Randomness Anyone?

Yes? Great! 'Cause that's about all I can come up with right now. My brain is mush. =P

First, I would like to thank those of you who commented on my last (and very depressing) post. Now that I've had my monthly breakdown, I feel a lot better. Sometimes a girl just needs a good cry. (And apparently a blog post.)

Good day today! Church was fantastic. It's always funny to me - even though it shouldn't be - that God gives me just what I need when I need it. Like I said yesterday, I was really homesick. One of the things I've really been missing lately is our church home in NC. I often feel like our church here plays the same songs week. after week. after week. It's tiring...and it makes me miss home. Anyway. I was sitting in my seat just a few minutes before the service began, and the band started playing one of my favorite worship songs (that I first heard in NC), You Deserve by Hillsong. As soon as the first note was played, I recognized the song and just smiled. God knew I needed to feel at home... We also sang another song later that was a familiar one. Funny how that works, isn't it? =)

After church, I came home and watched the Pro Bowl. It was a fun game. Apparently, the hubby wasn't impressed. Lol. ;-) The funny thing is that I got him to start watching football while we were dating! I guess growing up on the east coast he was more concerned with silly basketball than football. While I grew up in Oklahoma, a die-hard Sooner football fan. Now, he's Mr. Hard Core Football Fan. =P We were chatting about the game and he mentioned that it was playing while he was in the gym, so he got to watch part of it. This is what he had to say about the game: "What a wussy game!" I tried to tell him that football is their job and that this was a just-for-fun kind of game, but he just said that "that's not football." I think I'm the only one to blame for his attitude toward football. LOL!


I enjoyed watching them sort of goof off and just have fun. Especially in the last few minutes. Hilarious. It really made me wish I'd gone. But then, who would I have gone with? Bleh. Anyways, while watching it I realized that the announcers kept saying that the Pro Bowl was in Honolulu. Oh, silly announcers!! While Honolulu is the biggest, most important city in the state on the island, Aloha Stadium is not in Honolulu. It's just the closest well-known city. I even have proof!!

Clearly to everyone but the press, Aloha Stadium is in Aiea (pronounced like "i" the letter, "a" the letter and finish with "uh"). I don't know why, but things like this frustrate me to no end. I mean, if you're going to be broadcasting from somewhere, shouldn't you know exactly where you are? I get that Honolulu is more commonly known and easier to say, but seriously? 

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After 3 days of no working out, my muscles are finally not sore. Hallelujah!! Instead of easing into the more difficult Pilates workouts, I decided to delve right back in. That wasn't quite the best idea I ever had. It definitely got my heart pumping, but my muscles weren't quite as receptive. I could barely move on Friday. I may or may not have taken a muscle relaxer Friday night.... ;-) And tomorrow I start the workout week all over again. Yay me. 

I'm actually surprised at how well I'm adjusting to counting calories again. Though, that may have something to do with the fact that I still allow myself to have something sweet once a day. All within the calorie allowance, of course! What's even better is when I look at the back of boxes/cans for serving sizes and calories, I sometimes catch myself saying "Wow! That's expensive!" =P Meaning it's gonna cost me a lot of calories. Lol! 

I've also come to the conclusion that eating well is good for me, but not for my bank account. Why is it so much more expensive to eat healthy!? That's just wrong.

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So, how many of you are iPhone users? *looks around for raised hands* To those of you who own (and love) an iPhone, you will probably understand when I say that I'm a tad bit addicted. 

While I was visiting home over the holidays, I downloaded the Angry Birds app. Apparently, it's "all the rage" these days and I was curious. After playing it for 10 minutes, I was slightly addicted. I've also found that Angry Birds makes me angry! Trying to kill those darn pigs is tough! =P

After attempting the same level a bazillion times today, I decided to search for a new addicting game. About a year ago, (yes really) I really wanted to download the Oregon Trail app. I randomly searched for it one day and about peed my pants when I saw that they really had made it!! My husband looked at me like I was nuts because he had no idea what Oregon Trail was. *sigh* Homeschooled kids. I swear. ;-) Anyway, I didn't get it because it was $5 and there was no stinkin' way I was paying $5 for an app! I pouted for a while and then forgot about it...until today.

