Chills me to the bone

I am LOVING some 80's music these days thanks to Glee. 

This week has been crazy and I am glad that it’s over – never before have I been SOOO glad!  Tonight will be a mommy and me night with Diva (I have a special surprise that I think she will LOVE!) and then family time tomorrow.  Maybe we can buy/hang our curtains in our living room??  We have had the outside curtains in a bag for the past month now but need to purchase the inside sheers.  Haha.  Sadly I have a scheduled appearance to make tomorrow night... should be short and sweet.  Only a few more to do before November and it's over... maybe.

My Friday Fill In!

1. I always feel like I’m  38 years old, but in reality, I’m 31 .  When I am with Diva’s friends parents I feel super young because most are older than me but around my work and peers I feel WAY old because of our lifestyle and all we have gone through in comparison.
2. I wish my family understood better when I tell them that being the wife of a deployed Soldier isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  I’ve had my family tell me more than once that I “knew what I was getting in to when I married Hubby”, Well- there is NO way to understand being the wife of a deployed Soldier until you’ve been there.  Sorry – no amount of money makes up for nights alone. 
3. If you saw me when I am all dolled up in pageant attire, you’d think I was a total girly-girl, but if you saw me when am in my jeans and flip flops, you’d think I was a tomboy through-and-through.
4. I feel like I’m in a totally different universe when I’m at a parent teacher meeting... I still feel like a child.
5. In honor of this being MFF #60… 60 months ago  (exactly 5 years ago, so September 30, 2006) I lived in Santa Ana, CA  and my life was totally different because I was single and just finishing my homestudy for Diva.

1. Do you apologize to your kids if you're wrong?  Yes, I do.  Well, I try to but sometimes I tell her she was right and move on.  I didn’t come from a very apologetic family so I didn’t learn well.

2. Do you have a class ring, letterman's jacket, or similar obscenely priced high school "must have"?  Yes, I have my class ring that I wore for about 6 months and it has been in my jewelry box ever since.  WASTE of MONEY!

3. If you could be one age for the rest of your life, what age would you choose?  I am happy at 32 I think... only been here for a few months and it seems good.  Maybe 35 though because that seems like a truly adult age.

4. What is your favorite (unused) baby name?  Amelia – If we have another daughter that will be her name!

5. If you could make your child like something what would it be?  Currently I would love for her to LOVE to read and be good at it – future though I want her to travel, go to college and LIVE before she settles down with a family.

Happy Friday!

My inner Joe Dirt

This morning I went for FUN – got up a little bit early and did my hair.  What I mean by this is, I clipped in my extensions or “Drag Queen” hair as I call them.  I added about 6” onto my short hair and flat ironed/ curled it all and look HOT!  It's all big and curled and ... holy moly!  I love to wear my hair, it makes me feel SO SUPER sexy.

I get to work and it’s a conversation piece about how GREAT my hair looks this morning, how I should wear it down more and so many commented they never realized how long my hair was (it's only an inch past my shoulders usually... today it's 2 in past my bra strap).  GEEZ NO ONE pays that much attention to me around here... Although it makes me desperately miss my long hair.  One guy mentioned my length and I replied “well it’s been this long for awhile now, I mean since about 6:00 this morning!”  He looked TOTALLY confused and walked away.  Good grief!

Diva was awesome this morning... got up early, dressed and we headed to school roughly on time.  We met with her teacher last night and found that her reading skills are even worse than we had expected so it’s time to seek a tutor or she will be forever behind.  I am doing the best I can to stay positive because I know she knows this stuff, she just doesn’t trust herself to just READ.

Ahh... parenting!

A record night

Homework is a NIGHTMARE in our house.  The last weeks has been virtually unbearable with Diva so I have been trying to think of anything to get through it.  Last night I thought I would start the night off on a positive so Diva and I went to get our toes painted – for me it was my pat on the back from the walk that gave me REALLY sore big toes.  I know, weird but whatever they HURT!

We got home just before 5 and started homework.  She then proceeded to act like a TODDLER throwing a fit for the next 3 ½ hours!!!!  I am so tired this morning and came up with a new rule – she will go to bed ON TIME regardless of homework status.  IF she doesn’t finish it then she will get the consequences at school – maybe a day or 2 of that will cure her fits.  Heaven knows that staying up that late isn’t helping anyone.  When she gets in that mood, nothing stops her!

