I know, We are slackers....

SOOOO.....

Since September, We have bought Kat a beautiful 2008 Mazda 3 (and got rid of the Jeep and Motorcycle!), We both have chronic Bronchitis, Kat is hoping to get hired on at a hospital, and we have MANY hard decisions to make within the next few short months...

To begin, We decided that after much tribulation with fixing the Jeep, that it was best to trade her and the motorcycle in for a car for Kat. She got her dream car (that she can afford...) a 2008 Mazda 3, and when we bought her, she had 22000 miles... now she needs an oil change due to the 4000 or so miles we have tacked on since the selling date of July 31. :) Needless to say Kat is very happy to have an automatic car that is safe to drive.

We both have Chronic Bronchitis... I don't think we can explain that down further. When one spouse gets it, the other will within a week. We keep giving it to each other. Such is married life, it only gets worse with kids....

Kat loves her job at AAP Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, but she really wants to work with kids and not come home after a hard day of old people (no offense older than us people...) taking their frustrations with medicare/ replacement plans out on her. She had applied to Banner hospitals and also to Phoenix Children;s Hospital. With luck, we will hear back by months end... with luck.

and now onto what everyone will really read this post for... the Hard Decisions...

Decision 1) As many people know, Bret is basically fluent (though he denies it... right..) in Japanese. He applied for a program called JET (Japanese-English Teaching) where, if accepted, we will live in Japan for a minimum of a year teaching English in Japanese elementary or high schools. Kat will be trying to figure out Japanese period, and will not be working (more than likely I'll be a true Japanese housewife.... scary...). This year or so (up to 3 years) is all TAX FREE money that we would earn from the Japanese government. People all say 'go for it!' but think about it... Away for a solid year, not being able to see us except through pictures. It wont be a happy scene if it goes through for our families.... We find out if we were accepted in about January or so.

Decision 2) BofA (bank of America) whom Bret works for may or may not transfer him to the Tokyo Japan location since again, fluency in Japanese.. We don't know how long, or when this could happen, just that there is a chance...... You see our joy in waiting.. o.o

Decision 3) Law School for Bret... which means he can't work for his first year of classes, so Kat will have to be bread winner..... currently she is a part time employee receiving no benefits... you see the down fall unless Kat gets a better job... ya, with her constant medical issues, she will be up poo creek with no paddle or chance of ever getting a paddle... Yep... It also mean more stress upon Bret with his ever already stressed life.

Thats our hard choices thus far... it will be interesting...
And to everyone who keeps asking, When we actually pregnant, we will let you know, so the daily 'Are you pregnant' jokes/taunts, really getting annoying now... When the Lord says yes it's time, it will be time, not before then, so back off with the pressure. (because it really is pressuring us weather you think it is or not.)

So that's the update thus far. Any questions, you know how to get a hold of us.

Long over due...

Ok, i know i haven't updated in a long time, and i do apologize for that..

The House- finally all the popcorn has been removed from the ceilings, and the walls painted, minus the hallway.... i also have kept the whole house clean for a full week!!!! minus the dog's kennel... its just.. fluffy....

Chieko- Almost a whole year old, and she still is a brat. I know, she will for a while i know. She has survived her first all day encounter with 15+ Japanese students, 3 Taiwanese students and Edgar from LA for a Okonimaki party (translates into 'favorite things') SHe loved all the attention she got and the love she received. She is getting better at listening to commands, but she is also getting better at defying them and jumping on the couch... or eating my oak coffee table... worst of all, shes begun eating bugs... crickets mainly.. (ew)


Bret- is working part time, and going to school full time and is taking 17 credits at ASU and doing Kaplan LSAT prep classes again. So i rarely see him. he is loving driving the mini to work everyday. we traded his bike and broken jeep in and got me a 2008 Mazda 3!!!! :D YAY!!!! Bret still tries to find things to do around the house, but its gotten down to yard work... he doesnt like yard work too much...


