Good Morning Baltimore!

Hey y'all!

    I know this is probably going to be "old news" for most of you guys, but I still want to put my thoughts out there about the riots that happened in Baltimore and a few other things that have been bugging me.

    With all these riots that are going on... and the latest "trend" of stepping/stomping/dancing on the flag to "stand up for" the innocent lives lost due to police deaths. Here is what I have to say to those who think that it was cool or awesome or were in agreement with these people.

    First off, that flag that you are standing on? Is the same flag that stormed Normandy. It's the same flag that sits comfortingly on the shoulders of our service members to remind them what they are fighting for. It's the same flag that flew on September 11th when those towers fell. The flag doesn't care if you are white, red, orange, black, blue, purple, or tie-dye... Here is what the flag stands for: White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice. Currently, my husband is gone defending that freedom. My Daddy served, my Uncles served, I have had cousins serve, Friends serve, and Grandparents serve. Do not tell me that their sacrifice warrants you disrespecting the flag they love and swore to protect.

    Second, these people that say that they are doing this to bring awareness to the innocent lives that are being lost.... Understand that there were innocent lives lost just so you could have the freedom you take for granted. The flag doesn't fly on the breeze, it flies on the breath of every service member that cashed in that check they signed when they volunteered to join the armed forces. 

    Last, if you are one of the fools that are allowing Our Flag to touch the ground, shame on you. If you are standing on it while it's on the ground... Please understand that you look like an idiot. If you want to protest, protest. But do so peacefully and respectfully so that you actually look like you know a thing or two... Martin Luther King never stood on Old Glory to protest. He never burned the flag to make a point. Nor did he ever condone a riot as a way of having a "peaceful protest".

    I do know that those people rioting in Baltimore, most of them were bussed in from Ferguson to cause that kind of damage.

    And I must say, that mother that got her baby boy out of that nonsense, I applaude her. It takes a real mother to be able to see only eyes and know who it is. The fact that the kid froze and tried to get away tells me one thing, these children that are rioting, are just that. Children. Throwing a massive temper tantrum for what they claimed to be "a peaceful protest". 

    Okay, I am off my soap box now. Haha.

    Move Tip #2: Make a running inventory of all the things you have in your house. It makes life so much easier when you can look on your inventory and see what's missing versus the HHG inventory the movers hand you that is all kinds of generic information.

    That's all for now folks!

-Haley

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Hey y'all!

    I know... Some of you probably want to put my head on a spike and march around town. Please don't! I know I didn't give you any warning about it nor did I even update you guys on what was going on during this period of time. (Awesome Blogger Award goes to me.... not)

    First off, I am so very sorry for not updating you. The whole point of a blog is to tell the story of our day to day lives and talk about things that bother us and what not... And I knew that I would have felt so much better during this time if I had blogged, but I would open up a new post and stare at the screen. I had no idea what to say... or how to even put my feelings into words.

    Secondly, I promise to update you all more. I am going to work on posting every morning again. Because, when I did that Challenge, I actually felt better. Like, my heart was content with everything that was happening.

    Thirdly, (Is that a word? Well... Now it is.) I am still dealing with some emotions and feelings that I can't express appropriately.... So, please, if you are reading about one of these things, have some patience... 

    Now, where to begin.... well, my last update to you guys was that I hated Hawaii (still do)... and that I really need to learn to not drink sweet tea anywhere near my bed time... Back in March... So... yeah. I have a lot to tell y'all about. 

    Shortly after my last post, Trent deployed. Yep. Deployed. Back in March. Right at the beginning of the PCS Process. Lucky duck. But he left with the ship and just because he's gone doesn't mean the world pauses here. So I had to get the move process started and get organized for it. I mean, moving across country doesn't exactly equal a cake walk.

