Texas Meets Washington

BodyRock 30 Day Challenge

2012-02-07T12:36:00.000-08:00

I accidentally discovered this on Pinterest...free workouts? Yes, please! They are starting a 30 Day Challenge for February, so I decided to give it a shot. They have the workouts all planned and put on a calendar available to print (hello, no-workout weekends!!!).

Today I did the fitness test ~~which took me back to all the exercises I hated in Navy PT~~. Only things missing were a certain PT leader and the ever-despised flutter kicks (or whatever they were called). Yuck.

Anyway, here were my results:
(50 second intervals with 10 second rest in between each)

Squat Jumps: 33
Push Ups: 24 (I wimped and did girly ones)
Burpees: 12
High Knees: 120 (each foot counts as 1)
Switch Lunges: 26
Tuck Jumps: 37
Tricep Dips: 15
Abs: 26

http://bodyrock.tv

Zoo!

2012-02-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

The weather has been absolutely beautiful here the last few days, and we are attempting to soak up every minute of it! Today I decided to take C to the zoo, as we haven't been in a while and it's a weekday, which means low crowds. We even got a parking spot right up front. Win! C's favorite part of the zoo is the aquarium. We spent most of our time checking out the sharks and the polar bears, but today one of the walruses was putting on a great show. We were the only ones in the exhibit for a few minutes, and the walrus swam up to C, nudged the glass, and just chilled with him for a minute. I C thought it was the coolest.thing.ever...a few minutes later it happened again with a bunch of kids standing around. I loved seeing all the happy, smiling faces ~~instead of bratty whiny kids~~. My big boy told me he wanted to walk, not ride in the stroller, so we didn't even bring it in. I took a backpack with snacks and extra clothes and we were good to go! He was out about 5 minutes into the drive home. All in all, it was a wonderful, relaxing day. With the exception of a man trying to walk into the women's restroom. Right after he saw C&I walk out of it. Weirdo.

Took the P&T out for a test run:

2012-01-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

The ultimate test run, really. We went to the mall. That thing handled like a champ!

I can turn it in a circle with one hand.
According to hubby, it "goes really fast."
J took it up (and down) the escalator. (I know...I wasn't thrilled about it, either.)
Best of all? Little Man loves it.
He loves to hold on to the bumper bar.
He sat through the trip without so much as a peep ~~with the exception of ditching his socks and shoes at the JC Penney service desk~~.

It takes a little bit of practice to get the thing folded/unfolded. It locks in the folded position, which I love. Note to self, though: Practice at home before ~~you end up standing in the rain in the parking lot~~ trying to unfold the stroller. Lesson learned.

Weekend Randoms

2012-01-28T11:21:00.000-08:00

First of all, where did this week go?!

C has started calling J & I "Mom & Dad." J is heartbroken. I mean, the kid is two! I don't even know where he got it, because we always refer to each other as Mommy and Daddy. #sadface

New phrases in our house: "I want that! I want it!" Moments after being told no: "I need it! I need it, Mom!"

I hung up two picture frames yesterday. Frames that have been sitting on the floor since we moved into this house almost a year ago. Don't even get me started on the lack of painting that's been done this year.

I really need to be better about actually commenting on peoples' blogs. I get all excited about one post and move on to the next without responding. Sorry.

Blogger does not like the "enter" button on my keyboard.

Waffle maker and new glasses arrived yesterday. One of the glasses was broken, so now I have to haul the whole set into JC Penney to get a new set. Booo.

I had my first taste of automatic coupon doubling/tripling at Albertsons yesterday and saved 50% on a very large order. I am hoping to do some new couponing posts soon!

Question for those of you on twitter: My tweets are set to private. If someone sends a follow request who has no tweets, do you accept it? I had five new requests this morning, all users with no tweets. Thoughts? Or am I just being weird about it?

I started adding to my composter for the first time since late summer/early fall and it has actually all broken down! I also got my bell peppers started (inside). Every year I wait entirely long before planting and end up with weenie plants that really don't produce much. This year will be different ~~so the optimist in me says.~~

New Baby!

2012-01-28T11:07:00.000-08:00


It's like Christmas come early...(late?)

Photo Source

Stroller, that is... :) I posted the stroller pictures on Facebook and apparently threw everyone for a loop. Oopsie. My brand spanking new Phil & Ted's Dash stroller arrived yesterday morning. It took all of five minutes to get the tires filled and the whole thing put together. C climbed in and refused to budge, so I can safely say he likes his new ride!

Reasons I chose a Phil & Ted's stroller:
1. I love love love the option of being able to switch back-and-forth between a single and double stroller when needed.
2. I think it will work well as a light jogging stroller.
3. Comparable in price to the BOB with more overall features
4. It came with excellent recommendations from Mommy McD

Reasons I went with the Dash:
1. It was ~~damn near impossible~~ very difficult to find a used Sport version.
2. It has storage on the seat back
3. The brake is in the handle (this may end up being a love/hate relationship)
4.Waterproof nylon fabric (vs. polyester)
5. Plastic footwell

I took two dogs on two leashes and was able to push the stroller to the park with no issues. It is so easy to maneuver - like night and day from my old jogger. P&T does not advertise as a jogging stroller, but I tested it out at the park, with the single, and it handled like a champ. I think my legs will probably hit with the doubles kit attached. I will have to do another review later on down the road!

This is the last stroller I will ever buy ~~because husband will probably divorce me if another stroller appears in this house~~. It should have been the first (and only) stroller we bought, but hey. Live and learn. If you're interested in a P&T, I highly recommend scoping out eBay, Craigslist, and your local consignment stores.

**DISCLAIMER** I was not compensated for writing this review. The opinions in this post are entirely my own.

The Missing Remote

2012-01-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

We recently canceled our cable, as we already have Amazon Prime, a Roku box, and an XBox 360. We threw in a Hulu Plus subscription and are already seeing the savings. Actually, I'm pretty sure we cut our cable bill in half.

The Roku remote is always going missing. C is pretty good about not running off with it ~~mostly because I toss it on the mantle or the counter so he can't reach it~~. So, any time it disappears, it's usually my fault. Last night, while I was working on homework, hubby came upstairs and informed me that the remote was nowhere to be found.

We both tore the house apart looking for it, and came up with nothing. Husband conceded to watching Hulu via the XBox instead. Because, of course, the Roku box is the one device you cannot control without the remote. Stupid Murphy.

Cut to this morning: C wants to watch "one show, Mommy!" Only, the remote is still MIA. C instantly goes into the asking-over-and-over bit:

C: "Want to watch a shooow, Mommy!"
Me: "The remote is missing. If you want to watch a show, you need to help Mommy find it."
C: "I don't know!"
(repeat this conversation x 4)

Me: "If we can't find the remote, then you cannot watch a show."
(30 seconds later)
C: "Here it is, Mommy! I found it!!"

He totally stashed it in with his toys last night. Little stink.

Moral of the story: When something goes missing, ask the toddler to find it first.

Why I Will Continue to Shop at JC Penney

2012-01-24T23:01:00.000-08:00

Recently, JC Penney had this ~~amazinglyfabuloussupercheap~~ sale on a Step2 patio set for kids. I figured for just under $20 after shipping, it was a pretty darn good deal. So did everyone else and their mother. People were ordering two and three at a time. Apparently it was a (very large) pricing mistake.

JC Penney quickly made the item unavailable, shipped the inventory they had in the order the purchases were made, and proceeded to cancel the remaining orders. Fortunately for those whose orders were canceled, like mine, Penneys made the fabulous and very generous decision to credit each of us $50 to be used toward an online purchase.

Today, I was able to buy a new set of drinking glasses for our kitchen, a rotating belgian waffle maker, and a new hand towel for C's bathroom (I was just under the $50 minimum without the towel...) for $13 after shipping - less than I would have spent on that table.

Thanks, JC Penney!

eBay Disappointment

2012-01-23T23:18:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in a previous post about waiting for that lovely Phil & Ted's stroller to magically appear on my doorstep. Today, I received a stroller. A stroller that did not match the one I bid on.

I was bidding on a (used) "Sport" version of the stroller, and they sent me a "Classic" one. So. Freaking. PO'd. I seriously wanted to cry. All the while, C is stoked about the new stroller while I'm ~~having a heart attack thinking about purchasing a different one~~ just trying to get the darn thing unfolded.

The wheels are flat (to be expected). Upon further inspection, however, one of the rear wheels is missing the inner-tube. They shoved a piece of foam tubing into the tire. Really?!?! There goes another $15 down the drain. Anyway, I'm selling this stroller, biting the bullet, and getting the Dash.

I should note that the seller of this auction (who had 100% positive feedback from 99 people) did offer me a refund, but they still have not acknowledged the fact that they
a) falsely advertised a better product than the one they were actually selling
or
b)made a mistake in the information they listed about the product.

Live and learn...In the meantime, I'll now be pacing the house, waiting for a second stroller to arrive.

I can neither confirm nor deny...

2012-01-21T14:49:00.001-08:00

That there is a new (small) writing gig in my future. Details to come!

And just like that...

2012-01-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

The snow is gone. Most of it, anyway. We were lucky and did not lose power like many others around the region. We had all of two days of gloomy, wintery weather. Today, the sun is shining and the air is crisp and cold. A perfect day for a walk...just one thing missing: a stroller.

