Proud Life of a Chiefs Wife

What a looooong day...

2011-12-06T08:15:00.000-10:00

I'll start by saying, if you don't want to read anything with a bit to much info, just skip reading this post.

Yesterday started off like any other... I got up, had breakfast, logged on to FB, checked my email... all normal things. I had to make a trip to the mall to return something and asked my friend, E, to meet me there just in case I went into labor. I don't want to be by myself in public if/when that happens. E & her daughter (which I love soooo much) met me there and after I did what I came to do, had lunch at the mall's food court. A pretty normal boring day for any average person, right?

I had a scheduled 38 week appointment at 2:30 PM at the hospital, which sadly Matt was unable to attend because he had to go to a meeting for one of the guys in his office. Sad, but understandable. I left our house, which is very close to the hospital at 1:45. Why so early? Well, parking is never easy. I say, "never", and the day I leave so early, I find a spot super quick. Before yesterday, I didn't have a "Stork pass" (which is for prego gals like me that are 34+ weeks pregnant) for one of the super close spots (I mean, right next to the handicap parking, close). Before yesterday, whenever we would go to the hospital, Matt would just drop me off, I'd walk into the hospital, take a number & do the waiting thing while he parked and then came in after me. Before yesterday, there was the option of valet, but its always full, and I mean, FULL... So I left the house early. Wouldn't you?

I get there, find my spot, park, grab my purse and I'm soon taking a number, filling out what meds I'm taking and sitting down in the waiting room along with 8-12 other pregnant gals and their spouses. I'm the only one without her spouse, which surprises me, again, seeing as this is an army hospital.
I look up at the TV, and what channel do they have on? The Food Network, no joke. How cruel could they be? Its always set to that channel every time I have an appointment. Thankfully I had just had a nice lunch with E and there weren't any gals with severe morning sickness having any issues.

My name was called about 25 minutes later (I was early after all), by Lucy, a nice nurse. My vitals were checked. I've gained 29.5 lbs (which I'm content with), my temp was good, but (and here's the but) my blood pressure was a little high. Lucy asked if its ever been high before, which it hasn't, EVER, and then she said she'd check in again before the doctor came to see me. I was told I could wait back in the waiting room, as they were over booked with appointments today and it wouldn't be long.

I waited for another 10-15 minutes and then heard Lucy call my name again, butchering it, by the way.

We made our way to the exam room, she put the cuff on me again and sure enough, my blood pressure had risen even more. I asked her what could cause this and she said "A number of things. Is this your first baby?" I answered, "yes" and then she said "It's pretty common for first time moms to have elevated blood pressure." This made me feel a little better but I was still nervous.

The doctor came in, a nice older looking man with a sweet smile and nice bedside manner, and asked me how I was feeling. I told him I was good, which I was, and then he asked me if I'd been having any symptoms of labor. Honestly, I had no idea, which I said, and then he asked about vision problems, shortness of breath, pain. I had seen spots while taking a shower but other then that, nothing major.

The doctor then looked at my chart and said, "so you were dilated at 3 cm two weeks ago, huh kiddo?" To which I responded with a yes. He then said "Ok, lets check you and baby out." He was very kind and explained everything he was going to do before doing it. "I'm going to push on your belly..." "This is going to be cold..." "A little bit of pressure here..."

He saw that Holden is still head down (thank goodness) and that his heart rate was good (151 bpm). Then came the cervix check. Oh-good-Lord does that hurt. This was only the second time I'd had it checked, and it still wasn't anymore comfortable. The poor doctor said more then once, "I promise, I'm not trying to hurt you." I told him, I understood, and then he gave me the results of the check. I was now 4 cm dilated, 80% effaced, and baby Holden was at -1 station. The doctor then told me this was good and I was in a good position to possibly have the baby. He was concerned about my blood pressure so he wanted to send me to Labor & Delivery to have run some tests.

I made my way to the front of the hospital, where I made a quick call to tell Matt the situation, then I was on my way up to the 6th floor. I checked in at the Triage desk, where they asked me to pee in a cup (oh fun) and then have a seat. Matt arrived shortly and then we sat and waited. After about 25 minutes we were in a room, I was hooked up to a machine to monitor babies heart and a cuff was put around my arm to check my blood pressure every 10 minutes. A nurse came in and took my blood (she called me a "good bleeder") and then we waited some more... We sat there for over two hours.

A doctor came in and apologized for the wait, apparently a lot of babies were being born, and explained what my situation was. My lab results came back normal, but he wanted to send me home with an "all day pee test". They were concerned that I might have pre-eclampsia. After peeing in a bucket all day today, I'll return to the hospital tomorrow, have more tests done, and then we'll see where we're at.

Matt and I made our way home (after Matt stopped at the mini NEX to pick up ice for our cooler... my pee is not going in our fridge, yuck) and boy, were we exhausted.

Now I sit, hoping my tests come back normal tomorrow. Until then... I'm making cookies and relaxing today.

Are you pregnant? If so, have you experienced a test like my "all day pee test"?

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2011-11-24T10:06:00.000-10:00

Today is Thanksgiving and I have so many wonderful things to be thankful for. One of which is still in my belly... Our little guy Holden.

This week was interesting to say the least. Monday, I had my 36 week appointment and after the appointment, I was taking a tour of Labor & Delivery among other places I'd need to know about in the hospital.

While in with the doctor (I will refer to her as Dr. O) she asked me the standard questions, "are you in any pain?" ... "have you been having any contractions?". The pain part I could answer. Yes... my ribs feel like their about to crack, I have awful heartburn (especially at night, when I'm doing my best to sleep) and when I do sleep I'm getting very little because of the rib pain, heartburn, and constant trips to the bathroom. Oh the joys of pregnancy.

The contraction question I couldn't really answer without some guidance. This is my first pregnancy so I have nothing to compare it to and wouldn't have the slightest idea what a contraction feels like. Dr. O then gave me a brief description of what to expect so I knew I had been experiencing some contractions, but they were minor. Dr O asked me when I had my last one and I told her walking from my Jeep into the hospital. She then told me after she did my exam (which included the yucky Group B Streptococcus test) she'd check my cervix. This made me happy and nervous at the same time.

Dr. O measured my belly (we're right on target for growth) and then put the lovely goop covered doppler to my swollen belly. She asked if he is active, and I said "Oh yes... all the time." to which she exclaimed, "I can see that. He's moving around so much I can't get a good read on his heartbeat." It took a good long while with the doppler to find it, but she did. Dr. O then felt for Holden's back to see if he was head down, and then did the not so lovely part of the exam.

Once the test was done it was time for the cervix check. Dr O quickly said, "oh yeah, you more then likely were having a contraction because you're dilated 3 cm already. I can feel his head." This sent me in two directions... excitement and panic. Excitement, because I could be having our little guy sooner then later, and panic because Matt just left. He not only left, he was now under water and unreachable. He wasn't just on a trip where I could call him and let him know what was going on. Dr. O then explained that I could be dilated at 3 cm for weeks and some women are locked up tight (then she knocked on her desk) and don't dilate without assistance. She then said that this was good and that it "means I won't be pregnant forever."

I left her office and was quickly back in the waiting room for a short wait before the tour started. This "short wait" was about 30 minutes, which in the grand scheme of things isn't awful, but when you're me and having a ton of things racing through your head, it seemed like days.

The tour started and soon we (myself and about 7-8 couples, I was sadly the only one without my spouse, which was surprising being at an Army hospital) were in one of the 10 labor and delivery rooms. A nice elderly lady was explaining the process of coming to the hospital... First call L&D Triage and let them know you're coming. They'll ask you some standard questions to make sure it is necessary that you come. Then proceed directly to L&D. I was pretty impressed. Each room is private. Babies don't leave your room at anytime, unless they have to go to the NICU. An alarm band is placed on the babies ankle to prevent anyone from stealing the baby, and should this happen, L&D locks down, the hospital locks down, and the base locks down. Pretty crazy safe, right? Feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

Questions were answered and then we were on our way to the Mommy & Baby unit on the other side of the hospital. In my head, I'm thinking, I should walk slow... I don't want to go into labor until Matt's home. Just cross your legs woman, cross your legs.

The Mommy & Baby unit was very similar to L&D. Same private rooms, more cushy for comfort, with the same alarm system. We were then taken to admin to get paperwork filled out, that way when we do come back, in full fledged labor, we don't have to fill it out then.

After I was done with admin I went to the pharmacy to pick up my prescription for heartburn meds (thank goodness). The wait, again, seemed like days. All the while I'm trying to call family and friends to let them know what's going on, but having no luck with a signal, but text messages are getting out. After about 45 minutes, I've got my meds and I'm walking, ever-so-slowly, back to the Jeep. Thankfully, during my visit to the hospital, I also got my Stork parking pass. :)

I make it home, after a very grueling day, and sit, as motionless as possible making phone calls to family and friends to let them know whats going on.

Since Monday, I've done much of the same, with some fun stuffed mixed in. My friend Amanda took some maternity pics for me on Tuesday (which I'll post once I get them in hand), I did some minor cooking/baking yesterday in preparation for today, and then late last night I picked Matt up from his office after his short underway. It was fun telling him about my week. I'm afraid a simple crossing of my legs isn't going to keep our little guy from making his appearance.

Today we're headed to Amanda & Larry's house for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm bringing Pumpkin Chiffon Pie (Matt's favorite), Blue Cranberry Sauce, rolls and homemade eggnog. It's going to be a great day. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

My love for Twilight

2011-11-19T13:38:00.000-10:00

Candace over at The Luckiest recently posted and then linked up to this great post at Star's Pink World. I am a big lover of Twilight as well so I had to do the same. There are 10 questions listed, and you're only required to answer a minimum of 5, but I had to answer all of them... I just had to.

{1} Are you going to see Breaking Dawn at the midnight release?

Yes. I did, I should say. And it was a blast. I went with a group of friends, two of which I met that night. Midnight showings are so much fun. This one was especially fun for me. Why? Well as you all know, I'm prego, and I got to wear my "Lil' Nudger" shirt. It was perfect.

My lil' nudger.

Three of the four ladies I went to the midnight showing with. (the fourth, Athena, is taking the picture) Kayla, Lauren, Jessica, and Me.

Athena, Kayla, Lauren, and Jessica waiting in line outside the theater...

Me and my lil' nudger.

{2} Scene you're most looking forward to in Breaking Dawn?

Are we talking part one or both? It's hard to choose just one... but I'd have to say the wedding for part one. But if we're talking the entire book (part one and two) then I'd say when Bella and Edward visit their little house in the woods for the first time.

{3} Team Edward or Jacob?

In the books, Edward, without question. But in the movies, I can't say I'm either because I adore Taylor Lautner. He's a perfect Jacob. But Robert Pattinson is great too.

{4} Favorite book in the saga?

Breaking Dawn. Its closer to an adult book and so much happens... I just hope Stephenie Meyer decides to pick up writing the series some more. There's so many ways she could... That would be amazing.

{5} Favorite character in the series and why?

Alice. She's fashionable, quirky, fun and above all, she does what no one thought possible and it saves them in the end. :) Besides the mystery of her past is intriguing too.

{6} Why do you love Twilight?

It's a great read and from the moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The series helped me get back into reading and writing again.

{7} Are the books or movies better?

The books, of course. Movies are limited where your imagination with a book isn't. If they could split every movie into multiple parts or have make each one 5-6 hours long, then maybe the movies would be better, but they can't.

{8} What do you dislike about the series?

That its over. I want to know what happens with Renesmee and Jacob. I want to see a real battle between the Cullens and the Volturi. I want more.... so much more.

{9} Your craziest fan moment.

I don't think its crazy, but those that aren't fans would. One of my best friends, Fay, and I took a road trip to Forks, WA and Oregon to see where Twilight was filmed. None of the scenes were filmed in Forks, but we still wanted to go. We saw so many of the places you see in the movie and it was a blast. Here are some pics from our trip.

Me and a map of Washington... what am I pointing at? La Push of course.

Here we are entering Forks.


The diner where Bella & Charlie eat. The bush in the picture is the one that Mike does his funny little dance with. :)

The Forks police stations... in real life its a bank.

Fay and me at the View Point Inn, one of the places where the prom scenes were filmed. We actually stayed here for a night. It was such a wonderful place. Sadly, there was a fire recently and the building has some major damage. Hopefully it can be fixed to its original glory.

The high school. Yup.... this is also the parking lot where Edward saved Bella from being crushed by the van.

Bella & Charlie's house.

{10} Do you have a Twilight collection?

I do. Kind of. I have all of the books, of course. I have the Collector's Edition of the books. The graphic novels for Twilight. While I was in Forks, WA, I got sand and drift wood from La Push. I have various t-shirts, a recreation of Bella's engagement ring and bracelet... I have some of the games. I honestly have a lot. But my house isn't covered in it. :)

10 Day You Challenge: {1 Picture}

2011-11-14T11:18:00.003-10:00

This picture was taken by Liz at my Baby Shower.

10 Day You Challenge: {2 Songs}

2011-11-13T08:44:00.000-10:00

{1} Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviasuk. This song was played at our wedding and every time I hear it, it brings me back to that wonderful day.

{2} A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. It's on the Breaking Dawn soundtrack. It's such a romantic song.

10 Day You Challenge: {3 Films}

2011-11-12T07:38:00.000-10:00

{1} Any of the Twilight Saga movies... come on, you can't be all that surprised. Tee hee hee.

{2} Titanic. It's the first movie I saw multiple times in the theater. I've always been fascinated with the grandeur of the ship, the way the rich and poor lived during that time, and how it all ended so horribly. I think I lived in the wrong century. Everything was so much simpler back then.

{3} Braveheart. It's such a guys movie with all the violence, but it has such a soft romance about it too. I love it.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-11-11T15:51:00.000-10:00

{1} Freedom is not free.

{2} Veterans are so very inspiring.

{3} This country is the land of the brave.

{4} Veteran's Day means oh-so-much to me. There are so many veterans and military members in my family, and they mean the world to me for protecting our freedoms.

{5} A hero is not those in comic books and movies, but those that fight at sea, on land, and in the air everyday for what our country is so proud of, our freedom.

10 Day You Challenge: {4 Books}

2011-11-11T11:12:00.002-10:00

Books... oh goodness. This one is going to be hard. I can only pick four? Well, some of them will be series, and they will count as one. That's not cheating, right?

{1} The Twilight Saga. Surprise. Surprise. Oh how I love these books soooo much. I honestly can't remember how many times I've read the series, and I could read them all again, and not get tired of them. The first part of the movie for the final book of the series, Breaking Dawn, comes out in a week, and I'll be going to the midnight showing, complete with my Lil' Nudge shirt. I'll be sure to post a picture. :)

{2} The Harry Potter series. This series is so wonderful and one day I will read the entire series to Holden. He'll love it as much as I do, I just know it.

{3} The Lord of the Rings series. Again, another great series. What can I say, I love a good series of books. Its hard for me to become attached to a single book. I want them to continue and continue and continue.

{4} The Catcher in the Rye. I've always loved this book, but one day while talking with Liz about names we'd love for our future kids, Holden was mentioned. And that was it. I especially love this book since it is where my son's name came from.

That was hard... Until tomorrow, what books do you love, and could you limit it to only four?

