Air Force Recruiting: A Wife's Point of View

I'm back

2011-11-22T11:21:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure if I'm even going to show up on any ones reader anymore, but here's a quick run through of my last few months.

We got all new squadron leadership, from the flight chief to our commander. The transition has been less the smooth.

We lost our flight chief, he retired. Granted he was a special cup of tea, at the end of the day, he really loved the guys. He served for 24 years, and we were blessed to be a part of his last few years. They had a great retirement ceremony at a local Bass Pro, which was very fitting for him. I was touched during the ceremony, when he thanked all the guys for making his job easy. He truly is a great guy, and his wife is awesome too.

The biggest thing that has taken my time, has been our amazing little guy that has joined our family. He was born in late July, and came home with us on August 11th. I'm happy to introduce you to Little Pave!

I'm going to try to be more active on the blogging side of things, a lot in the military part of our life has been changing... we'll see what comes of the changes.

Pray for Joplin

2011-05-23T06:42:00.000-05:00

Friends,
Please pray for Joplin. Some of our filighmates live there. One's house is completely gone. Thank God he was at ALS and his family was out of town staying with family. The other's house is not livable now. The rest of the flight is going down, we are literally about to leave the door with two trucks full of stuff. All of our flight, and thier family, is safe and accounted for, but it's bad on the ground.

Last night we went to bed with 24 confirmed dead, by 5:30am 89 confirmed dead, and that was before the sun rose.

Pray.

And donate to the Red Cross of the Ozarks (general Red Cross I believe).

National Infertility Awareness Week

2011-04-25T15:19:00.002-05:00

This week starts National Infertility Awareness week. Resolve.org asking us to help bust a myth.

Infertility is a disease. Just like heart disease or lung disease.

It has a group of medical codes all it's own. I've taken this list from a fellow blogger, A little Blog about Big Infertility! She had several of the same as me.

634) Spontaneous abortion (i/e miscarriage)
(640.0) Threatened abortion
(646.3) Habitual aborter
(649.5) Spotting complicating pregnancy
773.0- Rh- (Rh factor incompatibility
628.9- Infertility female of unspecified origin
256.6- PCOS
(256) Ovarian dysfunction

I also need to add endometriosis, as well as MTHFR.

It's a list that defines me, and my inability to have a child.

Purging

2011-04-03T22:27:00.002-05:00

Some of the extra crap in our house is G-O-N-E. Well, maybe not completely yet, but definitely on the way to being gone.

I have a 'craigslist pile', with most of it actually already on 'the list', with some still waiting to be photographed. (and we've already sold some things, our old motorcycle helmets and a floor lamp- $80.00 in a day!)

I have a 'donate' pile. All of it is clothes, and I know that I could probably sell them, but eh.. somethings are worth the time, and some things aren't, so off to DAV they go!

I have a pile in the trash (thank goodness tomorrow is trash day!). I guess since I was in a purging mood, it was a good thing. I found a ton of makeup under the sink that I've literally had since high school/ college/ our wedding. It all got tossed. I also realized I will never need to buy lotion again. Ever. There were some other random things that I found too, like the 3 bottles of rubbing alcohol I found between the two sinks, and two bags of cotton balls... oh and soap, we won't need to buy hand soap for a while either!

I really need to get some projects done, but I'm almost to the point of being overwhelmed. I guess getting stuff gone is the best first step. I guess!

Vacation

2011-03-29T18:40:00.003-05:00

Looking back, we haven't had a vacation, a just for us-no family-no military- vacation since our honeymoon, which was six years ago.

I'm happy to announce, that is going to change. Soon. Very soon.

We don't know where we are going.

We don't know when we are going. (Well, really there are only two weeks that I can go because we have 'online meetings' of my class).

I'm thinking some place warm (not snowy mid Missouri!), with sand.

And some place that has military bases near by for lodging.

We started looking at airline tickets last night.

Today, we talked about if we should take his daughter with us. On one had, it would be a lot of fun to do a family vacation, and as he said "so she doesn't have to wait until she's 22 to see the ocean like I did", however, we would both really love to go by ourselves, and enjoy each other....

I think in the end we've decided that it will be just us, and we plan to enjoy every second!

Any suggestions on where to go? Which bases (probably more Eastern and Southern) have good lodging... or bad lodging! :)

Spring Break

2011-03-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

The local college doesn't have the same spring break as the school district, so my grad class was off two weeks ago, and I'm off this week from subbing.

I had a huge literacy plan due. Serioulsy- like 21 pages. D-U-M-B. I talked to the girls next to me, and theirs were like 12 pages. Damn. It seems I 'over did' this assignment big time.

Maybe I'll get an A for effort?

But, as of 8:20pm, I'm on spring break!

I doubt it will be relaxing, sleeping in, pool, manicure time, but I'm totally ok with that.

I plan on gardening, building, painting, staining, and hanging things up! I'm so excited!

I might even throw some sawing and drilling in there!

Testing

2011-03-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

Tonight, my love is leaving. It's really not that big of a deal I guess. Its just over night, and its only a few hours away. But it sucks because I'm sick. I don't want to get up to feed the dogs, much less feed myself.

And it's stupid. He has to score something like 108% on the test in order to make rank... to bad he can't just say, 'no, in a few years'. I guess that's the sucky part about him making BTZ, and then Staff first time testing, and Tech second time testing. He pinned on Tech with less then 9 years in... but now he's playing catch up. It's mathematically impossible for him to make Master this year. Or next year.

It's not even a rank he really wants to make, at least not right now. The raise would be nice, but it would seal his fate. There is no way he would be able to go back to his old job (not that he wants to), but there are less re-training opportunities for Master's then for Techs. Good grief- we've already cross trained three times in 11 years, what's another new job?!? Except for new tech school, and new CDC's...

So, if he gets Master while he's in recruiting, its a ~~death sentence~~, it means we he will more then likely stay in recruiting. And nothing good can really come of that.

Contact

2011-02-28T13:23:00.000-06:00

I have a general question I suppose....

How much contact do you have with your spouses squadron?

Do you get emails, phone calls, visits?

Do they do 'group' family get togethers?

Do you have some sort of newsletter?

Does everyone have a Key Spouse?

How many of you belong to the "Wives Clubs"? (trust me, I know- they can be good, bad, or ugly!)

I guess as a recruiter, and our squadron being SO spread out, we have none of that. I knida hate it. I don't know any of the other wives of the local recruiters that well, and my one true 'recrutiers wife' friend lives several hours south of us.

I've talked with squadron leadership about opening up the possibility of a way for us (recruiters families) all to keep in contact. Someone suggested a FB group, but not everyone has facebook (I know shocking... maybe I should just say, the only person who doesn't have facebook is Pave!). Also, I'm way to personal on facebook, and for sure don't want everyone to read all about me. (My quote on my home page is "I want out of the Air Foce"). I just feel facebook would almost get us to connected.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great!

Awww Crap

2011-01-24T21:10:00.000-06:00

Have you ever gone to a meeting, get asked to do something, and agree.

And then on the way home, you look at your husband and go "I don't know what the hell I'm doing".

And you find no comfort when he laughingly says "But you're spouse of the year, you can do anything.."

No?? Just me...

Mmmkkkayyy.

Federal Holidays

2011-01-21T13:53:00.000-06:00

So, most of us would say a benefit of our husbands being in the military is that they get off most Federal Holidays. Of course there are mission critical people who work 24/7, and for those people I'm grateful. However, Pave has never been one of those people, so I've gotten used to him being home on the days I have off school....

But I've noticed, since he started recruiting duty, he hasn't had a lot of holidays off. Fourth of July is their big fireworks show he has to set up at, Memorial Day he's doing events at high schools.

I get that those things are pre-arranged, and specific to the holiday. However, when I asked him what he was doing on Monday (he said he had to go into work), he said he had appointments. What? Those are completely within his control. He sets up when people come in.

Ugh. He said that it was the only time they could come in (they live about an hour away) because both the guy and his wife had off for the holiday. It was either that or the next opening he had was middle of February.

I guess that's why he's Recruiter of the Year.... apparently along with that title, you give up your holidays!

Our Adoption Story

2011-01-10T20:49:00.000-06:00

I've written the story of our failed match, it's almost done, I've done the first two days, there is one day left to get written.

If you are interested in reading, send me an e-mail, or leave me a comment, I'll forward you the blog address for my 'infertility turned adoption' blog.

Failed Match

2011-01-01T10:26:00.001-06:00

The birth parents decided to parent the baby.

The last day

2010-12-29T20:46:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow our lives will change. Forever.

So today is our last day. I spent the morning running around doing errands, while Pave had to finish up meetings and training at work today. He is now solidly looking forward to 21 days off to stay home with our little one (and not even being charged leave!)

We've spent the better part of the afternoon cleaning, re-arranging, organizing, washing (our clothes, dog's blankets for their crates, dog's bed's that are in our room, and the dog's themselves).

I'm tired.

But I know tonight is the last night we'll be able to enjoy just the two of us for quite a while, so we are planning on going to dinner. If I don't fall asleep first.

I know he made plans for something special tonight, but I don't know (maybe our favorite restaurant?).
I figured I'd play along- I even shaved my legs!

We shall see what the next 24 hours brings.

I can't promise a post tomorrow, but if we come home from the hospital at all, I'll at least update you.

7:30am induction... we'll see what happens from there!

It's done!

2010-12-27T20:14:00.000-06:00

I've seriously been working on this project for four years (and three houses). I bought it from a shop that was in the little town attached to our first base. It had a sign for $40.00 on it, and I feel.in.love.

It was painted brown (ugly brown) and I couldn't figure out why someone would paint it... once I stripped it (in our second house), I figured out why... it wasn't very pretty wood. Not much grain at all. So I decided to stain it dark.

So I start sanding... and then we move. And it sits in our garage here (third house) until my husband threatened to throw it away. I got my butt in gear, and got it done...

All sanded and ready for stain.

I stained it a dark, dark walnut color

And then it got cold... so it got polyurethaned in our kitchen... needless to say- there was very little cooking done that week!

IT'S DONE!!!

It's now in what will eventually be the babies room, covered with baby stuff. Once we get the rest of the room done, it will be his changing station, with the curved pad on top, and a basked of diapers or something in that open area on the bottom.

What the hell...

2010-12-19T21:50:00.002-06:00

So, we were driving home from church today, and had it on the Christmas music station...

We seriously looked at each other and the words "what is this" came out of both of our mouths... we did that nervous laugh not knowing what to expect next.

We decided this is the "12 days of Christmas on Crack".

Christmas Shoppers

2010-12-16T21:32:00.002-06:00

Holy cow!

Have you all been out lately? It's crazy... It's almost like Christmas is right around the corner!

Crazy drivers, crazy shoppers, crazy lines!

I'm done, and shopping online!

Since we moved into our house, I've wanted new bar stools for our counter, but never really found one we both liked and there were only ever a few choices.

Que: csnstores.com

Look at these cool counter height stools!

I love these....

I think I know what I want for Christmas!

I wonder what they have for baby....

Two Week Wait

2010-12-14T21:56:00.002-06:00

Doing fertility treatments, we always dreaded the two week wait... guessing what every twinge meant, squeezing my boobs to see if they were tender, questioning every queasy moment...

I ended to many two week waits the way most would hope, with two pink lines showing up. I've kept them all. Every pregnancy test I took that came out positive (and I took at least three each cycle...). They are in the bottom drawer in our bathroom. They prove that my body could at least get the beginning right, but could never quite follow through.

We are in a very different two week wait now. We know our son will be here in two weeks. His birthmother will either get induced or have scheduled c-section (depending on if he's still breach) in two weeks.

In two weeks, instead of two pink lines, there will be two very happy parents.

We will be holding him by this time that Tuesday.

Now this is a two week wait I can handle!

Side-note- finished my last final tonight, and actually felt pretty good about it...

Christmas Pictures Part I

2010-12-10T09:56:00.001-06:00

Christmas Pictures... seriously the BANE of my existence. My Mom started this 'wonderful' tradition when we were born to do family pictures every year, and send them out to their family and friends. I thought that was what everyone did, so imagine my surprise when I married Pave who had NEVER done anything like that....

Talk about a struggle to 'mesh' traditions once we got married! We started with just pictures of us, or the pets, but the last few years, we've done more 'family ones....

2008

Seriously- how awkward does Pave look?

2009- Better, except it's blurry... nice!

And since this might very well be the last year that it's just the three of us on the card, I figured why not do it in style!

I've had a friend who uses shutterfly.com for everything! She has three kids, so we are constantly getting cute pictures of them that she ordered from there. I decided to check it out. First I looked at these cards. They have some gorgeous designs, but Pave'gently' reminded him that I took him the day after Christmas to go buy a whole bunch of cards for this year (a tradition- they're half off!), so I looked for something that I could insert into the cards I had bought.

This one caught my eye, because it's so sophicated.

Depending on how many pictures we love from our photo shoot, this is also a very close second.

I think that I might just send them out late, because of the new addition that is on the horizon, and we can sneak in a picture of him!

I guess I should get started on this.... since we are close to Christmas, and my life is going to be dramatically different in a few short weeks.

