Here is a visual catch up for you:

Lions VS Cardinals Game

Myself, LCpl Dailey and LCpl Chaffin volunteered to wear our blues and attend the Lions VS Cardinals game to hold the flag during the national anthem. The game was held in the new Cradinals stadium in Phoenix, AZ where the superbowl is also being held this year. I have never had so many thank you's said to me before. They actually stood up and clapped as me and two other marines walked up the bleachers in our blues. You wouldn't believe how big the flag is.. all snapped together it fills the the field!

MC Ball 08

As I said before, our Ball this year was a lot of fun. Here are the pictures to catch you up.

Random

I took a weekend trip out San Diego to see my friend Lisa and we spent a few hours doing some surfing Sunday morning before I drove back.

Halloween at a local bar..Jimmy D's. I was the famous school girl!

When up in Phoenix, Matt, Dailey and I were escorted by Ned and Sharon to a go karting track.. Yeah I lost, Dang!

Fallon, NV

I have a quick minute so here is the update of my time here in Fallon, NV..
First off, I thought Yuma was the worst place as far as all things being brown and consisted of nothing until I flew in here.. Town is about a 20 minute drive and consists of 10 casinos which are made from old Denny resturant buildings, a few gas stations/banks, and a wal mart which is their mall (I asked where the mall is, you know me)
We flew in on a five passenger plane that picked us up at the door in Yuma and dropped us off at the one in Fallon, talk about VIP! We then got our rooms which are actually in a hotel with a maid, what a good cahnge of pace! I sound a bit spoiled right..Well we are. Here I am actually doing my MOS which is building bombs and we are working directly with the Navy. Talk about being spoiled.. Back in Yuma we build bombs on the ground using all hand tools, the Navy uses all pheumatic tools and builds on assembly tables.. When we got here they told us that we should build the way we will in Iraq but of coarse we are like thats okay, lets learn your way, haha.. we are bad! The Navy is pretty fun to work with, theres always the rivalry jokes which makes it even better. Anyways, we are working just about the same hours as back in Yuma and still making our own fun at night. We go to the liberty center just about everyday to play on the internet, watch movies at the theatre inside, play pool, air hockey (I always win, thanks to the table in our basement), ping pong, and pool (which im not so good at, dang) Last weekend we went to Reno: started at the mall which didn't last long seeming i was with 6 boys, then we went to CircusCircus and finally made our way to a local strip club called Fantasy Girls, of coarse I was the only female non stripper there, good thing I am a fun girl! hehe.
Well its Friday night and we are about to get some dinner then go see American Gangster and probably drink and play cards. Sunday we are looking at going to Lake Tahoe to do some snotubing for the day (free for military) Should be a good time!
Its that time for me to go pick up the rest of the crew and head out. Did I tell you i'm driving a 12 person van? You know i'm pimpin in that!!

Okay, Okay.. I hate blogging when I don't have any pictures and my camera is having some technical difficulties right now. No its not the user (I'm not Amy), so son't even say your jokes, hehe.
I have so many blogs just waiting for pictures like My Marine Corps Ball, Our trip to to the Lions/Cardinals game, and just a random one.. So stand by for those..
For now I will keep you updated a bit on my life..
This Monday, November 26th, I am leaving for Fallon, NV for a three week mini deployment. Our only job out there will be to build bombs (finally doing my real MOS) There will six of us from my shop and then VMA-211 (another squadron in Yuma). We have an awesome Staff non commisioned officer (SNCO) who is going with us so I know our motto will be: IF WE WORK HARD WE WILL PLAY HARD! I will have my cell phone so feel free to call and I will try my best to blog about it when I get back.
My next deployment will be 90 days long and will be a bit farther away. I actually am going to Al Assad, Iraq to do patrols and searches on Iraqi women. I will be leaving Yuma, AZ on January 3rd. Unfortunetly no cell phone this time..It's going back to boot camp style so those who enjoyed my letters will be happy with that! What a coincidence that its exactly two years from when I went to boot camp, pretty crazy!
Well thats just a quick update so ill keep in touch, Love ya!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Vegas..Vegas..Vegas.. AMAZING!

