Wonderful Weekend

We had no big plans for this weekend & I went into it with just the thoughts of relaxing. I enjoyed pizza night on Friday with the kids & a relatively early bedtime for me. Saturday brought pure laziness around our house. The kids slept in late for them & I played on the computer. I also had fun finishing a book I was reading called "The Road Home" a loosely based novel on the Biblical story of Ruth.I found it to be a really good read. I did some laundry, vacuumed, & dishes. But really didn't strain to much-lol. We found a bunch of Superhero movies playing all afternoon & watched a total of three with the boys.My husband enjoyed wrestling some with the boys at time catching them off guard which made me laugh. The older one's are taller then me now so it was fun to watch them try to beat dad. The little two just giggled & tapped out after a few times.I am very glad I made no plans for us & we could just enjoy the family time together.

Sunday brought sleepy heads who didn't want to wake up! I had woke up around 3Am for some crazy reason after getting only six hours of sleep. My body is just so use to this amount that I functioned normally all day & never even felt like I needed a nap. This I have decided is from having children & multiple deployments. You grow very accustom to running on fumes. I finally got me with two of the boys out the door & off to church. I love our small church but hate the forty-five minute drive it takes for us to get there. But we really are limited on choices around here & so I drive.I enjoyed our sermon on Worrying- this is my biggest obstacle. I worry over every little thing in my world & have tried nurmeous times to be that "easy, breezy" girl with no luck.They used my favorite passage in Matthew to remind that I don't have to Worry about food, clothing, or what tomorrow will bring that God really does have it covered.I left for the moment very uplifted & ready for the rest of my day.

We ran to Costco to pick up last minute items for our dinner. I had planned with my best friend Sam to have her & her whole family over for Mexican night later that evening. I was super excited for this dinner since it had been awhile since we had done a potluck. We use to do them once a week but our schedules just haven't permitted them lately.We discussed last week putting them back into play at least once a month but we are going to shoot for twice if possible.The grown men in our life get drug along to the dinners & don't complain as they get the best tasting food for the evening .

I prepared my favorite Chicken Enchilada recipe & Sangria. It was the first time I had ever made Sangria & I loved the recipe I found on-line. It has to be the best tasting sangria I have ever drank & I am not just saying that because I made it! Sam brought her famous fried Tacos that are so Yummy & not healthy at all. She also found a recipe for what we now refer to as the "Happiness Cake". My youngest was eating it & replied to us when asked if he liked the new dessert " It is pure Happiness on a plate mom!". We laughed so hard because he was so serious & eating it all down! It had layered ice cream sandwiches on the bottom. Then cut up bananas, strawberries,caramel syrup, chocolate syrup & cherries in the middles. With another layer of ice cream sandwiches  with whip cream- yes it was very decadent. It was HEAVEN or Happiness on a plate!

We enjoyed sitting around my table eating & catching up on our past weeks adventures. It was a great way to end our relaxing weekend. This week is super busy so I am sure that I will be wishing by Wednesday for some more Sangira & Happiness on a Plate Cake. I hope you all have a very Blessed & safe week.

Sangria Recipe 

Recipe for a Happy Marriage

Just saw this again today & it is something I always loved. I just thought I'd share with everyone. I hope you all have a very Happy & Blessed Weekend.

Farewell my friend

This Blog goes back to an earlier one I wrote concerning a friend who was starting her PCS to Fort Polk,LA. She leaves in a couple of weeks & last night we had one final dinner with her at her favorite Mexican restaurant. Only about six of the ten ladies where able to make it due to previous engagements but we all enjoyed good food & good company. We discussed various topics, who was getting out, who else would be PCSing soon, & Paul's deployment which they all agreed was coming to soon. These are all ladies who husband's worked with Paul & deployed with him during the last trip less then a year ago.

We enjoyed our yummy drinks with the exception of one of the ladies who is pregnant, the little "welcome home gift" that a few ladies receive from their soldier- she looked too cute!There was a lot of discussions about those getting out  if they would be able to find jobs & would they leave the area. That was sad as we all realize soon all but me will be gone to some place new.My adventure will continue here in the Pacfic Northwest while my friends all slowly move away :0( 
  
Soon it was PRESENT TIME!!You might recall we had decided to do FUN gag gifts she could sort of use at her new Duty station.First up was the gift that even the bag was themed to match from the Princess & the Frog. It held the movie & the car size Bug Spray.Next was a pretty purple bag that had a fluffy soft boa in Mardi  Gras purple, green, & gold. Of course we had some funny comments for our friend about wearing that at home with some stilettos for the husband-LOL She also got cute matching eye wear & bracelets. This gift giver also put in a printed off sheet of good restaurants they had eaten at while in LA- very thoughtful.Next came my gift for her. I had taken the suggestions of doing all things Cajun. I made her a cute little babydoll top on-line & found a Funny Joke/recipe book with Cajun stories/ recipes to go with the humorous stories.The last gift was a combined gift from several of the ladies. It had HUGE plastic bugs, a picture frame with several photos that we had taken over the year . A book A-Z on Louisiana, all you need to know. More Mardi Gras beads, even some for her husband that looked as masculine as purple & gold beads can-lol

It was a fun relaxing dinner filled with memories & a little anxiety as we all realized we would soon be going our separate ways into the next chapters of our Military life.As we all left most said the usual "See you later" instead of Goodbye. I didn't even Hug her yet as I get to see her one more time next week & then I'll do the hugging-that part is sure to bring moist eyes on my part.I was glad one of the ladies came up with the idea of having one more dinner together. I know we can all look back later with a smile at the fun last evening we all spent together. That is truly what the Military experience is about at times, making dear friends, creating memories, & sending them on their way with heart felt wishes of good luck.
                              Bugs BEWARE she is ready for you!!

