Yes, it has finally happened. I've turned 30!
The day started off like any other day. (Well, except for the words, HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY written in lipstick on our dresser mirror).
I got up and had breakfast. Ray was already at work and Elektra was still asleep in our bed. The usual routine had occurred of cleaning, checking emails, feeding Elektra and cleaning some more.
Halfway through the day a FedEx truck pulled up and dropped a package off on our front door. It was addressed to me. I brought the box in and opened it. Inside was a beautiful bouquet of 24 roses.
I called Ray at work and thanked him for the lovely flowers, then spent the next half hour fussing over them- pruning the ends, trying to find the best vase, displaying them just right on the table, etc.
After all the fuss over the flowers, I went back to my routine. I was enjoying the fact that for once in a very long time, there was noting going happening on my birthday. In the past there have been rehearsals or theatre performances or other parties and events that always seemed to fall on my B-day.
But today there was nothing and for me that was a gift in itself. Elektra's extra long nap allowed me to play some computer games and indulge in one of my guilty pleasures- looking at pictures of Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Woods, my fantasy boy toys.
Elektra woke up just before Ray came home. He didn't pull all the way into the garage like he usually does, but this didn't surprise me since he's done it before. Ray then came in and fussed it me for still being in my PJ's. So I left him with Elektra as I went to go change into something more presentable.
When I came out of the bedroom, Ray and Elektra was waiting for me with a half dozen roses.
"So, how many roses do you have, honey?"
"Well you gave me 24 roses."
"Yes, and Elektra just gave you 6, so what does that make?"
"Oh honey, you gave me 30 roses. Thank you. That's so sweet."
"30 roses for a beautiful 30 year old women. Now finish getting dressed."
After some puttering around the house some more, we were on our way to I didn't know where. It wasn't long before I realized exactly where we were going. We pulled into the Black Angus parking lot and went inside.
We've realized in our short time living here that people seem to eat really late. You can go to a place at a 5:00pm and there is an echo in the room. But come back to the same place at 8:45pm and there is a line outside the door. So, we had the whole place almost to ourselves.
After dinner we went to the movies and saw, "The Hitman", which was awesome! There is nothing like a good shoot-them-up-and-blow-them-all-to-pieces movie to end an already perfect day.
Overall, it was the best way to turn 30. I could not have asked for more.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The Winchester House
Those who know me won't be surprised to hear that I absolutely love the Winchester Mystery House!
I have seen almost all the TV specials on the house, and ever since Ray and I toured the house during our honeymoon, I have been drawn to the place. To me there is nothing scary about the place. Instead I view it with a deep fascination and respect for a woman that was not- as most people believe- crazy, just maybe very eccentric.
We live less then ten minutes away from the Winchester House, so if you are ever in the area please let us know. We'll be glad to join you for a tour.
I have seen almost all the TV specials on the house, and ever since Ray and I toured the house during our honeymoon, I have been drawn to the place. To me there is nothing scary about the place. Instead I view it with a deep fascination and respect for a woman that was not- as most people believe- crazy, just maybe very eccentric.
We live less then ten minutes away from the Winchester House, so if you are ever in the area please let us know. We'll be glad to join you for a tour.
Random Acts of Cutness
Admit it. The only real reason you come to view this blog is to see the cute pictures of Elektra. Well fine, you win. Here are some pictures of Elektra in all her glorious cuteness. I hope you get a cavity just looking at them-
A Blessed Day
On November 11, 2007, Elektra Cali Mattingly was brought before the Lord to be baptized in his holy name. The event took place at The United Methodist Church in Phoenix, Arizona.
Maggie and John Medcalf were given the honor that day of becoming Elektra's Godparents.
"May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord show you kindness and be gracious to you.
May the Lord bestow favor upon you and grant you his greatest gift- the gift of peace."
-Jewish Threefold Blessing
Maggie and John Medcalf were given the honor that day of becoming Elektra's Godparents.
"May the Lord bless you and protect you.
May the Lord show you kindness and be gracious to you.
May the Lord bestow favor upon you and grant you his greatest gift- the gift of peace."
-Jewish Threefold Blessing
Friday, December 21, 2007
Monterey
One weekend in early November we decided to take a trip over to Monterey. I had heard so much about the area from Ray's mom, Linda. To hear her speck about it is to hear about a school girl crush. I wanted to know what was it about Monterey that ignites such a sparkle in Linda's eyes and a sound of longing in her voice at the very mention of the place. I was soon to find out...
So, on we drove to the Monterey coast. You could smell the water even before you could make out the distant coast. Despite the rainy days that mark the winter months here, the gods gave us a beautiful clear day with a sky of blue that mocked in jealousy the blue of the waves that crashed on the shore before us. Even though the temperature was getting colder, it did not deter the die-hard surfers and sun bathers. The sandy cost was sprinkled with locals and the pier filled with tourist.
