Its Naptime!

So D and AJ are upstairs in the hotel room taking a nap and I decided to find the business center and get a quick post in.

This morning we were able to get up and drive about an hour and a half to our new post and see the house we're going to get. We (well, I...long story) were excited about it, even though its tiny! The whole house is about half of what we're in right now. Kind of crazy. At least the Army will pay to store a bunch of our stuff for 6 months. The neighborhood looks nice and there's a HUGE tree in the backyard! Hooray for another duty station with vegetation!

So the story behind D not being excited about our new house....

We got in late last night and of course, since its a wedding, there was drinking going on. He got roped into having a drink and then going out after that. They didn't come back until about 3 am and he was in rare form. Needless to say, he wasn't really feeling the hour and a half long car ride with a screeching infant this morning!

Anyways, I'm off to relax while my babies are sleeping!

Wedding Weekend Extravaganza!

We're going out of town this weekend to a wedding. Its in Missouri. An hour away from where we're moving next week. Awesome timing, huh? If only we had known our dates for the move a few weeks earlier, we could have moved there and then just driven the hour instead of flying halfway across the country with a 2 (almost 3) month old baby. Such is life.

With that being said, I'll be offline for a few days. We have so much crap baby stuff that we're lugging with us I couldn't justify adding my computer to all of it!

The one thing I am excited about is that D signed out yesterday so we're going to head over to post tomorrow and sign for our new house! Hooray for a door to door move!

I'll post pictures when we get back if I have time, but I can't promise anything. Our schedule for the next two weeks looks like this:

Thursday-Sunday: Out of Town
Monday: Pack/Clean/Organize
Tuesday: D's promotion and promotion/going away party
Wednesday: Packers at the house
Thursday: Movers at the house
Friday-Tuesday: Moving

I'm hoping I'll have a few minutes on Monday to hop on and upload some wedding pictures of D in his tux. No promises. Oh, its also entirely possible that I'll be off the grid until we're done moving. If that's the case, I'll try and post something short from my phone, just to let y'all know I'm still alive during all of this! ;)

Wordless Wednesday (Almost)

I got my hair cut and highlighted yesterday! It looks so much better!

Planning a Party!

So D is being promoted to CPT on June 1 along with another 1LT from his battalion. His wife and I were chatting yesterday about what we should do for the reception after the ceremony. We couldn't really decide what kind of food we wanted to do and I think we've settled on making stuff.

Its kind of stressing me out a bit since the movers are supposed to be at our house on the 2nd to pack everything up. We just have a lot going on the next few weeks!

Here's what we're planning on serving:

Ham
Rolls
Spinach Dip
Veggie Tray
Cake
Fudge
Soda
Bottled Water

We are ordering the cake from the commissary and I'm planning to pick up most of the food and drinks at Costco early next week. The unit has a full kitchen so we're going to stick the ham in the oven before the ceremony to heat it through since we're planning on getting one that is pre-cooked.

Have you ever planned a reception like this? What kind of food did you serve? Is there anything you would enjoy seeing at a reception?

Its Mamarazzi Monday!

I caught a few cute pictures of AJ this weekend. She is smiling "on demand" now so I've been getting super-cute smiley faces lately!

Smiling in the bouncy seat.

Action shot...bouncing away.

Then Sunday morning I was putting laundry away when I noticed this photo-op.

Watching TV with Daddy.

My Pathetic Attempts at Not Eating Out....

Inevitably, about 3 weeks before we move I decide that we're not going to have enough money to get us to our next duty station. This causes me to vow to eat only food that we have at home for every meal. Also inevitably, I fail. Miserably. I'm pretty good about making dinner for D and I at home, because that requires actually planning in advance and cooking. Lunch, on the other hand, just doesn't work out.

Yesterday D asked me if I wanted to meet him for Teriyaki for lunch. Sure! Cheating doesn't count if we both go together, right?! Whatever, yesterday was Thursday, so that meant that I had eaten lunch at home Monday, Tuesday, AND Wednesday. It also gave me an excuse to get out of the house with AJ.

