This is how we do it

Christmas was great! We got some really cool stuff! :-)
(pics are from google, not our actual stuffs)










My dad got me a 9inch Dell Mini Inspiron laptop (which im writing this on right now) Its wicked!













Monica's family got us 7 sets of FiestaWare in 7 different colors. Each set is a dinner plate, bowl, saucer, and coffee cup!















Monica got me an awesome 8.5 inch digital photo frame that holds 3000 photos! Its on permanent slideshow on our desk! :-)















Destiny got me a beautiful Jewelry Armoire! (I've wanted one for a long time!)













My dad and Monica's parents both got us pots and pans!










I also acquired an iPod because I got Monica a new orange one!



So yeah. All in all, it rocked! I have cute pictures of the boys unwrapping presents, but I left my camera at their house! So as soon as I get it back i'll post those!

How was YOUR holiday?

Hello family and friends and welcome to the Bock’s eco-friendly (but mostly because stamps are expensive and we ran out of time) Christmas card! It’s been quite a year!

The biggest news would be that Monica and I registered as Domestic Partners on August 8th! We drove over to Olympia and did it in person, got our registry cards and everything! We had a little dinner in Ellensburg, nothing big and fancy. We were planning to have a reception, but money and work schedules didn’t really permit it! So we decided to wait until marriage is legal so that we can have a big wedding and reception! We were in the local paper this summer in an article focusing on Domestic Partnerships!

Monica and I both changed jobs this year; she now works for CWCMH (Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health) as a Mental Health Worker in the Detox Center. I work for Elmview in the Yakima Schools Program, and im currently an aide in a kindergarten classroom for kids with behavioral disorders. I’m not currently attending school, but hoping to go back at some point once life calms down and I know what I want to study. I love what I do, and im considering looking at a Behavioral Specialist program in school. Im still interested in Occupational Therapy and have even considered being a Kindergarten teacher, but I know I couldn’t make it through all the schooling! I am working on learning sign language a little at a time, and I am really enjoying that!

We now have 3 dachshunds (Camden, Dashiel, and Skittles) and 2 cats (Nigel and Ripken). Our house is busy, to say the least! We have got lots done, including painting the entire interior, putting wood flooring down in the living room and kitchen, and getting the yard in decent shape; along with tons of other little stuff that has kept us super busy!

This year we went to a couple Storm (WNBA) and Thunderbirds (hockey) games, to Silverwood this summer, and to Jeff Dunham in November. Monica and I also saw Fergie and I saw Neil McCoy. I got my first tattoo in June, a bear in honor of my mom. It was an incredibly painful experience and I thought I was going to go into shock, but im glad I did it and I love it! Monica got 2 new tattoos this year, on on her calf [Rainbow infinity symbol with M2 (Marcy & Monica squared) 381, (3) words (8) letters (1) meaning- I LOVE YOU] and on her wrist [start love, end hate in computer coding].

Monica got me a Yamaha scooter for my birthday in June, and we also bought a Yamaha 4-wheeler! I ride the scooter all over town (100 MPG is pretty great these days!), and we keep the quad at my dad’s place in Ellensburg. Dad is doing well, still driving cars for Ellensburg Chevrolet and always busy doing something! My brother Josh and his girlfriend had a baby girl, Loreli, so I am an aunt for the second time!

Monica’s family is doing well, the boys are 8 already and in 3rd grade. Charlie is a genius and Danny is a jock, they reach a pretty good balance! We bred my dog Dashiel and got one of the puppies, which we gave to Monica’s family. They named her June and she is a very sweet little dog!

Well, I think that’s about it for this year! We have really enjoyed getting cards from all of you, and I will make sure to get cards out next year! Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment, and enjoy the Holidays!!

-Marcy & Monica

Christmas cards for Recovering American Soldiers

When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get. A Great Idea!!!

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, pleaseinclude the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001

I really want to switch mine... but its such a pain to re-add the widgets and whatnot....

The rules never seem to cease. Last week I was reprimanded to tickling a child. The teacher informed me that it is a red flag for pedophile's. Makes some sense I suppose. But some of these kids love tickling as a reward, and now I cant do that. Many have trust issues with adults so for them to trust me to tickle them is big. Oh well I guess.

I have strict holiday traditions. I will NOT decorate for Christmas, not a single paper snowflake, until the day after Thanksgiving. I will not buy any Christmas themed items or decorations in the store until the day after Thanksgiving.
But I WILL shop for Christmas presents. Because if I leave myself less that 30 days, it isnt possible. I try to collect things throughout the year, and come November start buying a few presents every paycheck. Christmas really WILL be a bit smaller this year, no presents for extended family and such. I always hate that, but its necessary. We're SO CLOSE to having some bills paid off, next year will be better. Trying to keep presents at 1 per person this year, and not to expensive. So I really am hunting for the "perfect presents", because if people are only getting 1, it better be cool!

I happened by a giveaway this morning that is too good not to share! Head on over to The Dirty Shirt and check out her Christmas Giveaway! Its a 1 Terabyte (thats HUGE, guys) Seagate FreeAgent Xtreme External Hard Drive. Seriously, go check it out!

Once it gets cold out, I get tired. DJ told me last night its like I hibernate! I can easily sleep for 18 hours straight in the winter. This also comes with lots of body pains. Two years ago it was so bad I actually saw the doctor and got tested for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Sleep Syndrome, and some thyroid disorders. Everything came up negative. And its not Seasonal Effective because im HAPPY, just exhausted. So I spent this week sleeping as much as humanly possible to see if that would help. Nope! Next week im going to try staying up and active as much as possible. Keep in mind that we arent drinking soda anymore, maybe once a week. And im used to drinking 2 lieters of Dew each day, on average. So that doesnt help. BLAH. I need to figure something out. Gotta be on my feet at work. They are like animals, they can smell when you're weak!

The letter of the week is "N". The kids worksheets full of things that start with the letter N and have blank space to draw a new item. The ONLY word that I could think of that started with the letter N was "noose".
Yes, long day. And with that, im going to bed. And perhaps i'll have more to say tomorrow!