Hard work and dedication...

That is what it is all about! Tonight I got together with some friends to make "Welcome Home" signs for our hubs. I seriously worked 4 and a half hours on this and it is still not even close to being done. The picture is obviously way off on the colors. 

I originally thought I would order the free banner one when he left for when he got back, but I really enjoy doodling and being creative. So this is what I decided to do instead. 

The poster board is bright orange. I picked a bright color because the last deployment he had a hard time finding me since I am so small. I thought this would be perfect if he could read! (hehe!) I went and bought all the fun things to decorate with since most of my spouses (from my Key Spouse group) are going through their first deployment and first homecoming. I tried to explain to them that there will most likely be a lot of people, so we want to stand out. I am really have a ton of fun hanging with them and getting this done. I didn't think it would take me so long, but I am a perfectionist, and I obsess over things. This is for Mr. Man, so it has got to be right! 

I drew the letters and hand painted them red, white, and blue. I drew an Air Force symbol with two hearts. The big heart represents me, and the small heart represents our baby boy. The Air Force sign represents Mr. Man, of course. In the bottom right hand corner is a "piss pot" which is an AMMO thing. I plan on putting "IYAAYAS" on it as well... which is another AMMO thing. I normally am not up for cussing but since we are talking Military, are talking AMMO, and I did say "piss pot" I will tell you what it stands for. "If You Ain't AMMO You Ain't Shit!" You got that right ;) There is still plenty of room for a flag, so I may do that as well. 

The typical military wife... I got my man in uniform (almost)! I got my bling going on(the glitter)! And I am one of the most patriotic woman you will ever meet (all the red, white, and blue)! I support Mr. Man 10000000000%. Did you get that?

Eeeekkkkk!! I am so freaking excited! I told him he better not read my blog from now until he gets home, or else.... or else he will get a knuckle sandwich!

I ask that you please do not ever refer to our names, for security reasons. Thanks. 

Woo's and Boo's! (Part 2)

Woo's are "Woo-Hoo!" type thing, if you do not understand my lingo. Boo's are the obvious "Boo hoo!" For me, "Eek!" is an excited, loud squeal. "Ahhhh!" is an annoyed, frustrated scream. Almost like "I want to pull my hair out" type thing. Ok, so here it goes....

I posted the "Woo's!" yesterday, so be sure to check it out! Click here.

I do not want this post to be all negative because I really am blessed to only have these "Boo's!" in my life. Also, each "Boo" comes with a "Woo", so that makes it "not so bad".

My Boo's:

1. I have been having a major anxiety attack.

I am well aware that this is because of the excitment that comes with being a military spouse and experiencing the homecoming of your loved one, but it is driving me nuts. I have not slept in a few nights. All I think about is my husband, when he will be home, what I want to do with him while he is off, the good food I will finally cook for the both of us, and the family time with our baby boy. 

For the past week, I have been trying extra hard to get back on a normal schedule since I had switched to his schedule while he has been away, but with the anxiety, it's not happening. It sucks. I get frequent headaches. I am not eating like I should be. (Don't confuse that with not eating!) Which all this in turn is making me weak in the gym, which is where I am trying to up it a notch for the summer months. 

2. The volcanic ash messed up the mail, and I am missing some things that I ordered in hopes it would be here before Mr. Man. 

I actually ordered it well over a month ago, so I am slightly bummed that it is not here yet. The world is not going to come to an end because of it, but I really wanted to surprise him with a couple of more things before he went back to work. (Boo hoo!)

3. Ok, this is an *Ahhhh!* one, but do not confuse this with being unappreciative or ungrateful. 

So my inbox has been filling up like crazy asking when Mr. Man will be home. People, including some family members, do not understand the security issues involved. I do not want my husband shot down or captured due to something so stupid and selfish, so I will not give out that information. Plus, things can change and such. I do understand that some family members and friends read this, so please do not get offended by any means. Just know that it doesn't help me any with everyone harping about time and dates that Mr. Man will be in. We (mostly I) ask that you just respect OPSEC and everything that we tell you guys.

4. My Mom has a date for her surgery.

She will be having surgery May 25th, which is also my sister's birthday. It is also a few days before we leave for Italy, so I am so nervous about it. My Mom and I are so close, and it is tearing me apart seeing all these surgeries she is going through with me so far away. She does have my older sister and younger brother, but it really does not settle my mind any. Thank goodness, I have Mr. Man because he keeps the positive energy going when I get down about it. This will be another minor surgery. Something to do with her liver, so please say some prayers for her and my family that everything goes well and smooth. I really hate being so far away in times like this, but I do not think my Mom would want me to go home for something so minor like this... but it's killing me! *Sigh*

So, gold personality has set in again and I am dying to find another "Boo" to write in so I can have 5. But who wants more negativity when there's no need? So I am going to have to get over the one less than five thing and be happy that the Boo's are less than half of the Woo's!

See the Boo's are not too bad, right?

Woo's and Boo's! (Part 1)

Woo's are "Woo-Hoo!" type thing, if you do not understand my lingo. Boo's are the obvious "Boo hoo!" For me, "Eek!" is an excited, loud squeal. "Ahhhh!" is an annoyed, frustrated scream. Almost like "I want to pull my hair out" type thing. Ok, so here it goes....

