Monday, January 31, 2011

Birthday With the Fam

Here are my photos of the day for the 28th & 29th....And holy crap it's the last day of January today!
Time flies
Well, when your husband isn't deployed.
Anyway, my photos:

January 28th:  Flowers from my husband.  A little late, but beautiful!


January 29th:  Dinner with the Fam

I hope you all had a great weekend, today is the last day of my husband's weekend.  The battalion got their own DONSA and we've been enjoying the extra day.
We relaxed most of friday night, saturday we got ready to have my family over, went out to eat, and had cake and ice cream here.
Oh, and gifts.
Yesterday we had our friends Megan and Jacob over for dinner and a movie at our place.
We saw Red, which was pretty good.
Today we ventured out, Jesse takes over an XO (executive officer) position tomorrow so he's excited and anxious for that.
I will be taking over for the HHC FRG leader.
We bought a small freezer (for home of course) along with a small cheap microwave for Jesse's new office.
We also saw the Chiropractor and did some grocery shopping.
We are having one of Jesse's old soldiers over for dinner tonight.
On the menu:  chicken, carrots, garlic bread, and mashed potatoes.
I'm starving, but trying to keep myself from munching!

I hope you all have a great week, and I will talk more soon!

Friday, January 28, 2011

My 27th Birthday

So, yesterday was my 27th birthday...
(on the 27th of January)
Here is my photo of the day:


My awesome hubby brought me to Starbucks where we got a free drink (thanks to Starbucks reward program), breakfast sandwiches, and a set of four cupcakes.
YUM.

I spent the rest of the day doing some chores and, well, nothing...
But hey it was my birthday.
We did go out for a little dinner, and my husband got off work early.

Tomorrow we'll be doing dinner with the fam
along with cake, ice cream, and gifts.

It'll be a fun night.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

We Heart It!

This website is pretty cool...
Stumbled across it while looking at another blog.
It has photos like this:






Cool, huh?  Just thought I'd share.

My 365 Project:
Yesterday, Day 24:
My Roomba/Birthday Present


Today, Day 25:
Dinner Tonight

It's skillet lasagna, which I will touch base on my cooking/baking blog later.
It looks like a hot mess here, but it was pretty good.


Monday, January 24, 2011

Catching Up...Again :)

Oh crap...Days 20-23.  Yikes!  I've gotta get ontop of this....

Day 20:  Oatmeal in the Crockpot, the before picture


Day 21:  The after picture

Get recipe here.

Day 22: My grandmother's rolls...Better this time!



Day 23:  Two out of my three boys


Hope you all are having a great week!
I am relaxing after my crazy cycling class :)


Sunday, January 23, 2011

Getting Behind

So obviously, I haven't posted anything from my 365 Project...And today will not be a post about it.  I will have to catch up at a later day (maybe tomorrow??).

My weekends always seem crazy, my husband gets off late on Friday...We decided to do something, maybe do drinks & dessert...But by the time I had made dinner I had all but decided I didn't want to do that anymore.  We went out for frozen yogurt (its good if you haven't tried it...like soft serve ice cream).  There's a little place in Lakewood by the dog park which is excellent, called Black Bear Yogurt (or BBY).  They had amazing flavors like cake batter and caramel.  Jesse bought a pint of Bubble Yum (I think that bubble gum ice cream is bad, there is no way I'm eating frozen yogurt).  We enjoyed our food and came home.  Eventful night!

Yesterday we got up early and went to a cycling class at the gym...The trainer was good, he really kicked my butt.  Even Jesse was pretty happy about the results.  We stopped and grabbed some Starbucks (got my last drink before I get my gold card!!!  Yessssss) then came home and made breakfast...And egg scramble with some rolls that I made on friday (complete with honey....yummm).  We showered and met some friends at the dog park.  The dogs played tons, it was partly sunny outside -- in Washington it gets crazy at the park...It seems as though people haven't seen the sun before.  There probably were hundreds of dogs at the park.  We then went to BBY and got some frozen yogurt with our friends.

When we got home Jesse had made up his mind that he wanted to go shopping for my birthday (which is coming soon!).  I stayed home and basically did nothing, my body was tired from the class earlier that morning.  When Jesse got home he immediately wanted to give me the gifts he got me, and gave me all but one.  He got me some clothes from American Eagle and an iRobot vacuum.  He can hardly stand it most of the time...I convinced him not to give me everything he got me.