Who knew I could fall in love so quickly.. and not only with vegas.. Them boys from the Thunder down Under had me after them a bit too..

I need to start first by saying thank you to Ned, Sharon, my Mom, and Amy for coming out to celebrate with me and making it perfect!

Im trying to go at a different angle then what my mom told you all about our trip..Its so hard to decide what to tell cause it was all so good..

Friday we all wore our 5 inch heels, no jackets and walked the strip for hours and did some shoppin..sometimes you have to deal with the pain to be beautiful.. you know that ladies! After that we headed out to our VIP seating at the one and only Thunder down Under.. Amy says my face was priceless when i was pulled onto the stage.. my crown must have brought me luck!

Later that night at the LAX, we ran into my sisters Niki and Paris.. We all must look like triplets seeming I got called them a numerous number of times.. I see the similiarities ;)..Unfortunetly we had to give up the spotlight to Paris..not often does that happen so I was okay with it, hehe.

Saturday was a bit more relaxed.. some more walking, shopping, and touring.. All that occured after our 2 hour hike to IHOP of coarse.. Nothin is better than a late night with IHOP for breakfast.. That night we seen the Treasure Island showdown and headed out to the palms for some looks then out to studio 54.. It was a pretty high class club with a dress code and professional dancers... We danced the night away and right into Sunday.. The day to leave the party behind and head back to reality.. I think that was a good thing cause I dont know how much more drinkin my liver could take nor how many more steps my feet could handle in the heels..

Here is my note to you.. If your comin to Vegas or want to for your 21st.. hit me up cause you know im game!!

Isnt Hollister boy adorable?!

The Cliffs

This right here is one of the best parts of being stationed in Yuma. When I first got here last winter, all I heard was just for the summer when we go to the wash and the cliffs.. Finally the time came. First they took me out to the wash, my version of Lake Fenton. You can wakeboard, ski, ride jet skis, and all that good stuff out there and we like to camp. Pop up a few tents next to the water with a bonfire and some beer, makes for a pretty good night. For a few months we were out there every weekend and then we seemed to slowly stop going ..

And we started going to the cliffs. I would say its about a mile hike out there, and im not saying hike lightly. Its a good walk.. Down some hills, up some mountains, through the loose gravel and under the trees, literally. I always feel bad for the one who has to carry the cooler, good things its never me!

Walk..Walk..Walk..

And finally your there.. to the top that is. Its beautiful!! Its about a 35 foot jump, not bad at all, and the water is deep enough you will never hit.

There is two sides, usually we put all of our stuff down on one and then when you jump you can swim to the other side and jump from there. Sure is work out to keep climbin up.. and after your first time out, you will never again forget your tennis shoes! The first picture below is Matt and I climbin up the far side and then the other one is right after we jumped.

All in all, its an awesome time! So come to Yuma and Ill take you there!!

CATCHIN UP

Okay.. Okay, I cannot keep up on making blogs.. I was too worried about startin from the begining and skippin a step so now im just doin my daily life and if you want something specific done then let me know..

Here is a brief of what you will miss..

LCpl Johnson and I drove 40 hours across the country to Yuma, AZ. I was put into PC (Production Control) where I controlled production, weird huh? hehe jus playin. I pretty much was in charge of where our gear was going, when we would get it back, when inspections had to be done and what each work center was doing and got to tell them what they should be doing. I held a lot of responsibility as a Lance Corpral. I think in about June I won marine of the Quarter.. Pretty much that means out of the E-3's and below who went on the board, I did the best. i won a front row parking spot! haha.. Gotta Love that!!