My wonderful Woo's:

1. Mr. Man will be home in less than a week! (Eeek!) 

He is moving out of his dorm room tonight. He has already mailed back his things, but I have not received them yet. I think I will get them by Friday. Maybe, just maybe. He will finish this week doing some out-processing. I actually have an official date of when he will be arriving. I figured it out on my own with helpful hints here and there. I am super excited! Words can not explain how excited I am. I could burst out into tears right here, right now! Happy tears, of course.

2. My Victoria Secret panties came in the mail today! (Eeeek!)

I was tempted to try each and every pair on right when I walked in the door from the post office, but I held in my temptation. I just pulled off all the tags and stickers and put them by the washer to wash before I wear them.

3. We have only 3 weeks until Italy! (To be exact, we have 30 days left!) (Eeeekkkk!)

This is one of the most exciting things right now. I was planning this trip to keep my mind off of the last month of Mr. Man being gone, and it has worked! But now that the planning is over, I have nothing more to do. But this trip will be perfect.. at least I hope!

4. To go along with our Italy trip, Mr. Man's supervisor called me yesterday morning asking for our trip dates, so he could officially put in for Mr. Man's leave and have it approved. 

This means that it is official. Nothing can stand in our away, except for something uncontrollable. When I got the phone call, I must admit I was pretty stoked to hear his supervisor say those words. It made is so realistic for me, and it also settled my mind about the leave process. I did; however, make Mr. Man send an email later yesterday evening to confirm with his supervisor that way if something happened, it would not come back on me. Trilling!!

5. Mr. Man told me yesterday he may have surprises for me when he gets home!

I love me some surprises. Yes, I know... you all are probably thinking "isn't him coming home enough?" The answer to that should be obvious, but I will go ahead and say it aloud. Yes, he is the best surprise I could ever imagine. I can not wait to hug him, kiss him, just feel him. But I do also love me surprises! 

6. I am not the only one that gets surprises, of course.

I have many things waiting for Mr. Man. I can not wait for him to open them and see them. He will definitely love me forever. Well, I think. I do have one rule to a couple of them. He can not touch them for 5 days unless stated otherwise, so he will have to decide to wait 5 days to open them or to go ahead and open them and have to stare at them for the remaining 5 days. I am going to be lenient (sp?) on this because I know there will be some down days, but I also do not want it to consume his time home before heading back to work. Plus, I want to see how he sleeps, too. I can not explain that, but maybe after he is home and opens it, I will. (He reads this!)

7. Another wonderful Woo is our Spa Day.

I was given a Spa Day for 2 as a "thank you" for a favor I did for one of my friends not too long ago. It is a spa day for two, where you get a 2 course meal and access to the facilities from 9am to 5pm any day of your choice. We get a robe and slippers to use while there, and we get to take them home! The package includes a 30 minute back and neck massage, mini pedicure and manicure, lunch for 2 (which is what I mentioned above), and full and unlimited access to the swimming pool, sauna, and hot tub. I believe that is all that is included, not sure. But either way, it'll be awesome. Mr. Man knows about this because I was going to do it with a friend thinking he would not be too into the Manicure and Pedicure part, but he actually was. So I have saved it for us to use on his time off! 

8. We will finally be able to file our taxes within the next few weeks.

We got an extension because Mr. Man has been gone since a couple days after Christmas, and I am thankful for this because I have never filed taxes on my own. I do not want to screw anything up, so I was glad to not have to worry about. I'm sure it's not hard, especially since they have a free facility that does it all for you. I was just glad not to have to worry about it, and now we can finally get the money! Woo hoo!!

9. What will our tax money be spent on?

New and improved couches! I am so excited, and I know Mr. Man is too. He settles, though, and I refuse to settle. I want something I will absolutely love and can dress up. He is happy with the first thing he sees that he can fall asleep on. Umm, no thank you. I have a particular color in mind, and I certain style, so Mr. Man be patient (and thankful). I am ok with paying almost double the money (with the pound to dollar ratio) to have what I want. I guess this goes back to Mr. Man making all the money in the world. *Laughs*

10. I have to have an even number of Woo's because I am a strong "Gold" personality. (Not sure what I am talking about, go here.) My tenth "Woo" is my working out.

As most of you know, I started a new workout plan. You can view it here if you are new to my blog. But I have started it this week, and I am doing really good. I am finding that it really is not hard to keep within the calorie and carb intake that I have chosen. The first two days I actually was under my carb intake, so by the time I get to my last two days I will be use to taking in less amount. I still need to work to fix that because the only way in getting where I want is to eat (obviously!) and to provide the difference for my body to continue to burn. My cardio is going good in the morning, and my weight training is good at night, so lets hope I finish this week strong. 

Here is a picture of me and our baby boy. This was taken today for Daddy!

Ok, that is all of my wonderful "Woo's"!! (Eeekk!) I will post my "Boo Hoo's" tomorrow, so stay tuned! I will need the encouragement and motivation. 

Kindred Connection Party!

Woo hoo! I am attending my third Kindred Connection Party. The Kindred Connection is for anyone who has a blog that is based on "marriage, faith, family, homemaking, decorating, crafts, cooking, travel, saving money, style, and a little bit of everyday life," then you qualify to join The Kindred Connection. Kristen at Windy Poplar does a wonderful job at hosting this. To join, just click the button above, and it will send you to the original blog.