You are probably thinking that since we ate out for lunch yesterday that I would for sure be eating some of the healthy soups we have in the cupboard. Or maybe a BLT made with the bacon from last night's brinner (breakfast for dinner). Nope. I drove through Jack In The Box. I rationalized this trip by telling myself I only really went there to get a giant Dr. Pepper. Last night AJ was transformed from the sleeping-through-the-night baby that I blogged about a few days ago to a baby who wants to get up every 4 hours at eat. I attribute this change to the fact that I blogged about how awesome she is just a few days ago. I desperately needed the caffeine in the 100 ounce sized Dr. Pepper.

So yeah, that brings me to now. I have eaten out for lunch two days in a row. Utter failure. The good news is that we should be getting the advance on our DLA any day now! Hooray!

I'm Addicted

I'm addicted to finding and downloading new apps for my iPhone. I have tons of games and shopping apps. I also like to find the apps that make my everyday life just a bit easier. Here are some of my favorites and what I like about them.

1. Words With Friends:
This is basically Scrabble online. The best part about this game is that you can find people in your contacts list who have the app to play against or the game will go online and find you a random opponent to play against! It's pretty fun when your opponent is with it and plays their moves fairly quickly, but sometimes a game can take a few days to complete!

2. Marple:
This is a game that I found because of my small addiction to Sudoku. I started getting kind of bored with Sudoku when I was up at night feeding AJ and this was a suggestion. I jumped on it and became even more addicted to this game! The bottom half are your clues and the top half of the screen is your game board. Its complicated and kind of confusing to explain, but the app as awesome directions and I was obsessed in no time!

3. Tetris:
Tetris is a classic. There isn't much I can say about it other than that it rocks! This version has all sorts of fun "tools" that you can use to help you once you get to the higher levels of the game. It starts to move pretty fast and I definitely need the extra help. You can also just play the classic version of the game as well.

4. Scramble 2:
You know the game. Think of as many words as you can using these letters. Oh, but you only have 3 minutes. And oh, the letters have to be able to connect in order to play the word. Its hard. Its fun. Its addicting.

I would also be remiss if I didn't mention my other 2 favorite apps.

1. Total Baby:
This app has made me pretty much anal-retentive religious about keeping track of AJ's activities. I do have to add that it has also helped me to know when she is apt to want specific things (such as a nap or a diaper change). I am fairly scatter-brained normally and becoming a mama has only intensified this. I live and die by this app.

2. Yelp:
I love this app. I sit and read the reviews of restaurants to make mental lists of places I want to eat. We don't actually eat out that often, so a lot of times my lists are for naught, but we have found a few favorites using this app. Its also fun because you can use your location and the GPS on your phone to get directions to said restaurants. I should mention that Yelp is not just for restaurants, but has categories for everything. I however have really only used it for food so far.

Bragging.

I'm going to shamelessly brag at how awesome my baby is! Not only is she the most adorably cute baby in the world (I'm serious), but she is always striving to make mommy happy! One of the ways she does this is by going to sleep in her crib at 9 or 10 pm and staying asleep until about 5 or 6 am! She has been doing this for the past two weeks or so and I can't tell you how great it is! It makes mommy love her even more (I'm kidding, I literally couldn't love her more than I do).

Here are a few examples of how cute she is!

I Have Issues

I have recently realized that I have issues revolving around food. Don't start thinking that I have an eating disorder or something. Nope. I have issues about buying food. Specifically grocery shopping. Everytime I go to the grocery store I end up spending a good deal of money and have to buy stuff for our weekly meals even though we always have plenty of food at home to eat.

That being said, we have a TON of food that is in our freezer that needs to be eaten. Like fast. Like, we're moving in 2 weeks fast. There are a very limited number of dinners between now and then, fast. I have been the crazy wife who gets snippy when D eats something that is non-perishable because "we can take that in the car with us to our next duty station." I think the reason that I'm really freaking out about all the food is because I don't want to end up throwing it away. Oh, we're also going out of town for Memorial Day weekend. Eeek!

