Day 175: On my mind

R&R is just around the corner. I'm super excited to actually be able to go to the airport and pick Kevin up. Last time he surprised me so I didn't get this experience. I have yet to anxiously wait in the airport for my soldier. (not to say that I haven't anxiously waited for his return in with other spouses and family members at redeployment ceremony, or just in general terms..) Nevertheless, I am looking forward to having that moment.

I am so excited to see Kevin! (yea, yea, I know I already said that) But this excitement got me to thinking. I was thinking about how much trouble reintegration is. I was thinking about the struggles we faced after last deployment. I've been thinking about other people I know who battle through reintegration, shutting down that battle field mentality and the problems it causes and of course the monster, PTSD. For the record, soldiers and marriages can face a number of problems throughout reintegration without PTSD, seen it, lived it. People often just assume problems and distance between them and their soldier is automatically PTSD. Just saying- for the record is all. My point is that R&R is often so easy, peaceful and amazing.

Why doesn't R&R have the same struggles as post-deployment reintegration?

Don't get me wrong I get 15 days- that's it. People only got 15 days out of 15 months; 15 days out of 12 months, ect ect. I am thankful that my 15 days will be enjoyable. I was just simply, "thinking"; just wondering why the experiences are so different?

I Hate it when.... 2nd Edition

Check out the 1st Edition here.

I hate it when... I'm dealing with a business over the phone and they need some kind of document from me and assume I have a fax machine. Why would I have a fax machine? I know some printers have that capability but that's a business function not a personal function. It's irritating.

I hate it when... I'm on the phone with my husband and hear multiple explosions. Cue flip-flopping of stomach. *

I hate it when... I'm tired and ready for bed at 630 in the evening. What am I 80 years old?

I hate it when... people act superior to others. It's ugly.

I hate it when... the laundry is cleaned and needs to be folded then put away. Any volunteers? haaa

I hate it when... people fancy themselves a photographer just because they picked up a DSLR. Yes, I have one. Yes, I like to share pictures but I don't assume I'm a photographer just because I have a semi-fancy camera. C'mon people!!

*I heard from Kevin about 15 minutes later so he's doing ok! Cue relief... a friend told me Xanax was invented for the military spouse. Raise your hand if you agree! (I agree)

What a Week!

Monday: Nathan started school and I went with my sister to take some pictures of his first day and witness this little boy growing up.

Tuesday: The drama started. This was Nathan's first time riding the bus. Nathan has been wanting to ride the bus for years. He's see the other kids getting off the bus in the afternoons and ask everyone why he couldn't ride the bus and we'd tell him "Because you don't go to school yet. When you get a little bit older you can ride the bus." Anyway, my sis put Nathan on "The Green Frog" bus in the AM. However, he was not put on "The Green Frog" bus in the afternoon. Nathan was lost for a few. Thankfully, this brave little 4 year old boy knows his mommy's phone number and luckily there was a nice mommy at the bus stop who saw this scared boy and offered to help. My sister got a phone call from this nice lady saying that her son Nathan was with her in a completely different part of the neighborhood. Some foul up happened at the school and Nathan was put on the purple flower or some other bus route.

Wednesday: I finally went to Pinkberry which opened in Colorado Springs months ago. I'm kind of obsessed with the Pomegranate Pinkberry. mmm Cue mouth watering. Also visited Old Navy and DSW where I picked up some new shoes for our R&R trip to Vegas!
I tried a new recipe. Something I adapted from a friend. I pan fried some Pork chops with olive oil and some S&P. When they were all cooked up and happy I threw in a chopped red bell pepper and an onion and a large can of Diced Tomatoes, some more S&P and about half a tspn of crushed red pepper flakes. I put all of this into a baking dish and threw it in the oven at 375 for about 15 mins just to get all the flavors happy. I made some whole wheat rotini pasta on the side and proceeded to stuff my face.

Thursday: I visited my friend and forced her to watch PS I Love You, because she hadn't seen it yet- weird, right?

Friday: I got busy with a friend. We had some lunch and popped into JC Penney then saw The Change Up-- so funny. It was vulgar but hilarious. It's always nice to giggle. :) I tried another new recipe: I started with a marinade two tablespoons Dijon mustard, rosemary, parsley, S&P, olive oil and a lil water. Threw in some Chicken Thighs and let them marinade all day. I pan fried them with some olive oil and had some green beans on the side. YUMMM!!

It's officially been Saturday for 5 hours and 44 minutes 6 hours and 5 mins. For some reason I went to sleep about 1030ish and have been up since about 230. Saturday is off to a stellar start. This Am (in about an hour) I'll be heading over to Fort Carson for the Walk for the Fallen. This is the 3rd year in a row I've participated. It's always heartbreaking to be there. It's humbling. The last two times my husband had just returned home from deployment (the first time) and back from extended field rotations last year, so I was feeling especially grateful to have him by my side. This year he's on the other side of the world. I'll miss him. I'll be walking with friends and kiddos for a great cause.

How was your week?

I Want it Wednesday...: Cuisinart!

I want... 

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11 Cup Food Processor

I want...

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4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker

I want...

