Sometimes My Heart Just Breaks...

 Last night my cell phone rang and the screen lit up with my older sister's photo. I started to smile cause I had been thinking about calling her all day when I was at work, and when I answered I heard my little angel's voice...my niece Bailey had called me to tell me that she had a dream about me. Apparently she misses me so much that she woke up crying and asking for me to come home and visit her.

 When I heard her tell me this, my eyes filled up with tears and my voice began to crack. I can't even imagine how it will feel once I have my own children, but my nieces are the closest things to my heart. They are my love bugs, my angels, my babies...and I LOVE them sooooo much it hurts sometimes.

 My biggest fear is that they will forget about me and all the good times we've shared, and most of all I'm afraid they'll forget how much I love them. I knew I was going to miss them, but I had no idea how hard it was going to be living so far away. I know that this is what our life consists of, and I know we gave up having any say in a lot of things in our life when my husband joined the navy...but sometimes it still gets to me. On days like yesterday when my little angel called me in tears telling me to come home, my heart just broke because I don't know how to explain to her that I can't...

 So I spent the rest of my evening in tears and feeling terribly homesick...I'm counting down the months until I get to go home and visit all the people I love...♥ Until then, I'll be seeing you angels...

Even after a rainy day, I have a smile on my face!

 Lets just start by saying today was a looooooooonnnnggggg day! I've been up since 4 am and had to work all day trying to complete my training at the bank. Let me just say that I have NEVER done so much web based training in my ENTIRE life!! Its freezing in the office I'm training in and I'm all by my lonesome...so I like to call it the dungeon! lol! Other than that things are going great! :) I'm so anxious to complete my training and get out there and help people...Hopefully next week I'll be done and I can actually start in my position. 

On another note I hardly slept at all last night and I somehow managed to sleep in a weird position because my neck has been hurting all day!! Grrrrr! Other than that, things are good and I am just enjoying my night, being a bum on the couch in my hubby's pt sweater. I love wearing it when he has duty and I'm missing him. Does that make me a weirdo? lol. I'm so happy to be home snuggling with my fur baby and watching One Tree Hill. :) For now thats all I have to write about but I am super excited for the Fall Favorites Swap going on over at Flip Flops & Combat Boots and I can't wait to start shopping for my partners package! :) Its gonna be so much fun....Are you participating? I hope you've all had a great Wednesday and you have a smile on your face too! :)

I want to get away...

Lately I've been trying to fight off the travel bug, but I just can't help it anymore...I want to explore the East Coast and see something fabulous! I was thinking maybe Washington D.C.

Or perhaps Philadelphia...

Or Maybe New York City? 

 The possibilities are endless! Too bad I just started a new job and won't have any time off for awhile.... :( Oh well....A girl can dream right? ♥ What are some great places you've visited along the East coast? 

Like a Ghost...

Thats how I've been feeling lately in regards to my blog. I know I have been majorly slacking when it comes to writing every day, or even twice a week for that matter! I started my new job on Monday and have been working almost everyday since, and I'll admit its an adjustment having to get up and work all day as well as come home & clean the house, make dinner, and spend time with my husband. I guess I'm going to have to learn to juggle a little better and manage my time more efficiently. In other news I am loving my new job at the bank and I think I am going to fit in really well there. :) I'm so thankful that the Lord helped me get such a good job!

I promise I am going to try and be better about blogging more regularly and also I wanted to say a big thank you to all my lovely followers, old and new, that have continued reading even through my dry spells. Also there are a ton of new followers who's links do not show up when I try to locate your blogs, so if you could be so kind as to leave me a comment with your blog urls I would greatly appreciate it! I would love to start following all your blogs! :) Now I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day with my hubby and Mr. & Mrs. Gambizzle!! I hope everyone has a beautiful and blessed weekend!! ♥ You'll be hearing from me soon and I may just be hosting another giveaway!! ♥

Happy First Day of Fall!!!

There has been so much going on this last week I've hardly had time to blog, but I just had to share this with you all! :) I recently bought a few things to make our house more homey and to celebrate fall.