10 Day You Challenge: {5 Foods}

2011-11-10T11:50:00.001-10:00

Five foods.... Hmmm... This is going to be fun and also make this preggosaurus hungry.

{1} Hummus- I love. love. loooovvve Hummus. Especially really garlicy hummus.

{2} Chocolate- Doesn't need an explanation.

{3} Avocados- Plain, in Guacamole, on a sandwich, or in a salad, I love them any which way.

{4} Ice Cream- Another one that doesn't need explaining.

{5} Pasta- any kind of pasta is going to make me happy, especially Fettuccine Alfredo. Mmmmm.

That was fun... :)

10 Day You Challenge: {6 Places}

2011-11-09T11:05:00.002-10:00

Today's challenge... places.

{1} My Grandparent's house. Oh how I've loved the old farmhouse complete with old barn and rolling grassy lawn. In my head its the way it was when I was younger, but I know its changed significantly since then. There's an old tree, my siblings and I used to call the "horse-y tree" because it was shaped like a horse. We'd pretend we were riding it and loved it. :) If I can find the pic of us doing just that, I will post it. It's adorable.

Me, Janelle, and Danny.

{2} The Caribbean. Matt and I took a cruise to the Caribbean for our honeymoon and it was a total blast. It was the best 7 days we had spent together and I'll always hold a special place in my heart for St. Martin.

{3) Beijing. My best friend Liz, her husband, Paul, Matt and I, took a 4 day trip to Beijing, China in April of 2008, just before the 2008 Olympics. It was such an AMAZING trip. China is HUGE!!! We saw Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, The Great Wall (checked off of my bucket list), and oh-so-much more. It was incredible. Oh, and the food... All I have to say is Kung Pow Chicken in China is soooo soooooooo much better then it is in the states and their "cakes and sweets" are nothing of the sort. They're more like cardboard with some form of tasteless frosting on them. They look beautiful, but taste awful. Liz can attest to this. :)

{4} Forks, WA. This wonderful place is of course where my beloved book series The Twilight Saga takes place. I had the privilege of visiting with my best friend, Fay (yes, I have two of them), in August 2010. It was fun to see where the little town put each important location (ie, the Swan House, the Cullen House, the Police Station, Forks High School, etc.). We even went to La Push.

{5} Hahn Air Force Base, Germany. This is where I was born. The base has since closed and unfortunately the hospital I was born in burnt down. I would love to, one day, take a trip to see where my life began, where my parents lived (if its still there), and where my parents started their life together.

{6} Honolulu, HI. Where we currently live and where our little guy, Holden, will join this world in less then (hopefully) six weeks. It's amazing that he will be born in the same hospital as his Godmother, Liz, and possibly (I'm crossing my fingers) on the same day as both of my best friends, Liz and Fay. We'll see if the latter happens... as he's going to come when he wants to.

10 Day You Challenge: {7 Wants}

2011-11-08T10:40:00.001-10:00

Today's challenge is 7 Wants... this one should be pretty easy, but we'll see.

{1} I want my family to be happy. I know it sounds silly, but its something that I really want. While I can say my childhood was good, there were parts I wish didn't happen, as with anyone. There are things I wish I didn't have to experience and I want Holden to not have to go through what I did. I want him to be happy, very happy. I want my husband to be happy. I want to be happy.

{2} I want a nice sewing machine. One I can start learning how to quilt on. One I can sew my husbands patches on with. One that is strong and powerful. Like this one.

{3} I want a cupcake. LOL. Its not even 11 AM yet, but its the truth, I want a cupcake.

{4} I want to, someday, get together with my closest girlfriends and have a GIRLS ONLY trip.

{5} I want, and this is a stretch, the economy to get better sooner then later. I have so many friends that are in a very bad place because they can't sell their houses. They're away from their husbands and their husbands are away from their families and its heartbreaking.

{6} I want to know where and when we're PCSing next. This won't happen, but it'd still be nice to know. The unknown is hard to deal with sometimes. I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get stationed back in CT again... but my number two choice would be here in Hawaii. Now if only my wanting to go to a specific local would do anything.

{7} I want ice cream... ha ha ha. I am pregnant ya know. What can I say. I have a sweet tooth, that hasn't changed since before I was pregnant, its just heightened now and oh-man-oh-man, it's hard to tell myself no sometimes.

Well that's 7 wants... until tomorrow... what do you want?

10 Day You Challenge: {8 Fears}

2011-11-07T11:42:00.001-10:00

Fears... This challenge was especially hard and I was only able to come up with 6 of the 8. It was hard.

{1} Not being a good mother. While I've seen some great mothers, I've also seen not so great mothers and I hope I don't fall into the latter category.

{2} I hesitate to put this out there, because it is the one thing I fear above all things, and I'm so close to overcoming it... Not being able to have children. It may sound silly to some, but I fear not having children more then death. I've always wanted to be a mother, and I know, if something were to happen in the next 6 weeks, we could always try again, and if not successful, we could adopt or be foster parents, but to have at least one of my own means so much to me.

{3} Being useless. I have a very hard time asking for help, let alone not being able to do anything for myself.

{4} I don't have a fear of flying... but I have a hate/fear relationship with turbulence. Ever since a really bad flight back to Guam where the place literally fell, I have had the fear of not making it back to the ground in one piece. As long as its a smooth flight, I'm good.

{5} My family and friends not knowing how much I love them after I'm gone.

{6} The day I have to say goodbye to the love of my life.

Until tomorrow... what are your fears?

10 Day You Challenge: {9 Loves}

2011-11-06T11:12:00.001-10:00

I'm not going to include my obvious loves (my husband, family, friends...). I love them the above all, that goes without saying.

{1} Anything Twilight. But that's no surprise. There's only 12 days, 7 hours, and 32 minutes left until Breaking Dawn part 1 hits theaters and I'm soooooo excited. A bunch of girlfriends and I are doing dinner and then hitting the theater for the midnight showing. It's going to be great. Now if only a few of my girlfriends from the mainland could apparate to Hawaii to join me.

{2} I love how cuddly my dogs have been lately. I think they know something is going on... even though they have no clue what that something is.

{3} Lime with my water. I know, most like lemon, but ever since moving to Hawaii last spring, I can't get enough water and lime makes it just that much more yummy.

{4} Hot Chocolate. Even though I've lived in a tropical place for the last 5+ years, with no cool weather to think of, I still love a good cup of hot chocolate. While in Guam, on rainy days, I would turn the AC down to make it cooler in the house, put a sweatshirt on, and pretend that I was back home in a colder climate. Of course my pretending would come to a complete stop once I had to go outside and realized it was 85+.

{5} My iPhone. I don't know what I would do without it.

{6} My MacBook Pro. I spend a good amount of time on my computer and every bit of that time is without computer hiccups. Oh how I love that.

{7} Cityville on Facebook. Its silly, I know, but its so fun

{8} Thunderstorms. I wish we got more of them... but the ones we do get, I love soooo much.

{9} Eggnog. Oh eggnog, how much I love you.

Until tomorrow... what do you love?

10 Day You Challenge: {10 Secrets}

2011-11-05T11:22:00.001-10:00

My friend, Emily, over at The Sub Wife Life, recently started this little challenge, and I thought, why not do the same? I haven't been blogging as much as I'd like and this will force me to do it for 10 straight days... And I may even get two posts in on one of those 10 days. :) We'll see.

So today's challenge is 10 Secrets. This'll be a challenge because I'm close to an open book... but I'll do my best.

{1} I love folding laundry, especially towels. I don't know why. It's very calming to me. Now the putting away part, I could do without.

{2} I'm scared of not being a good mother. I've wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember. I just really hope I'm good at it.

{3} I love Captain Crunch with Crunchberries. It's awful for you, but I love it.

{4} I wish some parts of my life could be forgotten and other parts could be replayed over and over again. I wouldn't change anything, if I could, but forgetting or repeating would be great.

{5} While I have lived in "paradise" for the last 5+ years of my life, I'm ready to get back to 4 seasons, with snow and all. You may think I'm crazy, but I need the cold, the mild, and the warm weather. Having sun all the time gets boring. I'm no beach bunny. I have very fare skin and burn even when I have SPF 35 on.

{6} I love, love, love being part of the Submarine family. It's such a close knit group. We have our qualms, as everyone does, but its something I'm so happy to be a part of.

{7} While I can't wait to meet our baby boy, I'm trying to enjoy every bit of alone time I get. Once he arrives, alone time will be hard to come by and I've had so much of it, especially in the last 5+ years. The alone time I have now isn't always the best... especially being as pregnant as I am now, but I remind myself everyday to enjoy the silence, the stillness. Soon it'll be replaced with something that is in so many ways just as wonderful. I'm just enjoying what I have now for soon it'll change drastically.

{8} Its so strange seeing my belly move the way it does with our little guy in there. I wonder if he'll be as active after he arrives as he is now, if so, maybe he'll come out with a football in his hands. It's a non-stop, belly jostling, experience, especially recently.

{9} I write a lot. I know it may not seem like it since I don't blog as much, but I do. Most of what I write is private and for my own sanity. Writing is one of my favorite things.

{10} I love Smarties. Why is it that you can only find them during Halloween? I can't find them any other time of the year. They are my favorite Halloween candy and always have been. Hopefully Holden doesn't like them as much as I do.

The big cloth diaper question...

2011-10-25T15:15:00.000-10:00

I've had so many people asking me lately, "Why are you planning on using cloth diapers?". This is a very good question so I thought I'd answer on a grander scale via my blog.

There are several reasons why I'm going the cloth route over disposable and they aren't listed in any specific order.

They're better for baby.

There are a ton of chemicals in disposable diapers.

Dioxin (a toxin used during the bleaching process of the paper. It's been linked to cancer and has been banned in most countries but ours.), TBT (also known as Tributyl-tin, which has caused hormonal problems in humans and animals.), and sodium polyacrylate (an agent used for high absorbency. It increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome when used in the 80's for super-absorbency tampons because it improved the environment for growth of toxin-producing bacteria.). And these are just a few of them...

Diaper rash is also more common in babies diapered with disposable diapers.

Now if you're having a boy like me, or have a little guy already, this one really got me. Disposable diapers can cause your little guy's scrotal temperature to increase. The prolonged temperature change can negatively effect his sperm count, ultimately affecting his ability to have children. WOW... yup, cloth for my little guy.

Cloth is better for the environment

It's estimated that 18 billion disposable diapers make it to our landfills each year. That's about 100,000 tons of plastic and 800,000 tons of tree pulp. In order for the diapers to biodegrade (for organic disposables) or photodegrade (for non-organic diapers) they have to get ample air and sunlight. When I last thought of or saw a landfill, I don't remember there being a lot of air or sunlight under all the garbage. The piles and piles of trash continue to grow leaving little chance for the diapers to degrade.
Cost

It's said that for your first child, whether you use cloth or disposable to diaper your baby, you'll pay about the same. Now for your second, third, or however many you decide to have, you can use the same cloth diapers you did with your first and have nothing but savings. If you're using disposable, you're out all the money again.

I've received some cloth diapers already as gifts, after registering for them, and that's money I would have otherwise been spending. While I know people give disposable diapers as gifts, they are soon thrown away after being filled by a wee one and then Mom and Dad are having to buy more.

Now the more cloth diapers you have, the better, I think. Obviously you'll be washing them and the more you have the less often you'll have to, and the life of your diapers will benefit as well. There are diaper services as well, should you decide to not wash them yourself, however its another cost to you.

Now onto the cloth diaper options. There are 4 main types. I'll start with the one I plan to use.

Pocket Diapers

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Pocket diapers are very much like a disposable diaper. They don't require a cover because it's built in, they fasten with snaps or hook and loop (aka Velcro) and they have elastic around the legs and waist. Pocket diapers require a stuffer be placed in the pocket. Pocket diapers can come in One-Size or sized. I'm going the one-size route so its a one time purchase.

Advantages of Pocket Diapers:

-What you decide to "stuff" the pocket with is up to you. There are various types of stuffing material from disposable inserts to microfiber or hemp inserts.
-Ease of cleaning because they come in two parts. The insert can usually be dried in the dryer while the outer shell (the diaper itself) is recommended to be line dried.
-There are so many patterns and colors to choose from. :)

Disadvantages of Pocket Diapers:

- A separate insert is required.
- Can be bulky if to many inserts are used.

All-in-One

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All-in-One (aka AIOs or AI2s) are very similar to pocket diapers. They, too, don't require a cover, as its already built in, they usually fasten with snaps or hook and look (Velcro) and they have elastic around the legs and waist. The difference between an AIO and a pocket diaper is the pocket part. The AIO functions completely on its own without the need for an insert because it's built in. AIOs also come in one-size or sized.

Advantages of AIOs:

-Works like a disposable, except you don't throw it away.
-No need for a cover.
-No inserts.
-Easy to use.
-Available in a ton of colors and patterns.

Some disadvantages;

-Longer drying time.
-Harder to clean.

Prefolds

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Prefolds (aka flat cloth diapers) are what most people think of when it comes to cloth diapers. There's a good chance your parents or grandparents used ones like these. Things have changed very little with this type of diaper. They still require a cover and they still fasten with pins or a Snappi. Prefold diapers are the least expensive choice, but they also require more pieces (the diaper, cover, and closure). They are very absorbent, easy to clean, and quick to dry.

Advantages of Prefolds:

-Absorbent
-Economical
-Easy to clean
-Can be used in many ways other then diapering like burp cloths or cleaning rags.

Disadvantages of Prefolds:

-A cover is required.
-Takes time to fold.
-Not as convenient as an AIO or Pocket Diaper.
-Hard to use on a squirmy baby.
-Pins and/or Snappi can be hard to use.
-Runny messes are harder to contain.

Fitted Diaper

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Fitted Diapers are a bit of a mix between a prefold and AIO. Fitted diapers require a cover. Some snap like an AIO, with snaps or hook and loop (Velcro) and others require pins or a snappi. No insert is needed. They aren't flat like prefolds, they are shaped more like an AIO or Pocket Diaper with elastic at the legs and waist. This makes them fit much better then a prefold. Fitted diapers also come in one-size or sized.

Advantages of Fitted Diapers:

-Fitted and snug for a good fit on baby and under diaper covers.
-Easy to clean.
-Available in lots of colors and patterns.

Disadvantages of Fitted Diapers:

-A cover is required.
-Not as convenient as an AIO or Pocket Diaper.
-Can be hard to wash and may have smelly issues if there are too many layers.

Now that I've covered the major players in the Cloth Diaper world, there are a few other things to keep in mind when cloth diapering your little one. The following is not in-any-way required when using cloth diapers, but it may make your experience a little easier...

Liners

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After I decided to go the cloth diaper route, I also planned on using liners from day one. Liners are just that, a piece of thin material similar to a dryer sheet that goes inside the diaper. Now if your little one goes number 1, the pee simply goes through the liner and into the diaper. Now if number 2 is in the diaper, the mess is caught in the liner and all you do is take the liner out and flush it. No need for cleaning that yuckiness with your hands, dunking it in the toilet or who knows what. It's all gone with a matter of a flush.