Mommy McD had this super-wonderful-amazing stroller that looked so awesome ~~I decided I had to have one~~ it would probably be a great investment. The price tag, though? Not so awesome. I finally found one on eBay and it was supposed to be here yesterday. Enter UPS delays from inclement weather. J was supposed to get a bunch of stuff delivered as well, and was equally disappointed with the delay.

Side note: did you know UPS has a twitter account? They are totally into customer feedback and reply to just about every tweet. Pretty cool.

Anyway, I think that's enough links for today :) Happy weekend!!!

Back in the Blogosphere!

2012-01-19T16:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while. A long while. But here I am, back in the blogosphere to give this whole blogging thing another go. It has been snowing. like. crazy. over the past couple days. Hubby got stuck trying to get out of the driveway this morning, so he hasn't even gone to work in two days. Good for me, as we enjoy having him home, but not so good for him as he has lots of work to do on base.

We took Little Man sledding on the road in front of our house yesterday and he had a blast. One of the ~~few~~ perks of living at the top of a hill! We are getting settled into life with a two-year-old and enjoying ~~almost~~ every minute of it. I hope to have some more interesting posts up here soon!

A Full Cup

2011-06-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Mommy McD has made a few great couponing posts this week... I realized today that I've been using a great website and haven't shared yet!

A Full Cup is an awesome forum that covers pretty much every [chain] grocery store you can think of, as well as drugstores and retail chains. You should definitely check it out!

You might be the parent of a toddler if ...

2011-06-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

You have a picture like this:

Or this:

Little Man woke up from a nap and decided to dig through his Nana's makeup. I found him in the hallway and prayed "Please-don't-let-it-be-sharpie!!!"Thank goodness it was non-waterproof mascara!

Has anyone seen my kid?!

2011-06-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

"Outside? [y]es! [y]es!"

"Fetch!"

"Hoop!"

"Food!"

Signing "Papa (Grandpa)"

Tuckered out after "helping" Grandpa in the garden all afternoon.

He's been living outside for the past week. He can open the sliding glass door and tries to head out first thing in the morning...footie PJs and all. The captions are his latest (and favorite) phrases. He also says "chuck-it" and "Tenley." I have no why the vertical pictures rotated themselves to be landscape-ish. Lame.

What I Should Be Doing:

2011-06-09T00:35:00.000-07:00

Why is there more laundry after hubby leaves?!

What I'm actually doing:

Please ignore the icky-ness of the desk. C-Man frequents this area with his sticky little fingers...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

My House is a Pig Sty.

2011-05-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

But the baby is in bed. And I'm having a ~~second~~ glass of wine. Watching Army Wives.

Yep, it's been one of those days...yes, I started those first two sentences with conjunctions. Sue me.

Not-So-Extreme Couponing

2011-05-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

I hit up Albertson's today because they had double the value coupons in their flier (flyer?) this week. I bought:

4 Miracle Whip
2 Boxes Ronzoni Garden Pasta
4 Pkg Ball Park Franks (hubby put in a request for hot dogs)
2 Pkg Arrowhead Bottled Water (6 ct. each)

Grand Total? $7.64 with a savings of 88%.

I'm not into the ~~let's-stockpile-for-the apocalypse-and-never-actually-use-all-500-bottles-of-laundry-detergent~~ stockpiling, and for the record we don't eat hot dogs or drink bottled water on a regular basis (they're just nice to have on hand for emergency kits and lazy days), but it's really nice to shop at a regular grocery store and actually get some good deals.

Yay coupons! :)

Friday Fill-In

2011-05-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

You can go to Wife of a Sailor to participate and link up!

1. What is one of the things you always do special when your husband returns from a deployment? submitted by Keep Calm and Soldier On

He makes the dinner selection - anything he wants. (We also do this the night before deployment.)

2. What do you do to help your spouse and/or yourself re-adjust after a deployment or long separation? submitted by Diapers, Dogs and Deployments
We mostly try to relax and take the first couple weeks as they come. He's tired and used to a certain routine, and so am I, so we just try and compromise :)

3. Are you a crazy coupon clipper (I’m becoming one, so share your secrets with me)? submitted by Married My Airman
Coupon clipper: yes. Crazy, no. I do buy multiple copies of the paper every Sunday and keep my coupons in a notebook. However, I am pretty good at only buying stuff that we normally use/eat anyway. 50 candy bars? No thanks...

4. What’s your most treasured memory of you and your spouse (not counting your wedding – that’s a given)? submitted by Scrubs, ACUs and One Crazy Ride
We went skydiving in Hawaii, during our honeymoon. We jumped over the North Shore of Oahu - it was one of the most amazing things I've ever done. Spectacular views combined with an insane adrenaline rush.

5. If you could live anywhere overseas, what would you pick and why? submitted by Little Moments Like This
If we're talking military installations, I would pick either Italy or Germany. Otherwise, I would love to live in Ireland or Scotland for a period of time. Gorgeous scenery and a laid-back, simple lifestyle is so appealing.

Snoozin' Boy

2011-05-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

The kid won't sleep for more than 30 minutes in his crib, but he's going on 2.5 hours on the couch.

Things you totally wanted to know about my week.

2011-05-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

I finally finished Catcher in the Rye. Really, Salinger? So annoyed by the friggin' end of the book.

The cat ~~ran away~~ ~~got lost~~ ~~disappeared~~ hasn't been home since last Wednesday.

C-Man is about to cut two molars and his top canine (incisors?).

Blogger hates the "return" key.

I had to re-plant my garden starts because the squirrels dug them all up.

J & I are tossing around the idea of some bathroom remodeling. More on this later.

Blogger doesn't hate the "return" key when I use the "smallest" text. ???

I cleared the Albertson's clearance rack of rawhide bones and saved 89%. Also on the clearance rack? Hard Pear Cider. Never tried it? Go buy some. It's yummy.

The end.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-05-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

1. Which was the best day of your life- Wedding day or Homecoming day? submitted by Pink Champagne, Gatorade & MREs
Wedding, for sure - we had a back yard wedding at my parents' house. It rained right up until the ceremony started, but once people started getting seated the sun came out.

2. Were you a part of the joining the military question or did you sign up for the relationship when your man was already in the military? submitted by Cammo Style Love
J was in the STA-21 program (I was in NROTC) when we met my junior year of college. The humorous thing here is that after my freshman NROTC orientation, I called my mom and told her there was no way I was ever marrying a military man. Ha.

3. What is your favorite Disney movie and why? submitted by Raising Roscoe
I love them all, but if I had to choose one it would be Cinderella. I love me some Gus Gus! :)

4. What is your favorite family activity to do on the weekends? submitted by Destination: RN!
We live within a five-minute walk of a park. Lately we've been walking there, letting the kiddo and dogs tear around and burn off some energy, then watching the C-Man climb and slide to his hearts content.

5. Where do you secretly wish you could be stationed with you/your SO’s line of work (realistically speaking, not everyone can be stationed on NAS Fiji)? submitted by Wookie & Co.
Assuming we had no family or pets to consider, I would love to go to Germany or Italy. Someday we'll at least travel over there!

If I had a dollar

2011-05-11T18:51:00.000-07:00

For every ~~random item~~ book this kid pulled off the bookshelf...

I'd be rich. Filthy rich.

A Navy Wife

2011-05-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

Our ombudsman posted this earlier today - just wanted to share :)

A Navy Wife is no ordinary woman. Operating for months at a time without the companionship or assistance of her husband, she routinely overcomes challenges that would give the average person a nervous breakdown.

Part Doctor, part Teacher and part Handyman, she can lavish loving care on a sick toddler, help a teenager with his Algebra homework, and track down a faulty circuit breaker -- all while holding down a full time job.

With thirty minutes notice, she can serve breakfast, lunch, or dinner to fourteen hungry Sailors, and still somehow balance her family's meager grocery budget.

She can press a set of dress whites to inspection standards, tie a perfect square knot in a military neckerchief, and pack a seabag in the cold hours before dawn.

For months at a time, she must settle for letters instead of kisses, emails in place of hugs, and long-distance phone calls in lieu of her husband's touch.
She manages a smile when her Sailor is at sea for the second Anniversary in a row, and accepts the fact that there's a one-in-three chance that he will have to stand Duty on her Birthday. She has learned to stand on a pier and wave goodbye without tears, even when her heart is breaking.

To her children, she is Chauffeur, Umpire, Psychologist, Spiritual Advisor, Financial Consultant, part-time Father, Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, and the Easter Bunny. To her husband, she is Friend, Lover, Partner, Confidant, and Soul-Mate.

She is a patriot. She is the sort of citizen that all of us should be, but so few of us are. She lives with sacrifice, because she believes in the rights and ideals that her husband defends. Although she wears no uniform, she is a part of that defense -- a vital link in the chain of Freedom. Although she wears no medals and will reap no glory on the field of battle, she is a hero in the truest sense of the word.

She is a Navy Wife.

Friday Fill-In (and 100th post!)

2011-04-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

1. Have you and your spouse agreed to live in separate locations (a geographical bachelor tour) knowing that the short-term inconvenience would have long-term benefits for your family? How did it work for you? submitted by When Good People Get Together

We geo-bached when J went to SOBC in Groton. I was pregnant and it was much easier for me to just stay in Charleston with the dogs. It was close enough that he was able to come home for a couple weekends.

