I'm super boring...

Seriously. I'm SO boring it isn't even funny! Lol. I've been super lazy and haven't done too much of anything lately.

But I do have some news! My husband and I just might have found a house for when we move to VA! It works out so PERFECTLY it's almost unbelievable! First, it's in a location I was hoping to live in. (Plus!) Second, it's owned by a guy in the Navy so he's really working with us on a number of things. (Plus plus!) Third, it's not available to move into until we'll be arriving in VA! (Plus plus plus!) I'm so excited! It has three bedrooms, two baths, a yard for the pups (plus plus plus plus!!!) and it's within our budget. Like I said, it's perfect!

My husband had to talk me into it a little because I was hesitant to settle on a place without being there to look at it. But lucky we have family that can swing by to take a glance at it for us. We really couldn't pass up such a great deal. So I'm happy he was able to talk me into it! Lol.

Now time just need to hurry up and pass so Kraig can come back and we can move into our new home and start our new lives, in a new state, with new friends, and no more deployments! :)

P.S. Does anyone know how to add a reply button to my comments? I've seen it on a few other peoples blogs but I have yet to figure it out and I'm still unsure of how to reply to people and I feel kinda rude just not replying at all! Lol. I'm confused about the whole situation so if anyone knows,.. please help! :)

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Patiently waiting...

Eeps! Deployments getting closer and closer to an end! Still a few months to go but time has flown by already. He'll be home before I know it!

I have SO much to look forward to the next few months...

First, I'm thinking about getting a new tattoo soon! Woo! I want to get Amarmi per quello che sono. It means Love me for who I am. And it's in italian which has even more meaning because I'm italian and my family is from Italy. =) Thoughts?

Second! My bestest friend in the whole wide world (next to my husband of course! lol) is coming to visit next month for 11 days!!! Eeps!!! I'm SO excited! We're gonna do all the things in Seattle we never got a chance to do when she still lived here. Gum wall, space needle, hikes, day drinking (lol), the list goes on and on! And I seriously can't wait!

As if it wasn't bad enough with Kraig going on deployment, my friend had to move home while the guys were away. So we've been away from each other this entire time which is JUST AS BAD as being away from our husbands! Lol.

Plus it's gonna make time fly and after she leaves we don't have much time at all before deployments over! And I'll be busy that entire time preparing for his return... which I feel like I'm never given enough time to do! Which makes no sense at all since technically I'm given SEVERAL months. But u know how that goes. So yea! It's gonna be a blasty blast.

Anyway.

THIRD! And certainly the BEST of all! Kraig's coming home!!! AHHH!!! I can't wait to be a normal couple again!

Fourth, our road trip across America! Idk exactly what our plans r yet for the entire trip, but I know we're going to see the grand canyon! So that'll be awesome!

Aaaand fifth! OUR MOVE TO VIRGINIA! Then it's just all gonna be a party from there! No more deployments, we'll have a house, all our friends will be together again, no more deployments, we'll be closer to family, I get to go to school, NO MORE DEPLOYMENTS! Lol.

Yea, the rest of this crappy yr is gonna be awesome! Lol. I can't waaaiiittt! <3

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The Hunger Games Trilogy!

So! I do not know how I didn't know about these books before the movie came out! But I decided to take the time to read the first one before going to see the movie and I'm SO glad that I did!!!

I know everyone says this about books that were made into movies and it's usually true... but, this book is WAY better than the movie! You almost HAVE to read the book before watching the movie because the movie doesn't go into detail about important parts of the story and you don't get the full Hunger Games experience!!

The movie was good though! Don't get me wrong. It definitely made me fall in love with the characters even more than I already was! But you would be depriving yourself of an amazing story by just watching the movie. So I highly recommend reading the trilogy.

I love reading books and then watching the movie to get faces to go along with the names! So, after reading the first book and watching the movie, it just made the second book that much better!

Catching fire is in my opinion even better than the first book! It was addicting and I read the whole book in two days.. which almost never happens for me! Lol. I don't want to give anything away, but it threw some crazy twists at me that I was never expecting! It definitely kept my attention and that's not easy to do when it comes to books!

I'm currently reading the third book, Mockingjay. I'm only a few chapters in but I will be finishing it by if not tomorrow, then the next day! And I will be reviewing it! So far it's pretty damn good!

I've never read a book series before... other than goose bumps when I was little. Lol. I usually get through the first book (if I even make it through the first book) and then am not impressed enough to read the rest. Like Twilight. I just don't see all the hype about Twilight in the first place. But to me, the book was particularly boring. Also, Harry Potter! I know, I'm crazy! I loved the movies! I'm a grown adult and still love to watch them... but those movies ARE better than the books! Or at least I think so!

But anyway! I got side tracked! Lol. So yea. The Hunger Games! Read them, see the movie, and stand by for the other movies to come out! You will not be disappointed! They're super easy and entertaining reads and the characters are amazing! :)

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Updates

OK, so I've been super lazy with blogging. Mainly because my computer has been hooked up to my TV and I didn't realize I could blog on my tablet! But also because I've been extremely boring and lazy and haven't done jack in like two weeks. Lol. But I do have a few things to share!