Yuma is the dessert. Thats it. We have an outdoor mall and movie theatre so really you find interesting, weird things to entertain your time. We have the cliffs, the wash, the Dunes, and San Diego and Phoenix only 2 1/2 hours away.

Now as I got to the places more recently, I will blog and post pictures.

Continuing On..

So after a few months I was moved into Administartion and Training. Im the mom of 88 Marines. I have to tell them where to be and when to be there everyday. Hey mom-you thought I was bad with asking question, theres only one of me! lol But I do feel for you..

On August 1st I was promoted to Corporal, pay raise!!.. Thats always a good deal.

I also started college in August. I am currently taking introduction to Law and Introduction to paralegal. I am doing very well so far and hopefully will keep it up!!

Truthfully, right now im at work not doin anything and decided to catch ya up so I can post pictures (cause I have some good ones of last weekend)

SO im back and will try my best to show you some cool things..LATERRS

Heres my P.S.

In April we celbrated the Ordnance Birthday.. April 25, 1922 and threw a BBQ. We had a dunk tank, slip and slide, volleyball, baseball, and lots of food! We even got our Master Guns in the dunk tank.. A few pictures will follow..(The cute boy in white is who i drove across the country with) haha.. Hes one of my best friends.

CHERRY POINT, NC

MCAS Cherry Point is located in a small town named Havlock in BFE, NC and this is where C School was held. C-school is more hands on and more there to teach you exactly what you will be doing once you get to the fleet. You learn how to build the bombs, fix racks, all the Aussie gear (Support Equipment) and how to take apart and put together gun and ammo packs. Its a lot to learn in the short amunt of time your there so you have to take with you what you can and relearn once you get to your first duty station. PT here picked up a bit: Longer and faster runs, harder excercises. The instructors really wanted to give you a run for your money. Unlike Pensacola (Navy base) We had rules: we were to march as a school everywhere we went, we had to sign in and out everywhere we went, we had a midnight curfew everynight of the week and room checks at 1 am everynight plus 2 hour posts through out the night. Really didn't make for much fun.. so you made your own fun...

A few things that I don't have pictures of are like the "water park." Really its an old mans house on the river who built a wooden playset type thing over the water. It had ropes and tires and diving boards and a 50 foot tower to jump off and zip lines, and fighting logs. It was free and added much entertainment into our lives. While I was there we also had a hurricane so what did us Mariens do? Put on our PT gear and headed into the mud puddles. My hair was completely black by the end, and I loved it!

Near September things began to get better because we learned the ways. First off, My mom and Aunt Connie came down to visit and bring me my car (or theres lol) and we had a good time. We went out to the bowling alley on base so they could see my life, meet my friends, and see my surroudnings. Once again, even as adults, the boys loved them! Differently of coarse then when Alisha and Alysa came down but they were treated good by all my friends which made me very happy. They also got to see the durnk side of marines puking and walking the wrong way and of coarse acting crazy cause thats what we do! And the other side of things getting better is my roomate Torres who was also my roomate in pensacola with me lives in jacksonville, NC (about an hour away) so we put in special liberty chits and got to stay down there every weekend. Weird to say but La Mirage (a local strip club) was about our only fun on friday nights. Nothing like seeing the guys you work with in that enviroment.

Ever heard of One Tree hill? While its TV show on FOX and 3 marines from each class got picked to be an extra in an episode. While I was fortunate and got picked. We wore our cammies and Pt'd in the background. I have yet to see the episode but Ill let you know when I see myself!!

For my 20th birthday, Torres and I headed down to myrtle Beach and had an awesome time. We got a hotel on the ocean, got to be on the radio, went to an awesome club, and it just happened to be bike week so we got to ride on crotch rockets. It couldn't have been much better.

Lopez and I

I left Cherry Point as a Lance Corporal and also graduated top of my class and recieved a Certificate of Accomodation.

Then the day finally came where myself and Lcpl Johnson packed the truck to its limits and headed on our 40 hour drive across the country to his house in California where I stayed with his family for a week. Then we continued down to Yuma, AZ where I shall be for the next three years..