    Then I started training for the Ford Island 10k. That was a struggle to begin with because I kinda love-hate running. But I signed up with a bunch of friends to do this with and I didn't want to let them down. So there I was, running on a treadmill and praying that I didn't bail and end up on YouTube in one of those gym fail videos. Oh, and all that training? It went down the drain day of the race because all those times I prayed not to bail? Well, apparently I forgot to pray, because I totally face planted/action rolled/rolled the ever living life out of my ankle at the 2 mile marker. Lost like, all of the cool points. Ended up gimping the rest of the 6 mile run. Ended up having to wrap my ankle for like a week and stretch it. #FunTimes

    After that ordeal, I went ahead and made the appointments to have my move inspection done and an appointment to ship my car all the way to SC. Once I get relatively organized and feeling like I was ahead of the game, I wake up and find a swarm of ants have infiltrated my home via the window in my stairwell... My stairwell. Not the kitchen, not the living room... the freaking stairwell. So I call the office to have someone come out because, at the time, I thought that it could be termites. (Which at the time was totally plausible in my brain seeing as a house was tented behind me...) While I was on the phone with this super nice lady, I realize that my downstairs bathroom sink is leaking. So I mention that to her as well and she sets up the appointments and I go on with my day.

    Basically, at this point, I was pretty much in the "Bring it, stupid deployment" mode. 

    *Now, let me interrupt my "catching you up" story... Do not, under any circumstances, ever say/think/write out/draw/do an interpretive dance "Bring it" when it comes to deployment. Why, you might ask? Because, my friends, it does "bring it". *

    My grandfather has a heart attack, (survived thank God), but now sounds like the Godfather... Which I am totally okay with. Then, my great grandmother has a severe stroke at the age of 93. (She is okay. She has trouble with certain words and has to use a walker now.) My Mom was super sick with some stomach bug... and I was stuck out here because with a move coming up, I couldn't just up and fly home and back. We literally couldn't afford it. This has all happened the last month-ish. 

    And then, May 21st was Mine and Trent's 2 year wedding anniversary. It was our first one where we weren't together to celebrate. Which was very weird for me. But he surprised me by sending me a video of him saying Happy Anniversary and that he loved me. :) It may not have been flowers or chocolate, but being able to see his face and hear his voice... It really made it special.

    That's pretty much all that has been going on during this unexpected hiatus... I promise to be better about my blogging. But know that it might get a little bit spotty in the end of June/through to July area as we will be traveling.

    Moving Tip #1: When you are moving, make sure you go through and clean out and organize ever room. That way you aren't carrying any extra weight, and anything that was broken or maybe damaged from the previous move isn't still hanging around! 

    Do y'all have any moving tips? Comment below!

    Would y'all like it if I did a "What's in my PCS/moving binder" blog? If so, comment below and I would be more than happy to do so!

    That's all for now! Talk to you all later!

-Haley 

Rabble Rabble

Hey y'all,

    It's midnight, and I. Can. Not. Sleep. I am just super antsy and tense. I hate it. But, it's a part of that "Pre-Separation" process. Yay for moving. Yay Navy... Anyway, this is going to be a babbling brook of nonsense to try to quiet the cacophony of things running through my head. Maybe then I can sleep? Who knows.

    I mean, it could have something to do with the ginormous thing of sweet tea I made today.... Psh. No. Sweet Tea cures everything. Right? I am going to be making baby blankets for a few friends of mine. It's definitely making my baby fever crazy intense. But, like the husband keeps reminding me, "We have a plan." I swear, if I hear that one more time I may punch him in the kidney. Even though I know he is right. #TheStruggle.

    That's another thing that I constantly think about or worry about... What if I am not a good parent? What if I screw it up? I have this idea of what I want my future children to have. The lessons I want them to teach them... Gah. I know that I shouldn't be stressing about it, but I am... I have always wanted to be a mother... One day... One day...

    Also, might I add, I might be absolutely bonkers. I spent a few hours today researching how to ship/fly with Stanley when we move. It's crazy, right? I ended up finding out that the only way we could take him with us would be to ship him. So I will have to talk to the husband and see if he thinks I'm nuts...

    We are going to be going to the beach and I promise to take a ton of photos and post them in here. :) 

    I have to confess something that I have been harboring for a while.... 

I hate Hawaii.

    Really, I do. I can't stand it. Here are 5 reasons behind my feeling about this dinky rock out in the middle of the Pacific.

• Once you have been to all the beaches, been to the plantation, been to all the tourist-y tourist spots.... What left is there to do? 