The questions are:

1. What is your cultural heritage, and is it a part of your life (eg. do you celebrate your cultural holidays, or have special traditions or food that comes from your heritage)?

I was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. Anything past that, I have no idea, so I will stick with the Cajun culture. We are two Cajuns. People can point us out and know that we are from the south, including the English. We say "ya'll" quite a bit. I am sure my readers have already noticed that. We celebrate Christian holidays and Mardi Gras! I can't really think of any other holidays. I have been away from home for way to long. We love our food, like gumbo, boiled crawfish and crabs, jambalaya, fried okra, boudin, King Cake (oh I love King Cake!), and red beans and rice with sausage. Oh gosh, I miss home now!

2. Give a short description of your vision for your blog.

Really, my blog is a place for me to speak my mind and get my emotions out without getting winded. I have it opened for others to read and follow because I (just like anyone else) enjoy having the support and encouragement from others that can (or can not for that matter) relate to me, my life, or my emotions. I love getting ideas and advice when new things come my way.

3. What is one thing you are really enjoying about spring?

I love that the sun has started to come out earlier this year. Last year, we had snow on Easter. This year it was nice for the sun to come out earlier. I also love the poppy flowers and the daffodils that always blooms here.

4. Do you have an idea to share about something we could do today to bless our husbands/boyfriends to let them know they're special?

Everyone that has their husband right there by their side everyday should be thankful and appreciative. I really have no ideas of what you could do for your husband, except appreciate them and do not take the time you have with them for granted because there is always someone out in this world that can only wish and dream about their husbands being by their side. If you do not cook for them, give it a try. Buy them something simple that they have been needing or asking for. Rent movies and snuggle on the couch for the night/evening. Do anything to show your love for them.

5. Are you involved in any social club (garden club, dinner club, book club, etc.) - or would you like to be?

I do not belong to any of those. I know this sounds horrible, but I do not have the time to be "clubbing" it up. I am a part of a couple of volunteer groups. I am a Key Spouse for Mr. Man's squadron, and I am also a part of the welcoming committee for the new spouses that PCS here. I do love to read, though. I am out of books currently, so I can take suggestions on what to read. I wish I had a green thumb for planting and gardening. I did when I still lived with my Dad ages ago. We have a vegetable garden, and I loved it. When we retire, we will definitely have a garden. I miss my rose bush in Texas, too.


Tuesday Tag Along:


Go here for the details!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow!

Tomorrow begins the brand new me. Back to counting calories and counting carbs. Am I ready? I'm not so sure, but I do know that it will be well worth it. Goodbye quick and easy meals, and hello responsible house-wife!

What will I miss the most? Eating what I want when I want without having to look at the nutritional facts. My dessert brown sugar cinnamon pop-tarts and chocolate almond fiber one bars will be dearly missed. I will definitely miss my cornbread! This girl loves cornbread. I will miss my homemade trail mix that I make, too. *sad face*

What I look forward to most? I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and feel refreshed and begin a new, full day. Since Mr. Man has left, I have been staying up late and sleeping in (mostly on his schedule). But no more. I will be up bright and early in the gym or running a few miles around the base. I will come home, shower, work on school work, prepare meals for the day, clean a little, and back to the gym for more cardio and weight training. I look forward to losing my "bloatness." I hate when I feel bloated, so now that I will be watching more of what I eat and not always eating on the go, I will let all of that out of my body.

Want to know what I do? Mr. Man has me set up to his "diet" with him. I normally just do a low to no carb diet and feel up on veggies, but I am going to attempt what he has been doing. This is where I eat about 1,500 clean calories a day, 5 meals a day, with 4 day intervals. The first day I will consume only 150 grams of carbs, second day will be only 100 grams of carbs, and the third and fourth day will be only 50 grams of carbs. I will document these calorie and carb intake in a fitness journal. I wake up in the morning, with an empty stomach, and hit the first cardio workout. I will attempt to burn 400 calories in 30 minutes. My workouts consist of medium weight with 3 sets of 10 reps. My days will stay the same, with Monday being back, Tuesday being chest, Wednesday being legs, Thursday being shoulders, Friday being arms, Saturday being abs and cardio only, and Sunday will be cardio. I do workout 7 days a week, but now my workouts on Saturday and Sunday will be worked in with sightseeing and walking my pup. Which means, I'm not actually in the gym, but I am still trying to burn.

I have a journal for my weightlifting/cardio and another one for my eating. I plan on keeping this updated like I have been in the past. I also have a bodyspace (no hating allowed! haha.), which I plan to keep updated. The only thing I need to work on is "Why am I so motivated and determined to reach this?" Honestly, I have no idea why or what makes me want this. Other than, one I want to feel sexy in my own skin. Two, it relieves stress and refreshes me. Three, I want to set a good example for my kids as far as living a healthy lifestyle. So far that is what I got, but I need to dig deeper and figure it out.

Wish me luck because this will not be easy!

"The Circle of Friends"

I love to wake up to nerdy blog awards. Special thanks to Life-as-a-Navy-Wife for this!

So here are the rules of the Award:

1) Post it on your page.

2) List five things you looooove to do.

3) Pick five friendly bloggers and pass it on!

