Look What I Did and an Update :)

During the last week Brian and I decided that it was time to tackle the backyard, hence the pretty flower.  When we moved in last year the backyard was a disaster zone, and it has remained that way.  Gophers, a giant cactus, patchy grass, and weeds ruled the backyard.  I already wrote how I started destroying the cactus.  Well, it is no more!  I showed that cactus who was boss.  Well I did for the first 98% of the job, then Brian finished him!!  Then, on Saturday, Brian made me a planter box for a veggie garden.

Does it not look awesome?!  We cleared the ground together, but he made the box.  That baby is sturdy!  :)  We planted two zucchini plants. The third as supposed to be bell peppers, but I grabbed the wrong one.  So instead we have a caliente pepper, which are MUY CALIENTE!  So if any of you likes the feeling of your mouth being on fire, please let me know, I have some peppers for you. :)  Not bad for our first project!  Brian is making another box this weekend, but it will be bigger then this one.

One Monday, I started "our" second project.  I cleared the ground for another flowerbed.  Then on Tuesday, after A's dentist appointment and two trips to Home Depot, I finished the project.

First half...

Second half.

Not perfect, but come on, I did it all by myself!  Yes, I did hurt myself once.  I smashed my finger between two of the cinder blocks.  It hurt really bad.  I was thinking a lot of bad things, but only managed to say "OH! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!".  Then I practiced labor breathing techniques.  It still hurts.  Today, after taking the girls out for breakfast and the mall for our super fun girls only time, I cleared the ground for the second box and a pathway. Since that is the project for Saturday, I thought I would get a head start.  It feels good to get stuff accomplished, but I am sore!  I will get a rest tomorrow, since it is Thursday and I have other things on my plate.

Tomorrow is Brian's last day of phase one.  Next week he starts phase two and switches to grave shift.  It should be interesting for all of us.  Brian has not met his new FTO and is both nervous and excited for the change.  At home, we just got use to his current schedule.  He is gone before we get up and gets home (if he comes home) right before bedtime.  Now he will be leaving just as I am leaving to pick up the girls from school, and coming home (if he comes home) just as we are leaving to take the girls to school.  There is a chance that, even if Brian makes the commute home, A and H will not see Brian at all on the days he is working.  It is just another new normal for us, and we will have to get use to it.  And we will, just in time for it to change again.  ;) 

Well I should get to bed.  The girls are on Spring Break this week, but still want to wake up at the break of dawn.  I can only ignore them for so long before they attack me.  Tomorrow they will be especially excited because we will be getting ready for our big trip on Friday.  On Friday we are going to the San Francisco Zoo with Brian's academy roommate and his family.  We have not taken the girls to San Francisco yet, so we are all pretty excited.  Plus, Brian and his roommate can refresh the BROmance. ;)  Good Night!

Blessings,
~Cara

It Has Been Awhile...

Wow, it has been awhile!  The last week and a half has been crazy.  Poor M caught a stomach bug and was miserable.  A was awarded "Student of the Month" for the second grade!  She then used that to get us to stop at Baskin Robbins during a family walk.  "Look!  There's the ice cream place!  You know we haven't celebrated my 'student of the month', yet."  Smart little cookie.  H has been surprising us with her mad reading skills.  So much for spelling things out to keep secrets from the girls.  Our car spent a couple days in the shop, where they told us it was time to look for a new one.  :(  Oh, and today I decided the big ugly cactus in our backyard needed to go!  I destroyed 90% of it and now I just need someone to come finish the job and get rid of the evidence for me.  Any takers?  ;)

At home, it feels like we are getting used to Brian's work schedule.  Which is good, but phase 2 starts after Easter, and that brings a new schedule.  We still never know if or when he is coming home.  Last week we were pretty lucky!  He had a couple short shifts and came home each night. 

When he comes home during his work days, he;

• greets me, 
• unloads his stuff;
•  goes in and kisses the girls; 
• washes the blender cup (breakfast drink) and coffee cup;
• restocks his lunch bag;
• eats dinner while talking to me;
• sets up his breakfast drink and coffee maker for the morning;
• takes a shower;
• comes back down the stairs to tell me good night;
• goes to bed, and is sawing logs 5 seconds later.  Then he is up and out by 3:45am.  

On his days off, he jumps into the family schedule.  I make sure he gets enough rest, works out, eats healthy-ish, has enough time to do his work stuff, and gets family bonding time.  He makes sure he fills the roles of Daddy and hubby. 

