Thursday, September 30, 2010

OMG, she baked!

Ok, so you will rarely get posts like these, but when my in-laws were in town, I wanted to show off for them, and so I asked my friend Kendra for some help and she gave me an awesome recipe for Oreo Surprise Cupcakes!  They turned out fantastically, and so I wanted to give her a special shout-out and a thnaks for the help.  They were a hit!

The Dark Chocolate Batter

The Creamy Filling

An AWFUL picture of me pouring the middle layer.

The top layer pouring!

The baked cupcakes!

The final touches!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Friday Fill in!

Thanks to Wife of a Sailor as always for posting this.  It sure is fun!  And, when I feel overwhelmed with, well...lief, it still gives me a chance to blog.



So, without further ado...

1. What characteristic about yourself has either been strengthened or weakened due to your experience as a Military Spouse? (from The Albrecht Squad)

I am one of those people that loathe change.  Well, the only constant in the military IS change.  So, I believe the military has strengthened and weakened this.  I feel like I am better about accepting change, but at the same time, it makes me nervous.  For example, we will be PCSing next summer, and we won't know where we will be going until early next year, and I am researching the top two choices like crazy!

2. What is your favorite vacation spot and why? (from ‘Tis the Life of the Army Wife)

Anywhere in the U.K.!  I loved my time in Scotland, England, and Ireland.  So much that I really would like to get stationed there someday.  Yes the food isn't great and the weather could always be nicer, but it is just a beautiful place where you could do nothing at all or everything and be just as content.  The people are great and the scenery is to die for.  I plan on going back at least once more before we leave Germany.  Fingers crossed!!!

3. If you could have any fast-food restaurant in the food court on base/post what would you pick? (from The Only Pink in a House of Blue)

Starbucks!  Ok, that isn't fair because it isn't a restaurant, but the closest one is an hour away (I know, OMG!) and the German ones don't carry Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, which is a fall favorite of mine.  So, to go back to the original question, a Steak N Shake.  I could really go for a steak burger and some shoestring fries right now.

4. Where did you go on your honeymoon?  (from Pennies from Heaven)

Our honeymoon will be in January, because we decided we would rather have a tropical getaway in the winter versus the summer, and so we will be in the sunny Maldives!  It is located in the Indian Ocean and is a sunny 80-ish degrees all year round.  I can not wait!


5. If you could have any job in the world regardless of money, degree or experience, which job would you have and why? (from Proud to Be a Navy Family and The Calm Before The Storm)

It would be a critic.  I love visiting new places and traveling, eating out, and seeing movies, so I would love to have my own magazine or website where I was paid to do these things.  Plus, I am sure some of my friends are tired of me trying to plan their vacations for them!

Friday, September 17, 2010

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in!

Well, I feel like I am batting .500 with this fill in.  I love doing it, so as my husband says, as long as you are at least .500 you're not failing.  So...here goes!

1.  How do you spend your deployment money, do you save, pay off bills or enjoy the extra money while it is there to buy the things you do not normally have? (from Troop Petrie)


2. If you could relive one occasion or moment, what would it be? (from Currently on Land)


Gosh, I really have no idea.  There are many moments that I have enjoyed throughout my life.  I think it would probably have to be the day I got married.  I know, cheesy, but I don't really think I ever stopped to really breathe it all in.  Joel looked wonderful in his uniform, and I don't think I ever took the time to truly admire him and the love we were sharing that day.  Our wedding was very intimate and small, and I had the opportunity, but I overwhelmed myself with the small details.  But, it was still wonderful :)

3. What’s the worst job you ever had and if it was so bad why did you take it? (from Faith and Deploying)

I worked at Liquid Transport Corp. and I hated it!  I was a scanner, so all I did all day was scan documents and classify them.  And, I was young, and worked with a lot of older ladies that I felt just wanted to act like my mother.  Needless to say I did NOT work there very long.

