An Unexpected and Happy Phone Call

Bryan called me today to tell me that he made it safely and to give me his address. I wasn't expecting to hear from him until Sunday so I was pretty happy to hear from him-it made my day. It sounded like he is doing well-I didn't hear any half deadness in his voice so he is still alive! His phone call was limited because I couldn't really talk to him-it was just to give me information so what I write here is all I know. Here is Bryan's address for any of you who would like to write him. He would love to hear from you but remember he won't have much time to write everybody back so I will keep posts up on how he is doing. 

AB Winston, Bryan M.

331 TRS Flt 687 Dorm A-4 PSC 3

1320 Truemter St. Unit 369521

Lackland AFB, TX 78236-5570

He can receive only letters and cards. He cannot receive gum, candy, or packages. (Don't ask me why because I have no idea). 

It's a boy!

Well we appreciate all of your comments and now we can say that we are having a little baby boy! We are very excited. We hope (especially Rachel) that he will be like his dad in that he will be a little momma's boy! He kicks a lot and I guess you could say he is active (although I don't have anything to compare it to)-which means that he is like Bryan already! 

On a different note, Bryan is now on his way to Butte Montana where he will swear in and where our insurance and everything will start. It was sad to say goodbye and it was really helpful to have my grandma there with me to talk to on the way home. Although after his bus left he called me (from someone else's phone) to tell me that they were going to be stopping in Rexburg for an hour (we were in Idaho Falls) and that I could see him again! There's nothing like saying goodbye when there's a hello a half an hour later! The second goodbye was more "permanent" and he is going to try and call me tonight when he gets to the hotel to tell me that he made it safely. I'm trying to think of it more as a "c-ya later" than a goodbye but we'll see how long that will last. Bryan did want to say his "c-ya laters" and thanks to all of you who care about us and keep us in your prayers-he and I both appreciate it a lot!    

BOY OR GIRL?

So we went in for the 20 week appointment today. First off, yesterday when Bryan was shaving (getting ready for boot camp) he said, "Rachel if you want to find out what we're having, we can find out. Just don't ask me about it again or I might change my mind." So we found out what we're having and we want all of you to guess so leave a comment to say what you think we are having and once we get a few comments we will let you know!

The Secret is Out!!

Well we finally decided to break the news. We're Pregnant! and have been for awhile now. We are 5 months and we don't know what we're having yet. We can find out at our next appointment which is this weekend but one of us (Bryan) doesn't want to find out so we probably won't. 

I can feel the baby moving all the time. I was actually able to start feeling it when I was 16 weeks. I think that has been one of the most exciting things so far (hearing the heart beat was pretty cool as well as being able to see the profile of the face at 12 weeks). Sometimes in the mornings, the baby "surfaces" and we can feel a little ball or bubble that is somewhat hard which definitely feels like the baby. We call it the bubble baby. Bryan absolutely loves being able to feel the bubble baby. 

Last Sunday, we were sitting on the couch and the baby was moving. Of course every time I have Bryan put his hand on my belly it stops moving for a little bit. We were actually able to see it moving as well and that was pretty cool. Well it hadn't moved for Bryan so he started poking my stomach and the baby kicked back! Bryan and I were laughing because it was cool and so funny! I wonder what kind of personality he/she will have. Now that there is not as much morning sickness, being pregnant is more enjoyable!

School starts!

Well here it is another week with another blog with the feel of a new semester in the air. As a reminder Bryan graduated and is continuing to work full time while Rachel finishes up her last semester. Bryan is in the Air Force and has basic training/boot camp and leaves on the 22nd which is just right around the corner. We are trying to enjoy the time left we have with each other. There is a lot left to do with little time but that's life. Bryan is getting ready for training as he does timed sit ups and push ups every night. He is supposed to be able to do 50 sit ups and push ups in 2 minutes and he can do them in one! He is doing great! Rachel on the other hand is having a hard time dealing with the upcoming event and he hasn't even left yet! So please after Bryan leaves keep her company! She will need every minute of it she can get!

On a more positive note the sun is shining and the birds are still singing! Fall is on it's way however which is one of the best seasons of the year! Lots of fun festivities!

 

Heise Camp out!

Here we are with another camp out. This time we went to Heise Hot Springs. Over the past 2 years that Bryan has been working at Shilo Fire Sprinklers with Juan and Tom, they all have become really good friends and Juan invited us all again to go camping with them.