We then went out to dinner, to an amazing place in Steilacoom.  LOVE Jake's.  We came home, realized the vacuum was charged than ran it...Much to the dismay of our dog & cat.  The dog basically couldn't be within ten feet of it, and the cat watched comfortably from the stairs.  Today I'm going to try it upstairs.

So that brings me to now.  My husband is fishing, and I need to get myself together to take the dog out before he starts driving me crazy.  He's peacefully sleeping on the couch, I know as soon as I move he will think it's time for him to go too.  After I take him out I'm going to move some stuff upstairs so that I can run my robot!  How exciting....Haha.

I hope you all enjoy your sunday...And have a great week!  I will post photos from my 365 project soon!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

New Blog

I wanted to share with you all that I have a new blog...it is:
and it's about FOOD.
So visit it...Yaaaay.

Here is my photo of the day:


My crazy husband!

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Wine Wednesday

I realized today....I haven't done a
WINE WEDNESDAY
in forever!!!

So the one wine that I have come across in recent months is that Yellow Tail makes a 
Bubbly.  Sparkling Wine.  Champagne.
It's actually a sparkling wine because it's not from France or certified that way...
Blah blah blah...I know that I have talked about it before...
But here is what you might recognize Yellow Tail from:

Now the new bottles of the bubbly look like:


We drank them in mimosas for the Hawks game and it was very good!
Next wine I'm going to try?  Bitch Bubbly.  Heck yes.

On to the next project....
My 365 Project.  Here are days 18 & 19.

S'mores Cookies
(view recipe here)

Stryker guarding that ball of his!

Hope you all had a great hump day!





Monday, January 17, 2011

New Pictures...And Picture Frames

My Photo of the Day for my 17th Day!

Jesse and I rearranged the living room...I don't really believe in it, but I think it has better Chi in here...Ha.  There is something about it that just makes you feel better!
The two of us purchased a new bookshelf (to make things look balanced) and I've moved some books and such around, decorating of course with pictures.  I needed another frame, to go over the new bookshelf, so these are a few projects that I have started to work on.
I have a few photos that I think that work well.
I think that I am going to balance them evenly with my family and Jesse's.
I have to admit though, this project is not going to be finished soon.
New frames, new bookshelves, new arrangements...
A lot of dough.
I guess most things are a work in progress....
Oh well, something to do another day I guess!

I hope everyone had a great weekend...And have an even greater week!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Catching Up & Four Day Weekend

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!  I can't seem to keep up with the blog!!  Wednesday we had a hail & farewell, thursday was nothing spectacular, friday Jesse had off.  We went out to dinner at The Rock and dessert and drinks at The Melting Pot.  Saturday was madness; we rearranged the downstairs of the house and cleaned like maniacs.  This morning was the Seahawks game -- which they lost {sort of} miserably.  only if they would've played as fantastic the whole game as they did in the 4th quarter.  Whatev.

Here is some catch-up with photos which I call fun with photo booth.  I realize now these photos all look the same. Hmmmm....





Thursday, January 13, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Snomg!

That's the hashtag on twitter at least.  #snomg!  People in Washington are dramatic about the snow.  I should know, I am a Washingtonian.  Love Washington, but don't get me wrong, they're dramatic about the snow.  A trace to an inch, things are okay.  Any more than that you might as well forget about watching any of your tv shows or leaving your house because may places are shut down, the Army cancels work, people are slipping, sliding, and crashing on the roads.  The people who make the news know that most places are shut down and school is cancelled - so they have news and weather on 24/7.  Watching that, people won't want to leave their house!  Sometimes their correct, other times....They're not.

Anyway, here is some photos of the snow.  At least this year they're not calling it Snomageddon.

Kitty in the snow.

Stryker's snow angels.

Stryker with snow on his nose.

Snow on the fence.

I have to admit, it was hard to go to sleep because I knew it was going to be gone in the morning.  As much as a majority of time I hate the snow, there is something magical about it.

Here is my photo of the day:

I rearranged the kitchen:)

Have a good one!



Monday, January 10, 2011

The Chandelier Tree

On our way up to Jesse's grandfather's house, we visited the Chandelier tree which is in the Redwood Forest in northern California:
Here's the sign to make sure you know where you're going...