I feel like it’s my fault because she was like this all last year as well and Hubby makes comments like “maybe you weren’t paying enough attention” or “I’m sure you were screwing around on the computer instead of paying attention to her”... umm NO!!  I am not a helicopter mom; I sit at our desk NEXT to hers and offer my assistance.  I want her to learn that SHE can do this on her own; she doesn’t need to rely on us for EVERY THING.  I spent the last part of last night in tears because I feel that I failed her, that she is struggling because of something that I missed – AHHH I hate this.  He feels that he knows all the answers based on his ... extensive knowledge about children from being deployed for 15 months???   Oh yeah he worked with 1^st graders over there I’m sure... NOPE, maybe some of his soldiers ACTED like 1^st graders but they were not.  I do not like feeling my parenting critiqued from someone that wasn’t there.... SUPER frustrating!

Anyone else experience acting out kids post deployment?

Thank you! A Creed and a Psalm

Thank you to A Creed and A Psalm for featuring me in their Totally New Tuesday spot!  I love her writting and her ability to make me feel like I am somewhat normal.  haha.

Go Check her out!!

Out of my bed!!

Last night Hubby and I decided to head to bed early after the long weekend we both had – He had Diva ALONE all weekend and the poor man was a bit overwhelmed (ha, try that for 15 months there love!).  So at 9:30 we crawled into bed and I was almost asleep when he asked me the question, “Baby, did you hit me up on Words yet?”  SERIOUSLY...  So for the next almost 2 hours we laid in bed, next to each other playing Words with Friends!!  Yep, so many adult options and that’s where we go...  I am exhausted this morning BUT I am beating him AGAIN.  No more in bed.  We don’t have a TV in our room because I don’t like the idea of watching it in bed... bed is for sleep and possibly procreation.  That’s it!!

Dear Words With Friends... your bedroom privileges have been officially REVOKED!

VA - DC - and the LOATHING of Delta

First of all... I'm sorry to the amazing friend I missed in DC (I SWEAR, I will see you in 2 months!!). In my defense I was so wrapped up in the wonders of the DC Memorials (Arlington, the WA Memorial, The WWII Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, The White House, and the Korean War Memorial) that I almost missed my flight home. Love you both and will see you in November... birthday dinner?

What a wonderful and exhausting yet energizing weekend! Not sure if that makes sense but let me say, I hate Delta (I think that the WEIRDEST people in the world are on Delta, with one exception.) Flights were overbooked, rude flight attendants, lack of overhead space and not on time then early and making me sit on the runway for another hour... oh and the stinky man sitting next to me from LAX to Atlanta (who incidentally touched me and rested his head on me GROSS, I HAVE A BUBBLE!)

Exhausting just because I flew a lot in just 3 days but it was worth every moment. Seeing my friend and her kids was just what I needed. There are some people in this world that you just connect with, people that you know in your heart will be part of your life forever... this is one of those people. We went out for girl’s night, spent family time... reminded me again why I want to live in Virginia. We saw a DEER and there was a turtle in her backyard. The kids were just amazed that we didn’t have turtles in our back yards in California... well; we don’t even HAVE a backyard but oh well.

I am happy to be home – Diva was so excited to see mommy this morning. While I know that she and Hubby had a great time together, mommy and she are a team. I missed that little terror loving Diva more than I can express.

do you really HAVE to...

24 hours from now I will be shopping in DC on a girls trip!  Hubby is none to thrilled... I don’t think that he actually realized I was REALLY going until I started packing.  He just watched me pack and pouted, Diva assisted before she realized what was going on... then she was sad.  I hate leaving for this reason BUT I am in need of a little time away.  This morning he walked around all sullen asking me if I REALLY had to go.  I know he wants me to go and have fun; I have been planning this trip since March but I have never been the one to travel... it’s always been ME dropping HIM off at the airport.  I think it’s just a bit different for him.

Last night was a good Diva night.  She finished her homework, helped me make dinner, said prayers and we had a lovely conversation about her terrorizing us boogery-ness this past few days.  She said she missed alone mommy time, wanted more family time and just gets angry for no reason.  It was interesting to say the least.  Reintegration is SO much fun!  This will be a good daddy daughter weekend!

