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Sunday, August 31, 2008

Interesting Article about Palin


First I want to say that I'm extremely excited to see that in 2008 we will have either an African-American President or a female Vice President. These are exciting times, and has come way sooner than I had anticipated.


Secondly, I want to say that I am a registered Democrat. And I generally vote for Democrats.


That being said I located an extremely interesting article about Gov. Palin that raises several questions and I thought I should share it.




While, I'm delighted that McCain selected a woman, I do not feel she is a good choice. I feel she is under qualified and has limited experience in state government. That being said, if McCain wanted to select a woman, I felt Condoleezza Rice would be the best Republican choice. She has substantial experience, but perhaps she wasn't interested.

Final thoughts.... I generally don't like to bring politics or religion into a discussion. People have their own beliefs and far be it for me to judge others. However, I feel as a voter and an American I need to be as educated as possible about all the candidates.


Gustav Update


It appears that P'cola and the Eastern Gulf Coast will get spared, however I'm still not comfortable. But I do feel better prepared. I bought plenty of water, can goods, bread, dog food, batteries, flashlights, etc. I also bought a battery powered radio and some more candles. I think the issue that has me so uneasy is that Brent isn't here. He's in Mississippi and totally out of the way of the hurricane.
I wish he was here but I know its best if he is up there. Actually, his friend Ryan (who was an usher in our wedding) is a teacher in New Orleans. He and his roommate evacuated at 3:00 am Saturday morning and drove up to stay with Brent at the military housing. So granted I am alittle miffed that Brent isn't here but, I'm very happy that he is there to take in Ryan and his roomie.

I think P'cola should be fine, we're are suppose to start seeing winds and rain later this afternoon. We are to experience Tropical Storm like conditions for the next 2 days or so. I don't think we should lose power, but its been known to happen in a bad storm before. (Last time, Brent and I played Scrabble by candle light and drank semi-warm beer.... oh romance at its finest)


To all in the Gulf Coast, be prepared and my thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Saturday, August 30, 2008

The Starter Wife



As it typically is when books become movies, televisions shows, whatever... they miss the mark, and I feel they did the same thing with the Starter Wife. Granted, the mini-series that aired last year was enjoyable but was different then the book and that always bothers me.
Especially, when the book was so good. I actually listened to the book on CD last Thanksgiving when Brent and I were driving home from Illinois. Yes, Brent listens to the CD because he didn't have a choice. It was actually quite funny, he kept making comments and asking questions throughout the story. He asked....


"Do women really think like that?"

"Would you wish that upon your ex husband if he cheated on you?"

"Do you talk that way about other girls?"

"Do women hate their bodies that much?"

"Do those ridiculous thoughts really go through your head on a daily basis?"

"Do you and your friends plan to create drama like that?"


The answer to all those questions where of course.... HELL YEAH WE DO.


To that response he kindly responded.... "Well know it makes sense why you're all so freaking crazy. Men never think like that, we don't waste our time"


Yeah, well that's why you're all so predictable....

Anyway - the original point of the post is that they are coming out with Season 2 for show, and even though I'm not happy about their deviation from the book, I'm excited to see what Molly does next. This Saturday they have been re-playing the entire Season 1.



Friday, August 29, 2008

Go Away Gustav!!


That's my slogan for this weekend.


Unfortunately, me and the boys (aka dogs) are staying in the P'cola unless it looks like its going to get ugly. Right now all the models show it hitting somewhere between the middle of Alabama and Texas. I pray that it doesn't hit New Orleans. I filled up the tank today, it was freaking crazy. Brent has told me all week to keep my tank above a 1/2 tank throughout hurricane season. (note to self don't wait until the Friday before the weekend when a hurricane could be approaching) I drove by 5 gas stations and the lines were out into the streets. So granted a paid a little more at an expensive gas station but didn't have to wait. Sorry my time is precious to me and waiting in line for 30 minutes to get to save $2 or $3 today just wasn't worth it to me.


Before Fay I stocked up on batteries and flashlights. Tonight on my way home from work I'm going to stop at Family Dollar or Dollar General and buy more water and hopefully find a battery operated radio.


The dogs and I are going to hunker down and hopefully Gustav will blow over (pun intended) without any issues.
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Thinking of you...


So Brent has his 1st graded flight in the T-38 this morning. He should be debriefing in the next hour or so. I spoke with him briefly this morning around 6:15am. He had his brief at 7am. I hope he did well and I hope he didn't throw up.


* Pic was taken on the plane on our way to our honeymoon. Stay back girls... this one is taken.

Charlie was ROBBED!!!