At work, Brian has been busy.  He has recovered 3 stolen vehicles, written a bunch of tickets, spent a shift with a dispatcher, and helped out with his first fatality.  He is improving in a lot of areas, but still needs practice.  Overall his daily scores (from his daily evaluation) are better than we expected they would be during phase 1.  Very proud of him!

Well I should probably go bed.  A lot of stuff to do tomorrow!  Good night!

Blessings,
~Cara

Just Checking in...

So we are now into the second week of Brian being out on the road, and it is going good.  So far this week Brian has recovered two stolen vehicles.  Here is a tip for you:  be careful buying a car on Craigslist. If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is and if you buy the car, don't be surprised when a CHP officer shows up and tows it away.  Just saying.  He also investigated two different hit and run cases. 

The last two weeks have also been very humbling.  Brian knew, coming out of the academy, that he still had a lot to learn.  The last two weeks Brian has been relearning how to drive in traffic, where to stand, and how to multitask on a whole new level.  All of our driving lives we have been told that the safest thing to do is move with traffic.  That does not work when you are in a patrol car.  No wants to speed past the cops, and that makes for a traffic break.  Brian's FTO told him he needs to drive through traffic the same way a shark swims through a school of fish.  Faster than traffic, to keep traffic moving, but slow enough to see violations. As for learning where to stand; at the academy when they were practicing traffic stops, interviewing witnesses, etc. it was not done in active traffic.  Brian is having to learn to pay attention to his surroundings, and to stand in the safest spot.  He is also having to learn to listen to the radio, while writing reports or while driving.  I feel Brian is at a disadvantage when it comes to this, because as a parent you develop the ability to block out annoying sounds.  Brian is having to learn how to overcome this skill at work. ;) To sum it up, break in is a learning process. Brian's FTO tells Brian what he needs to work on and Brian works on it.  So far Brian is improving!  He is being compared to officers that have been on the job for years, he was not expected to be at their level.  It is not all bad.  Brian's report writing skills are pretty awesome!  He also knows the vehicle code pretty well for a newbie.  Area orientation is another area in which he is excelling for a newbie.  I am very proud to see him doing his best.  He is willing and able to learn, and knows he has a long way to go.  He takes everything his FTO gives him and will put it into practice.

At home things are a little different.  We are adjusting to Brian's new hours.  Having him home more is wonderful, but our schedules are having to be re-arranged.  Plus I am never sure if Brian is coming home or staying at my brother's.  Brian has decided if he able to get out the door an hour after his shift ends, then he is coming home.  It is still like the academy in that I am still doing everything I was doing then on the days that Brian works.  Even if he comes home, it is only to get his stuff together and to sleep.  In some ways it is harder.  When Brian is home he wants my attention, and I want to give it to him, which means stuff goes undone.  The stress of the job is a little higher for him and that means a little added stress for me.  When he was at the academy I did not have to worry about what he was eating.  Now I have to make sure I have food that he can take with him that is both healthy and convenient.  Apparently I had gotten out of the habit of shopping for a family of five, because I am having trouble keeping my pantry stocked.  To add to it, the girls have been acting up lately, like they always do when there is a change to the every day normal.  A feels it is her job to argue even the tiniest detail with me.  She has not learned to turn away from me when she talks under her breath.  I have said to her many times lately, "you know I can see that you mouth is still moving, and I can read you lips".  She also has decided "crazy" is in right now.  One day last week she got sent out of her classroom twice for not settling down.  H is turning in to a hypochondriac/ drama queen who likes to spit.  M has been throwing pretty impressive tantrums.  They all have a bad case of selective -hearingitis. So, yeah, it has been fun. 

Alright, it is late.  If I go to bed now, I get to sleep in the same bed as my husband for a couple of hours. :)

Blessings,
~Cara

Definitely a Night for a Glass of Wine!

Okay, so normally the part of the blog about my day is kind of boring and the part about Brian's day is fascinating.  Not the case today.  I can honestly say that I was terrified tonight. 

