Vegas, part 1

We went to Vegas back in May, it was a lot of fun! We went to several shows and ate at many different places!

The first day we at breakfast at Mr. Lucky’s 24/7 in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, where we stayed. We got in SO early that we had to wait for our room, it took several hours, and we were both SO tired we didn’t want to roam around, plus we weren’t as close to the Strip as we thought we were going to be. So we sat around the hotel. When they still hadn’t called us, hours after we checked in, we decided to go see if we could get a room. Luckily they changed our room and got us in earlier! For lunch that day we got burgers from room service. And went to Cravings at The Mirage for dinner, it’s a buffet, and since it was Mother’s Day I can’t remember if I ate for free, or got a good discount! After dinner, we had some time, so we walked around before we saw Cirque Du Soleil The Beatles Love!

Day 2 – We slept in, we were exhausted. We ventured out to Heart Attack Grill on Freemont Street, then we walked over to the Pawn Stars Pawn Shop. For dinner we headed over to the Venetian and ate at Postrio which is a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. We had some time before the show, so we walked around the Venetian and took a fun Gondola Ride. We saw Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular (unfortunately it is no longer running, it closed last month, which is a major bummer, it was AMAZING!)

The LT in his hospital gown at Heart Attack GrillMy Chocolate Butter Fat Shake and his Coke                      Gondola RidePhantom

Day 3 – We slept in again this morning. We went to Maggiano’s Little Italy for lunch. It’s at the Fashion Show Mall, so after lunch we walked around the mall. For dinner we went to Shibuya, which is a Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant(Hibachi style) at the MGM Grand and then Cirque Du Soleil: KA!

                      

 

More to come tomorrow……

The LT & The Mrs At Fort Jackson

We are moving to Fort Jackson, South Carolina in a few months. We were suppose to go to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I guess I should go back a month…

The LT was up for promotion in April, the board came back with the list in August, unfortunately the LT wasn’t on it. We knew his name wasn’t going to be on the list, but it didn’t make it any better. We were very disappointed, but knew that this was just God’s way of telling us that the Army just might not be the place for us. We were set to leave Hawaii in Dec and go to Fort Sill for Captain’s Career Course, but since he wasn’t being promoted, he was now going to be an XO at AIT at Fort Sill. Last week he met with his Branch Manager, and he told the LT that he couldn’t get orders for Fort Sill right then, but that there were openings at Fort Jackson. The LT called me and we talked about it, and we both felt that Jackson would be the best place for us at this time. We aren’t going to be able to take much leave, and we wanted to go home for Christmas, but just didn’t think it would work with driving from Oklahoma to Georgia/Tennessee. And Jackson is quite closer to our families. So, now the LT will be an XO for a Basic Training unit. We aren’t sure how long we will be at Jackson, and the LT will be up for promotion again in April, which means we will know by August where we will go. If he gets promoted it’s off to Fort Sill, if he’s not, then we will stay at Jackson until his time is up.

We are so very excited for the next chapter. We are going to miss Hawaii so much, but this is a good thing. And we are so excited for a change!

MilSpouse (first) Friday Fill-In

Go over to Wife of a Sailor to link up

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?

Block leave is over, so it’s back to the real world.

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in June?

Seeing friends and family on the mainland…

3. What did you do to celebrate Independence Day?

We went to the Schofield Barracks 4th celebration, saw Hoobastank and Jack's Mannequin, and the fireworks, spent some time with our old neighbors and their kids, and got soaked to the bone during the fireworks, we didn’t bring an umbrella, so we were both soaked, but it was a lot of fun!!!

4. When you PCS, what items do you take with you and not let the movers pack (and if you do a DITY, what do you take with you and not box up) (thanks to Sespi at And You Never Did Think for inspiring this question)?

When I moved to Hawaii I packed things that the movers wouldn’t pack, like all my body sprays, candles, and room scents. Then clothes, and whatever else I acquired while waiting to get to Hawaii. My laptop and of course my teddy bear, Artie. I had 3 suitcases when I moved to Hawaii, and since I wasn’t yet on his orders I had to pay for them, so expensive. This time we’ll probably just keep clothes and our laptops, and some bedding and towels. Since it’s just us, we won’t have to worry about things for kids or pets, so it shouldn’t be too much.

5. What are you looking forward to in July?

My birthday in 4 days, going to one of my favorite places (Buca di Beppo)tomorrow for my birthday dinner, since my birthday is a Tuesday and we’re doing a cookout for it the next Saturday. That’s about it…nothing much going on this month.

