Cutest Cousin!!

My Aunt sent me these pictures of my Adorable cousin Braxton. He is getting so big i can't believe it. I was so happy to get a little piece of home in an e-mail.

so i am kinda a hippie

Neiko is a bit of a barker... 

okay so he barks at everything that he hears. 

which has been getting too me lately. 

So i have been looking online for some solutions.  

Since he is such an old dog 

we thought a shock collar might kill him. 

that and we think its a bit inhumane. 

anyways i stumbled across this website 

called http://www.calmingcollars.com/calmmedown.html

which makes dog collars that are filled with herbs

that make an aroma when worn that soothes animals 

and helps them calm down. 

Hence the name "calming collar" 

You can even pick out the fabric. 

We of course got the good ol' American flag 

to show out patriotism through our pooch. 

Anyways It came in the mail today and 

i couldn't be happier with it. 

He is so much more calm 

The true test will be when someone knocks on the door 

but so far so good. 

So if you or anyone you know has an anxious 

or hyperactive pup

give then this link. 

Here is a pic of my baby sporting the good old red white and blue.

My new Favorite thing

We just got a New GPS System. It is a Tom Tom ONE 130. I have been researching them to find the best model for the best price. For Father's Day Radio Shack was having a sale so we got this on for just over 100 dollars originally 200 so i was so excited. I love sales!! It is a life saver. Virginia Beach is SO confusing to get around in... not anymore!! :D I am considering it Travis' father's day present... he's Neiko's daddy.

A few Other Updates on the Mattoon's...

• It got very hot today!! 93!! i love the heat but i get a little worried about trav being stuck in it all day and for neiko.
  
• I am applying for a job at the Hilton so say your prayers for me. I really want this job.
  
• We found a great home for our visitor puppy so he is now safe and sound
• Church wasn't as good as our last one but i just need to give it time
• I decided that our new apartments are like a time share. Not a super fancy one but the type that is better then camping but kinda like a hotel. Its been interesting. 

We hope you all had a fabulous MEMORIAL DAY.  XOXO

another puppy for a while

When we got here (to the apartments at Virginia Beach) in one of the boys' apartments was an abandoned Bischon Frise. He is so Precious. I posted him on Craigslist to hopefully find him a new home but in the mean time he is staying with us during the day. Neiko and him play and have a good old time on walks. it's fun. so i am turning into a dog lover more and more. We went to this pet store in the mall and it had all these baby puppies it was so cute. except they were puppy mill dogs locked in tiny cages which was sad.

OH THANK HEAVEN for 7-Eleven

Dear 7-Eleven on Great Neck Road,

Thank you for only being a 3 miles from my house.  I can now fill my 64 ounce extreme big gulp up for only 89 cents anytime i want. I have been away from your fine establishments for so long. 

As a Slurpee Addict i have a few suggestions, 

The red light needs to go on the cherry limeaide it is a little runny... still satisfying  just a bit wet for a slurpee. Also fyi you really need to order in some dome lids, not for me but for the other slurpee drinkers in the area. Your jipping them like 2 inches of deliciousness. Your also out of blue straws.

Thanks agian,

Your Friend in the Neighborhood,

Courtney

 

Were Adjusting

Well I must say that this adventure is turning out pretty good.

We have been blessed to say the least.

Me and Trav (and Neiko) hit the beach yesterday. the sand was beautiful and it was fun to watch Trav play around in the waves like a little kid. And we saw Dolphins. But of course no pictures because i have a stubborn husband. grr. But Neiko loved it. I kept saying go get daddy and he'd start running out into the water only to run away from a incoming wave. He was so wet and sandy we had to bathe him when we got home. 

There is a new friend for Neiko here. One of the other reps got sent home and left his dog here abandoned so we watch him during the day. Neiko and Cotton wrestle and play then sleep so its entertaining for me. I will have to post some pictures soon.

I can't think of any other updates besides i just doubled my husband's wardrobe for under 20 dollars. Thank heaven for Old Navy summer clearance. Of course i got a couple new things for myself as well including an adorable cover up. So needless to say i am settling in. :D 

The Adventure Continues

Dear Sound Security,

Thank you for transferring my husband with less than 24 hour notice and making me move from my new friend jenna, my job and ward.  I really appreciate it.

Not truly yours

Courtney

Dear Butler University,

I am sorry i just up and left... life sometimes throws you fast balls and you have to move the next morning. I am glad you believed me cuz i sure didn't believe Travis.

Regretfully

Courtney

Dear Jenna

i am sorry the david cook won American Idol. Please Don't kill yourself. we still have blogging to look forward too. You are the best.

missing you.

courtney

PS  I promise that my new apartment is shiz and way more ghetto than 38th street in INDY. :(

So ya if you didn't catch that yesterday sound called and said we were being transfered so here we are 29 hours later chilling in a new apartment in Virginia Beach, VA. Crazy but hopefully we will do better here as a team. get it together boys cuz i don't want to move again. So now i can add 4 more states and 12 more hours to the distance i am from home. Atlantic ocean in the morning you better be pretty.