• The "Aloha Spirit" that you hear about wherever you go... I have two words for you: Semantic Satiation. If you don't know what that is, it's a psychological phenomenon in which repetition causes a word or phrase to temporarily lose meaning for the listener, who then perceives the speech as repeated meaningless sounds. 

• Shipping Prices. I won't even say anything else on that topic.

• Car Registration = The biggest headache/joke combo on the planet. 

• Traffic all the time no matter where you go.

    Those are the things that have stacked up over and over until I decided that Hawaii is like that smokin hot babe at the gym that you would give your left arm to talk to, only to find out that she has about the same amount of personality as a box of rocks. 

    It really makes me miss home. Arizona is beautiful. I miss the heat, I miss the wide open roads, I miss the grid system... I miss being able to go see my family. This chica is seriously homesick. 

    Although I am beyond excited to go to the next duty station: South Carolina or Bust! If y'all would like, I can take pictures and show you how I put together my PCS binder. :) It is such a life saver to have all those important documents in one spot... Especially if you are going all the way across the USA like we will be. Haha. 

    What are some moving tips that you do that work well for you?

-Haley

Yo Ho! Yo Ho!

Hey y'all,

    Today is gonna be a short post. I went and spent the day on the ship with the husband and now know how it feels to be thrown around all day. Needless to say, I am sore, and very tired.

    What is something that you have done that you are beyond happy to experience? 

-Haley

In Preparation

Hey y'all!

    I don't know what is going around the island... But it is something to be reckoned with. Nearly everyone on the island has either been sick, is sick, or starting to get sick. I guess you can say that being on an island, you tend to get sick no matter what you do. It's terrible. 

    Anyway, I have been starting the PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move to South Carolina this summer. Trent will be attending the Nuke School there. Anyone in or around the area? I wanna make friends! But be prepared for many tips, tricks, and ideas at the end of these posts. :)

    My first moving tip: Downsize. Yes. The capital D in the word is required. For example, I haven't updated my wardrobe since high school, and let's face it, I am not the size 6 that I was in High School... and I now realize that the weight I was at was anything but healthy, so goodbye nightmare pants. In all seriousness though, downsize. I have 4 boxes that are collecting dust because I haven't bothered to open them. It saves you on time and frustration when you are unpacking.

-Haley

The Magic in Nature

Hey y'all,

    Today's post is going to be me sharing a personal story about my own health and what I plan to do to get control over my life!

    So, to start out, I will give a bit of a back story. Back when I lived in San Diego I dealt with terrible nausea. Like, not eating, questioning if I should move or go anywhere, and generally a super big grumpy pants wearing fool. I finally went to my doctor after a friend asked if I was pregnant.

    Needless to say, I wasn't preggers. What I actually had was a stomach ulcer caused by the H. pylori bacteria. (80% of the population actually has it in their gut as well) Doctors have no idea how it gets introduced, and for most people, goes unnoticed and life is grand. But for that small percentage that have the bacteria, you end up with stomach ulcers. 

    So, my doctor decided to throw me on a triple therapy pill combination to help with it. Unbeknownst to me (or my doctor apparently... That's a separate rant that I won't get into now) the triple therapy pill contained the following:

This is actually the 

• Amoxicillan
• Clarithromycin
• Lansoprazole

    Doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, for most, it wouldn't but for me, I am actually allergic to Clarithromycin. I broke out in severe hives. I called the emergency line for my doctor's office and was told to take a shower and "if I started to have difficulty breathing to call 911". I was by myself, Trent had duty, didn't have a car, and it was 11:30 at night. You don't tell that to someone who is freaking out. Ever.

    Anyway, so I didn't sleep that night, and went to my doctor's office first thing in the morning. I nearly blew a gasket when they tried to tell me it was the amoxicillan. I have taken amoxicillan multiple times in previous years and I knew exactly what caused the reaction. I had to force my doctor to open my file where I could point out that I was allergic to Clarithromycin. He switched my meds in a split second and that was that. I got over the stomach ulcer and all was well with the world. 