We walked the beach, picking sea shells and stones that had been smoothed to perfection in a way that only water can create. The seagulls sat in audience with us as we watched a family of seals swim by.
On the pier, the shop windows enticed deeper exploration. The perfume, an intoxicating mixture of simmering seafood and vintage wine, filled the air. Restaurants drew in the passerby who could not resist the free samplings of hot freshly made clam chowder that not only warmed the body but touched that part of us that longs to live a life by the sea, where everyday is filled with a drink of these moments and these experiences.
After dinner on the pier, when the dusk gave way to the darkness, we watched the coast transform as the fog floated in, covering the bustling area with an eerie silence. Shadows turned to ghost as the waves, that just hours before splashed in childhood play, now slowly rippled along with the age of a man that has seen too many wars.
As the remains of the coast faded into our rear view mirrors, I understood why people are drawn to Monterey. Why people are called to its beaches time and time again. It is an affair between sand and the soul. A pleasure to be experienced and never forgotten.
So, on we drove to the Monterey coast. You could smell the water even before you could make out the distant coast. Despite the rainy days that mark the winter months here, the gods gave us a beautiful clear day with a sky of blue that mocked in jealousy the blue of the waves that crashed on the shore before us. Even though the temperature was getting colder, it did not deter the die-hard surfers and sun bathers. The sandy cost was sprinkled with locals and the pier filled with tourist.
We walked the beach, picking sea shells and stones that had been smoothed to perfection in a way that only water can create. The seagulls sat in audience with us as we watched a family of seals swim by.
On the pier, the shop windows enticed deeper exploration. The perfume, an intoxicating mixture of simmering seafood and vintage wine, filled the air. Restaurants drew in the passerby who could not resist the free samplings of hot freshly made clam chowder that not only warmed the body but touched that part of us that longs to live a life by the sea, where everyday is filled with a drink of these moments and these experiences.
After dinner on the pier, when the dusk gave way to the darkness, we watched the coast transform as the fog floated in, covering the bustling area with an eerie silence. Shadows turned to ghost as the waves, that just hours before splashed in childhood play, now slowly rippled along with the age of a man that has seen too many wars.
As the remains of the coast faded into our rear view mirrors, I understood why people are drawn to Monterey. Why people are called to its beaches time and time again. It is an affair between sand and the soul. A pleasure to be experienced and never forgotten.
Halloween In Willow Glen
This October 31st marked Elektra's initiation into the time-old tradition of begging strangers for candy!
Weeks before, Ray and I searched for the perfect costume for Elektra. It had to be so cute and utterly sicking that we would be able to embarrass her with photos of the costume years from now. Our search ended when we found a pair of cute pink bunny ears at the local Halloween store.
On Halloween day starting at 11 a.m., Downtown Willow Glen merchants passed out candy to all the preschool and younger kids. Of course, never being one to turn down free candy, I bundled my little pink bunny up and we trekked our way downtown.
This picture was taken at a bathroom and kitchen store that filled one of their bathtubs and allowed kids to grab a handful of candy.
After cruising both sides of the three blocks that makeup downtown Willow Glen, Elektra came away with a nice bit of booty. (And yes, that is an actual box of Crayola crayons. Our local State Farm insurance passed those out.)
When Ray arrived home from work, we ate dinner and then prepared ourselves for the evening walk around the neighborhood for even more candy.
"Oh no! It's the scary pink bunny! Run!!!!!"The weather was getting cold real quick, so we didn't get to trick-or-treat as long as we would have liked. But we did get to a lot of houses where Elektra's sweet smile and cute bunny ears melted the hearts of everyone.
Elektra with her Halloween Booty! Girl, you made your parents proud.
Oh, in case anyone actually cared, Ray went out dressed as a dead sailor and I was dressed as a gypsy.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Elektra at 9 Months
A small snack between meals
Look what the movers unpacked, honey!
Just chillin' out at home
I think Poppy would agree with you- nothing is better then a good nap after a good meal.Elektra is now 9 months old. She can crawl, pull up on furniture and chew on her own feet. She has two teeth now. Both on the bottom center right next to each other. Her hair hasn't grown much, but she does have a beautiful set of well shaped eyebrows.
She now enjoys pulling her toys out of the toy box, (we now need to teach her how to put the toys back in). She also likes to rip up paper and chew on the pieces that we don't pick up in time. And when mommy and daddy are not looking, she likes to drop random things into the cats' litter box.
Overall, she is absolutely perfect and we wouldn't trade her for anything. (Except maybe a weekend away in Las Vegas with $500 spending money. Maybe.)
Our New Swank Neighborhood
The front of our new house with roses growing in front of the dinning room window
Our back patio
The backyard with two orange trees, a lemon three and more roses
Our garageAfter moving in to our new house we discovered that we live in one of the most posh area to live in San Jose - Willow Glen Community.