Wordless Wednesday

The rest of the pictures will follow later…

Thanks again to Taylor at Nine3Oh Creative (or her blog)

waiting is hard to do for someone like me

We definitely made it!

Getting anxious…

I had no idea what to do with my hands…

Getting excited…

Had to go home to get those balloons, so glad I had them, made it so much easier to find each other…

They told us there was a delay, and this is what I thought of that…

Told ya I didn’t know what to do with my hands, lol

Looking in the sea of Multi-Cam for the LT, couldn’t find him at first…

 

Thanks again to Taylor at Nine3Oh Creative (or her blog)

pizza & cupcakes

The LT heard about a pizza place on the radio, and wanted to try it. So we took the ex-neighbor, B, and went to JJ Dolan’s in Chinatown. So we all decided to try and find a pizza better than our go-to, Boston’s. And we are now on a mission, and I will review each place after we eat there!

The website calls it an “Irish pub with New York pizza from two guys in Chinatown”

We go in and it’s seat yourself, which is cool, they weren’t busy, and the server came out to greet us in a timely manner. However, she was short and didn’t offer to tell us what beer they had on tap when B wanted to know, and hence had to go to the bar to read for herself. Then she decided to pull her hair back in a pony tail, at the bar. (the server, not our friend)

The didn’t have Coca-Cola or Pepsi, rather RC Cola…just something I found interesting, I’ve never seen that before…I’d rather have RC Cola over Pepsi (GROSS) They also put a cherry in all their sodas, I love that!

The LT ordered Pepperoni, Mushroom, Onion and Garlic. B & I ordered Pepperoni, Mushroom and black olive.

the girls pizza on the left, the LT’s on the right

Because I forgot to get pictures before we dug in, lol…This is the LT’s

This is the girls pizza

The ingredients were fresh, and tasted good. The crust was crunchy, the LT liked the crust better than Boston’s (which is the whole purpose of trying new pizza, to find a better one than Boston’s), B & I didn’t like that there wasn’t much crust on the edges, and there was a lot of burnt parts on the edges. B & I prefer Boston’s. The LT liked JJ Dolan’s better.

The one redeeming quality of our server was she pointed us in the direction of this awesome cupcake shop, Let Them Eat Cupcakes.

These are the 3 we decided to share, Maple Bacon(left), Red Velvet(top right), and Dobash(bottom right), they also give free coffee…their dishes were amazing, and cute.

The Maple Bacon was of course the LT’s choice, and favorite – it was pretty good I must admit.

The Red Velvet is a red velvet cake swirled with cream cheese, and topped with butter cream frosting.

The Dobash is a chocolate cake with chocolate pudding frosting, topped with a cherry.

They all were really good, and I even liked the frosting, and that’s saying a lot, because I’m NOT a frosting person.

All in all, today was a good day. I’d give JJ Dolan’s 3 out of 5 slices. And Let Them Eat Cupcakes gets 5 out of 5 cakes.

A little overboard? Nah, never

So I got the pictures from the LT’s homecoming. And I just wanted to share how I decorated the outside of the house. I’ll post some of the actual homecoming later, but do you think I went overboard? I don’t!

The door inside the lanai – I used the Cameo Silhouette to make the letters and flag

The Balloon wreath – 188 balloons (not counting the 3 blown up) – my thumb hurt for 2 days.

The free sign I got through the USO – it was HUGE…and luckily I have awesome neighbors who help me!

There was a pinwheel on each side of the walkway, with 3 balloons…

The window inside the lanai (the kitchen window)

All together, it looked really good, if I do say so myself :)

And now to add me into the mix…

 

Thanks again to Taylor at Nine3Oh Creative (or her blog)

He’s HOME!

He’s home and I can breath again. The ceremony was amazing, and emotional. It was funny because I left the balloons at home, so we had to turn around and get them, since I told the LT to find me with the balloons. Luckily we live about 5 minutes from the Gulch.

Taylor, from Nine3Oh, came out and took pictures, the ones she’s posted so far are AMAZING! She was super nice and fun to have at the ceremony. She posted a teaser on her page, and each one is amazing!! She also took a couple with my phone, so I could post them right away.

 

Before the ceremony

After finding each other

Crafting

Part of my getting ready for the LT to come home is crafting, I’m making a wreath, and a banner, here is a sneak peek as I’m not wanting him to see everything before he gets home.