Now- to start working on the damn letter that goes with it.... maybe I should just print out my blog address and they can come see our life... but it might be to 'unfiltered' for most!

Leave

2010-12-09T21:39:00.000-06:00

My husband is not a 'leave' taker... he has something like 68 days. The last time he took an extended amount of time off when we were not actually out of town, was when I had my knee surgery, and I kinda couldn't walk...

We were thinking he was going to have to cash in some leave when this baby got here. He sent an email to his Shirt just to give an 'fyi' that a baby is likely (I try to forget- but this really isn't a 100% thing yet).

He found out that he'll get 21 days of leave for the adoption, and won't get charged for it.

That means he can get up in the middle of the night because he won't have to go to work the next day!

20 days

2010-12-08T19:29:00.000-06:00

We met with the birthparents today.

I feel so much peace. We talked, we laughed, we cried. I'm amazed at the selflessness they have. They know this is the hardest decision they will ever make, but they know its what's best for their son.

Seriously, touching.

They asked us to come to the next ultrasound appointment which will be the Monday or Tuesday before Christmas.

Depending on that appointment, and how he is laying, they will decide if she will be induced or have a scheduled c-section on the 28.

Seriously, 20 days.

In 20 days, we will be a family.

Ch-Ch-Changes...

2010-12-06T12:50:00.000-06:00

So... I've been absent a while on this blog. I almost think I have a good reason... but I'm not sure.

I've not talked about it much on this blog, but Pave and I have suffered from infertility. Together we have lost 6 pregnancies, and on the last positive home pregnancy test, I tossed it to him as I walked in the kitchen and said "Are you ready for this rodeo again?". We knew at that point, that if we didn't have a viable pregnancy, we would be done trying.

Well, several weeks later, I indeed miscarried, and so began our emotional journey to heal from that, and when we were ready, to begin the adoption process.

We started filling out paperwork at the end of May, had our home study in October, and became a 'waiting family' in late October....

We had our first 'showing' of the profile in late November (Tuesday before Thanksgiving)....

and....

we were picked by a birth mom!

We were matched with a birth mom who is due at the beginning of January. Usually our agency matches families at the beginning of the first trimester, but we have less then 4 weeks until she is due.

She also is a smoker, and this is her third, so we're sure our little man will be here sooner rather then later...

We have been busy trying to make sure all the bases are covered, that we are as emotionally and financially prepared as possible, and that we actually have stuff to clothe and feed him!

It's been a whirlwind, but exciting at the same time.

We meet the birth mom on Wednesday. I'm very excited, and trust that God will reconfirm for both of us that this is a match that was done under His hand.

Will update more after the matching meeting.

We were told to expect a 8-11 month waiting period, so we're a bit blown away that we were matched in less then month, with a baby due less then a month after that...

Harry Potter via The Soup

2010-11-22T18:04:00.000-06:00

Now, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, but this was to good to pass up...

Case Files

2010-11-13T21:11:00.000-06:00

Case files... the paper turned into electronic file that every person who goes into the Delayed Entry Program needs to have 'built' for them. Pave usually does them at work, but brought a few home to work on this weekend. He knew I had picked a chick flick for our Friday night movie, and since he was in the living room, it technically counted as him 'watching it with me'.

"Hey, um, Dad... whatcha doing?"

"How much longer till you're going to be done?"

"Pay attention to ME!!!"

"Mom, Dad's ignoring me.... make him come play!"

I suppose this gives him good practice for when we have kids!

Hero's

2010-11-11T10:34:00.002-06:00

I often say that my husband is my hero, he just laughs it off. But really, he is. He signed up to do something that I never would have. I'm thankful for that. And for his family legacy that paved the way- Dad and Step Dad who both honorably served 20+ years each in the Army, a Step Mom who graduated from West Point, Both Grandfathers who were in WWII, one receiving a purple heart. They are a military family. And I love them all.

To all the veterans, thank you for paving the way for my husband and all those that are currently serving.

200... and some OCD

2010-11-07T22:39:00.000-06:00

Literally as I hit 'new post', I realized this was my 200th post. Cool.

So, the Dallas Cowboys (Pave's team) and Green Bay Packers (my team) annual game is always quite the thing around here.

We bet things like house hold chores...

or in my case, back rubs.

Guess who is getting 15 minute 'good' back-rubs for the next week! (I had to define a back rub with length and quality... )

Also- I've mentioned Pave has the fringe of OCD... and I may or may not have at least three craft projects going on in our living room.... it'll be a surprise when he wakes up tomorrow!

Crafty Friends

2010-11-06T21:36:00.000-05:00

So, I found some beautiful old windows for $5.00 a piece! Once I got over the shock of the low price, I immediately scavenged my purse for cash (I hardly ever carry cash) and was able to buy three of them.... but what was I going to do with three wonderful windows?!?

I thought about it for a while, googled it, bounced some ideas off my designer friend (she's got the 'educated' eye that helps me polish a lot of my projects... she has a degree in design and construction!). I decided to make them into a sort of picture frame for my family and a friend.

I did my Mom's first, but went all out and bought some Mod Podge. I SO wish I had done it sooner, because oh-my-gosh. It is SO different then using just white glue. I might have a new love. (sorry Pave!)

I asked her where she might hang something 'crafty that contains pictures, that will be about 2' x 2.5'. She decided to put it in her scrapbooking room, so I was allowed to get a little more 'funky' with my paper choices then if were in my parents 'main' living areas.

This is it head on, I put a different paper in each pane.

(trying to get one without the glare)

Our camera sucks, but you can sorta see where I roughed it up, there was blue paint underneath the white, which came out on the ridges.

I *love* the hinge on the top...

I'm going to do something with magnets (the round black dot), either put a flower on it, or decoupage scrapbooking paper on them or something.

So... This is what it looks like! But I feel like it's missing something. That maybe I need to hang something off that hook, with some cool ribbon or twine? Or maybe dangle something down the side... but then again I don't want to over-do it. So... what would you do?

Oh, and I have another one that I'm doing for my next door neighbor, so whatever great ideal you all come up with, I'm probably going to do it for her too!

Annual Awards

2010-11-03T16:18:00.000-05:00

I've realized once you enter recruiting duty, it's a whole new life. It's no longer the "Air Force" life, its even more unique then that. There are some bad things about it being unique, even comapred to normal active duty, but also some good things.

Like the Annual Awards. I'm not sure if other branches do this too (other branch wives- let me know!). Its the one time we come in from our spread out squadron (4 states), and have fun.... oh and they give some awards out too.

As I've said on MANY occasions, my huband is a rockstar.... I've known it forever, but, um... how can I say this politley... he pretty much rocked the night, and swept most everything he was nominated for.

It was SO awesome to go home with the Rookie Recrutier of the year, gold badge nominee, Bronze AFRS award winner, Legend Recrutier, and our Flight Recruiter of the Year. You'll have to ask him how it felt to go home with SPOUSE OF THE YEAR!!!

(I suppose it's not approprate for Spouse of the Year to have a facebook quote of "I want out of the Air Force"... maybe I should change that....)

I forgot my camera (gasp!), so right now all I have are the grainly 'iphone via facebook' photos of is office partner.

Lemons

2010-11-01T10:16:00.000-05:00

So... I got to thinking, since I'm going to have a baby soon (like within a year soon...) I'm allowed to start thinking about some sort of baby shower right?

I had seen this idea several years ago, and filed it away in my brain. It seems even more fitting now....

Lemons.

As in "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade".

And the food could be lemon baised. And daisy's everywhere... because I love daisies!

And I'll somehow figure out how to use this awesome yellow damask pattern in the invitation or something.... because tell me- is it not gorgeous!

My mother in law told me that I'm not the one that is supposed to plan my own baby shower... ya, right!

I'm crafty, and that's a how I roll.... and I'm going to pull this off somehow... someday!

Waiting...

2010-10-29T21:02:00.000-05:00

Some adoption numbers....

Three weeks of bedtimes past 11pm

Four revisions sent to my mom

Seven profile books needed

23 pages in our profile book

$.29 per page (x 161 pages)= $46.69

$5.99 per portfolio x 7 needed= $41.93

$10.00 off $25.00 at Staples (whoohoo!!)

166 days since we mailed off our initial application

3 major meltdowns in the last 24 hours

1 huge check- {the largest we've written EVER!}

But after all of that, at 3:00 today, Travis dropped off our seven profiles and our check.

We are officially a 'waiting' family.

2010-10-26T23:45:00.002-05:00

Could it be? We are really done with our adoption profile? It doesn't seem like it? We've sent it back and for to the agency. My Mom has edited it several times. I've been up until at least 11 every night for the past 6 of the last 8 nights working on it....

I've sent it to a few people who saw the first batch, because we figure more eyes on it the better!

*hint hint* if you are a good editor, and would like to see it, drop me a line- afrecruiterswife (at) gmail (dot) com!

ps- my husband is laying (lay- lie- I'm not a grammar teacher) next to me, and is questioning my question mark at the end of the third sentence.... I told him it was my damn blog, and I'd write how I wanted- my theory- I'm questioning the fact that we could possibly be done... "It's my blog, and I'll blog how I want to, blog how I want to, blog how I want to" (sung to 'It's my party...)

And then he started doing flashbacks to this episode... (sorry of the bad quality, it was all I could find on youtube)

College

2010-10-23T18:00:00.002-05:00

Well, it's official, the MyCAA program that we all loved is over. It ended on October 24, and the new one started October 25. I'm not such a fan of the new one, mostly because I no longer qualify for it....

However, I must say that I used all but $234.00 of the $6,000 they granted me, so I can't complain to much.

Did any of you get 'kicked out'?

Downward Dog

2010-10-14T20:48:00.000-05:00

So... I've said it before, if I'm not going to birth a child, damnit, I'm getting my body back! With four (or was it five) rounds of injectables, and all the Clomid, and the emotional eating after each loss, I haven't been comfortable in my own skin.

So I've been doing something about it.

I've been trying to get healthy again, so I can go on a walk with my dogs, and not hurt. And really, after five knee surgeries, that's a amazing thing!

I've been doing Slim In Six, which has a TON of squats and things of that bend my knee, and I've been doing so well. I've really paid attention to my form, and it's made a ton of difference.

I'm not so worried about pounds, but more inches and stamina. I can really tell, because I'm not nearly out of breath as I'm doing it.

The ending part of the routine is ab work on the floor, and some yoga for stretching and muscle tone.

Mom- whatcha doing?

Why you on the floor mom? Can I lick the sweat off your arm?

(which she did...)

This was during the yoga... yes, that is her underneath my pose.

One of my ear buds had fallen out, she was bouncing it off her nose, until I blinded her!

(sorry, it's upside down, because I was upside down doing the pose,

and didn't think to hold the camera the right way....)

102%

2010-10-12T22:01:00.000-05:00

Coupons strike again!

I got 10 things of cream cheese (I'm thinking holiday baking because they freeze well!) for free. They were on sale at our local store for $.98 each, and I had two coupons from Kraft for $5.00 each (LOVE having two computers in the house!)

Yes, this is a 'couponing' record I'm not sure I'll ever beat, 102% savings! (not sure why above the 100%, maybe because I didn't get charged tax?!?)

f-ing pissed

2010-10-03T21:12:00.002-05:00

What the hell is blogger doing? I don't have a 'design' tab, only a template tab.... but that only lets me pick a dumb template, so now I'm stuck with dumb minima... anyone else having this problem?!? Help! My blood pressure is rising... I can feel it!

Things I love

2010-10-03T16:12:00.001-05:00

I love that it is cooling down.
I love that our adoption is moving along (not quite as planned, but still forward).
I love that the Packers won today.
I love that my husband thinks I'll win "Spouse of the Year" award. I don't.
I love that I only have three more weeks of fourth graders.
I love that so far I've done well in all my college classes.
I love remembering that this is a New Mexico Christmas (we swap who's family we are with each year).
I love that pumpkin is back in stores (and 9 big cans are snuggled into my pantry!)
I love that my house is finally painted. EVERY room in my house (not closets- but really do they matter!)
I love that Pandora had a 'Glee' channel.

I don't love the next step in the adoption process- making our profile book. It's what we use to try to 'sell ourselves' to the birth families.
I don't love feeling that we are too young. Everyone at the class was way older then us (like 10-15 years). Will that hurt us, help us, not matter...
I don't love the fact that Pave has to switch offices, because of a mistake someone made 16 months ago. He has a good rapport with these schools, just leave him be!
I hate that our annual is in the middle of the week (how dumb is that!)
I hate that no matter how much I look at the ball gown I want to wear, it doesn't stop me from drinking my 'Coke a Day'!
I hate that this adoption process makes you question everything about your life... I loved our bedroom, until taking pictures for our adoption profile, realized how 'un exciting' it was, or how blank the front of our house looks.
I hate the way this blog looks... maybe that's why I've been posting more on my other. I'm going to try to change it up.... somehow.... so look for some changes.

Remembering

2010-09-11T09:16:00.001-05:00

Today my family and I remember that day, my freshmen year of college. My mom called me and woke me up, because I had stayed up late working on a paper. UNM had canceled classes, so my boyfriend and his family watched the events in my dorm room. His Dad was at the Pentagon that day. I will never forget the anxiousness we held every time the phone rang....

