blowing in his face as the swing swishes back and forth.

Here he is peeking through a hole in the fence. He is always alert to any mobsters that may be near by-so don't even try to get close you mobsters!

"This is what I do to mobsters who get too close!"

A First Attempt

So Emily & I decided to try our hand at sushi rolling last Wednesday... and here are the (not so pretty) results. At least we tried, right? I'm sure we'll get better with practice.

We also had edamame courtesty of the local Sam's Club. Each Wednesday our own group of new Navy wives gets together for lunch, chatting, and other such fun things. Unfortunately this past week only Emily and I were able to make it (which might have been a good thing judging by how floppy our rolls look...). Next week is Chinese!
*Disclaimer: Sushi is harder to make than it looks! Now I know why they charge buckoo bucks at the sushi restaurants-it's hard to get everything to stick together and turn out round-ish! Hopefully we will be able to get good enough soon to try the rice on the outside kind! (fingers crossed!)*

A "Clean" Start

I finally unpacked my camera cable so I can start blogging! The title of this post is a "clean" start because Cameron now is a clean shaven man for the first time since his mission (not counting a little hiatus for a week last summer)! LOL I actually miss the fuzz...but the Navy is pretty strict about facial hair. It's ok to have ugly mustaches but gotees are apparently not stylish enough for them... Good thing the military doesn't dictate anyone's fashion but their enlisted! I do have to say that I love the uniforms. It's so weird that he has gone from $5 commercial-sold-by-the-thousands shirts to custom tailored dry clean only everyday! lol

So I guess I really ought to start at the beginning...as of 3/16/2010 Cameron is an official sailor in the U.S. Navy! woo-hoo! That is the day he graduated from bootcamp and got to move to the "other side" where the real base is. With the help of my two friends Kate and David (sorry no pics for the trip-my Camera was packed) who so graciously packed and drove me up here, I was able to move to the north Chicago area about a week before graduation. Since my apartment wasn't ready yet, my friend Emily Periseau and her husband Jake let me stay with them for a few days until I could get into my place (more on this in a later post). 

Ahh graduation day. I looked forward to you for 2 months! Emily & I arrived at 6:45 am (ceremony started at 9) and got great seats 3 rows in! Unfortunately...my camera had run out of batteries without my knowledge (and I must say against my will!) so there aren't many pics...and all the one's I have are fuzzy/yucky. 

 Cameron is actually at the back in the middle of this group. They later turned and he was on the side near the front-we got to see each other the whole time! lol it was great but he they had to stand at attention like that the for the entire thing so he couldn't acknowledge me but I knew by the twinkle in his eyes he saw me ;) Sadly my camera died right after this so these are the only two pics I have of the blessed event which signaled our time together again (for 2 days at least!).  The graduation itself was pretty boring...the best part was definitely the end when everyone got to hug and kiss! That weekend Cameron was allowed to stay with me overnight until Sunday when he had to return to his "ship" (they call the buildings ships on the bases) and report. Here are a few pics we took. *disclaimer: I am sorry I am so bad at taking pictures. I either forget or leave my camera at home. I promise to try to do better in the future!*

Kissing in the living room of the new apt (he was really scared to dip me cause of my big belly-which had expanded exponentially since the time he left for boot camp-aka-the last time he had seen me)

This is the Waukegan harbor we went to check out the sailboats. It was really windy and cold so we didn't stay long.

Cameron is wearing his "peanut butters" in this pic. He's really cold (hence the rubbing his hands together to stay warm). There are actually 4 different uniforms he wears at different times, but more on that later.

Here is a pic of us squinting in the sun. You might be asking yourself why the funny hats. Well the answer is that the navy seems to like funny hats, except they call them "covers" to try and sound cooler and more military-ish. There is a hat for every uniform. (I'm wearing Cameron's Navy Blues hat cause it matched my stripey outfit-don't tell!)

That about sums up the pics. We enjoyed a pretty quiet weekend at home for the most part just enjoying being around each other again and sharing stories of what had happened while we were apart. Basically, despite the lack of activity, getting to be with my hubby again made it the best weekend ever!

Last Day as the Sunbeam Teachers :(

Today was our last day as the sunbeam teachers in the Idaho Falls 4th ward. I'm graduating this Friday, then it's home for Christmas with my family and then back up here to pack and move to Las Vegas on the 3rd of January. Cameron's brother is graduating this week as well and his parents, aunt, uncle, and sister are all coming. Unfortunately none of my family will be able to make it...I asked for plane tickets home for Christmas as my graduation present (and birthday and Christmas and Easter...)

Canadian Thanksgiving

My friend Erin is from Canada and her family came down for Canadian Thanksgiving. Did you know that the Canadian's were the first one's to celebrate the holiday?   They made a whole slew of food for all of Erin's friends (including me and Cameron!)

First Snow!

The first snow of the season came 2 weeks before Halloween. Cameron was so excited we had to run outside and take some pics to capture the moment. Unfortunately (for him) the snow didn't stick (don't tell him but I was glad-I'm the one who has to drive in it!)