My Life as his (Air Force) Wife!

What goes up...

2012-02-13T01:17:00.000+01:00

Sorry for my lack of posting. Of course when life is going too well, something always has to happen to bring us back down to earth. Joel and I are currently on emergency leave tending to his brother. He has been battling cancer for years, and just when we thought he had won his battle, a virus reared his ugly head and has taken over his body. If you wouldn't mind, would ya'll say a little prayer for him? Things don't look good, but his doctors only gave him a few days to live on Wednesday, and he is still hanging in there. They did an experimental procedure, and we are waiting for the test results. If it works, it would be a miracle, but there's always hope until there isn't, you know?

Gleetastic!

2012-01-21T01:23:00.000+01:00

I know I am due to post about a ton of updates and reviews, but I have something I wanna talk about, and that's one of my favorite shows, Glee. I love Lea Michelle, I love musical theater, and I love Becky, the Cheerio that has become Sue Sylvester's number two gal.

I also love that the show is talking about something real and something that I am very passionate about. Becky has down syndrome. This week's episode brought to the surface that people with disabilities are still people, with their own thoughts and feelings. I am going to school right now to be a Special Education teacher, and I wish that more people understood that about these kids. They laugh, love, and feel. And they hurt. There is a movement called Spread the Word to End the Word. Check it out, google it, friend it on Facebook, and realize that words hurt. Please.

Guess who's back...back again...

2012-01-13T19:16:00.000+01:00

So, December and January have been fast and furious months. We had Joel's family in town for Christmas, I had Lasik eye surgery (I can finally see!), we went to Vegas for a week, came back, and closed on a house the next day! Today (OMG, did we really do this on Friday the 13th?) we are moving in to the new place, next week I start a new job, and last, but certainly not least, grad school starts back up Tuesday. So, I am so sorry I haven't been on to blog! I will certainly update as soon as I can, and when Joel deploys at the end of the month I am sure I will have ample time. For all that have remained faithful to read my little corner of the world, thanks! And now, back to moving...

Giveaway Winner!

2011-12-25T20:31:00.000+01:00

According to Random.org, the winner is Cindy! Cindy, I see that you left your e-mail in the comment, so I will be contacting you soon to redeem your prize.

Merry Christmas to all! Or happy Hanukkah, as the case may be. I feel so blessed this holiday season, even though I am quite busy! I wish you and your families all the joy in the world. Thanks for reading my little piece of the world.

Alive! But without internet...

2011-12-19T20:27:00.002+01:00

Hey all! I promise I will announce the winner of my give-away soon! My router went "kaput" on me and it took about a week to figure that out, versus the provider. Should be fixed tonight. In the meantime, thank God for smartphones!

Christmas came early! And my first giveaway!

2011-12-09T16:28:00.000+01:00

Are you ready for Christmas? There's so much to do! And in our case, we have a ton of family coming over. There are many different food things to consider, and the above picture will help out with that. My husband loves Kikkoman soy and Teriyaki sauce. He was stationed in Japan and has specific tastes. He finds them to be the best here in America. While I am not a huge fun of soy sauce (or Asian type food in general) Kikkoman still saves the day with their delicious milks and bread crumbs. This weekend, Joel is even trying out their french toast recipe! I'll keep you updated with progress on that. It looks delish! They even have a yummy mac & cheese recipe that the family will be tasting over Christmas. Who knew? Thanks to Kikkoman and my early Christmas gift, I now have a ton of new recipes for holidays.

In the spirit of yummy food and giving, for my readers I would like to offer a giveaway! For my military related readers, the prize is a $25 gift certificate to the commissary to help lighten your holiday load. If you don't have access to a commissary near you, the prize will be an assortment of the yummies you see listed above, plus a spoon rest and a Kikkoman rubber ducky. That guy is so cute!

How to enter? Easy! Just leave me a comment stating what your favorite holiday dish is, and then stay tuned to find out the winner! I will take entries until Tuesday, which is my last final for the semester. Eek!

Happy winning everyone!!!

So much!

2011-11-28T20:34:00.000+01:00

Too much going on! I wanted life to go slow and steady so January wouldn't get here and my husband would not deploy. But, that hasn't been in the cards. Time just keeps on rolling by. I swear I will get caught up soon. Stay with me! Here are a few topics that you can expect to see coming up before the end of the year.

* The Holidays.
* The end of my first semester at grad school. Eek!
* Did we or didn't we buy a house. Say what?
* My first ever give away. Hint? Kikkoman.
* Preparing for Joel's deployment.

See, busy, right?

Miami Dolphins #1!!!

2011-11-15T21:29:00.001+01:00

Ok, I know this is going to sound crazy because I am a born and raiser Hoosier from Indianapolis, but I am a massive Miami Dolphins fan. Huge fan of football in general, but especially the Dolphins. My three year old self's crush of Dan Marino evolved into a deep sense of pride for my team. Win or lose (we seem to be doing too much of the latter lately) I will always root for them. That is why I was super excited that they were playing close to me in Kansas City. No offense to Chiefs fans, I have nothing against my team, but I just knew I had to make the trip.

I had never been to Kansas City before, so I knew I also had to try some of that famous Kansas City BBQ. I was not disappointed! It is even better than the local St. Louis style. Based on a friends recommendation, we went to a place called Fiorella's Jack Stack BBQ. I hate to say it, but it was perhaps some of the best BBQ I have ever had. Reggie Bush was even there that night, so you know it was fabu! I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Pork BBQ Sandwich

Joel's Ribs

Seriously the best creme brulee I have had in America.

And the best part of the weekend? Miami got their first win of the season! Yeah, I know, this post is long overdue, but I had a great time and wanted to make sure to recap. I have a lot of posts that I need to get on. Stay tuned!

Happy belated Halloween!

2011-11-03T02:51:00.000+01:00

I hope everyone had a blast! I dressed up as Marilyn Monroe ala "Diamonds are a girls' best friend."

Joel was of course TDY. No bueno. But, I had friends over and loved seeing all of the neighborhood kids in their costumes. I especially liked the homemade ones.

Here is what I tried to look like:

So here I am, in all my glory. I coulddn't find pink gloves anywhere! Oh, and no making fun!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #63

2011-10-28T19:39:00.000+02:00

I have had the worst week. Hopefully this weekend will be better. But, for now, I leave you with Wife of a Sailor's...

1. The best part of October was finishing up my first Master's class, and getting an A in it!

2. The worst part of October was Joel being TDY so much. Makes me think of the upcoming deployment.

3. For Halloween, I’ll be Marilyn Monroe a la Diamonds Are a Girls' Best Friend.

4. I hope that in November will finally bring me a job!

5. Wifey has posted MilSpouse Secret Santa. I will hopefully be participating.

Is it really almost Christmas?

2011-10-28T19:30:00.000+02:00

So, lately I have been seeing Christmas decorations everywhere, and let me just say, I am not excited to see them. Christmas is never as relaxing as it should be! In fact, the only non stressful part of Christmas I have found lately comes in the form of the Christmas cards that we make each year. For that, I have Shutterfly to thank. They make it fun and easy to get creative (which I am normally not!) in order to make some personal and beautiful Christmas cards. Last year's were fantastic! We took some of our favorite travel pictures and made a collage on a photo card and added some fun holiday quotes. Bam! The perfect Christmas card! They were fantastic, and our friends and family really seemed to enjoy them. Here are some examples of what I am loving this year.

This is the exact template that we used last year! I am excited to see it back. It worked so well for us. Somehow I am going to have to scan in what we did...

How fun is this? Please someone I know with kids send this one to me!

Lastly, I think the dogs are getting their own ornament this year. What a perfect way to remember 2011!

So, anyone know yet what their Christmas cards are going to look like, yet?

Lombardo's St. Louis - A Review

2011-10-24T17:21:00.000+02:00

So, I received a coupon from Lombardo's of St. Louis for 20% off of our meal and a free bottle of wine. Who can pass that up? Not this girl! Plus, it is located right next to Union Station, which is on my 101 in The Lou list. So...game on!

We showed up at 6pm on a Saturday night. If you do decide to go, make reservations! We didn't. Luckily, they had one table left. Unluckily, it was in the corner of the bar area right next to the telephone. But, it was our fault, and I was just happy to have a table.

Our waiter was awesome! I wish I would have gotten his name, but he did an excellent job waiting on us. The only wine we could with our coupon get was either a Chardonnay or a Cabernet, so since I didn't care for either, Joel and my friend Sarah, who tagged along, got to enjoy it. They described it as perfectly fine for house wine. Then we got some yummy house made focaccia bread with cheese, which was actually the only thing I snapped a picture of! It was pretty delish, actually.

I ordered the Chicken Parmesan. I was surprised at the $18 price tag, so I was expecting a lot out of the dish. It came out and was an excellent sized portion. Perfectly filling for dinner. The Chicken was fantastic! Excellently seasoned, with the right amount of cheese, which I remember being mozzarella. The pasta, well...that left more to be desired. It was semi-warm, with a below average marinara sauce. There was nothing wrong with it, per se, but it didn't have a whole lot of flavor. We had to wait quite a while on our food, which was fine because they were busy, but I expected my food to at least be warm, you know?

I have to give this place a 2.5/5 stars. The pluses were the awesome waiter, yummy bread, and fantastic chicken. The minuses were the mediocre pasta sauce, the temperature of the food, the above average prices, and the long, yet understandable, wait for the food. We had plans afterwards, and since we weren't told the kitchen was behind, we were quite late. And come on, it was an Italian restaurant. Shouldn't the sauce be the best thing about the place?

Overall: we were glad we gave it a try, but won't be making it back.

Friday Fill-In!

2011-10-21T16:52:00.000+02:00

I am so glad that it is Friday! Joel was TDY (on temporary duty) until last Sunday, so I am glad to get a full weekend with him. Hopefully we will be able to knock at least one thing off of our 101 in St. Louis list. I wish one of those would be heading to the World Series, but $350 for standing room only isn't too enticing. Oh well, go Cards!

And now on to Wife of a Sailor's delightful...

1. I want to finally be able to obtain meaningful deployment. The government hiring freeze is due to life in Mid-November, so I am keeping my finger's crossed that it actually does.

2. I have the most wonderful husband. No really, I do. We still aren't really syncing the way we normally do, and even though I am stubborn ~~most times~~ sometimes, he really does make the extra effort to show he is thinking about me.

3. I wish that Joel's upcoming deployment would be cancelled. I am not ready for him to go, and while I never want him to, I wish he could just skip this one.

4. I hope that another GOP candidate would emerge that I could really get behind. I am not a fan of Obama's, and I really wish that there could be a candidate that excited me again. One can only hope, right?

5. I wonder how different my life would be right now if I would have stayed in Germany. We sorta had the opportunity, and as much as I am loving the St. Louis area, I dream about being back overseas.

Hodgepodge...

2011-10-19T17:31:00.000+02:00

This has been a super busy time for me. I never thought, being without a job, that I would say that, but here I am! We went to Branson, I finished my first Master's class (with an A, no less!), I completed the Illinois Basic Skills test (still awaiting results), and I finished the whirlwind experience of completing a sub packet for my county. Whew! I'm not sure how much of a breather I am going to have, because I am still in my other class and will be starting a new one next week. I am also looking for a chance to volunteer somewhere, and still take care of my pups and hubby. Oh, and did I mention that I was still looking for a job?

Also, I am finally starting to get into the 2012 presidential race. I love politics, but have yet to side with a candidate yet. So, I decided to watch my first GOP debate of the season. I know I am a moderate, but the GOP debate last night made me sad for humanity. Cut all federal aid? Don't cut a penny from the defense budget? All federal employees are rich and 10% need to lose their jobs? Uhh...I'm not rich and I am still awaiting a placement. And really, enough with the freaking fence already. Worked awesome in Berlin and Israel/Palestine, right? Oh, wait... Ok, enough with my view...for now, lol. I will hopefully keep up with the race and have a more well-rounded opinion. I just need for them to get better and more in touch with reality. That goes with Obama, too. I'm not exactly excited about him, either.

101 Things to do in the 'Lou! And other ramblings...

2011-10-03T20:50:00.000+02:00

For the first time in my life I have actually been afforded the opportunity to have time on my hands. Time to study for state exams, work on my classes, clean the house, blog...whatever I want really. And for some reason, I have never felt lazier in my life. For example, I have had nothing planned this morning, so I was going to do some cleaning, studying, and walk the dogs. Know what I have accomplished? Watching the ever addicting HGTV. I feel like when I am structured I get more things done. Now, it is like, well, I have nothing I have to do, so I will do nothing. I need to snap out of it. This isn't good for me. Or my house.

In other news, I have had a busy few weeks in The 'Lou! I have gone to a Rams Game, the Taste of St. Louse, the Best of Missouri Market and, as it is listed on my 101 list, I have gone to a Cardinals/Cubs game. I have to say (don't kill me!) that baseball isn't my favorite sport, but going to the game was a blast. So, I have crossed the following off my list.

#64. The Cards take on the Cubs at Busch Stadium. Check!

On our way to the game on the metro!

The game at night.

View of Busch Stadium from the arch.

Speaking of the arch, that also means that we have crossed off...

1. The Gateway Arch Check!

And also...

30. Drive down the River Road and pick Apples at Eckart's Orchard Check!
101. A thin-crust Imo’s deluxe pizza Check! - Although, I wouldn't recommend it. No hating!

101 Things Every St. Louisan Should Do

2011-09-27T16:48:00.000+02:00

So, now that I am starting to feel like I actually am a St. Louisan, I found the above appropriately titled list that I am going to try and conquer. I don't know if I'll make it to everything, but it sure is a fun goal, right? So far I have already marked a few off of my list. Stay tuned, pictures of course are coming.

Other than that, I have been a busy little bee. I have my fun five hour class tonight, so I promise I will be updating soon. Hopefully Wednesday.

Is this Lifestyle really for me?

2011-09-13T22:29:00.000+02:00

Ok, precursor to the title. Joel and I are fine. Amazing, actually. So this has nothing to do with us, and everything to do with me. And yes, we've discussed.

The military lifestyle, for me at least, is...different. Some people mesh very well with it. They live on post and love it, always attend the family support meetings (the Army calls it an FRG, I am not sure what the Air Force calls it). They love moving, getting new orders, and seem to make insta friends wherever they go. This is not me.

And I don't mean to sound like I am bashing this breed of military wife. I envy it, actually. It takes me a while to find my groove in a new place. I would never live on base, unless forced. I don't like the military to envelope my life. I love that my husband feels joy in what he does. But what he does and what I do are two different things. I need the separation from the base. Minus the time spent overseas, we rarely shop on base, and when Joel gets off of work, the uniform gets taken off and I feel like I can return to my "normal" life.

And I HATE moving. See previous post about my lack of a career happening, but I hate resigning from one job to search for another, make another house a home, all to realize that I have to do it all again in 2-3 years. I hate leaving old and amazing friends, and it is hard for me to put myself out there to make new ones. I hate that one of the first questions I am asked is "what rank is your husband?" I hate deployments and TDYs. I hear all the time "thank God he's leaving for a week" but I loathe away time from my hubby. I hate when he gets called in or stays late for nonsense that only the military can make up.

