Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Ahh some relief!

Today my WONDERFUL 13 year old made dinner. My 13 year old SON! In some ways it was a pain because I had to teach him how to do it all and answer his incessant questions. BUT it was well worth it. He was able to make a yummy pork loin, corn and macaroni and cheese, all I had to do was slice the pork!

This is good news because though I've always been worried about my kids cooking, I also realize that it is something that they actually NEED to learn. There is nothing to say that god will not allow me to be caused harm on the way home from somewhere. This way the kids will still be able to eat until they figure out that they need to call someone. It's also an essential life skill. I'm not going to be cooking for them every day of their lives and they can't live off of fast food without gaining 300 lbs or more!

Everything turn out delicious! Maybe DS will turn out to be a chef!

Friday, December 2, 2011

A Monumental Day

Tomorrow is a monumental day in the life of this family. The baby turns 2! We are so excited, yet sad at the same time. As my Music Appreciation instructor, Professor F. would say it is bittersweet, causing a feeling of melancholy.

Though we are all excited for her second birthday and we will most certainly have fun at her party tomorrow, after all what child does not LOVE Chuck E. Cheese at that age! At 34 years old I still LOVE to play ski ball and I LOVE to have the Etch-a-Sketch-eque pictures taken with the kids. Sometimes I can even get the 13 year old to do it too.  I'm also so sad that her father, my husband cannot be here. Instead he has one of the jobs that many take for granted, that of the United States Sailor. He has to stay in Guam, because no matter how much we want him here and he wants to be here, he has not yet been there long enough to take leave and come home. Not to mention the fact that tickets are currently about $2,100 round trip.

With cards all arrived from our family and RSVP's turned in, cake pop's almost completed, there are still presents to wrap and a card to sign. Last minute touches on cake pops, and packing it all up for the 3 mile trip to CEC!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Santa's Little Helpers

It's THAT time of year again! I have agonozed over websites and FINALLY selected the Christmas Card that I believe will be the best (funniest) for our family. I found it on http://www.tinyprints.com/shop/picture-christmas-cards.htm. Filters on the left hand side make it easy to narrow down the selection! 


Christmas cards are a huge tradition with my family. We always display them on this snowman string that has little mini clothes pins to clip the card onto. When we run out of room, we tape them to the entryway between our living room and dinning room. Some years it looks quite impressive, and other years, we're lucky to fill up the string. I wonder what kind of year it's going to be this year.


This year we broke the tradition of going to the 'Mall Santa' and I paid dearly! Our local Sears had a Santa event that they promoted heavily. Let me tell you! It was a BIG disappointment! They had the most wonderful Santa I've ever seen in my life, a true professional for sure! But the studio, they rushed us, eventhough there was no one behind us, took the requisite photos, and then we didn't even get to pick which one that we wanted. I didn't think it would turn out to be a big issue, we would just buy the image CD & rights as we always had before and if they didn't pick the picture that I wanted I would just get it from the CD. 


I WAS MISTAKEN!!


There were only 3 images on the CD all of them horrible! Now I've wasted my hard earned money AND I have to go to the 'Mall Santa' anyways. Leasson learned. Sometimes it saves to go with what you know and avoid the possibility for disaster! This was one of those times!


Oddly, this is what makes the photocard from Tiny Prints perfect! It's just a close up of the kids faces. Plus, it reminds me of those dancing elves that you upload your picture(s) to each year and then have a laugh while your elves dance around to some Christmas song.




If you like it you can click on this link to go directly to it!
http://tp-images-cdn.tp-global.net/product/29073/panel/1/color/01/paper/2/width/420/height/420/1.jpg


Does this sound familiar to you... Stop doing that! Put down the bunny ears! Stop making silly faces! SMILE! Say CHEESE! This is why I LOVE that they offer more than the typical one image photostudio cards. No offense to those who just LOVE the 1 photo card, but as a mother of 3 I find that I can VERY RARELY get all three  a great picture at the same time! So with the option of placing as many as six or more photos of my choosing into the same card, I have met my perfect photocard match!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving. I am thankful for everyone in my life that I love, who loves me back.

Sometimes people just crush my good mood. I didn't even have to try to be happy today. I had fun eating turkey and all kinds of wonderful side dishes prepared by the mom of a good friend. There was squash, cranberry stuffing, broccoli, California mixed veggies, German cheesecake, pumpkin pie, apple strudel cake, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and much more! We watched part of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, then the kids picked a couple movies and finally the piece de resistance! Old School Miracle on 34th Street!

Since it was getting dark and the turkey coma was starting to hit me, I made the drive home.