    Now, I have a higher risk of having another ulcer form, so I need to be careful about home much anti-inflammatory medication I take... Which, thanks to my bad joints and chronic headaches, is definitely more than I like. So for the last year I have been trying every other natural remedy I could find. If my joints hurt I pretty much sat on my butt so I didn't have to take the medicine. (Stomach ulcer diet is something I never want to relive)

    Then I met a wonderful lady through Trent's ship and she introduced me to essential oils. She gave me a sample of peppermint and lavender to try and see how I liked it. I tried the peppermint for my headaches. How? When a headache came on, I took 1 drop and rubbed it into my temples in a circular motion. 2 minutes later, no more headache. It also continued to work every time a headache came on till I ran out. The lavender worked miracles for Trent. He has a nasty habit of getting really caught up in his head about everything that is going on and then can't sleep. All because his head is being the supercomputer that it is. I took one drop and rubbed it on his chest so he could smell the lavender and he was out in no time at all.

    There is definitely something about the oils that work, and I can't wait to see where this road leads me. Do you use oils? If so, where do you get your oils and what do you use?

-Haley

Sleepy Lady

Hey y'all!

    So I have discovered the mobile app for Blogger! It's pretty nice to not have to post using a computer or laptop for days like today where the sun isn't even up and I already am dreading the errands I have to do.

    Why am I dreading? Because I am absolutely exhausted. Didn't sleep well the night before last and last night I was awake every few hours. Hopefully that sleepy torture ends soon.

    I finally got the tires in for our car, Lady, today! So I don't have to worry about the tires falling apart on me anymore! I am so happy about that! Then after that, I am going to be taking dinner to Trent tonight cause he has Duty. What should I bring him? Panda? Taco Bell? McD's? Jack in the box? Lol.

    I have also been doing my research into essential oils. I am tempted to go and get some lavender oil for tonight. I just don't think I can go another night with little to no sleep. Do you use essential oils? How do you like it? Comment below and let me know! :)

-Haley

Busy Little Bee

Hey y'all!

    Have you ever had one of those days where you just have so much to do and you feel like you don't have nearly enough time to finish it? Totes how I'm feeling today. Had to get new tires for the car, (which is always "fun"), had to drop stuff off at the post office, got to run to the store to get hangers because our dressers are broken and I actually want to use our walk in closet....

    And that was just this morning. 

    What do you do to help you relax after a long day? I am so going to indulge and take a nice bubble bath tonight. :D 

-Haley

Sleepy Sunday

Hey y'all!

    Sorry for the late post, but Trent and I have been napping on and off all day. It has been wonderful. What are some things you do when you have a lazy Sunday? We watch Mythbusters and recline on the couch.

    I know this is super late in the day, and I promise to make up for it tomorrow!

-Haley

Sentimental Saturday

Hey y'all,

    Today's prompt is "My Dream Wedding" Well, I already am happily married. So I will take their prompt and tell the story of my wedding! Muahahaha!

    Trent and I got married May 21, 2013 at 5:00 pm in Chandler, Arizona. We planned our wedding in 9 months and I started with a crazy idea, and ended up going a more simplistic route. He wore his choker whites, and I found my dress at Brilliant Bridal at an amazing discount. 

    Our colors were Navy Blue, Gold, and Bright White. Very elegant, and simple, which fit my personality pretty well. My bridesmaids wore Navy Blue dresses and gold jewelry. His Groomsmen wore dashing suits. Mini Groomsmen copied their bigs, and my flowergirls wore simple dresses. 

    Now time for the story, the night before the wedding we had the rehearsal and it went smoothly. The entire family got together and we ate a fabulous dinner cooked by my uncles. At midnight, Trent got kicked out for tradition. After that, I took my tipsy self upstairs to bed. Cause I was tired. 

    My Mommy came and woke me up the next morning to get my hair done, and the entire way there, my Mommy and Auntie kept asking if I was nervous. My response?

"I'm hungry. Can I get a burger?" 

    The looks on their faces were hilarious. But I did get my burger. We got our hair done and then went home where the boys were put to work with getting everything to the venue. I got to play Mission Impossible and get the dress out of the house without my Daddy seeing it. (YESSS!) I then proceeded to get to the venue and start getting my makeup done. I had my Mommy do my makeup because she had always done my makeup for every big event in my life. 