I think the title says it all. I cannot believe Dee won, I'm pissed. She's totally annoying and she repeatedly does the same hair cut. Oh - the "30 yr old" model that she worked on, her hair was looked horrible. That's all I have to say.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Mad Men.... Love It.


Ok, its no big secret that I love television. I do I'll admit it, and because of that I'm reluctant to start watching some new shows, because then I will start to like them and have to watch them. Case in point, MAD MEN. Ok, I unfortunately didn't watch any of season 1 (note to self check out and see if they are available on Netflix). I think it was on the same time as some other show I liked and didn't want it to interfere.



But since its won such acclaim I thought I should really check it out. So I did and now I'm hooked. I love it and can get enough.



#1 - I love the 1960's, the history, the clothes, the decor, everything.
* The actor that plans Draper - is totally hot. I mean come on take a look at that piece of man meat.

* The costumes are unreal. I can't believe having to wear a dress like that every single day.


#2 - Its so interesting to see the change that this boiling over during that time period and people openness or in some cases unwillingness to accept it.

#3 - It makes me appreciate how far women have come in the past 40 years.

#4 - I can't get enough of how much people smoke and drink.



I love it and highly suggest you start watching it Sunday nights on AMC. Check, check, check it out...

Background on the show:
Mad Men depicts the society and culture of the early 1960s, highlighting cigarette smoking, drinking, sexism, and racial bias as examples of how that era was so radically different from the present. Smoking, far more common in 1960 than it is now, is featured throughout the series; almost every character can be seen smoking multiple times in the course of one episode. In the pilot, representatives of Lucky Strike cigarettes come to Sterling Cooper looking for a new advertising campaign in the wake of a Reader's Digest report that smoking will lead to various health issues including lung cancer. The show presents a culture in which men who are engaged or married frequently enter sexual relationships with other women. The series also observes advertising as a corporate outlet for creativity for mainstream, middle-class, young, white men. The main character, Don Draper, observes at one point about Sterling-Cooper, "This place has more failed artists and intellectuals than the Third Reich."

(pulled from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Men)

Book Review




So as I said earlier, the summertime is the time for my "light" reading. Light meaning fun, girly, and sometimes trashy reading. And with the summer coming to close and I needed to get another one in. (Granted I live in FL so the summer and the heat is far from over down here).



As I had previously mentioned, I continued to read Emily Griffin books - this time selecting Something Blue. This book is a sequel to my much loved, Something Borrowed. To be honest, I had some initial reservations on the book, seeing how the main character of the sequel was the character from the first book that I down right hated, Darcy. But the author, as she did in the first book, makes you want to cheer for the underdog, even though they are extremely flawed and you know that karma has totally slapped them in their pretty lil face.


Not to give anything away in either book, but I fell in love with Darcy by the end of the book. She's a handful and always got exactly what she thought she wanted. During the book, she realized the best things can't be planned and mistakes often create the best surprises in your life.


I highly suggest them. However I have chosen to not read BabyProof instead I'm eyeing her 4th. (FYI- 3 and 4 are not continuations of the first 2 books)



But, my next book selection is a little off course - I'm going to start the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. I hear wonderful things about it, so I have pretty high expectations. And with Harry Potter movie being pushed back till 09 and Twilight pushed up to Nov 08 I thought no time like the present to start. FYI - I know I'm 28 yrs old but I seriously love me some Harry Potter....
Tuesday, August 26, 2008

4 years and counting...

*Engagement photo by Oeil Photography


As of this past weekend, Brent and I have been together for 4 years. Granted the actual date of this is still under debate, but as in most of our disagreements... I'M RIGHT!!!! (I believe the counting starts on our first date and he thinks it starts when he asked me to officially be his "steady"girlfriend, that would be mid November.)

And as of this weekend, I have officially lived in Pensacola for 2 years. Its crazy how time flies.

If you care to read up on the story of us. Please feel free to check out one of my first posts, about our Courtship Story we had created and handed out at the rehearsal dinner.

http://leavingandloving.blogspot.com/2008/07/our-story.html

Yes, its true... We met on Match.com, it really worked for us...
Sunday, August 24, 2008

Positive Thoughts Needed

This weekend the hubby came home, and I couldn't have been happier. I think I actually squealed when I hear the back door open and I jumped into his arms. It was wonderful to be back in his arms.

Saturday we started the morning with a relaxation yoga class which was wonderful, then off to a friends for homemade pancakes, then we started on our way to go see the Rocker (movie was ok). On the way to the movie, my mom called. My phone was about to die and she asked me to call her back when I had a chance she had something important to tell me. Those words made me realize this way a call I should take, so I asked her to go ahead and tell me.

