Chad hard at work

The laptop is being put to good use
"I'm so pumped about going to the airshow."

Here are some pictures of Chad writing away...counting this summer and fall he will have had 3 writing intensive courses, one of which was an independent study, so he has been doing a LOT of writing. I've also posted a picture of Chad in his flight suit. He was about to go to the airshow at the Prescott airport last Saturday. You can tell he was very excited about me taking this picture. Chad is in Phoenix again today (surprise surprise) but at least he doesn't have to go every day this week. He starts school again tomorrow...his last full-time semester! Yay!

I'm going to try and post more pictures now of our "camping" trip this weekend.

For the blog checkers

I knew when I got on our blog again someone would have made a comment about how there haven't been any posts in a while. Since we don't have internet at home and the internet that we use has been down for the past few days we have been a little out of the loop. We are busy, busy, busy. Chad is traveling to Phoenix every day this week for his job but it has been during the day so we still get to see each other in the evenings. I have been busy booking Arbonne presentations--I have six presentations the week of October 9th, all within a span of five days! So in addition to my regular job I have been planning for that as well.

Emily, I haven't forgotten about your request for a picture of Chad in his flight suit, we just haven't gotten around to it yet. Sorry...

I feel like I haven't talked to any family in a while but since you guys are a lot better about posting on your blogs than I am I still feel like I know a little bit of what's going on in your life. The next time something changes with us or I have pictures to post I will post again.

Ava

Here is a picture of Shawn and Emma's new little girl, Ava. She was born early this morning and we are so excited. Check Emily's blog for details about her height/weight, etc.

My job is cooler than yours

Jury Duty

I was supposed to have jury duty tomorrow, but it got canceled. Truthfully, I'm kind of disappointed. Everyone else I know has been to jury duty, but since I was first summoned about a month ago, I still haven't been able to go. The first time was a summons for a grand jury but I would have had to miss every Friday for 4 months at work, and I couldn't do that, so they excused me. Then, not two weeks later, I got this summons. I called and found out today that this trial was canceled. So anyway, I guess I'm going back in the pool of potential jurors, waiting for my turn. Maybe I should just be glad I don't have to go, but I thought it would be kind of fun.

It's true...

Chad has, in fact, been driving almost three hours one way to get to the station he is supposed to be doing his ride-outs out of for training. So since he is going to school Monday through Friday he has to do all these 24-hour shifts on Saturday. The original reason for him going down to Casa Grande for his ride-outs was because the station was a lot like Prescotts, and I quote: "Rural, high call-volume." Well, in this, his 3rd 24-hour shift, he has yet to ride out on a single call. People just aren't getting hurt enough or having enough high-risk baby deliveries down there. Also, when the weather is bad they can't go up in the air and his last shift it was raining quite a bit, so he couldn't go up at all. So, at this point, even though today is supposed to be his last ride-out shift, he will most likely have to do more because he was also supposed to have gotten 6 calls by this point (I think).

Chad will also start his clinicals soon, which is actual hours in Pediatric ICU, the ER, etc. Those he has to do down in Phoenix as well. Fact of the matter is that he is just super busy right now, but I know that will slow down once his quarter starts in October and he is only going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and also once he is able to start working in Prescott. Hey, at least he's getting paid, right?

I guess that's about it. I really can't think of anything interesting new in my life right now. Nothing really happening at school or anything like that. I guess that's what happens when you only teach regular academic classes and don't have any extra-curriculars you're responsible for. It's great.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. And Emma, I will try to keep up the blog a little bit more, although here in a few days I'm sure you won't be checking it, you know, with the new baby and all.

Agassi and Sampras called...they want their skills back.

Recently, Chad and I have taken up a new hobby together: tennis. As most of my family and friends know, I used to play tennis in my younger years and really enjoyed it. So, Chad and I found some courts at PHS and have played a couple times in the past week. We are having fun. I will take some pictures of us in action and post them when I get a chance.

And just so you know, we played our first real set last night...and I won. :)

Sorry

Since some of you are a little impatient, I am posting even though there's not a whole lot to say. The picture of Kellen is because I know people (Chad mostly) will complain if I post another post with just words and no pictures. Also, Kellen is cute so I thought you guys would like to see another picture of him. Chad comes back tomorrow from two weeks in Phoenix for job training and begins school on Tuesday. The next four weeks will be extremely busy for him because he will be going to school every day while trying to get in more training down in Phoenix for his job. Great...

In other news, the AC is out in the Civic so we need a new compressor.

I have almost two hours of prep time today, because they decided to change the bell schedule at school and so on Wednesday and Thursday now the kids have three classes a day for an hour and 50 minutes each. Makes for a looooong day. It's good for me now though because I have a ton of grading and entering of grades to do...the first progress reports are coming out soon. Can't believe it's already been three weeks of school.

That's about it from here. See? Boring.

Back to the drawing board

For those of you who were posting comments as "other" and "anonymous," you will now have to get a user name and password if you would like to comment on my blog. Sorry, but I started getting some X-rated comment spam and I am just not willing to receive that stuff for the sake of letting anybody comment. So if you would like to make comments on our blog go to blogger.com and register.