There are several different liner options out there. The one I recently ordered is made of rice paper and comes in a package of 200 liners (100 per roll). It is an added cost but my time and ease of cleaning is worth it.

Laundry Detergent


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Each cloth diaper manufacturer has its own recommendation when it comes to detergent. I have read several different things and did a cost comparison for load price and have decided to go with Charlie's Soap. We'll still use our standard detergent on our clothes and baby detergent on our little guy's clothes. Charlie's Soap has gotten a ton of great reviews and I've read nothing but great things about anything smelly being knocked right out... which is important if you ask me.

Wet/Dry Bag

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When out and about shopping or visiting friends, what are you going to do with a dirty diaper? You don't want to just put it with all the clean ones in your diaper bag. That's when a wet/dry bag comes in handy. A wet/dry bag is a bag that zips closed and keeps the smell and mess in so it doesn't get everywhere. There are even ones that have two sides, one for clean diapers and another for the dirty ones. There are various sizes, colors, patterns and of course compartments (be it one or two). I registered for one that I'll use just for when I'm away from home (it's already in my diaper bag) and then a separate larger one to keep upstairs in his room so I can bring all the dirty ones down at the same time instead of having to juggle messy diapers. Can you imagine...? Yeah, me neither. That could be a complete nightmare. The one to the right is the one I received from my Mom as a gift. Thanks Mama.

Diaper Pail Liner

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When it comes to the laundry room, I plan on having a separate place to put dirty diapers in. This is when a diaper pail liner comes in. I'll be washing them separately anyway, so why mix them with all the other dirty laundry. Sure, I could take an extra garbage can and throw tons and tons of garbage bags out... but why, when I can use something that is reusable and also saves money. The Diaper Pail Liner works similar to the wet/dry bag, but on a larger scale. NOTE: When it comes time to put a diaper in the pail, you're first instinct is to put a lid on it... DON'T. I know, its against nature to think the smell won't radiate into the rest of your house. You may be able to smell the diapers, but it'll only get worse if you do close the lid. Just leave it open and let the diapers breathe. Believe me... my friend gave me this sound, or should I say smelly, advice and I plan on taking it.

I hope this post helps you with any questions or concerns you may have about your own diapering... and for those curious about why I've decided to go the route I did... I hope it answered your questions as well.

... hello, I've missed you...

2011-10-07T10:16:00.004-10:00

After a good long stew over the pros and cons of deactivating my Facebook account, I've done it. It's gone. Well I say gone in the sense that it's only deactivated, not deleted, so should I feel the need to go back to the addiction known as Facebook, I can, with a simple click.

It feels liberating to no longer be in the FB universe. Strangely liberating. I won't be wasting nearly as much time each day, won't have the negative people popping up on my computer screen, and I can dedicate more time to blogging... something I've wanted to do more and more. I still have Twitter, which I don't think I'll ever get rid of, and Google+, something new I'm not sure I will stick with.

If you are a follower of mine, thanks for sticking it out. I've been MIA several times for a good long while, and I apologize. I'm hoping to blog more now that FB is out of the picture since I won't be posting status updates everyday... I'll need to post updates more thoroughly here.

With that said, I bring you some updates...

One of my bestest friends (yes I know bestest isn't a word but I like it so I'm going to use it anyway) Liz flew in from D.C. almost two weeks ago to throw me a baby shower. The shower is tomorrow and I'm really excited. Today we're going to pick up cupcakes (Mmmmm cupcakes) and then go grocery shopping for other food with substance (I say cupcakes will do, but others might disagree). She'll be here for almost two more weeks after the shower too, so I get a good amount of time with her. YAY!!!

I'll be sure to post pictures from the shower... I promise.

Okay... for those of you on Twitter...

Not many more updates to post at the moment... Like I said before, I'll post pictures from the shower, and I actually have more pictures to post too, Holden's room for example, but since upgrading to Lion, Gimp isn't working and I have to wait for them to update.

So other then saying so long to Facebook... now I say hello, I've missed you, to blogging.

Me from A to Z

2011-09-29T15:59:00.000-10:00

Mary over at Viva la Vida shared this great little questionnaire, so I thought I'd do the same... it looked fun.

A. Age: 29

B. Bed size: King. We used to have a Cal King, but we're not tall people so we thought why not have the extra room width wise because we're not using the extra length. :)

C. Chore that you hate: Hmmmm... this is going to sound strange, but I can't really think of one at the moment. But I'm sure I will.

D. Dogs: I have two... their my kids, before I have Holden that is. Tess, a mini doxie, and Jack, a mutt. They are the best dogs... I love them so.

E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast, by far. If I don't, the belly gets very very upset.

F. Favorite color: I would say green, celery green, to be more specific.

G. Gold or Silver: Silver.

H. Height: 5' 4"

I. Instruments you play(ed): I used to play the violin when I was in the 4th grade... until my instructor hit me with my bow. Then I quit.

J. Job title: Stay at home wife and soon-to-be Mommy.

K. Kids: None right now, but Holden will be here in December. :)

L. Live: Currently, Hawaii.

M. Mother’s name: Kimberly.

N. Nicknames: Jess, Babe (by Matt only)

O. Overnight hospital stays: Only one, when I had jaw surgery in high school.

P. Pet peeves: Liars... I H-A-T-E liars.

Q. Quote from a movie: "What we do in life echoes in eternity." -Gladiator

R. Right or left handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Two younger siblings, one sister and one brother.

T. Time you wake up: Between 4:30-5:30 to let the pups out then I crawl back in bed for a little while.

U. Underwear: Yes, I wear them.

V. Vegetable you hate: Don't really care for beets.

W. What makes you run late: I try not to run late very often, but if I am it's more then likely because of Pinterest. That site is so addicting.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: teeth, chest, and ankle.

Y. Yummy food that you make: Macaroni and cheese... I'm actually making it right now.

Z. Zoo animal: Giraffes.... they're so adorable.

My sister's visit

2011-09-18T10:16:00.000-10:00

My sister left after a really great visit about two weeks ago. She had never been to Hawaii, was about to celebrate her birthday, had just graduated from RN school so it was a great time to visit.

Here are some pics from her visit.

Janelle and I walking along the beach in Waikiki before dinner.

Matt and Me.

Janelle, enjoying a Mai Tai and me, enjoying a virgin Pina Colada.

She's on happy birthday girl.


Waiting to visit the Arizona Memorial.

Ready to hike Makapu'u.

A new Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn trailer...

2011-09-14T14:28:00.000-10:00

... was released today and it is a great one. I can't wait for this movie to hit the big screen... in a mere 64 days 17 hours 31 minutes and 25 seconds. Not that I'm counting or anything. Tee hee hee.

Here's the preview.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Now back to my new cross stitching project, one of three Christmas stockings. I'll post pictures of my most recent project, the Noah's Submarine, once its framed and hung up in Holden's room.

Oh, how we loved our trip...

2011-08-25T12:32:00.003-10:00

Matt and I recently returned from a great visit to the mainland thanks to COTs (Continuous Overseas Tour) leave. We hadn't seen any of Matt's family or my mom in close to five years, which is far far to long.

Our first stop was to FL. We stayed with my father-in-law, his wife, Diana, and her son Nicky. Matt's Dad got married while we were stationed in Guam so we hadn't had the chance to meet Diana, Nicky, or her daughter Amanda. Amanda was in Orlando, so we were bummed that we weren't able to meet her too, but we'll meet her one day. It was very exciting to meet Diana & Nicky though.
We were also able to see Matt's Mom, his brother, Freddie, and Dave, my Mother-in-Law's boyfriend.

While the visit was short, it was sooo nice to see everyone, it had been too long.

Our next stop was GA to visit my Mom. She thru a baby shower for us, which was exciting. I was able to see some of my family from my Mom's side and my dear friend Jenn (she drove 4+ hours to come too). The family I saw, I hadn't seen in over eight years, yup, 8.

Here are some pictures from our first shower. :)

Our super cute cake...

Me and my Mom.


All of my wonderful guests.

Me and Jenn

Me and Matt

My Grandma and Me.

My Mom, Aunt Angel, and Me.

Opening gifts.

So cute.

The next stop in our big trip was MA. We stayed with Matt's Aunt Jeri and Uncle Chick. They are oh-so-dear to me. We were able to see Matt's cousin, Ami, her husband, Matt, and their sons, Sam & Max. The last time we saw them, they were living in Alaska. Since we moved to and from Guam, they have since moved to the same adorable little town as Aunt Jeri and Uncle Chick. This makes us so happy, because if we happen to get stationed in CT again (our number one pick for our next move), we'll be that much closer to more family.

After a couple days in MA we drove down to CT to see some of our closest friends, Bryan and Erin. Since we saw them last, their family has grown. They now have an adorable little girl, Addison. She's got to be the cutest little girl I've ever seen. We were also able to see Abby and Emma, B & E's dogs. Emma is our Tess' sister. I always wondered if the pups would remember us after years passing... and they did, very much so. It was amazing and made me smile.

After a couple days, we drove back up to MA to spend more time with family.

Our next and final stop was to our Nation's Capital, Washington, D.C.

One of my best friends, Liz, and her husband, Paul, moved there from Guam about a year and a half ago (maybe closer to two years ago). We spent a day walking around D.C. and then another day or so just soaking up the time together before flying back to HI. Before flying home, we were able to ask Liz and Paul to be Holden's God Parents. They said yes, which made us very happy, and once our little guy arrives at the end of this year, they'll officially be family.

Oh, how we loved our trip, but it's really good to be home.

... I haven't cried...

2011-07-05T11:54:00.000-10:00

At our recent doctor appointment, we saw a new doctor, Dr. P, and thankfully I really like him. I'm not sure if I like him as much as I did Dr. R, but he's still great.

Dr. P measured my bump and then put the cold goo on my belly. Soon he was looking baby's heart beat and couldn't find it due to machine malfunction. He got another doppler machine from the room next door and then within seconds we could hear the beautiful sound. Beating at 153 bpm (beats per minute), our little one has a strong heart. The goo was wiped off and then we went to Dr. P's office to discuss my lab results and my due date. All my labs came back normal and then Dr. P said something that made me laugh... "I have a problem with your due date." Then he went on to explain how they calculate a due date. He then said, "I'm a bit of a perfectionist.", which is the part that made me laugh, to which my response was, "then we have the right doctor."

I asked Dr. P if we could have our 20 ultrasound and appointment early since we're taking leave to visit family back home. He looked at our dates we'll be on vacation and said that would be fine and even gave me a little slip stating so. We said our goodbyes and see you next times and then made our way out of the hospital to call to schedule our ultrasound and 20 week appointment.

Unfortunately my little permission slip that Dr. P gave me wasn't sufficient enough to schedule the ultrasound early. Bummer... So we have to wait until we get back from our vacation to do that... BUT... and this is a big but, we're going this Thursday to find out what baby is. Yup, this Thursday we're going to a 3D ultrasound place where they do special gender scans. We do have to pay out of pocket but it's minimal and we wanted to find out what our little one is prior to our trip home so we can tell everyone we visit face to face. YAY!!! I can't wait.

While I haven't cried at any of my appointments yet, I have a strong feeling I will then.

... here's Baby H.

2011-06-03T17:13:00.000-10:00

I haven't posted in a long while, and I apologize. I'm going to try my hardest to post more often... Especially with our little one growing everyday.

Speaking of our little one... we got to see him/her today.

I hate calling our little peanut "it". . . I really do. I've starting calling him/her Baby H. Why? Well we're naming Baby H after Matt's Great-Aunt Hattie. If Baby H is a boy, he'll be Holden, and if Baby H is a girl, she'll be Hannah. :) We've had these names decided for a while now, long before finding out our little one existed.

We had our first official appointment today. While I've been told Tripler is a pain, I hadn't been there but once and the largest "pain" mentioned was parking. We came up the hill and saw a bunch of cars had hopped the curb to park where they could, one guy even getting stuck doing so. Matt dropped me off at the double door entry and went to find a spot. I wrote a quick tweet and then saw Matt coming into the building already. He had found a spot, and a real close one too.

We followed the OB signs and soon were taking a number. We only waited maybe 5-7 minutes and we were being called already. We walked back with the nurse, my vitals were taken, and then it was time to wait again. Thankfully it wasn't for long. Dr. R came in and I immediately liked him. He asked all the common questions; "Are you a smoke?", "Are you a drinker?", "Are you in any pain?". Then asked a very general one, "How are you feeling?" I answered very honestly. "I'm nervous." His response, "About being pregnant?" "Oh, no." I said, "I just want to make sure I'm still pregnant." He then said, with a smile, "We'll confirm that."

He then did what Docs do, checked my breathing and heart and then asked me to lay back. Soon he was squeezing a cold goo onto my belly and moving a Doppler device across my lower belly. He explained that if he's unable to find the heartbeat, he'll then do an ultrasound and if he's still having trouble, he'll do an ultrasound vaginally.

As he moved the doppler against my belly and moved it lower and pushed a little, I felt time was standing still. I just looked at the ceiling and told myself, "please still be there... please find the heartbeat." As time passed, Dr. R was unable to find our little one. He cleaned the goo off my belly and told me I could sit back up. He was going to step outside and have one of the nurses bring the ultrasound machine in.

Soon he was back and setting up the machine. He explained that unfortunately he'd have to face the screen away from me until he found it... then he'd show me. This also meant everyone in the room but me was going to see first. Dr. R put more goo on my belly and then worked his magic. Soon he was saying, "there is a baby in there." Unfortunately the sound wasn't working on the machine. Along with myself, Matt, and Dr. R was a student and a nurse. The student was really sweet and very professional. He soon said, "You see his head" and pointed at the screen. Matt was able to see and said "He's moving around like crazy." Matt then said, "That's what she wants, a he." I couldn't help but laugh. The student doctor said, "oh no... that's not a definitive he/she statement." We knew what he meant. It's far to early to know what our little one will be. Soon I saw our little one and had a picture in my hand.

Not long after the happy part of my appointment was over, my exam continued and then we were on our way. Our next appointment will be the 16 week one and a mere four weeks later we'll be able to find out what we're having.

Until then, here's Baby H.

Wee Bit Wednesday

2011-05-18T13:27:00.000-10:00

{one} do you watch the history channel? if so, what’s your favorite program?Sometimes... If I do, it's a show about WWII. I don't know why, but it fascinates me.
{two} what is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?Curl up with a good book or movie...
{three} what does your dream house look like?I'd love an old house with a ton of character. Obviously so many of these need work, which can be a bad thing, but it can also mean you can make it your own.
{four} what state were you born in?Not a state at all. I was born in Germany. My dad was in the Air Force at the time.
{five} do you have a change jar? if so, what do you use it for when it gets full?Not at the moment, because we just moved. Once we get into our house and our HHG (house hold goods) arrive I'll have one again. I usually put it into savings when it's full.
{six} what’s the first website you look at when you get on the computer?Usually my email or my blog roll to see what everyone's up to.
{seven} what is your favorite breakfast?There's too many options to choose from... do I have to choose just one? I love cereal. It's simple and fast. I also love bacon & eggs with really crispy hash-browns. That's usually what I order if we go out for breakfast. OR a Belgian waffle with strawberries & whip cream.
{eight} what’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?My trip across country with my best friend, Jackie, and her family after graduation. We went from WA to Washington, D.C. and enjoyed every stop in between, camping each night. It was awesome.
{nine} do you prefer your coffee black or with cream/milk/sugar?With cream and sugar, please.
{ten} have you ever done a professional photo shoot?Matt and I just had our pictures taken professionally before leaving Guam. It was a ton of fun.