First off, u know those sharp up shoes that r supposed to tone ur butt and thighs when u wear them? Well I know a few people that have them and LOVE them. So I've been wanting them but they're like $70 and I paid about $90 for my shocks that I rarely wear. But they really hurt my feet when I work out in them so I needed a new pair. Well, long story short I went to Ross dress for less and got a pair of shape ups for $7!!! Idk if it was a mistake on their part or what but I snagged them up and they're amazing! Its like walking on air!

I've been going to the gym 5 days a week and doing 1 1/2 hrs of cardio and now I really only do Jillian Michael's videos when I can't makes it to the gym. I pretty much live on fruit and veggies! Still waiting for a noticeable change though.

Onto some other news,.. I wanted to color my hair a reddish brown and it ended up an unnatural in ur face RED. I had to make three trips to Sally's to try and fix it but I finally got it to a color I like. Its a dark brown with a tint of red in the sun. I have a feeling the red will come out a little more in the next few days though. I have natural red highlights and they ALWAYS end up making their way thru any color I have!

Other than all that boring news, I actually have some exciting news too! My friend Johnna is officially coming to visit me in may! Her and her husband were stationed here with us and we were inseperable. But when the second deployment rolled around she moved home to save money. So we haven't seen each other since before the guys left for deployment and we didn't think we would get to see each other until we all got to VA! So I'm super excited she's coming to visit! She'll be here for 10 days then not too much longer after that and deployment will be over finally!!! Woo!!!

Welp, that's pretty much it! Over and out! :)

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The time has come... the first MELTDOWN MONDAY post! :)

So! I only completed 3 days of the 30 day shred. I was hoping to be done with the first week but that was just impossible. I was so sore after the first day I could barely move! And when I say barely move I'm not even exaggerating! So I gave myself some time to heal before I started up again. Since then I've done 2 days (yesterday and the day before) and I'm not at all sore. Which is odd to me but I'm not complaining!

The 30 day shred is a really good workout! If you're looking for a way to get started, I suggest this video! It's rough but it isn't too much right off the bat! Especially if your someone like me that needs cardio, but has a really hard time doing it. I really struggle with cardio because I have asthma. So I've literally never had to do any type of cardio until I started to gain weight.

Since I couldn't really work out I just stuck to my dieting! Nothing drastic. Just switching from white things such as bread, rice and noodles to brown things like wheat (If that makes sense?), subbing mayo with avocado spread, staying away from the obvious fatty unhealthy stuff and just eating a lot of fruits and vegges! Oh! And I've beem staying away from those delicious but fatty dressings for my salads and just going with the healthier choice of olive oil and vinegar... maybe a few seasonings here and there depending on how I'm feeling that day, but for the most part just good old oil and vinegar!

I can already feel myself getting more full quicker. I've been eating smaller portions than I normally would and find myself completely satisfied! When I want to eat between meals I just snack on fruit.

Here r some of the healthy meals I've prepared...

Yes, there is a beer in the corner of this pic. But give me a break! I needed a drunken girls night! Lol. It was a light beer!

This is turkey and chicken with avocado and tomato.

This was more on the fattier side of all my meals. At a whopping 300 calories. Lol. Shrimp alfredo! Yum!

Onto to other news... I found out that I have a vitamin D deficiency. Which is the cause of a lot of my problems like fatigue, restless nights, etc. So my dr prescribed me a vitamin D pill that I have to take 3 times a day! Kinda sucks. But I was actually looking into it and it can help u lose weight and prevent obesity. So that's nice! It also helps to prevent some forms of cancer! So yea! I'm getting healthy on the inside and out!

But that's it for this week! :)


If you want to join in just click the Meltdown Mondays button above for instructions, then submit ur link below! :)

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50 Q&A About Marriage :)

1. When is your "engagement" anniversary?
We got engaged on Christmas Eve my sr yr of high school. So 12/24/07 :)

2. When is your "marriage" anniversary?
03/31/09

3. How long have you known your spouse?
About 8 yrs or so.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
Almost exactly 3 yrs.

5. Where did you meet your spouse for the first time?
Officially,.. in the car of a mutual friend. Lol.

6. What is your spouses name?
Kraig

7. Do you have any children?
Not yet! Can't wait to start a family though! :)

8. How many? Boys/Girls
Preferably, 2 boys.

9. Do you have any house pets?
Yep! Two little jerk chihuahua's. We love them though! Lol.

10. Do you own a house or rent?
Rent an apartment. And it sucks! I hate apartment living!

11. Do you live in the country/town/city?
City-ish, I guess.

12. What is one of your favorite activites to do together?
We have about a billion shows we watch together we love to just sit at home just the two of us and watch TV and become part of the couch! Lol. We're also total road trip people! So we like to spend hrs driving around aimlessly just enjoying nature and each others company!

13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot?
Probably FL. But we didn't go there on vaca. We lived there. If that counts.

14. When did you first kiss?
Psh. I have no idea exactly when! But it was like 7 yrs ago.

15. What church do you attend?
We don't go to church. But we really should and I would absolutely love to!

16. Is this the church you were married in?
We weren't married in a church.

17. What town is your current adress at?
Near Seattle.

18. Do you work or stay home?
I used to work but I quit a few months ago. So now I just stay at home.

19. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We never had a honeymoon. =\ We will after our big wedding though!

