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Just got back from dropping the in-laws off at the airport and we will be heading out for Paris in a few short hours! I am so exhausted already from all this travel and my house is in need of some serious deep cleaning but I'm on a mission to ring in the New Year in style at the foot of the Eiffel Tower!

A Happy and Safe New Years Eve to you all!!

Makin the rounds

Things have been very busy around these parts lately. We've been getting tons of snow which is making for a gorgeous Christmas seasons. Back on Monday we picked up Mommy and Daddy-in-law in Frankfurt and yesterday we journeyed from Baumholder to Garmisch, to Edelweiss Lodge and Resort. The drive was nerve-wracking to say the least. There was traffic and the worst part was the Rain, for 6 straight hours in the car! Oh and about 30 minutes away from the hotel we hit some really bad road conditions. We made it safe and sound thanks to the hubs!! The weather and traffic added an additional hour onto our trip. All the same we're here in gorgeous Garmisch and have so many fun things planned through Christmas, Munich Christmas Market tomorrow, Couples massages and a tour of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle! It's going to be a wondering and memorable Christmas! 

I wanted to share some Pinterest recipes that I've been attempting lately. Our fav!!: Teriyaki Chicken the recipe is for the Crock Pot but I didn't have 4 hours to wait so I threw it together in a saute pan. It was amazing! Seriously try it! 

Thyme-Baked Chicken. This was ok... may make this again. 

Mongolian Beef. This was good but not great but I will be trying it again!! You notice the Chinese theme... you see it's pretty difficult to find descent Chinese or Mexican food here in Germany- shocker right? Well I'm trying to learn to make these things at home on my own. 

Happy Holidays readers! Hope you have a great weekend! 

Wow...

As my husband's unit uncased their colors yesterday marking their return to Garrison the colors were "cased" in Iraq marking the military exit from Iraq after 9 years.


Nine years later... Part of me wants to scream "ITS ABOUT DAMN TIME!" that we were out of Iraq. But mainly I'm thankful. I'm thankful that this one small family has both of it's soldiers home: my husband and my sisters's husband, safe and sound. Our soldiers endured 5 deployments between them to Iraq. I'll have to get with my sister so we can add up the months. But collectively it's between 60-69ish months of deployments to that sand-ridden hell hole. 


I can't help but to be sad also. Yes I'm thankful for this one small families' blessings but so many families were not so lucky. According to ABC News, 4,500 Americans lost their lives, and left more than 32,200 more wounded- in Iraq alone. My heart breaks for my friends who's lives were shattered, who's husbands were lost and husbands who came home without limbs or carrying the burden of mental scars. Yet again, I'm left feeling so humbled and lucky that after all the goodbyes and reunions our soldiers were unscathed.


But for those out there speculating whether it was "worth it" I say shame on you. They were there for each other and 4500 lost their lives. Count your blessings and be grateful it wasn't your son or daughter. Praise the men and women, don't send a message that their time and efforts were wasted. Or that my time spent worrying was for-nothing. Those who choose the military do so with the understanding that the politics involved really are not much of their concern. 


I remember asking my brother-in-law on his second deployment (post WMD) why he was there? Why we had to worry if there was no purpose for this damned war and he said He's there because they [the Army] sent him. Simple. No further explanation required. I was floored and completely humbled by his position. It didn't matter what nonsensical crap came out of Washington. 

Wow.

Casing of the Colors Ceremony, Baghdad, Iraq. Photo Via Whitehouse.gov.

I Want it Wednesday...

I want.... to do this segment more regularly (like I used to).

I want.... A Volvo XC60

It's pretty, right?
The hubs and I played a pretty dangerous game of chicken yesterday at the car dealership. Typically it's very difficult to get into the dealership and not walk away with your new car. Thankfully that's not the way it works around these parts. We have to manage our own financing (so it would not have happened yesterday any way that we sliced it). We will be waiting until tax time and just save that much more money on payments. But, I am super excited about it!!

I want.... snow already!! Last year when we landed in Germany there was so much snow on the ground, feet and feet. But this year it's just cold and rainy and overcast and miserable.

I might be an alien:

So these bumps are weird.

I  have been doing pretty good with maintaining my gym visits, since the hubs returned home. But I sort of loath running, since it makes me feel inferior in every way. I have no stamina and I've been working on it for awhile now. Oh well. So I reverted to the trusty power-walk. I was going strong with this for, oooh about a week. Then I started feeling tightness and pain right where the bumps are pictured above. So, I made an effort to really focus on stretching prior to getting my power-walk on! Yeah... that didn't help. I still found myself stopping 10-12 mins in to stretch or stop or move to the bike or elliptical due to the pain. After about a week of this constant pain in the tushy I finally thought to look at my leg (since you know it hurts). And, above is what I found...

I shared this on Facebook (obvi.) and was offered a few suggestions: beginnings of vericose veins, muscle hernia or alien.

I'm going with alien, but I'll let the doctor tell me tomorrow.

Standby.

He's Home.

As of 2230 last night I've had my husband back. After 284 days my hubby is home!

Tomorrow marks 1 year of our initial move to Germany. We Landed, 9 December 2010. Our first year in Germany was kind of a disappointment as far as making the most of our European experience. Kevin deployed and I went home for a 1 month visit and got roped into staying another 8 months. But today, December eighth two thousand eleven marks a whole new year for Kevin and Sam, and endless opportunities for adventure!! 