So, today, we remember the lives that were lost that day, the hero's that were made that day, and those that we have lost in the War on Terror following those events.

Half way wait

2010-09-08T20:05:00.002-05:00

Our adoption agency gave us a time us a timeline for hearing back from them. Four to six weeks.

After they came back so fast for our packet one (they said 2-4 weeks, it was three days), I had my hopes up that this might have an 'accelerated' timeline.

Monday was the 3rd week. If we look at the longest time frame, we're half way there.

So much has happened in three weeks. It's amazing. And Scary!

We did our first lab (with water!) in fourth grade... and I ummm... have some modifications that I'll pass on to the other 4th grade teacher before she does it on Friday!

Overall it went well, we only had one 'solution' spill, and it was after they had filtered out the iron fillings (with a magnet), rocks (with wire mesh), sand (with filter paper)... so really, it was just salt water, that we now need to wait until it evaporates to get the answer....

I might speed the process up by 're-making' the saltwater solution but with less water.

Does that make me bad teacher. Please tell me other teachers 'modified' experiments when the kids weren't around to speed them up!

Since we live in the Midwest, there is not much that can count as a 'flavor of home'. I do miss New Mexico. Especially at fall. Fall means Dixon Apple Farm, the State Fair, Green Chile harvest, and the Balloon Fiesta. I get none of that here. Except, to my surprise, a local grocer brought in HATCH Green Chile!!!

My husband and I bought out two stores. So the last few days have been full of roasting, peeling, chopping.... ugh! Can we say hands.on.fire!!!

I prepared a majority of the Chile so that it could be frozen and used in individual dishes, but decided to get adventurous and make green chile jelly (jam?).

I chopped 18 chiles up, but they are currently sitting in a bowl in my fridge, because I'm exhausted, and know I don't EVEN want to begin the jelly (jam?) process.... so it will be done tomorrow.

New Rules

2010-09-04T12:31:00.000-05:00

I'm not in love with the Air Force. Haven't been for a while. If the Air Force wants a happy relationship with me, some things need to change....

So... I have some rules that I'd like to discuss with the Air Force:

First : If you call Pave more then 3 times on a day he has taken leave (each conversation requiring at least 15-30 min), he doesn't get charged that day leave.

Second: When he becomes flight chief on a temp basis... you give him some space. Great, he has his goal cut in half, but he is still required to do all his school visits for these months, plus the FC duties. Do you see how that doesn't really work?

Third: When it is 9:00 at night, don't call him on his personal phone. If he didn't answer the work phone, there is probably a reason (he was tucking his daughter into bed). When he can talk, he'll call you back.

Fourth: When the guy that is supposed to ship out, suddenly gained 6 pounds in 2 weeks, it's not his fault. He weighed him two Friday's ago, and was nine pounds away from his max weight. He couldn't measure him the Friday before he shipped because YOU had him at a stupid meeting 5 hours away.... so what more can he do.

Fifth: I realize that you are expecting a lot from 18-22 year old. However, without having his ENTIRE group of DEP'ers move into OUR house and going on lock down, he can't control their every move.... so, when a 19 year old gets a DUI, it is NOT fair for you to take the attitude "Well, his recruiter must have not told him he shouldn't do that, so it's the recruiters fault." No.It's.Not.

If we could abide by these rules, the next three years should go peacefully....

Love,
Me (his supportive wife)

PS: Ummm, we're adopting, but you know how that goes, we might have no warning. We might get called tomorrow to pick up a baby on Wednesday. Sorry, I can't give you any more notice that that, if I could I would. So, see this as your notice. This means that he will have a new baby soon, so when that joyous day arrives, he will take his day's of leave.... and you will grant it....You pull any of the bull shit listed above, and you will have one PISSED OFF mamma bear... no, I might have not given birth to our child, but you will learn quickly, you mess with my family- you.will.be.sorry.

Summer of "One Oh" (part V)

2010-08-16T22:51:00.001-05:00

We went to the lake with Aleigha, and Pave's parents

The water was so awesome!!!

Just about perfect!

They had this cool 'tube' thing

Pave and I flipped it before his Dad even started pulling it!

So much fun!

Hope we get to go back once more before summer is over!!!

Summer of "One Oh" (part IV)

2010-08-16T22:44:00.001-05:00

We then entered "Paint Chip Hell" Well, we were there before this point, because my parent's helped me pick out the final few color choices. Pave had the final say out of the three pair's we narrowed it down to.

We had so many stinking flys during this time... it was gross! I didn't feel bad at all when one got stuck in the paint (see it, the blob on the 'pour tray thing', there is another dead one on the floor that I killed right before I took the picture)

My mom told me to get rid of the original color, to paint the top few inches the same color of the ceiling, so it covers up the edge. We didn't have the ceiling color, so in an effort to not have to paint the WHOLE ceiling too, I tried Kilz white pigmented spray paint... It worked awesome, because it covered up the color, but didn't leave a mark on the ceiling where I sprayed it!

I'm SO SICK of this nasty pink, brown, cream, salmon color... it's ALMSOT GONE EVERYWHERE!!!

Summer of "One Oh" (part III)

2010-08-16T22:38:00.000-05:00

While my parents were in town, we did a lot of fun things. Went to a cool restaurant, that you could order s'mores from.

You can't see it well in this picture, but we are using chop sticks to roast marshmallows. I would LOVE one of these kits for Christmas!

Toured a chocolate factory (without Pave). I couldn't try any of the chocolate, because I was prepping for a colonoscopy, so I was drinking sweet tea.... (and chicken broth when we went out to my very favorite restaurant for dinner- TORTURE! But it was my parent's last night in town...)

I got my birthday present early (WHOOHOO!!) I'm such a dork- Pave was thrilled 'his/our' tool collection grew, and he didn't have to waist one of his birthday requests on it!

We literally used it the night we got it. My Dad helped me build a shelf for my scrapbooking room. Mom had helped me decorate a bit more (she's always good for that!).

My finished shelf (it has paper on top of it, and then two buckets below it)

Summer of "One Oh" (part II)

2010-08-16T22:28:00.000-05:00

This is the "4th of July" edition....

Pave and I at the Fourth of July set up... (as recruiters, its the #1 event...)

The tire is bigger then me (we got to go behind the rope... special recruiter privileges)

My little brother filling out their computer questions (doesn't he look like a #1 ideal Airman!)

My family and I in front of the monster truck

No words... (there was a whole trailer that you could walk through with 'prize bucks')

We had a ton of people coming over for the holiday... my kitchen couldn't handle all the food that needed to be prepared.

Ben and Tara enjoying the extra pie filling....

The girl's kicked Ben out of the way, and got down to business!

It was determined that we needed a bigger grill (sadly, my Dad and Pave's Dad maned the grill... Pave was at the event all day- but we brought him a plate when we made it out there!!)

We got to go on a really cool tour of the under ground mine/storage. It was truly awesome (but this is a bad picture). It's like a whole city! They only do about 11 tours a year, we were one... (again, another recruiter privilege)

Ben and my Uncle Scott were going to go on a helicopter ride, at the place where we watched the fireworks. They got in line at 5:30ish...

They ended up having to stop the rides for several reasons... they offered a free ride to someone, so my Aunt went along... they were up in the helicopter while the fireworks were going off, said it was so awesome! (3 1/2 hours later...)

We took my parent's motor home... and had a blast. There were 10 of us, and a TON of laughs! We waited forever to get out, but being together made it fun (we were even smart enough to bring the extra food we had cooked earlier)

Pave and his little brother 'testing' out the motorcycle.... my mother in law wouldn't let Pave start it with his brother on it.... :(

Summer of "One Oh" (part I)

2010-08-16T22:11:00.000-05:00

So, there is many, many pictures that have been taken this summer... and I'm way behind. So we're going to have a bit of a spew of posts....

Aleigha's promotion ceremony, she's moving up to middle school

Kayden (the psyco one) destroyed ANOTHER cage... but this time we out smarted her (to bad it was post-cage destroying)

We went to several swim meets that Pave's little brother and sister swam in... but most of them were stuck at a table like this (with Pave's Dad at the computer), helping input scores (at least it was in the A/C!)

Pave got a motorcycle... (man I love MY man on a motorcycle!)

We've instituted 'date night' once a week to Orange Leaf (16 different flavors of frozen yogurt and a million toppings). And we ride his motorcycle there.

As we got near 4th of July, the fireworks became more frequent, and our Little Boy Baxter took up his temporary home... under our bed... (that's him eating, because he wouldn't come out from under it)

***Next Up: 4th of July ***

absent

2010-08-15T21:43:00.001-05:00

I've been absent.

I feel like I've been absent from my life even. Busy doing things, but not making any connections.

I kinda hate it.

Among other things, there has been a bunch of visitors at our house and trips on our part.... it's been an exhausting summer.

I'll catch up, I've taken some pretty awesome pictures.

But for now, I'm pissed at the Air Force, and since that is the main focus (or started out as) of this blog, I don't have a whole lot to say... other then I'm ready to be done, and only feel discouraged when I think of how many more years we really have to deal with it.

But, on a bit lighter note.... do I not have THE MOST handsome husband ever.

Card's

2010-08-06T08:49:00.000-05:00

So... Pave is not so much of a card person, birthdays, anniversaries, hates them. One time I got him a birthday card, he saw it before I singed it, and said "Thanks, now we can take it back". I refused, so he returned his OWN birthday card to Wal Mart.... no joke.

Because of this, after six years, I try not to get my hope up whenever a 'card occasion' comes along.

This is what I woke up to this morning:

So another birthday has arrived for my love. I hope that you will be comforted in knowing that it was 27 years ago today, God had a unique plan for you. 27 years ago, He said to a couple named Jim and Barbara "I want to give you a gift, a gift so special that only you two are special enough to raise her. A little girl that you will make pancakes for every morning on her birthday. She will be a girl that will sit and collect tadpoles in a pond out in her yard and then catch lightning bugs in a jar on the beach. No I've mad this girl to be someone who has such an explosive creative side that she can make a wreath out of a box of red Christmas ornaments or a bag of coffee filters. A woman who will pour out everything she has into something or someone, and when she has no more, will give jus a little more. Then.... on day, I'm going to have someone else take over my special daughter. A guy that can try and tame that explosiveness, a man who will care for her and do his best to make her happy. Who will give her his heart and promise to be there for her. And continue each year, like her father, to make her pancakes for her on her birthday."

Honey I know this isn't how you'd think to spend your 27th birthday, but if its any consolation, I'm so glad that we'll be together, and who knows, maybe we can even dance to a song or two at the wedding. I love you and thank you for being a part of my life and letting me be a part of yours.

In all my love, Happy Birthday!

Ya, he's a keeper... now I have to go eat my pancakes, and pack to start our 10 hour trip North to his cousins wedding!

compassion

2010-07-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be real for a moment....

I'm having a hard time showing compassion to wife who's husband is in basic training/ Tech school. She is CONESTENTLY complaining about not being able to talk to her husband. It's taking all.i.have. not to scream at her "He can't call you. GROW UP!" You'll be ok, you know where he's at, he's at a base, he's got food three times a day, he even has a fucking bed!" Grow some thick skin sister, you're going to need it or you'll never survive the next 20 years (they claim they will be lifers), or heck, even the next four.....

Like I said. It's taking all I have....

Probably not the best thing, being a Recruiter's wife and all...

I don't know why I'm letting it erk me so bad, but man she has gotten under my skin.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who get's sick about 'new wives bitching'... please...

An off kinda week

2010-07-15T22:15:00.000-05:00

I have been so overwhelmed with my family (in a good way). They were in town for a very long time (again- great), but it was exhausting. We were always doing something, going to a show, going out to eat, going to do things around town (which will have pictures posted soon...).

And then throughout that family time, I was sick one day (so sick- loose five pounds I throw up so much sick), and then the last full day my parents were in town*, I was prepping for a colonoscopy. Wait- you might ask- am I reading an old lady's blog... only old people have those...

Nope friends, not just old people (though my Dad who is 63 and I had our first ones a month apart!) have colonoscopies. When I was 24, I went to the ER with horrible pain right under my ribs.... a hospital admittance, Red Cross message (my husband was deployed), a colonoscopy, and 4 days in a small room, I left the hospital with a polyp removed, that was pre-cancerous. That doesn't sound like such a big deal, except most 24 year olds don't have that particular procedure done... it usually starts at 50.... and any polyp will eventually turn into cancer... so had I waited 26 years for my first scan... well- things just wouldn't have added up.

My scan was fine (though the prep sucked...), but this doctor wants me back in another year. I was doped up on so much stuff, I couldn't remember the conversation**, however when my husband told me about it again about 8 pm last night, it resulted in HYSTARICAL tears... I hate the prep... It sucks...

However, a good friend reminded me that though it's not so fun, it's my way of fighting back against cancer. For those of you that know me personally, this is a small passion of mine. Ever spring, my husband looses me for about a month as we prep for Relay For Life, the American Cancer Societies flagship fundraiser. For those of you that don't know about Relay For Life, or what the American Cancer Society, click the links to find out more!

* Yes, on the last day they were in town, I got to eat breakfast, then was on a clear liquid diet (as they went out to lunch at a yummy pizza place, toured a chocolate factory (complete with samples and chocolate cupcakes), AND went out to Zio's (one of my favorite restaurants).... and I got to drink sweet tea, sprite and chicken broth...)