Kat- im still working at aap dermatology, and im on strict 20hrs a week, so im looking for a 2nd job, but i WILL NOT BE BABYSITTING, so dont even ask. i love driving my Mazda and love having a clean house, hate cleaning it, but love the look of it lol. ive also ventured into making more home made meals... its hard work but gotta do it...

i know, not much of an update, but its what i can do in the time i have... sadly... off to work now.

Lil update :)

Just some quick puppy updates/ pic for everyone :)


Pre Op


Post Op


Cone of shame and after 2 staples cuz she just HAD to pop the top 2 stitches....brat...


waiting for her daddy to come home before mommy kills her new found energy level...




And that everyone is our loving child of wisdom, Chieko. (her name is Child of Wisdom in Japanese... and man is she smart!!!!)

Life as is...

So i though i would do a quick update on our little families life.

Chieko-
She started her puppy training, and her trainer Steve is AMAZING! He is so kind and very patient. She is learning her commands in Japanese, so sorry everyone, you may not get her to listen to you... yet... She is also getting fixed tomorrow, 4/21. SO she will be a very pleasant mess for a few days as she recovers. She is getting bigger as well, soon she will be 2ft hight!!! lol so tall ;)

Bret-
Still working hard and hardly sleeping. Work and school keep him pretty occupied lately. Just shows ya, lawyer life is gonna suck more, but make better money.. we hope... He ends his semester pretty soon, and then the LSAT prep classes begin, so this summer i may appear to be single, but really, my hubby is just working hard to achieve his dreams. :)

Kat-
Well, a lot of things have changed for me lately. First off, new job. I now work where i did my internship at and was part time but now I'm full time until my co-worker gets back from baby-momma time. ;) so yay! Kat's making money! lol It's a fun job, my back kills everyday but that's due to me sitting all day long.. mostly..
Another thing that has changed is that my doctor, the new one, has finally decided that i am underweight. (DUH!) so he put me on some meds that is suppose to shrink tumors and somehow produce an appetite... well it's working, no i don't have any tumors, but i do weigh over 100lbs!!!! FINALLY!!!! 102.2 as of yesterday to be exact. :) more weight to come, i hope.

Well that's all i really have time for, gotta finish my weeds before i get cited again for having weeds in my yard... dumb chandler laws.. meh..
Until next time
-Da Woodards

The FIRST Woodard Family addition!

Breed: Shiba Inu
Age: 5 1/2 months
Weight: 10lbs
Height: 1.5 ft
Name: Chieko (chi-eh-ko)
Translation: Child of Knowledge


Yes, we have a new addition to the family, her name is Chieko and she is an amazing little girl! No pictures as of yet, but i promise they will be up as soon as i can get her to stand still!!! :D She is very beautiful and loves to RUN! lol

More to come as it happens,
Love-
Da Woodards

Early arrival!

No babies or puppies, but something MUCH better!!!
Bret surprised me on Thursday, my last day of actual classes, and got me out of class at 7:30! YAY! well, i had to meet him at our house, and then he made me keep my eyes shut the whole time we were driving, and told me i couldn't open them till i was standing right in front of the surprise...
Well Bret kept saying things like, "you can pick it out." "you can even pick the loudest one there." "you can pick the color and even name it too." "it could make a mess, but it's worth the mess." "you have to take care of it or else it goes back."
now if your like me, a puppy came to mind with the above statements... well.....

NOPE!

We finally get to where we were headed and i hear loud music and just a lot of people around me. Bret leads me to a room that was kind of dark i guess. hard to tell when eyes are closed.. he says open your eyes and i see a home theater! No we didn't get it... 5 grand for a home theater?! YA RIGHT! lol so i have to close my eyes again and this time when i opened them i was standing before a brand new washer and dryer set, FRONT LOADERS!!!!! :D Needless to say, I am the proud mommy of a washer and dryer! and man will they be fun to play with, once my dad and Bret figure out why the pipes are leaking... so i may end up at my siblings/parents home for laundry day, which will be hard to do at 7pm...