I searched for it again...just to see. And what do you know? It was only $.99!! Of course I had to get it!!! After playing for maybe a half hour total, I have successfully forded 2 rivers, fixed my schooner, picked up a hitchhiker, cured one of my "kids" of the measles and lost another one to a random eagle. =P Seriously, is there a better game than Oregon Trail?! I think not!

I also play Words with Friends a lot. =) I need the practice so I can beat my husband at Scrabble. I don't think I've beat him one time in the 2.5 (!!!) years we've been married!!! And who says chivalry is dead?! ;-) Lol!

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Speaking of the hubby, I've got a phenomenal V-Day package to send to him!! Eek! I really, really, really wanna show you but I can't!! I don't want to risk him seeing it on here before he gets it. I'm like really bad about not keeping secrets. He already knows one thing that's in there. I've got to at least try not to tell him...for a little while. Haha.

If he doesn't need anything from the PX, I'll be shipping it to him tomorrow. Chances are, he'll tell me that he doesn't need anything tomorrow morning and then by tomorrow night he'll remember he needed something. That's usually about the way it works. =P I don't mind, though. Getting things together for him makes me feel like I'm a halfway decent wife again. 

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Well, I think my brain is officially mush and incapable of coming up with anything clever for the rest of the evening. I hope y'all had a great weekend!! And thanks for putting up with my little slice of crazy. ;-)

The Pause Button

This can be a good thing sometimes. Like during a movie when you have to go to the bathroom. And if you're Marshall and Lily (How I Met Your Mother... Come on, people. Keep up. ;-)), it works wonders during the middle of a fight.

I feel like someone hit the "pause" button on my life when this deployment started.

I go back and forth on being okay with this. Most of the time, I've got this. Joe and I talk usually every day,  just long enough to see how each other is doing. I go about my day and he goes about his. Once a week we really get to talk. That's his day off. And how long we talk depends on if his internet wants to cooperate that day or not. I've decided that his internet is conspiring against us. On, off. On, off. On, off. Grr.

Honestly, today was a pretty good day. Right up until I decided I'd watch a couple movies on Netflix Instant. My husband's Skype messages woke me up and we chatted for...10 minutes? before we got cut off. I had breakfast, read some blogs and watched Narnia. Sometimes ABC Family is good to me. =P I had lunch, I showered (yeah, in that order) and then I got busy.

I baked goodies to send to my husband for 2 hours today. Nope, not kidding! I also made him a little something last night. I'd share all the goodies in his package, but I'm trying to surprise him. You'll see when he gets the package. Promise.

After all my baking, I sat down. Around dinner time, I was bored with Saturday TV. Let's face it: after football season, Saturday TV sucks. The End. So, I decided I'd browse Netflix for some movies. During dinner I watched The Proposal. A smart woman would have known better than to watch a romantic comedy. I watched anyway. 3/4 of the way in, I was regretting it with thoughts like "Crap. I miss my husband." I did manage to distract myself with some puppy cuddling and serious nerdiness:

By the time that movie was over, it was still early and I wasn't feeling the craftiness. Movie #2 happened by sheer accident. I was trying to look at my instant queue, but kept hitting the wrong buttons on the Xbox controller. *sigh* This happens more than I'd like. Instead, I ended up browsing the "new movies." I came across The Last Song, which was originally a Nicholas Sparks book. I'm pretty sure I've confessed my love for his books before. Not feeling like searching for anything else, I hit play.

Bad idea.


I must have forgotten that I cried through the last 1/4 of the book. Movies are shorter, so I cried through the last half of it. It's a sad story and Aunt Flo is hanging out with me right now. Combine that with deployment and missing my husband and what do you get?

A bucket of post-movie tears.


I feel like my life is on hold. I miss my husband... Those words don't really do the pain justice. He's not here for me to simply talk to. He's not here for me to vent my frustrations to. He's not here for me to pick up after. He's not here to make fun of me when I cry during movies...which makes me stop crying. He's not here to hold me when I'm upset.

At the end of the day, he's just not here. And it sucks.


The Last Song is set in North Carolina. So, not only is the movie sad it made me want to go home. Bad. I didn't grow up in North Carolina, but after living there for 1.5 years it's home. Before that, I'd always wanted to see NC, thanks to Nicholas Sparks. The books that once made me want to visit now make me want to go home.


