11 in '11

I saw this linky party over on Flip Flops and Combat Boots - Thought it would be fun to recap the year in just a few questions.  2011 has brought so many ups/downs and changes in my life, my world... and my family.  I am blessed and thrilled to be starting 2012 with new friends, new adventures and a new direction. 

Well, 2011 is almost over! Wow! That went fast! As a fun way to commemorate {is that even an appropriate word?! I don't know, it sounded good} 2011, Miss Kindergarten is throwing a part-ay! All you have to do is think back at your favorites in 2011 and add a few pictures. What a fun way to remember the year, huh!? You can use these prompts if you'd like, or just type up your 11 favorite things! 

11. Favorite movie you watched:

10. Favorite TV series:

9. Favorite restaurant:

8. Favorite new thing you tried:

7. Favorite gift you got:

6. Favorite thing you pinned:

5. Favorite blog post:

4. Best accomplishment:

3. Favorite picture:

2. Favorite memory:

1. Goal for 2012

11: Favorite Movie You Watched
Rio – it was a cute movie BUT it was the first movie we watched after Hubby got home from Iraq.  The memory of sitting there on the chair eating popcorn as a family is priceless.
10: Favorite TV Series

Toss up – Army Wives and SVU.  Both are permanently imprinted on our DVR.

9: Favorite Restaurant

Red Robin... sad but true.  LOVE that all three of us can eat there AND mommy can have an adult beverage if the mood calls for it and Diva is NONE the wiser

8: Favorite New Thing You Tried

I suck but I haven’t tried anything new this year... I have been surviving, so I guess that’s new.

7: Favorite Gift You Got

Diva made me a coffee mug for my birthday... by far my favorite gift ever.

6: Favorite Thing You Pinned

I’ve never pinned anything... and truthfully am dying for an invitation to Pinterest! HINT

5: Favorite Blog Post

Homecoming... I loved the pictures, I loved the memories and the moments... I LOVED HOMECOMING

4: Best Accomplishment

We bought our first home in July... pretty proud of us.

3: Favorite Picture

HOMECOMING!

2: Favorite Memory

Diva’s birthday at Disneyland.  It was on R&R and our first family outing this year.  I LOVED that day... all but the stupid skort (gave me diaper butt!) that I had to buy due to the dress code at Club 33.

1: Goal for 2012

Lost my 10lbs, finish the nightmare that is reintegration, get back to school

Christmas Recap...

 I have been seriously sucking at my blog lately.  With Christmas and family in town I have totally run out of time for basically everything... including personal hygiene (ok, not really but that’s how I feel!)!!

Thursday brought the Hubby home... late in the afternoon.  Early Friday my in-laws got into town – Father in law, his wife (from Nevada and stayed with us) and my brother in law and his wife (all the way from Florida!).  It was also FAMILY BAKING NIGHT... with baking socks! We really look forward to this every year - my mother in law and the girls spend a day baking, this year all the girls AND the boys participated and we had so much fun.  Diva got a tummy ache from sneaking so much cookie dough! 

Saturday was just a family day all the way around.  Christmas Eve is my mother in laws night – she bakes a full dinner and we all get to spend the time together eating and hanging out.  My Grandma joins us every year as well, she is my only family left in the Sunshine State.  We are super close and I LOVE spending holidays with her.  We even got to open gifts because of the fact that my brother in law and his wife were spending Christmas with her family.  It was nice to be together.  Diva just LOVES having family and just loves her Uncle CJS.

Santa was up WAY late Christmas EVE... like 0230 Christmas morning... just getting everything together and wrapped perfectly.  I swear... as kids we got up at 0230 to check to see if Santa had been there, not Diva!  She slept in until 6:15!!  Up and atom bright and early... then LOTS of opening and smiles.  Mommy got a coffee mug, says “My Favorite People call me Mommy!”,  an iPod touch (my old iPod died!) and a beautiful ring that is Divas birthstone PLUS her favorite color.  The Hubby got his roof rack for his bike...and clothes.  Then there is my angel... I LOVE seeing Christmas through her eyes... especially when her eyes are LOST and she can’t figure out her gifts.  My 2 favorite LOST Diva moments:

Me- Oh wow, do you know what this is?  Diva- NOPE Me- UMMM it’s a TV for your wall sweetheart  Diva- But I have a TV, why another one?  AHH my baby- Her current TV was the Hubbys from HIGH SCHOOL!