Here's one of my favorites. Our photographer, Roxie, captured the wave crashing right behind us. Love it!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-04-29T07:06:00.001-10:00

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

Nope. Never have done a geo-bachelor tour and never plan to. It's hard enough being without him when he's out to sea, let alone years when we have a choice to be together. There's always a chance he could be picked for an IA (Individual Augmentee) job in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Germany, and if that were to happen we wouldn't have a choice.

{What is your favorite thing about being a MilSpouse? submitted by Sarah Ruth Today}

The fact that my husband and I don't take each other for granted, not even a little bit. I think it a lot of marriages, in the civilian world, end up in trouble because one or both partners do. They don't have the chance to miss each other. They see each other everyday and then lose that honeymoon stage. Matt and I have had so many "honeymoon" like times in our lives... he's gone so much we don't let a single moment pass without letting each other know we love the other.

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

Nope. Not even one bit. I love our life exactly as it is. It's tough at times, but that makes us who we are. While I miss family and friends that we're not close to, distance wise, we're still close with them, relationship wise. I love the military and wouldn't change our lives for anything.

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

Thankfully, we've never had to experience that long of a separation. While he's gone quite often, and a good amount of it without communication, we're lucky it's not more then 6-9 months at a time. The submarine world is different that way.

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

We already have names chosen for our non-existent children. What we've chosen for names are based on family tradition using the same initial as the most recent family member that has passed away.

... if you're PCSing to/from Hawaii!!!

2011-04-24T21:28:00.002-10:00

Matt and I are finally in Hawaii... well I say finally, but we've been here since Tuesday evening.

We landed at 5:55 PM after 7+ hours of flight time and 3800+ miles traveled. We weren't able to pick up Jack and Tess (our pups) until the next day, which made me sad, because the customs office was already closed.

We were greeted at the airport by Matt's sponsor, our friends Marlo & Brandon with their daughters, and another friend, Phil. Each of them had beautiful leis for us and placed them around our necks. They smelled soooo good.

We soon were off to check into our hotel. I made reservations at the lodge on the Air Force base but forgot we were a day ahead in Guam so our reservations wouldn't start until Wednesday. So we had to make a one night reservation at a different hotel.


My boy and his new toy.

The next day we checked into the Air Force Lodge, picked up our dogs, and Matt's new Jeep Rubicon, aka his Rubi. Needless to say, he's in l-o-v-e. Since buying the Rubi, when talking about the "Jeep", we have to specify which one we're talking about, since he has his Rubi and I have my Jeep Commander.

The lodge has several different sizes of rooms and when we knew we were moving to Hawaii, Marlo highly recommended the Royal Alakai. While it's still part of the lodge system, it's significantly different from what we've stayed in before, which was like any other hotel room, a bed and bathroom. How different? Well here ya go...

This is what our building looks like from the street. It consists of 4 townhouses, yup, townhouses.

This is the pretty tree lined street we're on.

This is us... there's actually four entrances into the townhouse, which is kind of strange. There's these two (one on the far left and one on the right next to the windows) and there are two in the back. We don't use either of these entrances. We use one of the two in the back, since it's closest to the parking area.

When you walk in the door above (the one on the right) this is what you see. It's so quaint. The door in the picture goes to the back yard, which is small but fenced which makes it perfect for the pups. That's the door we use.

Here's a view from the other side of the room. The kennel was in one of the closets. The lodge requires pets be in the kennel when you're not there, which is understandable. Both of our dogs fit in this one which is perfect.

You take two steps up onto a landing and then two steps down and you're in the dining room.

The table seats 6, which is more then enough for us. The door on the right is the closet I mentioned before that held the kennel. If you go to the end of the room, on the left is the other front door into the townhouse. If you walk to the right, you'll enter the kitchen.

The kitchen is fully equipped. It has a microwave, oven, dishwasher, fridge, washer/dryer, silverware, plates, bowls, pots, pans, cooking utensils, kitchen towels, even dish washing soap. All you need is food.

The door on the right is the fourth entrance into the townhouse.

This is an alternate view of the kitchen. The door that the shopping bags are hanging off of is huge. It has an iron and ironing board.

Now lets head upstairs.

When coming up the stairs and to your right there's a bedroom and bathroom. You can see Jack and Tess have been up here too, because their toys are everywhere.

This room has two twin sized beds and three, yes, three closets. The door on the left is one of the three.

This is it.

To the right of the beds is this one.

And here's the third, complete with a cot, should you need it.

Here's the bathroom at the end of the hall. There's a large linen closet behind the door.

At the other end of the hall, at the top of the stairs, is the master bedroom. It has a queen sized bed and a bathroom. It's huge.

Here's another view of the bedroom.

Here's the bathroom.

And another view of it. :)

And the closet.

Isn't it great?! Are you PCSing to/from Hawaii anytime soon? If so, you've got to make reservations at this place. It's only $65 a night or $75 a night if you have pets, which is well below TLA. There are only 8 of them available and they fill up fast. You can reserve them for up to 30 days, which we did because the housing wait list is horrendously long. If you don't know how long you'll be staying, reserve it for the whole 30 days. If you don't end up needing it for the whole time, they'll just charge you for the days you've used it. Be sure to make your reservations as soon as you know you're moving as they get booked quick and don't forget to mention you want the townhouses. Here's the number for the reservations desk, (808) 448-5400. I hope you enjoy your stay, like we are, if you're PCSing to/from Hawaii!

Day Two with the news...

2011-04-18T13:28:00.002-10:00

Today is day number two knowing I'm expecting! smiling ear to ear...

I thought about several things I didn't blog about yesterday... pertaining to our becoming parents.

I've mentioned the housing wait-list in Hawaii and how ridiculously long it is (you can see more about this in my post here). Liz had mentioned yesterday after I told her my wonderful news, that my pregnancy may help us move closer to the top of the wait-list. Oh my, I hope she's right.

I don't know how far along I am. Matt was quick to look at pregnancy apps for my iPhone. It makes me laugh... he's so sweet and such a guy. I plugged the date of my LMP (Last Menstrual Period) in to the one I decided to get, Baby Bump, and it gave me an estimated due date of December 18, 2011. squealing with happiness. While I'm anxious to share all this info with family, and the rest of the world, I'm scared. I just want to make sure all is well before doing so... and I hope everyone understands.

Today we're barbecuing with some of our closest friends in Guam. We plan on telling them because it'll be so much more fun in person and we leave Wednesday. It'll be a good-bye BBQ but also a very happy one because of our news. :)

I can't wait to share our news, but I will!!!

2011-04-17T18:30:00.002-10:00

Today has to be the second best day of my life, the first being the day I married Matt. Why?

I'M PREGNANT!!!

After trying for almost a year, I finally got a positive result on not one, but two tests.

The last couple days have been pretty stressful. From our final housing inspection to having to part with my pups, it hasn't been a very fun few days.

Last night Matt and I met a couple friends at one of our favorite restaurants in Guam, Mermaid Tavern. Matt ordered his usual 20 oz. Irish Red and I ordered a Mojito (one of my favorite things in this world) and a water. When my Mojito came, it was suuppper strong. I had only planned on having this one drink because I wanted Matt to be able to enjoy his favorite Mermaid Tavern brew. I wasn't even able to drink half of it. I told Matt, "I'm not going to be able to finish this, it's too strong." He laughed at me and said, "take your time, we'll be here for a while." I sipped it, and just couldn't do it. I think my body was trying to tell me something. I drank my water, like a good girl, and couldn't get enough of it. The last few days, I've been drinking so much water it's insane. My mouth is always so dry.

I had been wearing a super pad, sorry for the TMI, for the last week waiting for good ol' Aunt Flow to arrive. She didn't... and then didn't again... and then didn't again. I'd had this happen the last few months so I told myself, "don't get excited yet." My breasts have been sore, but this wasn't new either. It happens every time Aunt Flow is getting nearer to visiting.

For the last month or so Matt and I have been sleeping on our Aero Bed. We didn't want to sleep on a loaner bed, for one - we've heard they aren't that comfy and second - it's gross thinking about all the people sleeping on it. Well our Aero Bed isn't any more comfortable, I imagine. I didn't sleep well at all. I just chalked it up to the mattress. A couple days ago we checked into the Westin. The Westin has what they call a Heavenly Bed. It's amazing. Matt and I have even decided we plan on buying one when we get settled in Hawaii. While I've slept on the Heavenly Bed before, it wasn't as heavenly to me. I still couldn't sleep. I guess this was another way my body was trying to tell me something.

countdown to baby: a day-by-day journal for moms-to-be

When I woke up this morning, I thought I'd take a trip to the Air Force base to see if they have The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide yet. After checking the NEX, and two books stores on island, I still wasn't having any luck finding the book. Damn it... guess I won't have it for the plane after all. While at AAFES, I walked around, tried on a few pairs of shorts & capris, looked at shoes and then headed for the book section. I didn't have any luck finding my book, again. In the little journal section I saw this adorable little book. I'm a sucker for journals and thought I wouldn't need it for a while, but it was too cute to not get. I picked up another quilting magazine for the plane, a cookbook, and then headed for the cash register to pay.

Before leaving base, I decided to fill up our friend's car with gas. They're off island and letting us borrow it, since our Jeeps are already in Hawaii. I thought to myself, "I wonder if I should pick up a pregnancy test... you never know." Just after getting into the car, I heard my cell phone stop ringing. I looked at it and saw Matt had just called. I called him back... he was eating lunch after his last round of golf in Guam, and then would be on his way back to the hotel. He asked me what I was up to. I told him I had just finished pumping gas and I was going to head into the gas station and get a test. He laughed and then said he'd see me soon.

I'm not a big church goer, but all the way back to the Westin I was asking God, please please please, let me be pregnant.

I had to pee pretty badly the whole way too, but I told myself to hold it... I knew I'd want to take the test as soon as I got into our room. Once in the room I ripped open the package and started reading the directions. After taking several tests, which all resulted in negatives, the last few months I knew how to take a test but each brand is different. You can either pee on the stick or pee in a cup and then hold the stick in it. I opted to pee in the cup. But what cup? I looked all over the hotel room looking for something disposable to pee in but came up with nothing since it had just been cleaned. There were two glasses in the bathroom though. Should I??? Hell... then I did. I peed in the glass then opened my iPhone's stopwatch and held the stick in it for 20 second. After that I put the little cap onto the stick and then reset the stopwatch and started it again. I watched the stopwatch until it hit 2 minutes and then looked at the test. It was positive. While reading the instructions it stated that it didn't matter how dark the line was making it a + sign. If it at all has the horizontal line, you are pregnant.

My BFP, Big Fat Positive.

I immediately started bawling my eyes out, saying "Thank you God. Thank you God". I couldn't believe it. Even now, as I'm writing this I can't believe it. I immediately had to tell someone. Matt wasn't home yet and every person I called wasn't answering. I called my sister, my three best friends Liz, Fay, and Emily. Emily was on Skype but was talking with her husband. She said she'd be able to talk in a little bit.

I was eventually able to talk to Liz, Emily & my sister, all before Matt even came home. They were all soooo excited and happy for me. Matt and I had finally done it. I was Skyping with Liz and talking to my sister on the phone, yes at the same time, when Matt got back clubs in tow. I waited for him to bring his clubs in and then hung up the phone with my sister. He asked, "Who were you on the phone with?" "Janelle, she's crying." I said. "Why?" He asked. Then I said, with a huge smile on my face... "Because, (in a whisper) I'm pregnant."

He immediately pulled me into his arms and said, "Hoyahh". LOL.......

Liz was still on Skype and squealed... I wanted to immediately run and get another test to confirm it. Yes, I know, I had a positive test, but I felt I needed another one to make it real.

Matt jumped in the shower and once he was out, and ready to go, we were on our way to Kmart to get another test. I got the Clear Blue Ease digital test. I took the test the same way I did the first one... with the same glass. It reads in the directions that "results may be shown in as little as 1 minute." Ha ha ha.... My positive showed up in 36.5 seconds. I think I'm definitely pregnant. (smiling big)

I've decided to not tell anyone else, other then those I've already told, just in case. I'm not even going to say anything more, as I don't want to jinx myself.

Matt and I planned on taking our COTs (Continuous Overseas Tours) leave this fall. I think we'll be taking it sooner then that so we can share our news with family in person. :) I can't wait to share our news, but I will!!!

God Bless America and our Freedom of Speech.

2011-04-16T04:06:00.006-10:00

This post is hard for me to write... I'm very passionate about it and yet I also have to hold my tongue, or typing fingers rather. That very act of having to watch what I write, has been on my mind a lot lately.

Politics is a very interesting and frustrating subject. While politics affect every American in some way, they affect military, and their family a great deal. Our pay, our housing, how often my husband is home... I could continue to list ways politics affect us, but that's not my point of this post, so I'll get to it.

Freedom of Speech. Simple enough right? Not really.

While freedom of speech is part of the First Amendment to the US Constitution, it is an extremely important part to me.

My wonderful father-in-law recently sent me an email after my post about the possible Government Shutdown. He wrote, "I know you’re venting, and you certainly have every right, BUT .. remember that he is still active, still very much involved in a career, that still very much depends on the winds of politics. As such, anything you say or do (both of you) in public, may very well reflect upon and impact that career."

His concerns are valid and it's unfortunate that the right to freedom of speech, which my husband defends everyday, is restricted. After all the grief Master Sgt. C.J. Grisham has gone through I'd hate to be in the same situation. While I'm not the one in the military, what I write could influence his career. I'd hate to be a contributor to anything negative in his promising Navy future.

While my husband is a member of our wonderful military, he is also a citizen of this great country and a proud American. I love what former Navy Secretary James Webb wrote. “A citizen does not give up his First Amendment right to free speech when he puts on a military uniform, with small exceptions.”

In the same post about my concern with the shutdown, I wrote, "...I pray that each and every American that votes come 2012 remembers all of this shutdown mess, and remembers that parts of our government were gladly using our great nation's military as bargaining chips.". I wasn't bashing the administration. I think some may have assumed I only meant the presidential election... while the presidential election was certainly included, I also meant the Senate elections, House of Representatives elections, gubernatorial elections, and state legislature races.

Come November 6th, 2012, we'll not only elect a new president & vice president, but also 33 senate seats will be contested, elections will be held for all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, seats will have to be filled for those retiring and then there are all the elections in US territories too.

I can't say I'm a democrat. I can't say I'm a republican. I don't even call myself an independent. I'm a proud American and proud military wife... Politics aside, I'll continue to write, because its one of my favorite things. I'm not sure I'll write much about politics and if I do, I'll be sure to mince my words very well.

God Bless America and our Freedom of Speech.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-04-14T23:01:00.001-10:00

{ With PCS moves happening every few years, do you take the time to paint and decorate your home? submitted by Life as Mrs. JPT }
Paint, yes. I just got done priming the walls in the house I just left, literally today. I'm not sure if I'll do the same when we move into our next house, whenever that may be. I'm not sure how long we'll be in the house and to have to turn right back around and paint again after a year won't be worth the effort. If we stay in HI for a while, I will paint.
Decorating, I always do. I don't go overboard, but I do make it more of a home then a house. It's important to me to make our home cozy.