Here is what I think is a good comparison. Living in Willow Glen is like living in downtown Scottsdale or downtown Seattle. It is an address that everyone wants. Ray's co-workers could not believe we found a place to live in this area. I'm sure that by now they are thinking that Ray must have married a sugar-momma or that our family must have some connections with the mob.
I can only say that it is all God's doing. We had nothing to do with it. This house is a blessing that we are deeply thankful for.
A House Makes A Home For The Mattingly Family
Okay, here is what happened.
Ray was given one week of house-hunting leave. He flew into Phoenix and the next day we flew together as a family into San Jose, California. Our first stop was Moffett Field, an air force base that was now run by NASA. Even though it was no longer a military base, it still had military housing that we were hoping to get.
Well, the waiting list for Moffett housing is at least a year. We were put on a list of families still waiting for housing. We were number 20. So unless 19 families dropped off the list and a family already in housing planned on moving out in the next two days, there would be no chance of us getting into military housing.
So, we regrouped and decided to take another approach. We would locate exactly where Ray would be stationed and use that as are starting point in looking for a place to live.
We were given some advice to look at areas outside of Sunnyvale, which is where Ray would be working. There was rarely anything available in the Sunnyvale area. So, we moved our search to the surrounding towns - San Jose, Santa Clara and Mountain View.
For those of you who don't know, this is Santa Clara County area, more famously known as the heart of Silicon Valley. Almost all the major computer and Internet companies are here- Yahoo!, Ebay, Norton Security, MacAfee and Google, just to name a few. And of course, where there are multi-billion dollar companies there are sure to be multi-million dollar homes. Which for us meant places that were way beyond the income level of a U.S. sailor.
The search was long and frustrating. The rent for most two-bedroom apartments were more then what the average person in Arizona pays a month for a three-bedroom house! We looked at townhouses that started at $700,000.00 and apartments so small that we knew if we moved in most of our stuff would remain in storage for the next three years.
Now, please keep in mind that we were not trying to be picky, its just that we needed to find a place we could afford that would give us enough room for our growing family, (we hope to have two more kids in the next three years).
So, we find ourselves on Wednesday, still no closer to finding a place to call home. After looking at yet another disappointing townhouse we decide to just drive around the area and think of our next plan of action. As we are wondering through the neighborhoods when into a part of town that is just beautiful. The homes are the type you see in Martha Stewart or Better Homes and Gardens magazines. Ray suddenly spots a sign about an open house. We turn the corner and see a house for rent. We figured it wouldn't hurt to have a look. At the very least we could see how the other-half lives.
The house was beautiful. About 50 years old, the house has been own by the same couple for the last 30 years. They lived in it for the first five years and have been renting it out ever since. The house had history and character, with its own little cute quirks. We took the business card of the realtor but didn't seriously think we could afford a house like this.
Yet, something happened after seeing that house. We couldn't get the house out of our minds. No matter what else we looked at we ended up comparing to the house. And , "who on earth", we thought, "would have an open house on a Wednesday?" This had to be a sign, but there was only one way to find out. We called the realtor and discussed monthly rent. We put in an application and waited.
In the meantime we stalked the house. Evey chance we got, we went back to the house. Walked around the outside peeking into the windows and taking pictures of it with our camera phones. We stalked the place so much I was afraid that the neighbors were going to call the police on us.
The realtor, which we found our would be our property manager if the application was accepted, informed us that the owners were concerned about us being a military family. The previous renters were military and when the husband was given orders to go to Iraq, they broke their lease after only three months and the wife moved back to her parent's place. The owners didn't want the same thing to happen again. We assured them that even if Ray was shipped of somewhere else that I had no intentions of moving anywhere else- at least for a year.
On our way back to Hawaii we found out that we were approved for the house. After Ray officially left his command we returned to San Jose to sign our lease and get our keys to our new home!!!!
After a couple of nights of sleeping on the floor our furniture arrived from storage. It was like Christmas, unpacking boxes of stuff neither of us had seen since February.
And now, with only a three boxes of odds and ends left, we are starting to see this house slowly transform into a place we can now call, "Home".
Ray was given one week of house-hunting leave. He flew into Phoenix and the next day we flew together as a family into San Jose, California. Our first stop was Moffett Field, an air force base that was now run by NASA. Even though it was no longer a military base, it still had military housing that we were hoping to get.
Well, the waiting list for Moffett housing is at least a year. We were put on a list of families still waiting for housing. We were number 20. So unless 19 families dropped off the list and a family already in housing planned on moving out in the next two days, there would be no chance of us getting into military housing.
So, we regrouped and decided to take another approach. We would locate exactly where Ray would be stationed and use that as are starting point in looking for a place to live.