A lot of rambling just to say while some spouses thrive in this kind of lifestyle, I have yet to find my groove in it. Luckily I seem to have met at least one person here that makes me feel normal and myself, and doesn't define me by my husband, what he does, or what his rank is. I am trying my best to be open, and will of course continue to support and love my husband to my greatest ability, but I hope that someday I grow more fond of what this lifestyle has to offer. And if anyone has any friendly advice, it is always welcome.

Friday Fill-In!

2011-09-09T18:03:00.000+02:00

Yes! I am so glad to be back in a routine to finally do these again! Psst, Air Force, can we keep the moving to a minimum please? No? Oh...

Nevermind, it is on to Wife of a Sailor's...

1. My plans for Labor Day included taking it easy with some of Joel's old friends from Chicago, but what really happened was it was too hot to do anything too productive, and I got sick!

2. Call me crazy, but sometimes I just need to sit on the front porch by myself and read a good book. That is what I call good "me" time.

3. One of the funniest things I’ve seen lately is my pugs acting like fools when they are excited I get home.

4. It’s strange, but teenagers drives me crazy while my husband acting like a teenager is perfectly fine with me!

5. One, two, buckle my shoe… three, four what are you waiting for? It's football season! Go Dolphins!

What do I want to be when I grow up?

2011-09-07T20:00:00.000+02:00

We all asked ourselves this as kids, right? Some of us wanted to be doctors or lawyers, some firefighters or cops, and some chefs or moms. I knew from the time I was little that I wanted to be an attorney. When I went to college, I majored in Political Science because I thought that it would give me an advantage in Law School. I eventually double majored in History because I just grew to love it, so when I graduated I received a B.S. in both. I also lived out a dream by moving abroad and living in Europe. Along the way, the unexpected occurred. I met Joel, who I fell madly in love with, who also told me that he wanted to be a career Air Force Officer. Insert tire screech here. I almost didn't date him. Why? Because I have never met a military spouse who also had their dream career. But in the end, love won out and I don't regret my decision at all.

I had a great job in Germany working for the army, and learned a lot of life lessons along the way. I decided that being an attorney, trying to go to law school and retaking the bar every two to three years in a new state, just wasn't going to be feasible while also being a spouse. So, I decided I would teach. That is why I am going for my Masters in Special Education. In the meantime, I feel conflicted. I have never not worked. I got a job at 14, and even worked full time while in college. It is very hard to find a professional job where I am. I live is SW IL, right over the border from St. Louis, but to go to the city and work would put a strain on my family time and my stress level while in grad school. Rush hour in the morning is NOT fun.

I accepted a job a month ago part time making half of what I made overseas and doing something way below my skill level. I anguished over this decision. Sure, it was a paycheck, and albeit small one, but I felt like I shouldn't have taken it. I felt like doing so wasn't doing anything for my self-esteem or for my family time. I didn't get a degree to work on Sundays with no benefits, right? So, after much discussion with my husband, I put in my resignation. It just wasn't worth it. Now, I am on the job hunt again.

This is probably the hardest thing for me as a military spouse. Why is it so difficult for us to also have personal satisfaction in our careers? I keep hearing about all of these hiring initiatives, but I think they are all crap! Potential employers know when our resumes are so diverse who we are and I have been downright shot down because of it. I wish I knew what to do to fix this or change it, but right now I just feel stuck. Hopefully I can find something soon, but in the meantime I am unemployed for the first time in my life, and I hate it.

Going to the Lou!

2011-09-06T19:40:00.000+02:00

Well, Labor Day weekend we finally decided to get out and enjoy our new city. The 'burbs have been very good to us, but we wanted to be tourists in our own city, and see the sights!

We started it in a really cool area called Laclede's Landing. It was a really neat place! It is located in "Old St. Louis" near the waterfront, and it really had a lot of charm. It was chocked full of small little restaurants that had al fresco dining, which I am smitten with, and we found out most of them allow pets to join in if you decided to sit outside. Score! Here are a few pictures.

The Landing

We also decided to go up into the arch. The arch had a fantastic view, but was really crowded over the weekend. I definitely recommend to all visitors to get tickets in advance!

View from the top of Busch Stadium!

Happy and hot, crammed in our pod on the way to the top.

My baby is a graduate!

2011-08-24T03:55:00.000+02:00

Ok, ignore the super awful picture of me. My baby pug graduated from puppy class! He was even the top honors student! Well, to be fair he was the only one who made it through all of the classes, so he was the only graduate, but I am proud none the less. He will be starting intermediate training this week, so I hope to keep the training going. He needs it! In other pug news, this year Gomez will be a bat for Halloween and Pugsley will be a frog. I know, I know...I am one of those pet moms, but hey, I don't have kids, so it is quasi allowed.

In other local news (i.e. my news) we got our first set of tickets to a Rams game! I am so excited, because I have only seen the Colts play, as I am a Hoosier, and I am NOT a colts fan. Sorry guys, but Dolphins all the way! But, I have never had anything against the Rams, so I am excited to actually be rooting for the home team this time.

Nothing else too excited. Started the new job last week, starting grad school next week, and I have almost got the house together! Stay tuned for more fun posts. I promise! We are making our first tour to downtown St. Louis this weekend (I know, we've been here how long?) so I will follow up with a picture post soon!

Lots O' Changes!

2011-08-10T21:31:00.000+02:00

Sorry I haven't been around very much, but there have been lots of changes around here! The big news is...I got into grad school! I registered Monday, which was pretty surreal, and am taking three classes and doing a field observation. Wowness! I also got a part time job working from home which is super convenient, but also a downer because I will have to work Sundays. It starts next week, so we'll see how that goes. And the last bit of news, sadly, is that Joel was tasked for a deployment. We knew it was coming, but it doesn't make it any easier. I'll write more as it approaches, but right now I am letting things sink in.

We are learning our new area and I can successfully make it to the Petsmart, Starbucks, and the gym without the aid of the GPS. Oh, and if I didn't mention it before, we got our household goods from Germany! So, once again I am living amongst the boxes. I promise I will do my best shortly to be a better blogger, and I will expand on all topics mentioned in this blog. Thanks for sticking in there with me :)

Family Woes

2011-07-26T15:33:00.000+02:00

My family is...difficult to say the least. I love them, don't get me wrong. I really do. But, I was ecstatic to find out that they were coming out for the week. That is until they left early. Let me back up and explain.

My mom and I have had a strained relationship for years. Over the years, she has become quite mean spirited. Pretty much since I turned 18, she has criticized every aspect of my life. My step-dad says it is her offering advice, but she is down right rude in what she says. When I graduated from college, instead of saying congrats, she says if I would have made different choices I would have graduated sooner. Maybe, but I wouldn't trade in my European adventure in the world. When I got married and told her how happy I was, she said something along the lines of "let's see how long that lasts." When I told her we were renting, she said that we were throwing money away, when I picked my Master's program she said I wouldn't be any good at my new job...the list goes on and on. This is probably why I moved 4,000 miles away from her at a very young age. It makes me very sad, as I see a lot of my friends and how close they are to heir parents, but that just isn't me. But, now that we moved a state away, I wanted to make an effort.

Now brings us to this weekend. My mom complained about everything! She didn't like that snack food we ate, she criticized the kind of coffee maker that I have, we went out to eat and she was awful to the poor waitress because they were out of the steak she wanted, she said the color I picked for my dining room was, and I quote, atrocious, she said I was a horrible doggy mother because I didn't feed my dog table food, and once again the list goes on and on. It hurt, but I just countered with things like "this is my life" and "this is the way I do things." I wasn't rude, I don't think, but after a while I became very matter of fact. Saturday night, she mentioned me coming home for Christmas. We had already talked about her coming to my house. I have never hosted Christmas before, but looked forward to getting both mine and Joel's families together for the first time since the wedding. She said I had to come home, because she wasn't coming here. Apparently, after flying home from Germany for seven consecutive years without even one reciprocated visit wasn't enough. That did it. I became distant after that.

My parents were supposed to leave on Thursday. All of a sudden, without word, my parents packed up and left, because my mother said I didn't make her feel welcome. My sister was upset, because she just didn't understand, and my poor dad didn't know what to do. I was shocked, told my mom that the whole family was more than welcome any time, and then she stormed off and sat out in the car until my dad loaded it up. I was in shock. What just happened? Could I have begged her to stay? Of course. Should I have, after everything that went on? I don't think so. Joel has always been pretty honest with me, so of course I asked him what he thought. He said that you could tell I was more distant, but that he thinks mom just did it for attention, as she is known to do. He said that I was still kind and welcoming, but that I didn't just take the criticism like she wanted. I don't know. I love my mom, but she has stressed me out for years. I guess I just need to reflect on this and figure out what to do next.

Friday Fill In!

2011-07-22T16:10:00.000+02:00

Hey everybody, and Happy Friday! I hope everybody in the Midwest is staying cool in this heat wave. Here is Southwest Illinois, I am practically melting! I have been staying in the house as much as possible, only leaving to run errands or to get in the pool. The pups have a different plan, and love playing outside. The poor pugs like the heat better than I do! I have to practically drag them inside.

So, since it is Friday, here is my installment of Wife of a Sailor's...

1. Do you eat raw cookie dough?
I would, because it is way delicious, but try to resist such things these days. I am nearing 30 (gasp!) in a few years, and my metabolism isn't what it used to be.

2. When you get online for the first time of the day… what site do you immediately head to?
Boring, but Facebook.

3. What was your favorite pet as a child and why?
There was an old sheep dog mutt that we literally saved from being torn apart by other dogs. My mom named him Niko (sp?) because she loved Steven Segal. I loved that dog so much. I sat through him and "mothered" him through his whole recovery, and we became inseparable after that. I was really sad when he passed, but I believe that having him has been the reason why I volunteer with animal rescue.

4. If you had a snail that could magically grant wishes, what would you name it?
I have absolutely no idea! A magical snail? Hmm... Probably wishy washy, because he grants wishes? I don't know. My mom forgot to pass on the creative gene, ha!

5. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?
One, two, ah three. Three :)

Made it! An update...

2011-07-19T20:46:00.000+02:00

Well, after much stress and chaos, we finally made it to our new home here in Illinois. I believe this will go down as one of our worst PCS'es during Joel's career. First of all, our flight got delayed about 36 hours in Germany. That was bad for multiple reasons. One, we had a connecting flight that we procured ourselves, so since it was just a 12 hour delay to start with, well...let's just say that we paid a few change fees out of pocket. Then we were stuck at the airport for what seemed like forever. We also had screaming kids on the plane. Not crying or upset, just screaming! And parents that decided they would rather ignore their child for the ten hour flight then actually parent. Yay. So with the delay, we lost our day of rest that we had planned on and I didn't get to see my bestie. But, we finally made it to the states. We were grateful for the small miracle.

The very next day we packed up a U-Haul of my stuff from Indiana, which went pretty well, and headed out for our five hour drive to our new home. Things were going great! I was driving behind Joel in my car, and about an hour away from our destination, the drive shaft on the U-Haul literally broke off in the middle of the interstate, which I subsequently ran over. It busted not one but two tires, and bent both of my rims. This was at 7pm on a Sunday. After an hour on the side of the road and pulling multiple ticks off of us (eww!) we were finally taken to a Holiday Inn until the morning when both the U-Haul and my car would be repaired. Monday evening around 7pm, we were back on the road. We made it to the house that night, unloaded a mattress, and passed out! The next day we unloaded the U-Haul, which gave us enough stuff to survive until early August when we get our Household Goods from Germany. Hopefully, then, we can get this house in order and get this hellish PCS put behind us!

Reconnected! And a Friday Fill-In

2011-07-15T21:06:00.000+02:00

Hey everyone! Thanks for sticking with me. I am finally reconnected with the Internet, and although we don't have all of our furniture yet, we are getting fairly settled in (finally!). I am really loving the area so far, as well as our place, and have lots of news to share. This time, though, I am just going to participate in Wife of a Sailor's Friday Fill-In, and will update you guys soon. Here we go!

1. If you could have a private concert with any singer, who would it be? submitted by An Air Force Wife’s Blog

That one is easy. Josh Groban! I think he is ultra talented, and cute in a quirky, guy next door kind of way, and I know he could give one hell of a show without any of the theatrics that most musicians have to rely on.

2. Is there anything that you do to supplement your family's income? submitted by Our Life, One Adventure at a Time

Well, up until we moved here to Germany, I worked full time for the Department of the Army. I hope to continue my career here, but since we are at an Air Force Base, it is proving to be rather difficult. I am applying for jobs like crazy, though, so fingers crossed!

3. During your pregnancy (whether past, present, or future) what did you nickname your unborn baby before you knew the sex? submitted by Explosions of Love
Well, I don't have any kids, and am not currently pregnant, so I have no idea.

4. Have you ever won a blog giveaway? If so, what did you win? submitted by Mrs. O’s Life

Nope. I have the worst luck winning things!

5. If I looked into your refrigerator right now, what would I find? submitted by Married to the Army

Since we just recently moved, you'd pretty much just find the basics. We have some meals that we have bought, hamburger meat, fish, etc., but nothing too exciting or specific. You would always find a bottle of my favorite wine, though!

The Eagle Has Landed!

2011-07-08T17:15:00.004+02:00

Hey all! Thanks for sticking with me the past few weeks. I know they haven't been the most entertaining. I still don't have Internet, but we have successfully landed in the US and are trying to get settled in. We have a story from hell about getting here, which I will post soon enough. I hope to be back online and regularly blogging again soon!

2011-06-20T10:16:00.001+02:00

Hey, all! This is "D-Week" a.k.a. the week I fly back to the states for our next assignment! Eek! So much to do, so I may be a bit scarce for the next week.

In the meantime, I found a new blog hop that I have decided to get in on the fun of. Won't you join me too?

Blog Hop!

Reflections on home.

2011-06-16T15:44:00.000+02:00

First, just a disclaimer that I am not knocking any other parts of the country. The Midwest is what I have always known as home, and I just really feel comfortable with where I come from. That being said...

I can't believe that the time has come for me to leave Germany. Seven years I have spent my life in this wonderful country. It has been my second home, as I (so far) have only lived in Indiana and here. I have loved my time in Europe. L-O-V-E-D it. All of the traveling, the experiences, the people, and the uniqueness of each and every nook and cranny of Europe. But, it never felt like "home." Sure, I have always had a roof over my head. But, I never felt very comfortable in my own skin here. The blue eyes and blond hair helped me fit in, and learning a bit of German made a world of difference, but there were still things I didn't understand and frustrations with things not coming as easily as they should.