The five things that I love to do is:

1. I love being a wife and a student, so my job. I love, love, love my job in this world at the moment. I love living, learning, and being happy, and this is exactly where I am right now in my life. I have an amazing husband, and I have always said if I could be a student for my a whole life, I would be happy.

2. I love anything girly. From shopping to facials to massages to manicures/pedicures to shoes. Just about everything that makes a woman a woman, I love.

3. I love to work out. Working out is such a stress reliever and sends me to my happy place. It makes me feel confident with myself, and I have a huge heart for being healthy.

4. I love to write. Writing is my therapy. I have said this a gazillion times, but it is true. Writing allows me to speak my mind without getting winded. I can put my thoughts on paper, then later on read it again and laugh at it. Having a journal of your life helps me to see my blessings and be thankful for the little things in life.

5. And last, but definitely not least, FOOD! I love food. I love to eat. I tend to indulge, which is one of my weaknesses. Some of my favorite foods include: Cinnamon rolls with orange frosting, brown sugar cinnamon pop-tarts, boiled seafood, pasta, rice, Logan's bread rolls, Oriental food, sushi, Cajun buffalo wings, chicken, and blown up weinies from the BBQ pit with little BBQ sauce! NUM NUM NUM!! I do not eat most of these often, but when I do, I'm pretty much in heaven!

Now, it's time to pass the award to 5 other bloggers, so here it goes:

1. Flip flops and Combat Boots

2. Hard Corps Love

3. The Sand is Different Here

4. Yellow Ribbon Diary

5. The Adventures of Mr. Superman and Mrs. S

This is in no particular order. I love each and every one of your blogs (plus a few more)! They inspire me and make me happy.

:o)

Well this put me in a wonderful mood!!

Getting to know you!

To play..copy the questions..answer them..post them on your blog..then come back here and link on up!

The questions..

1. If you could star in any movie genre..what would it be..romance..horror..comedy..suspense or action?

I would love to be in a hot action film with my as a super bad (but sexy) chick... of course with Mr. Man as my partner in the movie.

2. Do you recycle?
I very much so do recycle. I live in England, and they are hardcore about their recycling compared to the states. I have learned so much about being here, and it has even changed my mind about wanting a huge SUV for no reason. I will stick with a car until I have more than 2 kids :)

3. Have you ever been to a strip club?
I have not been to a strip club, and I really have no desire to.

4. Do you have a nickname?
I do have a nickname. I got it before I even turned a year old. It's Mae or Mae-mae.

5. What's a name you can't stand to be called?
The only thing that really makes me feel older than I should is when I am called "Mrs. ______" or "Ma'am." I know it is out of respect and with me working in the field I am, I should get use to it. But I have a hard time realizing that I am a "Mrs." and "Ma'am" now.

6. What are your Summer staples?
Not sure how I missed this question earlier, but here is my answer: I love the beach. I love bikinis. I love to lay out. I love to sip on Martinis. I love the sun. I love flip flops. I love to be on the boat. I love to fish. I love to ride jet skis. I love to go tubing. I love cabins. I love little getaways. I love crawfish boils. That's my "dream" summer, considering I have not had much of any of that while living here. Oh boy, I miss good ole Louisiana.

7. What was the last thing you bought for yourself?
I went on an online shopping spree at Victoria Secret. I wanted some new panties, and my favorite ones were on sale!

8. Are you happy with your boob size?

To be quite honest, no I am not. I have no (let me emphasize no!) chest. I could shop in the little girls if I wanted to for bras and such. I would rather look down and see cleavage than see a (not big and bulging) stomach. I would get a boob job and probably will at some point, but right now, it's not in me... and it may never be. Mr. Man says to do it and get it done tomorrow, but I say I do not want to be a 80 year old woman having to go get my breasts examined once a year. (hahaha!) If this is my most hard decision in life, I'm happy!

Lots of getting to know me today! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.
 

A Little About Me:

I never really introduced myself when I started blogging because it started out as a personal place for me to document our lives, then next thing I know, I have followers and love it. So now I will introduce myself properly and tell you a little about my life and what I enjoy doing. 

I am 21 years old. (I will be 22 in July!) Mr. Man is 22. (He will be 23 in June!) 

We were both born and raised on the bayou in Louisiana. We are both 100% cajun. We love to eat, hunt, fish, go to beach, be on a boat, ride four-wheelers, etc. I seriously can put down some food in no time. I am a girly-girl, but I do not mind getting dirty every once in a while.

Taken July 2008

 

We have been married for 4 years. If you do the math, you will realize that I got married at 17 years old. Mr. Man is not just my husband; he is my hero. He is currently serving in the United States Air Force. He has been in for almost 5 years. We did our first tour at Dyess AFB in Texas. After being there for 3 years, we got orders to RAF Lakenheath in the UK, which is where we are now. We will be here for another 2 and half years. I love living overseas, and I love the flexibility it has given to our lives as a family.

Wedding-July 2006

 

We both love to travel while laying a firm foundation for our futures. Being in the military, it allows us to do just that. We have traveled all over the UK the past year and a half, and now we will begin our travels in Europe. First stop, Italy. I have the blessing of being a Stay-at-home-wife and full-time student. I attend school through University of Phoenix online. My chosen major is Elementary Education because I love children, and I believe their education matters. I plan to have my Bachelor's by 2012 and move on to my Master's. Mr. Man attends school, too. He is currently working on his CCAF, and he is not sure what he wants to major in.

