Well, Matt got a new job working for a company called Berry Aviation. They have a military contract, flying Navy personnel out of Coronado Island. He had to go to a month of training in TX before starting his new job, so Skylar and I went and stayed with my family in Colorado. When we got there, she was saying a lot of words, but was only linking two-three words together. By the time we left there a month later, she was saying crazy things like "Don't you get it, Papa?" and, "that was a big moose, I'm going to say it again, BIG!" It has been so fun to see her learn so quickly and be so proud of herself :) Some of the other words/things she learned while there were: Cydote (Coyote), Antedope (Antelope), Calf, Dobby (my sister's horse), C.B. (my brothers horse), Brodda (Little brother - My mom's horse), Kratch (My Dad's horse - Scratch), "G.G" (Great Grandma/Grandpa), Mance or Manta (Samantha - Bryce's girlfriend)...etc. While we were there we had the pleasure of having my Great Grandma Jan and Grandpa Don come visit us from Minnesota. It was so great to have them there and see my Grandpa Don meet Skylar for the first time. :) Jan met Skylar last summer when she came to visit us in Camarillo. We were also able to spend time with a lot of old friends, made new friends, helped my mom and brother feed animals at the barn they've been managing, put up some hay, drove tractors, went swimming at the Rec center in town, went to Tot Gymnastics ("Ticks" - as Skylar says), met up with the girls from my old Bible study, and got to spend lots of time together! I didn't bring a camera with me, only my iphone. Somehow when I uploaded the photos off my iphone something happened with the file properties and it won't let me change anything about the pictures. Won't let me rotate them or anything. So, until I get that sorted out, no pictures for now. Please let me know if you know how to fix that issue! We are home now, Matt started his job on Monday and has loved his first week. :) We only have one car and since Matt starts so early in the morning, Skylar and I have been carless all week. We are trying to make the most of it by walking to our nearby park (1.5 miles away), playing in the grass around our apartment complex, going swimming in the pool and taking stroller and wagon rides all over. Its not ideal, but it'll work for a while. We are so excited that Matt has a normal schedule with weekends OFF. Now he will be able to come to church with us and meet all of the cool people we've been hanging out with for the past 8 months. :) Not only that, but we are so excited that he is climbing the ladder in aviation and we couldn't be more proud of him!

Summertime

Skylar has started talking a bunch more and some of the words don't quite come out right. Currently my favorite word is "Fla-go-go" aka Flamingo. :) There are others, but I can't think of them off the top of my head. Here are a few recent pictures for the visually inclined. (Note: I dispise blogger because it always messes up the format of my posts...so please excuse the messed up format that I don't have time to fix). Feel free to click the pictures for a larger version.

Iphone photos

Real life = bullet point blog post

I give up on telling a story about each event that happens in life. However, I saw a blog the other day that seemed more feasible for me. The woman simply stated all of the events/happenings/changes/normal day to day life things/etc. on her blog. I think I can do that! Its not that I don't want a blog or that I don't want to have something to look back on, but somehow blogging is never at the top of my "to do" list. I'll give a bullet-point blog a try. :) Here's what is currently happening in this Chisum house. -Matt is working at Pacific Coast Skydive in San Diego, CA. -He has been trying to build hours for the past 5 years and we are hopeful that he is almost to the point of having a steady job that we can stick with for a while. -I am staying home with Skylar. -Most days we find ourselves at the Park, Beach, San Diego Zoo, Water World, or out with friends. -Skylar is 18 months old and as busy as ever. -Sky is a chatterbox and will repeat anything (watch what you say!) -Matt's Grandma Betty passed away on July 5th, but we are rejoicing that she is now in heaven dancing with the angels! -We got to see most of Matt's family when they were in SoCal for the funeral. -Skylar and I went to Colorado last month for a week. -We love our church (Shadow Mountain Community Church) and have gotten really involved in their Young Marrieds group (YMC). -We are enjoying living in such a temperate climate, but are itching for a good thunder/rainstorm and are already ready for fall! :) -This spring we were fortunate to have Matt's parents in San Diego for 5 weeks, Lance and Val came for a visit, my sister Mackenzie came for a visit, my parents came to visit, and Matts sister Jenn and her family came for a visit. I think I'm forgetting someone, but we have had a lot of company and its been great! -Tomorrow my college roommate Hannah, her hubby Joe and their 6 month old baby girl Ya'el are coming to visit. :) -I'll try to update more often!