I also have GREAT news!I start my internship at AAP Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery tomorrow at 8:30am :) I'm super happy to have this job. I get to assist with minor surgeries, and everything! Oh happy day! that's all for now. More to come soon from the Woodard home.
Love,
de Woodards

Meet Bret..

Bret James Woodard

1. Where did you meet?
in person, when he picked me up for our date... first contact was via cell phone :)

2. How long did you date before you got married?
5 months before engaged, so 7 months before we got married...

3. How long have you been married?
5 months.. wow.. really??? lol seems so much longer!!!

4. What does he do that surprises you?
he cleans and helps around the house.... it's a new thing for me...

5. What is your favorite feature of his?
his tummy!!!! It's just so cute and i love playing with it! and he does the Philsbery laugh when i touch it. :)

6. What is your favorite quality of his?
That he doesn't give up.

7. Does he have a nickname for you?
Many, but my favorite is when he calls me his Kitty :)

8. What is his favorite color?
Blue.

9. What is his favorite food?
Steak.... and broke food

10. What is his favorite sport?
Football.

11. When and where was your first kiss?
oh wow... March 17. Our first date lol

12. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
SLEEP!!!!!!!! :) and play farmville while sitting next to each other. :)

13. Do you have any children?
I do! His name is Bret. lol but really not yet. One day we will, gotta stop being so sick first if we can.

14. Does he have a hidden talent?
Yes! He can tell exactly what's wrong with me, or if I'm upset or crying from across the state! It's scary sometimes, but it's comforting too because when you are that connected with someone, you know you're with them till the end of time.

15. How old is he?
25 years YOUNG!

16. Who said I love you first?
Bret did! 6 flags, right after we got off X2(which has become my favorite roller coaster!) i was in tears because i was freaked out and he held onto me and said he was sorry that he forced me on the ride and that he loved me and would never let anything happen to me ever. i cried more.. lol

17. What's his favorite music?
Country and Ludacris....


18. What do you admire most about him?
That he doesn't care for people's faults, because he knows he has them too.

19. Do you think he will read this?
maybe... he does look at it... every blue moon...

20. I TAG:
well... Keri tagged me.. so i say anyone who wants to brag about their husbands :D

Crazy crazy crazy!

Time is CRAZY! Bret an I seem to have cashed out when it comes to time...
Bret started school again on Tuesday, and already my poor husband is wearing thin. WOrk plus school plus still being sick.. Ya, my love has it bad..
I am nearly done with Apollo College!!!!!! just these next 2 weeks, then off to my externship! Still have no idea where I'm going for that. I do feel better, most days, but sleep seems to be something that just doesn't exist in married life. And us not having kids just makes us seem so innocent, i know dear siblings, i know.

THE BIG ISSUES:
After a tiny little mishap, Bret realized that the motorcycle key went.. "missing" yesterday. Well, we have decided that the missing key was a blessing, that the Lord was protecting him from all the crazy people who can't drive in the rain and watch for a motorcyclist. So a few bucks later, we have a spare key! :D YAY SPARES!!!!

Bret is STILL sick! That less knowledgeable PA at his dr's office must really not know much. He still coughen badly, he's congested like no other, and finally today, about 20 mins ago to be exact, his fever BROKE!!!!! He still going to the Dr's tomorrow, and Kitty is gonna complain loud if we get anyone but the Dr this time. I'm betting it's walking bronchitis...

I completed my extern packet (all whopping 12 assignments!) the other day while sitting oh so happily at SSO (social security office) which i have YET to change my name! Stupid mexies! let the LEGAL people change their names!!!! GAH! Back to the point... I completed the packed, which i was told is due TODAY but no.. it's truely due by 3 weeks after my extern is OVER! I had 9 weeks to do it.. and i did it in 1... ya, i lost some sleep over it.. kind of..

Still no calling if you are all wondering, and yes, i can cook!
Pineapple Steaks! just take a lil pineapple juice and pour it over the steaks as a marinade, and POOF! yummy sweet and sour steaks!!!!! :D I'm also addicted to pineapple..


at last, sleep has been lost long enough, it's time to reunite myself with my lovely pillow. Until the next post,
The Woodards