 The White Cliffs of Dover

We do not have any children as of yet, but one day do hope to have the opportunity to raise some of our very own "Air Force Brats." We do; however, have a Miniature Schnauzer that totally rocks our world. He will be 4 years old in September. He has been with us through our marriage, and he is our strength when things get tough. As a dog, his favorite activities include: sun bathing, chasing kites and remote control airplanes, wrestling with is Daddy, going for long walks in the middle of nowhere, going for car rides so he can stick his little face out the window, and chasing birds and squirrels.

Buttons Harley

Our favorite activities:

Mr. Man and I are both fitness junkies. Our second home is the gym. We enjoy working out and staying healthy.

 

We also enjoy camping, hiking, swimming, going to the beach.. really anything to be outdoors.

On the side from all that:

We love, love, love playing putt-putt!

My favorite hobbies include scrapbooking, crocheting, stamping, cooking, photography, and shopping.

Taken- July 2008
 

Just for clarification, I am a natural blonde. I decided to go back blonde just a few months ago, so I do not have many updated pictures of me with blonde hair. However, my natural hair color is in our wedding photo. This last photo is our 2 year wedding anniversary photo, and we are having more done this summer. 

I am such a....

I am such a control freak. Seriously, I am. Not in a bad way. Just in a way were I like to be prepared and try my best to make everything "perfect" without any stress or last minute decisions. This is not a good quality to have being a military wife because of the famous "hurry up and wait" that the military carries, but I just can not help it.

I can officially say that I "think" we are in single digits now until Mr. Man comes home, but it is driving me insane. I know he is not suppose to give me days and such because of OPSEC. I totally respect that, but I also can not help but wonder. 

I am a full time student. I work online; therefore, I am grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to work ahead about a week. That is exactly what I want to do before Mr. Man gets home. He will have 2 weeks off from work and I want to be able to sleep and relax and do all those lovey-dovey things that a couple should do. I do not want to have to step foot unto the computer unless it is to update pictures or google addresses or things going on around here. I want to have the house clean. I want Mr. Man to walk into the house and feel like it his home. I want it to smell good. I want the trash to be out, the lawn to be mowed, the dishes to be done, the groceries to be put up, the clothes to be washes, etc. I do not want him to come home to any single bit of house work. None, Nada. So, so, so Air Force, could you kindly give me an estimate on when Mr. Man will be home?

Ok, so I am being a big baby and whining and complaining over this, but the truth of the matter is... I actually do have about an estimated day. Of course, I tell myself 3 days later than original that way it gives me a gap and I won't be disappointed when something happens. Because that something is very often with the military. I am thankful to have friends that are higher on the rank chain because they come in handy. I already get quite a bit of information since I am a Key Spouse, but sometimes I want confirmation. And I got that confirmation yesterday when I was grocery shopping. 

Then I got another confirmation when Mr. Man told me he was going to go buy some souvenirs and mail me off some things. Ok, that right there is a huge sign that he will be home sooner. After I sat there and thought about it, I asked him if he thought his stuff would make it home before him, and he said he did not know. Which if I had to guess I would say that it would be cutting it close, which gave me my second confirmation. Yippeee! So now I can proudly announce that even though the volcanic ash did put the replacements on hold to getting to him, his estimated arrival time has not changed. That is super-de-duper thrilling!

Now, with all this said, today I got sick to my stomach. Nerves, of course. They just get the best of me when 1.) I have a math test. 2.) I realize Mr. Man will be home soon. 3.) I try to picture him walking up to me in uniform. My totally got knotted up and I immediately started cleaning house to relieve the thoughts. After I cleaned the whole downstairs (and when I mean clean, I mean clean. No dishwasher included! Hands only!), I went and rented a movie. 

That movie was 2012. It was a good movie. I know I am forever late on watching it, but it was not what I expected, but it was good. It's worth seeing. I thought it was very unrealistic and little too optimistic, but it's a movie so of course it's all those things.

So now it's off to get a shower and go read and relax in my bed... Oh, and this will be one of the last weekends I spend alone. YESSSSS! 

Oh, I just realized!

I just realized that:

1. Today is Friday. How am I just realizing this? No clue whatsoever, other than that I have blonde hair :) Friday equals another week down with only a couple more to go. I am so thankful that the military operations and commercial flights are now taking place. They lifted it yesterday. I never felt so happy to hear the "Birdies" flying!

2. This month marks my 2 year anniversary of being a stay at wife/mom (to our pup). With this in mind, I really have to give a lot of thanks to my husband for providing for this family. I am a full time student, working my booty off to get my degree before we leave here, which is in two and a half years. I do not have a working permit to work on the economy here, which limits my employment opportunities. He (or me, for that matter) does not want me to work at the BX, gas station, commissary, or other place of that nature. He truly would not care if I wanted a job, but the fact of the matter is... I love being unemployed. I love the freedom to get up and go whenever I like. The opportunities that we have, which are limitless, and I have to thank him for every single bit of it! But I must admit he loves having me home just as much. 