I used my Silhouette Cameo for this, and quickly regretted using the hearts w/ holes, as the holes got stuck on my cutting mat, and were hard to get off the mat, other than that, I love them. I just need to buy some Mod Podge, because, how else would I stick all parts together (there are 3…)

I found this wreath on Pinterest, and loved the idea, so I tweeked it for a patriotic themed welcome home wreath. It took 188 balloons, my right thumb hurt for 24 hours after finishing, I finished covering the 16’ wreath in one night, but am talking to someone to make me some Korker bows to pin in there, and then it will be finished. I could probably make my own Korker bows, but I don’t have dowels, but I guess since I need Mod Podge I could get some dowels, but I’ve already asked someone to make them. I think I’m going to try and put the banner inside the wreath, but I think it might be too big…

Anyways, I’m getting super excited about his home coming. I wish I could tell you when he’ll be home, or where he is, but I don’t know either…besides, that’d violate OPSEC…

I’ll see ya when I see ya;)

Gotta love the Army and their desire to keep you on your toes…I honestly won’t believe the LT is on his way home until he tells me he is in a helicopter or on a plane…things keep changing too much.

But I’m also just SO grateful that he’ll be coming home at all. So many families are not going to get to be reunited with their loved ones as so many of us are. Those families and their  loved one made the ultimate sacrifice, paid the ultimate price of War. And to them, I thank them. As I thank everyone returning, leaving, or already there.

Soon-ish

The LT should be home soonish…but it just feels like it’s going to be forever.

This year has been so long, but gone so fast.

I got most everything that I need to get ready, new bed sheets, new pillows, and new towels, because our towels we had before were shorty towels, and I don’t like shorty towels…

I need to put together a menu and go shopping for food, but that will happen closer to the time.

I’m also kind of getting tired of people asking me when he’s going to be home. First of all, I can’t tell you that. Secondly, I have no idea myself. I have an idea, but this is the Army we’re talking about, and that can change as late as 5 minutes before the plane leaves.

I want to tell ya’ll, I really do…but OPSEC won’t let me.

I just know these last few weeks are going to DRAG…

leapday

The only good thing about tomorrow, which is Leap Day, is that it’s my cousin Michael’s actual birthday…

Other than that, Leap Day can rush on by, so we can get into March, because well folks, the countdown to the LT coming home is ON…no set dates, and even if I had one, or some, I couldn’t tell you…but he’ll be home soon, so hurry up Leap Day…I want March…but who knows, come March I might be hoping for April…

The Descendants

*courtesy of youtube.com*

So a friend and I went to see The Descendants, it was filmed here in Hawaii, on Oahu, the Big Island and Kauai.

George Clooney is a father and husband who’s wife was in a boating accident. She’s on life support, and isn’t going to make it. Then his oldest daughter tells him mom was cheating on him. And so he goes on a journey to find the guy. Only to find out that he is married w/ 2 boys.

At the beginning George Clooney is giving a monologue, about life in Hawaii. And they use scenes that are exactly like the way Hawaii looks, at least Honolulu looks. The busy streets, the homeless tent cities, the homeless living on the beach. The buses and traffic.

Definitely a good movie, and definitely something to go see!

2012

So what does 2012 hold for us?

Well for one – the LT comes home from Afghanistan!! And to me that is the most important. I’m so ready for him to be home, and he is ready to be home too!!! Not much longer!!

Hopefully, it brings a baby, or at least a pregnancy, (doing the math, the baby wouldn’t be due until 2013, which just seems odd to me,) although, I’m on the fence about this…I’m excited to start a family with the LT, but I don’t know if we’re ready…and I’m not sure I want to move pregnant, I’ll do it, and not complain too much, but it’s something to think about…which brings me to the last thing that will happen, or well, the third thing, I’d hope more than 3 things happen, but we are suppose to move at the end of 2012,  Moving is inevitable, it’s a part of the Army(military, really) Lifestyle.

rock city lights

So one of the things I wanted to do when I was home was go to Rock City and see the Christmas lights. And Emily’s family goes every year, so I asked if I could tag along, and my sister wanted to tag along as well. So here are pictures…

Syd, Kynlee and Me

Kynlee insisted on walking, she was so cute :)

Emily and Me – she’s my bestie

Syd and Me in front of the Gingerbread House

Kynlee, Emily and Me

Syd and Me, she’s going to be 12 in Feb, and I just can’t get over how grown up she looks…

This picture is a lot nicer than some of the ones I have with her from my last visit, she was not a fan of me in March, but this trip, she adored me, melted my heart….I miss that girl

They really should put a step behind there for that top slot, LOL