I’m leavin... on a jetplane! 

Let them eat cake...

Back to regularly scheduled p*ss and vinegar as my mom would say.

Diva's personally made birthday cake for Grammy

Last night was Hubby’s moms birthday... so off to an Anaheim Ducks game we went.  YAY!  First game of the preseason, this princess LOVES Hockey.  Last season with Hubby gone we only made two games... this year I am working for 2 a month!  We shall see.  After the game Diva lived up to her name and threw a tantrum that any 2 year old would have been proud of. 

After a day at school, some homework... TONS of HOCKEY FUN... CAKE and then came the dreaded “Diva, please brush your teeth”  Yep, that was all it took for a full blown tantrum... complete with door kicking, coughing/choking, screaming and floor stomping.  I let Hubby handle this one, something that is NOT new to me being that this has been EVERY time I have asked the child to put away her clothes.  You would think I was asking her to pluck out her toenails and keep them for a pillow.  But with Hubby home I was letting him go this round while I sat and drank my coffee talking to his mom.  Diva screamed, begged, yelled, kicked... and poor hubby, kept his cool and tried to wait it out.  Not this time... 20 minutes of this consistently before he decided that she was actually crazy.  He went to talk to his mom and I went to handle the infant upstairs.  3 minutes and she was brushing her teeth, had kissed everyone good night and was in bed... within 7 she was asleep.  I am just that good (call me the tantrum whisperer)  haha,  really... I just know how to handle it because we have been at this game for awhile. 

While the discussion of why whirled on downstairs I laid in bed with my worn out baby and stroked her hair until she was asleep telling me that she loved me.  I joined the conversation downstairs feeling like I needed a stiff drink.  No answers just a lot of speculation (she's mad at him for leaving, mad a me for him leaving, just angry, mentally off... oh yes I was just THRILLED with this conversation).  She woke up this morning... and all was right in her little world. 

Watching my baby struggle like this is heartbreaking... in the past 60 days her little world has changed drastically.  Daddy came home, then left, we moved into a new house, then changed schools, started school and then daddy came home again.  She is only 7 and this is more than some adults can handle.  She is surely living up to her moniker now!

Post fight... Ducks lost but the fight was worth the 5 minute penalty!

Thoughtful Tuesday

I promise to be back to my snarky uplifting self tomorrow.... some things happened today that made me more pensive than normal.  Sometimes life just pulls you in ways you least expect at 7:15am, before your first cup of coffee is done.  Which got me thinking more than normal...

I have always been one to make a decision and stand by it firmly... OK, maybe not always but for the last several years. My life has been very black and white without an ounce of gray. I have had to do this for self preservation. Having gray leave too much of myself out there and that doesn't seem to work. My heart, my soul and my humility have been tested and I am still here. Now I am strong and sensible, at least I would like to think so. I like being the strong woman that I have learned to be, that I have fought hard to find.
Since October, as I have previously blogged about, my heart has been pulled in a different direction.  I am a survivor of domestic violence (past life), I know this but I don't need to relive the hurt and pain to know that it was real. I remind myself of this often. I am ME - I am a mom and a wife... I am proud of myself and my accomplishments.  I used to wonder if he knew that I was too good, too good for him and that life.. that the college plan I put on hold for him (at his urging) would have made me too much for him. I will never know, nor do I care to find out.
Recently I was asked something that shocked me I was asked to share my story. To put out there, with my face and name, my story. How I went from All American girl, to military wife, to homeless, to ... well ME, Girl ExtraOrdinaire! Instantly I wanted to say HELL NO, uh uh NO WAY. No chance on this beautiful green earth was I going to bring all that up again... all the crap that I dealt with. No chance was I going to put myself out like that NOW. Now that I felt all better... now that I felt like me again. FINALLY 9 years later.
I even told my husband no... OK, he got the HELL NO answer. Via IM my answer was probably not as funny because he couldnt see the face of total disbelief that I had.
Then I thought about one thing that he said to me months ago. I have spent the last 9 years wanting to help someone else, help another woman or girl that was in the same position as I. How could I say no. Maybe my story can show someone that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That no matter how hard it seems now it will get better. So I replied that I would be honored but STILL questioning my decision. I felt the need to agree as my own issues would be handled, besides I could always change my mind as I knew they would understand.  I have talked to friends about this and my fears and decision. They have all been amazingly supportive and said that same thing - maybe my story can help just one person.
I have heard so many times that I don't fit the mold of what people expect to see. Sometimes I feel that I am not what they WANT to see. They want to believe that it happens to others, it happens to lower income people in other areas not middle class Caucasian women in Orange County. They do not want to see an article with a tall blond girl that looks like their daughter because it makes this real and not a lifetime movie. I NEED to do this for me and for them. I need to stand up and say, My name is Princess and I survived domestic violence.
I am bless and grateful to have my life, my future and the ability to speak for women that didn't and no longer have the option. 