Sure, I can experience things while he's gone. I can make new friends; I can go places. I can, I can, I can. It's just not the same. While I know this won't last forever, I feel like this deployment sure is taking its sweet time. Maybe it's just the after-R&R effect. I don't know.

Right now, in this moment... My husband is gone. I want to go home. I don't want to do this. Can I have my husband back, please? Hit the "play" button so I can get back to living happily again. My life just doesn't feel...right...without him.

Blizzard Bloghop!

If you're stopping by for the Blizzard Bloghop, welcome!!! Allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Sarah. I'm a 20 something Army wife. 

Though, I wasn't always an Army wife.

This is my husband, Joe, sans uniform. =P

Joe and I met in college in 2006. Neither one of us had plans that included the military. We were going to graduate and become teachers. He a choir director, and me a history teacher. After graduation from college in 2008, we got married in June. Then we moved to North Carolina to start our lives together. After many interviews, crappy jobs, one good job and some ups and downs, Joe got laid off in February of 2009. A few weeks later, he met a US Army recruiter at a job fair. The rest, my friends, is history.

Though he could have gone the OCS route, he chose to enlist instead. (He's actually currently trying to get into OCS. Silly hubby. =P) After about 9 months of training (BCT and AIT), he got his orders for our first duty station. We currently live here:

In mostly sunny Hawaii. So while most of you are covered in snow and blankets, drinking hot chocolate, I'm sitting on my couch in a Tshirt and shorts. Not to make you jealous or anything. ;-) 

I know I said that both of us live here, but I sort of lied. My hubby is currently residing in a CHU in the sandbox. Just 2 short months after we PCSed here, he left. We knew it could happen, but I think both of us were hoping it wouldn't. 

This blog is sort of like my home. I'm here a lot, and I talk about a lot of things. Sometimes I use it to vent my frustrations about deployment. Other times I use it to brag about my sweetie of a hubby. I also like to show off my newest creations. =) I have just taken up sewing, thanks to encouragement from my bestie. I also enjoy reading, scrapbooking, baking, Grey's Anatomy (seriously) and laughing at my silly dog, Jasper.

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to look around here before you head back to Household 6 Diva to check out more blogs! Hope to see more of you around here!


Aloha!

Happy Weight Loss?

Even though I didn't want to, I got up this morning and went to the gym. Please don't have a heart attack. I know it's shocking. ;-)

I will admit, though, that it was my darling husband who urged me to go. I got up and had absolutely no desire to put on gym clothes and go. None at all. But he reminded me that I need to go...that it's good for me, blah, blah, blah. ;-) We changed topics eventually, but before he signed off (woah! hello, 90s term!) he told me to work hard at the gym today. *sigh* Now I had to go! So I went. 


The gym on our little housing post/area is kind of small...kind of big. It has locker rooms (duh), a badminton (I had no idea that's how that was spelled. Thanks, spellcheck!) area, a basketball court, weight lifting area and then there are bikes, ellipticals and a few other things upstairs. The "elliptical area" overlooks the basketball court. Not sure what that's all about, but whatever. =P It looks nice and it's clean...that's all that really matters to me. 


I hopped on one of the ellipticals and got to work. For the first 2-3 minutes, I didn't realize that the incline was set to 10!!! I knew I was working awfully hard, but geez! And it had me on some wacko "program." You know, you can choose which workout you want to do and it...does it. All of these freakin' machines are different and it really irks me. Anyway. I finally figured it out and set it to manual. I like to do my own thing, thank you very much. Unfortunately, changing the settings restarts your time. *sigh* So now I had no idea how long I'd been on there (I wasn't paying attention before).


 I guess it worked out though, because I ended up burning 283ish calories in 30 minutes. My heart was seriously pumping. I'm also not sure that I trust the heart rate monitors they put on those machines. At one point, it said my heart rate was over 200. I thought, "Ok. If my heart is beating that fast should I really be able to run or even stand?!" Somehow, I don't think so. I did slow down just in case, though. No heart attack for me, please! At the end of 30 minutes, I had run 2.5ish miles! I'm seriously proud of myself! If only you knew how long it has been since I ran... ;-)


After I went to the museum and "worked" today, I stopped by the PX hoping to pick up a few things for Vday projects/packages. I found nothing I was looking for. Nothing. WalMart has also failed me. I'd like to go to Target, but I don't want to drive that far. I'm thinking I may need to take a trip to Ross. Anyway. The PX. 