Diva opens a box and in it is a letter from Santa, A Gift Card and a Catalog for... A NEW AMERICAN GIRL DOLL!!  Later she comes up to me and asks why Santa gave her a catalogue and not the doll.... the Letter said that it was so Diva, her mommy and daddy could go to the LA store and she could pick out the PERFECT doll because Santa’s sled was low on space after her BIKE.  So she is carrying around her catalogue... poor baby.

With all these great gifts... she is attached to a $10 microphone and a $15 video camera!  Seriously, next year it will be all gifts under $20! 

Monday... Monday was a lovely mildly relaxing day that allowed for some cleanup.  Tuesday everyone left and Diva and I stayed snuggled at home most of the day just enjoying each other and the quiet of the day... and a bit of laundry!  I say it all the time but that kid has an IMMENSE amount of laundry/clothes!!

Back at work for the week and loving some time away.  I also started back to the gym yesterday to lose those last pesky 10lbs that I hate and seem to be totally centralized on my tummy and booty.  I need to get into swimsuit shape for any trips we may take this summer... must look as good or close to the 6-pack man I am married to.

HAPPY THURSDAY!

Secret Santa AND Prayer to Santa

Yesterday ... a LONG day... I got home to the most WONDERFUL thing.  My Secret Santa gift.  It just made me smile, a little tear... and giggle.  Thank you Thank you Thank you!  I will do a WHOLE post about how wonderfully amazing and thoughtful and perfectly perfect this gift was today.  In the meantime... here is a picture.

THANK YOU!!!!

Oh and here is the current weather where the Hubby is... he is supposed to fly out today.  We shall see! Santa... please bring my husband home for Christmas!.

Almost there.... I hope

ITS TOMORROW!  Yes, our countdown better be done tomorrow.  The husband, then the in-laws... and then CHRISTMAS!  Diva is getting excited about it all.  She hasn’t seen her Aunt and Uncle in 6 months, the same with my Father in Law and his wife.  She just LOVES having the family together.  She is doubly excited because my parents sent a gift to be opened BEFORE the 23^rd – she can’t wait, and reminds me DAILY that it MUST be opened.  The you add the fact that this year she is all about Santa but, sadly, has not remembered the being good part – been grounded all week for hiding clean clothes in the back of the closet and UNDER the dresser! 

Tonight is the rest of the cleaning because my LAZY/OVERWHELMED self didn’t get it done last night... instead I got sick!  I have ZERO choice to get it done tonight because I will head to work in the morning and come home WITH hubby... must be done by then.

All I want for Christmas is.... my husband home, beyond that... I got NOTHIN

Finger tapping...

Do you ever catch yourself checking Facebook and Twitter like an addict... then roaming ALL your daily read blogs repeatedly?  OMG - I am dying for Christmas.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE Christmas!  Our house is decorated, mostly cleaned (finishing our room and the office tonight because I got TOTALLY sidetracked by Real Housewives last night) and we are READY for Christmas.  Every day I have been checking my Secret Santa recipients blog... I am DYING to see if she likes what she got.  I really really hope so...  Her family and blog is so cute... I have been stalking her since I got her information.  haha. 

Last night I sat with Diva... we talked about life, prayed for our friends bunny and discussed family and CHRISTMAS!  She asked for 3 things AND finished with a BABY BROTHER.... yeah, kid Santa won't have that in his sleigh.  Maybe next year.  I am counting down for Hubby to be home, for this week of work to be done... AND for everyone to open their gifts.  I diligenty bought gifts this year, I always want to have the perfect gift for each person. 

Random thoughts...

Countdowns, Christmas and a grounded child....

I have said for months... a military wife’s life is according to countdowns.  We are about 4 days away from a home daddy AGAIN – YAY!

I LOVE Secret Santa... LOVE LOVE LOVE them!  On Saturday I got a VERY sweet card from mine – Thank you so much!! I also hope that my Secret Santa gift was received... I love that she sounds so much like me and enjoys it.  This weekend was full of baking, final Christmas shopping, and laundry... and cleaning and decorating.  Hubby’s father and wife are coming in on Friday for the weekend, yippee!!  With all that was done it was a perfect weekend... well ALMOST perfect, missing the Hubby.  Stinks when 10 days turns into 14... hopefully the weather will cooperate and he will be home on time. 