Today I was thinking about where I found the time to get groceries, cook dinner, clean house, wash clothes, etc. when I was working full-time. I seriously could not figure out how I made it work. That's when I sat back and realized that 2 years ago this month, I put in my notice to leave my current job. 

Wow, just wow. I am officially a bum. I am a live in slave. (ha, just kidding) I live off the government. Sweet! What more could I ask for?

Oh, wait. Mr. Man, I really need some new panties. Wouldn't you agree? (Of course, he would!) Go ahead and insert his blushing face here. So what does Mrs. Ma'am do? HELLO Victoria Secret and Fredrick's of Hollywood!

Mr. Man, I've been doing a lot of online shopping. I really think I am ready to change my full wardrobe. I'm thinking sexy skinny jeans, a pair of jeggings, maybe some light cardigans, casual dresses, some cute flats. You know, things of that nature. I will give all my old clothes that I do not wear anymore to the Airman's Attic.  I think it would be perfect for our Italy trip. I could pack extremely light. I'll even let you buy a few new things. What do you think?... YESSSSS!

And for this shopping trip, will you come with me? Will you promise to tell me what you think? And accept the new me? And tough it out while I try on everything? Especially since I'm so so picky about my clothes? And if I don't find everything I want in one day, can we go back another day or two again? Just shopping it out... PERFECT! YOU ROCK!

Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Man. I found these hot and sexy new high heels. I really want them. Well, they are on sale. On second thought, you know that shopping trip you promised me when you get home? Yea, I'll wait until then. 

You know what really makes me happy, Mr. Man? Purses! I just love getting a new handbag every week. Ok, ok. I will wait until you get home.

Oh, and by the way... I can't stop picking my nails at night while I'm laying in  bed for hours at a time waiting to fall asleep. I have so much on my mind. Mostly, the fact that you come home soon, very very soon. So, can I spend $50 to get my nails done? You said you like when I have long nails to scratch your back? Remember the old days when I would keep them up... and we moved here and it just got too expensive. Well you make all the money in the world, so please?

Well after the initial nails get put on, I have to go back every 4 or so weeks and get them filled. That will only cost about $25 each time. Will that be ok, too? Thank you, Mr. Man.

Mr. Man, did I mention to you that I've been getting a massage every 3 to 4 weeks and a facial every 6 or 7 weeks? Yep, and all that was done with your hard earned money. *Wink Wink* (But don't worry, he has been getting massages every other week, too. They just don't cost as much as mine!) But, Mr. Man, do not forget you promised me my own back rub from you! (Yes, I have NOT forgot about that one.)

But I did get a good deal on my hair this past go round. See Jessie had been charging me about $80 every 5 weeks, but since she just recently went blonde, too, she offered me a discounted price. (She must understand the pain and expense that goes with being a blonde!) My hair grows fast, so she said if I come in every 4 to 5 weeks and get my hair cut every other time, then she will charge me just $35. So, see there Mr. Man, I saved us some money! Go me!

Ok, so I think you get the picture. I am spoiled to the bone! Like seriously, Mr. Man, maybe you should tell me no sometimes? (Mr. Man, if you are reading this, please never tell me no. I am actually sad just thinking about it!) But Mr. Man do know that I love and appreciate every single thing you do for me and this family. If I ever try to tell you differently, you have permission to give me a "Batista Bomb." (But remember to ask for permission first!) 

Oh gosh, how I love my Mr. Man!

So today, I am extremely thankful for my husband and his hard work and dedication to his career and his family. Without him, no telling where I would be (jail?), what I would look like (a hillbilly?), or what I would be doing with my life (smoking it away?). I love you, Mr. Man! 

P.S.-- Mr. Man does not go without either!

Crazy Pooches!

Today begins the fun. I am watching my neighbor/friend's dog over the weekend, so she can take her family to London. I have my baby boy, which is a miniature schnauzer, and I will be having the new addition, which is a pug something cavalier mix. The friend's dog is absolutely hyper and very puppy-ish. My baby boy is the complete opposite. He will be 4 years old in September, and he is a good listener, laid back, and chill kind of pup. I went and picked the new addition up this afternoon after I did all that I had to do for the day, and it has been nonstop chaos and hyper-ness. Poor Buttons tries to escape her obnoxiousness, but just can't. She attacks him from every angle. I do feel sorry for him, but once he gets use to her being around and being so playful, he joins in on the fun. 

She is an amazing dog, though. She is awesome with her human brother and sisters. They tug her ears, scrunch up her face to make it look goofy (not like it doesn't already!), pull her tail, pick her up and carry her around, and even sit on her. All this out of fun and playfulness. This dog just sits back and enjoys it. She is a really good dog despite her puppy stage.  She is potty trained, which is a plus for me, and enjoys being outdoors. 

However, I can't get an adorable picture of her because she attacks my camera when I take it out. And that thing cost too much to let some pup scratch it up. Here is what I came up with. Hope you enjoy!

Before:

After:

The Best Tea Ever!

First I have to say that I am not a tea drinking. I use to hate tea and could not stomach it at all. After much research and tastings, I have found the best brand of tea ever! Of course, it is a UK brand. The English know their tea, for sure. Every night (and sometimes after lunch) I drink some of this tea. I even use it when I just want to fight a craving or intense desire to eat for no good reason. It definitely settles that, and it is healthy! I have never tried it cold because I am not an iced tea drinker.. truly, I'm not a tea drinker anywhere but my home. Water is generally my way to go, but if I need something filling for myself, tea is what I reach for.