Happier note... Diva is still hopeless on color coordinating her clothes!  Yep she tried Kelly Green Shorts (with a lighter green polka dot) with a bright turquoise tshirt!  Oh sweetheart.  Then I tried a jean skirt with the same shirt and I got "Mom, I can't play rainbow in a skirt!"... what the hell is RAINBOW?  Half of her wardrobe is skirts... apparently it's just not a tight skirt!  I am in trouble!

Another year down!

Nope, not my  birthday but another breast cancer walk. 

What a weekend!  Here are the stats:

3500 calories burned

$1862 raised

$300+ spent for hotel room

39.3 miles walked

21 donors

13 hrs 30 min walked

6 pairs of socks

3 blisters

2 pairs of shoes

Memories to last a lifetime!

This was our 4^th Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – it was AMAZING.  This was the first year that Hubby was there for all of it.  Day 1 he and Diva made signs and met us at the end... 26.1 miles and 8 hours of walking!  We were able to share a wonderful Italian dinner (I carb loaded on Chicken Picata, SO GOOD!)  On Day two, the last 13.1 miles, he and Diva brought his mom and I McDonalds on the route and were there cheering us on every mile along the way.  It was wonderful.  I couldn’t be more excited that we finished it without issues.

Here are some pics of the event... I am too sore to type much more!



One of the signs Hubby had



Diva's sign

Randomly in the middle of a neighborhood around mile 32

Actually choked me up a bit

between mile 37 & 38

"For us all"

Another Hubby sign

This Pricess doesn't own flats!  Blisters, sore feet and all... still rocking my boots!

Opening Ceremonies

Starting my 26.2 mile treck

This morning my mother in law and I will embark on our 4th Avon Walk for Breast Cancer!  We have collectively walked and trained over 1000 miles in that time frame!  I will update tonight with pictures and some little ditties of fun from our day.


Wish me luck!

Anniversary Recap and My favorite Friday activity!

Perfection...  that’s about all I can say. 

Hubby and I always stick with the traditional anniversary gifts (Year 1 paper, year 2 ...) this year was Flowers and Fruit.  It’s a hard one for a wife to buy her husband flowers and fruit... instead I bought him things that SMELLED like flowers and fruit.  Thank you Bath and Body Works for your assistance!  Then I swung through See’s Candy because... well I misunderstood didn’t listen properly and thought hubby said it was Flowers and Candy!  Oh well... he was happy.  In turn, he got me a basket of fruit and 4 dozen roses... I LOVE them and I am NOT a rose fan but they were beautiful.

I planned the date and he planned dinner... so we drove down to Newport Beach and went on a romantic gondola ride through Newport Harbor.  VERY cool for you So Cal people... I would HIGHLY recommend it.  It was SO quiet, romantic and nice to just be the two of us for the night.  We could either talk or not, it was up to us.  Then he chose dinner at the place we shared our first date, and where he proposed.  This is the BEST Mexican Restaurant I have ever been to, total hole in the wall but GOOD!

Embarrassingly enough, we were home by 9:15.  In our defense I had to work this morning and still had to pack for the big breast cancer walk this weekend.  39.3 miles is seeming MORE and MORE daunting today, but not sure why.

LOVE LOVE learning more about my fellow MilSpouse bloggers!  I learn so much about my fellow bloggers and can’t wait to learn more. 
Each week, Wife of a Sailor will post a list of questions on Thursday (so you can have your blog ready on Friday). Head back on Friday and enter your blog post into Mr. Linky so others know who else participated and we can all visit other blogs.  And please feel free to use the button above!This week’s questions are:

1.         Right now, our weather is crappy... overcast and grey but what I’d really like is sunny and warm!

2.         I like to let my hair down and live without makeup on. 

3.         Mommy Rambles made a post about heroes… my hero is  Diva because she doesn’t care what people think about her, she just lives her life and is happy. 

