Any Thoughts?

Even though there are only about 2 people who ever look at this blog I thought I would ask a question.  As some people know by now I am headed to Afghanistan.  I want to get a computer just in case we are able to have easy access to the inter-net (we did in Iraq and that was 5 years ago so hopefully Afghan. is about the same) so that I can communicate with home via skype, this blog, facebook, and regular email and what not.  So my question is what should I get?  I am thinking about a netbook,http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11489343&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|84|78453&N=4034819&Mo=9&No=5&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=78453&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav= this one from Costco seems like a good deal because it comes with a DVD drive and a mouse and all that.  But it has windows XP and I am used to Vista now and like it plus I would really like to have Window 7.  The other plus about the netbook is that it is so much more affordable than anything else. the downside is that I will have to have more external stuff, external hard drive, DVD drive and such.  But I think that I would be able to put most of my movies and such on an external hardrive.

So anyway this is what I am thinking about and as I don't know a lot about the situation in Afghan. or computers some help would be nice.  So if you read my blog and or have been on a deployment to Afghanistan let me know what you think.  Also if you know of any sweet deals or programs for deploying Marines that would be cool too. 

Halloween House

For FHE on Monday we had Anna, Kurtis, and Kylie over.  The evening started of with a prayer and song then we had a lesson on the Ten Commandments.  Anna and the kids couldn't stick around for the treat and activity and they missed out on a good time. We kicked the evening off by making a haunted ginger bread house. Then we started watching Coraline in 3D. About half way through the movie we took an intermission to eat the house. Then it was back to the movie and off to bed. So here are some pictures.

Tri-County

It occurred to me last night that I should take some shots of the Gun Club so that someday I can look back and reminisce about the days back in the states when I worked at Tri-County. I think that there are places in our lives were we have spent so much time that it is impossible for us to ever forget them. One of these places in my life is the Tri-County Gun Club; I have worked here for eight hours a day, five days a week, for the last three years. I thought that today I would pay a little tribute to this place that I Love and Hate so much. Well there are few places that I know more intimately; if there is something to know about the gun club chances are that I know it. Where are the pipes? I know. Who parks in the “no parking” spots? I know. Where does all this stuff come from? I know. Why do people leave their trash on the ground right next to the can? I have no idea. In the year ahead as I am freezing my rear off in Afghanistan I will look back at my time here and think with fondness of the beauty that is western Oregon; the deer, bobcat, and even the stupid ground squirrels will bring a smile to my face as I am sitting on the back of a truck driving around the mountains of the middle east.  So what do I love about this club?  The work is great, I get to be outside as much as I want, I also get to be inside as much as I want. The club is over 200 acres and has over eight buildings that I take care of.  There are some really nice places on the property I really love the sporting clays area it is so pretty with its old rusted truck and nice groves.  It is a real pleasure to come out here every morning and get to see some really great things.  Also I get a chance to see the seasons and time make their progression, I spend time thinking about the next season and what it will bring. Its going to be nice to know that there is such a place as the Club in the world and that I get to come back and work at that place will be a nice comfort that I didn't have on the last deployment, because unless my nightmare becomes true we will still have our gun rights and so the Club will still be in business.

Toys for Tots

I went down to Eugene on Monday and Tuesday to do my time helping out with Toys for Tots. If you don't know what that is I will explain. Toys for Tots is a program that the Marine Corps Reserves does, in connection with local fire departments, to gather new unused toys and give them to kids who may otherwise not get presents. It is a lot of fun to be involved in the community and help kids out like that. Being in the Marines has really opened me up to a lot of experiences that I would otherwise never have had. I didn't really do much this year for TforT because there wasn't much that needed done this early; we put out a few collection boxes and organized some posters and such. I have had years where I got to actually help give toys out and that is neat. So now that TforT is out of the way we're just getting ready for November drill, Sara and I will be going down to Eugene for classes and briefs on the deployment. And then of course the Marine Corps Ball is this drill so we will go "cut a rug" and have a good time celebrating the Marine Corps Birthday.

New Word

Hey to anyone out there, it is the first time I have blogged in a while. I started this blog about a year ago so that I could document and keep in touch during a deployment that was supposed to come in Jan. Well the timing was a little early instead of Jan. 09 it looks like we are going in 2010. We just got warning orders and are headed out early next year for Afghanistan. More blogs will follow as I try to document all the comings and goings of the next few months as Sara and I try to prepare for whats coming.