20. What was the funniest gift you gave while dating?
Idk about when dating,.. but my husband likes to have his eyes covered while he sleeps. So he usually uses a pillow. Well in a care package I sent him I added boob a eye mask from spencers. Lol. He better actually use it! I would! Lol.

21. How long have you been together?
A little over 7 yrs.

22. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Not that long. Maybe a month or two.

23. Who asked who out?
He asked me. By taking my phone and typing "Will u be my girlfriend?" and handing it back to me! Lol.

24. How old are each of you?
I'm 22 and he'll be 23 this month.

25. Where do each of you go to school?
We don't go to school. He's obviously in the Navy and I'll be going to school sometime when I get to VA.

26. Which situation is hardest on you as a couple?
Deployment. Other than that we literally have zero problems.

27. Did you go to the same school?
Nope.

28. Are you from the same town?
No, he lived about 15-20 minutes away. But that didn't stop him from riding his bike to my house before we got our licenses and no one would give us a ride! We're cute, I know. Lol. :)

29. Who is smarter?
He's definitely smarter. I'm not by any means stupid, but he makes me look bad because he's like a genious and doesn't even try!

30. Who is more sensative?
Me. Lol. No doubt.

31. Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Idk we like to try different places at much as we can. But mostly, SADLY, mcdonalds.

32. Where is the farthest you two have traveled as a couple?
All the way from VA to WA.. in a car. And it was amazing!

33. Who has the craziest exes?
Me. Lol.

34. Who has the worse temper?
Me. I'm italian, don't judge me! Lol.

35. Who does the cooking?
Mostly him! He's a great cook and loves it! But I've been experimenting a little since he's been gone. So I'm excited to cook for him for a change when he gets home! :)

36. Who is more social?
Depends on the situation. And if alcohol is involved. Lol. Mostly him.

37. Who is the neat-freak?
ME! Things need to be a certain way or I freak out. Literally. I'm a little OCD. It drives him crazy. Because he's not at all neat or organized. So especially after deployments it's hard for us to readjust. But we manage.

38. Who is more stubborn?
We're both pretty damn stubborn.

39. Who hogs the bed?
HIM! And he steals the blankets! Between him and the dogs I might as well just get my own bed! Lol.

40. Who wakes up earlier?
Him. But mainly because he has to get up for work by like 5am.

41. Where was your first date?
To the movies to see Meet the Fockers. Lol. That's were he asked me to be his girlfriend.

42. Who had more boyfriends/girlfriends?
I think we're exactly equal. I'm not really sure... it's been so long I don't even remember all of my boyfriends. That's how awesome they must have been huh? Lol.

43. Do you get flowers often?
If it was up to him I would, but I think they're kind of pointless. They're nice to get occasionally. But often is just a waste of money in my opinion. Plus I think it makes it more special if it's not a constant thing. When we were dating though, I got flowers like every other week!

44. How do you spend the holidays?
Um, well,... up until the last two yrs we spent them with our family. But the last two yrs I spent them alone beause of deployment. I'm hoping to spend this Christmas just the two of us for the first time ever though!

45. Who is more jealous?
When we were younger we were both MAD jeslous. It was ridiclous. Now, we're not really that jealous at all. We have our moments given random situations, but nothing crazy. I'd say we're about equal.

46. How long did it take to get serious?
After a few months we were already talking marriage. Yes, 15 yr olds discussing marriage. What can I say? When u know, u know! :)

47. Who eats more?
Him for sure. Good Lord!

48. Who does the laundry?
I do. If he did it, he would shrink all my clothes! Lol.

49. Who is better with the computer?
We're both good with computers. It depends on what we're doing. I'm better at some things than he is and he's better at things I'm not.

50. Leave a piece of advice for other couples.
When we got married, we were given a poem. The poem was about marriage and how it's exactly like an empty box. You can't take something out of the box without putting something back in it! To get love, respect, etc... u got to give love, respect, etc. It's worked for us for 7 yrs... and we're going strong! :)

The End!

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I'm creating a link up!

Ok, SO!... This is my first link up. But I thought it would be fun to do. So, I'm doing it! Lol.

Idk if this has been done before or not.. but, I decided since I'm starting a new exercise and diet routine and was going to post every Monday about it, why not start a 'Meltdown Monday' link up where other women can connect with others trying to lose weight! Sounds fun, right?! Well it does to me! Lol. :)

If you would like to find out more about Meltdown Mondays just CLICK HERE! I hope you join in!

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Day 1 of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred!

Well, I woke up early, ate a healthy breakfast, took a multivitamin, and completed the first day of the 30 day shred. A half hr of level one.

I was out of breath, my chest hurt, I felt like I was gonna vomit, and I'm still shaky! Though I don't think for a second I'll lose 20lbs in 30 days... shits intense!

Mind u I'm terribly out of shape, but I could barely follow along! I kept pushing myself though! I know, I know.. it'll get easier as time goes on. Or at least I sure hope it does because I have a 90 day plan! Lol.