Stryker posing for the camera {he's looking at daddy}


Jesse & Stryker in a nearby redwood tree


Stryker & me


Driving the CRV through the Chandelier tree.
Yes the CRV fit.
Yes the tree is, surprisingly, still alive.
Crazy, isn't it?
A few factoids:
- Height is 315 feet
- Diameter is 21 feet
- The approximate age is 2400 years old

Here is my photo for the day:
Today we got a nice dusting of snow...My goal in the photo was to take a picture of the small amount of snow on the car, but when I was aiming my camera at the car, I caught a glimpse of the American flag.
And, well, you can't cut the American flag out of a photo.
So everything (minus the car & snow) is a reflection in the window. 


Talk to you all soon!


Sunday, January 9, 2011

Lots and Lots of Family

Just a snippet of the family the day after Christmas:
Like I said before...Crazy amount of fam!

And my friends, I forgot yesterday & the day before's photo:
The other night we ate teriyaki chicken & watched Eat Pray Love.
Well, I watched Eat Pray Love.  Jesse fell asleep.

Yesterday was the Sehawks game...
(go HAWKS!)
Where they were AMAZING and beat the Saints.
My dad told me I had to wear my "lucky" jersey next week.
And not to wash it, of course.
He was joking.

Today my big accomplishment was making my grandmother's rolls.
I didn't do so well.
In my defense, I believe my oven isn't working because the bottom coil isn't heating.
Things burn on the top, don't cook the bottom.
It takes an hour to preheat to 375*, and basically doesn't heat to 400*.
You get the picture.

I'll wait a few weeks....Then try again.  I have to master making yeast breads!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Moving Comfort for Army Wives and Widows at Runner's World

My Photo of the Day:
This is what happens when you don't walk the dog in a timely fashion:
He takes your spot!

Next off...A must read!  Lisa Hallett is a gold star wife from 1-17 IN BN, 2/2 BDE at JBLM {Joint Base Lewis McChord} also known as Fort Lewis.  I have participated in in a few Run to Remember events...These wives are amazing inspiration for everyone.

See the article {with links and photos} here.

This is the article:


Moving Comfort

Army wives and widows help each other cope one step at a time.By Amy BushatzImage by Jose MandojanaFrom the February 2011 issue of Runner's WorldIt's her mantra: Run for John, run for me, just one more step. For Lisa Hallett, whether solo in a marathon or with her kids in their mammoth, triple-wide jogging stroller during training, running is how she deals with the pain, the loss, and the memory.

"It's really hard to do day-to-day things—taking my kids to preschool and taking care of the house," says Hallett, a 29-year-old full-time mom. "On most days, if nothing else, I can say I ran. On some days all I can do is get to the end of the block and cry. But on other days I hit the ground and I can say, 'I ran 20 miles this morning.'"
Her husband, Capt. John Hallett, and three fellow Army soldiers died in Afghanistan on August 25, 2009, when an improvised explosive device caused their vehicle to flip and burst into flames. With a 3-week-old baby girl, Heidi, and two toddler sons, Jackson and Bryce, suddenly relying on her alone, Hallett found solace in the pavement.

She had run her first marathon in 2002 while John was in one of the Army's most challenging courses, Ranger School. During his absences, runs were a time to daydream about his return. Now they've become a spiritual escape. "There's a lot of conversations with God, there's a lot of sorting," says Hallett, whose marathon PR is 4:05. "I think about being strong for John. I know that's cliche, but I feel like I'm John's physical representation now."

Soon after his death, she laced up and ran with two military wives from John's unit—the 1-17 Infantry Stryker Battalion based in Fort Lewis, Washington. Since then, their group has expanded; nearly two dozen wives and widows meet every Saturday morning. They call themselves Run to Remember, and they've done marathons, with plans to run the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon in June.

"When I run, it's the only time I let myself connect with my emotions," says Alice Pope, 36, an original member of the group who increased her mileage to deal with the fear that her husband may not make it home alive. "This is the closest I can come to relating to what he's going through. You have to take another step—it's boring, it hurts, it's also exciting."

"While my husband was deployed, the runs were time set aside for me to reflect and pray," says Charlene Lewis, 38, the wife of the chaplain who was serving with the battalion. "We keep each other moving on runs just like we do during deployment—we keep each other going."

Grieving experts say that people sometimes don't know how to relate to someone who has suffered a tragedy. "Running can be an outlet for working through loss, and shared running can bond people," says Joanne M. Steen, coauthor of Military Widow: A Survival Guide.