 I got this adorable tablecloth and and napkins for our table. I also got a cute candle holder and pumpkin spice candle to go inside and I love the way it all came together! :)

I even got some adorable leaf napkin holders...their so cute! ♥

I think my Mom would be proud, cause she is always coming up with pretty table decorations. :) As for the rest of my week it has been pretty great so far. I started my new job on Monday and I am loving it! I'll still be training for the next two to three weeks, but I feel so blessed to finally be working again. :) I loved being able to have free time and stay home but most of the time I was bored, so I'm very happy to be contributing again and be going to work every day. In other exciting news, I found out that my husband will be home for us to attend the annual Navy Ball!! I'm so excited and now I just have to decide what to wear seeing as its in three weeks!! Eeeeeekkkk!!

I have been blessed

After feeling uninspired for nearly a week, it seems like now I am over flowing with things to write about...other than the "video game wars" that have been going on in my house, things are looking pretty good. I mentioned last week that I had some good news, and today I found out for certain that it was actually happening! I have been applying and interviewing for a few positions over the last few weeks and I am so excited to say that I have found a new job!!! :) I had to have a background check and get finger printed, but I was informed today that everything cleared and I should be starting on Monday!!

I am so thankful to the Lord for giving me this opportunity and I am hoping that it will lead to bigger and better things later on in my life. I was scared and worried about finding a job, but I prayed about it and asked God to put me where he wanted me to be. The Lord always provides when you go to him for help, and I am so happy to have gotten the job I really wanted! On another happy note, my husband and I had a great night once I managed to pull him away from the video games....I made us a fabulous dinner of pork chops, mashed potatoes & gravy and a salad with hot house cucumbers. It was delish and my hubby loved the pork chops. He bragged about how well i cook to his Dad, and I'm sure he's giving me more praise than I deserve...but I'm just glad he likes my cooking. :)

Later on we watched "Julie & Julia" which is one of my favorite movies, (especially because I can identify with the story a lot since I write my own blog and also love to cook). I always feel so happy after watching that movie, its just one of those films that makes you feel good. :) I was craving something sweet so my hubby and I headed to sonic where I got an old fashioned root beer float and a foot long chili dog. It was pretty amazing!

After we watched the movie my husband and I were talking, and he said something that really made me smile. He told me that even though he complains a lot about things in life and with the military, that he is really, very happy with our life together. It melted my heart when he said, "Our life isn't perfect, but its still pretty great." Thats why I married this man. He always knows how to make me smile and be thankful for what I have, and right now I couldn't be more grateful for the many blessings in my life. :)

No More Mrs. Nice Guy

I'll be the first to admit that I've been feeling uninspired lately and haven't been in the mood to write about anything. I think I just had a case of the "lazies" and I'm pretty sure I caught it from my husband. He's been on leave for the last few weeks and since I haven't started working yet and we're still getting settled in, we don't have a lot spending money to go out and do much. Consequently, I have felt like pulling my hair out some days and realize how much I need to start working. Sitting at home every day is definitely not for me...don't get me wrong, I enjoy sleeping in and having the luxury of spending my time how I please, but you can only sit inside your house for so long without going stir crazy.

Today started off bumpy and I'll admit I was  more than a tad annoyed with my husband...you see he's been cheating on me....thats right, but not with another woman. Oh no....its much worse than that...he's been cheating with his xbox! Since the day he bought that darn contraption he has been GLUED to the TV and I think he even left an indent in our new couch cushion. Its that bad people....I had to go so far as to bribe him with food and threaten him that I would beat him with my flip flops in order to get him to turn off the game. (Does that make me a bad wife? lol) It was all I could come up with because unfortunately being "nice" and begging and pleading was getting me nowhere. I guess sometimes you just have to be the bad guy, or in my case the "beyotch."

This leads me to wonder, what is it about video games and men in their teens and 20's that gets them so addicted to these stupid games? What makes me more mad than having to deal with this, is that there are so many other women who say their husbands/bfs do the exact same thing as my husband. It wouldn't be so bad if he only played for a bit and did so quietly, but its all the shooting, the blaring tv, and the cussing and yelling at his buddies that he's playing online with that I really can't stand. Not to mention sitting around watching my husband play video games ALL DAY, is not my idea of a good time. I understand he just came home last month and he deserves time to relax, but this is getting ridiculous.