    After that, I put my dress on. In the words of my Great Grandmother: " Where have you been hiding those curves" I always wore baggy comfy clothes. So something like my dress was a culture shock.

    My Daddy walked me down the aisle and I kissed my husband at the end of it all. :) It was such a magical day and I would not have changed anything at all. 

    What was even more amazing, was the fact that below, you will see my wedding cake. Which was done by my Mama (Gramma)! It was a wonderful night and I married my best friend. :)

-Haley

Truth Is...

Hey y'all,

    Still pretty sick... Looks like I caught whatever was going around Trent's ship. Which, by the way, is totally not fun. So, this post is going to be pretty whiney because I don't feel good, I'm alone, and because it's my party, I'll cry if I want to. 

    Truth is, I miss home. I miss the way the desert made me feel, I miss my family being so close... I miss being able to know where I am and what to do. I really dislike this muggy damp place that doesn't have any type of season other than hot, humid, and sunny. The traffic is terrible, their BBQ is way too sweet, and I swear, if I hear "aloha", "mahalo", "bruddah", or "sistah" ever again... I'm pulling all of my hair out.

    Truth is, I am missing my husband. I miss how he frets over me when I don't feel good... Yes, I am like a sick cat when I don't feel good... But I do appreciate human interaction. Be it online, by phone, or in person. 

    Truth is, I miss having my baby girl with me (my parent's boxer. Raised her from a puppy). She always knew when I wasn't feeling good and loved to snuggle me till I felt better. 

    Okay... I am done making myself sad and depressed. What is something that you miss from wherever you call home?

-Haley

The Sound of Music

Hey y'all,

    So, it's President's Day! It's also my Papa's Birthday! So, Happy Birthday Papa! Did you know that President's Day was originally was to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln's birthday? But now, it's to celebrate the lives of our Presidents.

    But I am cleaning my house and getting organized. We had some of our furniture break on the move out here, and I am tired of having to fight my dresser to get to my clothes. So I broke down the dresser and bought stock in clothes hangers. The look on the cashiers face was priceless. Haha.

    While I clean, I love listening to music. It makes it relatively fun and seems to go by a lot faster when I am dancing and singing along. Trent loves it. He says it brings out his inner child. My response to that? Good. Means our life together shall be glorious and fun! 

    Anyway, I have a very eclectic taste in music. I think I can boil it down to the beat. If there is a good beat, I don't care what genre it is Actually, I dislike screamo and most death metal... But if there is a good beat and doesn't fall into those categories, I am a happy camper. 

    What is your favorite genre? band? song? Let me know in the comments!

-Haley

The Drums of War

Hey y'all!

    So, today is going to be a movie review. Trent and I just recently watched the movie Fury.

    My first reaction, was to roll my eyes and sigh... I usually abhor war movies. For pretty obvious reasons too, I might add! It started much like every other war movie. Explosions, foreign languages, and in that monochromatic color scheme of wartime. Everything seemed to be painted in the same shade of gray and the only thing that made that shade of gray different was the clothing underneath it, or the skin tone of the person wearing it. 

    There were absolutely no subtitles... We had to put them on ourselves, (which, ended up blocking a lot of the movie, so we went without... Turns out, Trent's High School German class stuck with him... I'll get to that later) but it wasn't angry German all the time. They seemed to speak German in every emotion that war tends to hand out. When they were angry, or scared, their German was loud and sharp. Much like the stereotype portrays. When they were dealing with hostages or liberating a town or talking to the townspeople, their tone was soft and questioning. Of course they threw in the perverse soldier... But even his German wasn't the stereotype. It was a nice change.

    Anyway, the movie follows a soldier named Norman's journey through Germany as the US is pushing forward to try to win the war. Let me tell you, it's gruesome. Very gruesome. There were parts I had a very hard time watching and brought forth tears.

    However, there is a scene when they have liberated a city of it's SS personnel, when the Sergeant is speaking German, and I was frustrated at this point. Well below is the conversation between Trent and myself:

TV: German language that I am clueless to understand.
Me: OMG. What did he say?! -frustrated sigh-
Trent: He said (Insert translation of German paragraph here)
Me: O.O I didn't know you spoke German that well!
Trent: I only catch bits and pieces... But I get the summation of what they are saying.
Me: What did that guy say?