Well, she found a lump in her breast in April but with work, the wedding, and the craziness of life she didn't get it looked at until last week. She is going in for a biopsy on Sept 2nd. She waited to me until Brent got home to be here with me. So needless to say, I broke down, there in the movie theater parking lot, in the pouring down rain of the lovely TS Fay, I broke down. Brent didn't know what was going on, just that I was losing it.



So I suppose I should back up, I have a fear of breast cancer. My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in middle school. We're sure she knew something was wrong a lot longer than that but she didn't want to go to the doctor. When she did, they told her she had about 6 months to live. She lived about 6 years after he diagnosis and past away my junior year of high school. And my life was forever changed by her death, but that's an entirely different story for another time.

My mother is a wonderful woman that is truly my hero. I have a young mom. By the time she was 24, she was married, divorced, and mother to 2 kids. She raised us well, with the help of my grandmother, sent me to Catholic school, to dance lessons, girl scouts, etc. She worked hard and has dealt with so much. She just turned 48 a couple of weeks ago. It breaks my heart to think that this is one more hurdle that she has to overcome.

So to anyone and everyone out there in the blogosphere, please send us some positive vibes. And I strongly encourage everyone and anyone to donate to the cause. I donate regularly to various breast cancer foundations, have a breast cancer license plate, walked in a 5k with Mandy last year, and chose to donate to Susan G. Komen instead of giving out favors at our wedding. I think its so important for we as women to take a stand help fight for the cause...
Friday, August 22, 2008

Come on down....

Brent is on his way back to P'cola as I type. I got a text a little before 2pm. He should be home around 7pm. Problem is he'll be driving back up to MS during the affects of FAY. She's suppose to greet us all this evening. Hopefully, we won't get too much rain.

Or if we do... well Brent and I will just have to stay indoors all weekend... wouldn't that be a shame....

Keeping my fingers crossed....

* Pic above from our honeymoon zip lining adventure. You can't tell behind him but it was pouring down rain. And yes, we did the whole zip line in the pouring ass rain. Before we headed out they offered everyone coffee in these tiny cups. I don't drink coffee but Brent said it was horrid.

Spoke with the hubby 1st thing this morning. We have a 50/50 shot that he's coming home this weekend. I should know more by this afternoon.


Hopefully, it all works out and he'll be here by 8 o'clock or so. Then there will be plenty of this....



I have a running joke with him, that after he's gone I begin to run low on kisses. So he needs to come hope and "fill up the tank" so to speak...

Thursday, August 21, 2008

It's about FREAKING time....

It appears they are finally taking action on the "underage" girls on the Chinese gymnastic team. Thank God, I mean seriously those girls in no way shape or form look 16. As a 28 year old that regularly gets asked if she's old enough to drink don't take it to personally ladies if you aren't underage (which you totally are)...

http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/world/underage-chinese-gymnasts-ioc-fig-3151.html

FYI - Last week I was at Target and the cashier (an older gentleman) saw my ring and said " Oh girl, are you really married...."
I responded, "Why yes I am. Just got married in June."
He said, "Wow, you look young. I thought maybe you just graduated high school."

Me: "No, I'm 28 years old...."
Him: "Wow you don't look it"
Me: "Yes I get that all the time...."
Him " I bet you do, you don't look that old"
Me: " Yes, I know."
Him: "You're really 28?"
Me: "Yes, sir. I'm really 28."
Him: "I'll be..."
Me: "Yes, everyone saw I'll be so happy when I'm 30 and people still think I'm in my 20s."
Him: "Yes you sure will..."
Me: "Perhaps, but I'll be 30 and I won't be happy about that..."

FYI - I joke with my hubby that he won't have to trade me in on a younger model because I don't look my age....

I think I'll stick with Bud Light, thank you very much...




So I heard that Jessica Simpson was going to have a new endorsement deal with a small beer company from Texas. Well the ad has come out and its laughable. First off, what's wrong with her face in the picture, is that supposed to be sexy face. If so, I'm totally confused. Now, if that's her sexy face after a 12pk of the beer, well then, that makes a whole lot more sense to me.
Secondly, the tag line leaves something to be desired. I suppose they are trying to play off the fact that everyone think Jessica is dumb, I get that. Heck I watched to the Newlyweds, I believe it too. But still, the ad leaves something to be desired.

