Talking about Pinterest

I've been pinning for a while over at Pinterest. Mostly recipes. But I was quite taken with all of the holiday ideas, however the holiday's have come and gone and I'm feeling kind of burnt out on recipes. I know- how could I ever say such a thing? Basically, I'm wondering what else there is on Pinterest.

What are your favorite finds?

I wish I were more crafty because I know there is a lot out there! I don't own a sewing machine and really I don't even know where to start with trying to be more crafty. So help me out people. Please, and thank you.

Happy Tuesday!

Fear

My husband likes to tell me that I "future trip" too much. I am constantly thinking far ahead, down the road and even around the corner sometimes. Sometimes it is too much and I know this. But other times I feel like my future tripping is warranted. My dad always told me, "Failure to plan, is planning to fail." So, I look down the road and I try to plan for what's ahead. You can imagine how well this works with the Army. They never know what they're doing and when they finally make a decision it almost always means Change.

So here's what I'm currently afraid of: Big cuts coming.

The ArmyTimes tells us, "The Army’s total force should be slashed by an additional 30,000 troops, down to 490,000 by 2017. That will bring the Army back to about the same level as 2001." I get it, we're coming out of two wars, it's simple the Army doesn't require as many soldiers anymore. Add onto that the piss poor management of our federal budget (deficit) over the course of a decade and the government is forced to cut their biggest spender- the Department of Defense. And the Army isn't the only one taking the hit everyone is scaling back. So I get it. I'm not without sense.

But can I just say that it sucks. You go out of your way to recruit heros to fight a war on two fronts for a decade and then we're gonna kick em' out. On top of which they probably won't qualify for retirement benefits and we're going to put them out on their asses. Even if they have earned their retirement, haven't you heard we're cutting TriCare and COLA benefits for "working age retirees"(those under 65). So whatever retirement they will have earned they'll be forced to dip into for co-pays and other such medical costs to cover the physical and mental effects of war. Yay. this is a super-duper plan, isn't it?

So, back to my fear. I'm afraid that after 10 years in the Army my husband will be one of the many to go. Where will that leave us? What'll happen next? One thing this Army life has taught me is that we can face anything. We'll deal with whatever hurdles life throws at us. But all the same I'm still fearful.

Sometimes

Sometimes, I just wish I were still a kiddo! We really didn't get it back then, did we? I know I didn't. Man sometimes I wish I could go back to not having a care in the world, when my mommy prepared my meals, washed my clothes and daddy cleaned out my boo-boos.

Here we are-- all grown up approaching more change. 2012 will be a special year.

Sometimes, I wish life were just easier- and we could just have any ol' thing we wanted, when we wanted it. But what would that teach us....? (to be a better planner, make sure you really want what you ask for) I digress, it's not how life works right?

Sometimes, I sit back and just enjoy the sound of ranges and fight the urge to throw my remote through the TV... I'm so 'over' AFN people.

Shoes in Germany

So I've been thinking about getting some rain boots.

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Saying (aka typing) this out loud (on my bloggy boo) makes me shudder. Seriously- rain boots. I'm not 4 years old. And, they shouldn't be bright yellow, right?

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Well here's the logic: In Germany there's a lot of rain, and sleet and snow ect... The main thing we need in our shoes is water resistancy. I learned this the hard way. I had my (cough cough) knock-off UGGs (cough cough) when we first arrived and assumed I was on the right page... they're warm. Nope. That won't do. Those bitches just absorb every.thing. And I felt like my feet were going to fall off-- you know, from the COLD! So here's where we are: Water resistant and warm.
I was considering a pair of riding boots.

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They're nice right. BUT, unfortunately peeps built like me I feel should not wear skinny jeans* and just folding up my jeans and stuffing them into the boot isn't pretty. So help me.

Yey or ney on the rain boots???

*this is my personal opinion, no offense intended!!

We Did It!!

Remember how many times I've told you all about my wanting a Volvo?? Yeah, I lost count too. Well, We did it. About a week ago we got our financing in place and we went back to the factory-direct dealer and built our brand new 2012 Volvo, XC60! It should be finished at the factory in Belgium and on it's way to us early March!