    Needless to say, my husband amazes me every single day. Fury is good. I would give it 3.5 stars. It's slow going, and super brutal. But it does know how to tug on those heart strings.

    What is a movie that you have seen? Have you ever discovered a hidden talent of your spouse? Comment below!

-Haley

Cupid Cupid, Stop Picking On Me

Hey y'all!

    Happy Valentines Day! Excuse me while I go and curl up in a blanket and drown my sorrows in Ben and Jerry's while avoiding the general populace... Okay, I lied... I am actually going to brave the world and go hang out with some of the other wives from Trent's ship so that way we aren't alone today. :) It will be glorious! 

    I will also fulfill all of the stereotypes of a girl who doesn't have a date for Valentine's Day, and binge on good food and movies... And friends. Cause who wants to be alone on Valentine's Day?

    What did you do today? Any surprises? Comment below to let me know! :)

-Haley

In the Shadow of the Mountain

Hey y'all,

    For the 10th day of this challenge, it told me to take a picture of something green. And, because I am who I am, I am taking it a step further. I am taking a picture of something green and something that meant the world to me.

    You see, Trent and I never had a honeymoon. We got engaged and 9 months later were married so that I could move with him. Add to it the fact that we have moved 2 times in a year and a half of marriage, and we really don't have the time or the funds to go and do something fun and crazy. 

    Well, during Trent's holiday leave, he surprised me and signed us up for a tour of the island. We went all the way around and saw some absolutely beautiful landscapes and scenery. 

    The picture above was taken at a macadamia nut farm. It was in the shadow of that huge mountain, and everything was so green. There were even wild roosters and hens walking around. They had the best macadamia nuts I have ever had. The locals there were beyond friendly and I was completely and totally content and happy. We did this trip on New Years Eve, and it was so wonderful.

    What is one thing that you and your spouse have done that just left you feeling loved and content?

-Haley

Come Little Sister

Hey y'all,

    Sorry for the late post. I had Trent home for the weekend, (sorta), and I didn't want to share my time. I have a topic that I do want to discuss though... It has to do with the meme that goes along the lines of, "Oh, you haven't talked to your boyfriend for a day? Try going months" or something like that. 

    The reasons that this bothers me is that first, we shouldn't be tearing each other down no matter what our spouses do. I can tell you that my Mommy was a wife of an airman who later became a soldier. Even to this day, when my Daddy has to go out of town for his job, she still misses him just as badly. Second, I don't feel for one second that what I do as a wife is any better than what anyone else does as a wife. Who are you to judge what other people do? Third, just think about what kind of message you are putting out there. You aren't saying, "I know how you feel, here's what I do to pass the time..." You are literally saying that their suffering, their pain that they are feeling, is nothing. How would you feel if someone said that to you?

    I am not saying that being apart from my husband is easy. I miss him every time he goes underway and every duty night. But I am not about to tell someone that they have no reason to cry. 

    When did it become okay to put others down? When did it become okay to hear what someone says and talk little of them?

    I think we need to reevaluate our ideas as a society. I personally refuse to be a part of that sisterhood who puts people down. Let's support one another. 

-Haley

Super Friends

Hey y'all!

    I have had a super busy day. I managed to go to Barnes and Noble and purchased Maze Runner and the sequel for it. Along with a coloring book, a special gift for Trent, and a bookmark. I also stopped at Lush and got a Bubble Bar... I am not one for bubble baths... But I think I might be able to start taking baths. So I thought I could give it a shot. Might be relaxing.

    Do you ever have days where you think that if you had a certain super power, you'd be able to relax and get rid of that stress? Today was definitely one of those days... My superpower would be to wiggle my nose and whatever I was looking at would be cleaned and organized. There is something about the husband leaving that makes me lazy. The first thing I would clean would be our office. It seems to have accumulated nothing less than junk.

    What would your superpower be?

    There is also something I have to say about this command... I have never in my life, met such a wonderful group of ladies where I haven't already known someone there. They are a group of drama free, fantastic ladies that are so beyond welcoming that it makes life so much easier being out here on this rock. 