I've been really wanting to get a wristlet/small wallet to put all of my crap in while I'm at the gym. You know, so I don't have to take my entire bag in with me. Just something to hold my iPhone, keys and ID. I've looked online and I've even thought of making something. Well, I made my way over to the purse section of the PX. If you know me, you know that this is dangerous. I have a thing for accessories. ;-) I looked at some Coach (if only my budget would allow that!). I looked at some knock off. And then... Oh, and then... I saw a beauty. It was cute, perfect and only $20. If I had purchased something from Etsy, it would have cost $10-$15 plus shipping. Might as well be $20. So, I put it in my little basket and skipped off to get the other things on my list. 

I now own some Vera Bradley!!! I big, pink puffy heart Vera Bradley!!! I really wanted something pink, but they didn't have any and I still think this print is super cute. =)

Keys, phone, earphones, change and cards!

Even better? ID slot on the outside!

Did you really think I'd show you my ID? Psh. ;-)

See?! Perfect!

I may even be using this as my wallet wallet. Usually I carry the "mom wallet" that fits everything from business cards to the checkbook...and a pen. Seriously, it's pretty big. I love it but trying to dig out my military ID is a pain. Half the time, it's floating free in my purse so I can flash it when I go on post or get carded at the PX/Commissary. I need some stability in my life. =P Plus, with my keys attached I'll never lose them! Great solution, I think.

So, is it safe to say that I bought myself a present to 1) celebrate my great workout and 2) encourage me to go back to the gym? I think yes. And I'm ok with that. Let's just hope the hubby is too... Shhh... He doesn't know yet. ;-)

Dialect Vlog and Some Other Things

Don't you love it when you can see the randomness just from the title?! I bet you do! ;-)


Before this afternoon, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to get in on this whole dialect vlog thing. Then I watched JG's. Fantastic. Maybe just because we have a few words in common -- how we say them. That's probably due to the fact that both of us grew up in Oklahoma. Just maybe. ;-) Anyway, I was inspired, so I sat down and recorded my very own!





The video quality isn't that great... And I apologize for my hair! I wasn't feeling like messing with it today. =P If you want to do your own, here are the words and questions:

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?

What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?

What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?

What do you call gym shoes?

What do you say to address a group of people?

What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?

What do you call your grandparents?

What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?

What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?

What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

Now. That question about the rain falling while the sun is shining must be addressed. Remember how I said it happens a lot in Hawaii? Not 30 minutes after recording the vlog, it happened. I was sitting on my couch watching the President give another pointless speech TV, I heard rain falling outside. The sun was still out. Just to show you that it really does happen here (as if you wouldn't believe me!), I took a video of it. You're welcome. Oh, and watch it to the end or you won't get to really see the rain. It's worth a whole minute of your time. ;-)

Please ignore my yard that hasn't be mowed in...months. I think I've decided to go to housing and request that they take care of it since my husband's deployed and all. I was going to be macho woman and buy a weed eater to do it myself... I think that's just a disaster waiting to happen. I just don't need that kind of drama going on. =P

Now. Let's back up a few hours, ok? I was sitting on the couch thinking about going to check the mail. I'm waiting for a few things to come in and I usually take Jasper with me so he can do his business. It's our little routine. Plus, I think he really loves going to get the mail. Since I know y'all never believe me, I took a video to confirm it!!

Yeah, I know I have a crazy dog. At least he keeps me entertained, though! But, wait. It gets even better! I was sitting on the couch after getting back from our short walk and decided to watch the video (taken on my phone). As I played it, Jasper got up and started running to the door. Like we were going to get the mail again. He responded to me on video! I couldn't believe it! In reality, though, I shouldn't have been so shocked. I have been Skyping with Joe before and Joe would tell Jasper to get a toy...and he'd go do it. He doesn't do it anymore for Joe, but I still think it's awesome. Anyway, back to the point. To prove that my dog is a genius, I took another video. (Today was a very...recording type of day!) My voice is pretty loud on the video because my phone is right next to the camera, but I was NOT talking. I swear to you.

