Viva Las Vegas!

Hey everybody,
Erica here! As many of you know, we found out last week that we will be moving to Las Vegas in late August or early September! We are so excited! This was our first choice of the options we were given. Eric really loves the job he will have there and I will have a lot more opportunities to work doing something I love.
We are going to be stationed at Creech Air Force Base. It's about half an hour outside the city limits and pretty much in the middle of nowhere so, like many of the other folks stationed at Creech, we'll be living in Las Vegas and Eric will commute.
Now, when you think of Vegas you probably imagine the glittering lights and nearly nude ladies in rhinestones and feathers. Where we will be living is about half an hour from the strip. Northwest Las Vegas is a well-planned suburban region nestled against beautiful mountains with some wonderful nature walks. Sound familiar? It reminds me a lot of Rancho Cucamonga when I look at pictures! We are really excited about living there because it means we have great outdoor beauty for running and hiking, but also an amazing selection of activities nearby! Oh, and we made sure that In-n-Out and Chipotle were within driving distance too! Oh and Trader Joe's and Whole Foods! We are, needles to say, very excited!
So far, we have done a good deal of apartment hunting. Clearly, it's a little early to be looking for places. It's only May. We're just so excited! We have 4-6 places that we would really love to live in. There is also the possibility of us getting a pet once we get there. Eric and I are real animal lovers and it's been tough being away from Buddy, Annie, Pepper, and Oreo! We'll probably get a kitty because we think it's a little too tough to keep a dog in an apartment.
I am still working on my master's. I will have it completed by November or December, depending upon when I manage to get my thesis finished. I am really excited about that because it means that I will be able to teach community college as well as online courses for undergraduate programs! One more step toward my dream of a Ph.D.!
Eric is doing very well in his classes and is enjoying them a lot. Right now, he is working on a subject matter that directly relates to his job at Creech AFB so he is having a lot of fun with that!
In our spare time, we've been doing a lot of Vegas research. I have also been learning more recipes and am trying to work through a few of Grandpa Ralph's recipes from his family cookbook. Eric is addicted to the salsa!
We love you all very much and just can't wait to be closer to California!
Love,
Erica (and Eric)