Updates!

Well, its been a while since I have been on here...and one of my previous posts said this about Justin:

I can't imagine having to say goodbye again for the 3rd deployment. Having him home with me everyday is an incredible thing. Its a constant that I never knew I would enjoy so much.

Funny how life gets thrown around on you so quickly. I'm an A-type personality, and a little OCD. Everything has its place, and our life is always planned to a "T". Because of this, I know that God had me marry a man in the military to learn that I cannot have control over everything, and to learn that HE is in control, and to learn the virtue of patience. But man, has this been a tough one. 24 hours notice and your life is turned around. This has been MUCH harder than any previous deployment, mostly because I NEVER thought I would have to do it again...EVER! And the even harder thing is that I have NO idea when he will be home. We have heard anywhere from a few months to a WHOLE year. Do you know how much we have planned this year? Besides all of the basic holidays that I thought we would never have to miss together again (like birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, etc), my graduation is fastly approaching, and that is one of the BIGGEST events of my life minus our wedding and child birth. So much family is coming out for the event, and I can't imagine Justin not being there for it. We also have a big trip planned to go home for a wedding, as well as many other things. Sigh...its been a little crazy. But alas, besides my few ranting moments (like above), I am staying strong and knowing that this is much harder on him than it is me. I know that my support, love, and prayers is helping him, so that is what I am trying to focus on. I've just been praying though for news about his schedule. Just some notice about when he will be home. Its hard looking in your future and having no idea what it holds for you. Thankfully, I am staying SUPER busy with my last semester of school, and work is keeping me super busy as well. I just started a new Bible study at my church with a good friend, so that has been uplifting as well. I'm just ready for to have him home...for good!

We got a big snow storm last week, and it was stunning. Felt like a bit of home away from home. About to start some homework since I have a break in between classes. Gotta use the time when you have it.

Blessings.

Hello 2010

Well its been a busy jump start into the New Year! I start my last semester next week, and started back with KPMG yesterday. I am going to be working 20-30 hours a week through the end of May, while doing school full time. I am not quite sure how that is going to happen, but I am looking forward to getting some work in with KPMG before I start full time in the Fall. And besides, the money is AWESOME. I just keep telling myself that I will be done with school before I know it.

Justin is currently sick. I haven't dealt with him being sick in a LONG while. And of course, the one time that he does get sick, it lasts for days. Poor guy. But, I made my yummy homemade chicken noodle soup recipe that I have been filling him up with, as well as lots of oranges and water. Hoping that he gets better soon.

Justin is also going back to school next week. He hasn't attended school since High School, and now that his 4 years with the military is done, he decided to take a few classes a semester and get his AA in Photography. With the handy GI Bill, we were able to make that happen for him.

It has been quite cold here...currently 30 degrees at 6:30PM. BRRR. However, we aren't getting the snow that I love from back at home. Guess thats what we get for living so close to the beach.

Looking forward to my last weekend before I am owned by school and KPMG. Justin and I are starting to volunteer this weekend for a local animal shelter, and have also started a new Church that we love. So it should be a wonderful weekend together (minus the below-freezing temperatures).

Love to you all and a Happy 2010!!

Preparing for the New Year

As I sit here eating a warm homemade pumpkin muffin, its hard to believe we only have a few days left of 2009. At this moment, I am thankful that Justin decided not to re-enlist in the Navy as his aircraft carrier is preparing to leave Saturday morning for another 6-8 month deployment. The ship seemed to have just gotten back (which it pretty much did!) and I can't imagine having to say goodbye again for the 3rd deployment. Having him home with me everyday is an incredible thing. Its a constant that I never knew I would enjoy so much. So today, I decided to take our Christmas decorations down, but wanted to put up a few pictures of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
First off, we treated ourself to traditional crab on Christmas eve. With some melted lemon butter, french bread, baked brie, and roasted garlic, the menu was delicious.

Our Christmas morning was wonderful also. Though it was difficult being away from family, we enjoyed the simplicity of being together with our animals and enjoying each other's company
That night, we did a nice prime rib with green beans and festive mashed potatoes that were delicious. The whole holiday was wonderful. I have been reading a lot (on my 3rd book since Christmas break). I'm anxiously awaiting for my Barnes and Noble Nook to come in. A few more weeks and it should be here. I start back with KPMG a week from Thursday. I'm not sure how I am going to do school and 24 hours a week of strenuous tax work, but I keep telling myself that its my last semester of school EVER (at least until I get my MSA), and I can handle a few months of stress. Besides, we need the money and the experience from working through this tax season will be wonderful.

Justin is currently at work and I am sitting at home, bored. About to vacuum and take the trash out, as well as run some errands. I always thought that being a "stay at home wife/mom" would be fun, but I have to do something! I think my dream situation would be working from home. Then I can tend to all of the domestic things that mean so much to me and Justin, while still bring in substantial income in for the family. Hopefully one day I can have a tax prep business out of my home. But in the mean-time, Corporate America is where I will be...in towering high-rise buildings on the 21st floor of Dominion Tower. Nevertheless, I am not complaining...just describing what would be an ideal situation.