We were given some advice to look at areas outside of Sunnyvale, which is where Ray would be working. There was rarely anything available in the Sunnyvale area. So, we moved our search to the surrounding towns - San Jose, Santa Clara and Mountain View.
For those of you who don't know, this is Santa Clara County area, more famously known as the heart of Silicon Valley. Almost all the major computer and Internet companies are here- Yahoo!, Ebay, Norton Security, MacAfee and Google, just to name a few. And of course, where there are multi-billion dollar companies there are sure to be multi-million dollar homes. Which for us meant places that were way beyond the income level of a U.S. sailor.
The search was long and frustrating. The rent for most two-bedroom apartments were more then what the average person in Arizona pays a month for a three-bedroom house! We looked at townhouses that started at $700,000.00 and apartments so small that we knew if we moved in most of our stuff would remain in storage for the next three years.
Now, please keep in mind that we were not trying to be picky, its just that we needed to find a place we could afford that would give us enough room for our growing family, (we hope to have two more kids in the next three years).
So, we find ourselves on Wednesday, still no closer to finding a place to call home. After looking at yet another disappointing townhouse we decide to just drive around the area and think of our next plan of action. As we are wondering through the neighborhoods when into a part of town that is just beautiful. The homes are the type you see in Martha Stewart or Better Homes and Gardens magazines. Ray suddenly spots a sign about an open house. We turn the corner and see a house for rent. We figured it wouldn't hurt to have a look. At the very least we could see how the other-half lives.
The house was beautiful. About 50 years old, the house has been own by the same couple for the last 30 years. They lived in it for the first five years and have been renting it out ever since. The house had history and character, with its own little cute quirks. We took the business card of the realtor but didn't seriously think we could afford a house like this.
Yet, something happened after seeing that house. We couldn't get the house out of our minds. No matter what else we looked at we ended up comparing to the house. And , "who on earth", we thought, "would have an open house on a Wednesday?" This had to be a sign, but there was only one way to find out. We called the realtor and discussed monthly rent. We put in an application and waited.
In the meantime we stalked the house. Evey chance we got, we went back to the house. Walked around the outside peeking into the windows and taking pictures of it with our camera phones. We stalked the place so much I was afraid that the neighbors were going to call the police on us.
The realtor, which we found our would be our property manager if the application was accepted, informed us that the owners were concerned about us being a military family. The previous renters were military and when the husband was given orders to go to Iraq, they broke their lease after only three months and the wife moved back to her parent's place. The owners didn't want the same thing to happen again. We assured them that even if Ray was shipped of somewhere else that I had no intentions of moving anywhere else- at least for a year.
On our way back to Hawaii we found out that we were approved for the house. After Ray officially left his command we returned to San Jose to sign our lease and get our keys to our new home!!!!
After a couple of nights of sleeping on the floor our furniture arrived from storage. It was like Christmas, unpacking boxes of stuff neither of us had seen since February.
And now, with only a three boxes of odds and ends left, we are starting to see this house slowly transform into a place we can now call, "Home".
Where In The World Is Elektra?
In the past ten months, Elektra has been doing some serious traveling. Let's see if you can add up the miles:
February: Road trip from Bremerton, WA to Laveen, AZ
February -April: Almost weekly trips from Laveen to Peoria, AZ
April-May: Flight from Phoenix, AZ to O'ahu, HI and back
June-August: Again, almost weekly trips from Laveen to Peoria, AZ
August-September: Flight from Phoenix, AZ to San Jose, CA then to O'ahu, HI
September: Flight from O'ahu, HI to San Jose, CA
Road trip from San Jose, CA to Laveen, AZ
Road trip from Laveen, AZ to Payson, AZ and back.
Road trip from Laveen, AZ to San Jose, CA
Needless to say we are all tired of traveling and it is a comfort in knowing that there are no major road trips planned for the month of October, (at least at the time this blog is being written). However, this is not the end of our travels this year. We still have a few more trips coming up, but those will be revealed in upcoming blogs.
February: Road trip from Bremerton, WA to Laveen, AZ
February -April: Almost weekly trips from Laveen to Peoria, AZ
April-May: Flight from Phoenix, AZ to O'ahu, HI and back
June-August: Again, almost weekly trips from Laveen to Peoria, AZ
August-September: Flight from Phoenix, AZ to San Jose, CA then to O'ahu, HI
September: Flight from O'ahu, HI to San Jose, CA
Road trip from San Jose, CA to Laveen, AZ
Road trip from Laveen, AZ to Payson, AZ and back.
Road trip from Laveen, AZ to San Jose, CA
Needless to say we are all tired of traveling and it is a comfort in knowing that there are no major road trips planned for the month of October, (at least at the time this blog is being written). However, this is not the end of our travels this year. We still have a few more trips coming up, but those will be revealed in upcoming blogs.
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