It was interested going into a dealership and not leaving with a car. We left them with a deposit (so they had some of our money) and we left in the car we came in.... Sort of odd. They don't have a huge inventory on hand for you to pick whatever you'd like. Nope you build it to your liking and it's put together just for you!! It's a pretty cool experience, although new and odd- haha!

We're pretty excited about it and just wish it would hurry up already!!

Hopefully I'll get back to my regular blogging soon now that the hubs is back at work. It seems like a whirl-wind 30-days.

More Hurry-up annnddd WAIT.

So here I am a year into our German adventure (with a combined total of 6 months spent in Germany) enjoying our block leave and we learn Kevin's unit is being disbanned. Oh score! So when, and what does that mean for our lil' family? Lawd, only knows.

Check it out: this news even made it into the Army Times. This article seems to imply that we would be headed back stateside. We heard a rumor about September. Gah.... So now I feel stuck in this cycle of BS.

I guess we'll just wait until we learn more. The Army strikes again.

the 'Low-down' on Paris

So, the Hubs and I have been non-stop sense he's redeployed! I'm telling you it's utter chaos around these parts! I've barely had a chance to clean clothes before we hit the road again. Here's a timeline for your benefit:
7 Dec: Kevin returned home
8 Dec: Redeployment briefings began.
15 Dec: Block leave commenced.
18 Dec: Mother and Father-in-Law (our first visitors since moving to Germany) landed in Frankfurt- Cue adding miles on our car (which we didn't mind in the slightest bit).
19 Dec: Road Trip to Mannheim Christmas Market
22-25 Dec: Road trip to Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Southern Germany (on the boarder with Austria)/ Bavaria
24 Dec: Edelweiss tour of Munich Christmas Market
27 Dec: Edelweiss tour to random/gorgeous church and wood carving shop and second visit to under-renovations Neuschwanstein Castle:

28 Dec: Return to Baumholder.
AM of 30 Dec: Drop the in-laws off at the airport in Frankfurt.
few short hours, 30 Dec: Jump in the car with a friend and head to Paris!
30 Dec-2 Jan: Paris!!!

Ok, so now that, that is out of the way... Phew.. can I just saw I'm exhausted just reading that. Anywho... Paris: I loved seeing the sights: Sacre-Coeur, Natre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Hard Rock Cafe (that counts right? lol), Pont Neuf, Arc De Triomphe (my favorite site), Louvre Museum and the Army Museum. But here's the deal people. The first was a Sunday. I don't know if you all know this but Europe is SHUT-DOWN, completely unavailable on Sundays, then you add in a "holiday" everything we tried to visit that day was closed. It was sort of a bust.
Also, New Years Eve at the feet of the Eiffel Tower... so not as romantic as it sounds. There was no count down. No organized fireworks. Nada. Just a bunch of drunken Parisians launching homemade fireworks at each other- true story. We were watching the clock: Okay peeps it's 11:58..... chillin... waiting... Nothing. Ok, well crap it's 12:01. "Happy New Year... I guess". Lets go wait in line for the subway now. Woopty-doo. Seriously.
Oh we went to visit the Louvre NYE, we buy tickets at the kiosk and go to drop our coats at the coat check and the lady informs us the Museum closes in an hour (at 2 PM)... WTF? So we literally RUN to the Mona Lisa and Venis De Milo and leave (this was one of the places we tried to visit again on the 1st, but was closed). Can we say FAIL!?? Since I'm talking about the Louvre can I also say I now believe that there is seriously something wrong with people... case and point: What would motivate a person to break the uncircumcised-penis off a statue at the Louvre????! Seriously... many instances of this. Horrible. Just Horrible.

Well, while we were in Paris we were already looking ahead. We got a great deal on a hotel close to Vatican City in Rome!!! We fly out in a short 6 days! We'll be back 13 Jan and the hubster signs back in from leave on the 15th! Wow... hello 2012!!