Well, off to do some stuff. Getting excited for Olive Garden for dinner tonight...even though its a farewell dinner for our dear friend/neighbor before he leaves with the USS Eisenhower on this coming deployment.

Happy New Year all!

Holiday Excitement

Holy Mackeral! I just LOVE the Holidays. I think that I have officially decided that once Halloween hits till the New Year is my favorite time of year. I've been trying to soak up as much holiday goodness as I can, because in years past, it seems that once Christmas is here, its over with so fast.


I've only been out of school less than a week and have tried out lots of great new recipes and baked pumpkin muffins, blackberry scones, vanilla sandwich cookies and gingerbread cookies. Christmas music has been on in our home non-stop, all paired with the smell of fresh pine (which is from my hot oil burner, not a real Christmas trees...stupid apartments for not letting us have real trees). I had some of my lovely girls over to decorate Christmas Cookies.

And also got a little painting done too I'm really loving the mixed-media thing right now. What a great release to get all of those creative juices flowing!

Tis the Season!

Wow! How wonderful it feels to be DONE DONE DONE with this semester. Only one more to go and then I am DONE with my undergraduate degree! I have only been out of school for about 4 days and have already baked blackberry scones, pumpkin muffins, vanilla sandwich cookies with chocolate fudge filling, a delicious caramelized onion pasta and on to a shrimp orzo for dinner tonight. Man it feels good to have time to cook!

We are SUPPOSED to get snow tonight, but being so close to the ocean doesn't always allow that to happen. It is 34 degrees out so I hope we do get some. Justin and I took a drive North to find some snow with Ellie all tucked away in my arms in her bright red festive sweater, but we only had rain freeze on our car. No snow. Sigh. But, we are home now and got laundry going and candles lit and the lights on our Christmas tree. This really is my favorite time of year. Tomorrow I am having some girls over for tea and scones/muffins and to decorate Christmas cookies. Tonight, I will hopefully get to some reading or painting. We will see what way I decide to go.

Nevertheless, I am blessed this Holiday Season and am so thankful for what I have!

Thanksgiving

Wow! I cannot believe that tomorrow is DECEMBER! Thankfully, I'm not feeling much holiday stress this year. I have sent out all of my Christmas cards, finished all the shopping, have everything wrapped, and presents shipped back to California. Quite an accomplishment before December. But I'm hoping that with those things out of the way, I will be able to study for finals better, as well as enjoy the REAL reason for the season.

Thanksgiving was amazing. Justin and I went down to visit my cousins in South Carolina. We have been down there once before and get along with them SO well. We had a great time cooking, visiting, playing with babies, and just being together. We tried to make due since we couldn't be back in California. And I have to say, with me being the baby in the family on both sides, it is really a special time right now in my life that I am finally able to bond with my older cousins/siblings. Now that I am older, I am able to connect with them better and form a great relationship.

The Thanksgiving dinner was amazing! We went ALL out with the food. I made a pumpkin pie....my first pie EVER (I'm not a great baker).

And then I decided to make a berry pie that is a family recipe....and look what happened
Apparently I haven't mastered the art of pie crust crimping or whatever you call it. At least it tasted good. Justin and I munched on it before we tossed it and decided to buy an apple pie on the way to South Carolina.



Nevertheless, the food was FANTASTIC. Honestly, the holidays are my favorite time of year. Could I listen to any more Christmas carols? NOPE!

Governmental Accounting and Cars...lovely

So, Monday of Thanksgiving week and all I can think about is what Pumpkin Pie recipe I'm going to use for the pie we are bringing to our cousins in South Carolina that we are sharing Thanksgiving with (as well as lots of appetizers).

However, this day did not allow me to get in the mood for the holidays yet. First, I have a ridiculous hard midterm tomorrow nightin Governmental Accounting. Hardest class of my life. Maybe its hard because I am really not interested in the topic, and maybe its hard because its only a lecture and I forget about it once class is over...but at this point, I am lost and am BEGGING for a C in this class...which is very weird for me as I am still holding on to my 3.96 GPA (and lets not get to the subject about why its not a 4.00). So, needless to say, I have been holding back tears all day because of this midterm. Secondly, I had to take my car in to the dealership to get some noises looked at, and after being there 4 hours trying to study, they had to keep my car over night to fix a bunch of stuff I don't even understand that is going to cost us an arm and a leg. So, I had to reschedule my nightly Premier Designs plans to close out a show, and had to have Justin come rescue me on his way home. Then as Justin went to his nightly job while I decided to try to study more, Justin calls and has a shard of metal through his tire and can't drive on his car. So, now we get to go get a new tire tomorrow, and go rescue my car. And then take a midterm. BLAHHH!!!!! This is a complain blog. But sheesh, what a day! Trying to keep God as the focus and know that this is all small stuff in the grand scheme of things!