This is the vitamin I'm taking! I decided it probably isn't best to take a diet pill. Even though I lost 20+ lbs taking hydroxycut a few yrs ago.. I wanted to take a healthier route this time! Considering obviously I put most of my weight back on, I'm living proof pills and fad diets help u lose weight fast but u put it back on once u stop!

So my 90 day plan!.. The first 30 days consists of only the 30 day shred and Jillian's yoga meltdown.

Then I have more planned out with some more of her videos for the following 60 days but I'll fill u in on that once I finish the first 30! One step at a time!

Eventually I would LOVE to work up to running. But my asthma insists I take things slow. But running a few times a week strengthens ur lungs which could improve my future drastically! Well, anyone's future. But since my asthma is so bad stronger lungs sounds pretty amazing to me!

Anywho, my goal is to lose 20lbs in 90 days. A fair and reasonable goal I think! Might as well spend this deployment getting healthy and skinny so the hubs can come home to a new me! :)

I think I'm gonna start posting updates every Monday on my workout and my progress. After each 30 days, I'll have before and after pictures... that I may or may not post. Lol. We'll see.

So, onto other news... u may have noticed I changed the name of my blog slightly! When I first made this blog 2 yrs ago I jumped into it and gave it quite an unoriginal name. Not that the one I have now is extremely different, it fits better and isn't named after a TV show! Lol. So if by chance u had my old button, please grab my new one with my new name! Thanks lovlies! <3

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MilSpouse Survey :)

1. How did you and your spouse meet?
Through mulutal friends! (See 'Our Story' if u want more details!)

2. How old were you when you two met?
We were both 15. :)

3. How long have you been together?
We've been together for 7 yrs and married for what will be 3 yrs this month!

4. Where are you and your spouse originally from?
Pennsylvania. From tiny country towns!

5. How did you feel about him joining the military?
At first I really wasn't happy about it at all. But then I warmed up to the idea and realized it was a really great opertunity for him and the best decision for our future.

6. Where did your spouse go to Basic Training?
Great Lakes, Chicago. I believe the only boot camp there is now?

7. Has your spouse ever been deployed?
Yes. Last yr we had a 7 month deployment and he's currently deployed again for even longer, with a ton of work ups in between. Not fun. But what can ya do?

8. Ever been to his promotion ceremony?
No... I can't remember why I didn't go when he made PO3. I think maybe I had to work? Not sure. I probably won't get to go to his next one either because he might still be deployed. =\

9. How long have you been a military wife?
About 3 down, roughly 6-7 more to go!

10. Did you marry him before or after he joined?
Before. We were engaged for a few yrs before the Navy was even part of our plan. Him enlisting just moved our wedding date up.

11. How did your husband propose?
Well, it was Christmas Eve night, my senior yr of high school, and we were at his family's house. We decided to leave for a while to get some alone time and we went to a park we went to a lot when we first started dating. We were just joking around swinging and all the fun things u do at a park! Lol. Then I went down a slide and he was standing at the end. When I got to the bottom he got down on one knee and pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him! My first responce was "Seriously?!" Lol. Followed by "Yea!" Lol.

12. Where did you get married?
Well since we weren't planning on getting married so soon we just got married by justice of the peace with my mom and his parents there. We plan on having our real wedding soon. One where our entire family and all our friends can come and I wear a gown! Maybe for our 5th wedding anniversary! :)

13. How old were you two when you got married?
He just turned 20 and I was 19.

14. Did he wear his uniform on his wedding day?
No. We got married before he even had uniforms. Lol.

15. Where are you and your spouse currently stationed?
WA. The mountain views r amazing, the rain is depressing, and the winters r brutal! I can't wait to move to VA!

16. Do you live on base?
No. I prefer not to.

17. How long were you married when you had to go through your first separation?
About 2 months I think? When he went to boot camp. It seemed like forever but that’s nothing now! Lol.

18. What is your favorite base so far?
Favorite base was probably Pensacola, FL. Just because it was huge and like it's own town. Our base now is probably the worst. Security always likes to give me a hard time for no reason and they're so unorganized it isn't even funny. Again, can't wait to move to VA!

19. Do you think your spouse looks good in his uniform?
Hell yea! ;)

20. Do you think military life is more advanced than civilian life?
I wouldn't say more advanced. It’s basically the same with more rules in my opinion.

21. Do you like the benefits you receive as a military dependent?
Eh. I'm lucky to have health insurance and stuff cause I know a lot of people don't. But I had free insurance thru the state in PA and never had a co-payment for anything. With Tri care we not only have to pay for me to have prime but I always have co-payments that get higher as my husband's rank gets higher. So I basically have to wait to go to a dentist until we can afford it and I have to drive out of my way to get my perscriptions on base just so they're free. But other than that,.. shopping at the nex tax free is nice, comissarry is nice... I don't really know what other benefits I would have. Lol. So yea.

22. Do you have a lot of military wife friends?
Sure do. They definietly got me through last deployment! But a lot of them have turned into people I wouldn't have expected them to and I'm looking forward to meeting new people in VA!