Everyone got to talk to the Machinist on Skype, it was good, but he was upset about missing items from his shipment that finally arrived.

Then it happened, he called back to talk to me, and rather than it being some sweet or romantic, I love you, I miss you. It was almost a chastization. Yep! I just made a new word! And now I feel like a got stomped on. When is the next time I will hear him tell me that he loves me? Will he tell me ever again?

The doubt starts to kick in... Was the comment that I made REALLY that bad. Have I really done something so horrible that I deserve all this doubt? I feel the tears begin to well up. There is nothing I can do, but keep showing him that I love him more than I can ever express.

I'm so very thankful for my friends that listen to me when I feel like this. I'm thankful for this blog, because I can write to my hearts content, I can vent, yell, shout and cry and there's no one there to say, what the **** is wrong with you? or what's your ****ing problem?

I can just put the kids to bed, and then lay in bed and watch TV. Up now, 'Big Bang Theory' followed by some DVR. Goodnight all!

Monday, November 21, 2011

College can be HIGHLY exasperating!

So last Spring just before graduating with my Associate of Science in General Studies I was told about another local-ish college that admits more students to it's ASN (Associate of Science Nursing) than the college that I was currently attending. So I ventured out and was snagged into what turned out to be a world of lies and frustration. The college had insanely high tuition. Even more insane was the willingness for them to allow you to overextend yourself with your class load, and when you ask the tutoring office for assistance, they just don't call you back... 

After agonizing for weeks and weeks. I literally thought of almost nothing else unless I was engaged in conversation with someone else.I decided to basically throw away the last two semesters of classes, because it turns out that while they will accept those credits for transfer, they are not the requirements to take classes required to apply to the nursing program. But I trust the school more and I'm more confident that I can graduate from there without any problems. It's just a matter of time, more time than I had anticipated, but eventually it will all be worth it, right?

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Shopping Trip


Just got home from CVS, Walgreens & Rite Aid. Spent $8.33 @ Rite Aid on Schick Hydro 5 refill 4 pk($2/1) & 2 Frenches Fried Onions($1/2) (forgot my $5 +UR!). Spent $8.78 at Walgreens & got $2 RR got Schick Hydro 5 refill 4pk($2/1), 2 Pkgs Halls($1/2), 2 Pkgs Luden's($1/2) & 1 Pkg Ricola (used $2 RR). Spent $19.49 @ CVS & got $13 in ECB; got 3 8pk & 1 4pk AA Duracell ($1/1 & $5ECB WYG$20), Abreva ($3/1 & $7 ECB), and Schick Hydro 5 refill 4pk ($2/1 & $3 ECB). Whew! I'm happy :)


This means that my husband will be the recipient of a care package with the razors and some of the batteries for his XBOX360 wireless remotes. Since he's in Guam everything costs SO much more and they don't have the the deals I can score with ECB's +Up Rewards & Register Rewards to spend on my next shopping trip! I can't wait to go back once I swap out some of my coupons and get more of the razor refills! 


I know a lot of my local friends have a hard time in their towns with the employees at their stores being rude and acting as if we the shopper are stealing from the store. I think it comes because if they mess up and accept the wrong coupon for the wrong item, then they get into trouble and can loose their job. This is where I find honesty to not only be the best policy, but to be the law. Altering and copying coupons is fraud and punishable by law in every state. 


As for the 'haul' that I have pictured, this is what my family will use. I am NOT and refuse to be a 'shelf clearer'. I coupon to save money, not to have a massive storage that I could never hope to use. I DO NOT need 100 mustards, nor to I need 100 packages of TP. Maybe thoughout my life I will. But it would only impede my ability to use my home to have that much TP at once. 


Long story short, I am happy for the savings that I am able to acheive, and I am prudent, I do not go to excess, and neither should you. Be respectful of your fellow shoppers, the store and the employees and they will be respectful of you.

Monday, November 14, 2011

E-Mail is GOLDEN

With it being Thanksgiving month I've decided to share my thanks.


Today I am extremely thankful for e-mail for it allows me to hear that my husband made it safe and sound to USS Frank Cable (AS-40) in Agana, Guam. Half a world away 15 hour tie difference which is going to make future skyping difficult, at least for the benefit of the kiddos. 


I am thankful for pleasant surprises arriving in the mail that make the upcoming Holiday season easier. 


I am thankful for whispered I love you's repeated back to you in little baby voices. <3

Monday, November 7, 2011

Scatterbrained Yet Accomplished

Sometimes it dawns on me that I have overextended myself. As it turns out this may or may not be one of those times. I've gotten so much done in the last week.