Hubby and I have been Facetiming lately, thank you iPhone for this WONDERFUL option, and it’s given Diva some daddy time while he is gone.  She commented the other night how much BETTER it is than Skype.  OBVIOUSLY!  Haha.  She really needs this connection time with him, explaining to her that this is a short IN COUNTRY trip not a deployment has been convoluted and a little frustrating.  Their time, just like old Skype days, gives me a few minutes to get things done.  I let them chat, usually I leave and do something else but last night I just laid in bed next to her.  BACKSTORY - Yesterday she was grounded for hiding clothes in the closet instead of putting them away.- So last night while they were chatting(not wanting to tell daddy that she got in trouble) she told him that she spent all day cleaning her room and bathroom.  HAHA.  They started talking about when he would be home, I noticed something UNDER the dresser... as I pulled out what I thought was an errant sweater I found a FULL LOAD of clothes shoved under there.  First of all... had to laugh because both Hubby and I did that as kids, then I was full of amazement that she fit THAT much under there... finally she is grounded until Thursday for it.   Got to give the kid credit though... and now I realize why it seems that I am ALWAYS doing laundry, little booger is hiding it.

1 more week until I get to put everything away, reorganize our house and get my NON HOLIDAY life back... I am sadly looking forward to normalcy. Haha.  Then trying to plan our next big trip... family trip to DC is my plan.  We have places to stay for free, just need airfare and food.... YES, I got this!

Ahh Monday... the dreaded Monday

MIGRAINE DAY 5!  Please let it go away!!!!

I have said this a million times BUT I am honest, I am raw and I write what I am thinking - good, bad or indifferent.  If you don't like ME personally then why read what I write?

After my blog post Friday -  I was texted about stating an opinion, then was accused of stirring a pot and talking sh*t... last time I checked this is an ANONYMOUS blog, I do not use anyone’s names for a reason.  I didn’t email this to anyone and ask them to read it, I don’t promote it anywhere but Twitter (@MrsSoCalUS if you want) so I cannot possibly be stirring ANY pot.  To the woman who contacted me - I appreciate it and hope that we are at a better place now.  To the person who started it all - You are the original mean girl, you have been nothing but rude and judgmental, you like to cause problems for reasons that I will never understand because I have never done anything mean or nasty to you.  I deleted you from my facebook account for a reason please STOP being that interested in my life that you need to read and repeat.  Enough Said!

After all was said and done I spoke to an old friend of mine – wise beyond words.  She has always been a good friend of mine and is a writer- an honest and open writer, for this I admire her greatly.  We talked about my predicament and why it caused me to update and rework Friday’s post.  Her advice was priceless... "be YOU and don't change!" Not everyone is going to like my posts or even read them... BUT know that I am honest, I will not apologize for it.  Don't think that will change – I write to vent, I write to help... I write because I am me and it’s the MAIN outlet I have had since I was old enough to do so.    This blog won’t change... honest to a fault!

ON TO THE Happier stuff!!

Friday night the moms and I got to surprise Diva and her Daisy Troop from last year with a visit - she LOVED it as did they.  It was so nice to see them all playing and reminiscing with the moms about life last year and the changes since Hubby was again missing.  Crazy how that works - he is gone a few weeks and mentally I revert back to deployment.  I wonder why that is so much easier.  It’s sad that the separations become easier - we talked about it last night.  When he used to leave I was all annoyed and frustrated but now... it's just business as usual!  I miss him and love him with all my heart... my best friend gone SUCKS but it is easier now.  The deployment made us stronger and made us better people with a greater appreciation for life - no matter how frustrating reintegration is, there is no doubt of our love and commitment to our family. 

The rest of the weekend was all about the garage... cleaning and organizing.  I hate cardboard boxes so they are ALL gone and everything is in Rubbermaid totes and I WILL park both cars in there before he gets home – this is my Christmas gift to myself.  Speaking of gifts – he asked me what I wanted and to make a list.  Here is the problem – I don’t want anything.  I have him and Diva both here for Christmas, we have our new home (ok I do want my custom closet)... but that’s it.  I have more than most and am thankful for it all.  What do I tell him??  The lame list: gym clothes, a necklace hanger for the bathroom... ummm.  Yeah, that’s all I got.  Haha.

What do you tell your husband when he asks for a list? HELP?!

And he leaves... again! UPDATED

UPDATE:  So my frustration this morning was taken WAY out of context by someone - I am not insinuating that anyones husband doens't like them nor that they have an unhappy marriage.  I was just venting - which is not always rational or sugarcoated.  Especially not on a few hours of sleep, a migraine, a 7 year old who has been upset since daddy left yesterday (who I am consistently reminding that daddy is still in the US)  AND still having to go to work and be productive - Yes, I am NOT perfect!  I have to realize that few people understand what it's like to be without your spouse for 15 months, don't know what it's like to listen to all the things people say about you (yes, people are two faced in this world) and forget that we each have off days.  I apologize that anyone was insulted by my rant because it wasn't meant to be hurtful towards anyone.  I am human and should not have taken my own migraine/lonely frustration out on the public - so for that I am sorry.  I have since removed the questionable wording on this post - moreso to not create any additional issues. 
I keep my blog annonyomous so that I can be frank, a little off color and allow myself to vent without publicly insulting anyone or hurting anyone.... I am not HIDING behind it because if you want to know who I am... email me and ask.  But after 15 months alone, figuring out reintegration... and everything else in my life it's nice to have an outlet. 