In ways I can't really explain, I am so glad to be moving back to the Midwest. Sure, it isn't Indiana, but when I look at the area of our new home and the surrounding areas, it sure feels...comfortable. The farmers markets on the weekends selling fresh corn on the cob and going apple picking in the fall, Fourth of July fireworks in the park, the local county fair, horse stables, going to the local markets, mom and pop BBQ joints at every corner, and, probably one of the things I missed the most, a cold glass of sweet tea. NOT tea with sugar. It is nearly sacrilegious to call that sweet tea. I am finally getting a front porch again. With a yard. I am going to play catch with my dogs in the back yard and swim in our pool (that's right, our new place has a pool!) on hot summer days, have cook-outs on Sundays while watching football in the afternoons (well, if there's a season) versus the middle of the night. In the winter I will go look at the houses all lit up for Christmas and then go to my local Starbucks and enjoy a Peppermint Latte...the list goes on and on.

I have treasured my time spent overseas. I know I am very fortunate to have had such experiences and to have seen such things. But, for just a little bit, at least, in a matter of weeks I will be "home." You will probably find me on the front porch swing with a glass of sweet iced tea reading a book and listening to the sounds of the neighborhood, smelling the charcoal all around me. Sounds like home to me.

Deal, Sandwich, and Herne Bay - England!

2011-06-15T14:39:00.001+02:00

Well, here comes another round of England photos! It was ages ago when I actually went, so as a little recap, I traveled to Kent, England, for a week to visit some of the historical sights that I read about in college. I heart England, and would live there in a heartbeat if I could. So, here is a recap of the first leg of the trip...in pictures!

Deal Castle, a defense fortress from the time of Henry VIII. It was built in the shape of the Tudor Rose.

Me at Walmer Castle, about ten minutes from Deal. It is another of Henry VIII's castles.

Another shot of Walmer Castle.

A shot of the cute little town of Sandwich.

Why not have a sandwich in Sandwich?

A shot of Herne Bay,

Loving the British humor!

Fish, chips, and mushy peas...yes, please!

Nothing beats fresh seafood right out of the ocean! Yummers!

The stress is kicking in...

2011-06-12T18:31:00.000+02:00

This entire move, I have tried to be positive and not focus on the stressfulness of moving to a different continent, but today it all hit me. Hard. I have stuff in storage in Indiana that I need to get moved to Illinois and for over a week, the movers haven't been able to "find" us in their system, which means that we haven't been able to schedule our move. I have been living in our house with no furniture for a week, and Joel and I have been sleeping on an air mattress, which really means that there hasn't been much peaceful sleeping. I don't have my things, I don't have my car, and I still haven't gotten even one phone call concerning a job.

We are rescuing another sweet pug to be picked up after we arrive, and I want to be more excited but I am just stressed with the living conditions. On top of all of that, I am getting my application together to apply for my Master's Degree, which is due 1 July, and I haven't even been able to give it the attention it deserves. It was nice having that break yesterday with our trip, but I think that is when it hit me how stressed I really am! Once it was over, of course. I have to keep telling myself, less than two weeks and I will be in the states and it will all be ok. I just need a sanity check (or two) before then.

One more trip?

2011-06-12T00:04:00.000+02:00

I think so! That's right, I am up at 0345 in order to head my way to Lake Constance, Germany to viist the Island of Mainau and then to continue on to Stein am Rhein, Switzerland. Be back the same night, so I will be quite worn out!

Mil Spouse Friday Fill-in!

2011-06-10T14:14:00.023+02:00

It's finally Friday! That means that I officially have less than two weeks before I am back in the states. I know, crazy, right? I will miss Germany so much! But, we hope to keep on traveling and I pray that one day we will be stationed back overseas. Stay tuned!

Thanks always to the awesome Wife of a Sailor for hosting my favorite Friday Fill-in. Well, here goes!

1. When you vacation what type of vacation do you like to take (beach, historic, adventurous, food oriented, etc.)? submitted by Megan Dub-Yuh

Umm...all of the above! My favorite trips include the Maldives for our honeymoon (totally a tropical paradise), my Tudor touring of Kent, England (for the history geek in me), Ireland (to hike in the Killarney mountains and go puffin watching), and Italy (with the best food I have ever eaten). I am an equal opportunist traveler, and other than extreme kind of sports things (skydiving...yikes!) I am up for anything!

2. What is your best memory associated with a song (you know we all have tons!)? submitted by Ramblings of a Marine Wife

God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts. Kind of cheesy, but it is Joel and I's song. Just reminds me that even though life can get tough, it straightens out when you least expect it.

3. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with your time? submitted by Married to the Army

Travel, travel, and more travel. I love it, and would go to the Baltic states, the Galapagos Islands, to see the fall foliage in the Northeast, viist Hawaii and Alaska, go to New Zealand and Australia...the list goes on and on.

4. What is one thing about you that people do NOT typically notice at first that you wish they would? submitted by Our Motto is Patience

Wow, this is a hard one! Umm...I guess it is the fact that I am not just an Air Force wife. We meet a lot of military folks, and no one ever asks what I do for a living or what I studied in school, just my husband. I just wish that they would understand that I am me, too, and not just a reflection of my husband.

5. It’s a summer of sequels, and if you had to live in one of each of the following “worlds” (there are three total) which would you choose and why? …. submitted by The Three Turners

–X-Men: Be a Mutant, what would your power be? Maybe Mirage. She was capable of casting mental illusions, communicating with animals, and sensing upcoming death.

–Harry Potter: Be a Witch or Muggle? Never seen it, so I have no idea.

–Twilight: Be a Vampire or Werewolf? This is so hard! As a vampire, it would be awesome to stay young and beautiful forever, but the whole drinking blood thing is a huge no-no. Maybe if they merged with True Blood and I could drink synthetic blood. But if not, I would have to pick werewolf, so I would always be warm and able to be out and about during the day.

Recap

2011-06-01T10:44:00.001+02:00

So the past month has been crazy! Just to recap, we took our week long trip to England, to include places like Dover, Canterbury, London, Leeds, and many, many more! I then came back, finished up at work, graduated from college (yay!), and then we left on our two week cruise to Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Croatia. We came back on Sunday, and now the movers are scheduled to arrive this week to pack up our stuff and ship it over the ocean because we are officially moving back to the states at the end of this month! Whew! That is a ton! Now you can see why I have been slightly absent for blogging. I lost a few followers along the way, which is sad, but I really appreciate all of you that stuck in there. I am very happy for you all! I love blogging, and would do it just for me, but I feel more connected to the world to know that I have actual followers, and I hope that I have posted about something that has helped you somewhere along the way!

So, without further ado, I will start on my English adventure! It was great. We started out the first night in London to see Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theater. I have seen the show a few times, including in NYC, but it was Joel's first time. We saw Love Never Dies in London back in September, which was the sequel, so I figured that I would show Joel how the story began. It was good, but I wasn't too impressed with the woman that played Christine. I didn't think she could carry the role the way it needed to be carried. Oh, well.

So, we strolled around London a little taking the Royal Wedding in. It was a couple of days before the actual Big Day, but people were already camped out around Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Which, if you think about it, doesn't make much sense, because if they don't catch a glimpse of anything, there were no screens showing what was going on! It was really nice, though, because the Brits became so patriotic, and even though they swore they couldn't care less about the event on tv, everyone was talking about it.

Chinatown, London Style

Bangers and Mash

The Obligitary Phone Booth Picture

Joel has the fever!

So many great things in one shot!

The wedding venue for the (now) Duke and Duchess of Wales

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!

2011-05-29T20:59:00.002+02:00

Hey everybody! Wow, it seems like I have been gone forever! The cruise was wonderful and I have to give a hats off to the NCL crew for doing such a fantastic job during our trips. They were an amazing bunch that spoiled us rotten. I have many recaps planned, including of my English adventures, but we found out the movers are coming tomorrow (yikes!) so we need to get prepared. But for now, here is a teaser pic of one of my favorite stops...Santorini, Greece!

P.S. I sure missed having the Internet!

Countdown to Graduation!

2011-05-09T20:51:00.002+02:00

Ok folks, in just three days I will be taking a final and turning in a final project in another class. After that, school will be d-o-n-e for me (at least until I enter another program) and that elusive degree will be mine! Think happy thoughts for me, and I will do a travel recap once I finish up. I will need to post pics from my tour around Kent and Sussex, and after that it will be cruise photo time! Eek!

It's our anniversary!

2011-05-06T11:08:00.005+02:00

May 4th was our one year wedding anniversary! We flew back from England that day, so we are holding off on the celebrations until this weekend, but to commemorate the big day I am doing an A-Z that I found on someone's blog. Let's just say that it has been an amazing year, and I fall more and more in love with my husband every day. If he's reading this, happy anniversary honey bunny!

Attending: It was a whopping 14 people! All of our family came, minus Joel's brother who was going through cancer treatments at the time, all of our immediate family came. My best friend from high school showed up with her husband, and Joel's best friend from forever ago showed up with her husband as well.

Bridesmaids: None. The wedding was so small and intimate, and I really just wanted it to be us up there.

Catering: We ate at this wonderful seafood place on the river.

Dress: I had a cute little tea length dress that was perfect for our little garden wedding. It had a sweetheart neckline and was candlelight ivory. I loved it. Sure, I wish I had a big princessy type dress, but t just wouldn't have fit in.

Engagement: Joel proposed to me in Rome under the Trevi Fountain, which is my favorite European "thing." It was perfect, minus the snow Rome was oddly having and the delayed flight that got us there four hours late.

Flowers: I carried a bouquet of hot pink cala lilies, and Joel had a boutonniere of a single ivory one.

Groomsmen: None. See "B."

Honeymoon: We went on the most fabulous honeymoon ever to the island of the Maldives! Perfect getaway!

Invitations: Umm...do phone calls and e-mails count? We weren't very proper in this sense.

Justice of the Peace: We had an elderly pastor preside over the ceremony. We had never met him, but we exchanged e-mails to prepare for the vows, and the service was lovely. We wanted to have a Catholic wedding, it we lived overseas in Germany, so the wedding was hard enough. We are going to have our marriage blessed by the church when we return stateside, however.

Keepsakes: We had everyone sign a frame that we put one of our wedding pictures in. We also kept our unity candle and cake topper.

Ladies Night: None here. I am really disappointed about that, but all any of my friends wanted to do is go to a strip club, and I didn't really want to do that. So instead, I got nothing.

Music: The guy that ran the B&B we got married at played our processional music, which was typical but still lovely, and we had a waterfall for ambiance.

Newlyweds: How long are you considered "newlyweds?" I hope always! But, now that we have been married for a year, we are probably done with the official title.

Old, new, borrowed, blue: My mother-in-law gave me her mother's handkerchief, my fabulous shoes were new, I borrowed a tiara, and my garter had blue in it.

Photography: Unfortunately, we had no photographers. Friends and family took photos, thankfully, but people wanted to charge a fortune for just coming out for the small ceremony.

Question popping: See "E!"

Reception: On the beautiful Ohio river across from Louisville.

Shoe game: Huh?

Trash the Dress: Coming up!

Unique: Well, I think our wedding was pretty unique because it was so small and personal. It was very much "us." But, it was all done online! We didn't see the garden until just a few hours before the wedding, nor taste the cake or the food at the restaurant, but it all turned out great.

Vows: We picked them out with the minister via e-mail. We added a personal touch, but recited traditional vows.

Wedding Woes: I was kind of nervous about everything going as planned, because we coordinated everything a continent away with no visuals, but it all worked out! Oh, but we didn't have a photographer. I am bummed about that, but when we get to the states Joel and I will have pictures taken in his uniform and my dress.

X-rated: None of that here! Let's just say it was a really relaxing night.

Young Kids: My Goddaughter was there, but that was it!

Zzzzzz: We slept in the next day and had some delicious breakfast at the B&B. Perfect start to the marriage.

Cheerio!

2011-04-28T21:59:00.002+02:00

Hey all! Do you know where I am? I am in England! Yes, I will be here during the Royal Wedding, and let me tell you, I think that the whole of Britain has wedding fever! I will write all about my trip when I return, but right now I am on an eight day trek around the countryside. We flew into London, and have so far made it to Deal, Sandwich, Herne Bay, and Walmer. And we are only on day two! Tomorrow includes watching the wedding broadcast live at Leeds castle and toasting the new couple with Champagne. And much, much more!

My Birthday! (Part Two)

2011-04-26T12:46:00.000+02:00

On my Birthday weekend Joel came up with the fantastic idea to go to Baden Baden. We stayed Saturday night, wondered through the area, and ended up at the Caracalla Therme for the evening. For those that don't know, Baden Baden is known for their natural thermal springs, and they have many spas that have taken advantage of this and made pools out of the hot springs. They had about seven (I think?!?) different pools all of a different temperature, some indoors and some outdoors. It was very relaxing, and a perfect, low-key way to spend the weekend.

Our yummy lunch spot.

The Lowenbrau

A scene around town.

Beautiful!

Baden-Baden

A dog in lederhosen.

Downtown

Cute cafe and hotel

What a beautiful city!

A nearby church.

One of the hot spring pools at Caracalla.

A thermal waterfall in Caracalla Therme.

One of the thermal pools inside Caracalla Therme.

My Birthday Post (Part One)

2011-04-24T14:27:00.001+02:00

Yes, I know this is a week late. Bad Kristen! This last week was my last at work, because I am taking about a month's worth of leave so that Joel and I can do some last minute traveling before we leave, and also so I can have a little less stress with our "back to America" move. There are a lot of moving pieces when relocating to a different country, even if it is your home country. So, rather than stress my controlling self out, this is the path I chose. It hasn't hit me yet, but I am sure when Joel goes off to work tomorrow and I don't that it will finally sink in.

Anywho, back to my Birthday. The closer I get to thirty, the less I want to celebrate. So, we had a fairly low-key weekend. The actual day of my Birthday Joel took me out to one of my favorite local places, the Rosenhof. They make a magnificent Chateau Briand for two, and I paired it with some delicious croquettes and my favorite wine. Afterwards, we went back to the house, where Joel surprised me with a beautiful pair of earrings he picked up when he was in Turkey, and a bottle of white Lambrusco. It was amazing! I saved it, though, and we will be popping it open tonight! He also made me, from (mostly) scratch a Boston Creme Pie. Spoiled much? He is too good to me sometimes.

Me in front of the Rosenhof

My Birthday goodies!

My handsome husband and the cake he made me!

Perfect end to a perfect B-Day!

Part two will discuss our weekend in Baden Baden. Stay tuned!

Friday Fill-in!

2011-04-22T08:22:00.000+02:00

Yay for Friday! And this is a HUGE Friday for me, too! Today is my official last day of work, due to our upcoming PCS. We have a lot of travelling coming up, the first trip being a week long adventure to England (yes, during the Royal Wedding!) and the second is a last blast, 14 day cruise to the Mediterranean, where we will visit Greece, Croatia, Crete, and Turkey! I can't wait to experience these trips and, of course, blog all about them.

But, for today, we have Wife of a Sailor's ...

1. How many pets do you have? And what type? submitted by Life and Times of a Displaced Jersey Girl
Well, for now, we have one dog, a pug appropriately named Pugsley, and one Persian cat, Jaegar. More than likely when we move back we will be adding another little puggy to our family via a rescue organization, just like I did Pugsley seven years ago.