Most of my day was boring.  The highlight was buying a case for my new phone.  Then I took A to her Bible study.  Our church is on the outskirts of town right off the freeway.  I was on the freeway when I saw, what I thought was an accident scene.  My first thought was that it must have been a bad accident because there were cops and fire trucks EVERYWHERE!  I tried to get off the freeway was made to get back on, that's when I noticed that all the streets where blocked off.  I thought "WOW, this is a really bad accident" and even started praying for who ever was in the accident.  I told the girls not to look, just in case, I did not want them to see anything to bad.  It wasn't until I got to the church that I found that it was not an accident but a man with a gun.  I had called my BFF to say we were running late and was still on the phone with her when I was told what was happening.  The people at the church had everything locked down, but kept things running smoothly.  Even though I trust the people at the church to keep my baby safe, I decided to stay.  There was no way in Hades I was leaving A!  Or my BFF's kids for that matter!  My BFF and her husband were stuck in traffic on the freeway.  She had already dropped her kids off and had gone to go get something to eat.  I hung out in the lobby and things seemed to be calming down outside. Brian called and was telling me about his day (few tickets and a small accident).  While I was talking to him, I noticed a large van pull into the church parking lot and a lot of people got out.  It was kind of hard to see, but it looked like they were wearing helmets and matching clothes.  Shortly after, a couple came to pick up their daughter. The husband had a police scanner and had a better idea what was going on outside.  While I was still on the phone with Brian, he informed us that the man with a gun was at the propane place in a propane truck.  He might have already shot someone, might have a hostage, and was threatening to shoot the tanks.  Oh, the van in the parking lot... the swat team.  The propane place is just down the street, I could easily run the distance.  Which means WAY TO CLOSE for comfort!  At that point Brian told me it would probably be best to get the kids and get out.  I was on board with that idea.  I called my BFF, who was still on the freeway and also very close to the propane place, and gave her an update.  She gave the clearance for me to take her kids.  I grabbed my girls and her little boy, then ran next door to get her daughter.  The swat team was standing out in the parking lot.  There was the helicopter with the spot light on in the sky.  As I was driving away, a news van was coming down the road.  Meanwhile, on the freeway my BFF's husband, with some interesting maneuvers, got them out of traffic and turned them around.  I met them at my BFF's parent's house.

The situation is over now.  The man is in custody, and the person who was shot should be okay.  I know the Bible promises that the world would- for a lack of a better way to say it- go to hell in a hand basket, but it sure seems like the process has sped up lately.  So many officers have been shot and killed lately, two just yesterday.  Violence is a everyday thing.  I am sad to see the world going in the direction it is heading.  I do have hope though, because of my faith.  The Bible does promise all the bad stuff, but it also promises that God wins in the end.  So I am on the right side.  I know eventually everything will be made right.  That is what gets me through.

As for Brian...his FTO is a nice guy.  He is making his time with Brian a learning experience.  He is not using his time to belittle or degrade Brian.  Brian has already learned a lot!  Last night Brian came home- he was off on time- he was exhausted, both emotionally and physically.  Today was a longer day so he is a my brother's house, but will be able to come home tomorrow night.

Well, I am pooped! Tomorrow I have to take A and M to the dentist to get some work done.  SO not looking forward to that!  Then I have the PHC, and then movie night! (Brian will be sleeping up stairs.)

Blessings, (Trust me, I am counting mine tonight.)
Cara

Yes I am Still Alive! :)

I know, I know it has been awhile!  Having Brian home has been cutting into my blogging time.  It is like he wants me to pay attention to him!  :)  Having him home the week he was off was so nice!  It was no longer three against one, and I got a break from being the bad cop.  I actually got to be the good cop a few times!  :)  His week off was filled with activities and chores, and he was choosing to be busy.  He could not sit still!  He asked me to make up a "Honey Do" list for him to accomplish.  I thought I made a pretty LONG list.  I thought it was full of wishful thinking, but he finished it...in a day.  Then he made his own list, and finished that also.  Brian would sit down for a minute and I would think he was finally going to relax.  He would fidget then jump up and start on something else.  He picked the girls up from school; picked up dog droppings; worked out (CrossFit); studied his Beat guide/ maps; re-arranged his stuff; cleaned out and organized our files; helped with my chores, and kept M entertained while I did some spring cleaning.  At one point I did say "DUDE!  Sit down and relax!"  :)  We also had a date night and had a family fun day.  Of course the family fun day involved driving around San Jose.  :)  I have to say, I am seriously happy I do not have to learn my way around San Jose.  No joke, we were going north on one freeway, when all of the sudden without taking any exits, we were going south on another freeway!  All the freeways look the same, and you cross the same avenue/ parkway multiple times.  I would be lost, so it is a very good thing it is Brian who has to learn his way around, and not me!