2. What is your favorite thing about being a MilSpouse? submitted by Sarah Ruth Today

I feel so blessed that my husband's career has given me, and now our son, the opportunity to live and travel all over the country. I love that he has job security and we have great health insurance.

3. If you could still have your spouse/significant other and your family, but take the military life out of it…would you? submitted by Trust. Love. Believe. Bake.

At this exact moment in time? Not a chance. Ask me that question when our kid(s) are school-age and I will probably have a much different opinion. :)

4. What have your homecoming experiences been like after a year long tour of separation? submitted by Army Soldier, Army Wife

We are extremely fortunate to not have year-long deployments. Three months is plenty long enough for me, and even then it was an extreme relief to have him home!

5. If you have a child(ren) why you chose their name(s)? If not, why you would name your child something? submitted by Tiara’s & ACU’s

C-Man's middle name is shared by J's grandfather and my dad's uncle. It was important to us to pass along a family name.

Fun at the park!

2011-04-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

Sick, sick, sick. Ick.

2011-04-29T13:38:00.001-07:00

A 104+ fever in the C-Man sent us to the ER on Easter Sunday. Normally, J and I aren't big worriers when it comes to fever, but he's never had one that high and was totally not his normal self. Turns out he has a (minor) middle ear infection.

On top of working nights, J has been feeling sick the last few days. I think C-Man has caught the bug too - he's been coughing quite a bit this morning. Sick hubby + sick baby = no bueno! Keeping my fingers crossed that I don't come down with whatever nasty bug is floating around in our house. Time to break out the Lysol!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-04-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

1. How many pets do you have? And what type? submitted by Life and Times of a Displaced Jersey Girl
Two dogs (an Italian Greyhound and a Yellow Lab) named Remi and Tenley, and a cat (Tango).

2. What are your favorite projects to do while hubby is away? submitted by my-inspired-nest

~~Get rid of crap, cleaning up after Hurricane C-Man~~ organize, de-clutter, and crafty stuff are things that generally keep me occupied. I think during the next patrol I will be trying my hand (thumb?) at growing some veggies. Yum.

3. What are the must-haves in your deployment care packages? submitted by Christine’s Little Blog

Pictures, pictures, pictures (mostly of the Little Dude)!!! I like to send cards, notes, and letters that Hubby can open at different times during the patrol. Holiday/seasonal stuff is always a hit...J is a sucker for anything Snickers, too.

4. If you could star in any TV show, which would it be? submitted by Just a Girl

SNL...that way it wouldn't matter if I made an ass of myself. :)

5. What was the biggest hurdle that you faced during your/your significant other’s first deployment? submitted by The Pavlik Perspective
I locked myself out of the online credit card account (I didn't have the password saved, oops), only to discover that I wasn't authorized on it (yeah for super-secure banking). Cue bank trip with POA in hand...multiple faxes and phone calls later, I finally got it taken care of and was able to pay the credit card bill on time.

Hop on over to Wife of a Sailor to participate and link up! :)

Submarine Birthday Ball

2011-04-18T13:06:00.001-07:00

Saturday was the Submarine Officers' Ball. My mom came to stay with C so we could enjoy an evening out (thanks Mom, you rock)! It was our first night away from him, but he did great.

J and I enjoyed an evening of good food, drinks, and wonderful company. Our wardroom rocks. Just sayin'. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

I know, it's Thursday. So sue me.

Green Travel Mug?

2011-04-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, please! :)

I love books...

2011-04-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have always been a book nerd...I was that kid who would go to the library, leave with 15 books, and have them all read in a week. I love the smell of a new book.

However...

These darn iBooks make it so easy and fast to get through a book. I have been working on "Eat, Pray, Love" (in paperback) for a good month now. I'm also working on "Catcher in the Rye." Last week, I burned through 2 iBooks.

I already have a ton of paperbacks on my bookshelf that I haven't read yet. Problem much?

Oh em gee. Plus some randoms.

2011-04-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

If I have to clean up any more bodily fluids (animal or human) inside my house today...don't get me wrong, ~~wearing toddler poo and cleaning up multiple dog nasties~~ last night was fun, but I'd rather not do any more of that today. kthxbai.

Little Man has hit the "I do it" phase. Blessing: he is getting more independent. Curse: Every task takes three times as long to accomplish.

We have curtains! Right now I have sheers over the patio doors downstairs and regular curtains in the bedroom. Sooo excited (thank you to my oh-so-handsome ~~handyman~~ Hubby) ! :) I hung the clock on the wall yesterday...which means, I helped...right?

We've been craving tex-mex lately and tried out a little restaurant down the street. Good prices and great food! ~~Margaritas~~ chimichangas, anyone? I really need to cut back on using the strikeout text...haha

Everyone keep your fingers crossed that this mess in Congress gets resolved soon!!!

Ok, really?

2011-04-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

Spring, you can come aaaaany day now...

Today...

2011-04-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

I saved 50% on a trip to Slaveway.

Went into Lowe's carrying a sleeping baby. One of the employees walked with me, picked up and carried my (two) purchases, held them while I paid, and then carried them out to my car. I didn't have to do anything except carry the snoozing Little Man. Talk about customer service!!!

Drive-thru coffee stand vanilla latte for $2.75. Note: I am willing to tolerate the ~~hoochie~~ skimpy employee dress code for a latte at that price. Just sayin'.

Met one of the lovely neighbors who left the flowers on our front porch.

The baby is still sleeping.

Good day? I think so!

Friday Fill-In

2011-03-26T23:14:00.000-07:00

1. What is your must have gadget? submitted by Flying High With My Flyboy
Definitely the iPhone. It's my GPS/encyclopedia/phone book. <3
Also, I love my vacuum cleaner. I vacuum every other day at a minimum. Is that weird???

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like when you were a little kid? submitted by L to the Third
First I was going to be an archaeologist. Then a pediatrician. Then a physical therapist. Currently, I'm still working on that ~~eight~~ four year degree. I'm a stay-at-home-mommy/Navy wife.

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe? submitted by Our First Deployment
I love me some no-bake cookies. :) Note: use real butter and creamy peanut butter. Yum-o!

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be to much or to hard? submitted by Combat Boots And Pointe Shoes
I am so lucky to have such a wonderful group of ladies in the wardroom. Aside from them, I can always go home (to WA or TX) during a deployment. Family is always a huge help with C. Mostly, on those not-so-great days, I take a deep breath and remind myself of all the amazing things I've had the opportunity to see and experience because of the live we live. The good always outweighs the bad. A glass of wine never hurts, either...just sayin'. :)

5. What piece of advice would you give a new Military spouse facing their first deployment? submitted by The Albrecht Squad

**Stealing from WOAS :

"You will have good days and you will have bad days. You will have days you feel fantastic for being so independent and days where you will bawl your eyes out while wishing you could just let the earth swallow you. It’s all normal. Let yourself feel bad at times, but don’t let it consume you. Live your life while your spouse is gone. Enjoy the things you will learn. Stay strong."

All of the above. Awesome advice.

It's baseball season!

2011-03-26T22:42:00.000-07:00

Went to Sea-Town today to watch the little brother's baseball team play the Huskies. :)

Bleacher-butt solution. Genius!!!

Sunset from the ferry terminal.

So pretty!!!

Zonkered out little dude.

Slowly but Surely...

2011-03-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

Things are finally starting to come together here in the new house.

Blinds are being installed today (YAY!), and there is only one wall left to paint on the main floor.

Next up are curtains for the sliding glass doors.

J is going to install a peephole in the front door (there are windows across the top of it and being ~~short~~ vertically challenged currently requires that I climb halfway up the stairs to see who's at the front door)

Diaper sprayer and printer were both hooked up last night.

Unfortunately we still have a bunch of stuff at the old house that we need to go get. I don't wanna!

On to ~~a more interesting~~ another topic: Funny things C is doing these days

Climbing the stepladder to turn lights on and off
Insisting on wearing shoes that are a size and a half too big
Stealing the computer mouse, remote, and anything else he can get his little paws on
Playing the piano
Standing on the piano
Climbing onto the table (and occasionally sitting nicely on the bench)
Climbing in and out of the bath tub
Brushing his teeth
Saying "beep" when he hears the microwave or car alarms
Wearing J's hats
Finding things in his books (he thinks the word "helicopter" is hilarious)
Hitting. Mostly the dogs.
Hiding his face when he's in trouble
Asking for "help" when he doesn't want to do something
Feeding the dogs
Wearing the backpack part of a monkey harness (I've only used it once, flying from TX to WA by myself. Don't judge...)

Happy Thursday! :)

Toddler Vocabulary

2011-03-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have a 16mo. old. What the heck happened to my little baby?!

New Words:
off (as he flips the light switches)
horse
all done
help
bye-bye
down

New Signs:
cheese
cracker/chip
peanut butter

My Smart Hands is a baby/toddler-geared ASL website. They have an iPhone app that has a video dictionary for a bunch of common words. Pretty fun stuff :)

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

2011-03-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

"Let the Good Times Roll!"

Happy Mardis Gras!!! I might attempt making a king cake tonight...or not...

What I've been up to...