**So, they didn't knock me all the way out, it was an 'unconscious procedure' or something like that. The used versed, which I guess makes you not remember... the procedure... or getting dressed... or the ride home... or the voice mails (from numbers you didn't know) you deleted (so you don't know who called you and left those voice mails)... or the emails you sent... or the TWELVE people you called...

The first thing you remember is waking up in your bed that evening, with a waterbottle, and a plate with gummie bears and M&M's on it (WTF?).

Brick Hell!!!

2010-07-12T22:36:00.000-05:00

* ~~Sand and Stain my bench~~

* ~~Polyurethane the bench (it has to be done a different day, so technically a different project)~~
* ~~Finish the tutu's for my neighbors twins~~
* Clean our front bricks off (mortar is ALL over them) <---HOLY SHIT! My arm aches!
* ~~USPS (package and mail secret sister gift, and baby gift)~~
* Finish the Family Pictorial Album for our adoption packet (need to go through cd's with our trip pictures burned on it, then I'm done)
* Finish the questions for our adoption packet (haven't started... )
* Stabilize, stain, polly, assemble antique-ish dresser (biggest project on the list...nothing even planed)
* Re-pot flowers for newly stained bench (They are bought... to be potted tomorrow)
* Touch up paint in kitchen and master bathroom (Got the foam brushes to do this)

So... I've been working on the bricks... I have to use acid to clean them up. I was just going to clean up one of the steps, and then the corners (we have a rather large front entryway, I think). But then I noticed some 'mortar mess' on the walls leading up to the front door, and so I cleaned that.

And now I've scrubbed collectively for over 3 hours... with acid... in 96* weather....

Like I said, it has grown into a much bigger project then expected, so my 10 in 10 deadline is going to get blown out of the water. Bleh.

I've done about 35 feet (what is the side of our garage leading up to the front door) as high as I can reach standing (I'm short, so I'll need a ladder to do the top 3 or so feet.

It looks good. I can tell a huge difference. The 'mortar mess' was never anything real big, just one of those things you (as a homeowner who is slightly ocd about things like that) that you notice when I would walk up to the front door. It's one of those 'presentation' things that makes the front entryway look a lot better. I still need to do the top part of the left side, and all of the right (about 20 feet).

But my arm hurts. Aches really. So- I've updated everything else above in orange with what has been happening on those fronts...

KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE FRIENDS!!

(or this shit will never get done!)

4/10

2010-07-08T20:55:00.000-05:00

My bench is done!

A little more back to us

2010-06-29T00:45:00.000-05:00

Six years ago, I met a guy who rode a motorcycle. It was red. He was hot. He was even hotter on a motorcycle...

The fact that I even liked him on it was huge

Several years earlier I had a ~~major fucking catastrophe~~ somewhat bad accident on a dirt bike my Dad had. He got a pair of them for us to ride around the property on ( I grew up on 5 acres in the middle of a big city, with a surrounding 10 acres to 'explore' because our neighbors didn't care). I had just had my first (out of five) knee surgeries, so I was on crutches for 8 miserable weeks during my first year of college, ~~holy shit the campus is big, why the hell do I live on the third floor~~ completely non weight bearing, restricted activity for a while.

It was a Friday. I had my appointment with Dr. Racca. He gave me the go ahead for all activity. I go to my Friday classes, and head to my parents house before work. My Dad begins to teach me how to start and stop and such.... I finally ~~can go 10 feet with out stalling out~~ sorta get the hang of it, and we decide to be more adventurous. We go down to the arroyo, which is basically a ditch to carry water. Except we live in New Mexico, so the only time ours got full was when there was a flash flood. The water had carved out a path so we followed it. At one point it turned sharply, and the dirt bike and I parted ways.

(not the actual arroyo of near death... but just to give you non-New Mexico folks a visual)

I flew up about 15 feet my Dad guesses, and had the wind knocked out of me. I had on all the safety gear, so besides being scared shitless and breathless, I was fine. Not even a scratch, no blood, nothing.

I dust off, get back on, and we start heading home. I take a shower, 2 aspirin (it's important later...), and get ready for work. I worked as a front desk clerk all through collage, at a hotel that was right near my parents house. About half way through work, my left shoulder started bugging me, so I took more aspirin. Thirty minuets before I was supposed to get off, I could hardly move it, so I called my Mom to come pick me up. I knew there was no way that I could drive my old standard truck home. She came up, with just her purse, and in her house shoes. She was going to take me home, and then have my Dad take me to my dorm room which was on the other side of town once he got back from wherever he was. In that 30 minuets, things went from fine to bad. I got in the car, and told her that she had to take me to the ER. She wanted to run home, and grab her cell phone, and for whatever reason, I grabbed her arm, and said "No Mom, now". We drove to the closest one, and by the time we got there, I could barely move. They had to get a male nurse to lift me out of the car.

As my Mom was filling out the admit paperwork, they had me sitting in a wheelchair at the end of a row of chairs. There was a Dad with his child on his lap, who didn't feel good. From this point on, I don't remember much, so I'll put in italics what I've been told. I fainted, and he put his arm out across my chest to prevent me from falling out forward. My Mom started pounding on the plastic window trying to get someones attention. They came and got me. I woke up to them rubbing my sternum really hard as they were wheeling me back to the rooms. I was lifted onto the bed, and they began taking vitals. I didn't pass out again (yet), but all I remember is being stripped down, and realizing it, and then trying to cover my tattoo that I had recently gotten on my hip. Mom saw what I was trying to do, and just patted me and said, "We won't tell your Father". I couldn't reach it, because I had oxygen and an IV tube. They put a gown over me. I sat up, but started feeling like I was going to throw up. The went to go get me a bucket, and I was out again.

When I woke up again, I had an IV in one arm putting fluid in, one in the other arm putting blood in, and one in my ankle for them to take blood. They were asking my Mom if I had a will, and told her that she needed to get my Dad and any other relatives and possibly a priest or bishop. Because of the aspirin I had taken, I bled internally 'a bit faster'. This really did save my life, because I likely would have taken 2 more before bed (that whole 'take two aspirin and call me in the morning' thought process), where I would have died in my sleep from blood loss.

My little spill on the dirt bike almost cost me my life. I ended get up 2 units of blood transfused, with a ruptured spleen, internal bleeding, and an 8 day hospital stay.

After that I wouldn't get on the back of the dirt bike with my anyone. Not even my Dad. I couldn't even stand to hear it being started up.

But, as this story began.... I met a guy. 3 years later. With a motorcycle. My Dad said that he knew as soon as I rode up on the back of Travis' bike, that I was going ot marry him.

When I look back a the brief time we dated, his red motorcycle weaves in and out of the memories. Our first real date. Going down to the race track, and having someone steal his helmet. The long treck around Albuquerque, along the base of the mountains. The beautiful Sunday in August when we rode up to the top of Sandia Crest and realizing to late that a riding jacked disguises a ring box very well! I was so surprised he did it there, because we had never been there before together, but he knew it was my favorite spot.

His red motorcycle was stolen about a week before we got married, and ended up in Mexico 18 months later. We got the call to see if we wanted to buy it back before it went to auction. We had missed that bike, but had moved on, both in our lives, and to the midwest.

For the last 5 years, when the winter fades away, and the spring days begin, one of us still mentions what a good day for a ride it would be. We have been known to call or text each other if we are driving, "found a good road to ride on". That red bike will forever be ingrained in 'the story of us'.

So, in "Pave's Notes" ( kinda like Cliff's Notes):

Six years ago I fell in love with a guy that had a motorcycle... One day we rode to the top of a big mountain, and he proposed.... tonight, that guy has a motorcycle once again... all is well with the world!

2/10

2010-06-24T10:26:00.000-05:00

* ~~Sand and Stain my bench~~

* Polyurethane the bench (it has to be done a different day, so technically a different project)
* ~~Finish the tutu's for my neighbors twins~~
* Clean our front bricks off (mortar is ALL over them)
* USPS (package and mail secret sister gift, and baby gift)
* Finish the Family Pictorial Album for our adoption packet
* Finish the questions for our adoption packet
* Stabilize, stain, polly, assemble antique-ish dresser (biggest project on the list...)
* Re-pot flowers for newly stained bench
* Touch up paint in kitchen and master bathroom

****Paint living room (Woohoo!)****

I thought I had blogged about my bench building a few weeks ago, but apparently not... so this is the background.

The 'beginning'

I built both sides all by myself

While I built the sides, Pave and his daughter put together his table saw... good thing, we needed it later!

Cutting down the 'seat' of the bench

I was to cheep to buy a 1"x12", so we put two smaller pieces together.

Ta-Da!

And this is it stained... the picture makes it look a little bit more orange, but the actual color is 'golden oak'

1/10

2010-06-24T09:42:00.000-05:00

* Sand and Stain my bench

* Polyurethane the bench (it has to be done a different day, so technically a different project)
* Finish the tutu's for my neighbors twins
* Clean our front bricks off (mortar is ALL over them)
* USPS (package and mail secret sister gift, and baby gift)
* Finish the Family Pictorial Album for our adoption packet
* Finish the questions for our adoption packet
* Stabilize, stain, polly, assemble antique-ish dresser (biggest project on the list...)
* Re-pot flowers for newly stained bench
* Touch up paint in kitchen and master bathroom

****Paint living room (Woohoo!)****

I had seen these on a few sites... but man they were expensive. A friend at work showed me how to make them... literally each one takes less then two hours! I might add some flower petals or something, but as for now, they are done!!

Projects

2010-06-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

I'm notorous for starting something.... and then never.ever.finishing.it.

Ever.

I was really looking forward to painting our living room (actually was wanting to do it while he was gone at training, but then I went along, so it didn't really happen!). Had the colors picked out and everything.

Yesterday, on my way to buy paint, he suggested I finish some projects before I start another one. We came to the agreement (he came short of canceling the debit card so I couldn't buy the paint) that I would finish several things before I painted...

So, I have ten projects to finish in ten days (roughly)!!!

* Sand and Stain my bench
* Polyurethane the bench (it has to be done a different day, so technically a different project)
* Finish the tutu's for my neighbors twins
* Clean our front bricks off (mortar is ALL over them)
* USPS (package and mail secret sister gift, and baby gift)
* Finish the Family Pictorial Album for our adoption packet
* Finish the questions for our adoption packet
* Stabilize, stain, polly, assemble antique-ish dresser (biggest project on the list...)
* Re-pot flowers for newly stained bench
* Touch up paint in kitchen and master bathroom
****Paint living room (Woohoo!)****

shhh... don't tell.... I got a free pallet that my friends husband rescued from the side of the road (ok, more like a very busy intersection just off the highway). For anyone watching, I'm sure it was quite interesting watching me (all of 5'1") try to fit a huge (H-U-G-E) pallet into the back of my car (Galant). I got it in, but not without some grunts and groans.... it will soon be turned into this.... or something like it...

A book and Pool

2010-06-16T10:38:00.000-05:00

As stated in my previous post... our last deployment was two years ago, and our next one won't be for at least three more years... how does one get so "lucky"? Umm... you should probably check the title of my blog! :) Yep, recruiting duty, which is it's own bundle of 'fun'!

Really, some times really suck.... (4 am calls from 18 year olds that just got a DUI- 14 hour days), but there are other times that kinda make it worth it.

Like now.

We are staying in a beautiful hotel. In a 2 room suite, an awesome king size bed, great amenities, free breakfast (and drinks at night!), and a pool...

It's not so great for Pave, he's in classes all day, but it was SOOO worth it for me to drive down (he had to drive in the GOV, so I drove down a day later)!

When he first told me about it, he said he didn't think that I would want to come because he would be in classes all day... I simply responded- "They have a pool, and I have a book!"

Bliss.

Bliss on the Air Force's dime... even better!

I'm off to the pool!

Blue Star Banner

2010-06-16T10:29:00.001-05:00

So, a few years ago (yes, I DO know how lucky I am to classify our last deployment as 'years' ago), when Pave was deployed, I wanted to have a blue star, to honor him. We lived far away from base (literally, almost an hour) in a community that didn't really know what it meant. I loved it, but it was kinda cheesy. The only one I could find was one of my rare trips back to base (that was an hour away...) at clothing sales. The cheep polyester one, with nasty fringe...you know what I'm talking about.

Luckily, I know we have 3 more years that will be deployment free (yes, again, I know we're blessed!), I WILL be adding this to our home!

The Mrs. over at Trying our Best 's Mom is the amazing person behind this design, and she is GIVING ONE AWAY!!! Go check it out!

Back to Us

2010-06-13T20:57:00.002-05:00

I realized that today, that my husband and I are slowly getting back to 'us'.

For so long, our life has revolved around cycle days, ultra sounds, injections, 2ww, positive tests, and tears.

We went to the pool today with some friends (who are also neighbors-our subdivision has a pool). We all had fun ( I mean really- how can two 8 month old girls in frilly suits and sunglasses NOT be fun) , but eventually everyone left, and it was just Pave and I. We sat on the lounge chairs and talked. We laughed. We made some plans for our future.