{If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? submitted by Standing By Him}
I'd love to live in the house that Elena lives in on Vampire Diaries. It's old, big, and has so much character. :)

{What inspired you to start your blog? submitted by Pink Combat Boots}
That's a great question. I've always loved writing and thought, hmmmm... this could be a great way to get some things off my chest, speak my mind, and also continue my love for writing. :)

{What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen on base? submitted by Adventures in Life}
Can't really say I've seen much that's weird... I've seen a few funny things that others might think are weird, and I initially thought was weird, but got used to. In Guam, during July & August, you'll see black birds that dive bomb runners & walkers. No kidding. It's hilarious to see but sucks when it happens to you. And the strangest part is, if you look at the bird while it's about to dive bomb you, it stops and flies in a different direction. Apparently these months are when they mate and they're protecting their nests.

{Which historical figure (politician, writer, artist, scientist, actor, etc…) would you like to have dinner with? submitted by Army of Two}
Shakespeare. He's inspired so many and written such amazing things... it would be great to see what inspired him.

I hope our pay isn't completed wrong come the 15th.

2011-04-11T14:21:00.000-10:00

While all the talk of a government shutdown has slowed significantly and panic is no longer a factor for millions, there's still something wrong with this picture.

His base pay, alone, should be at least $2,165.55. Now take deductions away, and only pay us for eight days, and we're left with $899.09? I don't think so. What about Sea pay, Sub pay, COLA, Special Duty pay... I could go on and on and on. But I won't...

Before coming across this lovely mid-month LES (above), MyPay stated this...

... and then this, after logging in.

Forgive me for saying this, or writing it for that matter, but WTF. Seriously. Why all this, when the shutdown didn't even happen? Who pushed the oh-sh*t-it's-going-to-happen button before it was officially done. Now they're telling us that we have to make sure our pay is right? Well, hell, I do that every payday, because it has been messed up before. How many mid-month, or EOM for that matter, paychecks will be truly messed up? I'll bet more then they're anticipating. And to make it an even bigger cluster... we're moving so all of our pay is going to be screwy anyways.

UGH!!! Now that I'm done venting, I pray that each and every American that votes come 2012 remembers all of this shutdown mess, and remembers that parts of our government were gladly using our great nation's military as bargaining chips.

Oh boy... I hope our pay isn't completed wrong come the 15th.

Getting to know me...

2011-04-10T14:48:00.000-10:00

1. Do you watch/read the news?

Yes. Watch and read. It's important to know what's going on.

2. How would you describe your look?

Girl next door...

3. Did you play sports in high school or college?

I played in high school...

4. Would you rather give up lipstick/gloss or high heels?

lipstick/gloss.

5. What is your favorite show to watch on tv?

When it's on, True Blood, or NCIS. NCIS is always on somewhere... I love that show.

6. Would you rather bake or cook?

Do I have to choose??? I love both. Oh, alright.... bake.

7. Shorts or skirts?

shorts.

8. What is your favorite scary movie?

Don't like them much, so I guess I don't have one. I like Silence of the Lambs and Seven but both of those are more Thriller then scary.

... there's already something going on...

2011-04-08T15:09:00.000-10:00

While there's a ton of talk about the potential government shut down everywhere today, I thought I'd do a little of the same, and I mean very little.

I went to log onto MyPay today and this is what was on the page.

I then logged in. This is what I saw.

All I have to say, is there's already something going on.

...it's a great good-bye.

2011-04-07T21:01:00.000-10:00

While I can't say I've loved every moment being attached to our command, I can say I've loved a good portion of it. A few days ago our boat, and her wonderful crew, were awarded it's fifth Meritorious Unit Commendation along with the Navigation Red and Green 'N', Damage Control Red 'DC' and Supply Blue 'E'.

Every day our sailors were away was hard but knowing they did such an amazing job makes my heart swell with pride. It's sad to say good-bye to the "City of" but at least it's a great good-bye.

Military Life from Alpha to Zulu

2011-04-07T17:25:00.002-10:00

After seeing the Military Life from Alpha to Zulu several times, I thought, I have to do that.

{Alpha}

Anchors Aweigh: Even though it's the fight song for the Naval Academy, it's also a strong part of the Navy. The song has been changed several times, but it's still sung very often at the US Navy Boot Camp, during Chief's Transition Season, and so many other times during the year.

Ask the Chief. Active Duty. Alone. American Flag. Acronyms. Ahoy! Attention. Appreciation. Anchors. Adaptable.

{Bravo}

Boat: You hear this term a ton in the Submarine world. The way I was taught to tell the difference between surface ships and boats (submarines): "Ships float. Boats don't."

Bubble-head. Base. BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing). Boots. Bravery. Basic Pay. BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence). Blue Crew.

{Charlie}

City of Corpus Christi (CoCC): The boat we've been attached to for the last 4+ years.

Chief. CPO (Chief Petty Officer). COB (Chief of the Boat). Commissary. Courage. Chain of Command. Captain. CO (Commanding Officer). Chow. COLA (Cost of Living Allowance). Comms (Communications). Challenge Coin. Cadence. Change. CONUS (Contiguous United States). Chief of the Watch.

{Delta}

Dixie Cup: As I say that, my husband says, "Not anymore!". I know, I know. Tee hee hee.

Duty. Dog Tags. Dependents. DoD (Department of Defense). DFAS (Defense Finance and Accounting Services). Dress Blues. Deckplate leadership. Division. Dress Whites. Dining-In. DLA (Dislocation Allowance). Dive! Dive! Dive!

{Echo}

Enlisted: There are two types of men on a Submarine; Enlisted & Officers. Enlisted ranks range from E1 to E9, while the Officer ranks range from O1-O6. The reason I didn't say men & women is because for the foreseeable future the only women on a sub will be officers. It'll be a while before they put enlisted women on a boat.

Enlistment. Endearing. ETs (Electronic Technician). Ensign.

{Foxtrot}

Flexibility: One quality you have to hold to be married to the military. Many people can't fathom the day to day changes we have to deal with. A good part of the time things are consistent, but a large part of the time the one constant is change. I have to live like a rubber-band sometimes... but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Friends. FRG (Family Readiness Group). FSA (Family Separation Allowance). Flag. Formation. Field Day. Farewell.

{Golf}

Goat Locker: The Goat Locker is the slang term for the Chief's Quarters. Before refrigeration, goats were kept in the Chief's quarters to keep a supply of milk available. It is tradition for all personnel, other then Chiefs, to knock and ask permission to enter the goat locker.

Go Navy! Goodbyes. Government. Galley. Gold Crew.

{Hotel}

Hail & Farewell: A Hail & Farewell is a celebration of sorts. We typically visit one of our favorite restaurants with the rest of the Chiefs. We "Hail" the new chiefs to the boat and "Farewell" the ones leaving.

Honor. Head. Hurry up and wait! Homecoming. Humor. HDP (Hazardous Duty Pay). History. Home of Record. Horse & Cow (a famous Submariner bar. With three locations any submariner is bound to visit one; Guam, San Diego, and Bangor). If you haven't visited one, it's fun. :)

{India}

Irresistible: A Sailor in his whites. I had to steal this from my friend Emily because she is oh-so-right!!!

Inspired. ICE (Interactive Customer Evaluation). Inked. In the Navy!

{Juliet}

Junior Enlisted: The junior enlisted men on a submarine are those holding a rate of E-1 to E-6. Rate titles are as follows; Seamen Recruit (E-1), Seamen Apprentice (E-2), Seamen (E-3), Petty Officer Third Class (E-4), Petty Officer Second Class (E-5), & Petty Officer First Class (E-6).

JFTR (Joint Federal Travel Regulation). JAG. Jokes.

{Kilo}

Khaki Ball: The celebration after the Chief's Transition Season is over. During the Chief's Transition Season, all the men and women that are going from a Petty Officer First Class (E-6) to a Chief Petty Officer (E-7) go thru, for lack of a better word, an initiation of sorts. They learn that instead of working to better themselves in the Navy, they are now to work to better their division and the Navy as a whole. You hear "Ask the Chief" a lot during the this time of year.

Keel. Khakis. Kevlar.

{Lima}

LOVE!!! This is biggest of all... Need I say more?

Leave. LES (Leave & Earnings Statement). Lonely. Letters. Long Distance. Liberty. Liberty Port.

{Mike}

Mission: During mission my husband is "underway" for a while without communication to me. Time is varied and we aren't given specifics as they are doing what they are trained to do. This is one of the hardest times during our life.

Master Chief. Medals. Military I.D. Moving. Medical. Missing him. Missiles.

{November}

Navy: The branch my husband proudly serves in, and I proudly follow him around the world for.

NEX (Navy Exchange). Nuclear. Nuke. NAM (Navy Achievement Medal)

{Oscar}

OPSEC: OPSEC is the acronym for Operational Security. This term is very important in the military and especially important in the Submarine force because most of the time a sub is unseen. It's not like an aircraft carrier on the surface thats massive and can be seen from miles. OPSEC is the very reason my husband can't give me specifics of when and where they're pulling in. When asked, "When will he be home?", OPSEC is the very reason I can't give that information, even if I had it.

Ombudsman. OCONUS (Outside the Contiguous United States). Overseas. Orders.

{Papa}

PCS: Permanent Change of Station. We have PCSed about every 3-4 years. While our stay in Guam has stretched past the four year mark, soon we'll be in Hawaii. Wooo Hooo!

Pride. Pay Grade. Petty Officer. PRT (Physical Readiness Test). Patience. Port Call. Politics.

{Quebec}

Quartermaster: A job role linked to navigation.

Quals (Qualifications). Quarterdeck.

{Romeo}

Reunions- We've had several reunions since being apart... and I'm grateful for every one.

Rank. Rate. Ribbons. Rumors.

{Sierra}

SSN: The United States Navy hull classification symbol for a fast attack submarine. SS is for submarine and N is for nuclear power.

Sub Ball. Senior Chief. SSGN (Guided missile nuclear powered submarine). SSBN (Ballistic missile nuclear powered submarine). Spouse. Service. Sailor. Separation. Sacrifice. Sea. Seabag. Shore Duty. SUBPAC (US Submarine force of the Pacific). SUBLANT (US Submarine force of the Atlantic). Sailor Mail.

{Tango}

Tough: The job our men and women do every day is just that... and so are they.

Tricare. Training. Tears. Travel. Troops. TLD (Thermo Luminescent Dosimeter). Torpedo.

{Uniform}

Underway: a way of stating the boat is doing what it does best and is not in port.

USO (United Service Organizations). Uniforms. Unanswered questions. USAA.

{Victor}

Victorious: Our military men and women are forever victorious in my eyes.

Veterans.

{Whiskey}

Watch bill: A watch schedule for sailors on the sub.

Watch. War. Weapons. Waiting.

{X-Ray}

XO: The Executive Officer is the second senior officer on board the submarine.

{Yankee}

Yellow Ribbons: Doesn't need much of any explanation, but for those that need it... To signify the support of our military.

{Zulu}

Zero-dark-thirty: The un-Godly hour a sailor has to be on board the day they leave home.

Wee Bit Wednesdays

2011-04-05T13:30:00.000-10:00

{one} what is one food that, as an adult you love, but as a child you said you’d never touch?asparagus… definitely. I LOVE it now!
{two} did you go to college? if yes, what was your major?I did go to college, and I had several majors, none of which I have finished, yet. I plan on going back to school to study English or History. I'm still undecided.
{three} what’s the most wild animal you’ve seen in real life (not counting the zoo)?deer, all the time growing up, and a mountain goat.
{four} have you ever been to a fortune teller?Fortune Teller... No. Palm reader... Yes. They're the same thing right? I think so. I went with one of my best friends after having dinner and a couple of drinks. She told me a few things that were pretty baffling, and very possible, and a few more things that made me cry. Needless to say I won't be doing that ever again. {five} can you juggle?Nope. Not at all.
{six} hardwood floors or carpet?Hardwood. Carpet gets so dirty and you can never truly get it clean.
{seven} is it called “soda” or “pop”?Soda
{eight} what was your first car?A 1986 Chevy Cavalier. I only had it for about 6 months and then both catalytic coverters went out. That was not fun.
{nine} what is the most decadent dessert you’ve ever eaten?Sadly, it was at Chili's recently. I know, Chili's. Big Deal!!! It was their Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. My-Oh-My is that thing good. I had never had it before and I'm so glad I did...
{ten} how often do you rearrange your furniture?Considering we move every three to four years, I typically don't move furniture around too much. But if I get a wild hair, you know where, I'd say once a year or two.

...I'm excited to learn a new craft.

2011-04-02T18:46:00.003-10:00

After seeing this gorgeous quilt over at Tea Rose Home, I've decided to start quilting. Isn't it beautiful.

Photo property of Tea Rose Home.

It'll be a long while before I'll be able to start since I'm not sure when I'll have a place to call home, but I'm excited to learn a new craft. :)

I know you love a good deal as much as I do...

2011-04-02T17:41:00.001-10:00

Have you heard about No More Rack? If not, you should check it out.

No More Rack is a site with a dedicated buying team that loves what they do. They search for the best deals possible. Some of the merchandise comes from canceled orders, overrun/overstock product and manufacturer closeouts. All their products are brand new and guaranteed authentic. Purchasing products from their sources allows them to buy at deep-discounts that they then pass on to us. I know you love a good deal as much as I do...

Oh how I hope our stuff arrives intact...

2011-03-27T23:53:00.000-10:00

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. First it was the waiting and not knowing what we wanted to set aside so the movers wouldn't pack it. Then it was the utter chaos of having our house in complete disarray. Next came the packers... and so our move is officially underway.

Our pack-out started and with it came all the boxes, packing tape, and packing paper. Bringing all these things into our house were three guys. They moved rather quickly which is good, and bad. Good because our, scheduled, two-day pack out won't turn into a three or four-day pack-out. Bad because it always worries me that they're rushing to get things done and not making sure they're taking good care to pack my precious stuff well.


All of the stuff we will use for the next month...

My craft room, all ready to be packed.

Here come the boxes.

After about 45 minutes of work (they didn't arrive until around 10:45 AM), the movers took their lunch.

Here's the massive truck with all the crates that will transport all of our belongings from Guam to Oahu.

That's one of our movers taking a siesta after eating his lunch.

Some of our stuff packed and ready to be put in a crate.

Matt watching one of many basketball games while enjoying our comfy couches before they pack them. He says, "It's March Madness babe... I can't miss a game." Thank goodness for the NCAA iPod app. :)

The first day of our pack-out ended at around 4:30 PM. Our second day of boxes, packing tape and packing paper began at about 9:45 AM. Only two of the three movers returned for the second day. It went rather quickly, again. We decided to grill burgers and dogs for lunch. The funny thing about this whole pack-out... our friends & neighbors across the street from us were also doing their pack-out. They have kids and much more stuff then us so their pack-out was scheduled for three days. I'm soooo glad ours was only two. I don't know what I'd do if it was three whole days.