  Looking good for Mardi Gras

 The cute Cajun shirt I had made

 The last group photo of all of us at our "last dinner" 

Who is the Best...Army,Airforce,Navy, or Marines

Just a funny little joke a friend posted on facebook & I wanted to pass along because I really have nothing great to BLOG about at the moment. I hope you laugh as I did & realize every Military Spouse thinks THEIR Soldier's Branch is the BEST- so GO ARMY!!!

A seaman, a marine, and an airman got into a fight about which service is best. The fight was so heated, that they killed each other.

Soon, they found themselves in Heaven. They see St. Peter walk by and ask, “Which Branch of Service is the best?”

St. Peter replied, “I can't answer that. But, I will ask God what He thinks the next time ...I see Him.”

Some time later, the three see St. Peter again and ask him if he was able to find the answer.

Suddenly, a dove landed on St. Peter's shoulder. The dove was carrying a note in
its beak. St. Peter opened the note and read it out loud to the three fellows:
 

“Gentlemen: All the Branches of the Service are ‘Honorable and Noble’. 
Each one of you has served your country well. Be proud of that."

(signed)
GOD, US Army (Ret.)

ACU Purses & so much MORE!!

I met a lovely Army wife about 18 months ago in DC at the AUSA conference I attended while my soldier was on a deployment. She was carrying the cutest purse I had ever seen made out of ACU material. I asked her about it & found out she made it from her soldier's uniform so she could have him with her while he was deployed! I was HOOKED!! When we returned from the trip several of us ladies got her information & thus started hounding her for purses & tote bags made from our soldier's ACU's. She does all the purses herself.You can ask for just about any type of purse or tote & she can figure out how to make it for you. She does an AMAZING job!!

I also enlisted her help for burp clothes for baby showers, an ACU/fleeced lined throw blanket & ACU pillows for my son's room. They all look fabulous & my kids love it all! Recently I had been watching her Facebook page at some of the new designs she had come up with & fell in love with one purse I had to have! Luckily my old purse I had been using was falling apart (not the one she made,one from a store).I sent her a private email & told her what style I was looking for what color lining I preferred & what extra's I wanted. With in a couple days she had lining material for me to choose from then a week later my purse was made! I received it two days after she shipped it in a flat rate box & I LOVE IT!!

This was a picture she took while making the purse for me so I could see how it was coming along.

This is a close up of the custom embroidery she did on the dogtags for me. I asked for our wedding year on one side & our last name on the other.It has two pockets on the inside like I  requested & one on the outside.It is extremely deep & will hold a ton of my stuff!! I am super happy with it & want to pass along her web site to you all. She recently relocated to Fort Drum but she can ship anywhere!! Go take a look at her page & if you have questions get in touch!

1 Army Wife Designs

In like a Lion

I am sure a lot of you have heard that old saying about March's arrival "it comes in like a LION & out like a LAMB.". That is defiantly true here in the Pacific Northwest today! We had snow/rain slush falling for two days now . I am so tired of the cold & ready for a little warmth. I don't need it to be super hot but mid 60's to low 70's would be wonderful. I hope by the end of the month when the husband's Block leave starts we are into the "LAMB" phase of March.

Which brings me to how super fast the month of February seemed to fly by this year. I know it's a short month of only 28 days, but really I blinked & it was GONE! Maybe it is because we are starting into the phase of pre-deployment where the husband does his SRP (Soldier Readiness Process) & Block leave <<<sigh>>>. I hate when it get's to this point & you want time to slow down & stop for you but it just keeps marching on at a really fast pace! In a couple months I'll be Blogging about how time is standing still as I wait for my soldier's return. Time is a double-edged sword for the Military family & we never win . 

I am looking forward to sending my husband to Colorado to visit with his family for the first week of his Block leave. It is just easier for him to go to them then to pack four kids, 2 dogs, & a van full of luggage on the road for 48 hours. That would be miserable for everyone involved & waste precious Leave time for my soldier. So off he will go for a week of being spoiled at his sister's home in CO. His twin sister lives close by with her husband & his parents are driving in from WY. He was raised in this town so he is excited to spend time with some old friends as well.

Upon his arrival back  home he get's a 24 hour break then we are off to the Great Wolf Lodge  indoor water park in Grand Mounds, WA. It is so close to our home that it is a great, fast, easy family trip we can take with all the kids. They are so excited & that makes me happy! We can spend two days making some wonderful memories that will have to hold them through the up coming year while their dad is away.

After the waterpark it's home time & the kids are on spring break from school. I see some fishing for the boys & maybe an overnight camping trip with their dad.When they go back to school the last week I believe the husband hopes to work in a small fishing trip by himself so he can do some real fishing. When he takes the boys he wants them to have fun & that often means no time for him to really fish.The man can spend hours in the rainy cold wet weather on a river & be happy. I just don't get it, but he doesn't get how the Mall can bring me so much joy.I can hardly believe he get's three whole weeks off from work as it is so rare. I plan on enjoying it as we have already been warned by his work that they are super busy with schools upon leave being over :(  They work right up until he leaves- which stinks but oh-well.

Anyway I hope March slows down just a bit so I can enjoy what time we do have left as a family. My youngest starts his soccer practice in the rain, so maybe the weather can cooperate as well & warm up!I am off now to find an educational show for Jeremy to watch off of Netflix for this afternoon as he flew through his school again today!! YAY for a super great day so far!


A little Trivia for you all: The TRUTH about the month of March