2. What are your favorite projects to do while hubby is away? submitted by my-inspired-nest
I like to reorganize! I am not very crafty, but I do enjoy changing up the house so that it always feels cozy and welcoming. I tend to do this a lot when he is gone. Also, and I know this isn't a project per se, but I like to catch up on any reading that I have been slacking on. I love to read, but find other things to do when the hubs is home.

3. What are the must-haves in your deployment care packages? submitted by Christine’s Little Blog
I would always make sure to put in a card. Joel really likes to give out (and receive) cards for nearly every occasion, and so I know he would really appreciate it. Also, treats are always a welcome sight, and I would make sure to put in something for entertainment value, like cards or some sort of game.

4. If you could star in any TV show, which would it be? submitted by Just a Girl
How I Met Your Mother. They seem like the coolest group of people, and I would love to have them as friends. Plus, they live in NYC!

5. What was the biggest hurdle that you faced during your/your significant other’s first deployment? submitted by The Pavlik Perspective
We haven't experienced a deployment together, yet. He has two under his belt. I've dealt with one 15 month deployment with an ex of mine, and I dealt with his infidelity downrange. It was awful and heart wrenching, but I knew that I had to let him go after that. I found out at month ten.

Getting to Know You!

2011-04-18T12:46:00.000+02:00

First off, my birthday was great, and I appreciate all of the well wishes! It was very low key, but my amazing husband didn't disappoint with his special efforts. More on that later! I have pictures to go along with the story, and I am at work on lunch and don't have access to them.

I found this link-up on MannLand5 and thought it would be a lot of fun! So I linked up, and here I go!

1. what's something you've eaten and liked, but didn't think you would?

If you ask anyone, I am the pickiest eater around. So, this may not be the best question to start me out with! I have tried a lot of random foods in abroad, but none have ever really been too odd. That is, until I went to Egypt. There was a lot I wouldn't even attempt to eat, but we went to this little place that had a sample plate of meats, and while they looked out of the ordinary for me, they were really good! I wouldn't try the lamb, because I just don't eat it in general, but the chicken and beef whatevertheywere were really tasty!

2. plastic surgery..yay or nay?

Why not? If I had something that I wanted to get done and the money to do it, what business is it of someone else? If I have kids and my belly or boobs droop, you bet your booty that I would get them fixed! But that is just me. No judgment either way.

3. 2 things you love about spring are.....?

My Birthday and the newness that starts to grow around me.

4. when's the last time you went on a picnic?

Gosh, it has been so long ago that I have no idea.

5. what's your favorite app?

Sadly, no smartphone devices for me (yet). I anticipate that it will be Facebook or Google-something.

6. who does the grocery shopping in your house?

We both do. I usually write out the meal plans, but Joel and I really enjoy the shopping part together.

7. would you rather take a spin class or zumba?

Zumba! I really enjoy Zumba, but I don't think I could just bike for an hour (yes, I know it is more than juts biking, but...). However, I would love to take some sort of Top 40s Step Class. I think step is one of my favorite kinds of workout classes.

8. how often do you go out to dinner?

A few times a week. Joel and I get so caught up with work sometimes that we like to leave the cooking to someone else. Plus, you just can't beat the German (ha!) and Italian around here!

Today is...

2011-04-14T16:38:00.000+02:00

68 - Days left until we fly back to the states.

28 - Days left until graduation.

8 - Days left until vacation (and my last day of work!)

And today is...my Birthday! I am 27. Ugh...one year closer to 30. Happy Birthday to me!

What a difference a day makes...

2011-04-11T19:57:00.000+02:00

So, I needed a day off. Yes, I realize that this sounds silly because today is Monday and, well, I just had a whole weekend off. However, Joel did not, as he worked all weekend. So, he got today as sort of a comp day off, and so it was also a down day for the army, so I took advantage of the situation and decided to take a day off of work, too.

So, the day started off at IKEA, which is my husband's Mecca. We wanted to get some last minute things before our PCS back to the states, and even though we don't leave for two more months, we figured it best to take advantage of IKEA shopping during the week. My victory was in getting Joel's permission to buy this awesome girly rug for my office when we move. I can't wait to get the new place put together and show you all! Decorating pictures to be continued...

Our next stop was one of our favorite Italian places in Landstuhl. Garibaldi! Our absolute favorite is Il Capricio, also in Landstuhl, but alas, they have no outdoor seating, and we couldn't waste a beautiful day like today. It was probably mid 70s and B-E-A-utiful! And let me tell you, that isn't an every day occurance in Germany. I had the Tortelloni Pomodoro with the Lambrusco, and it was amazing as usual. Very tasty and the owners are super nice guys!

(Our view!)

And then, came my favorite part of the day. Last week, we found the most amazing thing at our local Edeka grocery store in our village, and today was the day to try it out. Wanna see what it is?

Need a closer look?

Oh yeah, baby. Sangria! The last time I remember having some of this, and it was the real stuff, was in Spain on one of the best vacations ever. Today was so warm and sunny that I had to break it out. Even Joel dipped into the stuff. And the results?

Fantastico! Que Beuno! Husband tested and approved!

Military Spouse Survey

2011-04-05T09:32:00.003+02:00

Due to my lack of posting, I thought I would fill out this handy dandy survey. My mind has been over thinking my last classes, the PCS, and closing things up at work. Only 17 more days to go!

1. How long have you been a military wife?
Eleven months, but I have worked for the army since 2004.

2. What branch of service is your husband?
The Air Force.

3. Active/Reserve?
Active Duty

4. What is his job?
He is a Civil Engineer Officer.

5. How many deployments have you gone through?
He has gone through two, but none with me (yet).

6. Camo or Dress uniforms on your man?
Umm...neither?! I see him in uniform so much, I honestly get a bit sick of them. I prefer him in civvies any day!

7. What do you like about being a military wife?
Am I supposed to like something? Ha! Ok, well, I enjoy all of the traveling we get to do. I think that we would still travel a lot, but being stationed overseas sure does help!

8. Do you live on base?
Heck no! No offense to those that do, because I definitely see the advantages to it, but it just wouldn't be something that I would ever want to do.

9. What is your favorite base so far?
I have only been here in Kaiserslautern, so we will see! I am looking froward to PCSing to Scott AFB, though.

10. What is the hardest part of the military life?
The separations. Joel is constantly TDY, and I miss him so much when he is gone. I am not looking forward to any deployments.

11. Do you go to the grocery store or Commissary?
We go to the commissary for American type products, but we prefer to go to our local village grocery, the Edeka.

12. Do you work or stay at home?
I work. Almost seven years as a civil servant with the Army. Fingers crossed that they pass the budget so I continue getting a paycheck!

13. Do you have a lot of military wife friends? Not too many. Most of my friends aer in the military themselves. However, I have a great group of military spouses that offer my great support online.

14. Do you prefer Walmart or the BX/PX/NEX/MCX? What's Walmart again? I have lived overseas for way too long! I hate the PX, so anywhere else is where I prefer to shop.

15. How did your husband propose? In front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. It was a fairy tale proposal, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

16. Did you marry him after he joined or before?
After.

17. How long have you been together?
Since July 2009.

18. Any kids?
Nope. Unless you count my cat and my pug.

19. Any kids yet to come?
Depends on the day and who you ask.

20. Is your husband one of those "I am soldier hear me HOOAH" kind of guys?
Nope, not at all. He loves what he does, and couldn't imagine not serving, but thankfully he leaves (most of) the military at the door when he comes home.

21. Have you ever done combatives with your husband?
Nope. Not unless you count tickle fights!

22. How many bases have you lived at?
Just here, but Illinois here we come!

23. If you could change one thing about the military?
I would wish for it to have more common sense sometimes.

24. Do you like military balls?
Sure! Who doesn't like to put on a ball gown and dance the night away.

25. Where does your family live?
Joel's parents live in Oregon, his brother in Colorado, and his sister in California. Pretty much my entire family still lives in Indiana.

26. What do you do for a job?
I am an Administrative Officer for the Army. Pretty much I am a glorified Office Manager for a big command. It has taught me a lot about the military and pays decently well, so no real complaints here. Well, maybe one, but I will keep that to myself.

27. Have you ever gotten in a fight with an NCO's wife?
Umm, no...why would I?

28. Name one thing you do when your husband is gone.
Eat the most random meals and watch trashy tv.

29. Do you think other wives do that too?
Definitely.

Excited for America!

2011-03-27T19:30:00.000+02:00

I am getting super excited to head back to America! I know that sounds silly because, hey, I live in Europe, but it has been so long since I have lived in the states that I am going to have to figure out how to be American again!

Anywho, one of my favorite things about living overseas is the ability to travel so easily. As I am discovering, I have been to more countries that states now! Wow! Below is a map of where I have visited. Any advice on where to hit up next? Obviously my travels have been limited to one part of the states. Can you guess which part? Ha!

(States I have been to!)

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #35

2011-03-25T12:35:00.001+01:00

It's Friday Friday Friday. Ok, does anyone else have Rebecca Black's song stuck in their head? I am so glad that today it is, in fact, Friday! I am feeling less sickie, I get to see the hubster today, and it looks to be a beautiful weekend here in Germany. So, without further ado, here is Wife of a Sailor's...

1. What is your must have gadget? submitted by Flying High With My Flyboy
Gosh, I don't think I have a gadget! Although when we move back stateside, and I get a smart phone, I can see that become an extension of my hand. I love my husband's iTouch, and just know me and a smart phone would be besties.

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like when you were a little kid? submitted by L to the Third
Well, I am married, but the similarities stop there. I thought I would have my Law Degree, own a house down in Louisville, and have a million babies. Don't get me wrong, I am super happy with my life. I love in Europe, married my Prince Charming, and am happy being a Civil Service employee. I never knew anything about military life, so I certainly never imagined marrying a service member. But, I wouldn't trade it in. I love my life, as crazy and unpredictable as it sometimes is!

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe? submitted by Our First Deployment
Well, it isn't my recipe, but Joel makes me a homemade Boston Creme Pie for my birthday every year that is to die for!

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be to much or to hard? submitted by Combat Boots And Pointe Shoes
This is a very hard question. I wish I could say I ignore it and keep moving, but when it gets really overwhelming, I kind of shut myself up in my house. Sure, I go to work and feed and bathe myself, but I kind of seclude myself until I can work things out. Thankfully, this feeling has never lasted too long and I have had some great friends along the way to pull me out of my funk.

5. What piece of advice would you give a new Military spouse facing their first deployment? submitted by The Albrecht Squad
Stay busy! The busier you are, the faster time will pass and the less you will notice an absence. Filling the loneliness with fun, activities, and friends is the best way to cure the deployment blues. Get a new hobby, or a new pet, or join in on a new class. Just DO something!

Sick

2011-03-23T10:14:00.000+01:00

Murphy's law is back this week. The day after Joel leaves for his TDY (temporary duty) I get sick. Fever, sore throat, headaches...the whole nine yards. And anyone who knows me also knows what a baby I am when I am truly sick. So, sorry for the lack of posting this week, but as soon as I get any energy back I am going to need to focus that on the schoolwork that I have neglected since I became infected with the plague (ok, maybe that is a little dramatic, but still). So, hopefully with the return of my husband will be the return of my health and productivity! Hopefully I will have a good post on here soon.

Feeling Old

2011-03-15T11:00:00.001+01:00

So, as I am sure most of you are aware, St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. Normally, I would put on some green, go to a local Irish pub, and drink a few shots of Baileys. But, this year, I feel like I am too old for this. I don't know if this has to do with the fact that I am turning 27 this year (eek!) or if it is because I am married this time around, but I am totally questioning if I should go about the same game plan this year. My husband, who is four years older than me but doesn't look it, insists that we are not too old for such an adventure. So what say the blogger world? I am not talking about getting drunker than a skunk here. Just a few drinks out with friends and a no later than 0200 curfew. Gosh, I might as well get fitted for my walker now!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #33

2011-03-11T10:16:00.002+01:00

1. During military separations (whether short or long) how do you keep yourself positive and motivated? submitted by Married/Single Parent
I keep myself busy! I take an extra gym class or go see new movies with girlfriends. I love food, so trying new restaurants is always fun. And living in Germany, travel is a must! I have went through periods when I didn't have too many people to lean on, due to military moves, etc., but then I would take a new art class or go on walks with my dog. If I just sit at home by myself, the time will drag on and I will drive myself crazy!

2. What is your favorite concert you have ever been to? submitted by Young but Not (Completely) Dumb
Ok, don't laugh. Back in like, 2002, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera did a joint concert. Meaning, for the price of one ticket, I got two concerts. And they were both phenomenal! Man, that girl can sing! (When she's not butchering the National Anthem...I felt so bad for her!) And JT, well, he is just a great artist. very talented, and very worth my money.

3. What do you miss most about your “hometown”? submitted by A Florida Girl and Her Soldier
There are a few things I miss. Good ol' sweet tea, the warm summer nights, and the friendly people. The Midwest is just filled with good souls, and it was nice knowing my neighbors' names and feeling like I fit in.

4. If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support? submitted by Wookie & Co.
I would support a down syndrome foundation or any kind of no-kill shelters. I am a huge animal lover, and I always volunteer with Special Olympics, so those two would be my priorities.

5. You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum? submitted by A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench
Sweet tea and potato skins, BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, homemade macaroni and cheese, and apple cobbler. Mmmm!!!

I'm moving on...

2011-03-08T14:06:00.000+01:00

So, after seven years in Germany (yes, you read that right, seven years!) I am finally moving back to the good ole U.S. of A. this summer. This is a bittersweet move for me, because I absolutely love living in Germany, but I know it is time for a change. I really want to start on my Masters Degree, and I can't do that while I am here, and I am kind of stagnant at work, since how I am too "invaluable" to actually get any additional training. So, while I am sad to go, and will be boo-hooing all the way to America, I am looking forward to this new adventure in my life. So yes, now that I have teased you long enough, I will spill where I am going...

Scott Air Force Base! It is in Southwest Illinois, about 45 minutes east of St. Louis. I get to go back to the Midwest! My honey definitely made some sacrifices for me with this one, because he is a West Coaster born and bred, but I really miss my roots back home. I grew up a Hoosier, and miss the land of BBQ, Southern (or Midwestern) hospitality, and sweet tea! He placed Scott as his number one assignment because he knew that I needed it to feel like home, even for just a little bit. But, after the Scott assignment is done, we plan to go right back overseas. We are thinking Japan this time. Joel was in Okinawa before, but he would love to go back to mainland Japan. We'll see! Life is always up in the air when it comes to the military. Now, fingers crossed that this assignment will stick!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #32

2011-03-04T10:53:00.000+01:00

It is Friday! Yay! Is anyone else as excited as I am? I am down to my countdown: only 52 days left at work! More on that later, which will also include some more info on our next assignment! But for now, it is time for the awesome Wife of a Sailor's...

1. Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military? submitted by The Turner Family
I am happy most of the time that he is in the Air Force, but I know so much more about the army side of the house, and wish that we had that common bond. However, I know that, generally speaking, I have it easy with our separations and work schedules, not to mention the Air Force seems to be more concerned about the family, so I will just have to make the effort to be more AF savvy!