I guess the one thing about adoption is that we know eventually we will be placed with a baby. Our first match might fall through, and maybe our second, or third. But... eventually we will have a baby. That is something that my body could never guarantee us. And that makes us happy. Really, really happy.

I asked him what he was looking forward to once we had a baby, and he said taking them to our parents, and laying with them on the couch... but his final reason on the list (I may or may not have ~~forced~~, ~~nagged~~, asked him to give me 10 things...) was that he can't wait to see me so happy.

We had brought up water bottles and animal crackers to snack on, and as we were sitting there talking, and he said "I like them better soggy"... I just looked at him, and he reminded me of the time that he substituted in the 4 year old Sunday school class at church... a little boy had his cup of water and shoved all his animal crackers in it. Travis asked him why he did it, and he told him "they are better when they are soggy". Travis tried it with him, and agreed. I *heart* my husband.... and all his little things that make me laugh!

We enjoyed our time together talking, and walking home holding hands, and making dinner together.

Tonight we were 'us', the way I love 'us'.

Zip Line!

2010-06-04T09:34:00.002-05:00

A new zipline attraction opened up about a month ago, so we decided we would try it out!

Us in our gear before we went up

At the base of the first tower

me on the bridge to the first tower

Pave getting hooked up for the first zipline

And off he goes...

The view was BEAUTIFUL!

In-coming!

We had two of the most awesome guides!

I had done pretty good keeping myself straight (Pave just spun wherever...) so I took some video of my 'rides'. On one of them, they told us about a mine that was part of the landscape, and I forgot until we were right over it, so I thought 'crap' and flashed the camera down to catch it real quick.

At the end of that one, I realized that I wasn't going to make all the way to the next tower unless I dropped the camera, so I did without a second thought-- Good thing Pave suggest I use a clip to clip the camera to me!

Untitled from Jennifer on Vimeo.

Untitled from Jennifer on Vimeo.

Untitled from Jennifer on Vimeo.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T12:00:00.000-05:00

I got this from my Mom a week or so ago, and thought it was fitting today... please take a moment between the pool and the barbque to quietly thank those that have lost family members so that we can be who we are today. From the Revolution to today, the balance of our freedom, has been paid for with the blood of amazing United States military members

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.

'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early," I said..

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do.. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA .

Foot note:

As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they were treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones today and give them the respect they so deserve.

I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me.

.

Holy Chit!

2010-05-21T16:41:00.000-05:00

This post will totally be in "Dwight Schrute (from The Office) fashion... because since my little brother has been visiting, we have watched all the seasons.... and every conversation sounds like this.

Fact: Two weeks ago we decided we were financially ready to start the adoption process.

Fact: Last Thursday we met with the person who would be doing our home study to ask some more question

Fact: Last Friday we began filling out our adoption paperwork

Fact: Wednesday (like two days ago Wednesday) I mailed said paperwork off

Fact: Today I got an email saying that the first round application was APPROVED....

Question: Holy shit, is this really happening?

Sausage Fajitas

2010-05-20T11:23:00.000-05:00

WHOOHOO!!! It's here, it's here!!!

I can tell you, Pave is very excited its here... since I've officially finished my first semester of grad school (with a 3.75gpa thankyouverymuch) I now no longer have 'school' as an excuse not to cook....

But, bless his heart, I've only got about 12 meals that I can cook well. So, now is time to liven' things up around here!

One of our favorite (and quick/easy) things to do is sausage fajitas, plus since you aren't using skirt steak (really the best thing to use steak-wise) the cost is very cheep.

1 package of beef sausage (or you can use kielbasa, whatever you prefer)

Onions

Peppers (green, yellow, red- again your choice)

We like lots of onions, and green peppers, so I usually do one of each.

You will cut up the sausage about 1/4 inch thick, saute in a little butter until cooked, then add the chopped up onions or green peppers. My mom uses chunks of onions and peppers we use long slices. Again, modify it for what you like!

Once the vegetables are tender, scoop some sour cream, guacamole, or salsa (or all of the above) onto some flour tortillas, and enjoy!

Absent... adoption?

2010-05-17T10:59:00.001-05:00

I feel like I've been absent for a while... but I'm back!

Between trying to help my senior boys finish up their projects (which I now get to grade), my semester end wrap up (read: massive projects/assignments due), birthday parties, Relay for Life, a "House Party", and being honored guests at an ROTC's award ceremony, things have been busy.

It also didn't help that I was moved out of my normal 'classroom' (the computer lab), and into the conference room (ie- no Internet) so the other classes could do the end of year testing....

So, here are a few pictures to catch you all up....

But, before we get to that, some of the most exciting news......

As I've sorta talked about here... we've struggled through infertility (and after 7 miscarriages, insanity) Because I was adopted as an infant, I've always had a place in my heart for adoption, we alays knew that adoption was part of the plan, we just didn't relaize that it WAS the plan.

We met with an adoption case worker last week. The meeting was over an hour, and my husband was able to ask her a lot of questions he had, and she got to know a little bit more about us. She will be the one doing our home study, so Pave wanted to make sure he felt comfortable with her. We talked about it a little bit that evening, but on Friday he said that we should spend the weekend filling out the first application packet!! Whohoo!!!

So, beside doing Relay for Life this weekend, and finishing an assignment and final that was due by noon on Saturday, and having a "House Party" Saturday night, we did that....

We found it funny that the only contact info we had for one of our references was face book because they had moved.... is that a bad sign? We spent a few hours on the phone catching up (we last talked right after Christmas), after she got the message I sent her on face book....

So, the packet is done, we just need to get it notarized, probably tomorrow, write the application fee check, and send it off!

I don't know if I've mentioned lately, but my husband is pretty much the most hansome man I've ever seen.... add his 'blues' to the equation, and it's even better.... (we didn't used to call it "Blues Sex Monday" for nothing- he has to wear this blues every Monday at his old job.)

We were invited to a JROTC end of year award ceremony at one of the local (ok an hour away) high schools. It was fun to get dressed up, and the food wasn't bad either (unlike most military functions)

So besides being ridiculously handsome, he's also pretty much a rock star....

This is the award he got for being a 'High Roller". He put in six people (notice the dice) in the month of February, which was pretty awesome. This is the cool award he got from it (along with someones fingerprints, on the INSIDE).

His daughters 11th birthday party

I somehow don't have all my Relay for Life pictures, but these are a few of the ones I have....

We have been having rain ALL week. For those of you that don't know about Relay, its an event to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Its often held at a track (usually a high school field), where the teams 'camp out' all night. Our event goes from 7pm-7am. Well, that's no fun in the rain, so at 9:30am Friday morning the chairs decided to move it indoors. It was a lot of work, but so worth it. The event turned out great!

It was our 20th anniversary, so they hung the t-shirts from all the past years.

The color of Relay is purple, so all the survivors wear purple shirts

It's not a Relay without the Super Colon!

Basket auction- each team can make a basket (or several) to help raise additional funds. There were some AMAZING baskets!

So after everyone staying up all night at Relay (not me- I felt like crap, cough is still hanging around, plus I had an assignment and final due by noon on Saturday, so I went home to do that....)

We had a House Party! It's actually really cool. You go to the website and 'apply' to throw a party. If you are picked (I was picked to host the Kraft Summer Taste of Summer party). They sent me a box of stuff: beach balls and Frisbee, an apron, 2 reusable bags, and then all the samples of the food. There were 3 bags of the new Kraft Home-style mac and cheese, 2 boxes of the Ritz Crackerfulls, 2 packages of the new Kool-Aid 'fizzys' that you drop into a bottle of water and then coupons for everything else (to get for free). I went to the store and got the new DiGIorno pizza and bread sticks (by far my favorite thing of the party, with the home-style mac and cheese a close second), the new Oscar Meyer shaved deli meats (ham, turkey, and roast beef). I was supposed to get something else (100 calorie snack packs) but our local Wal Mart didn't carry them....

We had some cheese and queso left over from the catering for Relay, and what's a party without cupcakes, but other then that, everything was free, and yummy!

So... now that ALL that is behind me (and I'm back in a room with internet...) I hope to update/read/comment more!

Five for Friday (on Saturday)

2010-05-15T12:08:00.000-05:00

A friend always does these, so I thought I would join in!
1. How you volunteer with me at organizations (like Relay for Life last night) that you aren't particularly bonded to, but you know how much they mean to me.
2. How you never make me feel 'broken' when it comes to my infertility.
3. The constant encouragement (ok, really you just don't want to have to pay back for the classes) while I used MyCAA to update my teaching licence.
4. When you brought me our thing of Abreva before work, because I mentioned that my friend there had a cold sore and was stressed even more because she was MOH in a wedding this weekend.
5. I love that I married a man that will clean a bathroom better then I could (or would)!

Final Weeks

2010-05-12T21:19:00.002-05:00

I saw this... and have decided it's the perfect description of my week....

How to win the war....

2010-04-28T11:39:00.000-05:00

This is a great article, about the over use of power points in the military (but really- doesn't EVERY profession overuse them?!?)

But this is my favorite quote in response to the 'map' below...
"“When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the war,” General McChrystal dryly remarked"

Nice hunh!

This War's Injury

2010-04-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

I remember my Dad often talking about the hand to hand combat they had in Vietnam. Or the after affects of Agent Orange. That was his war. As a military wife, I now realize that my husband was part of a very different war. Though we were lucky, and he has nothing more then the occasional nightmare, many servicemembers aren't. One of my best friends husband had a TBI, several years ago, and it is still affecting them today. I was contacted and asked to post this little tidbit on my site, and I'm happy to do it. If you know of a family who is dealing with a TBI, please, please pass this on.

Traumatic Brain Injuries and the Military

Military men and women are continually involved situations where risk of injury is high. One silent war wound that can often go unnoticed is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) . A TBI damages the brain that can often cause life-altering wounds, which can result in changes in personality, behavior, and even the brain functions of the victim. Some of these conditions are not just life-altering, but can be life threatening and are often partnered with rehabilitation from special care facilities like CareMeridian Las Vegas nursing home.

According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military were hospitalized due to TBI related injuries at a rate of 231 per 100,000. The rate for female members of the military was 150 per 100,000. Based on these statistics over 4,000 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year for traumatic brain injuries. Some are as mild as a concussion, while others can be severe and have life altering effects.

The best way to prevent TBI is through awareness. Recognizing and responding to the symptoms of a TBI can often aid in the preventing further damage caused by the injury. Dizziness, headaches, changes in personality or sleep patterns, and memory loss are clear signs of TBI. Unfortunately these symptoms can sometimes be ignored or discarded as minor pains during times of conflict and even once the solider returns home. This sets up a dangerous precedent for a war wound that may never heal, so it is vital that serviceman and their families are aware of TBI, so that they can recognize and help treat it if symptoms are present.

Workbench

2010-04-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

While Pave was gone on training, my parents came into town over my spring break. By this time we had already completed the bed, but I had been talking about a workbench with my Dad, so began the start of another project.

So there are a ton more pictures then this... and as I'm looking through them I'm noticing that I'm doing a majority of the work... Dad is just supervising! I want his job!

This is a picture of my family, once it was done... Notice how nice Mom is dressed... ya she was the photographer and cook, two VITAL pieces that helped get this project done!

Again- Pave knew I was doing something, he called us about halfway through it, and said he heard a lot of banging going on (we were pounding the carriage bolts out of the holes we made, because we used the wrong size). I responded that "Yes, there was a lot of banging and screwing going on".... maybe its only because I've been married for over 5 years that I could say that joke in front of my parents, but we all thought it was pretty hilarious!

This was the picture that he got- me showing off his new work bench

(look how sexy I am in a stain and glue covered hoodie, and ripped jeans!)

TDY $ = Project $

2010-04-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

I think it's funny that after 5 years of marriage, Pave is JUST realizing that the extra money we make while he is TDY (this time to NCO Academy) really turns out to be my project money (it was the same thing with his deployment money...). Yes- I'm that wife that spends more money while her husband is gone... don't send me snarky comments- he just laughs at me, and says he 'never knows what house he's going to come home to'.

I think part of the reason is that my husband has some very OCD tendencies... That said- it's hard for me to do projects while he is around because he can't handle the in-between stages of ~~destruction~~ production that it takes. It's best if he just sees the final product.

So... as for my most recent project, here are some ending pictures: To re-cap, we went from this

To this:

If I would have blogged about this earlier, you would have felt my pent up RAGE from having to rebuild the damn thing 4 times... because the place where we got the plans- ya, she was smoking crack or something... but now I'm far enough removed, that I can look at my bed and just be happy!

Pave also doesn't do well with painting, because he sees me do ~~unsafe things~~, getting creative to paint all the high places in our house.... one day I sent him this picture (more zoomed in so all he saw was wall, the placement of doors would have given away what room it was in). He was dieing to know what room I was painting... he didn't discover it until he got home.

I had to re-paint, because I was TRICKED into getting this crazy-ass fabric for the headboard. I used to have a brown rough silk fabric headboard in our master bedroom, but since I just built us a nice new bed, it was no longer needed, so it got transferred to our guest bedroom. I was harassed (unendingly) by my two friends for being vanilla... and then they tricked me... though its sorta growing on me- Pave on the other hand, is very glad its in the guest bedroom... a door that we keep shut most of the time (can I blame my vanillaness on him?)