Today we had a talk about it and we finally set some ground rules about the xbox. So hopefully from now on things will be better and I won't want to smack my husband upside the head every time I see him playing a video game. He has promised to only play for two hours max and to try and be more quite when he does. We'll see how long it lasts, but I will say this....If things don't get better quick and stay that way, I have a feeling that his new "Halo Reach" game will be disappearing into oblivion. ;) I'm very serious about this....No more Mrs. Nice Guy!

Things are Changing Around Here...

...And I think its great! Today I went outside and was greeted by the cool fall air and leaves falling from the trees! I'm so excited that my favorite season is here, and for once in my life I actually live somewhere that has SEASONS...! I can't wait to grab a pumpkin spice latte and make my famous home made pumpkin bread this year.

In honor of fall, I have made a lot of changes around my blog and I hope you all like my "new look" and will grab my new button!! I'm also super excited about some things going on in my life, but I will leave 

that unsaid until I get the final details!! :) Change is good my dears...Change is Good! ♥

Your Stronger than You think...

Often times when I look back on my life over the past year I am astonished at all the hardships, trials, bad days, and bumps along the road I was able to overcome. After waiting nearly a year for my husband to be home and in my arms once more, it was the BEST feeling in the WORLD to see his smiling face and kiss his lips on the pier the day he came home. I don't think I have ever experienced such a happy moment in all my life, (other than when we said "I do"). I was reminded of this when reading Amber's post over at "Goodnight Moon" about Surviving Deployments, and the empowerment you feel once the wretched thing is over with and your relationship has not only survived, but become stronger.

I'm not gonna lie, getting through this deployment was tough, and there were days when it KICKED MY BUTT, and I felt like I would never make it almost a year without my man, especially in the beginning. I have never been so sad, angry, or frustrated in my ENTIRE life, as I have been the last year....But I can say that I am incredibly grateful for going through everything that has been thrown my way. I know the Lord has used this deployment and all my experiences as a result of enduring it, as a way to strengthen my faith and remind me to always go to him for strength and support. I often find myself trying to handle everything on my own, when in reality the Lord is ALWAYS there to help us. Going to the Lord and asking him to help me get through each day my husband was gone, was the smartest thing I could have ever done, and I know I wouldn't have survived without his kindness, love and mercy!

Being a "Deployment Survivor" has given me a new found strength and confidence in myself. I have become so much more independent and stronger than the woman I was a year ago. I no longer wince at the idea of being alone and having to handle things on my own. I have learned to manage our finances, save money for our move, driven 2700 miles across country, moved into our new home by myself, driven my husbands stick shift car, handled all our maintenance issues, installed our band new dryer all by myself, and found my way around a new city. I know now that the struggles I've faced during the last year were preparing me for the rest of my life as an adult, as well as for the immense task of being not just a regular military wife, but a GREAT one.

I am so thankful and proud to see how far I've come and I know this is only the beginning. I know we will have many more training separations, underways, deployments,  and moves in our future, which will only help me grow more and hopefully increase my strength and perseverance. I can also say that although this deployment was hard on my marriage, because lets face it...its hard to have a relationship with someone you never see, but it has also shown me the strength of the love we share and that the Lord can help us through all our struggles. When you love someone, and I mean REALLY love them...you will do whatever it takes to make it work and keep your relationship strong. One thing I am incredibly thankful for is the passion my husband and I share for one another, and the attitude that EVERY DAY is precious. These are all lessons learned from this deployment and the past year of being separated from the man I love with my whole HEART.

Everyday I look at my life and can't help but think how truly blessed we are. I know things aren't PERFECT, but their still pretty darn good. So I'd like to say "Thank You" Deployment, because you tried to BREAK me, but instead you succeeded in showing me my inner strength and determination as well as proving to me that my marriage is stronger than I ever thought possible. I would also like to say thank you to all my family, friends, and fellow bloggers who supported, encouraged me and just listened to me vent while my husband was away! I couldn't have done it without you all! :) So here's to all you "Deployment Survivors" out there, and thank you Amber for sharing with us! If you are currently going through a deployment or have survived one in the past, then grab this button and post a blog about your "Deployment Survival Story." Visit Amber's blog and leave your link so we can all read everyone's posts. I can't wait to read everyone else's survival stories! :) Also today is my good friend, Mrs. Gambizzle's birthday! So hop on over to her blog "Life as a Sailor's Girl" and show her some birthday love!!