2011-03-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

Moving. Lots and lots of moving crap from the old house to the new one. Mostly by myself, as hubby has been working crummy hours. We just need to get the beds, bookshelf, and piano over here and we'll be set.

Cleaning. 'Nuff said on this one.

Painting. The living room is finished, the kitchen is almost done. Then it's on to the rest of the house.

Fighting with the post office. New construction = brand new address = new mailbox. The mailman is on a walking route but ~~because he refuses to walk to one more house~~ for whatever reason, we still haven't gotten any mail in our box. I have to load the baby up and drive to the post office to collect it. I went in to the post office on Saturday and was told they would speak with the carrier and then give me a call. It's now Tuesday - no phone call and no mail. They are getting a piece of my mind tomorrow.

Shopping. We still need to get chairs for the table and a couch.The HD people are coming on Thursday to take measurements for the blinds. So excited to get the cellular shades!

Baby-wrangling. I had to make a special trip back to the old house this morning after Little Man tipped over a plant. We're still working out what needs to be gated off/locked. Really, pretty much everything does. But baby gates are expensive. So after the stairs get secured, we'll see what happens...

Anyhoodles, dinner is on the stove and we are just waiting for J to come home so we can eat. Roast, rice, and gravy, minus the gravy for hubby. Sooo yummy!

Is there an app for that?

2011-03-08T09:18:00.001-08:00

Is there an iPhone app I can use to mass upload pictures from phone to blog? I know blogger has an upload email, but I don't know how to send more than one at a time. Help?

We did it!

2011-02-26T17:25:00.000-08:00

We have keys!!! The past two days have been a whirlwind of paperwork, shopping, painting, and stuff-hauling. The living room, kitchen, and hallway are all painted with the exception of the edging. New kitchen faucet has been installed, as has the beast of a refrigerator.

The dogs are passed out in front of the fireplace (I fell asleep reading in front of it yesterday), the baby took a 2 hour nap as opposed to his lack of a nap yesterday, and the hubs is out running errands. New kitchen table, here I come! Life is good.

The Beast

2011-02-26T17:18:00.001-08:00

Window Treatments

2011-02-13T14:51:00.000-08:00

I hate hate HATE shopping for window treatments!!! Cheapo horizontal blinds are out because I just hate the looks of them and they are a PITA to clean. I've also ruled out going the curtain route, because we're planning on renting the place out in a few years and I want to leave whatever we choose with the house. I have a small (tall) kitchen window and one good-sized window in the living room. There are three bedrooms that need blinds as well, and I'd like to keep everything (more or less) the same throughout the house.

I like these

I also like these (it won't let me save the picture)

We have two sliding glass patio doors (one in the master and one downstairs) that I need to do something with as well. What to do?!?

Kitchen

Living Room

HELP!!!

Tomato & Bean "Stoup"

2011-02-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

This was really yummy!

My Mom's Tomato and Bean 15 Minute Stoup

(Rachael Ray) Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), 2 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 can diced tomato (15 ounces)
1 can tomato sauce(15 ounces)
1 can small white beans or cannellini beans (15 ounces)
1 box, cut frozen green beans (10 ounces)
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh basil, torn or shredded
Grated Parmigiano or Romano, to pass at table
Crusty bread, to pass at the table

PREPARATION

Add EVOO to the pot, 2 turns of the pan. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, stir then stir in the onions, carrots, celery and zucchini. Cook 10 minutes, then add in the stock, tomatoes and beans. Bring soup up to a bubble and season with salt and pepper, to your taste. Simmer 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and wilt the basil into the soup. Ladle up the soup and serve with grated cheese and bread.

The communication skills of a 14 month old...

2011-02-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

C: "Up!"

Me: "Do you need some ninny?"

C: "Mmm... mmmmmm"

I'll take that as a yes?

Tables and sofas and barstools, oh my!

2011-02-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

We are going to get the table and matching bench from World Market, then the 4 or 5 chairs + matching barstools from this website. SO excited for the new dining set...our $75 Craigslist table and chairs have served us well, but it's time for an upgrade. We need to go ~~sit on~~ look at the sofa in person before we make a final decision.

Spiced Pork Chops and Carrot/Yam Puree

2011-02-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

Made these for dinner last night - SO good!

Spiced Pork Chops with Sweet and Sour Glaze (Agrodolce)

(Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients

Pork:

1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra as needed
4 (8-ounce) boneless pork chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Glaze:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, pale green and white parts only, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, at room temperature
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Pork: In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Add the pork to the pan and cook until cooked through. for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, honey, garlic, scallions, and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey has dissolved. Simmer for 9 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Arrange the pork chops on a platter and drizzle with the glaze.

Carrot and Yam Puree

(Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 pounds yams, ends trimmed, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water

Directions

In a saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the carrots, yams, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes. Using a ladle, remove 2 cups of the cooking liquid and reserve. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until slightly chunky, adding the reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Cook's Note: The carrot mixture can also be drained in a colander and working in batches, blended in a food processor or blender.

Dear Starbucks

2011-02-04T23:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Starbucks,

I really want to not like you and your stupid rewards card (purchased by Hubby and reloaded more than once by yours truly. Fail.) Honestly, I will take Dutch Bros over your overpriced coffee any day. However, I finally reached Green Level. So I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and enjoy the free soymilk and syrup. Just because I can.

Sincerely,

A Dutch Bros cheater.

* In all fairness, the closest
DB is over an hour away. So lame.

Lovey!

2011-02-03T13:25:00.001-08:00

Little Man has a lovey now! He's snuggled with that doggie since his Auntie S gave it to him last week. He also packs around the matching blanket :)

New addition(s)!

2011-01-31T09:17:00.000-08:00

It's been a bit hectic around here lately. More to come...stand by for an update!

How to Simulate Life on a Submarine

2011-01-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

*Borrowed from a post on the SWC forum*

Here are some things you can do to see what it would be like to live on a submarine without actually having to join the Navy:

1. Obtain a dumpster. Paint it black, weld all the covers shut except one which can be bolted closed from the inside. Hitch it to the back of your wife's mini van. Gather 12 friends and bolt yourselves inside and let your wife pull it around for several weeks while she does the errands.

2. Sleep on the shelf in your closet. Replace the closet door with a curtain. Six hours after you go to sleep, have your wife whip open the curtain. shine a flashlight in your eyes, and mumble "Sorry, wrong rack".

3. Don't eat any food that you don't get out of a can or have to add water to.

4. Paint all the windows on your car black. Drive around town at high speeds with your wife standing up in the sunroof shouting course and speed directions to you.

5. Renovate your bathroom. Build a wall across the middle of your bathtub and move the shower head down to chest level. When you take showers, make sure you shut off the water while soaping.

6. Repeat back everything anyone says to you.

7. Sit in your car for six hours a day with your hands on the wheel and the motor running, but don't go anywhere.

8. Put lube oil in your humidifier instead of water and set it to "High".

9. Don't watch T.V. except movies in the middle of the night. Also, have your family vote on which movie to watch, then show a different one. Record The Sound of Music and show it at least every other night.

10. Don't do your wash at home. Gather your neighbors clothes along with yours, pick the most crowded laundromat you can find, and do the neighborhood laundry in a single washer and dryer. Make sure that 12% of the laundry is lost and 20% of the finished laundry is incorrectly distributed to the wrong neighbor.

11. Leave lawnmower running in your living room six hours a day for proper noise level. (For Engineering Divisions)

12. Have the paperboy give you a haircut.

13. Take hourly readings on your electric and water meters.

14. Sleep with your dirty laundry.

15. Invite guests, but don't have enough food for them.

16. Buy a broken exercise bicycle and strap it down to the floor in your kitchen.

17. Buy a trash compactor and use it once a week. Store up garbage in the other side of your bathtub.

18. Wake up every night at midnight and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stale bread, if anything. (Optional--canned ravioli, cold soup, or cherry peppers)

19. Make up your family menu a week ahead of time without looking in your food cabinets or refrigerator.

20. Set your alarm clock to go off at random times during the night. When it goes off, jump out of bed and get dressed as fast as you can, then run out into your yard and break out the garden hose.

21. Once a month take every major appliance completely apart and then put them back together.

22. Use 18 scoops of coffee per pot and allow it to sit for 5 or 6 hours before drinking.

23. Invite at least 85 people you don't really like to come and visit for a couple of months.

24. Store your eggs in your garage for two months and then cook a dozen each morning.

25. Have a fluorescent lamp installed on the bottom of your coffee table and lie under it to read books.

26. Periodically check your refrigerator compressor for "sound shorts".

27. Put a complicated lock on your basement door and wear the key on a lanyard around your neck.

28. Lockwire the lugnuts on your car.

29. When making cakes, prop up one side of the pan while it is baking. Then spread icing really thick on one side to level off the top.

30. Every so often, yell "Emergency Deep", run into the kitchen, and sweep all pots/pans/dishes off of the counter onto the floor. Then, yell at your wife for not having the place "stowed for sea".

31. Put on the headphones from your stereo (don't plug them in). Go and stand in front of your stove. Say (to nobody in particular) "Stove manned and ready". Stand there for 3 or 4 hours. Say (once again to nobody in particular) "Stove secured". Roll up the headphone cord and put them away.

