Cruise 2008

Just a thought

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Blog updates

I just wanted to take the time to say good job Kim for being the bestest at updating your blog :). Please remember, the rest of you, (mostly Billy) that there is a lonely sister who lives 11 hours away and needs pictures of nephews to survive. Anyway. Yes I broke down after Mom and Rebecca's continued suggestion to read Twilight. And yes it is a good and addictive book. Also I am posting a link to the website for one of my offices. We had a grand re opening that I was totally stressed out about but it turned out wonderfully. There is also another link on it about my work crew out at the Exeter,CA cemetary if anyone is interested.
http://www.svsvalleyfocus.org/

I am sooo excited. I was wasting time in target this week and stopped to look at the wii games and there it was................

The Wii Fit. I have been looking for one for months. Unfortunately I can only use it on the weekends until Earl moves to Visalia but I plan to make to most of it. Turning 29 soon is a real awakening that I have spent my entire life overweight and its time to do something about it. The next thing on my wish list is a body bug. Wish me luck......

Tagged by Kim

Ok..... I was tagged by Kim my sister. So here is my picture. It is left over from planning my wedding.

I Tag Kim (sister in law), Jen and Bekah post the fourth picture in your fourth folder.

Changes Again

Sometimes I feel like a gypsy or something the amount of times that I have moved in the past five years. The job that we moved to California for (SVS), as you all know, ended in April. I was very sad to see it end but I was able to quickly find another job that paid the same. Also, Earl had just started with Western Exterminator and was also getting paid well at a job that he is good at. This seemed like the right thing to do for us both. Soon after starting this job I began to realize that it was definitely not the right job for me. I was not able to use the knowledge and skills that I had gained from my experience and did not feel like the organization had the same values that I held dear. At this time, I emailed my boss from SVS. She had originally warned me about taking this job because she could see the problems that I would soon realize. Anyway, She had been attempting to fill a Regional Director position for a few months but had been unsuccessful. I told her that I was interested and we set up a date to meet and talk about the possibility of me filling the position. Earl, even though I know he did not want to move again, was VERY supportive of me. I think he could see how stressed I was at my current job and how much I missed working at SVS. Well, in the end. I was offered the job with a considerable pay raise. I am now working in Visalia Monday-Thursday and from home in Sacramento on Fridays. SVS has really accommodated me in being able to make a smooth transition to Visalia. The plan for us now is for me to continue to commute back and forth until Earl can transfer with Western Exterminator. It is important that he stay with them as they too have been a great company.

It's interesting how much I love this job. You know I have heard some people think that I am snobby or proud because I have a job that has a prestigious title and I talk a lot about it. I have been thinking a lot about this recently. Did I really want this job because I love the job or do I love the power or prestige of the title? I can say without a doubt that I love the job. This job allows me to effect the lives of hundreds of people with disabilities daily. Each day I will be able to do things that will make their lives better in some small way. Once again, I am SOOOOO lucky to have a husband that stands by me no matter what. I only hope that someday I will be half as amazing as he is.

Another UtahTrip

Well.... It's been a really long time since I have updated our blog. I am feeling quite homesick (for both homes) as I write this so hopefully I wont be too sappy. Earl and I were able to go to Utah last month to attend the events for Cianna's adoption finalization and to be there for Earl's mom as she had surgery. We both really love our families and really miss them everyday. We have both been so blessed in life to have AMAZING families. Some people can't say that they have one good family to belong to and we can say that we have two AMAZING families.

This time we drove to Utah so that we would have transportation while there and we could come and go as we needed to. It was a good break from the hum drum of Sacramento and our jobs. Although I was very optimistic when started my job by this time it had proven to be less then what I wanted for my career. We have some great nephews and one awesome niece that we really love. Here are some cute pictures of Cianna and Earl:

We are so blessed to have Cianna as part of our family. I love all my nephews too. It's amazing what a loving spirit children bring to a family.

We were also able to spend time with Earl's mom and Brother Aaron. We drove all over rock hounding and enjoying each other's company.

It was a lot of fun to be active and explore the great outdoors of Utah. We then drove to Park City. Before we moved to Sacramento, Earl, Linda and I spent time in Park City and rode a ski lift from the city up to a silver mine and then back down. We thought that Aaron would appreciate seeing the silver mine and looking for rocks so we decided to do it again.

Then it was time for Linda to have surgery. I was glad that we were able to be there. One reason that I fell in love with Earl is that he loves his mom so much. He is such a loving and caring person. We were glad that Linda could have this great opportunity to becoming more healthy. She has been an inspiration to us and hopefully we will be able to also getting healthy soon. Here are some hospital pictures:

Linda is now doing well and we have some great memories with both families. We are so blessed.

Camping

Work has been exceedingly stressful for me so we decided to go camping. We found when we lived in Utah that camping is an inexpensive way to get away. We found a nice reservoir about two hours from our house. We first went to this really cool campsite off a dirt road that was on a peninsula that jetted out into the reservoir and was free. Unfortunately that was full so we backtracked to the next site Camino Cove. It was beautiful and the park host was very friendly. We set up camp and made some dinner then went to bed. The next morning the campground host came by bright and early and asked "Did you see that bear last night?" I said "what bear?" And he said "That's what I want to hear" and sped away on his golf cart. We also took Archie. He loved going on the walks and chasing the lizards.

Earl is 30 part 2

So after the camping trip, the Quigley men headed home and the Quigley women were hard at work setting up Earl's party. Becca, Earl's sister spent the night cooking chicken salad at my house. I was so glad to have the help.

The next morning, we met up with Earl's mom and headed over to his Dad's house. The girls decorated the house with streamer and balloons. While Linda, Heather and I set up the food.

Just as we finished we heard a knock at the door. We all ran and hid. It was Earl aunt and uncle Harold and Ann. We knew that Earl was just around the corner so we rushed them in and hid again. Earl came to the door and was totally surprised. He first saw his mom who had flown in from Utah unbeknown to Earl just to be there for his birthday. It was a really fun party. For those of you who could not make it here are a few memories:

Earl is 30 part 1

Earl is 30!!!!!

On June 3rd Earl Turned the big 3-0! I had been planning a surprise party for about a month and a half and it was sooooooo hard to keep it a secret from him. His dad had a great idea. The night before the party Earl's dad's ward had a father son camp out. So Gene invited Earl to go with him. That way they could spend time together and I would be able to prepare for the party without Earl being suspicious. Earl had a lot of fun. Here are a few pictures of the camp out.

Gene (Earl's Dad) Micah (Earls brother) and Aaron (Earl's brother) unpacking the van at the campsite.

Micah gone exploring.

Earl's Favorite Spot

The tent was packed all ready to go but unfortunately the poles and stakes did not come along. So the resourceful Quigleys used jumper cables and other items to erect the tent.

Then Bro Garcia (who's sister in law I worked with at Rise) came to the rescue with spare poles.

All four Quigley men

Ok Ok I know it's about time

We have been quite lackadaisical in keeping up this blog so here are a few pictures from our recent ventures. My sister, neice and parents came to visit the end of May. I had a lot of fun. We went to tour the Jelly Belly factory. My neice looked so cute in her little factory cap.

We spent a lot of time just hanging out and playing. Boy she is getting big. Sometimes I wish I lived closer so that I could see the babies more. Here are some more cute pictures:

Poor thing has an orange tongue from the medicine she took for her cold.

She is so pretty when she is sleeping.

Archie didn't really like sharing all the attention especially mom's but my neice sure loved him!