Brian reported to his office on Tuesday at eight in the morning.  It was a little nerve wracking, because that was all he was told.  We had no idea what the rest of the week would look like, what days or hours he would be working.  His whole first week was spent on paper work, re- certifications, and training.  Some of his newly minted officer friends started break in with their FTOs (Field Training Officer) during their first week.  Brian's office spends the first week in training on everything from the computer systems to "Don't do 'this' because you will get you fired" training.  The system in the cars they use is a new and fancy system, so Brian spent time training in those.  Needless to say, but he found the new system to be exciting.  Due to the training he as able to come home every night, but that will not happen any longer.  The commute is long, and with the hours that Brian will be working, we thought it would be best if Brian has a crash pad closer to the office.  (Academy part deux!!)  Brian starts his first phase of Break in tomorrow with his first FTO.  He got pretty lucky for his first phase!  His FTO has been on the job for more fifteen years, so Brian's will be working weekday days his first phase.  Hopefully his FTO will be full of wisdom that he will be willing to share.  To be honest, I have heard some Break in stories that were not very pleasant and are very humbling. (Academy part deux!)  Praying it goes smoothly!

So that is what has been going on here!  Just catching up with all the stuff that has been put off the last six months.  :)  I plan on keeping the blog up and running through Break in, (unless I am told not to) so I will do my best keeping you all in the know.  :)  But for now I have to go to bed, M and I have MOPs in the morning. 

Blessings,
Cara

We Made It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!  I cannot believe it is over.  Yesterday Brian went from cadet to officer.  I watched him receive his badge and get sworn in.  Then I stood in the quad at the academy and pinned his badge on him.  I was prepared to cry like a baby, but surprisingly I did not cry!  I got teary eyed a few times, but that was it.  Maybe I was just in a state of shock, or maybe I was just super focused.  Either way the whole day was amazing!  I am so proud of Brian.  He has worked so hard the last twenty seven weeks.  He has grown and became stronger than ever before.  He has always been one of the best men I have ever known and now he is even better!  So proud of him!

Although Friday was the big day, the week was full of stuff.  First there was the capital run Wednesday morning, then the party Wednesday night.  The party was so much fun!  It helped to already know many of the wives.  It was nice to see Brian and the other cadets finally relax.  It was also nice to meet the people that Brian has been talking about the last six months.  Thursday morning was the family support seminar.  The class was a little overwhelming but full of great information.  During the four hour seminar we were warned that Break In is the academy part deux.  Another four to six months of stress.  Needless to say, I will be taking advantage of this week Brian has off.  :)

Well I guess I should spend some time with my OFFICER husband.  :)

Blessings,
~Cara 

CHP Academy Day 185/187 CAPITAL RUN!!!

Today was the capital run!! It was AMAZING!  I barely slept last night which is ironic since I did not have any children with me.  My alarms- I set two, just in case- were set for 3:30 am and I think I woke up every half hour.  I met some of the other wives at Starbucks at 4:30 and walked over to the academy gates by 5:00.  It was cold! I was wearing two sweatshirts and I was still cold.  There we were standing in the foggy cold, holding our home made signs, when all of a sudden we hear our cadets, loud and proud, off in the distance.  It was really cool!  The fog made it kind of mysterious and awesome!  (The fog also made it impossible to get a good picture!)  It was SO exciting!  No joke I started to tear up a little.  Everyone was pumped, even the cadets!  I could not find Brian in the group, it is amazing how hard it is to tell apart all the different bald heads!  I still still cheered my loudest!  I was a WOO-girl this morning.  :) 

After all the cadets ran by, we all loaded up and headed over to the capital.  I rode over with one of my friends and her adorable daughter.  Once the cadets arrived at the capital, the captain gave a speech.  The speech was so inspirational.  It was really hard to hold back the tears.  Alright...I was not completely successful at holding them back.  I tried to distract myself with the steam rising off the heads of the cadets, but it did not work.  After the speech the cadets went to take pictures.  I snapped a few pictures, but they did not turn out so great. 

If you look carefully you can see the steam coming of the cadets heads.  After the pictures the cadets came down and did knuckle push-ups while yelling "CHP!".  I did get a few moments to see Brian, which was a surprise!

The whole experience was so amazing!  It was totally worth waking up and freezing.  I do not have words to describe all the emotions that I went through this morning.  :)  Or how proud of Brian I am!  Just awesome.

The only thing I have to do today is get ready for the party tonight.  I am excited for the party tonight. :)  Well I should probably take a nap or something.  If I can...writing this has me all pumped up again.  Or is it the three cups of coffee?  :)

Blessings,
~Cara