FYI - I used to really like her but now she kinda annoys me. Sorry to say. And its so funny that's she is going out with Tony Romo. I went to college with Tony, he was a Sig Pi and I was and AGD, our houses did all sorts of things together, including homecoming. I also hung out with guys on the football team. I'm not going to say that we were friends, we frequented the same establishments and had some of the same friends. My boyfriend freshman year lived off campus with 4 football players (boy could they eat - totally another story). I digress, point being, its funny how small the world is and I can't begin express how awesome it is to see an Eastern Illinois University grad in the NFL. Go EIU!!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The HILLS are Alive with DRAMA


So I love the Hills, and I don't know why... But the season premiere was last night and it was pretty good. Yes the show is totally fake and scripted but I can't stop watching it, to quote Perez "Its Crack". And it totally is an addiction that I need a 12 step program for.


So anyone have any thoughts? What is Lo's problem? Audrina looked hot last night at the party. Honestly I don't think she's attractive most of the time, but she did look good last night.


And finally, why is Heidi's sister going to be on the show.... ugh....

Good Luck Hubby!

* Pic of us in Destin the weekend Lauren and Rob got engaged.

Brent has his 1st SIM this morning for the T-38, actually as I type right now, he should be knee deep into his brief. He was studying hard last night, and I saw he was online so I web chatted with him for a minute, just to see his cute face.
Since he's been crossing training with the Navy for the past 2 years, this is actually his first time going through this with the Air Force, as funny as that may seem. And with that, there are always some differences in how things are done. But he's adjusting well.

He's making friends and influencing people, just like he always does. He is the only WSO in the class, there are 3 Americans and 3 Japanese pilots with him as well. Last Friday, they had some sort of get together at a bar with the squadron that included a lot of drinking and singing. He called me at 7pm and couldn't form sentences. I got a text from him at around 1am saying he woke up and had a lean cuisine meal in the microwave and thought about eating it. Yuck.
Well good luck sweetie. I know you'll do great today and hopefully get to home on Friday :)-
Saturday, August 16, 2008

Wedding Wrap Up Continues....

With the hubby out of town, I've been focused on the post wedding madness. I finally received my thank you postcards. So those are a priority for this weekend, I'm about 25% through them so far. The image above is the one we've used for the Thank You card. We took a couple "Thank You" pictures, but I didn't really like any of them.

As I said earlier, having the wedding in a small town in where there aren't many options and getting my 3rd choice of photographers, I am "happy" with the pictures. I would like to see if some altering or treatments could be done to them to make them look a little better. I question some of her choices on the composition of some of the pics, by oh well.

I gave her a lot of direction on what pictures I wanted and pointed out certain places I wanted pics to be taken. So I think that helped alot. People where I am from tend to want very "traditional" pictures, so that's what she's used to giving them. She was supposedly very excited to get to work with us...
























I bought frames today for our pictures. I found some great ones at TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby (50% off), and Target. I found 3 frames at TJ MAXX that look alot like the Vera Wang ones we registered for, but off course only cost about 25% of the the real thing. They'll start going up on the walls this weekend.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Keeping my fingers crossed

I'm so excited, Brent might be coming home next weekend. Luckily, there is another WSO at Columbus with Brent that came from NAS P'Cola. He has been there a couple of weeks so has been able to help him out so much. Seeing how Brent is the only WSO in class (since he was suppose to go to Randolph AFB) he was kinda clueless on what was going on. Anyway, the other WSO is trying to come home to P'cola next weekend and asked Brent if he wanted to go. Hell Yeah he wants to home. I'd be up there in a second, except I need someone to watch the dogs, and we just had someone watch the dogs last week when we were gone for the wedding. Our next door neighbors said they would, but Charlie is seriously a handful and I don't feel like I know them well enough. Granted they watered our yard for us while we were gone but, coming in the house several times a day, is a little different.

So this weekend, should be interesting. I have some yard work to do, I started it the other evening, but its been raining here like crazy so I had to stop. I'm going to cut down alot of the vines that have covered our side gate, cut back the crazy plants that grow in our back yard, and weed. I would mow the yard, but we're paying the neighbor boy to come over ever other Saturday to pick up the dog poop and mow the yard (b/c I didn't want to do it. yes, I'm kinda lazy). After Charlie leaves with Brent for Randolph, the poop situation will be easy.

In addition, to the yard work I need to do a serious amount of laundry and clean our house. Its times like this I really miss Brent, he actually likes to clean its totally crazy.

So to give myself alittle enjoyment this weekend I do have some shopping to do.
1. Go to Michaels they are having a sale on all seasonal items - I stopped during lunch the other afternoon. I loved the green hydrangeas, I bought 1 stem to see how it would like in this large wicker vase I have in the corner of the living room. So I think I'll need to buy at least 5 more to fill it. Also, shopping for frames for wedding pics and seasonal decor. I have my eye on some mini squash to go into my glass jars from the wedding.