32. Write a controlled work package to change the oil on your car.

De-Funkifying. Totally a word. Or not...

2011-01-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

I have been in a total "I-haven't-taken-any-pictures-so-I'm-not-going-to-blog" funk lately. So irritating. Anyway, here are the latest happenings in our neck of the woods, sans photos:

Little Man is busier than ever. He's amassed a ginormous collection of toys, so we've had to sort through and weed out a bunch of his old stuff. It's scary how much we've collected in just a year's time - his closet was a mess! I've had to rearrange his room more than once to accommodate his toys, too.

I bought my first pair of shoes online. Boots, to be exact. These lovely things come in wide sizes. I have bone spurs (weird, I know...) that make my feet wider than normal, and it's really hard to find shoes that don't pinch that also don't look like orthopedic-velcro-granny-shoes. I have worn these just about every day the past week without any soreness or pinching. My feet also stayed warm (and dry!) in four inches of snow. [End boot rave]

Our washer is crapping out on us. Every other load ends up with an error message. Error message = load stops but washer doesn't drain = being forced to restart load. This is a pain in the butt, especially when I need to wash diapers every other day. We are now on the hunt for an old top-loader and stuck using disposables until Hubby moves in the loaner from the garage. I know, they're not as energy efficient, but if we don't have to buy another washer for 30 years, then that counts for something, right?

Hubby always gets really annoyed when I spend a bunch of time "couponing," but has changed his tune recently after seeing the savings. I've been really good about only clipping for the stuff we actually buy, use, and (usually) need, which is so much more difficult than it looks. I have saved 50% or more on each grocery shopping trip I've done this month - It's really cool to see the savings add up and the grocery bills decrease by a lot.

We still have "the cat." I still need to find it a home. I keep saying I'm not going to name it, so I don't get attached, but after watching it dance around/through/under our feet over the past few weeks, Tango is the chosen moniker. Just don't tell hubby. :)

I will be hosting my very first kids' play group next week, and I'm so excited. C needs some more play time around other kids, and I am so looking forward to some actual conversation, haha.

Here's hoping to continue my 56 30 day photo challenge and hopping back on the MSFFI bandwagon.

Photo Challenge - Days 14 & 15

2011-01-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

This little guy is my world.

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die

I really want to travel around Europe...Norway is just one country on my list :)

2011-01-08T21:21:00.000-08:00

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

Pat Green!!! I had no idea who he was until I met J. Sad, because his music is wonderful! This picture was from a free summer concert in the park; I believe it was 2007! Crazy how time flies...

Photo Challenge - Days 11 & 12

2011-01-08T21:14:00.000-08:00

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

Posting this on my blog ~~makes me want to barf~~ feels wrong. Icky icky icky...anyway, GO BEAVS!!!

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

Attention ramen/miso soup lovers! If you've never tried pho, you need to find your local Vietnamese restaurant and order some ASAP. Soooo yummy!

Randomness.

2011-01-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

My baby had his first fever yesterday. Thankfully, it broke quickly and he is (mostly) back to being his happy-go-lucky little self. Teething + sickness = cranky baby.

I finally got a diaper sprayer. After a pain-in-the-booty install, courtesy of Da Hubby, I am soooo excited to be able to use it. Well, as excited as one could possibly be about spraying baby poo from the diaper straight into the toilet. More on that later, though...

Still adjusting to being a complete family again. J and I have done pretty well so far, but it has taken Little Man a little longer to warm up to Daddy than I thought he was going to.

Can someone tell me how to upload pictures from my smart phone straight to blogger? I think I would probably blog more frequently if I could do that...maybe...

With club card savings and coupons, I saved $48.03 at Safeway tonight and paid only $31.53 for my groceries. That's a 60% savings! If you are interested in couponing, you should check out The Krazy Coupon Lady's website. She shows you how to stack store and manufacturer coupons right on the site, and it's free! Hello savings!

I am failing the 31 day photo challenge...will try to catch up on that this weekend...

The in-laws left yesterday and the house is soooo quiet now. We had a really great visit; they were a huge help with Little Man over the past two weeks.

I heart off-crew.

I forgot to rotate the laundry. Again. Starting to notice a trend here - maybe I blog to avoid laundry? Nah...

New header and background. This way I can at least pretend I'm a "real" blogger. Haha.

Welcome home, J!

2011-01-03T23:55:00.000-08:00

Photo Challenge - Day 9

2011-01-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

J has been there for all the ups and downs over the past four years, even when he hasn't been able to be physically present at home. Love him!

**Photo taken by Jerome Tso - if you live in the NW and are looking for a photographer, he does amazing work!

Photo Challenge - Day 8

2010-12-28T22:57:00.000-08:00

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh

This kid will wake himself up from a dead sleep if he hears Jeopardy. Then he needs to watch it in its entirety before he will go back to sleep. Nerdinthemaking whaaaaa?

Photo Challenge - Day 7

2010-12-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item

Obviously Da Hubby and our Little Man top this list. However, if I had to choose something materialistic:

The pearl necklace was a wedding gift from Da Hubby. The earrings were a wedding gift from my Mama. Also, I happen to love my wedding ring. Just sayin'. :)

Photo Challenge - Day 6

2010-12-28T22:43:00.000-08:00

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

But only if I get to keep the cooking skills after we trade back!!!

The Night Before Christmas - Submarine Style!

2010-12-25T17:58:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share... :)

T'was the Night Before Christmas-Submarine Style
By Sean Keck

T'was the night before Christmas, and what no one could see,
The men with the dolphins were under the sea.
Most of the crew was flat on their backs,
Snoring and dreaming all snug in their racks.

Those men on watch were making their rounds,
Some manning the planes or listening for sounds.
Back in maneuvering or down in the room,
They all hoped the oncoming watch would come soon.

I'd finished some PM's whose time was now due,
And hoped for some sleep, even an hour or two.
Against better judgment I took a short stroll,
And found myself wandering into control.

The Nav had the Conn, the COW was in place,
The COB had the Dive and a scowl on his face.
The helm and the planes were relaxed but aware,
The QM and ET were discussing a dare.

To comply with the orders the Nav told the Dive,
To bring the boat up with minimum rise.
The orders were given and soon they were there,
At periscope depth with a scope in the air.

The QM confirmed our position with care,
The broadcast was copied, we brought in some air.
The Nav on the scope let out a small cry,
He shook his head twice and rubbed at his eyes.

He looked once again to find what it was,
That interrupted his sweep and caused him to pause.
Try as he might there was nothing to see,
So down went the scope and us to the deep.

I asked what it was that caused his dismay,
He sheepishly said, "I'm embarrassed to say."
It could have been Northern Lights or a cloud,
Or a meteorite he wondered aloud.

But to tell you the truth I guess I must say,
Whatever it was it looked like a sleigh.
And though it passed quickly and never was clear,
I almost believe it was pulled by reindeer.

We laughed and teased him and I got up to go,
When our moment was broken by "Conn, Radio."
They told us a message was just coming in,
We looked at the depth gauge and started to grin.

"Radio, Conn, I feel safe to say,
Your attempt at a joke is too long delayed.
If it had been sooner it might have been neat,
But I doubt we're receiving at four-hundred feet."

"Conn, Radio, you can come down and see,
We're not playing games to any degree."
I headed aft with nothing better to do,
Surprised by the fact it was still coming through.

It stopped and was sent to control to be read,
The Nav read it slowly and scratched at his head.
Then again he began but this time aloud,
To those that now waited, a curious crowd.

"To you Denizens of the Deep and men of the sea,
Who risk your life daily so others stay free.
I rarely have seen you on this, my big night,
For far too often you are hidden from sight.

But purely by luck I saw you tonight,
As your scope coaxed the plankton to glow in the night.
And lucky for me I've finally won,
The chance to say thanks for all you have done.

I know that you miss your families at home,
And sometimes you feel as if you're alone.
But trust what I say and I'll do what's right,
I'll take something special to your families tonight.

Along with the gifts I'll take to your kin,
I'll visit their dreams and leave word within.
They'll hear of your love, and how you miss them,
I'll tell them that soon you'll be home again.

It might not be much I know that is true,
To thank you for all the things that you do.
But I'll do what I can, while you do what's right,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight."

Happy holidays from our family to yours!!!

Busy Bee

2010-12-22T15:36:00.000-08:00

I woke up feeling icky this morning, but after a couple DayQuil sinus, a yummy (homemade) breakfast sandwich, and a cup of coffee, things started to kick into gear.

Baby napping - check. This is big...he boycotted naps the last couple days and the results were disastrous.

Internet fixed - check. Why Vonage has a yellow ethernet port and a yellow ethernet cable that they insisted I plug into the blue ethernet port, I'll never understand. But, it worked...

Landline number changed - check. Rochelle: 1, Beverly Casey & Kelly Van Asten: 0

Laundry folded - ...... aw, crap. There's still a load in the dryer...

Top 10 of 2010

2010-12-21T22:32:00.000-08:00

Saw this somewhere and thought it looked like fun, so here we go:

1. Cross-country move from NY to WA in March. Two cars, one baby, two dogs, and three adults (my mom flew out to help us me drive.We visited Mt. Rushmore and didn't hit snow until Montana.