PENSCAOLA, FL

After Boot Camp and MCT, anything would seem like heaven and thats pretty close to what Pensacola was. First off, it is a naval base in Florida. I was there from May-July for what we call A-school. The course itself is three weeks long and is more book based then hands on. You learn the types of bombs, rockets, missiles, and support equipment you will be working with one day. Theres not to much to say about the actaul class but I can tell you all about my time there.

When you first arrive you are put in INDOC where you check in and learn the area and cannot change out of cammies or green on green at all. We even went to the beach in our PT gear. PORTSIDE is the hang out on base where they have kareokee, pool, a bar, internet, pizza hut, and taco bell. While on INDOC, Bodenburg and I went there and danced in our cammies, not many were happy with that and we got kicked off the dance floor immediatly. That only started our journey. Sunday through Thursday you have a 2200 curfew then Friday and Saturdays you do not have a curfew. So during the week it was the usual wake up, class, get ready, PORTSIDE, and then the all famous DVD lounge. Big screen TV and the only place your allowed to be besides your room after 2200. Weekends we would take a taxi out to Penscola Beach, get a hotel near by and usually spend our nights at The Dock. The Dock would be my Tiki's back home. Thursday nights were field day, so when you got bored you made fun. We would cut things out of dry sponges, see who could do the most pull ups with me on their back and carry people in sea bags. Somethings others could never understand..

In June, I had the priveldge of having Alisha and Alysa come down and spend a weekend with me and see what my life was all about. They got to experience male marines deprivation of females first hand because as soon as they walked up, every guy wanted to know who the new girls were. I got to sit back and laugh at that for a minute.

Besdies for the partyin, Pensacola was beautiful! You had a beach on base, palm trees, and all the sights that just make you smile. This would be the place I would want to be stationed if I had the choice. I made some of my

closest Marine friends there to this day. I cant say much besides it was amazing!

Rivera ----->

<--Josh, now the EX

Coates, I still get to see him!

MCT

MCT: MARINE COMBAT TRAINING
Going in to the Corps, just like all of you, I pictured Boot Camp to be the hardest thing I would ever go through.. and then I went to MCT and realized it wasn't.

MCT is 3 weeks long and is there to teach you basic combat skills to survive. You learn things from squad attacks and formations to living like you were in combat. You get to shoot 6 different weapons including a grenade launcher and a .50 cal. You also go on three humps. A 5k, 10k, and a 15k with an 80 lbs pack on your back. Me, weighing a 110 lbs, had some issues with that, but of coarse made it through. You sleep either on a cement floor or outside with only and iso mat and a pancho liner, not exactly warm or comfortable. If you get sleep that is. Between the late night patrols and 2 hour fire watches a night, theres not much of that going on. You learn to make good friends and quick, cuddeling with other females is okay for warmth.

We also got to dig fighting holes or "Fox Holes" There were to be 3 feet wide by your height tall. Sure I was the shortest one and thats why i was put with the tallest girl, Gotta love how that works.

Food? Whats that? Ohh an MRE: Meals Ready to Eat. At first you were kinda scared to try it but as time went on you knew that was your food so you enjoyed every minute of them! I will say the Ravoli and Sloppy Joe isnt to bad. (Which I got a hold of one and will be bringing it home in August for you all to enjoy..your welcome.)
MCT is a mixture of about 80% males and 20% females. Now you can look at that in 2 ways: The good way - you actually get to see something half good and the bad way - Guys are naturally more athletic so you had to step up or head right back to base and sit in holding which is really something you do not want. When i said you only had something half good to look at, I meant it. And us females were no better. Lets just say you average about 1 shower a week.
Through all the bad times, you learn a lot to help you survive. With the night patrols, "gun attacks", "IED's" and so on.







It was just some real training... and damn am I happy im done with it!