This is also another reason projects ONLY happen while Pave is gone... because this is what the office and hallway looked like while I was re-doing the guest bedroom... ya, he wouldn't have even been able to WALK on this side of the house without freaking out.

The guest bedroom is almost done, we switched 'inspiration' for the room, so it's looking kinda empty now, but I'm on the lookout for things to polish it...

Like some cool green pillows to throw in with all the blue

Some cool green 'stuffs' to come out of this pot

And some equally funky fabric to re-cover this chair in...

All is well that end's well, Pave is home, the bed is amazing (and I earned some 'garage/tool credit' from Pave), I've painted 4 more walls to cover up the ugly pink-salmon-tan color the builder put throughout the house, and now I can ~~plot~~ plan my next 'designing adventure'... he has a class to go to during the summer!

Some Gave All....

2010-04-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

(totally stolen from my friend Ashley @ Raising Brats)

When faced with tragedy people react in different ways. Some break down, unable to function, others discover how strong they truly are. Like Rachel, who is finding the strength in her tragedy to do something for others. Not only is she hosting a great giveaway on her blog, A Little Pink in a World of Camo, but she is doing something great to honor all warriors, specifically her late husband, Cpl Jonathan Porto. She's running in the Run for the Warriors 5k next month. (She's the warrior in this situation if you ask me.) She asked each of us, her readers, to donate just one dollar towards her contribution to the foundation, and it got me to thinking, so I have teamed up with Mrs GI Joe and Mrs. Muffins and we decided to help spread the word. If you look to the right of this post you will see a cute little button (made by the one and only Mrs. Muffins!), if you click on it, it will take you to Rachel's Hope for the Warriors page. You can also highlight all the text in that nifty little box and add the button to your page. I cant tell you you have to donate money to this great cause, but I can ask you to consider it. I can ask you to consider donating $1, or $2, or $5 in honor of a fallen or wounded warrior that you know, or in honor of Cpl Porto, like the rest of us.

Shocked

2010-04-06T21:05:00.001-05:00

"Ummm... do we not live in the same world?"

That was the question I just asked my husband. Because, really? I had to ask...

I came home tonight from class and sat on the couch.

I just kinda zoned out, and he asked what was wrong...

I just looked at him- shocked. Because apparently he and I do not live in the same world.

My world revolves around my job of teaching fucking juvenile delinquents (who have more girls then I care to know knocked up), my masters classes suck, we are struggling with deciding what adoption route to take, and to top it off this weekend, I get to deal with his 'crazy baby momma' and her family for my step daughters birthday party (which I planned....).

He looked at me- completely straight faced- and said "no you live in the 'world of Jenn', it's a little crazy in there"...

nice.

But then he gave me a kiss, and my crazy little world got 100 times better.

I love having him home.

Slap in the Face updated

2010-03-18T22:17:00.001-05:00

Being a recruiters wife has helped me to forget about the very true reality. Knowing my husband is non-deployable for this 4 year tour makes all the 14 hour days worth it. I've been able to forget, or at least block out last summer when he was gone. It's not something I have to worry about for another few years.

But that all changed today. Today, and my tears flowed, and my heart sank, I remembered the harsh reality of our life. That this is the life we signed up for.

Please go over and give Rachel some love, and prayers. A Little Pink in a World Full of Camo
Tomorrow she will be traveling to Florida to say good bye to her amazing husband one last time.

Though I'm an Air Force wife, nothing else quite seems right tonight- Semper Fi

**updated*** the link I had was broken. It's fixed now.

Permanent

2010-03-12T09:43:00.000-06:00

A week or so ago, I was asked to come 'try out' a sub position. It was as a 'filler' classroom for an alternative high school. It has been extended day by day... until today-

The blue squares are days that I'm 'assigned'... :)

This will be GREAT for our 'adoption budget' since my paycheck is our 'extra money' that gets paid toward the truck... and the week before I started here I only worked one day, and my paycheck was $74! Now I know I will have a steady amount coming in to knock out the truck so we can adopt our little one and expand our family!

Budget Mastered (sort-of) updated

2010-03-12T09:35:00.001-06:00

We have always been able to go grocery shopping and not have to worry about how much it costs. We see something that looks good- we buy it. However now that we are trying to save money for an adoption- we've started to pull back, the more we save on food, the more we can put toward the adoption (well actually the truck, since we want that paid off before we adopt).

A girlfriend of mine got me 'couponing'. I've only done it a couple of times, but this last time it was awesome- I saved 49%!!

They were also having a 'manager's special' on strawberries- $1.49/lb. The berries were H-U-G-E, that's a quarter sitting next to them... surprisingly they were delicious!

I do my coupon shopping at Dillons (our local Kroger) store, and use the 'frequent shopper card' they have. They are more expensive for overall 'grocery' shopping, so I buy my coupon stuff there, and usually go to Wal Mart/Sams Club for everything else.

Dillons does 'coupon matching', up to $1.00 on paper coupons. We don't get the paper, so I get my coupons from redplumb.com, coupons.com and smartsource.com These websites have the printable ones- coupons.com you have to download their 'coupon printer' on whatever computer you are on, but its not that big of a deal.

Also, there are electronic coupons you can 'store' on your frequent shopper card. The two sites that I use for these are shortcuts.com and cellfire.com. Check to see if your store takes the deals from P&G eSaver, ours doesn't but your's might!

The store I use (check your local stores rules) will let me use the loaded and paper coupons on the same item to double up my savings. Example: The GreenGiant Steamers frozen vegetables were on sale this week for $1.89. I had a paper coupon for $.50, which doubled to $1.00, and an electronic coupon for $.50, so my total discount was $1.50, bring my price to $.39. Often shortcuts and cellfire will have similar coupons, so I was able to buy 2 packages, taking advantage of that electronic coupon for each site.

Of course everyone wants you to register for their site, and I've now figured out you should come up with a 'coupon' email address. That way everything goes to that one address, and if you ever sign up for freebies (Kraft, Betty Crocker, etc) you can give them that address too.

These are some blogs that I enjoy following up with every few days or so. They give some great 'scenarios' to help you save the most money.

http://happyhomemakercindy.com/

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/

http://www.savingcentswithsense.net/

There are a ton more out there, these are just a few I've found... if you have one you love, please let me know, I'm always looking out for new ones!!!

Pictures of the Mess

2010-03-10T11:20:00.000-06:00

I found an amazing site- Knock Off Wood- who looks at big expensive pieces of furniture, and come up with drawings/designs that you can do to 'knock off' the look.

This was the inspiration

Photo found here

Like I said in my previous post, we started out with a bunch of wood (this is only a small bit of it)

I had gotten Pave a miter saw and his Dad got him a table saw for Christmas. He said that I would probably use it first, and sure enough- he was right! We at least took pictures of it getting unpacked!

There are several OSHA rules we were breaking... This was how our saw was set up...

Once we made all the cuts on Saturday, we called it a night.

Sunday can only be described as

Four Girls

3 6-packs

2 saws

and some wood

We started out by laying out the headboard

Amanda (my friend has a degree in design and construction which is the ONLY way this project got done) and I nailing the headboard together.

We figured since the only power tools we were using was the drill and sander, (we were done cutting) it was safe to break out the beer.

Me sanding the top piece of the headboard.

There was good music

And good friends

Eventually everyone stopped working, (Baxter taking full advantage of Aunti Manda's lap)....

Except for me. I was determined to get the foot board done too! Amanda supervised from her camping chair.

She advised me not to use so much glue....

The finished headboard at the end of the night.

Closer detail of the what the top of the head board and foot board look like.

And footboard

And Pave had NO idea what is going on in his garage (or with his tools)!

Sunday

2010-03-09T21:46:00.002-06:00

Sunday ended up bringing many more laughs, two more friends, and the the 'putting together' stages...

I'll post pictures tomorrow...

You're just dieing with anticipation, I know, but I'm tired. I have a good reason-sort of- I even went to bed at 9:30 last night trying to 'catch up'.... didn't work

Saturday

2010-03-07T09:56:00.003-06:00

Saturday brought us:

2 girls
A huge garage sale (like 100 vendors)
1 trip to Home Depot
opening a miter saw
1 trip to Lowes
Lots of laughs

What will Sunday bring??!?!?

Possibly pictures of what I'm doing in my garage with one of my best friends! (Pave has NO idea....)

MyCAA survey

2010-03-06T11:51:00.002-06:00

For those of you that were doing/were interested/were planning on using the MyCAA program, please fill out this survey! It hopefully will help us get some more information on how many people were/will use the program.

Thanks!

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AAY2SH93T

*note- I'm not the creator of this survey, I was just asked to take it, and am passing it on for you to take it.

Oxymoron

2010-03-04T19:54:00.002-06:00

Tonight I worked out for the first time this week. I have been doing Slim in Six, and it has done well! I've lost about 9 pounds so far (steady-sometime more depending on the time I weigh myself). I also fit into a size 4 jeans (I think the line runs big though), which I haven't done since I got married 5 years ago.

The end of the DVD has some yoga, which I have grown to love. I always work out in my bedroom, because when its just me there is enough room (Pave sometimes does the ab part of the workout) and the fan is *right* above me.

I'm truly a country girl at heart, but I have a mix of everything on my play list. One of my favorite songs to listen to yoga is "You can have whatever you like" because there is a funny joke. My husband (who is a tight wad- to say it nicely) re-wrote the song that includes lines like "you can pick whatever you want off the dollar menu" and "pick something up, if I can fit it in the budget". Tonight I listened to Lil' Wayne and Eminim's "Drop the World".

For the first time, in a long time, I looked in the mirror while doing yoga (and listening to hard rap music - which makes it kinda an oxymoron) and almost started crying. I saw a strong, beautiful, successful woman.

I guess my emotions fit with about 90% of the song, I can't relate to being black (hello- I'm about as white as they come) and jumping in the spaceship, because that's just crazy.

I got ice in my veins, blood in my eyes
Hate in my heart, love in my mind
I seen nights full of pain, days of the same
You keep the sunshine, save me the rain
I search but never find, hurt but never cry
I work and forever try, but I’m cursed, so never mind
And it’s worse, but better times seem further and beyond
The top gets higher the more that I climb
The spot gets smaller, and I get bigger
Tryna get into where I fit in, no room for a n*gga

But soon for a n*gga it be on, mu’f*cka
‘Cause all the bullshit, it made me strong, mu’f*cka
So I pick the world up and I’ma drop it on your f*ckin’ head
Bitch, I’ma pick the world up and I’ma drop it on your f*ckin’ head
And I could die now, Rebirth motherf*cker
Hop up in my spaceship and leave Earth, motherf*cker
I’m gone

Motherf*cker, I’m gone

I know what they don’t wanna tell you
Just hope you’re heaven-sent, and you’re hell-proof
I-I walk up in the world and cut the lights off
And confidence is the stain they can’t wipe off
Huh, my word is my pride
But wisdom is bleak, and that’s a word from the wise
Served to survive, murdered and bribed
And when it got too heavy I put my burdens aside
So I could pick the world up and I’ma drop it on your f*ckin’ head
Bitch, I’ma pick the world up and I’ma drop it on your f*ckin’ head
And I could die now, Rebirth motherf*cker
Hop up in my spaceship and leave Earth, motherf*cker
I’m gone

Motherf*cker, I’m gone (I’m gone)

Dishes

2010-03-02T21:03:00.006-06:00

With Pave gone to the NCO Academy (ANOC for you Army folks), I'm home alone. So I have ZERO motivation to cook, or I'll cook something that re-heats well (like pasta). Also, with just me eating (and usually yogurt or something easy in the morning) there isn't really enough dishes to justify running the dishwasher. So, this is what happens- I present, the 'leaning tower of dishes'

At least this is a picture of them after they are actually washed! Also, a girlfriend and I had some 'retail therapy' yesterday, and I got this awesome purse! Pave doesn't see the need to buy a purse, because I got a new one for Christmas 2008.... and I get all his sisters that she doesn't like. But I haven't picked one out for myself in quite some time. Until now- She actually bought the same purse the weekend before, and I loved it. She's a good friend, and 'made' me go buy it, because she knew I liked it. Imitation is the highest form of flattery right?!? It's a fun 'spring-ey' pink, which is nice, because it reminds me on 35 degree days like today, that spring is soon.

And, as an added bonus, it is deep enough (though it doesn't look like it) to hold my folders and spirals! So no more having to lug a back pack and purse across campus! YEA! It held all this, plus the normal 'purse stuff'.

Woof, Woof, Woof

2010-03-02T11:56:00.003-06:00

Everyone's a LOBO, woof, woof, WOOF!!!

Way to go guys...

You all are number 8 in the AP poll, and number 10 in the ESPN/USA today poll....

Wish I was there to howllll with you at The Pit!

Umm... if you can't tell, I'm a Lobo, through-and-through. Besides growing up going to games with my Dad, I'm a Lobo Alumni.... so I have a little piece of my heart reserved for 'The Howl" (which we all do at the games...) Oh, and the first line, that's our 'cheer', that you yell at the top of your lungs, and the 'woof' parts, you make your hand look like a lobo (which is a Mexican wolf for those of you that don't know...) Ya, we rock!