2. Connor's first plane ride and trip to "The Lake" - we went to visit J's family!

3. Moving into yet another home - always an adventure and a good excuse (reminder?) not to collect too much stuff! We love our new place, even though we're only renting.

4. Connor crawling - 6 months old, almost to the day.

5. J's first underway on the boat. No pics of this one, but we missed him lots!

6. Trip to Olympic National Park when J's mom came for a visit.

7. Seattle trip, also with the MIL. Connor got to go on his first carousel ride.

8. Trip to Mayfield lake with J, Connor, and my Dad. It was a gorgeous day!

9. Trip to Mt. St. Helens. Cold, but it was a spectacular sight!

10. Connor started walking at 9 months and never looked back. At 1 year old, he is amazingly agile, well-balanced, and so quick! He loves to climb (on everything) and slide.

Best of Holiday SNL Episodes

2010-12-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

*photos are (obviously) not mine.*

Doesn't get much better than this! The only things in the mailbox today were Christmas cards. C is in bed (I can hear him snoring), laundry is done, the tree is all lit up and looking pretty, and this Mama is about to kick back with a cup of hot cocoa. Can't believe we are only 4 days away from Christmas - it's crazy how this year has flown by. Looking forward to what 2011 has in store for us!

Damn You, Autocorrect!

2010-12-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

If you have a smartphone or text using T9, you really need to click here for a good laugh. **Disclaimer** IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO FOUL LANGUAGE AND/OR SEXUAL REFERENCES, ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In (on Saturday :)

2010-12-18T22:39:00.000-08:00

Hop on over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!

1. What is the best gift you have ever received or given?

J gave me a pearl necklace for my rehearsal dinner gift before we got married - love my pearls! :)

2. Do you celebrate holidays differently when your loved one is deployed/gone or do you keep tradition?

This year will mark our first holiday season apart, so we'll be playing things by ear and perhaps starting some new traditions next season.

3. If you celebrate Christmas, do you put an angel, star or something else on the top of your tree?
We have an antique glass star that my father-in-law gave us a few years back. It's beautiful - I just need to rig something in order to light it up.

4. What are your three favorite websites?
Ebates, Amazon, and Facebook

5. On your man do you prefer… boxers, briefs or boxer briefs? Or commando?
Boxer Briefs! :)

Photo Challenge - Day 5

2010-12-18T22:14:00.000-08:00

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory

Our wedding day was one of the most amazing, special days of my life. It was a backyard wedding at my parents' house. It rained right up until we started seating people for the ceremony, but the rest of the day was absolutely perfect. They say rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck - so far, so good! :) Love you baby!

Photo Challenge - Day 4

2010-12-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

Day 04 - A picture of your night

I'm still not sure exactly what this is asking for...a picture of the moon? The craziness around my house?

This skinny little kitty found us tonight...crying and then scratching on my front door, wanting in. It (still not sure if it's a he or a she kitty) attacked the bowl of dog food I put in front of it. Working on finding an owner or new home. J is allergic...

Photo Challenge - Day 3

2010-12-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show

Hi, my name is Rochelle, and I'm a Gleek. There. I said it.

Photo Challenge: Day 2

2010-12-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

So maybe not the "longest," but I pick her anyway! :) I met Miss J in Oregon (our hubbies went to college together) and we managed to stick together from Oregon to Charleston. They are like family to us...we miss them dearly! I think this was at Tommy Condon's in downtown Charleston...leaving a bestest is hard stuff, especially when you end up on opposite coasts. You know it's a forever friendship, though, when you can not talk for three weeks, then pick up the phone and talk for three hours about everything and nothing in particular. Here's to being at the same duty station again SOON, Miss J! Hint hint. Just saying... :)

31 Day Photo Challenge - Day 1

2010-12-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

Day 1: A picture of yourself with ten facts.

1. I just figured out how to [successfully] blow-dry my hair. I really wish it would just stay that way on its own...

2. I am 30lbs lighter than I was before I got pregnant...thank yoooou, breastfeeding.

3. The bottom two feet of our Christmas tree is (are?) undecorated. It looks pretty silly.

4. Electronic toys have become the bane of my existence. I always forget to turn them off before Connor goes to bed, then end up tiptoeing around so I don't bump one of them and set the darn things off. Some of them don't even have on/off switches. It makes me crazy!

5. Fact: Bears eat beets. (Sorry, couldn't help myself)

6. I was "that guy" at Safeway the other day...my coupons all rang up as .01 cent discounts, so I ended up spending an extra 15 minutes at the customer service desk trying to figure it all out. I did leave with an extra $5 in my pocket, though, so I suppose it was worth it.

7. My bathroom mirror was icky when I took this picture. Oops.

8. I love to cook. I complain about how my Grandma (and hubby's MawMaw) don't use recipes, so it's hard to replicate their yummy dishes, but I do the exact same thing when I cook. I hope to someday make a pie crust that's half as good as my Grandma's...

9. I am in LOVE with ebates.com !!! If you do any kind of online shopping, ebates is a must! They give you %cash back for many, many popular stores, WalMart and Target included. I did my Black Friday shopping through there and have $20 coming back (in the form of a check) in February. If you're interested in signing up, send me a message (or leave me a comment) and I'll give you my referral link! It's 100% freeeee!

10. I have been avoiding my Shark Mop for the past 2 days. I think tomorrow is going to be a cleaning day. Yep.

Stay tuned for Day 2! :)

I'm baaaaack...with a bunch of randoms.

2010-12-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

My baby has been sleeping in his own bed the past few nights, and now that I've (sort of) got my internet fixed, I don't know what to do with myself after 8pm. So here it is, in all its random glory:

~~Screaming~~ Sleep Training has been way easier than I expected. Probably helps that it's taken a whole year to get to this point, but I've been getting great sleep since little man was only a few weeks old. Co-sleeping just worked for us.

We went to visit hubby's family in SE Texas recently (apparently the "SE" part is important...hubby always corrects if I just say "Texas," haha). We had a wonderful time, and Connor enjoyed playing with his cousins. FIL was there to help with the flight down, and we managed to survive the flight back without any issues. Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend any time with my parents when we got back. I had to rush home to survey the damage from a ginormous windstorm and a 4-day power outage. Thank you, Mother Nature...and sorry, Mom & Dad!

My little baby is not a baby anymore - we celebrated his first birthday in November. I kid you not, we are raising a monkey. The kid. climbs. on. everything. Today in particular, he accomplished the following:

-Climbing from a laundry basket onto the couch

-Climbing from his push car onto the couch

-Standing on a (mini) barstool to get into a kitchen drawer

-Climbing out of the bathtub

-Using a rubbermaid container to climb onto our queen sized bed

-Standing on a laundry basket to look into his crib

He loves (in no particular order):

"If You're Happy and You Know It"

"The Itsy Bitsy Spider" (He does the motions for both songs, it's super cute)

Being outside

Running

Any and all "real" food

Bath time

Board books

Being nekkid, then peeing on the floor

Disposing of his own disposable diapers (he insists on taking them to the trash and throwing them away himself)

Giving hugs and kisses

I would have a bunch of pictures for this post, but I lost the SD card that was in my camera. Good thing I had already transferred my pictures onto my desktop computer...speaking of pictures, Mrs. P over at A Little Pink in a World of Camo posted this earlier and I thought it looked like fun. A little easier than that darn 365 challenge I attempted a while back. :)

31 Day Photo Challenge:

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of your night
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the craziest things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture and a letter
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 - A picture of your day
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss
Day 31 - A picture of yourself

Do it...you know you want to!!! :)

It's FRIDAY!!!

2010-10-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In
You can link up at Wife of a Sailor ! :)

What is the longest road trip you’ve ever taken?
That would be our PCS from OR to SC...two cars + two dogs + a TX visit. :)

Do you collect anything? Tell us a bit about it.
Does clutter count? Hubby collects shot glasses - any time we take a trip, we come back with a new one.

What is your favorite part about being an adult?
This is going to sound silly, but just being able to make decisions and live life the way I (We) want to. I love being independent and doing things on my own schedule.

What song brings a tear to your eye?
"I'm already there" by Lonestar. So sappy but I love it.

Describe your first plane ride (how old you were, where you were heading, etc).
I don't even remember my first plane ride! I think it was to Albuquerque to visit my grandparents, though.

Dear Blogger,

2010-10-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

What the eff? Why are the pictures on my dashboard suddenly ginormous?

Anybody else having this issue?

Pumpkin Carving

2010-10-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

Daddy did the dirty work, C watched, and Mommy took pictures:

So it's been a while...

2010-10-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

We have been incredibly busy lately; it's ridiculous! Seems like the closer you get to D-Day, the more stuff there is to get done.

I now have a 10-month-old. How crazy is that?!
He thinks climbing is the coolest. This includes open dishwashers, boxes, kiddie chairs, and toys.

Naps are not so cool. We are down to one a day, which is pretty normal for a kid his age, but it's a constant battle to actually get him to sleep, even when he is exhausted.

He loves the chuck-it. Aka the tennis ball thrower for the dog. He runs around the house with it, talking up a storm and laughing like crazy.

He can open the front door and does so at every opportunity. Baby lock will be up within the week...

He can clap, wave, kiss, hug, laugh, and "cough" on command. Sometimes he mixes up those last two and does a combo laugh/cough. It's hilarious. He also loves playing peek-a-boo.