4.         It’s a weird combination, but I swear 1 green, blue and grey patterned sock and one argyle sock are a perfect pair!

5.         Some may see the glass half empty and others may see it half full, but I  figure I drank it so I may as well deal. 

Check out and link up to Five Question Friday over on Five Crooked Halos (LOVE THIS BLOG!)

Questions for Friday, September 16th: (Special thanks to @Lovely_Lici, @kneatfreak, @gasfamily, @trooppetrie, and Lora for their question suggestions! I would LOVE you for ever and ever amen if you would offer up any question suggestions for me over at my community...and I'll be sure to link you up in a future 5QF! You can also watch for my Twitter shout out for questions on Thursdays and offer up your best questions that way, also! Just remember to @5crookedhalos me and use hashtag #5QF!)

1. If you had a weekly newspaper column, what would you name it?

Me, Myself and I wish it were quiet!

I still haven’t found much peace and quiet since Hubby got home but I am tryin.

2. Who is your mentor/inspiration?

I don’t think I really have either... People inspire me to want to be better.  After being homeless for a bit in 2002 after the end of a very abusive relationship I have seen the kindness in people and really want to give back all I can.

3. What is your wake up beverage of choice?

I LOVE a good cup of black coffee with a scoop or two of sugar!  I never liked coffee, then became addicted to Starbucks, then bought a house and became cheap!  Black coffee is awesome.

4. Would you wear your mom's clothes?I love her but not typically... main reason is that my mom is 4 inches shorter than me so it wouldn’t be a good look.

5. When you were a kid, did you put posters on your wall? If so, what were they of?

OK- my Gay-dar was TOTALLY broken as a young girl... FOREWARNING!  Posters of: Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Brandis, Jonathan from NKOTB,  and Chad Murray.  Yes, they are all gay!  Funny to me now as my husband is the gayest straight man I know... and I mean that lovingly.  He dresses well, is stylish, loves to clean, is all about fitness... I love my little Martha Stewart.  And, just for the record I don’t actually question his sexuality.

Happy Anniversary!

It's amazing when you feel that no matter what is going on in the world... it's just the two of you there!

On September 15, 2007 I married my best friend after a whirlwind romance.  Hubby and I re-met online 4 days after he returned from his last deployment, went out on our first date 2 weeks later... moved in together after another 2 weeks, became parents (through adoption to a 2 ½ year old, this was something I was pursuing BEFORE I met him) and were married 10 months after we met.  Everyone thought we were crazy, that we were moving too fast... and I know some thought it wouldn’t work.  Well, here we are 4 years and a 15 month deployment later and I am still in love and married to my best friend.  Yes, we have both changed and our relationship has evolved but we did it together with the promises of better and worse.



Our engagement photo... thats how we roll!



Last night we giggled about what we were doing on the 14^th of September 2007 and again last year...  The night before our wedding he was drinking Jameson and coke with his Battle Buddies while I was trying to get a tired and cranky 3 year old to sleep.  Last year he was in Germany accompanying a Soldier from Iraq while I was trying to get a tired and cranky 6 year old to sleep.  Hmm... some things never change.  This morning as his blurry eyed self was getting up, almost an hour after me I must say, he smiled and thanked me for putting up with him... I said “Your Welcome” to which he said .... AND?  “Baby, I can’t thank you for putting up with me because I am the best thing to happen to Wifedom since an apron, I am pretty amazingly perfect, never have cramps or nag, wait on you hand and foot... and always put out”  ok... I said all but the last part but good grief!  Haha.  Anyhow, he has put up with a lot but when you love someone that is what you do.  I am thankful to have him home this year to celebrate with a moment that will mean the world to both of us.

What a difference a year makes!  Last year on our anniversary this was our date... 

Then I took Diva out to a nice dinner at Bennihana’s!  She LOVED being my big girl and date.