Our living room... almost completely packed.

Getting ready to grill for both two moving companies.

Let the grilling begin.

Lots and lots of stuff...

And there it all goes... into crates... onto a boat... onto customs in CA... back onto a boat... and to HI.

Now I sit on loaner furniture, that is oh-so-uncomfortable. We'll be here in an empty house for about three weeks and then we'll be at the Westin for about 5 days and then its to the air we go.

Oh how I hope our stuff arrives intact...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-03-24T21:06:00.000-10:00

1. What is your must have gadget? submitted by Flying High With My Flyboy

My iPhone and my Kindle. I can't go a day without having them.... right now I'm going nuts because I sent my iPhone in to have the home button fixed. It was sticking. I'm using an old phone and it drives me crazy not having my apps.... UGH... hurry up FedEx. Get here so I can have my phone back.

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like when you were a little kid? submitted by L to the Third

That's an interesting question. When I was little I wanted to be a flight attendant so I could travel. I guess I've been able to travel a good deal, but in a different way. :) It's more work then I thought it would be as a kid.

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe? submitted by Our First Deployment

It's a Chocolate Truffle recipe my friend Lyn makes... they are so yummy and you can never eat just one. :)

3 cups of milk chocolate chips

1 cup of white chocolate chip

1 stick of butter (room temp)

1 cup of cool whip

Melt milk and white chocolate chips in butter for one minute in microwave. Depending on how hot the microwave is adjust heating up time. You could probably use a double broiler too.

When everything is melted stir in cool whip. Yummo! Then refrigerate for at least an hour or too. Then you can start rolling the chocolate mixture into little balls using a small cookie scoop. Then roll in coconut, chopped walnuts, chocolate sprinkles, powdered sugar, or anything else you like.

Then put back in the fridge to set. You can make them a couple of night before if you want.

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be to much or to hard? submitted by Combat Boots And Pointe Shoes

I blog a lot... or talk to my friends to vent. :) I don't know what I would do without my friends.

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

You'll have hard days and easier days, but know that he's doing his job to keep our country free and he loves and misses you just as much as you do him. Keep your thoughts positive and your military friends close because they know what you're going through.

A little survey

2011-03-24T20:54:00.000-10:00

Saw this over at It's a Hooah Life and thought I'd fill it out...

1. How long have you been a military wife?

Six years, one month, and 21 days. :)

2. What branch of service is your husband?

Navy

3. Active/Reserve?

Active

4. What is his job?

He's a navigation electrician aka NAV ET.

5. How many deployments have you gone through?

Two many to count.

6. ACU's or Class A's on your man?

Neither... NWUs or Khakis.

7. What do you like about being a military wife?

The ability to live in several different places and see different parts of the world.

8. Do you live on base?

Yes. Currently. Soon we'll be homeless because we'll be on a very long housing wait-list after moving to Hawaii.

9. What is your favorite base so far?

I don't really have a favorite. I've enjoyed each place for different reasons. I enjoyed Groton, CT because it was close to some of Matt's family in Massachusetts and I loved the changing of the seasons. I enjoyed Bangor, WA because I grew up there and had a ton of friends there. I've enjoyed Guam because of the amazing people I've met and loved and the ability to travel and scuba dive.

It's too hard to choose one favorite.

10. What's the hardest part of the military life?

Being away from the man I love. While I do enjoy time to myself, I miss him more.

11. Do you go to the grocery store or commissary?

I shop at the commissary. The price is significantly higher at the grocery store, plus I'd have to drive 20+ minutes away vs. 5 to the commissary.

12. Do you work or stay at home?

I stay at home. But I also work at home. I'm a multiple business owner/operator along with all the duties of a housewife.

13. Do you have a lot of military wife friends?

Yes. Most of my friends are military wives.

14. Do you prefer Walmart or the PX/BX/MCX/NEX?

Well if we had a Walmart, I would choose not to shop there because more then likely it'd be cheaper at the NEX. Besides, Walmart is usually always a complete mess. If Target were an option I'd choose Target over both. :)

15. How did your husband propose?

He wrote me a poem. When I got home he handed it to me and while I read it, I came to the end and it said, "I just have one question to ask..." and then it was blank. I looked up and he was there with my ring. :) Needless to say, I bawled my eyes out.

16. Did you marry him after he joined or before?

After.

17. How long have you been together?

8 years, 7 months. :)

18. Any kids yet?

Nope... not for lack of trying. :)

19. Any kids yet to come?

Nope.... kind of goes with questions # 18 doesn't it?

20. IS your husband one of those "I am a soldier hear me HOOAH" kind of guys?

No... not really. He's proud of being a submariner, but he isn't obnoxious about it.

21. Have you ever done combatives with your husband?

Nope.

22. How many bases have you lived at?

Three

23. If you could change one thing about the military?

Can't really think of one at the moment... if you were to ask me when my hubby was gone, I'd probably be able to come up with one, but he's home and I'm pretty content right now.

24. Do you like military balls?

YES!!! We have Sub Ball (the Submarine Force Birthday Ball) in a couple weeks. We'll be celebrating the forces 111th birthday!!! It's sooo fun and I love getting all dressed up and seeing my honey in his dress uniform too!!!

25. Where does you family live?

My family lives spread around... WA, GA, FL. Matt's family is spread around too... FL & MA.

26. What do you do for a job?

Already answered this... but I guess I'll be more specific. I'm a Tupperware consultant and I'm the owner and operator of {the little black boat.}.

27. Have you ever gotten in a fight with an NCO's wife?

Well I guess an NCO in the Navy would be considered a Chief, Senior Chief or Master Chief's wife. Being part of the Goat Locker wives, I get along with everyone pretty well. We've had spats here and there over petty things but nothing serious.

28. Name one thing you do when your husband is gone?

Stay up really late.

29. Do you think other wives do that too?

Yes... most of the ones I know.

Thursday Five

2011-03-23T18:08:00.000-10:00

The words for today's Thursday Five are....

Outstanding

Proud

Energized

Splendid

Wonderful

1. I'm truly feeling outstanding today. I just got home from meeting a gal that wanted to sign up to be part of my Tupperware team. I'm sooo excited. She's member #2 (not counting myself, of course) and I'm looking forward to growing my team even more. It's going to be an outstanding year.

2. With all the devastation in Japan after the 9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and radiation problems, I am so proud of our military that are helping aid all those suffering. I know I'll continue to be proud of our military, as we have the best military in the world.

3. I wish I felt more energized today. With the pack out done (I'll post about that soon, I promise), I feel like a lump today. I have so much that needs to be done, but I am so unmotivated.

4. I sure do have some splendid friends. With all that I go through, as a military wife, I know when my sailor is away I'll have them around for support.

5. I am looking forward to our wonderful future in Hawaii. We'll soon be there and who knows what this wonderful future will hold for us.

Make sure to link up over at Flip Flops & Combat Boots.

Until next time...

Wee Bit Wednesdays

2011-03-22T18:23:00.000-10:00

{one} what was your first job?My first job was like most gals, a babysitter... but my first official job, with an actual W2 and taxes withheld, was for at a store called Garden Botanika. It was similar to Bath & Body Works but sadly they went out of business and I was forced to find another job.

{two} have you ever seen a stand up comedian?Yes... the first one I saw was Larry the Cable Guy... he's sooooo funny.The second was Tommy Chong... oh my goodness, another really funny guy.I recently saw Ralphie Mae, he's truly funny too. Comedy shows are great.

{three} when was the last time you played mini golf?About 8 years ago... a long long time ago.

{four} what was the last picture you took?Of the packers moving our stuff... so sad seeing it all go in boxes. Who knows when we'll get it all back into a house... I hope the housing list moves quicker then expected.

{five} burnt food: yes or no?no.....

{six} if you have a pocket full of change, what do you do with it?As soon as I'm home, I put it into my change jar, where it sits until we move. I just rolled a bunch of coin and turned it in... it's a great way to save some money.

{seven} can you touch your tongue to your nose?nope.

{eight} do you scrapbook?I do, but haven't in a while. I'm getting into digital scrapbooking and loving it.

{nine} do you buy lottery tickets?I used to. The isn't Lottery in Guam, so I haven't in the last four years. If there's Lottery in HI, I probably will occasionally.

{ten} do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it?Both....

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-03-16T21:58:00.000-10:00

1. What are some of your ideas for staying connected with family... you the know, those people we moved thousands of miles away from? Submitted by Live it. Love it (or not). Write About it.

That's a hard question to answer. Facebook has be a savior for me at times. With such a huge time (and day, for that matter) difference, it's very hard to call because we're soooo many hours ahead of everyone.

2. What's the most romantic gift you have GIVEN? Submitted by Painting My Canvas

I had some pictures taken of me... I'd say in the nude, but I wasn't really... I was covered up by a sheet. I put them into a little album for him and gave it to him to take to sea.

3. Would you encourage your child, if they came to you and wanted to join the military? Submitted by Perfectly Imperfect

ABSOLUTELY!!!! I would be so proud to have our son, or daughter, be part of our countries wonderful military. It would be hard to be away from them, like we have been away from our family, but that's part of the military life.

4. What is your least favorite bill to pay and why? Submitted by A Little of This, A Little of That

Can I say all of them... I don't really have one specific one. If I had to choose I'd say our credit card... it'll soon be paid off though, which is great. We spent a good amount of money traveling so if I had to do it all over, I still would have spent that money... and knowing it's almost paid off makes me very happy.

5. What is the proudest moment you've had as a military spouse? Submitted by Our Okinawa Life

The day I pinned anchors on my husband when he made Chief.

Pinning anchors on one of the US Navy's newest CPOs, Matt.

Me, Matt, & Dad.

... the tsunami is still being felt...

2011-03-11T03:35:00.000-10:00

My day started like most... woke early, had my coffee, logged into FB & Twitter. Matt was going to be home early because we had a command party to go to. Since our boys were gone during the holidays, we weren't able to have our holiday party during the holidays. The party was postponed... and rescheduled... and postponed again. We finally had a date scheduled... then the earthquake hit Japan and along with it, the tsunami warning.

We were told not to worry and headed to the party. After being told sirens were going off on base, we quickly decided to go home. We were only at the party for about 20 minutes.

About 30 minutes after getting home, our neighbor's son came over saying his mom needed Matt. Apparently some of the lines at the pier had snapped due to a drop of the water. Two boats, including my husband's, were attached to those lines. Soon, the boats were adrift.

We were quickly in the car and headed to the pier. Matt has been there for quite a few hours now... it's been a long night and I don't think it's going to get better anytime soon. While we haven't had any large waves the tsunami is still being felt...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-03-10T20:25:00.000-10:00

1. During military separations (whether short or long), how do you keep yourself positive and motivated? Submitted by Married/Single Parent

I keep myself very busy... I work on my crafts (mainly my Noah's Submarine cross-stitch), {the little black boat.} orders, and of course my Tupperware biz.

2. What is your favorite concert you have ever been to? Submitted by Young but Not (Completely) Dumb

Garth Brooks. I saw him when I was in the 6th grade. He puts on a great show. :) Love him!!!

3. What do you miss most about your "hometown"? Submitted by A Florida Girl and Her Soldier

The mountains... I loved seeing them every time I drove home. I always knew I was home when I could see them.

4. If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support? Submitted by Wookie & Co.

Cancer... My Grandpa died of lung cancer and I almost lost my Grandma to the same awful disease. While I know most cases are self-inflicted due to smoking, there are several cases where the one fighting for their lives had never picked up one of those nasty death sticks.

5. You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum? Submitted by A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench

Thanksgiving dinner... :) I love Thanksgiving....

1st course: Keylime pie cheese ball w/ graham crackers.
2nd course: Turkey with all the traditional side; mashed potatoes, dressing, & green bean casserole.
3rd course: Pumpkin Pie of course.

...oh, how I hope you understand

2011-03-09T23:24:00.000-10:00

I've been meaning to write this post for quite a long while... but it's hard for me to say, let alone write, but I feel I have to.

Why has it been hard to say/write?

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I feel mine are being hurt, so it's something I need to address. This post isn't being written for one specific person but for everyone... family, friends, and all of my readers.

I have been officially off birth control for a little over a year, while Matt and I didn't start officially trying to conceive until June.

I've had several people give advice, wish me luck, and say "just don't think about it" (which I've blogged about before). While it was nice at first, it's actually causing me more stress then it is helpful.

It's brought up in conversations... "So, how's the baby making going?"... "Have you made a baby yet?"... "You need to make a baby!". Like I said, this was nice at first.

If I've brought it up in a conversation, comment, or blog post, I welcome your words... but to just come out and say these things, when they're unwarranted, actually hurts. It's like a knife is being stabbed in my already hurting heart. I know those that say them don't mean it to, but it does, because I am already putting so much pressure on myself and I don't need the added pressure. I'll be honest... as I write this I can't help but cry.

Please understand... I love your support, I really really do... I'm just super sensitive to anything "baby" these days, especially talk of the little bundles.

...oh, how I hope you understand.

Thursday Five

2011-03-09T20:02:00.000-10:00

This weeks words are:

Peaceful

Loved

Awesome

Lucky

Smart

I wish I were feeling a bit more peaceful this week. There's just so much on my mind, even more going on, and I am in no way peaceful.

I do feel very loved though. While I am far away from family, I have some wonderful friends and they always make me feel very loved.

I watched a little bit of the news today and caught a story about Hawaii's Kilauea erupting. It's truly awesome. Matt and I were there this time last year. We didn't get to see it blow like it is now, but we're hoping to make another trip that way once we've moved to Oahu. That would be awesome.

This one may be a bit too much... but I'm hoping to get lucky tonight. Our boat was out to sea during the holidays so our holiday party had to be postponed... and it happens to be tonight. That's a long postponement huh? Well if I'm lucky, I'll get lucky, and maybe we'll be lucky and make a baby. Tee hee hee.

I wish I had way to use the word smart this week... but I'm at a loss... well I guess I'm not very smart, then huh?? :)

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.

Move # 3 is officially underway...

2011-03-06T23:50:00.000-10:00

It's almost that time again. We've been here for over four years and we were supposed to leave after three.

Why am I so anxious to move? Well, I always feel like a short-timer when it gets closer to the next move. The anticipation, the stress, the newness... everything. It's great and hard at the same time. I don't think I'd do very well staying in the same place when there are so many places to see.

We won't officially leave until next month, but our Jeep has already been shipped and our pack out is in two short weeks.

It's already a good way into March... what happened to February? It seems like just yesterday was New Year's Eve.

We already have our PCS (permanent change of station) orders, which is sometimes half the battle, especially now. A good amount of our friends are waiting for orders because they're almost all on hold Navy wide. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about that.

Now along with the move comes a new job for Matt. He's really looking forward to it and so am I because he'll be home with me, rather then at sea. More then likely he'll have to travel a ton, but it'll be shorter trips then he's made the last four years... and we can use a phone and Skype... It's going to be truly wonderful.

Since Matt will be home, this means we'll have time to try, try and try some more to start our family. We'll also be closer to family so we can visit without having to spend close to $2K a ticket.

A large part of moving, that I'd prefer to do without, is saying good-bye to friends. Saying good-bye does go hand-in-hand with making new friends, and I know I'm bound to keep in touch with those I've become closest with. That still doesn't make saying good-bye any easier.