2. What duty station(s) are on your “No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied” list and why? submitted by Every Branch
Gosh, there are a lot of places that I don't want to go, but to not go with him? That would have to be a pretty bad place. I don't really have any desire to go to one of the Dakotas or Alaska, but he is my husband, so I feel like I would go and at least try to make it work. Every situation depends on what you make of it, right?

3. If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why? submitted by Three Krakens
Probably 24. I am old enough to be taken at least a little seriously, but young enough to not feel old. I know that people want to kick me for this, but I felt "old" when I turned 25. I know realistically that I am not old, but man, that was a tough age to turn. And now that I am turning 27 in a few months, it is really starting to get to me.

4. If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be? submitted by the C.W.
Captain Crunch. Don't ask me why, but it seems like it would be a fun cereal.

5. What is your morning beverage of choice and why? submitted by NH Girl Displaced
Water or milk. Milk on the weekends and water at work. My work breakfast doesn't consist of very much, but I tend to have more substance on the weekends. And I love me some milk!

Show Me Your...

2011-03-03T09:57:00.001+01:00

Get your head out of the gutter! I randomly saw an opportunity to link up at Mrs. Yellow Ribbon to show our wedding rings. Seeing as my one year anniversary is coming up in a few months, I am starting to get nostalgic about my wedding day, so this is a perfect opportunity reminisce. So, here goes!

Did you look at rings together?
Joel bought my engagement ring all on his own. Once he proposed, we went together to pick out his ring, and bought it in person. Then Joel ordered my wedding ring, after I picked it out.

Do you like your ring? Did you from the beginning?...and be honest!
I absolutely, 100%, without a doubt loved my ring. It is beautiful! Was it the one I would have picked out? Probably not. But, I love it none the less.

How often do you wear your rings?
All the time. I never take them off.

Do you clean your rings?
I don't clean them every often. I will clean them more when I can buy nicer cleaner for them. Living overseas has its downfalls sometimes. Plus, I can't wait to have the jewelry store steam clean them!

What went through your mind the very first time you saw your ring?
OMG, is this really happening?! Look at how freaking big this rock is! Ooh...shiny! I love this man. YES!!!

Friends

2011-03-01T11:56:00.000+01:00

(Me and my bestie at my wedding)

As we get older, does anyone find it more difficult to make friends? I am finding myself in this predicament. I know part of that is that I moved all of the way to Germany, but I didn't encounter this sort of problem until recently. Not that I need a large group of friends, but always the token few that I can turn to if I am really in need. I feel like I am so caught up at work and school that I don't get out and randomly socialize anymore. I don't get out to volunteer as much, and ever since the Pugmeister (my dog) has been in the states with my mom, I don't meet people out on walks anymore. I know its cliche to say that my husband is my best friend but, well, he is. And I am very thankful for that. Not only because its nice to find that quality in a partner, but also because we just don't know that many people over here anymore. People move often, which is half of the battle, and sometimes they even deploy and their family moves back to the states. And sure, I still have some buddies here which I am über thankful for, but I miss the days of Monday Margherita night and getting together to watch Amazing Race and trading off dinners. I miss game night and bolwing night being a weekly event. Anyone else find that making friends when they get older is tough? How do you go about being more of a social butterfly?

My other issue with friends right now I have to be vague about, but here goes. I have a friend who I recently discovered did a very bad thing. Deplorable, actually. And I don't know what to do about it. It really changes how I think about them. My husband knows, as I tell him everything, and even he feels akward being around them. But, I am not one for confrontation and, well, they were a very close friend of mine. I am so conflicted. Do I say anything? Because, the kicker is, they don't even know that I know. Ugh...

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #31

2011-02-25T09:38:00.002+01:00

Yay for Friday! For a short week, this has been a long and crazy week. I haven't been sleeping well at night and Joel has been gone (but now he is back!) so I am just glad to see the week wind down. So, thanks to Wife of a Sailor for another edition of...

1. Aside from no deployments, what is one thing you would want to make the MilSpouse life “perfect”? submitted by Oh How Delightful.
I wish that we had more say so in how long we are stationed someplace and where we will go. The Air Force, so far, has been really good to my husband in that regard. He has gotten his top assignment a majority of the time. But having only two years in one place is not conducive to good family time. Also, I am a working spouse with my own career. I want to be able to have continuity with my job, be able to finish a degree at only one school, and make and keep friends. Sure there is facebook, but when I PCS this summer there will be a lot of people that I will miss grabbing dinner or coffee or whatever with.

2. Just how many peppers did Peter Piper pick? submitted by Married into Army
He picked the perfect pair of peppers.

3. If you could have any career in the world with nothing holding you back, what would you do? submitted by It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To
There are two options. One, I would work in a think tank of some sort. Who wouldn't want to get paid to think?! And I would want it to be one that would make some difference in this world. Something like, re-vamping how our government works or changing the strategy with the middle east.

The more fun answer would be being a travel reviewer. I would love to travel all over the world, stay in fancy hotels, eat delicious food and drink the most amazing wine, and get paid for it! The ultimate dream is to get paid for living your passion. And as much as I like to travel, this would be a dream come true.

4. Do you have a service oriented tattoo and if so what is it. If you don’t what would you get? submitted by The Squid’s Accomplice
Nope. I would never get a tattoo, personally, but I think there are some amazing ones out there! I am just too chicken. I wouldn't get a service tattoo, because as patriotic as I am and how proud of my husband I am, I am not the one who is serving; my husband is. And that honor is his.

5. Imagine a block of time has opened up in your busy day for you to take a class in anything you like. What subject would you choose? submitted by To The Nth
I love learning new languages, and I am fascinated by people's lives. I would love to take a course on either a new language, or learning about people, such as biographical lectures or living history, i.e. someone that has lived through an experience and is sharing about it.

Who are any of us to judge?

2011-02-23T10:25:00.000+01:00

So, I read something yesterday that upset me greatly. And if you all don't mind, please feel free to share your opinion of this.

Basically, the article said that women that have children don't trust other women that don't. As in, it is a growing trend for mothers to distrust non-mothers, especially in a work environment. I was taken aback by this. I have never judged a woman for being a mother. Even when it went against what I personally do (i.e. brand new 18 year old newlyweds that are immediately pregnant out of choice) because it is not my marriage, my body, or my child. Some people simply can not have children, no matter how hard they try. Even though they desire motherhood like no other. Some people have psychological issues where it is hard for them, for whatever reason, do go down that route. Some people, myself included, just aren't ready yet. And to be honest, I don't know if I will ever be ready. But, that is between me and my husband, and no one else. It isn't that I hate children. I have a Goddaughter that I love dearly. But, I want to finish school and live my life a little bit before I bring another into this world. Is there ever a perfect time? No. But why should I have a child before I am ready? Because society thinks so? Well, I don't. And I don't think that it is fair to judge me for my decisions. I volunteer my time with special needs children, loving my Goddaughter, and animal rescue, and right now that is enough for me.

So, before you (not you my readers, but the proverbial you) think about judging someone and distrusting them just because they are not mothers, just stop before you get there. Think about the fact that they just may not be able to and your constant berating or judging breaks their heart every single time. Think about the person that is giving back to children in need, and for right now, that is all they have to give. Or, just mind your own business

"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."

"Judge not, that you be not judged."

My first guest blog!

2011-02-18T10:14:00.000+01:00

I feel like a real blogger, now! My real life bloggie friend, K, from another great "J and K" couple, is hosting me on her blog. I hope you will check me out on Uncork and Unwined! It is a real honor, because she is just simply fabulous and a great friend, and I hope that once we both leave Germany that our paths will cross again.

In other "moving from Germany" news, we *may* know where we are going next! I won't make it official on my blog, until we have official orders, but it was definitely my number one pick and I hope that the Air Force sticks to its plans! More on that to come soon, I hope.

Friends

2011-02-17T09:26:00.001+01:00

This will be a very exciting weekend for me and Joel. We have never had friends visit either one of us, but on Friday, Joel's best friend from like, forever ago, is coming to Europe with her husband and will be stopping by for a visit! They are doing a European trek, and we will be showing them the German feel of things, since they will spending the remainder of their time outside of Germany.

We are going to Cochem, Germany and Trier, Germany to visit random castles, go wine tasting, and, of course, enjoy the yummy food! Fingers crossed that the weather will be decent and not *too* cold.

In other news, well...not too much "other" news to report. Everything is pretty quiet on the homefront. That will all change soon enough with our move this summer, so right now, we are just going to enjoy the peace and quiet.

Just Another Maldives Monday...

2011-02-14T10:39:00.000+01:00

I am a lover of food. If it didn't make me gain weight, I would eat all of the time. Seriously. Especially being in Europe. I love trying new restaurants, new desserts, new cafes, new wine, and new coffee shops. I was a little apprehensive booking our trip in the Maldives food-wise because, well, mass produced food isn't always the best. The island came with an all-inclusive buffet, serving a variety of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And let me just say that the place totally exceeded my expectations.

(Just a part of the buffet, with fruit, salads, and pasta

and stir fry station shown.)

There was anything you could want, from a carving station, seafood, pasta, potatoes, fruits and veggies, salads, and even some BBQ thrown in! Joel said they had some of the best curry that he had ever tasted, and, well, I loved the yummy hash browns and french toast that they had for breakfast. Yum! I wish I had taken more pictures of the food we ate at the buffet, but I was too busy stuffing my face. It was that awesome.

And then, because we were on our honeymoon, the island threw in a free four-course candlelight dinner on the beach. I didn't think the food could get any better, but Meeru surprised me once again!

The first course (appetizer) was smoked salmon, grilled shrimp, and some sort of crab concoction on cucumbers. Sorry that you guys are getting a picture minus one shrimp! I just couldn't wait to dig in. It was tres delicious!

Here you will find the yummiest fruit that I have ever eaten. Seriously. We were offered salad during our second course, but I just had to have some more of this yummy fruit. Fresh mangoes, papayas, oranges, melon, apples, and pineapple. I will probably never eat this goof of fruit again.

The third course, well...I forgot to take a picture. It was flambeed potatoes with BBQ chicken on top of a filet of steak. It was good until I got to the sauce on the steak. While everything else was great, I was not a fan of whatever they put on that steak. A little disappointing...that is until the dessert came!

I have no idea what this was called, but it was a lot of awesome! The hard layers were like a flaky, almost baklava sort of taste, and in between was a creamy chocolate thing. There is a sugary substance on top, with the yummiest strawberry. OMG. To die for!

All in all, this has to be the best buffet style food I have ever eaten. There was something for everyone (even the most pickiest eater, a la moi) and it definitely didn't taste mass produced.

Happy New Year!

2011-02-09T20:01:00.000+01:00

I know that you are probably mega confused by the title. Right? Afterall, it is almost February. However, with all that January brought, I knew that keeping any sort of resolutions would be near impossible, so, even though I am six-ish weeks late, I have decided to make my new years resolutions now.

1. Get up and move! I know nearly everyone makes a promise to themselves to lose weight in the new year, and, well...I am no exception. I have gained what I have called "the Newlywed ten" and I would like that to come off. I also have been seriously lacking in the energy department, and I know that working on my fitness will bounce me right back! Last week I went to the gym three times and I hope to do the same this week.

2. Stop being so lazy! I have seriously got to stop this. I am even so bad! I do things like ask my husband to grab the remote on his way to the couch and grab me some water when I actually sit closer to the kitchen. I will not become my mother on this! I am going to try and pick up the house more and when I need something I will get it for myself. I am sure my husband will appreciate this very much.

3. Finish my semester with a bang. If I get A's on my last two classes, I will graduate with honors. I so need to do this. So, I need to buckle up and do the work. The first week of the semester I did great! Now...ehh, I need to get back on the study train.

4. Get moved! I know that I am supposed to leave in June. Where to, you might ask? I HAVE NO IDEA! And, if you couldn't tell from the all caps explosion, it is starting to freak my planner self out just a tiny bit. I know where we asked for, but that means next to nothing sometimes in the military. So, I am stuck in this for right now.

5. Volunteer more. I signed up to work the huge Special Olympics event on base here, so that is a start. My last weeks here, while I am not working, I am going to bake cookies for the troops that are returning from downrange. The USO puts that on and I have always wanted to help. When I get back to the states, I plan to increase my volunteering with animals (I previously helped with the Kentuckiana Pug Rescue, which is where I got my puggie baby from). And, if able to, I hope to work with the spouse group on base. I tried to here but, well, they make it difficult for the working spouse.

6. Become more domestic. I have absolutely no crafty skill whatsoever, and while I am ok in the kitchen, I need some work in the wifey department. At least I am new at it, so I have a little bit of an excuse, but I would like to hone my cooking, decorating, and crafty skills.

I am sure I will come up with more later in the year, as I always do, but, other than maybe learning some sort of hobby, right now that is the dream.

Maldives Monday! No. 1

2011-02-07T17:03:00.001+01:00

So, I enjoyed my trip to the Maldives so much, I decided that I would make a weekly post about it in order to share the details. Our wedding was so small and intimate, which was perfect for me, but it didn't leave a lot to talk about, so I will make it all about the honeymoon!

(One of the islands of the Maldives, from the plane)

First off, a little about our location. The Maldives are a bunch of little islands located in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka. Being that we live in Europe for the time being, we didn't want to go to the Caribbean or Hawaii for our honeymoon (although I still hope to visit both places!) because we figured for the same amount of money, we could go somewhere that we wouldn't be able to afford to go to in the U.S. I literally googled "where do Europeans go to the beach" and it came up with a resort in the Maldives. We looked into it at the travel agency on base, and from the states to there would have been twice as expensive! So, we decided that we would make that our location since from Germany it would be on the cheap! We discovered that December and January are peak season to go, and thought that a honeymoon to the beach in the middle of winter sounded perfect!

(Many of the islands in the Maldives!)

There are many resorts in the Maldives, and there is only one per island. With all of the research we did (thanks TripAdvisor!) and based on the amenities, we chose Meeru. Meeru had an all-inclusive option, which we really liked. We didn't want to have to worry about prices of the food, and how much this cost versus that, and it really met all of our needs. It had an adults only pool, snorkeling excursions, and other things to do. Plus, they had what was really important to me, bungalows over the ocean! It was perfect. We booked it way in advance, although not any cheaper, and had to wait it out. But man, it was totally worth it! Stay tuned for the next Maldives Monday! And if you have any questions, just let me know! I will answer them for the next segment.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #29

2011-02-04T10:06:00.000+01:00

Time to get back into the groove of these things! I love these questionnaires, and it is so neat to hear everyone's stories! So, now onto...

1. Since most of the country has had nasty weather, what has your weather been like this week?
Well, since I am from the Midwest and they are experiencing snowpocalypse right now, I am doing considerably better. Germany is really cold and we are experiencing a bit of ice, but we haven't had much snow since December.

2. What is/are your best money saving tip(s)?
If you don't have it, don't spend it! I could not qualify for a credit card until I was 23, so I was used to only spending what was in my checking. It has saved me a bundle in credit card debt.