The women hope that by running and racing while wearing blue shirts with "Run to Remember" on the front and the names of the brigade's fallen soldiers on the back, they'll be a visual reminder of the fallen and those who are still serving.

On a recent damp and cool Pacific Northwest Saturday morning, 20 women gathered to start their weekly run. The ritual is steeped in tradition, like most things in the Army. At 10 a.m., the women formed a circle. Lewis glanced at Hallett before saying, "I'll read the names." She started down the list of men who died in combat or, in one case, committed suicide since August 2009.

"Sgt. Troy Tom, Spc. Jonathan Yanney, Capt. John Hallett," Lewis says. At her husband's name, Hallett fixed her gaze hard into empty space. She was focusing on thoughts of John, the same thing she thinks about when she runs, she says.

It took Lewis another full minute to finish the list of 41 names. Then after short prayer, the women ran off.

For more information, email: runtoremember@teamrwb.org


Christmas Day 2010

One thing I forgot about yesterday's post...We had a great Christmas Eve breakfast at Jesse's brother's house...And a great Christmas Eve Dinner at Jesse's aunt's house!
Jesse's aunt also makes an amazing Apple Crumble Pie...

So Christmas Jesse's mom made it over early in the AM, and surprisingly Jesse and I got up early too.
Guess who didn't get up so early?
The kids.
When they finally were woken up it was probably about 8 AM.  I'm not sure though, I wasn't checking my watch.  Jesse's niece got lots of princess stuff, make-up, and nail polish while his nephew got lots of Star Wars and Iron Man toys.

The kids opening gifts.

Uncle Jesse wearing one of Evan's Christmas gifts.

Alana showing off her new outfit.

Jesse playing bartender at Christmas Dinner.
Jesse and I did manage to make a Starbucks run mid-day...And picked up some treats for dinner and the next morning.

Stryker and Logan ripping Logan's new toys apart.

Our day was rounded out by playing with the kids, Evan learning lots of new magic tricks, and a big Christmas dinner.

Last but not least:
365 Project Photo!
My focus was to get up early (didn't happen), work out (didn't happen), take the dog out (done!)...Then I got the urge to make some treats (done!) before heading to a battalion meeting to round out the evening.
These pictured are chocolate mint kiss brownies.


Have a good one.

Labeling

100 Day Photo Challenge 30 Days 30 Days of Thankfulness 5K AMERICA Anniversaries April 2010 Photos Around the Skagit Atlanta Baking BBQin' Birthday Celebrations Black Friday Blog Awards Blog Hop BMW's Breakfast Food Breast Cancer Awareness Care Package Stuff Christmas Christmas Cards for Our Soldiers Color of the Day Cookies Courtesy of the Red White and Blue Crazy Internet Stuff Cupcakes December 2009 Photos December 2010 Dinner Recipes DIY Do the Puyallup Easter Eastern Washington Fall Family Stuff Fishing For the Love of Animals FRG Friday Fill In Friday Follow Friends Ft. Benning Ft. Lewis Georgia Getting Crafty Getting to Know Me Good Reads Halloween Happy New Year Hawaii Healthy Food Heartbreaking Homecomings House in Washington I love Starbucks Independence Day Instagram January 2011 Jesse Jesse Updates Jesse's Army Marriage Retreat May 2010 Photos Military Spouse Awesomeness Military Spouse Round-Up Misc. Food Info Moving Right Along My Job My Parent's House Navy Stuff New House News Stories of Note Nostalgia November 2009 Photos November 2010 Ocean Shores October 2010 Oktoberfest Orange Other FRG's Photo a Day May 2012 Photo Booth Photogenic Photos from February 2010 Photos from October 2009 Photos of January 2010 Pity Parties Pool Time Post-it Note Tuesday Quote of the Day Road Trippin' Run to Remember Seahawks Seattle shelter dogs Shopping Southwestern Washington Coast Spring Spuz the Cat St. Patrick's Day Stryker the Dog Superbowl Thank a Veteran Thanksgiving The 365 Project of 2011 Thursday Five Us Time Valentine's Day Veteran's Day Visit these LInks What I'm doing these 9 months Why I LOVE the Pacific NW Wine Wednesday Winter Wordless Wednesday Yakima Wine Country