I'll try and blog as often as I can in the next month or so... as much as the move allows.

We'll be trying to get into military housing, but the wait is 6-12 months long, so we'll see how that pans out. I'm ready to be there. If there were only a way to fast forward all of the stressful parts of the move and just be settled again... oh how wonderful that would be. I'm ready to leave this island and get to the next one... I'm ready to go grocery shopping and not have trouble finding even the simplest of things... or shopping at a real mall... or being able to shop online and not having to worry about if they'll ship to my address and how high the shipping rates are.

I'm ready for Starbucks... and Target... and highways. Oh to be able to drive more then 45 MPH legally. I'm ready for roads without potholes the size of the moon's craters.

Pearl Harbor... here we come... Move # 3 is officially underway...

Introducing... the I Love Love Love Your Blog! Award

2011-03-06T20:58:00.000-10:00

I've been blogging since 2007 but until recently didn't really, really blog. I've recently found so many inspiring and fun blogs and thought I'd create an I Love Love Love Your Blog! Award. I've decided to award 10 blogs I read most often, or recently came to love. I plan on doing this once a month... of course we'll see if that really happens. Smiley face.

And the first winners of my award are..... (drum rolling...........) in no specific order.

1. Flip Flops & Combat Boots

2. Married to a Sailor

3. Just Me, My Soldier, and our 4 Little Chicks

4. Letters to You

5. Stethoscopes and Dog Tags

6. Pink Champagne, Gatorade, and MRE's

7. Not Just an Army Wife

8. My Camo Colored Life

9. The Frederick's

10. Kevin & Amanda

Show me your...

2011-03-05T19:13:00.005-10:00

Rings!!! Now, now... get your head out of the gutter. What were you thinking??

Over at Mrs. Yellow Ribbon, there's going to be a weekly link up to "Show me you...". This week's is about rings. :)

Our engagement photo

Did you look at rings together?

We didn't. Matt kind of tricked me. We were getting prepared for a move to the east coast and he said we'd get engaged when we got there... to my surprise, he popped the question before the move. :)

Do you like your ring? Did you from the beginning?...and be honest!

I. love.love. love. it. It's almost exactly what I imagined would be on that oh-so-important finger.

How often do you wear your rings?

I'd be lying if I said "all the time". I don't wear my rings when I work out (I'd hate to damage them), do house work (again, I'd hate for them to get damaged), while bathing (soap and jewelry aren't friends), or while I sleep (I've found scratches on my body when I do wear them).

Do you clean your rings?

I do, but not as often as I'd like. There aren't many jewelry stores I trust where I live to do a good cleaning. Once I move again, I'll take them to a reputable jeweler to have them cleaned.

What went through your mind the very first time you saw your ring?

"Oh. My. Gosh. I'm getting engaged"

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-03-03T20:29:00.002-10:00

1. Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military? Submitted by The Turner Family

Nope. I love the Navy... I don't always like our circumstances sometimes, but that's part of life with any job.

2. What duty station(s) are on your "No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied" list and why? submitted by Every Branch

I have a few places on my "I really don't want to go" list but I would never say "No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied" because even though we are apart a good amount of time, when he's home, he is home with me and that's important to me. As far as those on my "I really don't want to go" list ...

Kings Bay, GA
Norfolk, VA
Guam

While I've loved, and hated, parts of the four years I've lived in Guam, I'm very much ready to leave. While I'd still relocated to Guam, again, should we have to, I'd much rather go elsewhere. The cost of visiting family stateside, and being oh-so-far away, is very hard.

3. If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose to be and why? submitted by Three Krakens

I'd be 23 again. I loved that time of my life. I was very much enjoying the time I had with my husband, he was on shore duty, and I loved my job.

4. If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be? submitted by the C.W.

Honey Bunches of Oats. I love how filling it is, that little bit of sweetness, and crunch.

5. What is your morning beverage of choice and why? submitted by NH Girl Displaced

Coffee, coffee, and coffee. I need that good wake up in the morning, because I am in no-way, shape or form, a morning person.

Thursday Five

2011-03-02T11:31:00.000-10:00

I found a fun new way to blog on Thursday. This will force me to post a little something extra and get me to write about something different. Check out Nicole at Flip Flops and Combat Boots if you'd like to join the fun.

This weeks words are:

Fabulous

Satisfying

Amazing

Sweet

Jubilant

1. I have such fabulous friends. One part of the military life that is NEVER easy is saying good-bye to them when they, or we, move. One of my fabulous friends is leaving this week and I'm sad. She's truly one of the greatest people I've ever met and I'm really going to miss her.

2. I just at the most satisfying bowl of oatmeal. I know, I know. Oatmeal? Yes, oatmeal. I love oatmeal so much. It's very filling, can be changed several ways, and I can't help but love making it for my husband.

3. Even though parts of the military life are hard, like I've mentioned above, and others may thing I lead a boring life... I think I lead quite an amazing life. Being able to travel, meet amazing people, and love my submariner while he does his part in the fight for the very freedom our country cherishes. I'm so very grateful for our amazing life and can't wait to see what our future holds.

4. Oh how I love my sweet pups, Jack and Tess. They bring a smile to my each and every day. I don't know what my life would be life without them in it.

5. I will be so jubilant when we are finally settled in our new home in Hawaii. How long we will call HI home, that's all up to the Navy, but we'll enjoy it none the less.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-02-25T01:52:00.002-10:00

1. Aside from no deployments, what is one thing you would want to make the MilSpouse life "perfect"? Submitted by Oh, How Delightful!

This one is very hard, because aside from missing my husband when he's away, I already feel our life is close to "perfect".

2. Just how many peppers did Peter Piper pick? Submitted by Married into Army

I guess that could depend on several things... Was there a good amount of rain and sun that year? Did his wife nag him over and over and over until he picked enough? Did he get lazy one day and decide he didn't want to pick anymore peppers?

3. If you could have any career in the world with nothing holding you back, what would you do? Submitted by It's my Party and I'll Cry if I Want to

I'd be on Broadway... I always loved theater in high school. I love the stage. Whether its singing or acting... it was always so much fun!

4. Do you have a service oriented tattoo and if so what is it? If you don't what would you get? Submitted by The Squid's Accomplice

Nope, I don't. But if I were to get a service oriented tattoo, I'd probably get something submarine oriented. Maybe some dolphins or a WWII inspired pin-up.

5. Imagine a block of time has opened up in your busy day for you to take a class in anything you like. What subject would you choose? Submitted by To The Nth

A really good photography class.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-02-17T19:39:00.001-10:00

What is your favorite MilSpouse blog (not including Wife of a Sailor who we all love, or your own)?

Oh this one is hard... I love so many. I truly don't have a favorite... I'll list a couple that I can't wait to read though.

http://emilynjason.blogspot.com/

http://www.thejourneyofanavywife.com/

What are your favorite perks about your s/o being deployed (we all know there are perks)?

Perks? Well some of the things I enjoy are things I enjoy on some day and not on others. I know that doesn't make much sense, but its the truth. For example: Have our California King sized bed all to myself... It's nice on nights when I'm so exhausted I want to sprawl out and not be woken up by the slightest of things. But on nights when I'm missing my DH the most, the huge bed makes me feel even more lonely and sad.

How long did you date your s/o before getting engaged? Married?

My husband and I dated for 11 months before getting engaged. We were engaged for a year and a half before getting married.

What do you think your s/o would do if s/he wasn't in the military?

Honestly I haven't a clue. The Navy has been his one and only job. It's all he's known.

If you could talk to the Secretary of the Navy, what is one suggestion you would like to bring to their attention in order to improve the lives of military families?

Please try, and I know it's hard, to have order more consistent. So many times, orders are changed or delayed. Moves are hard enough but when you're waiting on official orders to come down or their changed on you, it's even harder.

Trying... and trying... and trying...

2011-02-10T18:26:00.002-10:00

This post may be a bit too personal but, hey it's my blog and I'll write what I want to.

My husband and I have been trying to conceive since June and I've been off birth control for a year now. Now when I say trying, it's as often as we can, since a lot of the time he has been... well... under water. I've been told by countless people to try not to stress/worry about it because it can deter getting pregnant, and I try not to, but that's like telling someone, "Don't think about elephants." and what is the first thing you think of? ELEPHANTS!!! I can't help but worry is something wrong.

The one fear I have is not being able to have my own children. I'm not afraid of spiders, heights, flying, snakes, water, anything any normal person might have a fear of. Hell, I'm not even afraid of death.

And I know... there is always adoption. And if it comes to that I'd be happy to adopt. I just want a child that looks like me and my husband. I want a little boy that has his eyes and smile, my laugh and crooked nose. I want to be able to experience the kicking and nudging of my own little one during pregnancy.

Recently I found out that several wives attached to our command are pregnant. I'm not mad at them... how could I be? But I am mad. Again, not at them. Just in general. I can't help it.

All of them are young. I'm not saying, I'm old, because I'm not. But I am going to be 29 next month and it is harder the older you get to conceive... I just hope it happens. I know when it does, it will mean so much more to us, because we have been trying... but every time dear ol' Aunt Flow arrives, I get so frustrated... I don't know what else to say... I'm just hoping.

For now, I'll just try not to stress, as much as I can. And wait for hubs to get home so we can continue trying... and trying.... and trying...

2011... so far...

2011-02-07T19:57:00.002-10:00

Hubs was home (for a good portion of January), which I loved. We were able to spend a good amount of time together since he had been on stand-down. For those of you not used to the military lingo... stand-down is a relaxation from a "state of readiness or alert". He was basically on leave without having to use leave. He still had to muster twice a week but that's only for a few hours, then he was home.

He was able to play some golf and I enjoyed cooking meals for the two of us again. I don't cook all that much when he's gone because it's much harder to cook for one, and I just don't enjoy it as much.

Our PCS (permanent change of station, aka move) ball is starting to roll. We've got our pack out dates scheduled, our Jeep ship date scheduled, and an endless to-do list (most of which I'll have to do on my own, which isn't a surprise).

I'm getting very excited and anxious about our arrival in Pearl. While talking to a lady at the housing office in Hawaii, I found out the wait list is 6-12 months long for "all senior-enlisted housing areas". I pray it doesn't take that long for us to get a house, but if it does, we have some wonderful friends that have been generously offered to let us stay with them while we wait.

The first month we're there we'll be staying at the Navy Lodge. Unfortunately, we are limited to a maximum stay of 30 days. I'm sure this could change if they knew the list was as long as it is. But like I said, we have some pretty fabulous friends. :)

As I type this post, I'm curled up in bed with a nasty cold and my love is back at work underwater, who knows where. Other then the cold, I sure to love this life I lead. I can't complain... I have a roof over my head, food in my tummy, two wonderful pups, and the love of a man I adore.

We're still working on starting our little family... it'll happen when its supposed to, at least thats what I keep telling myself. Until then, this gal is content in 2011.... so far...

Here's to many more...

2011-02-03T13:53:00.004-10:00

Six years ago today, I exchanged vows with the love of my life in front of some of our dearest friends and family...

and while he's been gone more then he's been home...

I'd wait forever for him.

Happy Anniversary, love... six years down... I can't wait to spend many, many more loving you. ♥

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-01-20T20:01:00.001-10:00

What do you usually want to know about someone when meeting them for the first time?

If they are somehow attached to the military... whether active duty themselves or married to an active duty member. If I already know they are attached to the military, I want to know which branch and which command. I'm not sure why, but I think its because it links us somehow.

Would you rather know everything about your spouse, or be regularly surprised?

I'd like to be regularly surprised...I think knowing everything might be boring.

If you could live in one city for the rest of your life, where would you live?

Sharon, MA. I love it there... its beautiful, I love the family we have there, and it's a very cute little town that's close enough to the big city if we want to go.

When you go out of town, what one material thing do you ALWAYS take?

My iPhone... is that considered a material thing?? I can't live without it, this I know.

Using no more than 10 nouns, and ONLY nouns, describe yourself.

Cook. Wife. Crafter. Baker. Singer. Writer. Sister. Neighbor. Friend. Daughter.

Official Logo Released

2011-01-20T16:26:00.001-10:00

The title treatment and logo for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 has been officially unveiled... Oh my gosh... Can't wait!!!

Edward & Bella... another little sneak peek spoilers

2011-01-17T16:10:00.000-10:00

In this week's Entertainment Weekly, you'll see the first official photo from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. Well here it is... Yup!!! That's Bella & Edward. The movie hits the big screen November 18th. It's been said that this scene is from their honeymoon...

I'm not so sure... The scene is supposed to be "violent" according to Stephenie Meyer (the wonderful woman who brought Twilight into our lives). Maybe this scene is from further in the movie after Bella is already a vamp... :)

What do you think?

In 2011

2011-01-02T13:26:00.000-10:00

SSN 705 holiday party

I want to:

make a baby and not worry so much about it not happening. know that it will happen when the time is right.

run more. teach my body to run more. take care of myself. get in better shape. not define this by a number on the scale, or a size on a tag. feel good about myself.

take better pictures. learn how to shoot fully in manual. no more AV stuff.

have a date night with Matt. and kissing, always lots and lots of kissing. :)

I will:

turn 29.

Waikiki & Diamond Head

move to Hawaii. finally have my husband around for shore duty.

celebrate 9 wonderful years with the love of my life. celebrate 6 wonderful years of wedded bliss.

continue being creative, no matter the medium I'm using. keep loving my business, {the little black boat.}.

After taking a helicopter tour on the Big Island.

I am determined to:

be happy. grateful. courageous.

continue living a simple life. handle pressure with more grace. be kind. say thank you and look people in the eye. smile at others when they cross my path. not let the fact that I am having a bad day change the way I treat people. know happiness is my responsibility.

So here's to 2011. The start to another year and another decade.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T13:42:00.001-10:00

T’was the Night Before Christmas-Submarine Style

By Sean Keck

T‘was the night before Christmas, and what no one could see,

The men with the dolphins were under the sea.

Most of the crew was flat on their backs,

Snoring and dreaming all snug in their racks.

Those men on watch were making their rounds,

Some manning the planes or listening for sounds.

Back in maneuvering or down in the room,

They all hoped the oncoming watch would come soon.

I‘d finished some PM’s whose time was now due,

And hoped for some sleep, even an hour or two.

Against better judgment I took a short stroll,

And found myself wandering into control.

The Nav had the Conn, the COW was in place,

The COB had the Dive and a scowl on his face.

The helm and the planes were relaxed but aware,

The QM and ET were discussing a dare.

To comply with the orders the Nav told the Dive,

To bring the boat up with minimum rise.

The orders were given and soon they were there,

At periscope depth with a scope in the air.

The QM confirmed our position with care,

The broadcast was copied, we brought in some air.

The Nav on the scope let out a small cry,

He shook his head twice and rubbed at his eyes.

He looked once again to find what it was,

That interrupted his sweep and caused him to pause.

Try as he might there was nothing to see,

So down went the scope and us to the deep.

I asked what it was that caused his dismay,

He sheepishly said, “I’m embarrassed to say.

It could have been Northern Lights or a cloud,

Or a meteorite,” he wondered aloud.