Un-nerving

2010-03-02T11:49:00.003-06:00

There is something unnerving about taking a shower and having a Great Dane stare at you. The whole time.

I mentioned it to my husband, and he laughed. I guess in the morning (he is always up before me and takes his showers first), she comes over and he fills up a cup with the warm shower water and puts it out for her to drink. We always have a cup in there that we fill up and 'splash off' any soap that has gotten on the side walls... weird I know, we just always have done it.

So anyways, sure enough, the next morning, she came up and just stood their, and I finally understood she was waiting for her daily routine that she started with Pave. I filled up the water, she drank it, I filled it up again, she drank it... this repeated for about 4 or 5 times, and then she walked away to go play. Its not like our dogs don't have open access to water all the time. There is always two huge bowls of water in the kitchen, and if they were really dying of thirst (not that I would encourage it) we have 2 toilets....

It must be something about the warm water that she likes. Who knows. Crazy Girl. I can tell they are missing Pave as much as I am, simple little things that he does for them that I don't (or never had any idea he did them). We are ready for him to come home! But until then, I will fill up the cup of water and set it out, because it keeps life as normal as possible.

Woah...

2010-03-01T11:36:00.003-06:00

So I've been bad at posting, though I have been reading!

My excuses are as follows (in no particular order):

* Date week with my husband (always, the week before we leave, we do a whole bunch of things to 'store up' since we won't be together. Shopping, dinner, movies, walks, home projects you get it!)

* Getting adjusted to being in the house alone.

* Midterms- tests and projects... need I say more...

* My computer got a horrible virus on it and I had to reload everything...

I'd been putting off posting something, because I knew how long of a post it would be to 'catch up' on everything I had missed.... but really, you all don't want to read a rundown of my life for the last few weeks, so as I remember pivotal things, I'll post them.

So, as I sign off- I'll share with you my quote of the day from last Friday:

"You know you are a grad student when you go searching through your purse for chapstick, and find 2 highlighters, sticky notes, paper clips, and a research journal... but no chapstick."

Daily Laugh

2010-02-18T15:06:00.001-06:00

Every time I read this it gives me a good laugh... hope it gives you a laugh too! I don't remember where I first saw it, so if you know who it 'belongs' to, please let me know so I can give credit!!!

Charley, a new retiree greeter at Wal-Mart, just couldn't seem to get to work on time. Every day he was 5, 10, sometimes 15 minutes late. But he was a good worker, really tidy, clean shaven, sharp minded and a real credit to the company and obviously demonstrating their "Older Person Friendly" policies.

One day the boss was in a real quandary about how to deal with it. Finally, he called him into the office for a talk.

"Charley, I have to tell you, I like your work ethic, you do a bang on job, but your being late so often is quite bothersome."

"Yes, I know boss, and I am working on it."

"Well good, you are a team player. That's what I like to hear. It's odd though, your coming in late. I know you're retired from the Armed Forces. What did they say if you came in late there?"

"They said, 'Good morning, General. Tea or coffee this morning, sir?'"

Decision

2010-02-17T21:42:00.002-06:00

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on our furniture dilemma. We decided what to do...

Not buy it! Ugh...

We realised that the furniture was about 8 inches bigger then our current pieces, which doesn't seem like a lot, but when you double that (one for each piece) it made a huge difference. We would have had to rearrange where our tv would go. Pave put a stop to that, because then there would be a glare on it (heaven forbid), so then we looked at what the option was to get a love seat, and set it up the same way we have now. Except the set we love has a dumb double reclining love seat with a console in between.... so you can only use it to sit, no laying on it.

We looked at other leather pieces, and the only other one we sorta likes was about 500.00 more. Which would have been fine, if we loved it, but it was just ok. So we just decided to fabreze the shit out of them (again), and wait till we find something we love....

But then we went shopping! It was a blast. We haven't "wildly spent" like that in about 5 years (right after we got married). When all is said and done, we did get some really great deals, and most of the things we needed (or really wanted). Pave's 2 pair of jeans that he wears most are from '03, and '05 (our last shopping spree). He REALLY needed some new ones. And he's a pain to shop for, more finicky then a woman!

We went to Express, I can honestly say I have NEVER bought anything in there before. Well, he was trying on jeans and found a pair he liked. They were having a buy one, get one half off sale, so I tried one on. The saleslady brought me a four and I laughed.... until I put them on and the FIT. HOLY HELL, I FIT IN A SIZE FOUR!!!! Granted, that was the only store that the size 4 fit me, but I'll take it!

He also found jeans at the Buckle, which were not cheep either. He has very muscular thighs, and hates his pants being tight. But because of his waist size, its really hard to find them. I finally told him that he can shop by himself, because it takes FOREVER for him to find a pair he likes. We have literally gone EVERYWHERE. Apparently, everywhere but Express and Buckle. They both have 'baggy' styles, which aren't really baggy, but have the space in the thighs. He's a happy boy, and I'm a happy girl, because now he has two pair he likes, and he looks damn good in them too!

Quote of the day: "I don't have expensive taste, my body does"

Furniture

2010-02-13T19:52:00.003-06:00

So... we are kinda going off baby budget.... and considering upgrading our furniture. The only reason is that we have the cash (tax refund) to pay for it right now... if we don't buy it, the money will go to pay extra on my husbands truck. That being said- here are our thoughts

We want leather, hello, with three dogs the hair is crazy, we could vacuum the furniture every day, and we would never get it all off. It would be so nice to be able to 'dust' it off if needed. Also, it won't hold the stinky dog smell. Granted, our dogs are technically not allowed on the furniture, but when you house over 300 lbs of dogs- the fabric does suck up some of that smell.

We want two couches. Really, is a love seat useful? I guess we are blessed that we have a living room that would accommodate 2 couches. One will have recliners, one will have a sofa sleeper (because EVENTUALLY there will be a baby in our 4th bedroom...). Do you know how hard it is to find a model of couch that you can order two ways.... its not easy. The sofa sleeper is also only $30.00 more then the recliner, so we figure the first time we use it, it will pay for itself.

We want them now. The furniture we have is the stuff I bought in college. Granted, it was nice (almost $3,000 for the 3 pieces) but it's almost 8 years old, and the cushions are a bit sad, and a psyco dog got ahold *through her cage* of the front chaise lounge, which is disguised by a pretty throw now. We have been talking about furniture for a while (almost two years), and I'm sure this will last us a bit longer, I'm just so over it.

Is it horrible to not use that money to pay down debt (his truck), because the quicker that it is payed down, the quicker we can start the adoption process....

Now that I've rambled about the internal struggle we have had today..... here is what we are thinking about.

(times two) They look the exact same.

Has anyone bought any type of Ashley Furniture. How is the overall quality?

Thanks blogging friends!

Sad Weekend

2010-02-10T10:13:00.003-06:00

A week or so ago, I hinted to a secret I had...

I was very excited about it...

I'm now heartbroken.

We were pregnant. Now we are not.

We knew going into this fertility cycle, that the next miscarriage (our fifth) would be the last, if it happened this month, or if we didn't get pregnant for several more cycles... we were only going to have one more. When it happened, we were done. I should have known better- my husband is a stud. He has knocked me up 3 of our last four cycles.... why I thought that this wouldn't happen sooner rather then later was dumb on my part.

We got pregnant. And it happened. We're done.

Moving on to adoption...

another award

2010-02-04T16:46:00.004-06:00

Ashley over at Raising Brats is the sole reason I have a big head! She keeps giving me awards, and they go straight to my head! :) I told Pave that I got another award, and he was like, cool, what do you win with this one...

Umm.... I get a cool picture to put on the right side of my blog.... he didn't quite see why I get so excited! Oh well... men!

Well, my most recent addition to the 'award list' is awesome!! Its called The Bogart, and "It means you're really going places, Baby. You'll still be blogging about your great adventures 10 years from now, and I'll still be reading them."

The rules are to
1. Link back to the blogger who sent you the award. Done.
2. Post where you would like to be in 10 years. Done.
3. Pass this on to 10 other special bloggers.

Where would I like to be in 10 years? WAVEING GOOD BY TO THE USAF!!! Haha... (can you tell we have 10 years left...). I don't know where we will be, but we will be embarking out into the big, non-military world. Hopefully (God willing) we will have at least 2 (and 3 if I can convince Pave!) little ones running around. I hope that my parents are retired by then, so that they can come visit us often, and I hope our marriage is 10 times better then what it is right now, which if the last five years is any hint, it should be!

Since the theme is 10, you pick 10 bloggers to pass on the award, here are my 10!

1. Jenicini at Trying to Get Knocked up by Another Man

2. The Mrs. at Trying our Best

3. (army)wife at A Yummy Mummy on a Pink Park Bench
4. Jessica at Jesstagirl and her Officer

5. Nuclear Wife at Life as a (futre) Navy Wife

6. Kate at Josh and Kate

7. Amy at The Undomestic Army Wife (goes to Germany!)

8. Erin at The Unexpected Army Life

9. Meg at Adapting to Change

10. Ashley at Raising Brats yes yes, I know she gave it to me... but I have so enjoyed getting to know her... she makes me smile when I'm down, and always has a kind thing to say! Maybe its because our lives are so similar... she's just living it in the Army, while I try to fumble around in the Air Force!

Snow Day

2010-01-29T21:17:00.002-06:00

I knew I was in trouble when I looked out my window at 3am (don't ask WHY I was up THAT early!) and noticed that the 12'' of predicted snowfall had yet to come down... like at all. The ground looked the same as it has the last week. Blah. I knew there was no way they were canceling school, and I was SOOO looking forward to it too. So a few hours later, I dragged my butt out of bed to get to my substituting assignment, which was at a middle school as one of the secretaries. Usually those days are pretty easy... HA!

Except on the day that those 12'' of predicted snow that was supposed to fall during the night starts falling at 6am. By 11 the roads were bad, and by 11:15, they had called school. 2 hour early out. Awesome. Except when you are a substitute. for a secretary. the secretary that fields all the phone calls from parents. Pave texted me about 8 min after they made the announcement, "Hey did you know they were canceling school"... honestly yes, the 50 phone calls from parents that I've received in the last 8 minuets lead me to believe the rumor is true! Thanks love for making sure I wasn't uninformed... (wait, that's a double negative... but I don't know how to fix it and have the sentence make sense... holy shit... and I think I'm ready to go back to teaching.... at least it will be science, not English... who cares about double negatives in science... unless its double negative atom particles....hmmm....)

So ya... today's snow day absolutely SUCKED!! I feel bad that Pave shoveled both our driveway and our neighbors, and 3 hours later, there is AT LEAST another 2 inches covering it.... and the snow shows no sign of stopping. Which I guess is good, because we have nowhere to go, and can just enjoy it. And laugh as we watch the dog's enjoy it. That's the best part of snow falls, watching the puppies have fun! Be on the lookout for more pictures.

I found this picture on failblog.org, and about died....

ok blogger isn't letting me post it... I'll try tomorrow! For now, just click on the blog link, and it will take you to it.

Award take two

2010-01-27T20:58:00.003-06:00

Thanks Ashley (@ Raising Brats) for this "Simply Fabulous" award!

You always find a way to make me smile!!

The rules for this award are to:

- Post this award on your blog.

- Blog about a woman (real life, celebrity or fictional) that you think is *fabulous* and explain why you think she rocks.

- Pass the award on to 5 other bloggers that you think are deserving.

A fabulous lady that I know... I know several ones, but they are all fabulous for different reasons. My mother in law would definitely be one. We didn't start out on smooth territory, at all. However, because of a sort of 'intervention' between my husband and his Dad, we now have an AMAZING relationship. I feel almost lost if I haven't talking to her in a while. She keeps me grounded, lets me vent about being a step-mom (she's Pave's step-mom), encourages me when I need it, and most of all, loves me! Another person who I think is fabulous, though I've never physically met her, is Kate at Waiting for Sunflower. She has been so kind as we travel down the road of infertility. I can't count the times that she has sent me an e-mail saying she was thinking about me, or wondering how an appointment went. She also was a voice of compassion and teaching as I found out about my MTHFR diagnosis (a clotting disorder believed to have caused my 6 miscarriages). She shares this diagnosis, and we are on similar treatment plans. She has a little one on the way, Mr. Sunflower (she nicknamed him Sunflower before she found out she was having a son, so I had to 'masculenize' (is that even a word...) it somehow!). I have so enjoyed getting to know her, and all her words of advice!!

And for my 5 fabulous bloggers, I pick:

1. Obviously, Kate at Waiting for Sunflower

2 Any one else that I read, becuasebecause lets be honest... if I didn't think you were fabolousfabulous, I wouldn't read you! :)

Award Take 1

2010-01-27T20:42:00.004-06:00

Two lovely ladies gave me awards a while ago (while I was on my blogging hiatus) so I haven't gotten around to posting them... until now!

The first one was Mrs. Muffins, thanks so much!

Rules for this one:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award

Thanks Mrs. Muffins!

2. Paste the award on your blog

done!

3. Link the person who nominated you for the award

ummm...everywhere her name is, she's linked, go check her out!

4. Tell 7 interesting things about yourself

One.:. I am adopted

Two.:. Little dogs scare me

Three.:. I hate going back to college (but love using MyCAA for it!)