23. What is the hardest part of the military life?
Just the deployments and being seperated from family. Other than that it's all just a normal lif. Life in general can be hard. We just have some extra stuff going on with our husbands being deployed and sometimes for a lot longer than expected and possibily being away from ur family that whole time. But u get used to it.

24. Do you own military wife stuff?
Yes! I love showing off that I'm a Navy wife and love anything nautical so I love anchors and all that fun stuff!

25. Do you support your spouse as a member of the military?
Of course! It's not always easy. But he has my back and I have his!

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Book review- Heaven is for real: A Little Boys Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo

This book was by far, the greatest book I've ever read. I am a religious person. I went to a catholic school, was taught about God and the old testament, I went to church 3 times a week. But once I grew up I, like many, HAD my doubts. While I did still believe and have faith, I was just a little confused.

This book completely changed my view of the world, of people, and above all things, and most importantly, God.

This review will have a little bit of a spoiler at the end but I'll warn you in time in case you do plan to read this book!

Meet Todd and Colton Burpo! (Isn't Colton the cutest little thing?!)

Todd is Colton's Father who is a pastor. Colton was only 3 when he had his experiences in heaven. You might think, being that his Father is a pastor, Colton is just a little boy perhaps repeating some of the things his Father preaches about. But once you read the book, you'll quickly think differently!

After his trip to heaven, he began telling his parents that he met his older sister. Who never had a chance to live on this earth. His Mother had had a miscarriage a few yrs before Colton was even born. They never talked about it and they certainly never told their 3 yr old son about it! Then he tells his Dad he met his great Grandfather, to passed away 30 some years before Colton was even thought of. He even identified him in some old photos. He starts talking about God, and how he sits in a huge chair and Jesus rides around on a really big horse only he's allowed on. And in Colton's words "Jesus' eyes are just so beautiful!"

*Tiny Spoiler*
It turned into a game with Colton and his parents anytime they saw a picture of Jesus, they would ask him if that's what Jesus looked like. Colton always found something wrong with the picture! The hair wasn't right, the beard wasn't right, etc. Well, one day Todd was going through some emails and came across one a friend had sent him. It was a CNN report of this little girl named Akiane Kramarik. Who started talking about how she went to heaven in her dreams when she was about 3. Then she started painting her visions.

Akiane grew up in an old fashioned family who didn't believe in radios, TV, computers or internet. Her Mother was an atheist and never spoke of Jesus, God, or heaven. So when Akiane started having these visions and painting them, she changed her Mother's religious views all together!

Well, at the end of the article, was a painting Akiane painted of Jesus. So Todd thought he'd call Colton over and ask him if that's what Jesus looked like. Colton quickly replied "THAT'S HIM DAD! That's Jesus!"

This painting gives me chills. Who knows if this is really what Jesus looks like. But all I can say is.. I've never seen a painting of Jesus that made me feel like this one does.
*End of spoiler*

I couldn't put this book down. Usually it takes me WEEKS to finish a book. If I even finish it. This book, I read in one sitting. First time I've EVER done that. It kept me interested from beginning to end and I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend reading it!

To Get the Book CLICK HERE!
Akiane's paitings.

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Last Thing Thursday!

Well, I decided to give this link-up thing a shot! This particular one just looked like fun! :) So here goes! The last thing I...

Read:
Heaven is for real: A little boys astonishing story of his trip to heaven and back.

This is actually what my future book review is going to be about! So I'll keep this simple. IT'S AMAZING! Enough said for now! :)

Pinned:

I'm totally obsessed with dream catchers! I love everything they stand for. And they're just pretty darn cool look at!

TV Show I Watched:

I love this show! I love the idea of helping someone do something on their list every time they do something on theirs. It's great. <3

Blog Post I Read:
I read Terri's 'last thing i....thursdays.' post over at The [Mis]adventures of a Navy Wife Which lead me too The Life of The Wife's blog, which obviously, inspired me to do this post! :)

Candy I Ate:

I love, love, LOVE salty caramel snacks!

Did for someone:
I baked over 100 mini muffins for my husband and the guys in his shop!

Banana walnut, banana pecan, and banana chocolate! :)

Baked:

Why I keep gaining weight. I regret nothing.

Bought and Loved:

This nail polish. It's my favorite color and it matches my blog! Woo! Lol.

To do this link up go here!:

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An Interview With a Sailor - The Navy Life From His Eyes

I asked a few friends what they would want to know about the navy life from a sailor's point of view. Then, I decided to interview my husband on what it's like to be a sailor. Mainly for the fun of interviewing my husband (lol) but also to inform some people who might not know very much about the Navy and what they do for our country and our other service men. I asked him to answer each question as if it wasn't his wife asking them and he did a pretty good job and took it seriously! I myself even learned a few things! So here it is, an interview with AT3 Shultz :)

What is the Navy's general operation?: The purpose of the navy is to keep the seas free and to provide assistance to troops on the ground.

Why did you join the military and why the Navy?: I joined the military to serve my country, to be part of something bigger than myself, and for job security. I chose the navy for the opportunity to travel the world.