More pictures of our "son"

Good NEWS.... someone moved in closer with un-secured internet which means time for PICTURES. You probably noticed i got some of my mom so i thought i'd put a couple more of our cute little baby.

Neiko loves travis best. Its okay i can relate, because i love travis the best too. He plays tug-a-war with him and they chase each other. He even sleeps next to him at night.

So lovable in the morning he will wake up and roll over and wait to get a belly rub.

So i totally never planned on being the type to dress up my doggie but he just looks so cute. Of course i only buy things on sale... so he only has two but they are too cute.
This is my favorite. its a little hunter's plaid coat. He is just precious. He is getting so well adjusted. I am so happy to have a friend to play with when i miss my husband.

He doesn't look as happy as me in this picture but i promise he loves us. He stays so calm when i take pictures it's never blurry. He loves taking naps and walks with his mama.

The best Mother ever

Happy mother's day mom!!!! i love you

I just wanted to take a moment and let you all know that i love my mom so much. I can only hope to teach and raise my children i have some day like she taught me and my 4 siblings. My mom is the most charitable women i know., She always puts our needs before her own... and will spend money on us before herself. which is saying alot :) I look up to my mom as a hero, a woman i want to become. She is so talented with quilting and crafts. She can make any outfit look good. What i love most about my mom is her sense of humor. My best memories are listening to her laugh and joke. She does so much for our family even when she doesn't get any credit. She puts up with our endless whines and bad ideas. She even puts up with my dad's expectations, and those who know my dad know that's saying Alot.  I love watching her help my younger siblings or hear that she has another sporting event to go too. I would not be the person i am today with out my mother's wise words and caring heart. She is the definition of a person with integrity. I love everything about her and i miss her so much. Its hard to be away from such a wonderful family she created. I love her so much and am so lucky to have her as my mother. 

Here we are in FRANCE my mom took me there for my senior trip and because i knew french and she didn't :)
This is when i won homecoming queen!! I followed my mom's footsteps and was nice to everyone. she was homecoming queen too. 
this is the summer before i went to college. We don't really look alike but she is so pretty
And finally here we are at my wedding. Her baby is all grown up.

Update on the adventure

OUR FIRST FAMILY PHOTO

Things are great here in Indy, the weather goes from hot to stormy each day so there is always something to look forward too. 

My job is going great the kids are very cute, at naptime,,,, jk they can be a handful that is for sure. it just helps me realize how i am not quite ready for 24/7 parenting ha ha 

Travis is doing great. He is always positive and really helps the team as a whole not just himself. His managers even raised his pay scale so we'll make a lot more a lot quicker. I always make sure there is dinner on the table when he gets home. I even picked up a permanent guest for dinner. Trav's friend Josh pays me to make him dinner... guess my dinners are better than i thought. 

Neiko is getting very well adjusted to us now and LOVES to play and run. I take him running when i get off work and he loves it. He really does make our family fun and happy just like a baby.  we got him a couple of jackets to wear back in rexburg since his hair is short to keep him warm they don't seem to bother him which makes me happy... trav just rolls his eyes

We met some friends in our ward who are in sales too. Jenna and Andrew work for Northstar. they are so nice. They have a little pug, scout and she and neiko are getting used to eachother... hopefully soon to be friends... they're both a little jealous/greedy.

we hope everyone is enjoying this fabulous month of May. we of course miss you all but will be back some day.

PS the price of stamps is going up to 42 cents on Monday so you all know...  went into the weirdest ghetto post office today it had a rent-a-cop patrolling the premise. Is that a big problem here with people robbing mail? not sure just thought it was weird all the windows were bared and there was this big safe door. 

A new addition to the Mattoon Family :)

No i am not pregnant but we got a doggie!! His name is Neiko and he is absolutely adorable. He is a Maltese, pure bred. He is 10 years old but still as playful as a pup. Now i have some company for those nights travis takes forever to come home. He is very smart and knows how to sit and laydown. he can shake and hardly barks. He is such a sweetie. He listens very well. Who would of thought i would love a dog so much. Trav is such a pushover to let me get him but he loves him too. He grew up with a dog. I even got him a little sweater to wear in our christmas card picture this year. I am sure you will all love him when you meet him someday. His last owners had him since he was a puppy but felt like they had no time for him anymore with all there kids activities. We are bringing him home to rexburg with us and maybe to seattle if we drive because it will be too expensive to fly him. Anyways everything is great i love work travis is doing very well and staying so positive. I love him so much. and he puts up with me and my obsession with my new little boy.
for some reason no pictures are working but i will keep trying. promise :)