I haven't really pushed a lot of the baby signing, but he does the sign for "all done." He also points to things he wants. Lately he will do the sign for "all done" while I'm holding him when he wants down.
Sad face. :( Last night he did the sign for "more."

Yesterday was a really productive day for this Mama...I got C's closet cleaned out and organized, bathed the small dog and dremeled his claws, and gave the big dog a good brushing. Still need to make a ginormous Goodwill run, though - we have so much stuff to get rid of!

Next up: curtains for the living room... probably going to make my own so I don't break the bank. That crap is expensive! Post to follow on my DIY projects...

On an end note: poopy diaper + cell phone = DISASTER. Hoping this is not indicative of what my day is going to be like.

Until next ~~month~~ time...

Just because I'm on a blog-post roll...

2010-09-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I took the Little Man and headed to the mall to find Hubby a specific college hat.

Walked into "Just Sports" and the guy tells me they are completely sold out of that particular school's gear.
"How about a hat?" I ask. Nothing. Nada. Apparently there's a big game coming up that I was totally unaware of. Talk about bad timing!

Lucky for me Hubby, though, Lids had two hats left! Score!

I managed to leave the mall with said hat, two empty shoe boxes, a Strawberry Julius, and a couple other goodies for the Hubby. Yay for successful shopping days!

Navy Wife Murdered

2010-09-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

Tragic. Ladies, please be mindful of your personal security!!!

http://blogs.fayobserver.com/operationmarriage/September-2010/Navy-wife-murdered

Navy Wife Murdered
(By Rebekah Sanderlin)

How many op sec briefings have you sat through? How many times have you been lectured about not letting strangers know when your husband is deployed? Like me, you’ve probably heard it all so many times that you don’t even bother to listen anymore.

Besides, why would you listen? You know better than that, don't you? You know it's a bad idea to have a "half my heart" sticker on your car or a big yellow ribbon around the tree in your front yard. You know that there is no good that can come from advertising your alone-ness to the world. But after awhile it gets hard to keep up the charade, doesn’t it? After awhile you just want to tell people. You want to shout, "He's deployed!" so that people will understand why you're always late and scatterbrained or frantically checking your email and dashing outside to take cell phone calls. You want everyone to know that you look like crap and your kids have dirty faces, not because you’re lazy, but because your better half is at war.

You want to tweet about it and to post deployment-themed status updates on Facebook and MySpace. When you live near a military installation, where deployments are common place, where the post office is packed with women carrying care packages bound for Iraqistan, deployment seems so common, so harmless to mention. So you stop thinking about the risk to your own security and you just let it out.

It's too soon to say what exactly happened to Shana Hight. All we know is that the young Navy wife was found dead — murdered in her own apartment — Monday. Neighbors say they heard screams come from her place on Sunday night and then ... nothing. Her husband is deployed right now and news reports say she had written about the deployment on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. We don’t know if someone preyed on her because they knew she would be alone. We just don’t know much at all right now, only that Hight's husband and all of her family are suffering a horrible loss and that a lovely, 24-year-old woman was murdered just as her life was beginning.

So, be safe, all of you. There are predators out there and we are their prey. Some of them see us — military spouses — as being especially vulnerable. They look for those “half my heart” stickers. They eavesdrop in stores because they want to know if we are home alone. They want to hurt us.

Do not advertise your alone-ness. Take that sticker off your car. Don't tweet about the deployment and, if you must vent, do it in a personal email or phone call to a trusted friend — not in a status update. Don't talk about the deployment in public places and don't volunteer information to strangers. If you can, put a pair of his old shoes by the front door so that it will look like there's a man at home. Drive his car occasionally so it doesn't stay parked in the same spot. Tell repairmen that your husband discovered the problem and that he will be home later. Invent ways to work your husband into the conversation when you’re talking to someone you don’t know. Believe me, it is absolutely okay to lie to strangers in order to preserve your own safety. Be smart. You do so many other things to support your husband and his military career and this is one more thing you need to do.

Give him — and yourself — peace of mind.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2010-09-17T22:23:00.000-07:00

Hop on over to WOAS to participate!

1. How do you spend your deployment money, do you save, pay off bills or enjoy the extra money while it is there to buy the things you do not normally have? (from Troop Petrie)
We pretty much keep on keepin' on...not a whole lot changes, other than the fact that I spend less because there's one less person around.

2. If you could relive one occasion or moment, what would it be? (from Currently On Land)
Skydiving in Hawaii...we will definitely be doing that again someday!

3. What’s the worst job you ever had and if it was so bad why did you take it? (from Faith and Deploying)
Oh man...I worked at Hollywood Video in Oregon and it was the best job ever. Awesome co-workers, great boss, and loyal, friendly customers who actually appreciated and utilized our great customer service. I transferred stores when we moved to South Carolina and it was just an overall bad fit. Pretty much nobody (not even my co-workers) liked me, haha...oh well.

4. If you could play any character on TV, who would you be? (from Many Waters)
Somebody on Glee, maybe... I am addicted to that show...

5. If you could become the world’s expert in something, what would it be? (from Army of Two)
Cancer research. It's such a horrible disease that needs to be totally eradicated.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2010-09-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Wife of a Sailor

1. Do you set goals for yourself during deployment? What are some of them? (from Military Mommy)

Um, keeping my house clean? Keeping my sanity, more like... :)

2. What would you say to someone dating a military guy or gal? (from Mothering Off the Cuff)

There are so many facets to living a military life... enjoy the adventure!

3. If you have children, how do you prepare them to move to a new place? (from The Random Ramblings of A Household 6)

Throw them in a car seat and drive for three days straight across the country. Haha. Okay, C was only 3 months old when we PCS'd. We'll deal with that hurdle when it gets here.

4. Name one hobby that gets you through alone time. (from My Sailor’s Mistress)

Besides the kiddo? Sewing.

5. What’s the one food you don’t ever get tired of? (from That Army Wife Life)
Pizza is totally our "What do you want for dinner? - I don't know, what do you want for dinner?" solution.

Is it Friday yet?

2010-09-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how much and how little is going on at the same time around here. It's nuts. Daddy has duty every few days, so he's been leaving early and getting home late a lot. C decided yesterday that he was not going to sleep in his crib for a nap, and I refused to let him nap in our bed, which resulted in a last-resort-snuggle-on-the-couch at 4:30pm. Combine this with teething and you get piled up laundry, clutter, and an ever-growing shopping list. (I refuse to leave the house with an un-napped baby. It's just best for all parties involved, haha)

It's a good thing I have two guys and two dogs I love more than anything...they make me crazy and keep me sane at the same time. :) Now back to that clutter...

9 Months

2010-09-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

My baby is a whole 9 months old - where the heck is the time going?!?! He weighs 19.5lbs and is 29" TALL, now that he is ~~walking~~ running all over the place. He still prefers to crawl, but is walking more every day. His third tooth cut through last night! He loves his sippy (straw) cup, feeding Mommy & Daddy cheerios, and waving. We love you, little man!!!

Need...more....coffee

2010-09-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

With Daddy on duty last night, it seemed like a good time to attempt getting the little one to sleep in his crib, in his own room. After an hour of struggling with him, I realized that his top tooth is almost to the point of popping through his poor little gums. Oops. He did finally drift off, but I think this is going to be a loooong process. We slept in this morning but I'm still feeling exhausted.

On a happier note, since C is about 2 inches from outgrowing the infant car seat, we ordered a new convertible car seat, the Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL:

9 Lifesaving Car Seat Rules You're Probably Ignoring

This baby has a steel frame and actually folds, which is going to be awesome when we have to navigate the airports later this year. It's also one of the slimmest (width-wise) car seats on the market. Most importantly, it has a rear-facing weight limit of 45lbs, so C will be able to ride RF much longer. So excited! Photoblogging to follow once it arrives :)

Things my 9-month-old has recently decided are cool:

2010-08-31T15:33:00.001-07:00

1. Tipping over kitchen chairs.
2. Insisting on being naked for at least 5 minutes after a diaper change.
3. Walking.
4. Opening, then slamming drawers.
5. Bathtub faucets.
6. Touchdown!
7. Whining.
8. Spitting out food.
9. Testing out the word "no."
10. Eating cooked carrots and green beans.
11. Books.
12. Peek-a-boo.
13. Pat-a-cake.
14. Bubble baths.
15. "Talking" to himself in the car :)

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2010-08-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Head on over to Wife of a Sailor to participate and link up!

1. What secret indulgence do you act on while your spouse is away? (from Devil Dog Darling)
Being thrifty/crafty! Not so secret, but it makes the husband crazy when he's home...

2. If you were a spice, what would you be? (from New Girl On Post)
Cayenne pepper! Just 'cause hubby loves it, haha :)

3. Where do you go for support when your significant other is deployed? (from T exas Meets Washington)
We haven't been through an official/full deployment yet, but I have milspouse friends in every corner of the country. It's awesome. The wives here in WA have been fantastic as well for both support and information. Last but not least, I am so incredibly fortunate to be less than 2 hours away from my family. Yay for being able to drive home!!!

4. What is the oldest thing you own? (from A Troop’s Girl)
I have a few pieces of furniture from my Grandmother that was passed down to her. We also have an antique piano.