Tell me about your basic training experience: Basic training sucked when it was happening. But looking back at it now it wasn't all that bad. I thought then that being away from home for 2 months was bad. Since then I've done one 7 month deployment and am currently on an even longer one. Basic training was hectic. There was always somewhere to be and something to be doing. We woke up, showered, ate, and worked out at the same exact time every day. As long as you did what you were told it was actually a breeze. Those who didn't do what they were told were constantly being yelled at and IT'd (intensive physical training). It was basically 2 months of learning how to follow orders and instructions.

How did you get through it?: I pretty much just got into a routine, the days went faster than you could imagine. The thought of getting out and going to the fleet and making a
steady paycheck got me through it.

Please describe your rank, job title, and primary duties with the Navy: I am a Petty Officer Third Class (E-4 paygrade) Aviation Electronics Technician. I am responsible for fixing the electronics that come out of the planes. As an AT you can be placed in many different shops on board that work on many different types of electronics from the planes. I work out of the Electronic Countermeasures shop. We work mostly on the ALQ-99 systems that are used on the EA-6b Prowler aircraft. It is used for jamming enemy signals such as radar. I also work on the ALQ-144 system, flown on the MH-60R SeaHawk Helicopter. It is Infrared Countermeasure. Used to protect the Helo from incoming missiles. Along with my primary duties as an AT I also have shop Collateral Duties. We have many programs that we must follow. I currently manage the Calibration program and several other shop programs, on top of my normal work.

Please explain the differences and how your duties have changed since becoming a PO: Since becoming a PO the biggest difference is my pay, which is a lot better. But mostly I've just taken on a few more responsibilities. Once making third class I became the shift Production Supervisor. So I am responsible for making sure the shift runs smoothly and placing personnel on equipment to run. I no longer do some of the shitty jobs I did as an airman, such as taking out trash or taking the laundry to ships laundry. All in all not a whole lot has changed. The jump from third class to second is a lot bigger.

Will you reenlist and why?: Yes I plan on reenlisting to do my shore duty. The economy is terrible and it is nice to have a reliable income. I plan on getting a degree in Electronic Engineering while I'm on shore duty so I have better skills to find a job when I get out of the navy.

What are your goals while still in the Navy?: My goals before I get out are to make first class petty officer and to earn a degree in electronics engineering.

How long is a typical work day and does that change when deployed?: In port the typical work day is 6-8 hours, Monday through Friday, depending on whats going on. We also have duty every 8 days where we have to stay on the ship for 24 hours. While deployed we work 12 hours days, 7 days a week. We have 2 shifts, daycheck from 7am-7pm, and nightcheck from 7pm-7am.

What is the work environment like and how it is different being deployed?: When you first check in its very overwhelming. You don't realize how big an aircraft carrier really is until you actually step foot on one. Its hard to find your way around, but after a few weeks you get the hang of it. When we are deployed the environment is completely different than when we are in port. In port there are no aircraft on board. Underway there are many aircraft throughout all the hangar bays. There is a lot going on all the time. You have to keep your head on a swivel and constantly pay attention to what you are doing. Just last month a friend of mine wasn't paying attention to where he was walking and hit his head on an aircraft wing and ended up with 5 stitches. The biggest thing is to make sure you don't become complacent. Once we are out for so long everyone starts to get lazy and not follow procedure or pay attention because they have done it for so long, that's when accidents happen.

Please describe a typical day on the ship: I work the daycheck shift from 7am-7pm. I wake up at 6am. Brush my teeth, wash my face, and go to the shop to inventory all the tools before shift starts. At 0700 I report to production control for the production meeting. We go over what every shop has going on for the day and anything the chain of command wants to put out to all the crew. After the meeting I usually go smoke then from 0800-0900 we have cleaning stations. For one hour everyone cleans all the spaces that belong to their shop. We have to dust, sweep,
wipe down walls, etc. cleanliness is important, this isn't just where we work, its where we live. After cleaning stations we get to work on any gear that we have. I usually eat lunch around noon. Dinner around 5pm. I get off shift at 7 pm. After shift I shower and read a book, play video games, or watch something on my laptop. Then go to sleep around 11 and do it all again the next day.

What's going through your head when you're about to leave for deployment?: Geez theres a lot going through my head right before we leave. I try not to think about it mostly. The biggest thought is being away from my wife for so long.

What's it like seeing nothing but water around you?: At first its kind of cool. But after a few days it gets old. Looking out at the same exact thing every day. No matter where we are in the world, whether it be off the coast of California or in the Persian gulf, the water all looks the same.

What's it like sleeping in a rack and sharing one berthing with several
others?: It's cramped. Its only tall enough for you to be able to roll over, you cant sit up in it. There is a reading light in the rack so that's nice. I'm lucky where I sleep because I only have one other person who sleeps above me and a wall across from me. most of the racks are set up in cubicles of 6. 3 on each side. I sleep in a bottom rack. It's a pain trying to share the heads with everyone. Sometimes you have to wait for a shower to open up or for a sink so you can brush your teeth.

Are you or have you ever been in danger?: Being on an aircraft carrier is dangerous. I myself don't work on the flight deck, where most of the danger is, so I myself am not in much danger. On the flight deck there are constantly jets turning and launching and landing. The guys who work up there have a lot to pay attention for. It's no joke. As far as danger from being attacked, we are a navy ship, theres always a chance someone could try to attack us. Will something like that happen? Highly doubtful.