**Back to your regularly scheduled read!**

Hubby left for a work trip yesterday – I have spent the last week mentally preparing for him to be gone AGAIN.  I watched him pack and it just reminded me of watching his duffel get packed several times over the last 2 years – seems like we go through this a lot.  Then the trip to the airport and a crying Diva - He has been home less than 4 months and now he is in Colorado for 2 weeks.  Some days I am just over watching him leave, watching my daughter hurt... and sleeping alone.  Yet I am the one that told him he should reenlist in the Reserves – thus putting us at the risk of another deployment.  Not sure what my deal is.  Maybe if he were Active OR had a civilian job that allowed him to be home more it would make this all easier?  No clue but today it’s hard.  I even woke up this morning forgetting where he was and had a moment thinking he was deployed.  WEIRD!  I

It’s time for the MilSpouse Friday Fill-In again - thanks to Wife of A Sailor for being in charge again!

1.      My favorite song of the season is Jingle Bell Rock!  Diva and I LOVE to dance to this song... she is also stealing all things Glee Christmas from me this year as well. 

2.       Diva  is someone who inspires me because no matter what happens she tries to be the strong one, she loves everyone and knows NO strangers.

3.       If I had $100,000 to give to a charity, I’d give it to the Got Your Back Network (www.gotyourbacknetwork.org) because they assist families of the fallen.  I have been on the board and involved with them for a few years and simply LOVE what they do.

4.      . If I had a theme party, I’d make it Christmas in New York – maybe because I love NYC and I love Christmas.  Although our holiday decorations this year are closer to Christmas in Hawaii.
5. If I had one wish for my kids/future kids/some young person I care about, it would be follow their dreams and their heart!  I want her/them to live the life by enjoying it, doing things that matter the most, and remembering how precious every single day is.

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.
– Author Unknown

Secret Santa... LOVE!

I have been shopping for my Secret Santa Gift and finding it HORRIBLY hard to stay within the allotted amount... $20 doesn't get very far these days, haha.  Especially when I have something in mind that I just HAVE to get her but it's SLIGHTLY outside of the allotment.  Hmmm decisions, decisions. 

A new direction...

I love Glee and when I was starting this post and listening to Glee Christmas – the New Directions spoke to me.  Basically seems that I need to stop, and send my energy and light in a new direction.  I also realized that I can’t sing and often can’t tell the boys and girls voices apart (Kurt Hummel!)

I spent Friday night writing and editing my book... only to realize that it’s not the book I want it to be and am essentially starting over -  The book started out very raw and honest and got lost somewhere in a ball of fluff and that is NOT what I will publish!  I want to look back at my book and say YEP, that is EXACTLY what I planned it to be.

Tonight is also the premier of the Candy Queen – and our show will be airing.  TLC came in and filmed our homecoming party for this pilot show.  I am so nervous and excited to see this moment between my husband and our friends and this great surprise!

 Beyond that- life has been good, odd but good.  We have been, ok I will keep it about me and say that I have been struggling with life post deployment and where I fit.  Most days I don’t really feel that I fit anywhere.  I have given up so many things since Hubby has been home in order to just be all about family time... however it’s far from reciprocated and I need to learn to be ok with that.  I just don’t think I can – all the things that I came to LOVE about him while he was gone are things that I thought would stay when he got home... you know the little things like stopping and surprising me with freeway off ramp flowers just because OR maybe getting up with Diva JUST ONCE and letting me sleep beyond 7am on any given day.  JUST SAYIN.

We are also talking about the next addition to our family and there is a HUGE conflict inside- part of me WANTS to try ONE more cycle IUI before we move forward with the adoption but I am 95% sure it won’t work (this is based on the fact that I have a 5% chance of ACTUALY doing it.) and really don’t want to waste any more time or money.  We both hope to have another little one in our home by NEXT Christmas, we shall see. 

Happy Monday!

Writing

I have been writing my book since the day Hubby left... I was totally done, just editing OR SO I THOUGHT.  In editing I have decided to take it in a whole different direction.  Here I go again....

This is whats been keeping me super busy the last few weeks.  Hubby has been a bit rough lately, he is going through a lot and making some difficult career decisions so I am just being a SUPER supportive wife.  AHHH, the life of an Army wife.