Halloween finished up the kids costumes and took them for Trick-or-Treat in an adjacent housing area.  
Baked about 4 or 5 dozen cookies for the Pasta Supper & picked up last minute donations. 
Sent out fliers on three different days about the Fall Fundraiser pickup. Handled the pickup. Helped out for the Pasta Supper. 
Called all the parents that did not pick up the Fall Fundraiser, waited around for some of them to come pick up their stuff. 
Attended a Birthday Party (for TWINZ!).
Baked & decorated 4 dozen cupcakes for the Election Day Bake Sale.  
Dropped off and picked up my friends kid at his work a town over, several times since the 1st. 
Managed 4 doctor appointments for the kids.
Completed 6 Mystery Shops.
Managed to NOT loose my sanity!


I've realized that though I have missed A LOT of class work, what my REAL issue is that the kids are driving me up the wall because I miss my husband SO much. Sometimes I think that I might not make it through this entire deployment without going prematurely grey!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

3 Days Shy

It's three days shy of exactly one month since the husband left for Agana. I'm tired, I'm feeling worn and feel like crying my eyes out. Thank the Heavenly Father above for my WONDERFUL friend Lisa. She helps me take my mind off of the giant looming of the next 35 months or so.


Long story short, Can't sleep... miss my Gorill-la-la-la. <3

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

1070-something days to go and I'm going STRONG.

An acquintance of mine told me today via email that I am SO strong when I told her how husbandface is going to be gone for three years. This is what I had to say in response, and I realized as I was typing it that it was worth sharing with the WORLD.


It's not about me being strong because I am, it's about me being strong because I HAVE to. You know how it is married to the USN. They didn't issue you in his sea bag and some commands are better than others, but you take what you can of his time, miss him like crazycakes when he's gone, pray for his safe return and rejoice when he's back again.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Sometimes I get over emotional

Sometimes, I find that I have to fight not to let myself have hurt feelings...

Today the mail came. Recycling for my husband, a sample with coupon of Infusium 23 for me, a birthday card for my oldest daughter, and Halloween cards for each of the three kids. How can my feelings be hurt from these simple things you may ask? Well, when they're all from your husband and there's nothing there for you, the answer is simple too.

I miss my husband with all of my heart. I spend so much time feeling hurt and lost since he left for Agana. The first time that we get mail from him, and there's nothing for me. I KNOW that I am entitled to feel sad, but at the same time I feel guilty.

A Navy Wife is supposed to stand up, be strong and stay strong. Yet I'm not feeling strong. I need my friends to take my mind off of how much I miss my husband and to remind me how important it is to keep trudging through my classes. It's actually getting harder to sleep at night, it doesn't help that it's practically Winter and I don't have my Gorilla to keep me warm at night.

I miss you my Husbandface & Gorilla of mine.

<3

Friday, October 21, 2011

Day 15, 1081 to go

The baby is sitting here on the bed with me, playing with various things that I don't use anymore and have allowed her to play with because she thinks they are fun. By doing this, I am sure that I have now passed on my love of Tupperware!!
1. Garlic Press
2. Baster
3. Water Bottle
4. Can Opener

Bwahahahahaha!

At least I am ending this day on a good note.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The History of X

I grew up in California. I miss the weather there, but not the high taxes. I've lived in several different states, sometimes I think I actually like the moving.I lived several years in Washington State, thanks to our US Navy where I was stationed for over 7 years. I even stayed behind for a few years until I decided to move East young woman, to Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 taxes! What? lakes you say, nay if you have ever lived there then you know it is affectionately called the land of 10,000 taxes.

Don't get me wrong about Washington, I miss parts of it too, mostly just my friends who still live there though.

Minnesota was fun, but it didn't last long. A few things of note in case you ever get to go:
Best Pizza: Checkerboard on Snelling Ave in St. Paul (http://www.checkerboardpizza.net/)
Best Trick-or-Treat: Grand Ave in St. Paul
Best Mall: MOA of course!
Best College: Innver Hills CC & The College of St. Catherine's (tie!)
Best Mall Food: Cafe @ Nordstroms in MOA
Best Bread: Breadsmiths (http://www.breadsmithmn.com/)
Best Grocery Store: Rainbow
Best Chinese: Jun Bo (http://www.jun-bo.com/about.htm)

Lived in North Crackalacka too. Wasn't really a fan, I missed the winter but loved the central air!

My oldest son has a Pervasive Developmental Disorder and is not able to handle being mainstream. My middle daughter does just about anything for attention between the extra for the oldest and the young age of the baby. The baby is almost 2 and misses her daddy and can't wait for her daily Skype :)

We love and Miss our Sailor. Only 1,083 days to go!