Don't forget to grab this button and add it to your blog page! ♥

Life is Short, Love is Sweet, Aint no time like this time baby...

I am feeling very blessed lately, and when I look around I can't help but be thankful for the good things God has blessed me with. The last few days have been so nice and I am happy to report that my husband was able to start his leave on Friday, and luckily we were not affected by Hurricane Earl or the tropical storm that was supposedly headed our way! :) My hubby and I spent our Labor Day weekend the way I've always wanted to...relaxing at home, making great meals and sleeping in everyday! It was bliss and we still have a little over a week left to spend lots of time together being lazy... :)

Friday and Saturday we were complete lazy bums and my husband went to the Navy Exchange and bought himself an xbox....all I have to say is that thing is EVIL!! Have I mentioned how much I DESPISE video games? It still blows my mind how men can become so addicted to them and they can just sit around and play for hours...its seriously not healthy! Not to mention the yelling and name calling when they are playing with other guys, that really BURNS my BISCUITS!! I've already made it clear to my husband that I WILL NOT tolerate him becoming obsessed with that thing, and I made it known that if that were to happen I would be destroying it, lol!! I do, however love the fact that now I can watch netflix on my tv instead of just my laptop, and that there are a ton of good movies and tv shows on there. Since we don't have cable this is amazing to me!!


After I finally pried my hubby away from the xbox we watched movies and hung out at home. I finally saw "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and I loved it!! The story line was so interesting, and although it was very graphic at times I still loved it. Lisbeth is my hero, this chick is CRAZY but she was seriously a bad ass! We also watched "The Stepfather" which I had already seen but my hubby wanted to watch.

I don't know why but for some reason all I want to do lately is sit around and eat! I seriously need to start working already before I gain 500 pounds, haha! Sunday we spent the day cleaning the house and my hubby even washed the cars for me! I'm so spoiled, I know... :) Mid afternoon I started making a lovely dinner for us and it came out fantastic! My Grandmother from Tennessee sent me a recipe book of some of her favorite recipes, along with some from my Great Grandmother. I decided to make one called "Beef Tips and Noodles" and I will definitely be making it again. Hubby loved it and I ate every morsel on my plate. :) It was that good!

 Here's a photo of our meal...it was so pretty I had to take a picture! :)

Its a very simple recipe and I love anything that involves meat, gravy, and noodles so this was definitely a hit. I cut 2 lbs of round steak into bite sized pieces and covered them in flour, then cooked in oil on medium heat until browned. Then I threw them in the crock pot on low. I then used the meat drippings and added two cans of cream of mushroom soup and 1& 1/2 cups of water. I mixed them together and cooked on medium heat until the mixture was warmed. Then I seasoned the meat in the crockpot with salt and pepper and added the gravy mixture.

 (Heres a shot of the gravy...it was sooo delicious!)

I let it cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours and then cooked a 12 ounce package of egg noodles. Once the noodles were cooked and drained I added the gravy and meat mixture and made a salad to add in a veggie. I also made some delicious cherry lemon-limeade and even frosted the glasses with sugar around the rims. It looked pretty fancy if I do say so myself. ;)

(I was so excited to use my cake stand that we got as a wedding present!)

For dessert I made a pineapple upside down cake since its one of my hubby's favorite desserts. It came out sooo good and I am sad to admit that I actually ate 4 pieces of cake on Sunday night...I am such a fat kid!! Haha!! It was my first time making the cake and I was surprised at how simple it was and it came out so good! I'm gonna be making this a lot more in the future. :) Here's a better shot of my pretty cake...

After dinner we had our yummy dessert and made some coffee to go with it. It was a great ending to a perfect evening! Yesterday we stayed home and then went and visited my good friend Mrs. G and her pups. We brought Tulip along to play with Mojo and Flower, and as always they had a blast.

Tulip is my little Mama's girl....

And my husband is way too obsessed with Mrs. G's pup Mojo...

All in all it was a fabulous weekend and I am so lucky to have this time with my husband and my lil doggy. ♥ How was everyone else's Labor Day weekend?