    It's really going to be heart-breaking when Trent and I have to leave to head back to the mainland. But only for the people aspect. I pretty much hate it here in Hawaii.

    I know it's a short one today, and I promise to make up for it tomorrow. :) Have a good one everyone!

-Haley 

Playing Catch Up

Hey y'all!

    Sorry I haven't posted lately. I have been crazy busy the past couple of weeks. I started up a new workout routine, and the ship's FRG has been getting more and more active lately with meet and greets and meetings... On top of taking care of Trent and some other family issues, I have been exhausted.

    Let's tackle each new thing:

    My new workout routine! So, since I have finally gotten an answer from my doctor about some issues that I have, I have to lose some of this weight I have packed on. (In case you were wondering what I got for Christmas.... Fat. I got fat.) So what did this chick-a-dee do? I signed up for a 10k and a half marathon. What can I say? Either go big or go home.

    So, since starting this workout plan, I am down 6 pounds! I use an app called TwoGrand and according to them, 6 pounds is the equivalent to a small Chihuahua in a cute sweater! It's a good thing I lost that chihuahua, cause I can't stand those dogs. Haha.

    I also have changed my diet to a lot more fruit and veggies, less super processed foods, nothing fried, nothing that is a sugary treat. So... Boring... But healthy.

    Next new thing, taking care of Trent and family.... That seems kinda self explanatory. A lot of medical stuff has been happening to family, so it's been a lot of calls home to check in and see how everyone is doing.

    Update on Stanley the Betta, we are still combating this Fin Rot... But I think he is on the mend. :) Yay for small victories!

    I promise to post more things daily. I have a challenge for the Month of February... So let's see if I can get 28 days under my belt! :)

-Haley

Here's What Grinds My Gears...

Hey y'all,

    So, I have one for you guys today. Something that really really grinds my gears. Check out this "article": here. 

    To be completely honest with y'all, I disagree. Completely. This article makes it sound like I have to just "be okay" with the life I have decided to share with my husband. I would never in my wildest dreams ask Trent to stop going for his dreams. Ever. If anything, I push him to do what his heart wants. I want the man to reach for the stars if he wants! And it doesn't matter if you are military or not. A lot of the "You have to be okay" topics are normal stuff that every couple should do; like "choosing happiness" or "finding the positive" or "talking about death and dying".... There are others, but these ones bothered me the most. If you don't do those things normally, how are you functioning as a couple? As a unit? Trent and I are on the same page about all those topics and then some. We work on budgets and discuss those not-so-comfortable topics like dying because you know what? I am human. Eventually I will grow old and die. However, I am not some weak woman that has to tell myself that I have to "be okay" with my situation. If I don't like it, I do my best to change it. If he is deployed, and I don't like the fact that I am by myself, I go do things with people. 

    You are more than welcome to try to enlighten me about how some of the things she listed are ONLY for those who's significant others are in the military (besides the obvious deployment one... but in all honesty, you get into a rhythm...) Everything she listed, MANY other (insert job title) wives deal with the same thing... Construction Workers, Doctors, Police Officers, Teachers, etc.... You should always strive to stay positive and keep your head up. Life doesn't stop just because they are gone. So why should I?

    It's articles like this that fuel the younger wives into thinking that they are something like a superhero. Yes, they miss a lot of milestones. Yes they miss out on adventures. That's why I make an adventure book and fill it with pictures and stories of my day and send it to him while he is deployed. Gives me something to do and a reason to go out and do stuff. 

    You want the real reason being a military wife is so hard? It's because a relationship takes work. A relationship takes dedication and compromise. THAT is hard to do when your husband is halfway across the world from you.

    End rant. Sorry y'all! Haha. I am a passionate woman about certain things.
    ALSO! Check out the recipe page! I am sharing a good one with you guys today! I made some Lemon Gooey Bars (CHECK IT OUT HERE)

-Haley

So This is Love

Hey y'all! My name is Haley and I am going to tell you the story of how I fell in love.