3. What was your favorite vehicle you’ve ever owned?
My current car! I drive a VW Beetle Convertible, and I love it! Super cute, fits my personality, and is so fun to drive in the summer. Sadly, I think we will be parting ways when I move back to the states. But, I am enjoying it while we can!

4. What is a question you’d like to see asked in a future fill-in? (Your question & blog just may appear one week!)
If you could talk to the Secretary of (fill in your appropriate branch) what is one suggestion you would like to bring to their attention in order to improve the lives of military families.

5. Fill in the blank: You might be a MilSpouse if….
(I will be including some of your answers in a future post (with a link to your blog, of course!)
You use so many acronyms when talking about your day that those outside of the military community have no idea what you are saying.

But I don't wanna go back to reality!

2011-01-31T08:09:00.000+01:00

The honeymoon, as predicted, was paradise. The food was great, it was very relaxing, we only looked at the clock for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was wonderful getting that time with my husband without any of the every day distractions. Even schoolwork was at a minimum, because I took my finals ahead of time.

I will post a couple of pictures here, but plan on writing more about this magical place over time. It really was fantastic, and I suggest to anyone that can to take a honeymoon, late or not, because I never knew how good this special time together could truly be.

The view during our daily swim.

Our home for the week.

The perfect end to each day.

Blizzard Blog Hop!

2011-01-28T08:01:00.000+01:00

Hi! I am so excited to do the Blizzard Blog Hop! Thanks for stopping by. My name is Kristen, and this is my blog!

I am newly married to my husband, Joel, who I met while working in Germany, where I have lived for the past (almost seven years. He is in the United States Air Force, and because of him, I will (sadly) be leaving Germany this summer. I don’t know where yet, but we should find out next month!

I love to travel, read, and experience, well…life! I have become a wine lover since moving to Germany, and even went after a degree in History due to my fascination of all of the traveling I have done. I am starting to try and do the domestic thing, often trying new recipes out and testing them on my friends. So far so good!

I also have a love of animals. I have a wonderful old pug named Pugsley who I adopted when I lived back in my hometown in Indiana, and a cat who thinks he’s a dog named Jaeger, thanks to my new home in Germany. They act like real life brothers, and I just love them to pieces. I hope to add a new doggy baby to my family once I move back to the good ole USA. I also plan on starting my Master’s in Education, as I hope to teach Special Education. My sister is special needs, and I have always felt sort of called to help more in that area. I think teaching just might be it!

I am just a down home Hoosier that tries to make the best out of life. I am pretty casual, very silly at times, and very loyal! It was very nice to "meet" all of you!

I've got...two tickets to Paradise!

2011-01-14T14:52:00.000+01:00

No, seriously. I do. I am leaving for my dream honeymoon tomorrow! So, sorry in advance for the lack of posting for a week, but I hope you stick with me, because I think that the pictures will be worth it!

We are going to the Maldives. If you have no idea where this is, please google it. It is amazingly beautiful, at least in pictures. Think "Couples Retreat."

What makes it more paradise than the scenery is that for a whole week, I will not have to set an alarm, or in fact even look at my watch. I have no phone calls that I have to wait for, or errands that need run. I will have no papers due or finals to study for. For one whole week, all I will need to worry about is being with my husband on our private bungalow on the beach. Nothing else will matter. And to me, THAT is paradise!

A Christmas story, Part II

2011-01-05T10:14:00.001+01:00

Happy New Year! Yes, I realize that this isn't the New Year's post (yet!) but, I wanted to finish up Christmas, and I realized that if I skip the posts that I want to do, well...I never really get back to doing them. Bad blogger!

Anyways, Christmas was great! I really enjoyed spending our first Christmas as a married couple in our house together. In keeping with my Christmas traditions this year, versus Joel's last year, I cooked a big Christmas Eve dinner consisting of a honey baked ham, mashed potatoes, sweet rolls, homemade mac and cheese, and veggies. I always snack on cheese and crackers throughout the day while I am cooking, eat dinner, and then open presents...and this year was great fun. My family is German, so that is why we keep with the Christmas Eve gift tradition. I don't think Joel was *too* disappointed.

(Joel and his new iTouch!)

Christmas day was a mixture of traditions. Joel's parents always do a big spread of bagels, meats, and cheeses for Christmas day. Whereas the Midwestern family I had cooked a big fatty, yummy breakfast with pancakes, eggs, bacon, biscuits, and gravy. So, we compromised and had breakfast in our jammy jams (courtesy of my traditions) and had pancakes and bagels. Definitely a win-win!

On 26 January we took a trip with my Goddaughter and her parents, who are close friends of mine, and we headed to Strasbourg, France for their Christmas market. While the gluhwein wasn't as good, it was a beautiful market where we came away with many French Christmas items!

(Me freezing in France)

(The church overlooking the market)

A Christmas Story, Part I

2010-12-28T12:52:00.000+01:00

Sorry for being on such a break! I noticed I am not the only one, but I still missed blogging. I hope everyone had a great holiday! Besides Mass being cancelled due to the bad weather, mine was pretty ok. I am not usually a Christmas person, but there was something special about spending my first Christmas as a married couple with my husband. And he was so cute, too! More on that later...

I took 23 December off of work so we could visit some more Christmas markets. We took advantage of the day and drove to a town called Valkenburg in the Netherlands. It was such a cute little town! Well, besides the blizzard that we ran into! They have their market in their Velvet Caves, which was great because we got a respite from all of the bad weather. It was about 50 degrees there, too, which beat the way below freezing temps outside.

Next we drove back into Germany to visit Köln. It was supposed to only take an hour to drive there, but it took over two and a half hours because we were driving in this, at best...

I had been to Köln before, but this was a first for Joel, so it was pretty special. And the market did not disappoint! Very good Glühwein, yummy food, and beautiful scenery. Well, except for the mixture of rain/sleet/hail/snow. That wasn't so fun.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #25

2010-12-17T12:33:00.002+01:00

There is only one week left before Christmas. How crazy is that? I can't believe how fast this year has flown by! I know next year will bring many changes my way, and I hope that, even though 2010 was a good year, that 2011 will be even better! With my degree out of the way, I plan on spending a lot more time doing what makes me happy, and getting back to loving myself again.

Well, enough of the deep stuff, it is time for Wife of a Sailor's...

1. What is the best gift you have ever received or given? from Jessica Lynn Writes

My best gift was more because of the intent than the actual value of the gift itself. Last year my husband bought me tickets to see Das Hexen von Oz, which is Wicked in German. I saw Wicked in London and fell in love with it, and my husband (who was then just my boyfriend) knew I really wanted to see a musical in German. So. he bought me tickets and we went on New Year's Eve. Oh, did I mention he doesn't really know any German? That's right folks, this man of my dreams bought me tickets to and went with me to see a three hour musical in a language he didn't understand. I love him :)

2. Do you celebrate holidays differently when your loved one is deployed/gone or do you keep tradition? from The Albrecht Squad

This is our first Christmas married, so I don't really know the answer to this one yet. However, I am sure that I will turn into a scrooge because holidays just won't be the same without him. So, I probably won't do very much.

3. If you celebrate Christmas, do you put an angel, star or something else on the top of your tree?

An Angel. It is always an angel. My lineage is German, and since the Christmas Angel is the decorator of the tree, she shall sit on top of it.

4. What are your three favorite websites?

I am semi-addicted to facebook, so there is one. I love to travel, so I am on TripAdvisor a lot! I will also sadly admit google is another. Between the translator, directions, and looking up things for school, I am on there quite often.

5. On your man do you prefer… boxers, briefs or boxer briefs? Or commando? (yeah, I’m starting to get desperate for questions!)?

Definitely boxers! I love a man in boxers. Joel usually wears boxer briefs, but I make him wear boxers for special occasions!

Christkindlmarkt

2010-12-15T20:50:00.002+01:00

Christmas markets are one of my favorite wintery things about Europe. That means a lot, because I hate winter, the cold, the snow...you get my point. But, I will get all bundled up in my long johns and sweaters and brave the elements for that wonderful feeling of hot gluhwein and other yummy treats. What is gluhwein, you may ask? Only the best spiced (mulled) wine that is heated up and does just the trick to melt that chilly feeling away. Most of the major cities have them for about a month, and the local villages for about a weekend. Our local village of Ramstein-Miesenbach held theirs last weekend, and we decided to visit. There are many more to come! I always hit up the Kaiserslautern one, just for tradition, and this year are venturing out to a few new ones. I will post them later, but for now here are a few teaser pics from our local one. Expect the others to be bigger and better!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-13T19:26:00.000+01:00

We received some snow this past week here in Germany. I just wanted to share a few photos.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #24

2010-12-10T13:14:00.001+01:00

Wow, is it Friday already? This week has been so busy! I swore that I wouldn't overwhelm myself this holiday season, and I feel like I have already done it this year. One of these days I am going to slow down and enjoy the season instead of all of this rushing around business!

Well, on to the task at hand!

1. What do you see your life like in 10 years?

Is it bad to say that I have no idea? I really don't! As a military wife, I have no idea where I will be living, so that takes that out of the equation. I guess I can say that I see myself as madly in love with my husband as I am today. I will probably be mommy to some pets, as I have a profound affection for animals, but I have not yet been bitten by the maternal bug, so kids may not be in the picture. I will have my Master's degree by then, and I hope to work in a job that is more than just a paycheck. That's all I can think of right now.

2. What do you like most about your job?

That is a hard question to answer right now! I am not feeling very good about my job right now. I really think that I was meant for more, and while I like what I do and who I work for, I don't get the same feeling of accomplishment that I used to each day.

But, for now, the thing I like most is working for the army. I feel like I do my part (however small) in the efforts to make the Soldiers and their families' lives a little better each day. At least, I hope.

3. What are three things you do every day, no matter what day it is?

Brush my teeth, tell Joel I love him, and get dressed. Most everything else happens on a day to day basis. Oh, and I wake up every day!

4. What would you do with an extra five hours in your day today?

Catch up on schoolwork and sleep. I am really behind in both, so a good nap and then some reading would do me a great deal of good!

5. What is your favorite Christmas (or whichever holiday you celebrate) cookie recipe (please share!)?

Another baking question! No bueno! I have no idea as I have never made cookies. I guess my answer would be anything with pumpkin weekend.

Special Olympics

2010-12-05T19:26:00.000+01:00

Me and my sister, Nicole

My sister is a special needs person. Growing up, she was always a bit envious of all of my after school activities. I had dance and cheerleading, theater and debate. I played volleyball (until Sophomore year) and was in the Color Guard. But, twice a year she participated in the Special Olympics where it was truly her time to shine. And she thrived! It was great to see her in her element. Her big event was bowling. After a few Olympic appearances, she was the girl to beat! She was so happy getting her trophies and having her "buddy" there cheering her on. Special Olympics really is a great organization. Which is the point of this post.

Joel and I volunteered at our local Special Olympics Friday. We had about 130 German and American kids from the area for a special bowling event. My athlete's name was Chiara, and she was 17 years old. She didn't speak a lick of English, and I was so nervous that I would be a bad buddy! But, she was great. She was a fantastic sport about everything, cheering every time that she got her ball down the lane. And when she knocked some pins down...watch out! She has a crazy hard high five! She was a wonderful buddy to have, and she got a second place ribbon from our lane. She was so easy-going, responding with an adorable "ya" every time she couldn't understand me! It was too cute! We also made some bracelets together and she made a cookie that was too cute to eat! I saved it for her, so hopefully she will be able to enjoy it later.

I really hope that I was able to make an impact for Chiara the same way that my sister's buddies did for her. She didn't stop talking about her experience for weeks afterwards! My sister is an amazing person who the Doctors said wouldn't make it past for first Birthday. Now, at 31 years old, she is someone that I can truly call more than a sister; she is also my friend.

Egypt...check!

2010-11-29T19:10:00.000+01:00

Hey, all! I am back from Egypt. How to describe it... Well, Joel put it best, actually. It is a once on a lifetime trip that I only want to do once! It was breathtaking and dirty and amazing and...well...it was the Middle East. I will write tons more about it later, but here are a few teaser pics. I took well over 1,000, so I have to get them all uploaded still.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #22

2010-11-19T13:13:00.000+01:00

It is another spouse Fill-in! I love these things. I hope that I am able to do one next Friday, but I will be in Egypt (screaming with anticipation here!) so I don't know if I will have time. I can't wait to catch up on everything when I get back and share some pictures with you all. Wish me luck!

1. If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs – such as food and water – were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?The internet. I totally need the internet. I feel like my whole life sometimes is on the internet. That is how I talk to friends, family, read the news, etc. I would need the internet. I would also like, and I don't know if this is considered an item, but I think I would be terrible lost without his companionship.

2. If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?Catalina! In fact, the only kind of dressing that I would ever eat is either French or Catalina. I am about the pickiest person ever, and so sometimes I will even carry a little bottle of this around.

3. If you had to live on a ranch, what kind of animals would you raise/own?Horses. I love horses! I have never taken lessons or anything, but growing up in Indiana I have had many friends with farms, and we would always ride their horses on the back trails.

4. If your life was was portrayed as a movie, who would you choose to play you and your significant other?Well, I have had a few people tell me that I resemble Kirsten Dunst, but I wouldn't like her to play me. She isn't my favorite actress. I think I would have to go with Scarlett Johannsen for me, because she is one of the few blond actresses that I can think of that isn't stick thin. Although I think she is much better looking than me. But, hey...it would be a movie about moi, so why not? And as for Joel...hmm...I have no idea! Maybe John Krasinski. His characters have a similar personality as Joel, and he is so darn cute!

5. What was the last thing you put a stamp on (envelope, duh, but what was in the envelope)?
A postcard that I sent out for a postcard swap that I participated in. It was one from Cologne, one of my favorite German cities.

Time for a little fun.

2010-11-13T10:00:00.003+01:00

This weekend has been a wonderful lazy weekend for me, so I thought I would just post something that I saw on someone else's blog. I will bold the ones that I have done. Wow, I can't believe there ae so many! Feel free to do the same!

1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more to charity than you could afford to
7. been to disney

8. climbed a mountain

9. held a praying mantis
10. sung a solo
11. bungee jumped

12. visited Paris

13. watched a thunder and lightning storm

14. taught yourself an art from scratch

15. adopted a child

16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight

22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise33. seen niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person

39. gone rock climbing

40. seen Michelangelo’s David in person

41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. visited africa (Will be doing this very soon)

45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing

(Awful picture of myself!)
49. seen the sistine chapel in person

50. been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching

63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. been sky diving

66. visited a concentration camp

67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London

77. broken a bone

78. been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book

81. visited the Vatican

82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem

84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. kissed a stranger at midnight on new year’s eve
86. visited the white house
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. gotten a tattoo
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person
96. swam in the great salt lake
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

Shutterfly free 50 cards promotion!