Here is our meal plan for the next 2 weeks!

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday!
Wednesday: Soup and BLTs
Thursday: Brinner (Breakfast for Dinner)
Friday: Beef Stroganoff
Saturday: Left Overs
Sunday: Pork Chops, Apples and Stuffing
Monday: Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Cheddar Mustard Sauce

Tuesday (5/25): Manicotti
Wednesday (5/26): Left Overs
Thursday (5/27)-Sunday (5/30): Out of Town
Monday (5/31): Ravioli

Happy Anniversary!

Today is another day of double posting! I just had to give a shout out to the hubs! Today is our 2nd wedding anniversary! I couldn't have asked for a better husband and even though our life is crazy, I am so happy with it and wouldn't change a thing!

Here are a few photo memories of the big day back in 2008.

Mamarazzi Monday!

Here's my first week of participating in Mamarazzi Monday!


This is my favorite picture of AJ from this weekend!

Blogs I Follow

Just a quick update for all of you who follow my blog. I added "Blogs I Follow" to my layout, so if I don't already follow you and you want me to link to your blog, let me know in a comment or something. I am more than happy to "follow" you!

That is all.

Everybody's Workin' For The Weekend

We have absolutely nothing going on this weekend. It feels great!

Last night D came home and told me that his 1SG's son was competing in a dance competition near where we live today. We decided that since we have no life plans we would go watch. We were all going to go to lunch afterwards. 1SG says that the meet starts at 0800. Fine. I'm thinking its like a track or swim meet where you can go late and still get the idea.

This morning at 0730 I get in the shower and afterwards D is getting ready to take his shower when he gets a text from 1SG. The time is approximately 0810. His son is dancing now and awards will most likely be at about 0930, do we want to meet them for an early lunch at 1030? Haha! We totally missed it!

It's alright, we had a nice lunch (at Monster Burger!) and he's got another dance tomorrow afternoon that we're planning to go to. This time we have a better understanding of how this whole thing works, so we'll make sure to be on time! ;)

D is currently playing cleaning in the garage while I hang out with a sleeping baby. We made a trip to Babies 'R' Us after lunch and got a canvas tote thing for the car seat when we have to check it plane-side in a few short weeks! I also bought 2 swimsuits for AJ to wear during all of our hotel stays in case we decide to take her swimming! I promise I'll post pictures!

Awesome Crock Pot Chicken Recipe

40 Clove Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds chicken
1 large onion (or 2 small onions), sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon pepper
20-40 garlic cloves, peeled, but intact

The Directions:

Place onion slices on the bottom of the stoneware insert. In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken parts with olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, and all of the garlic cloves. Pour into slow cooker, on top of the onion.

Do not add water.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-6. The longer you cook chicken-on-the-bone, the more tender it will be. If you use drumsticks, the ones on the side will brown and may stick to the sides of the crock, burning a bit. If this bothers you, you can rearrange them with tongs an hour before serving.

I cooked our chicken on high for 5 1/2-6 hours and it was very moist and tender. D said that is was like "buttah."

Shopping Spree a.k.a. Its Payday!

Woo hoo! Its payday in our house! That can only mean one thing.... I had to go shopping! AJ and I went out on the town this afternoon and had a leisurely lunch at Panera, then we hit up Old Navy in hopes of procuring swim suits for both of us. Unfortunately, in the store the smallest swim suit they had for babies was a 6 month. AJ is fairly small for a 2 month old, so none of the super adorable suits were going to work for her. We may go to Target or hit up the mall and check out the selection at Gymboree or The Children's Place this weekend.

I did however, find a suit for myself, along with some Summer stuff for both of us. I'll admit it. I shopped their website this morning before we left so I knew exactly what I was looking for in the baby section. These are just about the cutest thing I've ever seen:

You might think my previous statement is odd, but just look at the back side of them in this next picture:

Are those not the cutest little bloomers ever!?!