Crazy, right?! He's so cute. =)

In other news, I had FRG training to go to today. Yaaay. It was actually pretty informative, but I mostly felt like it was a waste of time. I'm pretty sure the instructor could have just handed us the printoff from PowerPoint (the military and its slideshows), given us the DVD thing and the packet of helpful information and sent us on our way. There were very few things I got out of today other than learning that our FRG needs a serious overhaul. Seriously. There are even things that our FRG on the battalion level is doing WRONG. And - for those of you experienced with FRGs - our FRSA (link between command and the FRG leaders, basically) just PCSed with her husband. Translation? Our FRG needs help and the one person hired to help us just left. Awesome. 

I also learned that we need to do some serious fundraising... But before we can do that we have to have a purpose for the money. *sigh* Really? AND, that purpose has to be voted on. Have I mentioned the lack of company spouses on this island? Joe's company is mainly single soldiers, first of all. The spouses we do have here are all spouses of enlisted soldiers. NOT a bad thing, my husband is enlisted, but in our case that means little experience. The one or two officer's spouses are back on the mainland. I cannot tell you how badly that irritates me. To wrap it up for you, we have few prospects for volunteers and even fewer actually want to help. It's very frustrating. As I posted on Twitter today, I think I'm ready to PCS the heck out of here. There are a few reasons:

15) That would mean Joe got into OCS (he's been putting his packet together).

2) While I do like like living here, it would be easier to be closer to family.

3) I would be away from all the drama. (Though I'm sure new drama would be awaiting me elsewhere.)

4) No more wacky time zone.

51) Did I mention that would mean Joe was stateside? I should have. =P

The best part of this training? The certificate at the end. While they started handing them out, I told our FRG leader and secretary that I'd bet $5 my name was spelled wrong. While "Sarah" is kind of hard to mess up, my last name frequently gets misspelled. And, oooooh, did I ever call it!!!! Y'all, I can't believe this, but she misspelled my FIRST name. I'm not even kidding you!!!!!! I so wish I could share my last name on here because, together, it's just hysterical!!!! The first name is good enough, though. Are you ready?!

Saran

Yes. Saran. Apparently, she thought my "h" was an "n." I'm still not quite sure about that. Sure, my "h" was a little shorter than normal. But not short enough to look like an "n." *sigh* Leave it to the Army...

Does Anyone Know What Time It Is?

"Tool Time!" ;-)

Nah, just kidding. Haha!

It's time for another wonderfully random post from yours truly. Aren't you excited?! *pauses to listen* I thought you would be! =D

You will be happy to know (or maybe not, but you should be) that I - Sarah *Insert Last Name Here* - am officially back on the workout train!!!!

[thunderous applause]

After talking to my hubby on Skype this morning and laying on the couch not wanting to do anything, I finally got off my toosh and did something! I put on my newly purchased yoga pants (which are fabulous, in case you were wondering) and got things set up:

Yeah, I totally use my our Xbox to workout. Can you say "Netflix instant?" They don't have a lot of Pilates videos, but I've found a few that are actually pretty decent. Add in my super-cute, hot pink, hawaiian flower-dy mat and how could I not work out? (Don't answer that because I've obviously not been working out for a while...) Unfortunately, the silly thing hadn't been used since Joe went back to the Sandbox so I had to download updates and apparently there was still a DVD in there. =P Finally, I got my video to play and did 30 minutes of Pilates.

Oh man. It was rough. Things I once could do with no problem were suddenly hurting and wearing me out. =( That's what I get from avoiding the mat for so long. Fortunately, the 30 minutes went fairly quick and before I knew it I was stretching my muscles out. Personally, that's my favorite part of the workout. Even though I was dying, I felt amazing afterward! I know it's crazy, but it's true! I would really like to know how that happens. Let's just hope the same thing happens after I hit the gym Wednesday. I'm counting tomorrow as a day off because I have to go to an FRG training thing at 0900. Sarah doesn't get up early, so no workout tomorrow.