This year it’s going to be early to bed – leaving tomorrow for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and a long 39.3 mile trek to help bring awareness to and wipe out breast cancer.  I am blessed to have his support, love, faith and understanding because I know this life wouldn’t be the same without him.  He has never questioned my countless hours volunteering to save the ..., he helps me write speeches for both domestic violence awareness and helping the families of our fallen, he has been to his fair share of beauty pageants and even (sort of) watches them at home with me... I couldn’t ask for a better partner to share life with.  Thank you and Happy Anniversary my love.

Thoughts...

I admit, fully, that I tend to keep those around me at arms length. There are very few people that I let... into the circle so to speak. I don’t like to open up to people, I choose not to. This is a cognoscente choice that I make, it is not accidental or sub consciencely is INTENTIONAL. In the past 10 years my friends have changed as has my life and as have I. I do not hold it against most people as I know that being me isn’t always easy to handle. I occasionally have panic attacks over simple things like going on base in San Diego or have significant insecure moments in my life… but this is me. I do not lie about who I am or what I can offer as a friend but I may choose to not let you in and leave you as an acquaintance. To call you my friend takes a lot, it takes a trust factor and reliability. There are few that I would consider friends and if I call you that, I mean it and it should be taken as such.

Deployment has been eye opening... thank you to those still here and thank you to those that chose to walk away.

40 miles, port-a-potties, and ...

Sucking at blog posting lately... mainly because I can't decide how MUCH I want to put out there in cyberspace.  When my brain goes haywire with overload I have to pull back or put it all out there... tough choice.

First of all I feel like crap.  Thought I had a kidney infection but doctor says that there is nothing going on.  Great... just feel like crap! With my 40 miles breast cancer walk this weekend it couldn't happen at a worse time.  Plus my guess is that I am getting ready to start... JOY.  40 miles, port-a-potties... and tampons YIPPEE!   Hubby went to my doctors appointment and called me out for not drinking enough water or taking my thyroid medication regularly.  I know it's because he cares but really....   As you've seen Hubby is home and I am so blessed he is safe but it's been a rough transition at times... there are days where I feel like he just doesn't get me any more (nor do I understand him) and other days where life is AMAZING.  This causes so much confusion and frustration... I don't understand HOW life and communication was so perfect for 15 months while we were 8000 miles apart yet heads straight into the toilet when we are in the same house. 
My brain is trying to wrap around it but not working so well... Instead of dwelling on my frustration I will answer a quiz thingy.

Hopefully I will be back to myself soon.

The A-Z of Me

I believe I've done this before, but saw it once again on the lovely Liz's blog and thought I'd participate since I have some new readers.  Without further ado, the A-Z of yours truly.

A. Age: 32 (I keep forgetting that I am not 30 anymore when people ask)
B. Bed size: CalKing... what?!
C. Chore that you hate: I hate putting my clothes away.  Sadly it’s my fault because I wait until I am out of clothes to wash them
D. Dogs: Can't live without them.
E. Essential start to your day: Caffeine!  Coffee or Green tea
F. Favorite color: Red!!
G. Gold or Silver: Silver.
H. Height: 5’10
I. Instruments you play: haha... the triangle if I am lucky and your tone deaf
J. Job title: Procurement Coordinator
K. Kids: Have one and deciding on number dos
L. Live: Southern California
M. Mother’s name: Mom
N. Nicknames: None... yep, sad but true.   
O. Overnight hospital stays: just one... when I was 4
P. Pet peeves: Slow drivers and those that don’t use blinkers!
Q. Quote from a movie: Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy... Happy people just don’t kill their husbands, they don’t!  Elle Woods, Legally Blonde
R. Right or left handed: Righty.
S. Siblings: Younger brother and sister
U. Underwear: yep... own them!
V. Vegetable you hate: Eww... there is a list.  Lima beans, brussel sprouts, okra... cauliflower
W. What makes you run late: Diva
X. X-Rays you’ve had: hands, feet...
Y. Yummy food that you make: Chicken curry over rice... but Hubby does the majority of our cooking these days.
Z. Zoo animal: My house is a zoo... who needs to spend the money.

Mon Blahday...

Yesterday was so emotionally ... well emotional.  It was a hard day for us as a family, a hard day for Hubby and I individually... and a hard day.