 

There is something about hot tea going through my body that soothes me. I was telling Mr. Man this not too long ago, and I had read much about the health benefits, which is why I decided to try so many different teas out and jump on the bandwagon of drinking tea, but it truly does soothe and relax your body. I love the way it makes me feel. It gets rid of my headaches, tenseness, and body aches. 

Tea is healthy for your body. Some teas help detox your system, and all offer some type of antioxidants. Here are a list of health benefits of teas.

1. It is proven to lover stress hormone levels.

2. It increases one's metabolism.

3. It boosts the immune system.

4. It can help prevent or limit many health problems.

If you do not drink tea, you should try it out! I love it!

Emotion:

This is a picture of Mr. Man and our baby boy walking through the snow out during the end of 2009. I love the emotion that is shown through this picture, which is exactly where I am at now... emotional. Not sure why I am emotional today, but I am. Maybe it's that time of the month. Maybe it's the anxiety from Mr. Man's situation. Maybe it's because I have had yet another boring day. But either way, this photo speaks for itself. 

I constantly think about the bond that Mr. Man and our baby boy have. Their relationship that is so much like a true father and son. How they just walk through the snow talking to one another and taking in the scenery. I love my guys more than words could ever show... more than I could even begin to attempt to explain to everyone. Oh, how I love my guys and wish I could have these moments back in my life.

Please Air Force, send me my Mr. Man! 

I know, I know. It will be very soon. That is exactly what I kept telling myself, too.

Please forgive the image quality as all of my pictures have been taken from Facebook because they were all lost when the 2 external hard drives crashed.

Thursday Five

I am a sucker for these little games. They make me happy and make me think about life.. and help me friend fellow bloggers, so why not do them, right? I stole this one from Flip Flops and Combat Boots, which she found here.

So the game is:

just post 5 things that have made you..

Happy

Giddy

Grateful

Joyful

Gleeful

or all of the above..

 

Here are my 5:

1. Sunshine makes me the happiest. I love bright and sunny days. I love having the option of running outside and having the flexibility to walk my baby boy whenever I would like. Lately here in England, that is exactly what we have been having, so I am one happy little lady! 

 

2. I am giddy for our vacation coming up very soon!  Only 37 more days until then! 

3. I am grateful for my husband. I am grateful for my life. I am grateful for all the little blessing that I have in my life. I really am grateful for a lot of things. One, my husband is safe even though his arrival date has gotten pushed back. I am grateful the life I live. I have so many opportunities and very rare stressful moments. 

4. I am joyful at the thought of my husband being in my arms again. I've been overly joyful at this thought a lot lately. 

5. My baby boy.. He is a delight to have. He is full of joy. He makes me happy. He's my strength.

I hope you enjoyed this. Join the fun if you'd like!

Do-dah, do-dah, hey!

Today has been one boring day. I do have to say I slept better last night. I just stayed up all night long, until about 1:30am then went up to my bed and fell asleep quite fast. I slept through the night for the most part. I didn't wake up until 9am, which was good. I have been so exhausted from not getting enough rest, that I wish I would have slept until noon. But I have too small of a bladder for that, but I will not complain about my 7ish hours of sleep. Night before last, I went up to bed around 10:30pm and laid in bed for almost 4 hours before I finally fell asleep. Not to mention, I would wake up every 40 to 60 minutes throughout my night. I have been doing this for several weeks now, but there is no reason behind it. People have asked me if I am afraid of someone coming in my house, or if I am stressed, or if there is something going on, but the truth is there is nothing. I get restless when Mr. Man is away because I have to touch someone when I sleep. And that some is my husband. I have to prop my leg on something, I have to have my head a certain why, and all that falls back to Mr. Man. Now that I am not as busy, I'm not near as exhausted, so I generally do not just lay in bed and crash. It takes time to fall asleep. But thankfully, all of this will be over soon enough.

To that, with the volcanic ash episode going on, everything has been delayed. So no telling when Mr. Man will be home. People keep asking and I can not tell. Honestly, I do not even know. The Air Force does not even know, so please bare with us. All I know is that he will be here before the end of May unless there is a disaster or crisis between now and then.

So back to today. Gym has been awesomely awesome to me. Today I worked out my legs, and I did so good. I pushed through my workouts and cardio. It feels so amazing to be pushing myself so hard again. Now that I have the time and am not being rushed on my workouts, it is nice and peaceful (and painful). I came home from the gym and started on my school work. I got done with it pretty quick. This math class is getting harder and harder by the moment, but I think it's because I am restless, can't concentrate, exhausted, impatient, and anxious. All in all, I did a homework sheet of 31 problems and missed 2.5 of them. I would not say that is too bad since I was tapping and fidgeting the entire time. My mind truly was elsewhere. I had to read each problem like a hundred times before it would register in my mind. I am so ready for this to be over with. Deployments really are overrated. After I did my math homework, I wrote a paper on The Last Supper  by Leonardo da Vinci. I am loving what I am learning in this Art class. I think the only reason why I can appreciate it and understand it is because I am right here in the middle of all of it. Every piece of art that I have had to write a paper on, I will see during our Italy trip (which is in... drum roll please... 37 days). My husband is not much into art, but I will have to educate him a little so he can appreciate the things we see. After I finished all my school work, I just cooked and took a relaxing bath, read a book, and chilled out. I did get to talk to Mr. Man for a while. We discussed eating habits and such, because I have to get back in the habits of making weekly menus and making weekly grocery and market trips again. It's exciting to discuss these things. It means it's just that much closer to being all over with.