I also did really well on calorie counting today! My plan is to do Pilates 2-3 times a week and to hit the gym at least twice a week to run. My knees don't take the pavement very well, so I'll be on the ellipticals.  Anyway, I'm also calorie counting. Want another reason I love my iPhone? ;-) This app:

I used it for a while when I was still living in NC and working out hardcore. You can enter all of  your meals AND workouts in it. (Sex counts too. ;-) I so love that. Though, it's not really that much... Unless you're marathoning it. LOL And obviously, I am doing NONE of that right now... *SIGH*) So, it adds up your calorie intake and subtracts all the calories you burned off. Pilates doesn't burn that many calories, unfortunately, but I use it for the strength training and toning so I'm not worried. I can run off the rest in the gym. Anyway, I stinkin' love this app. You put in your weight, height, age, gender and your goal weight and it gives you "plans" to choose from. I chose to lose 1 lb a week (eating 1298 calories a day) which should put me at my goal weight around 2 weeks before Joe comes back!

I honestly thought I'd be starving... But I'm not. I did really well today, and after I'd eaten dinner I still had 510 calories to go. How did I celebrate? I made chocolate chip cookies and finished off those last calories! Hahaha! Joe thought it was hilarious too. I told him that no one ever said a diet DIDN'T include cookies! Plus, if I don't give myself some sort of chocolate I will not stick to a diet. It just won't happen. I also give myself one day free of calorie counting and exercising a week. I learned this from a super-skinny Marine wife that I worked with at Chili's. I figured if she could stay skinny that way, I could get skinny that way. It's worked pretty well, when I stay on track. =P


Week 1 of Operation: Get Fit is going well so far!

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So, this morning post-workout I took the time to download all the updates my Mac has been yelling at me to do for like 2 weeks. I hate doing them because half the time you either have to be connected to a power source or you have to restart it. *sigh* I'm attached to my computer and, well.... You know how it is, I'm sure. I knew I needed to do it, so I finally let go for a few minutes and did it. Wouldn't you know that I got  a really nice surprise?!

After my computer restarted, I saw this little icon in my dock...and it made me smile. =)

If you have an iPhone, I'm sure this will look familiar to you. All iPhones have the App Store. Recently, Apple launched its Mac App Store. Apps for the Macs! Woooo! I'm already in love. Would you like to see the first one I downloaded?

Twitter, of course!! I have to keep up with all my "Tweeps!" I have it on my phone too, but half the time it alerts my phone before my computer... Which is really frustrating when I'm on the computer. Now this is no longer a problem. I have a live feed that automatically updates itself! No refreshing, no browser necessary. Just an internet connection. Bliss.

Isn't that awesome?! They obviously have a bunch of other apps too. Games, things for businesses, health apps, iCal reminder apps... Pretty much anything you can think of. And just so we're clear here, Apple is NOT paying me to say any of this. I just really love my Mac and feel the need to share the awesomeness that is Apple. 

After owning a Mac for...4ish years now, I no longer understand PC users. At all. And when I'm forced to use a PC - like at the museum - it frustrates me to no. end. PC/Windows/Whatever is trying desperately to be like Apple. (It really can't be denied.) One of my favorite Mac features is the ability to search my entire computer for a file. I can type in "scan" for a photo I've scanned and it brings up every file that has "scan" in its name or in the document itself. On a PC? I can type in the whole freakin' name of the file and it doesn't come up. Nothing. Oh, and the drag and drop features that PC users now love? Apple started that. The widgets? Apple.

Ok, end rant. I really love my Mac. Everyone should own one. Once you go Mac, you never go back! ;-)

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After that, I uploaded some pictures to be printed off at WalMart. (Oh, how I miss Walgreen's photo center...) I'm making a little something for my hubby and I always like to send pictures. Don't worry, you'll see all of it once he gets the package. He's a hit-and-miss reader of my blog and I don't want him to see it before he gets it! 

Anyway, while I was doing some V-Day shopping for my hubby, I came across something slightly disturbing...