2. Pier 1 is having a sale - tons of awesome pillows are 50% off. I only buy pillows on the cheap - because Charlie likes to chew the corners on them.

3. TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning - oh I haven't visited you in a couple months since before the wedding.
Thursday, August 14, 2008

Wedding Funny...


The Office - at home

So we'll be moving to NC Spring 09. And me, always needing to look forward to something I'm day dreaming about my home office. While its not a completely done deal, my employer has discussed with me working from home. It is a valid option, that I am really considering but I'm not set on just yet. My 1st job out of college I was a field marketing and sales rep for Newell Rubbermaid. I technically worked from home, and my small 1 bedroom apt in Indy looked like it was busting at the seams. Granted, this time around would be different, I wouldn't be getting product sent to my house every day and I would actually have an office instead of a corner of my living room, but I will still be working where I live. And the problem with that is, I want to walk away from work and truly come home. That was the main problem with Rubbermaid, I was always surrounded by work, my company Trailblazer, my Levelor blinds in my hall closet, my paperwork all over my coffee table b/c I didn't have a dining room in my small Northside apt.


So I've made the executive decision, if I will be working from home I have to have a real, honest to goodness office that has a door and everything. Away from the husband, the TV (my own personal downfall), the dogs, and the rest of the world. And I would like it to look something like this....


Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Reach Out And Touch Someone


So Brent has been gone since Sunday and I miss him terribly. Last night we tried our webcams for the 1st time. It was great and it was sad, I started crying right when I saw him. I couldn't help it, I miss him so much and knowing that I won't see him for weeks, makes it even harder.

I pulled the camera over to where the dogs where, they flipped out because they could hear his voice but couldn't find him. Poor Charlie ran all over the house looking for his dad.

Then in the middle of our conversation - BAM the lights go out during a huge storm. It came back on and I called him back. But we decided we should get off just in case.

I miss him a lot but getting to see his cute smiling face, did make it a little better. I miss him husband. I'm in the process of making him a gift to send to MS. I'll blog about that later.

Book Review



I'll admit I like read all different types of books. My likes can drastically vary from biographical or historical to girlie and down right trashy. It all depends on my mood and the time of year. For the fall and winter I tend to read more serious books and during the warmer months it has to be care free and fun loving books.

To make these even worse, I've started reading 2 books at a time. One for work (when I get a lunch hour out of the office) and one for home (weekends, poolside, travel, etc.) This actually started because I kept forgetting to bring a book back to work and I'd go out to lunch with nothing to read .... oh the horror.

So recently in the past week I have finished 3 books. One I started on our honeymoon and read at work a Nora Roberts book Considering Kate. It was ok, a nice love story but nothing too great. 2nd book - Certain Girls by author Jennifer Weiner who I LOVE. I've read all her books, while this isn't my favorite it is a continuation of Good in Bed (which was wonderful). I bought this book for our honeymoon but didn't start reading it until we got home. I almost completed on the plane ride to Illinois this past weekend, but started to cry on the plane and decided to stop. I finished the next morning, lying in bed at 7:30 trying not to wake up Brent. I bawled my eyes out. Brent thinks I'm crazy for wanting to read/watch things that make me cry. My 3rd book I picked up at Target in Illinois for the flight home Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin. I'll admit, I've seen her books for quite some time and read good things about them, but for one reason or another I haven't been interested in reading them. Well I decided to try her out and it was fabulous. I honestly couldn't put it down. I finished it yesterday after dinner (haven't had any lunches to read on this week). I loved it and I'm going to pick up her 3 other books this weekend to start. I loved her writing style, even though she did use some words too frequently which kinda bothered me.

Side Note: My favorite Weiner book is In her Shoes, I thought the movie did a HORRIBLE job of capturing the book. And there is a PUG in the book, no pug in the movie (2 thumbs down)
Monday, August 11, 2008

Wedding Inspiration to Reality - Part 3

So next up for the 3rd installment is the cake. Since we were having cupcakes to keep costs down and the cake wasn't really going to be that big of a deal, we had a small 3 tier cake that would feed generally 40 -60 people. My inspiration was from the one and only Martha. See image. However, since "W" was an ever running theme in the wedding, I added a W to the cake and green colored ribbon that I bought for $1 from Michael's in their discontinued ribbon bin. We added green and white hydrangeas to the tiers. Overall I was happy with the outcome. However there were a couple of problems.

1. The dark ribbon began to show the icing seeping through. I didn't want fondant b/c to me it can taste gross.

2. The baker didn't add the flowers exactly like I would have liked.

3. The icing they painted the W with didn't match the cake exactly.

Reading Material

Past Travels