4. If you could play any character on TV, who would you be?  (from Many Waters)

Probably Lilly from How I Met Your Mother.  Grant it, I am only just starting season three, but so far she married the love of her life, has incredible friends that are always there for her when she needs them, got her chance to "find herself" and realized that she already had, and gets to live in an amazing city!  Plus, she seems to love her job and appreciate her family.  Sounds good to me!

5. If you could become the world’s expert in something, what would it be? (from Army of Two)

Finding true happiness.  I think when a person is truly happy with who they are and what they have, then they will be the best at what they are/have to give.  So, I guess the world's best life coach!  LOL!!!
Being newlyweds, we haven't gone through a deployment yet together with joint funds, so I cna only answer this one as a hypothetical.  Joel goes TDY a lot and, when he does, we don't spend the money any differently.  We have money in a "fun fund" and long term savings, as well as both of our retirement accounts.  We would probably split the extra money into the two different savings accounts (fun and long term) evenly like we do with his TDY money.

Monday, September 13, 2010

I'm a back!

Every time Joel and I play the new Mario game on the Wii, he is Luigi, and he says the title every time Joel re-uses his lives.  It is so funny, and I need a little humor today.

The in-laws left, and I survived, so all is good.  I will write more later, to include pictures, but right now I am at work trying to catch up on stuff.  I have missed my friends, online and in real life, and I hope to get back into a routine soon!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Friday Fill in!

Eh, so it is a day early, but I won't be able to do it tomorrow because my in-laws will be here!  I am very excited for this.  They are great, sweet people, and I look forward to their visit.  So, without further ado, and brought to you by Wife of a Sailor, here is the...


1.  What is a weird/funny superstition that you have? (from A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench)

Gosh, I really don't think I have any.  I am not a very superstitious person.  There are many things that I am afraid of, but they are all rational, actual things...like clowns.  I guess the only thing that sticks out is that I refuse to not end a conversation with my husband while he is away by saying "I love you."  I have this crazy fear that if I do, something bad will happen and those won't be the last words that I say to him.

2.  What are your hopes and dreams for the years AFTER the military? After all, we aren’t in it forever! (from Stetsons, Spurs and Stilettos)

To stay put!  I hate all of the moving the military makes us do.  I would love to stay put long enough to buy a house and actually feel settled in it, advance career-wise, and make friends that I don't always have to say goodbye to.  I also would like to feel "at home" in a community and get involved, meet the neighbors...that kind of thing.

3.  Since [this] month is National Apple Month (no really!), I’d probably ask: What is your yummiest apple recipe? (from NH Girl Displaced)

What is with the recipes?  I can not bake so I am not very helpful on this one.  Although, since it is fall, I like to dip Granny Smith apples in Caramel.  MMmmm...

4.  How long have you gone as a military spouse without talking to your husband/wife during service? (from A Navy Princess and Her Little Sailors)

Well, I am a newlywed, so this question won't seem so bad.  I think it was four days.  I know it is going to get worse, as I have been working with the army for six years and have seen the horror stories, but right now I can say that I have been fortunate so far.  But, we have only been married for four months...lol!

5.  I occasionally watch When I was 17… on MTV. So, what was something that was significant about your 17th year of life? (from Ashley Amazing)

I just want to say that I have apparently lived in Europe way too long because I have no idea what this show is!

Ok, 17...that was a very pivotal year for me, as I think it is for most 17 year olds.  I guess the biggest thing I decided is that I wouldn't settle.  I took a real look around and realized all of my family basically lived in the same neighborhood all of their lives.  And while I live Indiana and the Midwest, and that might work for some people, I wanted...more.  So I moved to Germany on a whim and decided to see the world while I was here.  I will have been to over 20 countries by the time I leave, and at some point am hoping to get stationed in Asia to see that part of the world, too.  And, by doing all of that, I ended up meeting Joel and getting married.  So, had I decided to always stay put I think my life would be drastically different.