I'm feeling blessed today. Just so grateful to have my husband home with me, safe and sound from his fourth deployment. We are blessed and so lucky. 

Happy Thursday Readers.

Military Ball

So we're an eclectic bunch here in the military right? A big ol' melting pot o' craziness. Anyone who's spent time living on a post knows this. And, whenever you got to a new post you re-learn just how awkward it can be sorting through "the crazies" (as I call them) getting to "normal" peeps and creating friendships. However, it never ceases to amaze how class-less people can be.

The other day I was perusing the Facebook page of my husband's troop, and saw a thread about the ball. Someone asked "Are you wearing a long or short dress to the ball?" I bit my tongue (so that I could later complain here), because my momma taught me if I didn't have anything nice to say (to say it behind their backs) to say nothing at all. Yet, all I found myself wanting to say was this is formal you moron, show some decorum!!

Military balls have long standing tradition of being formal events. We don't drop upwards of $400 on a uniform for my husband so that I can wear this:

Pinned on Pinterest with the caption:
"military ball?" 

Or this:

On Pinterest with the caption:
"ball dress, what ya think?"

Here's what I think: NO! Get some class people. This isn't a trashy club or your boudoir for christ's sake. This is a formal function with people your husband works with, PROFESSIONALLY. Show so class. I'm not saying you have to look like your granny. But you need to know better. Honor the tradition that comes before you. Act right and get some class. Grrrr!

Here are some of my favorite selections:

My Fav:

Am I totally off base here peeps?

Vacation Plans

I am back in full swing of this European life I am blessed with the opportunity to lead. I'm currently in Homecoming mode (and finish school mode) so that is my main priority. However, I am still planning past that in my mind. Block leave will start the middle of this month to allow for travel over the Christmas exodus. Between now and then I'm hoping to see a few more Christmas Markets:
Here's a few on my list
Saarbrücken
Trier
Heidelberg
Bernkastel-Kues

Bernkastel-Kues Christmas Market

Can you beat that? Don't think so. Bonus! It's only an hour and 1 minute from where I live. 

Nuremberg is also on my list but jeeeze, I think there isn't enough time for that this year! We will definitely give it a go though! 

After Christmas we're on to Paris for New Years!! Unfortunately they don't do it up big in Paris on New Years... WTF? No fireworks or anything of that nature. We're gonna have a good time though. I'm sure it'll still be good times. Even if New Years itself is lame we're seeing all the sights and I'm stoked. We'll be there the 30-2 so tell me what I can't miss, what are your favorite sites??

After Paris we don't have anything scheduled. I'm thinking more long-weekends than full-on vacations; an excursion if you will.

I think London would be good times for about 3/4 days. (yea or nea?)
Prague?
I was also considering Northern Italy.... something like Ryanair into Florence, hitting up Pisa and on to Venice and flying home from Venice. Thoughts?
** nevermind, Ryanair doesn't like Florence.... face.palm. urg. 

Advice is welcomed so please, please offer it up!!

Christmas Spirit

It's December 3rd, and I'm all about Christmas, already. This is pretty standard behavior for me. I've always loved Christmas time. And it's especially brilliant here in Germany. I've already visited two Christmas Markets and have many more scheduled to see this month. I'm sure they'll be wrap-ups and pictures to come. I decided earlier this week that I could not wait for Kevin to get home to put up the Christmas tree and other decorations. So I went down into the basement and lugged all of our gear up 3 flights of stairs. I thought it was all going pretty well. I was really satisfied with how my tree was turning out until I took a picture to post on Facebook and discovered it was uneven and wonky.

See for yourself.
It's ok to laugh. It's not really how I saw it turning out. But at this point I was all finished and was most definitely NOT going to be pulling all the ornaments, garland, and lights off and starting from scratch. So this will be posted up in my living room for the next month.

Please note, that I did leave the tree-topper (an angel) off because my husband requested that I not do it as he should be home VERY soon and wants to do it. So naturally I obliged him.

In other Christmas-related news. Has everyone visited Shutterfly, and ordered their Christmas cards? I wish I had already. But sadly, we didn't get any good pictures on R&R so I'm hoping for a good one at the Homecoming Ceremony and having Shutterfly address them and send em' out for me. Fingers crossed.

Share your favorite cards! I always need help narrowing my search!!

Pinterest

I told you kind folks back on the 16th of November that I drank the Pinterest kool-aid and liked it. I got sucked into this fad amongst others (cough, cough: The Vampire Diaries, cough, cough). I originally gave Pinterest a go about a year ago but didn't care for it. Just didn't search for the "right" things I guess... so I didn't get it.  All the same, you can search for hair do's, anything and everything decor-related, if you need inspiration on anything in life it's there. Did I leave out recipes? Oh lawd, there are recipes galore!

So easy and delicious!

Chicken Pot Pies

Apple cups

Because who doesn't love anything you can make in a cupcake pan??

Had these over at a friends house:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Good times.

I've also tried this:

Elegant/ Easy Hair

Some random stuff I'm eager to try:

DIY Cork wreath

Maybe from all of our European travel adventures?? I just might. :)

Holiday Hair

Lemon Chicken

Tyme-Baked Chicken

What's not to like??
And I didn't even link to any of the party foods I "pinned", or stuff for the future (cough, cough baby, cough, cough).
Just sayin' peeps. If you search for the "right" thing you'll be sucked in and never stop. I've been side-lined since arriving back to Germany but I have a feeling I'll back to "pinning" like a crazy person in the VERY near future!
Happy Pay Day all!! :D