“But to tell you the truth I guess I must say,

Whatever it was it looked like a sleigh.

And though it passed quickly and never was clear,

I almost believe it was pulled by reindeer.”

We laughed and teased him and I got up to go,

When our moment was broken by “Conn, Radio.”

They told us a message was just coming in,

We looked at the depth gauge and started to grin.

“Radio, Conn, I feel safe to say,

Your attempt at a joke is too long delayed.

If it had been sooner it might have been neat,

But I doubt we’re receiving at four-hundred feet.”

“Conn, Radio, you can come down and see,

We’re not playing games to any degree.”

I headed aft with nothing better to do,

Surprised by the fact it was still coming through.

It stopped and was sent to control to be read,

The Nav read it slowly and scratched at his head.

Then again he began but this time aloud,

To those that now waited, a curious crowd.

“To you Denizens of the Deep and men of the sea,

Who risk your life daily so others stay free.

I rarely have seen you on this, my big night,

For far too often you are hidden from sight.

But purely by luck I saw you tonight,

As your scope coaxed the plankton to glow in the night.

And lucky for me I’ve finally won,

The chance to say thanks for all you have done.

I know that you miss your families at home,

And sometimes you feel as if you’re alone.

But trust what I say and I’ll do what’s right,

I‘ll take something special to your families tonight.

Along with the gifts I’ll take to your kin,

I‘ll visit their dreams and leave word within.

They’ll hear of your love, and how you miss them,

I‘ll tell them that soon you’ll be home again.

It might not be much I know that is true,

To thank you for all the things that you do.

But I’ll do what I can, while you do what’s right,

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.”

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope you'll keep those that are serving our country in your thoughts this year.

{the little black boat.} has been officially launched.

2010-12-22T01:46:00.000-10:00

YAY!!!!

I'm so excited to finally be able to share with you my new love... {the little black boat.}

I hope you'll take a trip over to my new site... and if you know anyone in the military or married to a military member, please share the link.

We've got orders!!!!

2010-12-17T00:59:00.001-10:00

Yup!!! We've officially got orders to PCS (Permanent Change of Station) to Pearl Harbor, HI.

These dates are written in sand, so I won't be super surprised if they change, but hey... we have 'em. :)

Need to vent...

2010-12-03T17:04:00.001-10:00

I'm not one to complain but today I have to vent as I feel like I'm going to explode.

This underway has been extremely difficult on me. Not having my husband around on a day to day basis is hard, but when its during the holidays, its especially hard. He's missed Thanksgiving & Chanukah already and will also be missing Christmas and New Years. I'm so bummed... but it doesn't end there.

A bunch of wives recently flew to Japan to meet the boat. Before going, one of them asked if I would mind watching her dog. I said yes, because I didn't want her not being able to go because she can't find someone to watch her. Now as I type this, her little dog, a teacup Chihuahua named Cali, is sitting in my lap. She's sweet, really she is... but... here's the inevitable but, she's so hyper, she doesn't listen, and for the life of me, I don't know why, she won't go #2 outside. It's ALWAYS inside... and not even on her little puppy pads. She pees on the puppy pads, but won't do the other deed on it. I take her out so often hoping she will but she doesn't.

Now on a normal day I wouldn't care... so I'm picking up little surprises all the time, but tonight I'm having girlfriends over for dinner and a movie (Eclipse is finally out on DVD). Not only do I not want to be picking up her little surprises, but I also don't want my house smelling like a kennel.

The frustration doesn't end there...

A friend of mine, I've written about her a few times, is one of the wives visiting Japan. She left her dog, a breed related to the Pit Bull, with another wife that didn't go. This wife was admitted into the hospital leaving the dog, Buddy, without someone to take care of him. My friend messages me on Facebook, asking for my help. Clearly I have a hard time saying "No", but really how could I? She called me earlier this morning to give me the address of where to pick Buddy up... and then called me again shortly after her first call to tell me I couldn't pick the dog up until after 5:30 PM because no one would be at the house. I have people coming over at 6:30PM! UGH!!!!

Now my house is going to have 4, yes, four, dogs in it, all while also having a dinner party. I just hope that all of them get along and don't cause too much havoc.

For now, I'm going to take a deep breath, put my big girl panties on and frost the Carrot Pineapple cake I baked yesterday. This venting has helped a little and I hope nothing else is added to the already full plate I have this weekend... I'll be sure to post pictures from tonight's dinner party soon.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2010-12-03T16:08:00.001-10:00

1. If you were given $1,000 right now, how would you spend it?

I'd spend it on stamps or my craft room. I can always use more crafting stuff. :)

2. If you had to choose a movie title (a real one that already exists) for your life story, what would it be?

A Silent Love... because most of the year my house is very quiet because my husband is underway, submerged somewhere in the sea.

3. If you were a teacher, what subject would you like to teach?
History...

4. Has being a MilSpouse changed how you view holidays or how your holidays are celebrated? If so, how? If not, what hasn’t changed?
Yes, being a military spouse has changed how I celebrate holidays as most holidays are celebrated before or after the actual holiday. Like this year... my husband was underway for Thanksgiving & Chanukah, and will still be gone for Christmas and New Years (and yes, we celebrate both Chanukah & Christmas in our house).

5. What is your favorite Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) memory?
My favorite Christmas memory was the first Christmas with my husband, at the time we were just dating. He knew I love winter scarves and he bought me sooooo many and after I opened each one, he'd put it on me. By the time I was done opening all my presents I could barely see, I had so many on.

It's coming.... soon... and I need your help.

2010-12-01T21:07:00.000-10:00

The Little Black Boat...

This is the name of my new military pride business. And I need your help... I'm in the process of creating samples to take pictures of to post on my new website, one for each branch of the service. I've already got the Navy, Coast Guard, & Marines but I'm missing one for the Air Force & Army. So, are you looking for a FREE military pride sign? If you're married to a member of the Air Force or Army and wouldn't mind giving me some info about where you've been stationed, it's yours. Keep in mind this will be given to the first person to respond for those two branches of the military. All I'll need is the places you were stationed and years you were there. For examples, my husband and I were stationed at Submarine School in Groton, CT from 2003-2006. That's it. No names or anything, just the command (if you want), location, and years you were stationed there.

If you or you know someone that might want to be one of the two, please leave a comment below with your email address and I'll contact you.

I'll be posting more info about The Little Black Boat very soon, so be sure to come back soon.

Yay!!! Paint has arrived!!!

2010-11-26T19:17:00.000-10:00

After ordering my acrylic paint over a month ago, it finally arrived today!!! I'm so excited to finally be able to get paointing all my fun military pride signs. The Little Black Boat is finally getting ready for its maiden voyage.

Off to sanding and painting I go. :)

It's been a while...

2010-11-25T19:44:00.000-10:00

After talking to my dear father-in-law early this morning (while waiting in line at 2:45 AM for the Black Friday sale at the NEX), I've decided to try my best to blog more often.

I guess more people were reading it then I thought.

So what have I been up to?

Well I'm in the midst of starting a new little business venture; wooden military pride signs. My new little business is affectionately called The Little Black Boat and signs will vary. The main one, that I know should do well, will consist of saying "Home is where the (branch of service) sends us". In our case it'll be "Home is where the Navy sends us". Under this main sign will be little placards that read each location we've been stationed.

I'm waiting on the acrylic paint I ordered, over a month ago, to arrive so I can post a picture. Once I have it I'll be sure to post for all to see. I'm also working with someone now to design my website, Facebook Fan Page, and Twitter account. I'll be sure to post all that info once it goes live.

I'm still making handmade cards. I don't think I'll ever stop that... I love it too much. I had a few classes last month, making holiday cards, and then one earlier this month making cards for troops stationed overseas to send to their loved ones.

That's all I've been up to lately... I'll be sure to post again soon.

Lots of love!!!

Feathers. Feathers. & More Feathers!!!

2010-11-25T12:19:00.002-10:00

Anyone that knows me, also knows how much of a die-hard Twilight fan I am. As sad as I am to see the series coming to an end, I can't help but get excited when new stuff springs up online about the last two movies, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 & Part 2.

Today, Bill Condon, the director of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, tweeted the first official image from the highly anticipated movie. The image is in no way complicated; an outstretched hand grasping some feathers on top of what appears to be a bed. For Twilight fans this imagery is much more, a first look at a pivotal scene. For me, I was screaming like a little girl with a new princess doll. It's such a beautiful picture and great part in the books... to be getting closer to seeing it on the big screen is so exciting.

Oh, Mr. Condon, I can't wait to see more. :)

OPSEC

2010-10-24T18:51:00.006-10:00

Today I'm talking about a topic I am very passionate about, one that I feel no one takes as serious as they should. Many people ask me for specifics about our lives, and some of those things I just can't give. Why? There is no simple, one sentence, answer and I'll explain why.

OPSEC.

OPSEC has been a part of my day to day life since the day I became a Navy wife. I have read so many official postings on OPSEC and have been to several briefings on it as well. So, with all things considered… I would consider myself to be well educated when it comes to OPSEC.

First off, What is OPSEC?

OPSEC means Operational Security. OPSEC is the process of denying potential adversaries any information about capabilities and/or intentions by identifying, controlling, and protecting generally unclassified evidence of the planning and execution of sensitive activities.

The old saying "Loose Lips Sink Ships" isn't just a World War II thing. It's still very true today, especially with the internet. I wouldn't want something I say to be the cause of harm to any of our military, especially my wonderful husband. Even those that hear information may be innocent but those that they pass that information onto may not be.

Not everyone that sits behind a computer screen is friendly, and when it comes down to it, there are people in the world who actively seek information that can help do harm to our military and Americans.

Something Everyone should understand- Although some information may not be secret, it can be what we call “critical information.” Critical information deals with specific facts about military intentions, capabilities, operations or activities. If the enemy knew detailed information, the service member's mission accomplishment and personnel safety could be jeopardized. By being a member of the military family, YOU will often know some bits of critical information. Do not discuss them in public and with persons who are not immediate family or affiliated with the military- Only people you trust and who practice OPSEC.

Where and how you discuss this information is just as important as with whom you discuss it. Adverse agents tasked with collecting information frequently visit some of the same stores, clubs, recreational areas, or places of worship as you do.

Determined individuals can easily collect data from cordless and cell phones, and even baby monitors, using inexpensive receivers available from local electronics stores.

Some information you may think is insignificant, however, paired with someone else's "insignificant" information, it can be puzzled together and the full picture put together. Puzzle pieces ARE a violation of OPSEC.

What not to talk or post about:

Do not post deployment dates or redeployment dates.
Do not post Training dates such as ship underways
Do not post homecoming dates- this includes training/ underway homecomings
Do not Post R&R dates- Arrival or Departure.
Do not discuss Locations; Don't discuss what country the ships are porting in at all.
Do not discuss convoy routes (“we traveled through XYZ on our way to ZXY”)
Do not discuss detailed information on the mission, capabilities or morale of a unit or command.
Do not discuss details concerning security procedures, response times, tactics
Do not discuss equipment or lack there of.
Do not talk about or speculate about future operations or movements. This would include a ship changing ports Stateside. (i.e. a specific carrier moving from Norfolk to Mayport)
Do not post countdowns or time frames, same for count-ups. Counting down is giving the exact date. Counting up from the day he left is a puzzle piece. While you may not be giving exact information, put with someone else’s percentage or estimate… you give it away.
Do not post pictures of your spouse with obvious landmarks that can give away his or her location.
Do not pass on rumors.. (i.e. "I heard the dates changed")
Do not post percentages- Some feel this is ok, but it is also a puzzle piece. If you pair it with someone else's puzzle piece/ violation- it can be figured out. You post that you are 50% done… and someone posts he's been gone 90 days.. You then have a date/ timeframe.

I think you get the idea.

If you refuse to follow these guidelines, you are putting YOUR service member at great risk. Not only are you putting yours in greater danger- You are putting every service member in their unit/command/ship etc at risk.

By not following these rules you are potentially getting your service member in trouble. With Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and several other social networking sites out there info is available so quickly to the entire world. Don't think by posting a simple "my hubby will be home tomorrow." this isn't just giving this info to your family and friends. It's also giving the exact same info to the very people our armed forces are fighting.

Remember, no matter your affiliation, status, rank or age- you have a part in the security of your loved one! For those of you practicing OPSEC, THANK YOU!!!

Operation Write Home Fundraiser

2010-10-18T17:59:00.005-10:00

Hello All...

I've found a new love... a great non-profit organization called Operation Write Home. OWH is near and dear to my heart. Obviously I'm married to a sailor... but I've also got a ton of military in my family; my Brother is a soldier, my Dad was an airmen, my Grandfather was a sailor, and my husband's Grandfather was a paratrooper in WWII, and the list goes on and on.

As many of you know, I'm a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. I love paper crafts as do so many of my friends... So while loving what I do, I've decided to donate all of my commission from now until the end of the year to OWH to help with their shipping costs. Yup, 20% of all sales goes directly to OWH now thru December 31st. And I'm not stopping there. I'll be hosting a OWH Card Camp in November, so if you're in my area, you can come stamp to your hearts content, and all the cards will be sent to OWH. Stay tuned for the dates of the OWH Card Camp.

So what are you waiting for??? Go check out all the great Stampin' Up! goodies on my website.

Proud Life of a Chiefs Wife

What a looooong day...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My love for Twilight

10 Day You Challenge: {1 Picture}

10 Day You Challenge: {2 Songs}

10 Day You Challenge: {3 Films}

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

10 Day You Challenge: {4 Books}

10 Day You Challenge: {5 Foods}

10 Day You Challenge: {6 Places}

10 Day You Challenge: {7 Wants}

10 Day You Challenge: {8 Fears}

10 Day You Challenge: {9 Loves}

10 Day You Challenge: {10 Secrets}

The big cloth diaper question...

... hello, I've missed you...

Me from A to Z

My sister's visit

A new Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn trailer...

Oh, how we loved our trip...

... I haven't cried...

... here's Baby H.

Wee Bit Wednesday

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

... if you're PCSing to/from Hawaii!!!

Day Two with the news...

I can't wait to share our news, but I will!!!

God Bless America and our Freedom of Speech.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

I hope our pay isn't completed wrong come the 15th.

Getting to know me...

... there's already something going on...

...it's a great good-bye.

Military Life from Alpha to Zulu

Wee Bit Wednesdays

...I'm excited to learn a new craft.

I know you love a good deal as much as I do...

Oh how I hope our stuff arrives intact...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

A little survey

Thursday Five

Wee Bit Wednesdays

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

... the tsunami is still being felt...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

...oh, how I hope you understand

Thursday Five

Move # 3 is officially underway...

Introducing... the I Love Love Love Your Blog! Award

Show me your...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Thursday Five

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Trying... and trying... and trying...

2011... so far...

Here's to many more...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Official Logo Released

Edward & Bella... another little sneak peek *spoilers*

In 2011

Merry Christmas

{the little black boat.} has been officially launched.

We've got orders!!!!

Need to vent...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

It's coming.... soon... and I need your help.

Yay!!! Paint has arrived!!!

It's been a while...

Feathers. Feathers. & More Feathers!!!

OPSEC

Operation Write Home Fundraiser

Edward & Bella... another little sneak peek spoilers