My morning blog roll... prayers

I am in LOVE with a blog... actually SEVERAL blogs.  This is my morning schedule  - my morning starts way too early.  I help get Diva ready and for the last 2 weeks have been able to leave early while Hubby is still on leave and taking her to school.  Then on the road, the 21 mile drive takes anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour (depending on a 5 minute leave time from home).  Once I get to work I check all my favorite blogs – you can see some of them to the right.  Then I check the Possessionista.  She watches random Tween and reality shows and reports style and where the items come from often including normal persons realistic purchase place... this Army wife can not/will not pay $200 for Pippa’s SUPER cute blush colored maxi dress.   Yes, I waste my first hour on crap...

This morning though I read something and it broke my heart.  The Unlikely Wife just found out that her husband was injured in country and has lost his legs.  She started with the fact it’s the second worse thing to hear from the military and my heart sank.  This was a conversation that Hubby and I had many times throughout our relationship.  He has always mentioned a larger, for lack of a better word, fear in losing a limb than his life.  As a wife I truly don’t know if I have an opinion... but I do know that my heart and prayers go out to the Unlikely Wife and her husband.  I pray for his health and their peace and patience.  Regardless of branch we are all military wives and will all stand together when needed – I have never met her or know where she lives but I do know that if she needs anything we are all there for her.

You ARE in 2nd Grade, RIGHT?

Last night was Diva’s first night of real homework and good grief! 

Last year was a struggle for her and I – trying to get into the homework rhythm was tough and her mind was always otherwise occupied (umm daddy in the sandbox will do that to a kid!).  At the end of the year she was advanced but with a huge emphasis put on math and fluency as that is where she was doing so poorly.  Some days I feel that I failed her as a parent because I allowed her to worry about her daddy and gave her too much Leigh way with it.  I am not sure if that was the case or if she would have struggled just as much with him home.  Either way, this year is pivotal or they may want to retain and I just REFUSE to do that.

So last night she opened up her super cute little folder (1 step from a PeeChee) and we reviewed her homework for the week.  HOLY COW, that’s a lot of work!  Her Tuesday work alone is:

• Write your 15 spelling words 3 times a piece
• Practice your 12 vocabulary words (different from spelling words)
• Pages 1-4 of your math book
• Practice your reading fluency sheet
• Read for 20 minutes

There is the full week of work in there so we know what to expect and it’s basically the same amount every night.  In addition to her Thursday spelling test and Friday vocabulary test she will have her weekly fluency exam and bi-monthly math tests.

Of course she dawdles and whines and there is often some crying in there so it takes us a minimum of an hour to finish all of this... occasionally longer.  Somewhere after that is bath time, dinner time, family time... and then bed.  She has had a bed time since she was little and I have barely altered it because it seems that she really needs the sleep.  She also still chooses to nap on weekends.  We got home, did homework in AN HOUR, then shower (no time for a bath), dinner by daddy and we all cuddled up and watched Rio.  She was about 30 minutes late for her bedtime but it was totally worth it to sit on our couch as a family watching a cute movie. 

At what age did you alter your child’s bedtime? 

RETREAT!

This weekend was Hubby’s homecoming party – and our housewarming party.  I invited 45 of our closest family and friends, and a TV crew (that’s all I can say at this point!) to join us.  I have been so excited for this party and I LOVE having friends and family over and entertaining but it also gets to be just a bit too much for me.  After being with just Diva for the past 15 months I was, to say it mildly, overwhelmed most of the weekend.  I did my best to be social but many times I just retreated to the bedroom alone for a moment. There were also moments that I found myself just staring at Hubby... weird I suppose.  I loved having everyone over enjoying having my WHOLE family together and being in our new home.  It was the people that meant the most... they were there.

Sunday was a block party at my mother in laws... a lot of fun.  Diva and Hubby were super social as were my in-laws, I spent my time with a sweet couple that has been together 34 years!  We talked cats, domestic violence and my future career (the friend of theirs is a Victim Advocate).  Stimulating for me to say the least.  Diva was in her true fashion of being just a total talking back pain, she LOVES showing off.  Not working for this mommy.  After a morning trip to the Northwoods Memorial and being mentally and emotionally exhausted, yesterday I found myself retreating to our bedroom while Diva took a nap and Hubby hit the gym – I pulled out the laptop and plugged into my book.  I spent the next 2 hours, without realizing it, editing and writing.  It’s nice to check out a little and get back to me. 