On Saturday we went and played real golf. We had a big group so we had to split it into two and we (Bryan, Kim, Karri, and I) were the second group with Juan, Diego, Jr., and Antonio ahead of us. The only time that was available for us to do it was at 12:00 noon-the hottest part of the day! Everyone was doing a pretty good job but I was having a really hard time with it but I still had fun. Towards the end though, I was getting really hot and tired and was starting to not feel well but it was a lot of fun and I actually got a little bit of color on my snow colored arms!  

Bryan hit a couple of really high-I 

mean really high balls. He almost 

hit our friends that were way ahead

of us! In an attempt to show me how

to do it, he hit Karri in the leg who 

now has a welt from it!

Because we were a little unorganized 

with taking turns, there were a few of

us who almost got killed! Karri hit one

that went whizzing inches away from my

face. Kim was putting her ball on the

ground when Bryan's ball went soaring over 

her head. I hit one that went in between Kim's 

legs. I think Bryan might have been the only 

one who didn't have a near death experience 

because he was waiting for us most of the time!

Since I had to hit my ball every 20 feet (literally)

I got really tired and had to take a lot of breaks

under the cool shade.

Marshmallows are always a big hit when camping

and someone was always roasting mallows-even

at breakfast time. 

Juan and his family have a 4 wheeler and a 

little motorcycle. We took them for a spin. 

I don't remember seeing this but here is Bryan

with at least one wheel off the ground. 

  

Here is Karri 4 wheeling for the first time!

I was getting hot in the sun so I went and sat

on some rocks in the shade. Bryan was coming 

back from a little drive and came and picked

me up and let me drive. Well at one point he 

was holding down the gas and we were going

really fast-it was a little scary but still fun.  

Antonio, me, Karri, Jr., and Diego

The boys went fishing early this morning and 

caught some fish. Karri jokingly said she would

clean them and even though she tried to put up 

a fight everyone held her to her word so here she 

is gutting her first fish! She was so brave. It was 

one of the nastiest things I have ever seen. 

(Kim in the background covering her eyes...)

(Tom's daughter Caitlyn gutted one too)

Thank goodness all the kids wanted to gut one

so none of the adults had to do it except for Tom

(Bryan's co-worker) who showed them all how 

to do it-what a great teacher!

The two boys (Jr. and Antonio) roasting their

fish over the fire. It actually tasted pretty good. 

Bryan and Juan and the boys loved it. I thought

it tasted alright but it left a fishy taste in my mouth

that was kinda nasty. 

Camping in Yellowstone

Here we are with another camping trip but this time we have photos! Bryan's boss Juan invited us to go on a camping trip with their family in Yellowstone. Trevor and Karri (Rachel's brother and sister) came with us as well. Juan's family consists of him, his wife Kim, Jr. (11), and Antonio (9). Antonio and Karri became good pals!

Out of all the years Rachel has been to Yellowstone, she has always wanted to see a moose and never got to see one. But on this trip, Juan's eagle eyes spotted one! We looked through our binoculars and it was just a little bit bigger than the speck we saw without them. The people behind us stopped to look too and they had a spotter scope. Since we spotted the moose, they let us see it through their scope and it was so close up that we could see it chewing and we could even see its eye! It was so cool. Rachel was especially excited since she finally got to see her moose-and close up at that!

Here we are setting up camp before hitting the park. 

Jr. and Bryan are trying to start the fire for lunch!

When it was dark at our campsite, we could hear

the wolves howling! The second night we were there

they were really close and could hear them well. As

it turned out, they walked around the edges of the 

campgrounds!

Trevor, Karri, Rachel, Bryan, Antonio, and Jr. in 

front of Old Faithful!

The three siblings with Old Faithful blowing.

We took the trails around Old Faithful and

saw some pretty cool turquoise and orange

bubbling geyser pits that smelled like rotten

eggs. 

Even though this elk looks crazy it wasn't- although

it was just strolling the streets (in Mammoth) like

there was no tomorrow. There were a couple of 

them doing that and on the grounds of one of the

buildings we went in, they had some kind of chicken

wire around the flowers so the elk wouldn't eat them!

Here is the Flores family on the boat we rented.

We are on Yellowstone Lake. 

Here is this beautiful waterfall (Upper Falls?)

From here, the waterfall looks hundreds of feet 

high from the top to the bottom. But when we 

went to the top of it, it didn't look that high or 

very far down at all!

We got to see lots and lots of buffalo. Here is 

a close up of one. Since we saw so many of them, 

we got to see them doing various activities like

running, rolling in dirt, and even taking care of 

the grounds (if you know what I mean).