Sorry for the boring post, but my life is pretty laid back, relaxing, and boring at this point.

Oh, quick question for my readers. I need your opinions. The dilemma of the Iphone Touch. To get or not to get? Any opinions? If so, sell it to me!

Please Respect!

Please do not get offended by anything in this post, but please acknowledge with respect the words I speak. This is not referred to anyone personally, but I think it is something that all should know and learn. 

Please have some respect for people's deaths. Please do not post their information on Facebook within an hour that their crisis has taken place. Please consider their long distance family members that may be away and have not yet heard the news. The last place they would want to see it is  on Facebook. I ask that you think about this from now on before you post things on social networks. Remember that this is a sad and hard time for many people, and they do not want their business discussed openly around the world. Many people do not want to hear the news through the word of mouth of fellow acquaintances. I just ask that you please respect other people's privacy. If you feel the desperate need to stoop down, then please watch the way in which you say and/or type it. The tone in which you type can send degrading statements and disrespectful meaning to that family. So with all this said, please, please, please remember family's in need without making a rude announcement. Remember that some family are not as close to "home" as others and the last place they want to hear about their Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, Nephew, Neice, or Cousin is by the word of mouth of these social networks.

I am one of these people that do not live close to "home". No where near close. So I know it feels to be one of these people and hear "news" through networking sites. 

PEMDAS, Rick Steve's, and Exciting News

PEMDAS!

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally!

All i have to say to you Mrs. Math Genius is Please Excuse My Dear Fragile Brain!

Thank you, Rick Steve's:

I recently purchased the Rick Steve's Italy 2010 guidebook. So far, it is absolutely amazing. It is helping me to efficiently and smoothly to plan our trip. I am over halfway done with our itineraries. This book has listed many discounts, must-sees, top restaurants and cafes, top hotels, information and ATM points, and even Italian words that we will need to know. I even lists the best known places for certain wines and gelato. But I have recently come across something even more fascinating and entertaining, which is Rick Steve's Audio-guides on iTunes, and they are free! I started downloading a couple to hear the quality, and so far they are impressive. This will save us money and time during our adventures. So exciting! I am so glad I came across this.

Even more exciting news:

Mr. Man emailed me yesterday morning stating that he is packed up and will be extremely busy here on out. That is very exciting news. For the Air Force, that means interchanging and spinning the new guys up on the things going on. Now only if the volcano could chill out so flights can be resumed! (Which I believe that are being resumed today, so say a little prayer for us!) 

I Hate Dishes

First off, I strongly, strongly, strongly dislike doing the dishes. There really isn't a lot of work involved because we use a dishwasher, but I still despise the house chore of cleaning dishes. As most of you know, Mr. Man is currently deployed. I have no human; therefore, with all this said, the duty of getting the dishes done is on the one and only person currently in this household... ME! 

Yesterday, Mr. Man was able to call me. We were both in an extremely good mood, so we chatted away and made each other laugh. Then I realized there was something I just needed to get out of my system. I knew Mr. Man would be the only one to understand what I was about to say, so I blurted it out. 

Me: "Do you know what I really hate?"

Mr. Man: "What do you hate?" (I think he thought I was going to say deployments, 15 minute phone calls once a week, liars, or fake people...)

Me: "Dishes! I hate doing the dishes!"

Mr. Man: *Laughs*

Me: "Not funny, not at all!... You know what?... When you get home, the dishes are going to be your chore. No questions asked."

Mr. Man: "Since when is this a new thing?"

Me: "Well, you do not have to wash a single dish over there, and I have to wash every single dish here. Therefore, it's your job when you are home."

Mr. Man: *Still Laughing* "Actually, I do have a dish I have to wash everyday, my shaker cup."

Me: "Ugh! That doesn't count.."

Mr. Man: *Still Laughing*

He knows that I hate to do the dishes and have always hated it, so he enjoys picking on me about it. I was also laughing at myself throughout this conversation because I know I sounded absolutely ridiculous, but I needed to get it out there.

Why do I so strongly dislike doing the dishes?

It is actually pretty plain, simple, and legitimate. The work of it really isn't that bad since we use a dishwasher (like I mentioned before). I truly do not mind doing the household duties, but the dang dishwasher (in general) drives me nuts. I normally rinse the dishes, load the dishwasher, and start it each night after it gets full (or close to full). I, majority of the time, do not go to unload it until the following evening once I need to clean up the kitchen. At this point, all breaks loose (an my sanity goes out the window!). 99.9% of the time, I realize that the dishes did not wash at this point. So what happens? I start it again, leave the dishes to be finished either right before I head upstairs for bed or for the following morning, which means dirty dishes overnight (which drives me insane), sometimes multiple nights because our dang dishwasher just stinks! Literally. 

Great Britain,

Can you please oh so very kindly find proper dishwashers that work like a charm? 

Thanks.