Here's the top I got to go with it:

I got myself this swim suit:

For some reason the bottoms look like a different color than the top, but they're actually the same as the top. Its super cute and covers the belly! I also got a cute summery shirt and a pair of fancy flip flops to wear with the dress I got for D's promotion ceremony on June 1!

Just had to share my awesome finds! Happy Friday everyone!

The Tacoma Top Ten

D and I have been talking about all the things we're going to miss about the Pacific Northwest when we move in a few weeks. We decided to put together a Top Ten of the things we'll miss in the Tacoma/Seattle area. Here it is:

1. Wearing Socks With Sandals

People in the Pacific Northwest love to wear socks with their sandals. They even have commercials that make fun of their sock and sandal wearing habits. This picture is of AJ sporting her sandals with socks!

2. It's Greek to Me

This is a little drive-through Greek restaurant that has awesome gyros and the most amazing fries ever! We didn't discover it until recently, but we've been there at least 3 times to satisfy our greasy cravings!

3. Mount Rainier

When "the mountain is out" we have some of the most amazing views ever! We go so many days in a row with cloudy, rainy skies that I sometimes forget how big Mount Rainier is. Truly an amazing sight to see.

4. 1SG Dietzman

1SG Dietzman and his family have been great friends to us while we've been here. He is a great guy and brings out the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) in D. They are like the dynamic duo in their unit, nothing can stop them.

5. Teriyaki

Nothing says Pacific Northwest better than a nice hot plate of chicken or beef teriyaki. It seems that teriyaki joints in the Northwest are akin to Starbucks around the rest of the US. Surprisingly, it seems that there are fewer Starbucks around this area of the country, probably because there are so many indie coffee shops.

6. Fort Steilacoom Dog Park

When the weather is nice in Tacoma, it is really nice! On the off-chance that we get a sunny day, you can find us here with our socially-awkward beagle, Abby. Even though she's unsure about the other dogs, she does love all the smells she finds here. This off-leash dog park is one of the best in the state (and I'm sure country as well).

7. Pike Place Market

Honestly, if we lived closer to downtown Seattle, I would probably be a regular here for our produce, seafood and flowers. The market is one of the staples any Seattle-bound tourist should put on their list. I know I have taken all our visitors here the first chance I get!

8. Point Defiance Park

For a dog who hates water, Abby sure likes to walk along the sound at Owens Beach in Point Defiance Park. We have been here several times and always enjoy it, regardless of the weather. The views are incredible and even though the park is situated in an semi-urban area, it feels like you're miles away from everything.

9. Puget Sound

The funny thing about the Puget Sound is that pretty much anywhere you drive around here you're not more than a mile from the sound. There are times that we wouldn't have known our proximity to the sound if it hadn't been for our GPS pointing it out to us.

10. Fred Meyer

Groceries, plants, clothes, jewelry, bedsheets, appliances, furniture, electronics, and so on! This store is like a higher-end WalMart. Their prices are cheap, their selection is huge and their employees are friendly. D and I can make an afternoon here.

Honorable Mention
11. IKEA Seattle

D does not agree with me on this one, hence it not making the official list. I will miss IKEA because we won't have one around us for a while and I genuinely enjoy IKEA. D, however, genuinely does not enjoy it.

Poor Baby!

AJ had her 2 month doctor appointment this morning and the poor baby had to get 3 shots! She was wailing and was not a happy baby for a while. Luckily though, the nurse gave me some infant Tylenol that I gave her and she is sleeping soundly right now. D's aunt is a Labor and Delivery nurse and she said that I should try giving her a bath later on when she wakes up to relieve some of the soreness in her legs.

I felt so bad for her during the shots and even afterwards when we got home. She was still fussing and I could tell that her legs hurt when I was holding her. At least I know that she won't need to have anymore shots for another 2 months. I anticipate the next round of shots being even worse than these ones though. She will be a bit older then and will have the potential to be even fussier and more unhappy with me.