Obama. On a Valentine's Day Card. You have got to be kidding me!!!!! When will the obsession with Obama stop? When will they stop selling CRAP with his face on it?! I get that he's the president. I get that everyone who's not a Republican/Conservative thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. But, come on people. He's NOT a savior. He's not some icon. He's a president... He's got the most powerful and most stressful job in the country. Whether or not I like him, his position grants him a little more respect than being stamped on a freakin' Vday card. And by the way, Obama might have been born in Hawaii, but he wasn't Hawaii's senator and he hasn't lived here in years. Chicago is his home. I can't stand it when people (especially Hawaiians) go ga-ga over him saying he's "from" Hawaii. I was born in England, but that doesn't make me English! Grrrr.

End rant #2. =) I swear this wasn't meant to be a ranting post!

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I have a few new things on my crafts list!! I have two things to make for Joe that I can't tell you about, a laptop cover for Anna and another thing (or two, or three) that I can't tell you about! Anna (aka my SIL, for you newbies) has a birthday coming up and I feel the need to make her a little something. And I promised her while I was in NC that I would make her a laptop cover. I am one busy girl! 

I'd like to make myself some potholders when I get the chance... I need to start sewing my next blankie...  And I can't decide whether or not I want to make myself a wristlet. You know, something small that will hold my ID, iPhone, cards, $$ and keys while I'm at the gym. I hate carrying all that crap in with me. I just don't know that I want to attempt a zipper again. The thought of just buying super cute one from Etsy and not having to deal with a zipper is really appealing. If you can't tell, zippers and I aren't very good friends. Just ask my laptop cover. That's all I'm saying about that one!

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That is pretty much all the news going on in my world... All that I can think of anyway. =P Hubby's day off is supposedly tomorrow so I'm hoping for a really nice, long Skype video chat! We haven't been using the web cam much lately because his connection is so crappy. I hate not being able to see his face and hear his voice. Plus, when we can talk (sans video) it's not usually for very long. The longer he's gone, the harder that part gets. We're officially on the downward slope, but I'm still waiting for the Donut to give me a new phrase. I know we're over the hump, thank you very much! =P I'm trying very hard to stay positive, but it's not easy. I'm praying these next few months fly by, though. I need them to!

Hope your week is off to a great start!!

Gotcha Day

2 years ago today, I brought my little Jasper home from the shelter where he was born. =)

Technically, he'd been mine for a week already but the shelter requires that all animals be spayed/neutered before you can take them home. Since Jasper was only 2 months old, he obviously hadn't been "snipped" yet. So I had to wait. =( That didn't make me happy, but it did allow me to get things ready for him. I bought a crate, bowls, food, toys and that blanket he still plays with to this day.


They handed him to me and he was still incredibly drugged from being snipped, but he was so cute! One of the girls there said, "Oh, he has an old man face!" Haha.

He was still snoozing away when I stopped at Anna's to show him off. =) Joe met me there too, and that's who's holding Jasper in this picture. Isn't he so cute?! He was sooo tiny too!

I got the term "gotcha day" from a friend of mine in high school. Her parents (who were Army at the time) adopted her from the Philippines. So, they celebrated the day she was born AND the day she was adopted. She'd always come to school saying "it's gotcha day!" with a big smile on her face. She's the same age as my brother, but we were in band together (and both played flute) so we had a little connection. =)

Getting Jasper was a complete accident. Joe and I had talked about getting a dog for a while, and the one time he tried to surprise me with one I wanted our landlords said "no." Of course, I didn't know until after the fact. A couple months later, Anna asked me if I wanted to go to the shelter with her and her father in law. I said yes, because how can you pass up a chance to see cute dogs?! 

Well, what do you know, they had puppies there. Not only did they have puppies, but these puppies were Boston Terrier mixes!! Joe and I were dying to get Boston puppies, but 1) they're too expensive and 2) tend to have health problems. So there I was, with this super cute puppy. I called Joe about a million times before he called me back. He worked like 5 minutes away from the shelter, and I wanted him to come see the puppy. He loved Jasper too, and we filled out the paperwork hoping and praying that our landlords would say it was ok. I got up early the next morning, praying they'd call and say I could finish the paperwork to adopt Jasper.

They did. =) I got dressed, jumped in the car and drove like a crazy person to the shelter. I grabbed Jasper (they have to scan the microchip), ran to the front desk and filled everything out. $94 later, he was mine!! Well... not until after they'd "snipped" him, of course.