2010-11-10T12:28:00.000+01:00

Now, I normally don't get too commercial about things on here, but I have to give a big shout-out to Shutterfly! We had wedding announcements done with them back in May when we got married, and they turned out wonderfully! We were so pleased we knew we would do holiday cards with them, as well. And, as luck would have it, they are being totally awesome and have a great promotion! If I wasn't already excited enough, shutterfly is also offering bloggers like moi the chance to win 50 free cards! This is wonderful! Please go here to get in on this amazing offer. I know I am! They are really a way to send a personal touch to those we care about, and especially since the military has stationed us so far from home, our family enjoy seeing our smiling faces on their Christmas card. Or at least they say that they do :) And, as a big bonus to the military overseas, they also ship APO!

Now, I want to highlight some links for you guys to explore. The first is one to the Christmas cards, of course. There are so many amazing ones! I still can't decide yet!

Christmas cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

Another awesome one is personalized gift tags. They are so darn cute! I am always a fan of the personal touch, an dI think that these really hit the spot!

Christmas gift tags to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-gift-tags

Another one that I recently discover. Canvas Wall Art! Check it out! We are so doing this with one of our wedding photos. And maybe the dog, too...

canvas wall art to http://www.shutterfly.com/home-decor/canvas-wall-art

I hope everybody checks them out! And if you do, I am always willing to offer up my mailing address in order to receive an example. I love getting these!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #20

2010-11-05T15:38:00.000+01:00

Hi all! It is Friday, o I am very happy to be doing anotehr fill-in. I have been sporadic, with the closing up of my part in RHPS, finals this week, and celebrating six months of marital bliss (more on all of that later). So, without further ado, it is time for...

1. A different twist on last week’s question. This week, the first question is: what’s the nicest thing a MILSPOUSE has ever done for you? (brought to you from navy_smurfette)

A military spouse that I barely knew picked me up from the car dealership because she knew that my husband was out of town and I had no one else to come and get me. We had spoken to each other on just a few occasions, and I mentioned that I was going to have to take a taxi and she just outright offered. I thought that was pretty amazing.

2. How often do you drive faster than the speed limit?

Umm...all the time. I know, I am a good driver, but I am always in a hurry and I hate to drive, so I only go the speed limit if someone (or something) is preventing me from doing so. Hey, I live in Germany and have the autobahn...who DOESN'T go fast?

3. Did you have a nickname in school? If so, what was it?

Nope, I really didn't. I had a family nickname, which was slightly embarrassing. My sister had speech problems and couldn't say Kristen, so she would call me "sissy." It was cute until I realized that sissy was also a term for pansy. So, that was embarrassing in high school. But, now that I am older, and everyone in my family calls me that because of my sister, it has grown on me, and I really love it :)

4. If your life was a book, what would the title be and how would it end?
It would be called something to the effect of "The only constant is change." It would end with my life being everything I could make of it.

5. Look back (in your planner if you have one) to September 14th… what did you do that day?

I worked. Other than that, and most likely some schoolwork, that was it. September was a fun month, though, as that was the month Joel's parents were here and we went to London and some other fests around Germany.

Big sigh

2010-10-26T11:01:00.001+02:00

Well, I know I keep things pretty light on here, but I just need to quickly get something off of my chest, and I figured that this was a good outlet. I have always been a believer in "vengeance is the Lord's" or letting Karma take care of things, but I feel both have failed me right now.

Without going into details, we'll just say someone that used to be a big part of my life that wronged me in ways I don't really want to think of had something incredible happen to them. Since the pain that they have caused me, I have seen nothing but good come into their lives. I am happy with my life, and have recovered from the pain, but sometimes I wonder what being nice gets you anymore. Seems that those that are deceitful and cheat their way through life get to have it all, while those of us that work hard and are good, honest people get left behind because of it of the wrongdoings of others.

I don't know. I will get over this and move on. I always do. But, I am lacking the faith that I usually possess to get past this, and I don't know how I am going to recover from that.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #18

2010-10-22T08:42:00.002+02:00

Here is another installment of Friday Fill-in! I really love these things, and they keep me in the bloggy mood. So, thanks to Wife of a Sailor, and without further ado...

1. Are you a night owl or an early bird?
Most definitely NOT an early bird. I hate mornings and I am awful to get out of bed when I have to be somewhere early. My husband, who IS an early bird, hates this about me, but he has at least learned it is better to wait until I am fully functional before having conversations with me.

2. What makes you jealous?
This is an interesting question. What really makes me jealous, although not in a hateful way, is people that had all of the advantages in the world. People, like my husband, that had their parents pay for college while they lived in the dorms and were able to solely concentrate on their studies. My freshman year I was 18 and working two jobs just to try and make ends meet. I also get jealous of those that didn't really work that hard to advance themselves, yet knew someone, and that was enough. I have worked my butt off to get to the point I am, and hate the "Old Boys Club" I see around here. Drives me batty!

3. Have you started Christmas/holiday shopping yet? When will you finish? (There’s only 63 days left!)
I bought my husband one gift already, but that is as far along as I am right now.

4. What would you have a personal chef make you tonight?
Some delicious smoked BBQ Chicken with cheddar mashed potatoes and sweet corn on the cob with some sort of delicious biscuit or cornbread. Gosh, I miss food from back home!

5. Where was your first kiss?
My first real kiss was in my neighbor's barn with one of his friends, who ended up being my first boyfriend for some God unknown reason. Looking back, that kiss was awful! I think he tried to swallow my head! But, my parents still own the house I grow up in, and it is kind of funny to look back at that old barn. Thank goodness I have upgraded kissers (and men) since then!

The AF Birthday Ball

2010-10-18T13:01:00.000+02:00

So, the weekend was super busy and filled with some fun, and not so fun, things. The not so fun things dealt with term papers and homework, but I did happen to get it all done in plenty of time AND still watch my Dolphins win on Sunday. Go Phins!

The fun thing that I had planned could have went either way. We went to the Air Force's Birthday Ball. Now, I have been to many Army Balls, but not AF ones, so I wasn't sure how they would be different, or if they would even be different. This one turned out to be...well, ok! The food was ok, we were in a hanger, which wasn't that great, but worked, and I found out that Tops in Blue is MUCH cheesier than the Army Soldier Show, but I was with my husband, who looked great in his mess dress! He wore his blues for our wedding because we had a casual ceremony, so this was my first opportunity, and he did not disappoint! His commander sat at our table and was quite a hoot to be around, and his wife was really nice too. His First Sergeant came stag and was quite entertaining to see bounce all around making sure things were on point. We danced, we drank (just a little), and we laughed with friends. So all in all it was an awesome night!

The only thing that I will complain about is that it is a trend at the army balls to give away the centerpieces. Well, no one took ours, so at the end of the night we decided to take it. As we were leaving, they totally stopped us and made us return it. Busted! Thanks for being so cheap, Air Force!

A picture of my hair at the end of the night. Still looked great!

The obligatory "prom pose."

Inside the hanger.

Tops in Blue.

Our awesome friends showing us how to party!

Us, very relieved to call it a night.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #17

2010-10-15T11:46:00.000+02:00

It's Friday! I took the day off of work today to get caught up on school stuff, and much to my dismay the website where I need to do my work is down for maintenance. It is such a pain to be overseas sometimes, because convenient times for stateside maintenance are inconvenient for me.

So, without further ado, it is...

1. What are some things on your bucket list? (from New Girl on Post)

I don't really have a bucket list, and am fortunate to have done the huge things that I have always wanted to do early in life (such as live overseas, see Europe, etc.), but I guess there are a few more things out there. I would really like to visit Asia, get my Master's Degree, swim with dolphins, master a new talent, see a Miami Dolphins game in Miami (I know, I know...go Phins!), and own a home. This makes me want to create a bucket list now!

2. How long have you been a MilSpouse and where have you been stationed so far? (from Raising Roscoe)

I have just been married for five and a half months now, so not very long. I have only lived in my home state of Indiana and here in Germany. I should be expanding that list in the summer, though!

3. What is a list of songs that sums up your life so far? (from Confessions of a Sailor’s Wife)

I can't say that there is really a list that I have. I will say that the song "God Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts about sums up my love life, though. Actually, it is Joel and I's song. I have struggled a lot to figure out who I am and what makes me happy, and it took a long time for me to realize that I do deserve that "dream guy" that everyone always told me didn't exist. I went through a lot of heartbreak to realize that settling doesn't make someone happy, and traveled down a broken road that let me straight to Joel. I heart him.

4. What is your favorite kind of pizza?

Nothing will ever compare to the pizza here in Europe. It is fabu, and I haven't been able to repeat it when I have visited the states. I love just a good ole' pizza margherita, which is just cheese pizza. Here in Europe it is so thin and so tasty, I want to take in the cheese, sauce, and crust, and not overwhelm with anything else. My favorite pizza place back home is a tiny mom and pop place called Ballpark Pizza. Simply delicious. But I still stick to just cheese, please.

5. What are three good things in your life right now?
The first is my marriage. Joel and I have had few growing pains, as I am sure that most couples do, but we are still madly in love in that honeymoon kind of stage. He still calls me just to say he loves me, we still hold hands whenever we can and are always cuddling, and he sings to me at night when I can't sleep, and tells me how beautiful he thinks I am every morning. I don't think I could love anyone more.

My family back home. Even though we aren't very close, and I can't say that I miss them all of the time, we are a tight group that will always be there for each other. My mom is stubborn as sin, my dad is stall a frat boy, and my sister is sweet and innocent as punch. But, they are all good people and I have been blessed in my life to be affected by them. For better or worse, they have made me who I am, and I couldn't imagine having any other family.

My friends. I may not have a bazillion friends, but the ones that I do have, that I can actually consider true friends, are wonderful. They are all different, but very caring and good people, and they add a lot to my life. I feel truly blessed in general :)

Budapest...check!

2010-10-14T11:27:00.000+02:00

Ok, so I lied last time. I swear I will eventually post my pictures from London, but I am still on a "Hungary high." Budapest was so much more than we expected! It was a relaxing trip, for once, and I am really glad we chose to go. It was a really random, last minute trip, but a definite recommendation.

So, here are five things about Budapest!

1. It is pronounced not the way it is spelled, but like "booda pesht." We were reminded of this several times throughout our trip.

2. Budapest has the cutest restaurants/cafes that I have ever seen! I fell in love with this cafe that we just happened to stop off at right before we left the city. Best part of our trip. Also, they make some excellent Italian pizza. Who knew?

3. Budapest definitely makes its money off of sex. Someone I work with, before I left, said it was called "booty fest." I laughed it off until I got there. There were fliers for "free pick up" from the escort service and free champagne with "purchase." Hmm... However, I never felt nervous or threatened while I was there. It is just a part of their life, I guess.

4. Budapest is called 'the city of spas" and it did not disappoint! Spas are different in Europe then the states. They are not so much about the treatments, but about the water of the pools. Budapest has hot spring thermal baths that are really healthy for you to just lay in. We want to Rudas spa, which is a Turkish bath that was built during the 16th century during the Turkish occupation. We weren't there very long, but I would recommend going to one and just relax.

5. We thought that the city was very old, and were excited to see, as Joel puts it, "Old Stuff." We found out that while the city itself is old and while it looks old, it was mostly destroyed in WWII. So, they decided to rebuild the city exactly how it was before the war. Small and crazy roads and all.

Is it really October?

2010-10-03T14:53:00.000+02:00

Wow, September really flew by, didn't it? Well, at least we didn't waste the time. The day after Joel's parents arrived we were busy, busy! First stop was my favorite fall wine fest at Bern-Kastel Kues. It is right near the Mosel river, and a beautiful, picturesque little town. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and we left with our bellies full of good food and even better wine.

Joel's parents and us in Bern Kastel Kues.

The Mosel

The fest.

The entertainment

The crowd

It really was a wonderful time. After spending so much time with Joel's parents, I really do realized I am blessed to have them as a part of my family. They are truly wonderful people, and I hope that in forty years, Joel and I are still as happy and in love as they are with each other.

Well, more to come later. Up next...London!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #15

2010-10-01T09:43:00.000+02:00

Hello all! I am on a bloggy role! Two in a row now. And, I hope to post more posts of substance soon. I have just been so overwhelmed lately. Midterms are this week, I haven't felt well at all, I have a friend that has been more drama than friend lately, and Joel has been working a ton of hours in preparation for something at work, so I have just been going to work, doing school stuff, and sleeping. So, here's for a better weekend! And, without further ado...

1. What is the silliest get-up you have ever worn outside of a Halloween party? (from To The Nth)

Have you ever heard of the Rocky Horror Picture Show? If not google it; I'll wait. Our base does a production of this show every year and I participate because one, I like acting and the theater, and two, it is a huge fundrasier, and three...well, I get to be silly and have fun. Well, my favorite part to play is Frank N Furter. Here is what he looks like. And yes, I play a man who plays a transvestite.

For those that know me in real life, they KNOW that I am very conservative and that I don't dress in anything this close to scandalous. So, while it makes me very self-conscious, once the show starts I throw caution to the wind! This is my rebelliousness that I do once a year. And also my silliest get-up :)

2. What is something that you gave up in order to live the military lifestyle? (from Pennies from Heaven)

Control. This is a big thing for me, too, because I am a bit of a control freak! I can't control where I live, when I move, or any normal things like that without jeopardizing my time with my husband, which I get less of than I would like anyways. Is it worth it? Well, I would give up a lot of things to be with the love of my life. Is it easy? Heck no!

3. If money wasn’t a factor and you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why? (from Life and Times of a Displaced Jersey Girl)
This is really hard, because I have been fortunate enough to visit so many of the places that I dreamed about. So, the big one still lingering out there is Australia. I would love to visit there. It looks so beautiful, plus I would like to see all of the natural wildlife and go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. Maybe one day!

4. If you were going to join the military, what branch would you join? Or which MOS/rating would you choose? (from And You Never Did Think)

The Navy! They get to be out on the ocean (and I love the water!) and visit some very exotic places. Plus, they have dolphin trainers! How cool would that be for an animal lover such as myself? Of course, this would only be preferable if I was single. Being married, I wouldn't want to be in any branch. One service member per household for me, please!

5. What is your favorite thing to make for dinner? (from Armendinger Party of 4)

This one is easy! It is a cheese and spinach tortelloni with a garlic and Parmesan cream sauce with smoked salmon bits in it. Heaven!!! And, of course, topped off with one of my favorite wines.

OMG, she baked!

2010-09-30T20:51:00.000+02:00

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 Fill in!

2010-09-24T10:03:00.000+02:00

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!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in!

2010-09-17T10:59:00.000+02:00

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.

I'm a back!

2010-09-13T12:56:00.001+02:00

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!

Friday Fill in!

2010-09-02T10:55:00.002+02:00

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.

Getting Medieval on you!

2010-08-30T20:45:00.001+02:00

I know, I have been slacking on my posts! I didn't even do the Friday fill-in! Dang, I really like those things too! I will do my bestest to post it this Friday, but something uber exciting is happening then. Wait for it...

My in-laws are coming to visit!!!

Now, most women would not be saying this as excitingly as I am, but I have been truly blessed with a great new family. They are sweet, wonderful people, and I am excited to have my first visitors since I have been to Germany. We will be taking them locally around Germany, and also taking a mini-vacation to London! It is about a two hour plane ride from here, and even though I have been before, I am looking forward to sharing this experience with them. I love all things UK. I have been to Ireland, Scotland, and England, and those have been three of my favorite countries.