5. How did you vision your future pre-military? (from Daddy’s Duty)
I figured I would do the college thing, maybe grad school, get married and be working a 9-5 job. I ended up in the NROTC program, and that's where I met my wonderful husband! Four years and one baby later...here we are, and I wouldn't change a thing :)

Friday Fill-In

2010-08-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In - Hop on over to Wife of a Sailor to participate and link up! :)

1. What is ONE thing you’d like civilians to understand about being a military family?

That our lives revolve around the needs of the military. Period. We take the good with the bad and schedule everything in pencil!

2. What is your favorite mistake?

Trying to get my son on a "schedule" after he was born. That lasted all of ... 2 days? Probably not even that long. No sleep = no willpower!

3. What indulgence could you give up for a year?
TV. Considering this sometime in the near future, if I can convince the husband!

4. If you could be a winged animal, what would you be?
Anything but a bird, haha...I have no clue.

5. What is one question you’d like to see asked in a future MFF?
Where do you go for support when your SO is deployed?

Friday Fill-In

2010-08-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Wife of a Sailor :) I did the fill-ins last week and then forgot to link up! Oops!

1. What is something you wished you’d learned to do earlier in life?

Study. Not having to study at all in high school makes your freshman year of college miserable. Academics-wise, anyway.

2. What is your biggest pet peeve with the military?

The "hurry up and wait." For everything: orders, housing, deployments... it's so hard to make plans for anything!

3. What tourist attraction near you have you never seen?
~~Washington, D.C.~~ I missed the "near you" part of this question. So we'll go with Forks, because I'm too lazy to drive the five hours to get there.

4. What are you avoiding doing right now?
Making breakfast...

5. Wine, beer or liquor?
Wine, pleaseandthankyou! :)

Friday Fill-In

2010-07-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In, hosted by Wife of a Sailor
Yeah for Mommy McD and Mrs Wookie for jumping on the bandwagon this week! :)

1. What is your spouse’s best feature?
His brown eyes (though he would disagree). We know each other so well that often times we don't have to ask what the other person is thinking...this results in leaving out entire parts of conversation and then laughing at ourselves for it.

2. Mild, Medium or Hot sauce?
Four years ago, I would have said mild. Since then I've married into a Cajun family..so, definitely medium, or maybe hot. Because you just can't beat home-cooked Cajun food. Gumbo, anyone?

3. What is the worst uniform you had to wear for a job?
~~Slaveway~~ Safeway. Yeah for ugly uncomfortable-ness.

4. You have invisible powers… where is the first place you would go?
Somewhere tropical. A warm, sunny beach is sounding pretty darn good right about now.

5. What’s left on your “to do” list for this summer?
Refinish the kitchen table & chairs, build bookshelves for Connor's room, courtesy of Knock-Off Wood
(blogging to follow on these projects!)

Random thoughts...

2010-07-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Because I suck at keeping this thing updated.

Took the jogging stroller out for a spin the other day...mile and a half downhill/flat = awesome. Mile and a half uphill back home? Not so much. Going again tomorrow though.

My son now weighs 19lbs. I really need to start carrying him more with my right arm; it's getting kind of weeny compared to the left one.

I have been planning on making sugar cookies with marshmallow fondant for the past 3 weeks. It's happening this weekend!!!

There is a 3 screen drive-in theater in Bremerton. Double features on each screen. Watching movies from the car means baby can come too. I think we're going to go see Inception.

The MIL came up from TX to see Little Man. We hit up Seattle and Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park. Annual pass to ONP is only $30 (costs $15 to get in). Definitely going back in a week or two!

And last but not least, it is a GORGEOUS day outside! I love being back in the PNW!

Friday Fill-In

2010-07-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In, hosted by WifeofaSailor 1. Besides the horizontal mambo, what do you miss most when your spouse is deployed?Random conversation at night. Emails, while greatly appreciated, don't quite cut the mustard. :(
2. What do you miss least?Extra laundry. It's bad enough with a baby in the house!
3. You only get three crayons to finish your picture… which three do you choose and why? Blue because it's my favorite color.Orange because it's better than green (go Beavs!) Pink because it's girly. 4. If you could have your own fragrance, what would it be called?Uhhh...not a clue, so we'll call it "Undetermined." ha. 5. If the shoes make the man (or woman), what do your shoes say about you right now? I'm not wearing shoes! But the ones I have are cute and comfortable. Mostly because I have fat feet and can't wear the suuuuper cute stuff.

On the Move!

2010-06-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Connor,

We are very excited that you are crawling at 6 months old and sooo interested in things like the TV remote, cell phones, electrical outlets, power cords, and the vacuum cleaner. You even ventured out of your bedroom into the guest bathroom yesterday. We are so proud of you! However, could you please hold off on the pulling up to stand for a few days at least? It would be appreciated...

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming

2010-05-26T14:58:00.001-07:00

Set up electric , tv, and internet: check.
Buy new mattresses and bedroom furniture: check.
Lock self out of credit card account: check.
Regain access to said credit card: check.
Reclaim husband from ocean: check.
Shovel solid foods into 6 month old: check.
Bite the bullet and get sucked into the world of iPhone: check.

Clean messy house: ........

I knew I was forgetting something . Throw a very busy (soon to be promoted) Hubby, a couple of weddings, a high school graduation, and a ton of baseball into the picture and I think we've got the next few months covered.

Trying to be better with this blogging stuff; we'll see how it goes :) Stay tuned!

Tuesdays at the Table - Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2010-05-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

After seeing lots of yummy recipes at All the Small Stuff, I decided to finally link up to "Tuesdays at the Table." This is one of hubby's favorites!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4-6 lg. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. taco seasoning (about 4T)
1 roll Ritz crackers, crushed
6 slices bacon, cooked
4-6 slices pepperjack cheese
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
Cooking Spray

Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. In medium bowl, beat egg well with milk. In another medium bowl, mix taco seasoning and crushed crackers. Pound chicken breasts flat.

In middle of each breast, place bacon and a slice of cheese. Fold edges in, forming a ball. Dip in egg wash, then roll in cracker crumb mixture. Place upside down into muffin tin. Sprinkle each with a spoonful of remaining crumb mixture and spray with cooking spray.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. **During last 10 minutes of cooking, spray with cooking spray again**

Yes, I'm still alive...

2010-05-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

Back on the "Best Coast," as Mommy McD and Mrs Wookie would say...

The boy wants to crawl SO badly...at 5 months. He gets up on his hands, grunts really hard and his face turns all red - to no avail. So for now he's resigned to rolling and turning himself in circles (on his belly). He just broke into a box of band-aids that I thought were out of reach. Bad mommy. He also is fighting me on the nap front. According to my mom, this is karma...

There is a bird that is obsessed with my sliding glass door. For the past three days it has been tapping on the door for minutes at a time. His name is now Bob, and let me tell you...Bob is getting to be quite annoying. Video to come as soon as I get the camera charged.

I am on the hunt for a bedroom set. Thoughts on where to buy?

Tons to do this weekend...baseball, potluck, Mother's Day, etc...house pictures coming as soon as we get everything organized! Stay tuned!

Moving (Pack-Out) Day - A Vent

2010-03-18T12:40:00.001-07:00

Today is pack-out day. The moving truck driver comes with a couple guys who help him label, inventory, and load everything into the moving truck. Our move from Oregon to South Carolina went really well. Nothing was damaged, and we had a great driver who took good care of our household goods. Optimistic me had the same outlook for this move. Unfortunately, things are not going so well this time around.

So as of right now we have two cracked dresser drawers...they fell out while the movers tried to carry the whole thing down the stairs. I was in another room when it happened, but this resulted in the two guys arguing it out on the stairs. Hubby was more upset about the yelling than the dresser. Luckily, this is the shabbier of the two dressers we have so we are actually looking forward to replacing it.

We have a leather reclining loveseat and sofa. The sofa is really heavy and awkward, and that's before it's wrapped in furniture blankets, massive amounts of plastic wrap, and packing tape. After a couple unsuccessful attempts at getting it through the front door, the driver had them turn it vertically. Even my non-engineering brain could immediately see that idea wasn't going to pan out. Once the hubby told them how he got the couches in the door, they got it halfway out and realized the guy on the outside needed some help. This resulted in more yelling by the helpers. By this point the driver is ready to bring the sofa back inside and try to get it out the back patio door, through the back yard and out the gate. Needless to say, that last part wasn't going to happen. Somehow my sofa finally made it out to the driveway in one piece...aaaaand down goes my snowboard. Good thing it can be re-conditioned (yay for easy fixes).

The only time I can understand what the driver is saying is when he drops the f-bomb. He hasn't been able to help move any furniture or boxes (actually I don't think he's even touched a hand truck the entire day). Our things will be going into storage for a couple weeks and after today's lovely experience I am SO nervous about things being damaged, either en route or on the receiving end. I know it can be replaced, at least monetarily if it happens, but that's beside the point. Here's hoping that other peoples' moves out of 'toga go better than ours :)

Thanks for listening (reading?)....I'm out like parachute pants. *Sigh*

2 Months Old!

2010-01-30T15:44:00.000-08:00

12lbs., 24.5 inches!

365 Challenge - Day 8

2010-01-18T15:33:00.001-08:00

7 Weeks!!!