We finally got him home and he was beginning to wake up and act like a normal puppy a bit. We decided to turn the TV on and it totally weirded him out! He kept staring at it like "what in the world is that thing?!" Haha =)

Just a little later that night Joe was whistling and Jasper looked at him exactly like this. So Joe whipped out his phone and snapped the picture. =P

I stinkin' love this picture!!! See how little he used to be?!

Trying to see if he had an underbite. He does. =P

Not too much later, the normal puppy antics began... He fell in love with my slippers and I surrendered them to him after he tore the stuffing out of the heel of one. 

And then he figured out that it was warm under the covers!! I'd come back from my shower and find him like this. Actually, he still does that. And now he sheds and gets dog hair all in my bed. Not cool. 

This one is actually my fault. Lol! I can't remember why, but I thought it would be a good idea for Joe to give him a sort of piggy-back ride. Hahaha! It lasted just long enough for me to take this picture.

One of the first times Jasper ever barked. 

The first video of him barking died with a previous phone. Sad day.

You have to watch this. 

Like most things with Jasper, this is hilarious!

When Joe went to BCT, it was me and Jasper for quite a while. I was cuddle up under the covers watching a movie one Sunday afternoon and realized that he was actually watching TV. I have a crazy dog.

Cute puppy. =)

As you can see, not much has changed! I'm pretty sure he stopped growing around the time we'd had him for about 6 months. I know his birthday, but I don't feel any sort of attachment to it since we didn't get him until 2 months later. Even though he's a mess, tears up any sort of paper and has a nervous bladder, I love him to pieces!!! Yeah, he's pretty much like my very own kid... Except he's covered in fur. Most importantly, he's been my buddy through it all: BCT, AIT and Deployment #1.

Happy Gotcha Day, Jasper!!! =D

Pearl Harbor

Finally. It's only taken about 9 months for me to get there. Epic fail on my part. 

I was really glad when Jessica called this morning to tell me she had, indeed, gotten tickets to see the USS Arizona Memorial! =) Even better, she got tickets for the 0915 tour giving me a few extra minutes to change clothes twice finish getting ready and still have plenty of travel time. Much like in the movie O Brother Where Art Thou? I feel like I live in a "geographical oddity." Except I live about 30 minutes away from everywhere on the island instead of 2 weeks. =P Well, it does take quite a bit longer to get to Honolulu, but that's mostly due to traffic. But I digress.

After being worried that Sheila (what we affectionately call our GPS) would take me the wrong way, making a U-Turn and driving through three parking lots, I finally made it to Pearl Harbor! Once there with tickets in hand, we were ushered into a small theater to watch a video on the attack on Pearl Harbor. I didn't need this, but I did actually enjoy it. After that, we boarded a boat that took us here:

The Arizona Memorial from the boat.

Once there, we went inside...

The memorial sits on top of the Arizona and they have windows cut out so you can see down below.

My husband isn't Navy or I would tell you what these things are. =P

Adding a flag to the pole.

Best picture from the whole tour.

{Taken before they added the 2nd flag.}

All the men who never made it out of the ship.

Very humbling and very sad.

So many men... All like my husband...

These are the men who, after their death, were put back in the Arizona with their shipmates.

I think that is so...amazing. They wanted to rest with them.

More of the ship.

Oil that still leaks out of the ship on a daily basis.

I could even see black splotches on the surface. 

It was unreal.

Jessica!

Leaving the memorial.

I *heart* pictures of palm trees.

I love this! It says:

"Dear Lord/ Lest I continue/ My complacent way/ Help me to remember

Somehow out there/ A man died for me today./ As long as there be war

I then must/ Ask and answer/ Am I worth dying for?"

Poem Eleanor Roosevelt kept in her wallet during World War II

It doesn't surprise me that she kept that with her. Though, it does beg the question: What if everyone thought and felt that way? How would this country - this world - be different if we all remembered that our freedoms come at a price - daily. I can only imagine.

Even though the tour was short (entirely too short in my opinion), it definitely left me in awe and so thankful. No sobbing occurred, but a few tears showed up. I expected this. Those men never had a chance. Their lives were cut so short. Many of them were just like my husband - serving their country and glad to do so. 

"I will never forget." ~ Radioman Third Class Warren Verhoff