Iron and Wine

What happened to songwriting??

2012-02-24T11:05:00.001-05:00

Frank Sinatra:

Fill my heart with song

And let me sing for ever more
You are all I long for
All I worship and adore
In other words, please be true
In other words, I love you

Justin Bieber:

Baby, baby, baby oooh

Like baby, baby, baby nooo
Like baby, baby, baby oooh
I thought you'd always be mine (mine)

...

oh yes.

Songwriting is incredible in the 21st century....

EUREKA!!

2012-02-22T11:44:00.000-05:00

Oh my god, my dog understands weave poles!

Sorry.

This may seem like a completely trivial post -- of all the things I could be happy about, and I'm over the moon about something canine related...?

So.

What are weave poles you ask?? Vis-a-vis:

Straight line of poles and your dog is expected to weave through them without "popping out". Honestly, it's a lot of fun to watch different sized dogs go through the weaves ... smaller dogs sort of "bounce" through them, while the larger dogs make it look like all they're doing is stepping right through.

Either way? One of the trickier pieces of equipment to train. If you're going to buy one set of agility equipment: the weave poles are definitely it. I've been going back and forth between ordering a less expensive PVC set versus a competition set with a steel base. The PVC is clearly less expensive, but there are more parts and is inevitably going to take more time to set up/take down. The Competition set? Super easy. Steel base (with ground stakes if you want to use them outdoors) and you pop the poles over the pegs. But the difference between the two is about $100. Either way, now that Bristol "gets" the concept of weave poles -- I should be seriously considering investing in a set.

One day, I should get my husband out there to take video/photos of us in action! Don't mind me -- I'm probably the goofy handler that doesn't know what she's doing. ;)

I'm really looking forward to what Bristol can do -- she's definitely got "the bug" for the sport; she's quick, she's happy and she finds 90% of agility super rewarding! Now, if only I could cue her correctly ...

Baked French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

2012-02-20T09:13:00.001-05:00

This is a Paula Deen recipe ... and if you know anything about my favorite Southern cook ... her recipes just about always call for a stick (or two!) of butter! Suffice it to say I couldn't wait to try this recipe this morning, and let me tell you -- I was NOT disappointed!

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (** I recommend pure vanilla extract over the imitation)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Praline Topping (** recipe below)

Maple syrup

Directions:

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. (** I used an oval shaped dish and it came out just fine)

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.

Enjoy! I sure did.

Agility = Stuff.

2012-02-17T14:54:00.000-05:00

Here's what I've learned:

When you start thinking you might want to compete with your dog in agility? You start acquiring "stuff". Now, my husband and I live in a small townhouse without much storage space (I've thrown things away that I didn't necessarily want to part with simply because I had nowhere to put it!) ... so I've been doing agility the "poor man" way:

I flipped my chairs on their side to make jumps.
I found a large Tupperware container, threw my Yoga mat on it and thus my Pause Table was born.
To train weave poles, I went out in the woods with a pocket knife and came back with sticks that came up to my waist. Sat down and whittled (yes, whittle) one end of the stick and made a point so I could shove it in the ground. Stick in the ground weave poles? Perhaps a little on the pathetic side ... but it got the job done before the ground was too frozen to shove the sticks into the soil.
A collapsible laundry hamper became a tunnel. Toss a sheet over it and VOILA! A chute!
One of the doors on our microwave table broke off, so right now I'm using it to simulate a plank.
Oh, and by the way? A frisbee is our "target".

But ... we do need to learn weaves.
So I may be investing in a set (read: $150 excluding S&H). I'm here to tell you, after riding and competing with horses? $150 for a piece of equipment?? Psh. No biggie! I don't want to tell you how much it costs to get "stuff" for horses.

And perhaps I need to invest in some collapsible jumps.
But there's no denying an obvious fact: when we move into a house with a little more lawn space than I have right now?? More "stuff" is going to be finding it's way into our possession.

Back to School?

2012-02-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

I've been having a crazy hair-brained idea for almost 24 hours now. It occurred to me that most employers are expecting people to be the "whole package", completely well rounded. They expect their employees to not only compose the press releases, but also design the logos and branding images to go along with it.

When I was still working at the radio station, I was asked to design banner ads pretty frequently. What I came up with was completely amateur, but it passed. Now? I'm being asked to design expandable banner ads with animation. Quite honestly? This goes beyond my skillsets.