In the club

Something interesting has been happening since we bought our Element. Everytime we pass another one, they wave at us as if we are now in a secret society. We wave and smile at each other as if to say, "You're driving a big bright box? I'M driving a big bright box!" The other day I stopped at a 4-way stop sign at the same exact time as another red-orange Element, same year and everything. He smiled so big and waved, I think it made his day. Anyway, just another reason I'm glad we bought the Element, so I can be a part of this weird subculture...Civic drivers are soooo unfriendly.

Home away from home

View from the door

Front corner of the room

View from the students' desks of me saying "Put that cell phone up before I confiscate it!"

My desk is in the back left corner

Here are some pictures of my classroom, where I spend most of my waking hours. Now when you are wondering what I am doing at that very moment you can visualize a location.

School starts Monday

It seems like school just ended, but sure enough, I will have 130 new kiddos in my class on Monday. I spent the last 3 days up at school preparing and I am ready. Bring it on!

New job, new wheels

Chad wanted to show the floors of the car

I'm in most of these pictures too, since Chad had the camera and it's "technically" my car

This is how the back seats fold up on the wall, although they can also be completely removed

Note to self: close doors before driving

So last week when Chad and I were in Phoenix for my AP Institute Chad found out that he got the job with Airevac as a flight medic. Yay!!!!!! So that was Monday...and then we realized we needed a second car. Chad and I have gone almost an entire year with one vehicle and it has worked out pretty well, but we are at the point where we need two cars again. So after I got finished with my class every day at 3:30, we would go car shopping until pretty much the dealerships were closed. In 114 degree heat that can be a little exhausting. If you are interested in the whole story about how we got our car I will tell it to you another time, but since most of you probably don't care a wit I'm just posting pictures. Let me just preface this by saying that I have loved Honda Elements since they came out a few years ago and pretty much had my mind set on one. Then I'll say that in all of Phoenix we found about two used Elements at dealerships that were in our price range, one of which smelled like an ashtray. We did not get the ash tray. So here are pictures of our new car which I love. If you want to know more about it you can just give me a call sometime.

Climbing Granite Mountain

Man, I loved that tree

On the top...pretty tired

Me viewing our nice little town

Peeking through a tree that burned in a forest fire around 30 years ago

Pictures, as promised. The reason they're mostly of me is because Chad was practicing his photography skills and had the camera most of the time. I particularly liked the shot he took of the agave plant so I included that as well.

Playing catch-up

Chad really did help paddle, he's just posing at the moment.
I headed up the front of the boat.

Apparently, the ducks don't like to be chased.

Okay, well quite a few things have happened in the past couple of weeks so now I am trying to play catch-up. Here are a few pictures of us paddling on Lynx Lake here in town (thanks for letting us use your canoe, Alan) and the above post will be pictures of climbing Granite Mountain. Alan's parents went with us, and were very impressive on the hike. I believe it was around 9 miles for the whole trip, and much of it was boulder-hopping and climbing. Way to go Alan's parents!

Bonnie & Dad at Erin & Josh's house

Kellen playing

Well, right now Chad is up at church doing something with a jackhammer...I think they are putting in a sprinkler system and new sod. So I am up here at the library posting to the blog. On Sunday we will head to Phoenix (where the high today is 115...yikes) for the Advanced Placement Institute I will be attending until Thursday. Here are some pictures dad sent of Kellen & Bonnie from his recent trip to Texas.

What else are sisters-in-law for?

Next on "What if they mated?" Shawn Montandon and Elvira

I noticed that Emma "forgot" to post any pictures of this monumental performance (Or was forbidden to do so). I think that Chad used some sort of Jedi mind trick on Shawn because otherwise I can't see him doing this, but it was hilarious. This is just to give you a visual to go with Emma's story. You're welcome, Shawn!

Chad & Lesley about to go off the zipline.

Chad & Elle being silly

Shawn, Elle, Emma & Lesley on top of Johnson's Mesa (Chad was on duty back at camp)

The very first fire of the entire summer

Shawn saying "gig 'em!" before he swings

Here are some more pictures from Blue Haven. The picture of Shawn, Emma, Elle & me on top of Johnson's is interesting because we got up there after having to change a shredded tire on one of the other teacher's trucks. I guess that will teach us not to borrow things from other people.

Where did the summer go?

Chad getting ready to swing "Superman Style"

Lesley, mid-swing

Chad & Elle on our porch

Elle & Callie, the camp cat, on our porch

Our humble abode for our two weeks at camp

We got home from Blue Haven last Friday evening and I just realized I have about 2 weeks until I go back for inservice at school. I can't believe the summer has flown by so fast. We had a great time visiting with Chad's grandparents in Lubbock, and we also got to see Brandi and Keith, her fiance. Brandi and I decided it has been almost two years since we saw each other. So it was really good to catch up with her and talk about their upcoming wedding in August.

