Update!!!

Since I have last written, we have been so busy with work and school.  Time flies by!!

I worked my first weekend for work a couple of weekends ago now, and it went well...I am learning so much every day!  But, I feel like I can do a good job and I really enjoy going to work!  I really like the girls I work with too..

We have lots of friends out here already, and are always making plans to do stuff together!   One couple John and Jane (John went to school with Jeff at Michigan Tech), love to go out and try new places for dinners, and they play  tennis too!!  We have played doubles (girls vs. guys) once, and it was so fun!! 

Jeff is doing good with school, he has been very busy.  He works pretty much while I am working, and then we try to have our evenings to ourselves.  Once or twice a week he has to do homework though, and the new office desk has come in handy for him!

We haven't done too much more with the condo...we have kind of settled in for now and only need a few more pieces of furniture.  The weather has cooled down beautifully...and we have been sleeping with the windows open! 

We have been trying to hike a little more to get some exercise, and there are some awesome views from the hiking near our house!  It gets dark early here, so we end up hiking near dusk...you can see most of Phoenix, and it is amazing!!!

We also hiked Camelback Mtn last month.  It was crazy!!  It was almost all up hill, for 1.2 miles up!  In some areas there are pull bars so you can pull yourself up the mountian. 

We made it!! And the views were worth it!

Also, when we were home last, I was mentioning to my Aunt Pati that I wanted to learn how to make grape leaves.  She sent me home with traditional spices, and grape leaves!   I made a whole pot of them, and they were so good!!! The rice didn't get cooked through the first time, but I just put them back in the pot the next night and let them cook.  They were so yummy!  I haven't been able to find a good middle eastern restaurant around here yet, so these are a good substitute! We ate all of them within a few days!  Thanks Aunt Pati!

We have been cooking, but mainly only 2-3 times a week right now, and then having leftovers the rest of the week.   We are trying to get into a routine and I am trying to lose weight...so we'll see how that goes.  

I did make a new treat tonight for dinner...I took 2 pieces of pita bread, and cut them in half so that they were really thin pieces.  I pureed a can of whole tomatoes, garlic, and oregano, with a splash of sugar and salt.  I put the tomato mixture on the pita bread and sprinkled some feta cheese on top.  They were very low calorie pizzas!  And so good!!   They reminded us of tapas in Spain, bread with tomatoes on top is a staple for them.