I do have to say though, I will miss the medical care we've received here. MAMC is one of the best MTFs and AJ and I have received nothing short of the best care the entire time we've been here. Everything just seems to be so well-run and so much more organized than the care I have received at other MTFs. I can only hope that the facilities at Ft. Leonard Wood are as nice and well-run as the ones here have been.

Happy Mother's Day!

AJ's birthday, the day I became a mom!

I want to wish all the mommies in my life a very happy mother's day today. You have always been very appreciated, but now that I am a mommy myself, I can finally appreciate what a tough job you actually have! I'm just getting started on this journey called motherhood, and I can only imagine where it will take me in the years to come!

My mom and me on my wedding day (duh).

My mom and her first grandchild, AJ.

D has been so sweet to me all day, just doing little things to make my day more special. This morning he brought me coffee and a turkey sandwich (we're out of eggs) in bed. He took the baby so I could have 30 minutes to myself before showering and getting ready for the day. This afternoon we went to a local park (it was packed due to it being Mother's Day and the first nice weekend in the PacNW...70* and sunny!). We (D, AJ, Abby dog, Me and our friend W) walked along the water and enjoyed ourselves and actually ran into one of D's co-workers who was there with his family!

We came home and have been relaxing around the house with the windows open, enjoying the breeze. D fixed me dinner and brought me a healthy glass of red wine to wash it down with. Puppy and baby are both zonked and D and I are watching a movie. To top off all the nice things that he has done for me today, I also am the luckiest and got to go have a massage yesterday afternoon! We went out for dinner last night at one of our favorite places. The weather was so nice that we ate outside!

AJ hanging out while we ate.

D's half eaten gyro.

My Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's Day is on Sunday and I have already gotten a gift from D and my parents. The gift from D came early because I was at the mall and I finally figured out what I wanted so I bought it!


I got the Reebok RunTones! They're the shoes that are supposed to work your legs and butt out just by walking around. These specific shoes can also be used for running! I have been wearing them for a few days now and they're super comfy!

My gift from my parents was delivered by FedEx this afternoon at about 4 pm. I got a dozen chocolate dipped strawberries from Sherri's Berries! I didn't have time to take a before picture of the whole dozen before D and I tore into them, but to give you an idea of the size of these strawberries, here are two of them. Here's the white chocolate:


And this one is milk chocolate:


Here's the aftermath:

We justified eating all 12 of them in one sitting because the strawberries were super ripe and we didn't want them to go bad before we had a chance to enjoy them. D swore that they would be rotten by tomorrow! ;) Needless to say, they were delicious and no, I did not eat all 12 myself. I will admit to eating at least 2 (okay 4). YUM!

It's Official! We're Leaving....

D received his RFO today and orders are being cut as we speak! We will be leaving Ft. Lewis sooner rather than later! Part of me is excited about the move and being around friends and closer to home, but the other part of me will definitely miss being here. Oh, I'm also not really looking forward to moving half-way across the country with a 3 month old baby.

This move is going to happen fast. Faster than I'm used to and/or comfortable with. D is starting the CCC 9 July, so we are going to have to report to FLW before that. We are planning on using up some of his leave that he has accrued, so we're looking at clearing Ft. Lewis at the beginning of June. That is a MONTH away! Ack! Hopefully since we've been here less than a year the house won't be too hard to pack up. Yeah right. We have soo much more stuff now than when we moved here 4th of July weekend last year. We have a baby! LOL

The sheer amount of stuff that we're going to have to take with us for the baby is mind-boggling. I am just sitting here thinking about the things that I use for her on a daily basis. The next frightening prospect that comes to mind is the fact that AJ is not going to tolerate sitting in a carseat for 10 hours a day. This will make a long trip even longer with added stops and shortened driving time.

Even with all the negatives that I can think of, I am so excited! I am ready to leave the land of wind and rain. I'm excited to be closer to friends and family and I'm mostly excited to start this new chapter in our lives. D is no longer an Infantry officer, but now he is a Civil Affairs officer. I guess I have a lot of new things to learn!