Now, on to more local things. Fall is (I think) officially here. However, a few weeks ago it was nice and toasty here in Germany. Joel, me, and a few friends went to a local medieval fest, and I wanted to post a few pictures. Everyone gets dressed up in costume, and they have a camp sent up selling yummy treats and crafts. This one was in Kaiserslautern, our home turf, so it was a nice day out.

The local chick band

Camp life

Me and Joel...and naturally people bathing behind us (weird!?!)

A storming of the castle!

Scary!

All in all a good day. :)

Oh what a man I have...

2010-08-23T12:11:00.001+02:00

I have been pretty lucky with my husband's hours. Especially considering that he is in the military. Sure I have to deal with TDYs and Deployments, and we're not going to even go into how bad they suck. But, when he is here with me, he is usually home before I get off of work. It is really nice. We can (usually) make plans for dinner, hang out with friends (we have a Wednesday tv night tradition), and schedule whatever needs to be done as far as joint errands, etc. But, for the past week and this one, he was/will be working 12 hour night shifts. This is a big "boo!" for me because, since I also work, that means I will get to see my husband for about an hour each day. No bueno. So, in order for me to perk up, because in reality I realize that I am one of the fortunate ones with this assignment, I remind myself of some fond memories. So today I am going to send a big shout out to my husband for how sweet he really was recently.

We recently tried a restaurant with some friends in the village next to us (Landstuhl), and really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was quiet, cute, and quaint, and the food and wine were delish! We vowed to return. Joel noticed that there was a "candlelight dinner" special on the menu, and booked us a romantic dinner there a few weekends ago. It was by complete surprise and a truly romantic gesture!

(Table decorations)

We sat down to this lovely table decorated with flowers and candles. Well, let me back that up a second. First, they sat us down at an ordinary table and lit a candle. We were a little perplexed, but hey, it technically was candlelight. When they handed us menus (the candlelight dinner had a set menu) they realized we were at the wrong table, and moved us to a quiet corner of the restaurant away from the main dining room with OUR table, which was absolutely beautiful. They even made a heart out of candles!

(Aww!)

(The view into the main dining room)

The food was absolutely divine! We started off with some yummy homemade bread and quark butter, and they gave us a half bottle of wine of our choice and water. Joel was sweet, and even though he likes dry wine he opted for a semi-sweet bottle for me. We then moved on to the main course. Chateau briand! We also had croquettes, fries (in true German style), cooked veggies, grilled tomatoes, and this mushroom concoction. It was way too much food, but we made good works out of it!

(Yum!)

The meal ended with dessert consisting of vanilla eis and hot raspberries. To everyone that can (especially those in Germany) please try it! You won't be disappointed. We went home and well...I have shared all of the story that needs told. The moral to this posting is that sometimes I need to remember the good things about my husband's career. If we weren't stationed in Germany, we never would have found this delightful place, among many other things. And for these experiences, and many more to come, I am thankful.

Does anyone want to share anything that they have been thankful for lately?

Friday Fill In!

2010-08-20T10:22:00.003+02:00

Ok, this always looks like fun, so I thought I would join in. Wife of a Sailor does this great "getting to know you" questionnaire, and I think I want to play!

1. If you could be a fugitive from the law for whatever reason, what would your crime be? (from It's a Hooah Life)

First of all, I hope never to be in this position! But, gosh...hmm...ok, it would have to be getting in trouble for kidnapping my husband! Cheesy, right? Well, the military is always pulling him away from me and they can never make up their minds about anything. Nothing seems to pass the common sense test, know what I mean? So, I can see myself in this dream world of just kidnapping him and running around the world as a fugitive. I think we are worldly enough we might be able to do it!

2. How long do you think you will be a military family? (from Julie the Army Wife)

Well, Joel now has six years in. If it were up to me, I'd say next year when he can put in his resignation. But, he really loves what he does, and, well...I love him. Se we will be doing this for at least fourteen more years. Wow...did I really just say that? We are lifers!

3. What's your favorite recipe? (from Keep Calm and Soldier On)

Crap! I hate these questions. I am not much of a baker, and I can cook just fine and dandy, but everything I do I just "do." No recipes. I would like to get better at that (anyone?), but for right now I can't share a recipe. :(

4. What would you want your last five words to be when you leave this life? (from My Goal is Simple)

Life was full of love :)
5. Where do you hope to retire? (from Pennies from Heaven)

Wow, I wish I was ready to retire! But, it sure is fun to think about. I am a Midwestern gal through and through, and if I could pick anywhere right now, it would be Louisville, KY. I love it there. Big city with a small town feel, lots to see and do, four seasons, with family and friends near by. What more could I ask for? Just don't ask my husband, the Oregonian, this question. I think he'll slightly disagree.

Blog Hop 2010!

2010-08-09T08:45:00.001+02:00

So, thanks to my bloggy buddy Kendra, I have decided to join the blog Hop 10 that Pensieve is hosting. Seems to be a lot of fun, so if no one minds, I think I will play along!

My name is Kristen, 26, married to my husband who is serving in the United States Air Force. We just got married in May (newlyweds!). We met because we are both stationed in Germany. I, too, work for the military...but I work for the good ole' US Army! So, we tend to have branch wars with the bets of them. But, we truly believe that all paths in life brought us together, and we are one of *those* couples who truly are best friends. Gag me, right? Don't worry, I won't be too sickeningly sweet on here.

My blog is not just limited to military talk, although I am sure that will encompass some of it, because it is a big part of my life! We are also huge travelers and love to post pictures as memories. But, I also blog about randomness of being 26 and still trying to figure life out.

I have a dog, my lovable pug Pugsley, and my super cool cat (ha, get the joke there?) Jaeger. No babies, and that's a whole other part that my husband isn't allowed to bug me about yet. We will be moving next year back to the states, and doing all of those new couple things like decorating, buying a house, me re-finding a job, as I will be following my husband's career (note: I am not so excited about this). I love my husband and I will do my best to not kill him during all of this, because I will miss him...just a little. :)

Working on my fitness...

2010-08-06T09:29:00.000+02:00

So, Joel and I got married in May. We are on three months of newlywedded bliss now. Since we live in Germany and flew to the states to get married, we opted out of taking an immediate honeymoon. Instead, we wanted to focus on new family and friends, and worry about ourselves later. Plus, May is a beautiful time of the year, and we thought it would be better to escape the cold winter to go to the beach. So, we planned a January honeymoon to paradise. No, literally, to paradise. May I present, THE MALDIVES!

www.meeru.com

We will be staying here in a jacuzzi water villa, which will look like this.

I know, right? This is an all-inclusive resort, which will mean a whole lot of swimming, snorkeling, hanging out in the jacuzzi, and relaxing. You know what I will have to wear during all of this? That's right, a bathing suit. You know the problem with this? I feel that I look like this...

Ok, obvs that isn't me, and of course I am not that fat. But, I sure feel like it a lot of days. I have put on more weight in the past year than I can admit to people I have never met. That's bad! But, I am determined to lose some weight before the honeymoon. I have worked out twice this week, and I am not stopping there! I hope to make it to the gym (in between work and school) at least two or three times a week plus working out at home. I need this for me...for my sanity! I want to take lots of pictures during out honeymoon because we didn't have a photographer at our wedding, and I want to make an album out of the two events. So any advice or encouragement is greatly appreciated. I want to be -15 lbs by mid January.

Attainable, no?

I received an award!

2010-07-28T12:19:00.001+02:00

I am ecstatic to get my award from Elizabeth @ http://patandlyzz.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much! I hope everyone checks out her blog.

So, here are the rules!

1. Thank and link back to the person that gave you the award.
Thanks so much!!!

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

a. I have lived overseas for a quarter of my life.
b. When I move back to the US to live permanently, I want to go back to the Midwest. I miss simple things like spring thunderstorms and sweet tea on the back porch.
c. I am an animal lover! Seriously, I wish I could run a no-kill shelter for a living, but I would take all of the animals home.
d. My favorite animal is a puffin. I have traveled to two different countries (which are not the US) just to see them in the wild. I failed on the first attempt and nearly failed on the second.
e. While most people love being associated with the military (i.e. military wife), I don't. I love the friends I have made and the experiences I have, but if Joel wanted to get today I would be thrilled. I want to stay in one place and buy a house and make a career for myself. So why I am super proud and will support him to my fullest...um, yeah...
f. I HATE my apartment! All of my friends live in awesome houses, but my husband got his apartment before he met me and I lived with a roommate when we got married, so I had to move in with him. I keep thinking, only 11 more months, but I miss having a yard and my own driveway!
g. I am really undecided about what to do when I graduate soon. I work for the army now as an Admin Officer, but want to go a completely new direction when I graduate. One day I will decide what I want to be when I grow up...

3. Pass the award to 9 fellow bloggers that inspire you.

Ok, I promise I totally will! But I wanna think about it. I appreciate all of my followers (I find it neat that people care about what I do...and I do the same for you guys!) so I will get back to this.

Slowly but surely...

2010-07-20T12:23:00.000+02:00

Well, I am back from Hamburg, but the "busy-ness" isn't over yet! I have finals this week, soo I will be mostly absent. I just wanted to write about one of the stops I made on my day to Hamburg. It was to Bergen, Germany, the site of a concentration camp during the Holocaust. One of the most famous faces of the Holocause, Anne Frank, took her last breath at this camp. It was a somber experience, one that will always stick with me. Here are a few pictures from that visit. Almost everything that existed during the camp was burned or destroyed, so almost all that is left is the grounds.

Whirlwind!

2010-07-09T09:45:00.000+02:00

I am back from Scotland! It was an amazing trip! We went to Edinburgh, Stirling, and North Berwick. Definitely in my top five, especially as a History major. So much to see and do. I have lots of pictures, but not yet the time to update. So, here are a few teaser pics.

Stirling Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Puffins!

We are leaving after work tonight to head off to an amazing opportunity. My job funded a trip for me to go to Hamburg to stay in a government center for a week and learn all about the German government. Awesome, right? And Joel gets to tag along with me! I am very excited for this opportunity. And, of course, we are going to try and see the sights when we aren't in conferences. So, I promise I will do a better update on Scotland AND do one on Hamburg. I love this blog, and hate when life gets in the way sometimes.

Back...but not for long!

2010-06-29T11:55:00.000+02:00

I feel like I have been too busy the last couple of weeks. School has been kicking my behind (thanks to my dreaded statistics class), work has been uber busy as we are short staffed because everyone else is taking a summer vacation (mine will come this winter, tee-hee), and I have been trying to take advantage of the nice weather.

I started to try and take advantage of the weather by going to Zurich, Switzerland a few months ago. See the *ahem* nice weather???

Yeah, me neither.

It was nice, though. We went to the largest indoor water park in Europe (cyber high-five!) and had fun acting like kids going down all of the water slides. Then they had a natural brine pool, and I have no idea what that means, but it was as warm as bath water outside, so it was really nice to float around in. I miss having a pool.

We toured the city and I get my coveted Starbucks (twice!) and got to enjoy some yummy food! Check out Joel and his huge sausage!

It was nice to get away. Countdown to this weekend when we go to...SCOTLAND! And we get to see (hopefully) Puffins! I know I sound crazy but they are my favorite animal and I was one week too late to see them in Ireland. So I am going to their natural habitat and they better be there! And, if you have no idea what I am talking about, here is what they look like.

Not my picture, BTW.

Super cute, right? I am also a huge history buff so we are going to follow the Mary, Queen of Scots Trail and have some yummy food. I am even hoping to get Joel into a Kilt! And of course try some of the local whiskey. Oy, oy, oy!

Ack!

2010-06-25T11:07:00.000+02:00

So, I get my first award, then I totally get busy and haven't written in a while. Bad Kristen!

This will be short, but I promise I will update later. We got back from Switzerland Sunday night. It was a great visit, we spent too much many (that place is crazy expensive!), got rained on the whole time, but I got Starbucks and indoor water park time, so all was well.

This weekend i get to play Air Force Wife and go to an open house. This will be my first function, so I am pretty excited. Usually I am stuck in army land with my own job. It will be nice to kick back.

Next weekend is Scotland! Heck yeah! Super duper excited (obviously) and preparing for the trip. Picture overload will be coming, I am sure.

Just took midterms and I have a paper due this weekend; ugh. I will be working on all of that and trying to get some quality sleep and hubs time in. Work has been killing me lately.

You shouldn't have! But, thanks!

2010-06-21T10:19:00.000+02:00

So, one of my favorite bloggers nominated me for my first award!

I am so stoked! I always see these fun little guys and get so jealous! So, as a special shout out, you should totally check out K's blog at http://uncorkandunwined.blogspot.com/. Another K and J!

So, as per the rules, I'm supposed to share 7 things about myself and then nominate other bloggers for the award.

Seven Things About Myself:

1. I am a tad bit of a control freak. Ok, so a lot. I literally feel shaky when a situation is happening and I have no control over it. And I hate surprises, in case that wasn't too obvious! It freaks me out when people say things like " I bought you something" but then I can't know anything about it or have it. Drives. Me. Bonkers! But, Joel deals with it nicely.
2. Matching in K's number two, I have also loved the color pink for years now, but hated it growing up. The first time I got something pink and liked it was in 2002 when I graduated high school. I have loved the color ever since.
3. I am deathly afraid of clowns. Ok, I will wait for the laughter to stop. But, seriously! Joel's fantastic proposal was almost ruined by the scary clown that stalked me in Rome. I totally had nightmares!
4. I love to read, but I don't read very much non-fiction, so I feel really dumb about joining book clubs. I would (MOST of the time) rather read about stuff that has actually happened. I think actual life is fascinating!
5. I am one of those crazy reality tv show watchers. Yes, I know how ridiculous the real housewives are. But I can't stop watching their living train wreck!
6. I have a crazy love/hate thing with my body and food. I want to lose weight and I know I could do it if I just put some more effort into it. But, I love eating and living in Europe affords me some great eating opportunities. So every time I lose that dreaded five pounds, I travel somewhere and more than sample the bad cuisine and wine. Bad Kristen!
7. I wish that I had more girlfriends around here. I always seem to make great friends right before they are moving. I love my husband, and as cliche as it sounds, he is my best friend. But I know his idea of a fun Friday night does not include pedicures, martinis, and Twilight. Know what I am saying?

As far as the nomination process goes, even though her blog is way cooler than mine, I would like to nominate Lauren from http://www.saltsays.com/ for this prestigious awards! Seriously, she is so funny. Go read her blog!

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Gleetastic!

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So much!

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Friday Fill-In!

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Friday Fill In!

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Mil Spouse Friday Fill-in!

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Friday Fill-in!

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Friends

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Christkindlmarkt

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MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #24

Special Olympics

Egypt...check!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #22

Time for a little fun.

Shutterfly free 50 cards promotion!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #20

*Big sigh*

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #18

The AF Birthday Ball

Big sigh