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Hand Blender
I'm actually not sure why I want this... just feels like someone a person should have in their kitchen. I have a regular blender so I don't really see why this is necessary.

I want...

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5.5 Quart Stand Mixer

I want...

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Vertical Rotisserie

I want...

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Electric Fondue Pot

I was in no way compensated by Cuisinart for this post. I'm just an admirer of their products- most of which I cannot afford!

Happy shopping.

What are your favorite kitchen gadgets and appliances?

Let me tell you guys...

Today was a long, long day. I was awake at 6 AM for the first time in a very long time. This is very significant for me. I LOVE my sleep. Anyways, I was up early because my nephew Nathan started school today. Today was his very first day of Kindergarten! I can't believe he's going to be 5 next month! I went with my sister to drop Nathan off at his first day. Elementary schools are darling. Everything is shorter, duh! It's made for the kids and they're short- got it, but it's still adorable.

After I realized my sister is now in the "Just 10 more minutes, mom" phase of life I had to take my mother to the airport. After I was done playing chauffeur I finally booked my return flight arrangement for Germany! I'm really excited. I'll be arriving back to Germany 11 Nov! 

Anyone travel to Paris? Anyone who has I want any and all advise you have! Hotels or hostels that you loved?? How difficult are the subways to manage?

I Want it Wednesday...

A few months ago I was at JCPenney and just had to have this:

I love it. It's ridiculously soft and more of a slate/bluish color. I bought it. Had it sent to Germany and a friend picked it up for me.

Now I Want...

{JCP Source}

Have to have the matching curtains and pillows! Right?

I Want... 

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I Want...
people to learn how to merge. We all do it, everyday but if I had a nickel for every time I was cut off because some jerk didn't know that he/she needed to yield to me versus the other way around- I'd be completely loaded!

What do you find yourself wanting today?

Family

I've said here on this blog many times how much I love and appreciate my family; my blood, the family that I was born into. But, the family I've chosen throughout my life is also so important to me. My friends (the good ones, the close ones) are some of my favorite people on the planet. I've learned that you're born into a family, but you also build a family throughout your life.

Lately I've heard how good of a friend that I am. How much members of that family I've spent some time building appreciates my being in their lives and all that I do with them. I don't do things for people out of obligation or because I'm looking to be appreciated. I do things for the people in my life because I can't expect people to be there for me and help me out when I'm in a bind unless I'm as giving with myself and my time. Don't get me wrong I don't just run around like a super hero handing out acts of kindness to strangers on the street.

My point is that I love my friends and I'd do anything for them. I have high expectations for the people in my life but I feel like that's okay because I hold myself to a high standard. Treat others... and all that.

Someone made the observation to me the other day that this "Army Family" is not all it's cracked up to be. I gotta say I agree. I don't know that I've been in a position to really need my Army family members. But really when I've seen people in need of that support, miles from home and their blood family I've seen people be forgotten, left behind and forced to "suck it up"-- as we often are over here in the Army life.

Family is what you make of it. Appreciate what you have and that they will always be there for you no matter what, and looking forward to building your own family- choose wisely.

So Many things

There are so many things going on in the world right now. So many bad things for the US; it's been a horrible week in the news, hasn't it? I couldn't decide where to start. I mean seriously there's just so much. Beginning of the week our country was saved by the hairs on your chinny-chin-chin with pretty craptastic legislation to extend the debt ceiling. Proof of the unsubstantial changes included word of the S&P lowering Americas AAA rating and China's reaction.

Or I could talk about military news. Army announces a move to 9 month deployments. Then tragically our small military community lost 30 Americans on August 5th.

Thus my dilemma: do I comment on all the recent news, or do I babble about "what I did today"?

Incase you've been really curious. I've been hitting the pool with my sis and nephews, working on my tan! Hashing out semi-last minute R&R plans. Being jerked around that R&R would get axed altogether and looking futher into New Years plans in Paris. Also been contemplating attempting to make homemade croissants. Have you done it? Is it worth it to make the dough or just use frozen, pre-made puff pastry?

I Want it Wednesday...

It's been so long since the last installment of I want it... nevertheless, I'm back to let you know what my lil ol' heart wants:

I want... my tendinitis to go away. It hurts, BAD today people. From what I've read there isn't much to be done for it than ice, resting it and NSAIDs.

I want... a steam mop. I'm so domestic it's lame.

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I want... to figure out our plans for New Years Eve: London? Paris? London...? Paris...? So many choices.

I want... to know some people that aren't pregnant. Seriously I spend more time on Etsy looking up Monogramed burp cloths than any baby-less person should- it's ridiculous.

I want... the next month to FLY by. I say that now because I cannot wait for R&R. But the next month will slug by then Kevin will get here (God willing- R&R is currently on the fence. 80/20% we will get it but never know with the Army) and those next 15 days will fly by. It's strange it feels like I only arrived back in Colorado 30 days ago but it was in fact 5 months ago. Holy Moly.

I want... to sit in my couch and watch cheesy Christmas movies. All. Day. I'm corny like that. It's August and I want Christmas movies. Who's down?

What do you want?