Then, we went to Amarillo for a couple days for Matt's wedding which was also fun. After about an hour at the reception we decided we needed to leave if we wanted to get to Blue Haven at a decent hour--luckily we gained an hour on our way there and got to Blue Haven around 10:30 p.m.

Our time at Blue Haven was fun. Chad was especially busy as the camp nurse. I had a little more freedom since I was only "nurse's helper." It sounds made up but it was harder than it seemed. We had a good time with Shawn, Emma and Elle and seeing other Blue Haven people that we hadn't really spent any time with since we were counselors. We both were asked to do devos for the 4 7th and 8th grade cabins (split up by boys and girls) and we also squeezed in a little time at the challenge course. They've got this huge swing now and a zipline which we both did. It was a lot of fun. Of course now I'm going through Blue Haven withdrawal, which you think would have subsided now that I'm almost 25 years old, but no. Here are some pictures of our time at Blue Haven.

Chad is on his way to Phoenix right now for an interview with a company called AirEvac. He is interviewing for a flight medic position opening up here. Please keep him in your prayers.

I think that's about it for now.

Last post for a while

Hey guys, This will probably be my last post for a while. Chad says the blog has too many words and not enough pictures (which he could DEFINITELY add to if he wanted to join in!) so I'm posting a couple pictures of us from the Bluegrass festival we went to this weekend.

Look how excited Chad is about being at the Bluegrass festival.

This picture could be from anywhere...

...so this picture proves we were there.

We leave for Lubbock tomorrow and will be at Blue Haven by late Saturday night. I have heard an ugly rumor that there is now wireless internet at Blue Haven, so I might be able to post while I'm up there, but I've always liked the fact that you are pretty much cut off from the outside world while you're up there, so even if the wireless thing is true I don't know if I'll use it. We'll have to see. Anyway, that's it for now. We'll be back in civilization around July 14th, so check back then. Keep us in your prayers as we drive quite a bit in the next few weeks.

Now's the time!

Well, it's almost time for us to leave for Blue Haven. This reminds me of the days when I was a camper and I used to solicit mail from everyone I knew about a week in advance so I would get mail up there. As many of you know, the mail service is very slow. For those of you who are interested in sending Chad and me mail while we are at Blue Haven, the address is:

Chad & Lesley Montandon
c/o Camp Blue Haven
HC 81, Box 304
Las Vegas, NM 87701

I used to get letters at the end of the first week I was there from my mom saying stuff like, "I don't really know what to write about since you're still at home and you know everything that is going on. Cricket says hi and misses you." Which wasn't really true because our cat, Cricket, really couldn't care less about me since I used to pull her tail and chase her when she was a kitten. But it was the thought that counted.

Our trip will begin next Tuesday when we drive (allllll day long) to Lubbock, spend a couple days with family and friends there, and then make our way Friday to Amarillo for Matt's wedding. Chad is a groomsman so I'll have to occupy myself somehow while they are doing male bonding stuff which includes picking up tuxes, playing golf, the married guys giving Matt the straight dope about what being married is like, etc. Then Saturday night after the wedding we'll be driving to Blue Haven late into the night and will be there for the next two weeks. It should be a good time. So, you won't see any more blog posts on here after Monday but I should have some more pictures to post in a few weeks, including some of our lot in the Blue Canyon that we intend to build a cabin on someday!

Back in Arizona

After my trip to Texas Dad, Ginny & Mackenzie came to visit me in Arizona. The picture of dad and me is in Sedona at a place called Chapel of the Holy Cross and the picture of just me is at the Grand Canyon.

Pictures

I'm attaching some pictures from my trip...here they are.

I pulled out the camera and Kellen automatically said "Cheese!" Think he's been trained?

The other pictures are Kellen's first trip to the movies, me holding Bonnie at Bonnie's first trip to the movies, Kellen's first try at Vietnamese food (he liked it), and my dear friend Emily with her 6 month old son, Tobin.

I'm back...again

Hey everyone, my adventures with seeing my family are over and I am now back in Prescott. I have some pictures but I am up at school and don't have time right now to upload them, so look for them later. I've had a very busy few weeks seeing my mom, grandparents, Erin, Josh, Kellen, Bonnie, Sara, Emily & Tobin, and Dad, Ginny & Mackenzie. This past week was spent in Sedona with dad and we made little day trips to places like the Grand Canyon, Wupatki ruins, Sunset Crater, Montezuma Castle & Well, etc. After being in Texas for a couple weeks I forgot how much stronger the Arizona sun is and got a little bit of a burn after being at the pool for only about 30 minutes...oops. Yesterday everyone else got to go see some really cool petroglyphs while I was holed up in the hotel with a stomach bug--not a very fun way to end the vacation. Anyway, it was a lot of fun to see everyone on my side of the family and some friends too. Chad comes back home today and got to see most of his family as well. Our next trip will be in about a week and a half, for 2 1/2 weeks to Lubbock, Amarillo, and Blue Haven. I'll post pictures soon.