What are you most proud of as far as your achievments?: The achievements I'm most proud of are becoming qualified as an Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist and an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist. It took a lot of hard work and I had to know everything there is to know about aviation and the ship.

What things has the Navy trained you for that you wouldn't normally be
certified in?: I am a fully qualified firefighter. Twice a week we practice general quarters, where we train for scenarios of mass damage to the ship, such as fire or missile or torpedo attack, and things such as flooding or structural damage. Every sailor on board is trained on how to keep this ship afloat in the event of an actual casualty. I am fully qualified in first aid and CPR. I am currently working on getting my certification to teach CPR class.

What's the food like on the ship?: The food. Sometimes it's good sometimes it's terrible. For the most part its not to bad. It's no home cooked meal, but its still good.

How do you stay in touch with your family?: We have phones onboard that you can buy phone cards for but they are kind of pricey. The biggest form of communication is email. And it's always cheaper to make phone calls once we make a port call.

How do you deal with missing them?: I just remember that they will be waiting for me when I come home. That's enough for me. Some people have a harder time being away, I'm just good at
controlling it. I remember that no matter what happens I'll be coming home to them. I'm part of something way bigger than myself, and have too many responsibilities to let it get to me.

Do you feel pressure or stress?: Absolutely. What we do here affects our troops on the ground. There is always a lot of pressure to get the gear out. We need to make sure our
brothers on the ground have our support. And it's very stressful. There's always a lot going on. Theres always work to be done. If you aren't stressed out here there's something wrong with you. It's how you handle it that makes the difference. Some people handle it better than others. I think I handle my stress pretty well.

How do you entertain yourself in your free time?: We have a few satellite channels on tv and the ships media department plays movies all day so there's that. We have a big screen tv and 3 video game systems in my shop. I mostly like to read. I have a kindle which is the best investment ever. I use it just about every day, and finish a book every few days. I also have a laptop computer to watch movies and tv shows on. If there's a tv show or movie you want, someone on the ship has it.

What is the first you do when you hit a port?: The first thing I do when I hit a port is eat. Like I said the food isn't terrible out here, but it's nice to have a big greasy big mac or some taco bell.

What is your favorite port you've been to so far?: I;d have to say my favorite port I've been to isn't even a foreign country. I liked Hawaii the best. The place was just so amazing. Coming in at second would have to be Singapore. Hopefully we get to hit a European port this
cruise.

How has your career in the Navy so far affected your life?: It's completely changed me. I'm much more responsible. Before the navy I never lived on my own, so that was a huge change. Ive lived in 3 different states since I joined, and I've been out to sea for months at a time. My life is nothing like it was before the navy.

What are your plans after the Navy?: I plan on getting a job as an electronics engineer hopefully designing some of the things I currently work on.

Deployments sometimes get extended. Has that ever happened to you?: Yes, we have already had 2 two month extensions added onto what was supposed to be a 5 month deployment. It sucks! But theres nothing I can do about it, and being angry or sad about doesn't make it any better. I know that there is a lot going on in the world right now and whether I like It or not we are needed here. What we do matters, we are saving lives, and providing support for our troops on the ground.

How did you feel when you got the news about the extension?: I felt angry. But I just stuffed It down and tried not to worry about it.

How do you feel when returning from a deployment?: It's the greatest feeling ever. Getting that first hug. That first kiss. It can't even be put into words.

Is it hard to transition back into a normal routine after a deployment?: I thought it would be. But no not really. Some things were different because my wife was not used to my messy ways, and used to dealing with everything on her own, but everything fell back into place pretty quick.

As a sailor, do you find it hard to obtain a healthy family life in
the military?: Yes and no. Like I've said before it depends on the person. If you are really
a family, you can get through anything, no matter how long you may be gone. I don't find it hard, because I know my wife will wait as long as she has to. She might not like it, but she always supports the decisions I make.

How do you think your life would be different had you never enlisted?: Never really thought about it. But it would be completely different. I can't really come up with what it would be like because who knows what would have happened to me if I didn't join.

Do you think you'll keep in touch with the people you've met and
befriended in the Navy?: Some of them yes, most of them no.

If you could do it all over again would you and would you still choose the Navy?: Yes I would and yes I would choose the navy again. I believe it was the best option for me at the time. It afforded me the opportunity to get out on my own and support myself and my wife. It has given me the opportunity to see things most people couldn't dream about.

Thanks to my husband for taking the time to answer all these questions!

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Nail shellac vs acrylic... Why I prefer shellac!

I used to get acrylics all the time. And while they're nice if you're getting them for nail length, they're very damaging to your real nail! I used to keep my acrylics for about two months until my real nails grew so long that I could just get acrylic over my natural nail and I wouldn't need tips. The down fall to this, is that once you're sick of having a thick icky plastic feeling substance stuck on your nails, it leaves your nails thin and flimsy and forces you to cut them and start their healing process. (At least for me.) Which takes weeks. AND! In my experience, acrylics can also look worse after a fill is you have a french tip and the fill shows. You obviously wouldn't have this problem if you had a solid color but I just thought I'd throw that in!