Four.:. I met and married my husband quick! We got married seven MONTHS (to the day) after we met.

Five.:. I like my dogs more then I like most people

Six.:. I HATE hardwood floors (can you tell what I cleaned today!)

Seven.:. I have a secret... a really good one... and I'll let it out of the bag soon- so check back!

5. Nominate 7 bloggers or less

The Mrs. at Trying Our Best

Jenicini at Trying to Get Knocked up by Another Man

Kate at Josh & Kate

Ashley at Raising Brats

2010-01-26T11:47:00.005-06:00

If you remember, the dog's aren't supposed to get on furniture... because someday we will get new stuff, and I don't want them on the new stuff.

That being said, my husband is horrible about letting Baxter, the baby (though he's not really a baby anymore) up. When we first got him, he would say "But he's to cute to sleep on the floor'. Baxter had now figured out how to play Pave, and will sit there and look at him with his 'puppy dog eyes' and quietly whine. It doesn't work on me. But Pave is not so immune to him.

After class last night, I went to check my email and facebook, and then came out to this....

Really?!? I asked Pave why Baxter was up there (there is usually some humorous excuse), and he said "because of dog fighting" Hunh?!? I guess he had been watching a show that was about dog fighting on Animal Planet, and felt bad for Baxter. Granted, we think Baxter has Pit Bull in him, but we've had him for 2 years, got him as a puppy, was never fought (or even came from that environment), and the only scars he has are from his big sisters... KNUCKLEHEAD- both of them!

I think that the girls have the perfect expression to show their true thoughts "WTF! How come he gets everything... we were here first!" So, for the remainder of the television program, I sat on the floor with the girls, giving them lovin', while the 'boys' enjoyed the soft couch.

AUGH!!! Updated

2010-01-24T21:31:00.001-06:00

***UPDATE****

Check out this article! THEY WERE ROBBED!!!

I have to keep repeating this....

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

I will not let my happiness be determined by men running around a field in stretchy pants.

But honestly, the Vikings were 'overdue' for some of Brett's interceptions... they only had 7 all season, but no worries, he got 'caught up' tonight.

2010-01-24T20:22:00.003-06:00

Dear Brett,
I have been a Green Bay fan since I was little. This also meant that you were all I had ever known. I was sad when you went to play for the Jets, but I kinda, sorta, understood. However, when you signed with the Vikings this year, you were just being spiteful. I still followed your 'hissyfit' season. Since my Green Bay boys are out of the running, I of course am backing you as you play the Saints today, but not for the reasons you think.

I'm hoping that if you win the Super Bowl this year, you can retire- really retire- and then we can forget these last few years and be friends again.

Love,
A cute Cheesehead

PS- My husband would really love it if your 'hissyfit' season was over too. You see he spent UP THE NOSE for a Green Bay # 4 women's jersey. You know the one's that has sparkles and are pretty. I got it for the last Christmas you played with the Pack. He would like it if we were friends again, because as you retire from the Vikings, I will be able to UN-retire my jersey from the back of the closet and enjoy wearing it again!

Valentines Day Swap

2010-01-15T22:04:00.002-06:00

Ok, I've come out of hiding (which I will be back in as soon as I 'publish'), but only because it's a really good reason!!!!

It's time for another swap!

This time, love is in the air and its time for Valentine's Day!

Sign up will be open all week, until Saturday January 23.

The rules are pretty simple, there is a $10 limit and you should mail out your package by the second week of February so that they arrive round about Valentine's Day

I however am NOT the great inventor of this idea, this needs to be credited to The Mrs. over at Trying Our Best.

So.... go check her out HERE and sign up!!! You don't have to be a 'blogger' just leave your e-mail in the comments and she'll get you included!

2ww

2010-01-14T10:25:00.002-06:00

For those of you who are trying to conceive, or have ever dealt with infertility issues, you know exactly what this title is.... for those of you that don't, its short for the two week wait. The two weeks that are nerve racking, symptom checking, questioning, and full of hoping between the time that you ovulated (either naturally or with drugs (mine was with drugs...)) until you can take a pregnancy test to see if it 'worked'... unfortunately two of my last three cycles have had a great end to the two week wait... positives both in September and November... only to end in my fifth and sixth miscarriages.

So, I guess I have officially entered my two week wait of our last cycle. Maybe just until he comes back from SNCO Academy (April), or maybe forever, depending on how he feels.

Joy.

I think that I have already mentally checked out of this cycle.

Period.

I also have had a rough couple of nights, the anxiety is coming back. In two weeks, if I don't see two lines, I think I'll go to my doctor about getting on some sort of anxiety medicine.

The stress of my husbands job, combined with the stress of now living in the same town as my step-daughter and her mother, and having to deal with her behavior issues (yea for having to go to 'family counseling' all five of us.... shes fine at my house, just because she is a terror at her moms... how is that MY problem.) and academic issues (which I now tutor her two nights a week, which is fine, I actually enjoy that, but point blank, its one more thing that I have to prepare for every week).

My classes have also started so that I can transfer my teaching licence. Ugh. I found out yesterday that I HAVE to take a class, that I have ALREADY taken, and actually my requirements were well above the requirements this college has. The head of the Education department happens to teach two of my classes, so he is in my corner, but still.... to have to re-do all the stuff I've done is AWESOME!

As you can tell from this post, and the fact that it is dripping with sarcasm, that is the status of my life, so for this two week wait, I will be minus the blog... next time you hear from me you'll know if this cycle worked or not!

I'll probably not even log in to read your blogs, but will dedicate a whole day to catching up when I'm 'back'. Unfortunately, I'm taking an online course, and the other ones use 'BlackBoard' to submit assignments and such, so I'll still be near e-mail, so drop me a line! :) (actually, I think right now I would enjoy detoxing from ALL types of technology... just don't see it happening).

See you on the flip side of this 2ww!

Cowboys...

2010-01-09T21:07:00.004-06:00

As you all may remember Pave is a huge Cowboys fan... me- not so much.

Let's just say that during playoff games (especially playoff games that include the Cowboys) I'm forgotten about. (Which as a side note... they haven't won a play off game since '96, which uh... was like a century ago!)

So I took a bubble bath and read a book. Who needs him anyways!

But seriously, can you possibly have anymore Cowboys crap (hoodie, blanket, and just out of the picture signed football *Jason Witten*, brick from the new Cowboys stadium....)

I think not!

At least my Packers are in the picture a little... see the fringe, how it's green, that's from the Green Bay fleece that's on the other side of the blanket, which will be flipped to show off that side tomorrow!

One of my favorites...

3/6

2010-01-08T22:23:00.004-06:00

Ok... so I'm three bottles (almost four) into my six pack Pave brought home, and I'm watching "Material Girls" with Hillary and Haylie Duff....

Really!?!

Someone take the remote away from me and save me from my *almost* drunk self!

Pave is enjoying some sort of Seinfeld marathon... lucky boy!

Updated That Wife

2010-01-08T22:14:00.003-06:00

Several of you have either commented or sent me e-mails saying you would love more "People of the PX/BX"... only problem is, being on recruiting duty, we aren't NEAR a BX, but if you all will snap the photos I'll post them! Maybe I can even make a website.... heaven know's there are enough 'subjects' out there!

However, until the pic's start flowing in... a friend of mine (who actually figured me out... I tried to be so SNEEKY with my 'non descriptive' description... smart girl!) that I actually met at the annual I mentioned in my post sent me this picture! We 'stole' it off the professional photographers website, hence all the 'copyright' watermarks... but needless to say, you can see what I was talking about! She was good enough to 'edit' the offenders head out of it (thanks girl!). Tell me, is she not TOTALLY 'that wife'!?! I wish we had one of the back... and the panties... it would be priceless!

Commence the De-Decorating

2010-01-08T21:58:00.005-06:00

I promised Pave that on my second snow day in a row, I would get the house 'undecorated'.

Ugh, I should have waited until the weekend, when he could help me.

But, I can say, after several hours, and some encouragement from Pandora, I got it done.

BEFORE: All the boxes, ready to be stuffed with the Christmas decor...

AFTER: Everything packed nicely and waiting for Pave to take it up to the attic tomorrow (hopefully).

I had mentioned that I wouldn't mind him stopping by the store as a 'thank you' for all my hard work today....

and he DELIVERED!!!

I married a good man!

I'm three bottles in, (and watching a Hillary Duff movie "Material Girls"... someone save me) and hoping to finish the rest off tonight!

Cheers!

]

People of the BX/PX

2010-01-07T21:04:00.006-06:00

I don't know if any of you have found this gem, People of Walmart, but I go there for a daily laugh!

Anyone who has been a military wife for ANY length of time have seen them....

That wife.

That wife that makes you ask, "why".

That wife that you just shake your head.

That wife that needs to call housing maintaince, because they don't have mirror in their house.

Now, before I get hate mail, I'm not criticizing the mom who looks dishelved, and goes to the commisary in sweats to grab a few things. I HAVE BEEN THAT WIFE!

I'm talking about those that seem to not know that they look like trashy tramp whores. At my husbands last annual awards, there was a wife who wore a white sparkley dress. It had a cut out where her cleavage was, one over her belly button, and one in between. Think three flesh ovals down the front. And then there was the back.... no joke, completely open back that couldn't have stopped more then an inch or so above her crack. Oh, and she wore panties.... and you could see them.... did I say she had gloves that went up her whole arm. And there were sparkles?

Mmmm.... ya.

I wasn't brave enough to snap a picture, but I wish I would have!!!

Anyways back to topic- People of the BX/PX.

A while ago I went to go visit my in-laws who live at an Army Post that does both basic and some MOS schools (sorry, Army gals, is that what they are called... in the Air Force we call them Tech School). This girl was there visiting her boyfriend who was graduating.

I was at the PX with Pave's Mom, and she grabbed me and showed me her. Oh. My. Gosh. I couldn't take a picture on my phone of her front without her noticing, and this was taken from around a corner (hence her head being cut off) because I was to chicken shit to step into the aisle
If you look real close (again, this was taken with my Blackberry, zoomed in, from around the corner...) you can see her BLACK THONG through her dress. Also a note for anyone who is not used to wearing high heals-

-Don't wear heals for the first time on a graduation
-Don't wear 6 inch heals until you have mastered the 2'', 3'', and 4'' ones.
-Don't 'clop' around the PX, you'll annoy the hell out of the rest of us.
-Don't get mad when us short girls (who have worn heals for a majority of our life) laugh at you when you struggle to walk. We can vacuum a house, climb on a roof, walk 3 dogs, change a tire and FUCKING SPRINT in our 6 inch stilettos.... BRING IT!

(and yes, all of the above examples I HAVE DONE and more!)

Ok, over my rant!

Hope you all enjoyed your day, I know mine was interesting, but excited for another snow day tomorrow!

Blue Balls

2010-01-07T20:54:00.003-06:00

This post isn't nearly as exciting as the title might lead to....

That being said, I substituted for a PE teacher yesterday. Ok, fine, no big deal.

Ya. Right.

This was literally my instructions

12:30-1:00
**Meet students in health room***
Stretching
Loco-motor activities
Duck Duck Goose/ Simon Says

1:30-2:00
***Meet students in gym***
Stretching
Loco-motor activities
Freeze Tag

Really? That's all you can give me??? What kind of stretching, what kind of activities. Well, I figured I could just ask the students what they normaly did.

Except my first class was kindergartners. Oh. My. Gosh. Things I learned about Kindergartners today:

*They don't know how to tell you something, they have to show you.
*It doesn't matter if you have reminded them to raise their hand. 15 times. They still won't.
*They are very whiny.
*They can say 'teacher' 4 times in one sentance.
*Though we've had snow on the ground for over a week, they spent the first 5 minuets after they walked in the health room standing at the window screaming "snow, snow,snow!"
*I am not able to deal with 25 kindergartners for more then 1/2 an hour and still keep my sanity.

I'll take middle school kids ANYDAY!

The second class was 1st grade and they went in the gym and did the stretching, activities, and freeze tag.
The way they play freeze tag is by getting one of those rubber playground balls and that's what they tag the people with. The balls they have are all blue. Ever few minuets or so, I would have the two students that were 'freezing' people find a friend who hadn't been a 'freezer' and pass the ball on.

It went something like this:

"Ok first graders, if you are someone who is freezing now, please pass the blue ball's onto a friend who hasn't had a change to freeze"

There was one of the janitors that was in the corner, who wasn't very old, under 30 (unlike most janitors around here are grandpa aged), and he about died laughing. It took me a second to realize what I said. Since we switched ever few minuets, I tried adjusting it to "please pass the 'freezing' balls to a new friend", "please pass your balls to a new friend", "please pass what you're holding on to freeze people with to a new friend"....

Ya, none of them really worked.

And the janitor and I laughed.

So in my 4 hour assignment, I had 2 half hour classes.... and I made a bagillion copies for other teachers with the other three hours of my day...

Today I was supposed to teach Science at a High School. I bet I wouldn't have been lucky enough to have the 'blue ball' comment go over their heads!

We had a snow day today, and will have another one tomorrow. No more snow is on the horizon, but they are expecting -20* with wind childs.... ugh.