Tonight will be a family night, just Hubby, Diva and I watching Rio on the couch in PJ’s.  She may be late to bed but we all need this few moments alone. 

Back to our new normal!

You you you... Usually

My first iPhone update. Yay. Today is the last day of our super busy weekend. Huge homecoming and our house warming party. Oh and it was filmed by TLC. Yeah that's how Our homecoming rolls. Haha. What a fun time with our closest fiends and family.
I can admit that I am so glad it's over though. Now the real part of reintegration come into Play.

Happy Labor Day!!

Now back to my Toby Kieth marathon!!

Is it really Friday?

TGIF!  Hubby and I got about 3 hours of sleep last night doing the final decorating and touch ups for my Father in Law and his wife staying with us this weekend and Hubby’s homecoming party – We are simply exhausted.  I went to Coffee Bean this morning and asked for the biggest baddest latte with the most shots of espresso possible just to wake me up... but I walked out with a 3 shot medium I mean I do like my heart and my stomach people.

I am SO excited that his party is tomorrow and then we can go back to our normal life... of sitting on the couch watching mindless TV instead of spending EVERY night since he’s been home shopping, assembling and decorating our new home.  NOW we get to enjoy it.  Every moment of the process will be worth it when his party starts and we can spend the day with our closest family and friends.

I do have to say this.... Reintegration is a b*tch!  For every moment I felt like he never left have been 2 moments that I feel that he has been gone years.  We connect in certain ways at a certain point in time and then can’t connect the same others.  This whole decoration project has been a lifesaver though.  Giving us a task to perform together and work together has been wonderful.  I mean the man STILL over thinks everything and puts 26 lines on the wall to mark off where 2 screws need to go to hang a mirror (and still manages to put them in the wrong spots!) but working together has been FABULOUS!

I can’t wait to share pictures of his party... and incidently for those who follow me from Facebook, I want to let you know that this blog will no longer be linked to my page as I feel it doesn’t allow me to truly be ME without judgement.  For the rest of you... thank you and I must say the blog will only get better!

HAPPY 3 day weekend... and NOW for Friday Fill in.

I LOVE LOVE learning more about my fellow MilSpouse bloggers!  I learn so much about my fellow bloggers and can’t wait to learn more. 
Each week, Wife of a Sailor will post a list of questions on Thursday (so you can have your blog ready on Friday). Head back on Friday and enter your blog post into Mr. Linky so others know who else participated and we can all visit other blogs.  And please feel free to use the button above!This week’s questions are:

1. My plans for this weekend include HUGE homecoming party and surprise for Hubby, but what I’d really like to do is … actually I can’t think of anything because we were up until almost 3 getting the last things together for the party and my inlaws staying with us.

2. I consider the Labor Day holiday an awesome reason to have 3 days off.

3. My favorite meal for cookouts is hotdogs and potato salad with corn on the cob, but my Diva wouldn’t agree.

4. So far, my favorite part of summer has been moving into our new house and watching Diva make new friends.

5. When it comes to deployments, my philosophy is LIVE!  I spent the first part of deployment feeling like I couldn’t do SO many things without Hubby and the second part catching up and planning for homecoming.

 

A few more... cause I am SO not in the mood to work!!

Check out and link up to Five Question Friday over on Five Crooked Halos (LOVE THIS BLOG!)

1. Shoes in the house - yay or nay?

HELL NO!  I hate shoes in the house... Shoes bring in dirt, crap and other nonsense and destroy my carpet.  We even have a cute little sign that says... Please remove your shoes!

2. What do you call them- flip flops, slippers, thongs, etc?

Flip flops baby... I LIVE in them!

3. What song are you almost embarrassed to admit you know all the lyrics to?

Introducing me by the little Jonas from Camp Rock 2 – “I like cheese but only on pizza please and sometimes on a homemade quesadilla otherwise it smells like feet to me...”

4. What is the best quality to have in a friend?

Commitment – with my husband military and civilian careers I really count on my friends to be there for me when he is gone for 3 weeks or 15 months.  I can’t stand fair-weather friends... although this deployment was FULL of them.

5. Do you know what you want for Christmas?

Hubby is already home and got me the most amazing birthday gift so I couldn’t ask for anything else... oh wait, I am dying for my own