So I started thinking about perhaps going back to school for an AA/AS or even an AAS in graphic design, visual communications or digital design. Technically, it would all be paid for courtesy of Uncle Sam and the Post 9/11 GI Bill. So ... what do I have to lose? Time? Commitment? The program I'm interested in at a satellite campus of The Art Institute is technically a 30 unit program, but it might take me awhile to complete if I go part time.

I'm not going after this program simply to land a job (although it would be pretty awesome if I did), I'm going after this to improve my skillsets. What better time than the present?? It's a shame I didn't think of this earlier; I could have started on my program here in Maine!

One small step for man ...

2012-02-12T15:05:00.000-05:00

If you've been following my struggles with my dog, Bristol ... you probably know that I hit a wall in terms of frustration with her. I felt like I wasn't making any progress, nor could I explain why the 16 month old dog that I'd had since she was 14 weeks old had turned into a bit of an unreliable demon. It went against the very core of her personality: genuinely happy. Happy to be sleeping, happy to be playing, happy to have visitors and happy to work when it comes right down to it. This new dog, the one that barks and whines and paces when anxious ... and snaps/lunges at other dogs, is completely new. Bristol, by all accounts ... wags from nose to tail. It doesn't take much of a reason for her to be happy.

We've been enrolled in a class called Control Unleashed, based on the book by dog behavioralist Leslie McDeavitt. I was eternally grateful to our trainer Teri at Canine Kinshipfor not ever asking us to leave our agility class, and instead, was willing to lend an ear, some expertise and invite us into her Control Unleashed class to work with us on our "issues". Since mid-January, we've been working on Bristol's reactivity, her easy high-arousal, anxiety and getting her become more comfortable working off-leash around close proximity with other dogs.

The dog has made me cry on more than one occasion out of sheer frustration.

I felt like I wasn't making one shred of progress and that my little critter was going to be the death of me yet.

But I woke up one morning and realized I wasn't being fair to Bristol. Yes, we have some goals in mind. But in focusing simply on the end result, I was giving her some steep expectations. Yes, I want her to be calm around other dogs. Yes, I'd prefer it if she didn't bark when she hears the jingle of dog tags. Those are great goals to have. But for now? I can celebrate the small steps. Ineed to celebrate the small victories.

It's okay to walk away if she's getting too wound up.

It's okay to back up if her body language tells me that she's uncomfortable.

And I think I've definitely done her a favor by removing her from situations that are too stimulating.

If you had told me 4 or 5 weeks ago that I could have my dog in a crate watching dogs enter and exit the training space without much of an interest, I'd have scoffed and said you're nuts.

The real turning point for her was the "Look At That" game. The idea is to allow the dog to look at the world, but the nanosecond s/he looks at a trigger? Click/reward. The sound of the click disrupts would could have been an upset. So in other words, you're slowly working on counter-conditioning a behavior.

Today? Bristol saw a dog on our walk; I hadn't even noticed they were there. She woofed once, but reoriented to me looking for a treat. Hell yes, doggy -- I'll give you a jackpot for that one!

My dog is by no means perfect.

But if we can keep this training structure up ... I have no doubt that she'll be a pleasant citizen yet. One small step for man, and one giant leap for a certain little doggy.

"Sunrise" by Norah Jones

2012-02-08T15:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what it is about this song ... but it always makes me think about summertime.

About maybe going for a drive (windows down) without a real destination in mind.

I like that it makes me think about going for a drive in the summer.

I love summertime. :-)

Bold, Bold World

2012-02-08T15:14:00.000-05:00

I am not suffering from temporary insanity. I've had long hair almost my entire life. In fact, I don't have any recent'ish photos ... but my hair right now? Shoulder length. And I hate it. I want it gone.

SO!
The next time I get my hair cut? I'm pulling the trigger ... and doing this:

:-)

I'm excited. I've never had hair that short ... and I imagine there's quite a few ways to style it. From punky (like the image above) to deep, sideswept bangs:

I'm a firm believer in the fact that it's just hair; it'll grow back. I'm not one of those people that's going to cry when they chop off all of my locks -- mostly because I've never had a problem growing it out, and hot damn: I have a lot of it!

Not sure when I'm going to pull the trigger, but it will definitely be before the end of the month!

New frontiers?

2012-02-06T10:47:00.002-05:00

Husband and I sat down and made a budget last week. I mean really, we need to get ourselves out from underneath the mountain we've created with our credit card debt (although honestly, it's not nearly as bad as it could be -- but it's still amassed to 5 digits worth).