Shellac on the other hand, while it takes just as long as getting acrylics and costs the same, it's as simple as getting your nails painted! Not sure what shellac is? It's basically a hybrid between a gel and a nail polish. The natural nail isn't distressed before application. When it's time for a new application, the Shellac polish is just soaked off in pure acetone. It's supposed to last about two weeks.

In my experience, it's pretty delicate on your nails! It looks and feels more natural, and for me, lasted a little over a week longer than I was told it should and about one week to two weeks longer than acrylics would before they needed filled. (For me anyway! My nails grow really fast!) The reason being is that shellac is so thin and simple that you could simply add a clear coat over it to fill in the growth area and it looks great again! When you would normally have to pay about $15 for a fill with acrylics.

Your probably wondering what the down side to shellac is and there's actually a few. For one, you can't get tips with it. So basically you can get it to help grow your natural nails, or if you're like me, to keep your already long nails from breaking or chipping. You also can't get shellac filled like you can acrylics. So even though you could be saving money on the fill, in order to keep your shellac you'll have to pay the same price as acrylics every two-three weeks to have them completely redone. BUT! I take my shellac off at home on my own. And I don't know if it's because the shellac was protecting my nails from damage for weeks or what, but my nails are always super strong afterward! So I'm able to keep my length without them!

One thing, in my opinion, acrylic does have on shellac is that you can change your nail color if you wanted to. (Unless of course, you got white tips.) But with shellac, the color is applied between coats so you can't really change it. And I never keep my nails one color longer than 2-3 days. So if you're like me and want to give shellac a try, my advice to you is for you to just get the plain shellac coasts on your nails and ask them to paint over that! I haven't tried this yet but I plan to in the future!

All in all, I prefer shellac because it looks and feels better, isn't damaging on my nails, helps me grow my nails without them breaking, and my nails aren't flimsy after the shellac is taken off! :)

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A Tribute to My Dad

Emidio M. 11/2/48-08/18/08

My Father was the second oldest of 3 kids to Antonio (an (alomst) priest and business owner) and Vivian (actress, singer, and beautician). He was born in Italy where his parent's were raised. They moved to America in 1954.

He had a hard life after moving to America, struggling to learn english, and being different. He grew up to be very rebellious and was known by everyone as someone u do not cross. He was a bit of a badass and he knew it and owned it.

But to me he was just the greatest Dad in the world. He was loving, down to earth, silly, smart, and kind. He made me feel safe and was someone I could be proud to call my Father.

I was Daddy's little girl who he raised like a boy. I got black eyes and scraped knees playing football, and wanted a work bench like my Dad's more than a little girl's vanity set!

I was without a doubt the apple of his eye and he showed it in many ways.

He was a talented musician who played guitar and bass. I used to love to sing 'Take Me to the Ballgame" while he played it on guitar!

Even though he passed away before my wedding day, I find peace in knowing that he loved my husband and accepted him and gave us nothing but good wishes and blessings! He didn't smoke but he lit up a cigar the night I got engaged! :)

He was a jack of all trades. He practically built both of my childhood homes with his bare hands. He knew carpentry, plumbing, electrical, cars, motorcycles, music, history, u name it that man was good at it! He was even a great artist and writer. He had more talents than I can even count.

He was a successful business owner and family man, he collected Harley Davidson motorcycles and loved to work on them in his free time, and he was exactly like Uncle Jesse (from full house) when it came to his hair!

To everyone else, even my other siblings, he put this front on that he was a tough macho man who didn't have feelings. But to my Mom and myself, he let his guard down and was the greatest person we'll ever know for many reason beyond explanation.

He was honest, and would help anyone out at anytime in any way he possibly could. He learned from his mistakes and became a better person because of them.

My Mom was the love of his life! They were soul mates. He had 3 kids to two other women and he always told my Mom in their next life, he's waiting for her so that time around she would be the mother to all his kids! They had their own kind of love. A love that was expressed to each other through a simple gaze into each other's eyes.

Not everyone gave him a fair chance and hurt him a lot in his life. People who should have and some who were very close to him. And he did not deserve it. Though it hurt him deeply the things that those people said and did to him, he was always nothing but loving towards them and was there anytime they needed him and knowing he was wanted was all he ever really wanted from any one. I honestly feel sorry for those people, not because of what they did, but because they never had a chance to know the man he really was before it was too late.

When he was only 59 when he passed away in a motorcycle accident. I won't go into detail about it, but we take comfort in knowing that he didn't know what was going on when it happened and he didn't suffer. He passed 8 minutes before we arrived to the hospital.

He was a great man and was loved by many! He's a true loss to the world now that he's gone and he will forever be missed!

RIP Daddy! I'll always be your little girl.

"To the living, I am gone. To the sorrowful, I will never return. To the angry, I was cheated. To the happy, I am at peace. But to the faithful, I have never left. I can not speak, but I can listen. I can not be seen, but I can be heard. So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea, as you look upon a flower and admire it's simplicity, remember me. Remember me in your heart, your thoughts, and your memories. Of the times we love, the times we cried, the times we fought, the times we laughed. For if you always think of me, I will never have gone." -Unknown

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