The Helenschmidt's

Here in El Paso...

2011-02-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

Well....we are in El Paso, Tx. It has taken us a little while to get settled in, but we are almost there! I am still looking for a good job. Apparently they are few and far between down here...not to mention the pay is really low! But, we are making the best of it :-) Derek has been in the field ALOT, so it's usually me and the little doggies most of the time. Hopefully things will start looking up....once I find a good job that is :-) Today was fun...we had a snow day! That's right it DOES snow in the desert! Here a few pics of the doggies!

....And We're Back!!

2010-03-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

I sorta took a leave of absence...hahaha! So much has happened lately. So I am going to wrap it up for all of ya'll in one little post. We got married May 9, 2009 took our FABULOUS honeymoon to Playa Del Carmen, Derek left for Army Basic Training, we sold our house, Derek got stationed in South Korea and now I am waiting for my Command Sponsorship orders so I can join him = ) It has been super fast and furious. I am ready for everything to slow down! So let me show ya'll some pics from the last couple of months.

The Wedding Day

Derek's Army Basic Training Graduation

This is me and Derek on his Family Day in August at Ft Benning GA. I was so excited to see him I showed up like seriously 3 hours early! I can't even express how awesome that first hug felt like!

This is Derek and a couple of his good 'ol Army battle buddies from Basic Training. Hall and Hara...these guy were some of the coolest guys I have met in a really long time!

Derek and I at Texas Roadhouse in Georgia....I guess there not just in Texas = )

I met the sweetest girl on my trip to Ft Benning. She was there to see her Hubbs too! Everyone meet Angela = )

Me and the Hubbs hanging out in our hotel room.

Turning Blue Ceremony and Graduation Day

Me about to leave to see my Love at his Turning Blue Ceremony

Finally getting to see Derek! This was right after they marched out in formation.

"Turning My Soldier Blue"
The infantrymen in the Army wear a blue chord on their right shoulder. During this ceremony I was able to put my husband's blue infantry chord on him for the first time!

My Army Man

My parents and Derek

The "I'm so proud of you" handshake!!

Derek and his Mom and Dad

Derek's super scary Drill Sgt!

The last picture of a very long but great day! Ft Benning is huge if you didn't already know and btw....GPS does no good! Hahaha....we got lost seriously like a million times! At least we got Derek back to the barracks before curfew!

Graduation Day

All the different uniforms of the American Soldier over time.

It started off with this extremely loud "BOOM" and then all this smoke started coming out from what looked like the ground. Then all these Soldiers appeared out of nowhere!

The Soldiers made it all the way to the front of the parade field and the announcer explained all the parts of their uniform and the purposes they served. It was really interesting to learn all the details on what the Hubbs wears.

Then the Army band marched out. They were absolutely fantastic! By far the best band I have ever heard....that makes me sound like a dork....but seriously it was really good!!

Me and Dad waiting for Dereks platoon to march out!

And here they come!!

Finally!!!! Me and the Hubbs after they graduated!! I am soooo proud of my Soldier!

Derek and Drill Sgt Martinez

Derek with Hall and Hara

Finished the night with a great dinner. This is me and Derek outside the restaraunt.

We're in the Army now!!

2009-06-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

So, six days after we returned from Mexico Derek shipped out for Army basic training. He is now at Fort Benning GA. He is going to be gone until September :-( I already miss him so much, but I know how happy this makes him. So that makes me happy! Derek wanted to go ahead and shave off his beard and head before he shipped out. This was the very FIRST time I saw him without some kind of facial hair! Who knew those prescious little cheeks were under there! Here are a few pics for you to check out my clean shaven soldier! This is me and the Hubbs right after he did his final swear in....I am so proud of him!!!

This pic was taken in the little lunch room/waiting area at the Okahoma City Meps Station. We spent literally 4 hours waiting in here. It was the best though. Derek was beaming the whole day!

This is Derek and the Naval Commander who does the swear ins. He was realy great! He gave all these really supportive speeches and really boosted up the recruits. And yes...I cried! but I am a crier anyways!!

This is the Army office where Derek had to do all of his paperwork. I so can't get over how young he looks with out his beard! So cute :-)

Finally...pics from the Honeymoon :-)

2009-06-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

I know I know, we have been back from our honeymoon for three weeks and I am just now blogging our photos....sorry ya'll. I have been a slacker, but I am hoping to become a better blogger. Especially before we move! Here are a few pics from our Honeymoon to Playa Del Carmen Mexico! Hope you enjoy!!

A few pics from the day...

2009-04-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

This was the Naval Commander that did Dereks enlistment. He gave them this big long speech about duty and how proud he was of all of them. It was really great. There were moms crying on both sides of me....awwww.

2009-04-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

This was a pic taken of me and Derek right before he swore in on his enlistment day!

Been awhile....

2009-04-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

So i am sure that ya'll have been saying "What the heck happened to Amanda?" Well I kinda went AWOL for a little bit, but let me tell there has been a LOT going on. Lets start with all the wedding planning. The plans have changed a million times, but we have finally got everything worked out, the place, the decorations, the flowers, the cakes....and so on and so on. I am way excited!! Only 21 more days!!! Wow, that is crazy it seems like just yesterday we got engaged! Then on top of planning our wedding, Derek and I made some more life changing decisions. We have really been trying to figure out which direction we wanted our lives to go as far as career and all. Derek has really wanted to more with his life for a long time and on March 7th he did! Derek enlisted in the Army!! We are so pumped and can't wait!! He will leave for basic training 6 days after we return from our honeymoon....holy cow! He will be gone for almost 4 months and will be back home to get me at the end of August or the first of September. I wish we knew where we will be stationed at, but we won't find that our until around August time frame. So, lots of changes coming our way! We are pumped and can't wait!!!!