-Flashback to September 2008-

    I was 16 years old, single, and a sophomore in High School. Now, I was a shy, simple girl who loved one thing, and one thing only. Music. I played for 2 of my High School's orchestras. Their Symphony Orchestra, and their Strolling Strings group Rhapsody. I spent the majority of my time in the orchestra room practicing and, essentially, isolating myself from my peers. Our Orchestra conductor one day, told us to play in front of people. That it would build up our confidence in playing. So I did. I went out to the courtyard with my violin and played whatever music my heart so desired. 

    Much to my surprise, it was well received. My peers would come by and listen and hang out while I played, and would sometimes make requests. It became so much fun. There was one boy in particular that never made a request, but would walk over and listen for a few minutes every day.

    No. This is not where we started talking and fell in love. This is where we first saw each other. I was much too shy to talk to someone I didn't know. That's what my music did for me. But he would listen almost every day and leave when the bell rang. We didn't speak a single word to each other. 

-Fast Forward to June 2010-

    I was now 18, graduated from high school, and preparing for my first semester of college. One night, after a long day of 115 degree weather in Arizona, I was scrolling through Facebook, seeing all these people out partying and having a blast. I wanted to be out doing something, but didn't have those kinds of friends. So I made myself content with sitting at my desk, looking at funny pictures and reading sentiments of graduation... When something remarkable happened. An errant friend request. 

    His name was Trent and he looked familiar... But if there is one thing any of you should know about me. I am absolutely terrible at remembering which name belongs to which face. So I came up with an idea to help with that. I opened his profile and sent him the following message:

                    "I apologize, but I do not recognize who you are. That could very well be my fault, as I am bad with the whole names to faces thing. Please tell me how I know you within two days or your request will be denied."

    Smooth... huh? (Goodness I was such a weird teenager....) I figured that I wouldn't hear anything that night and went back to my previous activities of trolling through Facebook. Maybe a half hour later, I got a message back from this Trent character and all it said was the following:

                    "Are you the girl that played the violin in the courtyard?"

    *Now this, ladies and gentlepeeps, is the smoothest intro on the face of the planet. Boys, take note. If you remember something that the girl you are interested in did a while ago.... You have captured our attention. *

    You can bet your sweet muffins that we talked after that smooth introduction, and boy, did we talk. Non stop talking. And here is what I found out:

• I love country music, he loves heavy metal music
• I love spicy foods, he hates anything spicy
• I love being outdoors, he loves being inside playing video games
• I love being spontaneous, he loves planning
• I love any reason to celebrate, he is (still) learning to celebrate things
• I love color, he is learning to love color.

    I can continue on like that for a while... but I will stop it there. As you can see, we are polar opposites. But no matter what, we couldn't stop talking to each other. A simple text message or facebook message filled me with joy and happiness. 

    That summer, he was sent on a training cruise with the Navy. During that time, we emailed every chance we had. We grew closer and closer. At one point, he told me that he wished that I could be there to pick him up from the airport when he came home. I told him that I wouldn't be able to, but that we would have to make plans to meet up.

    A mutual friend of ours realized that we were talking, and managed to get me out to Tucson Airport on the day that he was to come home. I was so nervous, and managed to convince him that I was at home. He was irritated and short with me when, on top of me not being there, his flight was delayed by 3 hours.

    Finally, at 2 am, in a virtually empty airport, (except for like, a janitor and a security guard), I saw him walk down the stairs. Wearing a pair of too big jeans, baggy gray t-shirt, and a pair of beat up sneakers. His blue eyes looked for our friend. But she was hiding behind a pillar filming this because she was convinced that he would see me and freak out.

    But he didn't. He looked right past me and searched for our friend. He actually found her before he saw me. But when he finally looked at me, and his brain made the connection. He dropped his luggage, hands went over his mouth, and after an "Oh my God" moment, he hugged me.

    It was at that moment in time, when his arms wrapped around me, and my head rested against his chest. That moment when my good ear was pressed against his chest, hearing his heart beat, and his deep voice say, "You're here...". I knew that I loved him. I wouldn't have the word formed just yet, but we fell in love.

    2 1/2 years later, he proposed, and 9 months later, we were married on May 21, 2013. 

The above photo was on our wedding day, the photo below was on our one year anniversary.

And that is the story on how I fell in love. :)

-Haley