After some number crunching, we realized we're actually in a much better financial position than we thought, but apparently he and I believe in stores, not banks. This mentality needs to change. First thing's first:

1. We sold his 2008 Jeep Wrangler ($489 monthly payment) and got him into a 2010 Mazda 3 Hatchback ($225 monthly payment). This switch dropped our insurance payment by $30/mo and subsequently reduced the amount of $ needed for gas!

2. We consolidated all of our debt. Now, instead of paying upwards of 20% interest every month ... we're paying 5% and writing a check for one lump payment instead of 6.

3. We bought Quicken. If ever there was a question about where the heck all of our money goes, this handy little program gives you a visual in a pie graph! I haven't even looked into the advanced features, but I get the impression this $20 investment (via Amazon) is pretty powerful.

Based on our number crunching, if we keep on the path that we're at ... we'll be in good shape to pay off all of our amassed debt in a little over 15 months. All of that being said: we did hear from the SgtMajor, who gave us orders ... but we're still waiting on hard copy. Honestly, until it's on paper? I don't believe anything. Assuming it all works out to plan, we've thought about buying a house or a condo outside the city sometime in the next 2-2.5 years. A lot of that is going to depend on where I find a job and also being responsible with our finances ... and we definitely want to go on a big trip to Europe after we've gotten all of our debt taken care of, but hand to God? I never thought I'd be considering buying a house before I'm 30.

Honestly, I like this frontier. The idea of being more responsible with our spending and working toward something much bigger.

I've basically put the idea of owning a horse into the back of my priority list until further notice. I never wanted to be 40 years old before the option fell on to the table, but I think I want a house more than I want a pony. I may even decide I want a family before I want a pony. We'll just have to see how the cookie crumbles!

Good Vibes for Sarah

2012-01-31T15:25:00.002-05:00

I've been struggling with some behavioral issues with my dog Bristol as of recently (well .. maybe it's not "recent" in the sense that I know that it's been slowly building over time). However, I'd suffice to say that my dog's anxiety is small in comparison to what my very good friend Sarah is dealing with on her end. Studying for the NCLEX is difficult enough without adding in some of her dog's behavioral issues and life in general tossing in some struggles.

Sarah, I know my problems are small compared to yours ... but if I've learned anything from my pooch, it's that you take it one day at a time. Some days will be better than others. I generally feel discouraged when I'm having a "bad" day with my dog, but an easy cure to that is having a good day later on. I have full confidence that you'll establish a happy medium in your canine home after a period of time. I also believe that you'll pass the NCLEX, and for the other struggles that have come your way recently? well ... I fully believe in self-medicating with chocolate, ice cream or my favorite pizza.

I'm sending good vibes your way, girl.

Credit Reports

2012-01-30T12:38:00.003-05:00

If you're anything like me, perhaps you pay $15/mo to view your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit reports pretty frequently. I learned this recently:

Until 31 March 2012, FINRA Investor Education Foundation (a part of FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a sponsor of Military Saves), is providing all active duty service members and their spouses the

opportunity to check their credit score and credit analysis, free of charge.

Go to http://apps.finra.org/myFICO/2/default.aspx

and enter LSMBC22Q in the Financial Educator's Code box. Complete the form, answer the security questions, and hit Submit-that's all there is to it!

How you got here

2012-01-24T09:25:00.000-05:00

So I was looking through my blog stats, and I had to chuckle at some of the referring sources. First: Seems that Google sends some readers my way; that's kind of fun.

Apparently, if you plug in the phrases: "flustered woman" or "am I just dumb or am i a master manipulator" you can also stumble on to Iron & Wine.

Oh come on ... that's a little hilarious, right?

Herrree's your sign.

2012-01-23T15:41:00.001-05:00

Well, blog world ... do you ever have moments in your life where you make an epic mistake?
That was me this year.
Somehow .. I managed to eff up the amount withheld on line 6 from my W4s. The short version is that not nearly enough was withheld from my paychecks and now my husband and I owe quite a bit to the IRS and the state. At first I thought, "Geebus ... there has to be some mistake!"

Yeah.
Mistake I made was a huge faux-pas with my withholdings.
We're talking thousands of dollars.
Thousands of dollars that at present, we don't have. (of course.)

I haven't really asked my husband what he thinks, because rightfully? He's allowed to be a bit peeved. On the one hand, my response is: "Learn from this." And on the other hand, my response is: "You damn well know better. If you had a question (and you did), it was your responsibility to ask."

Sigh.
Bonehead Award of the Year goes to ..... this girl.

Clearly my growing pains in life aren't over yet. I feel a little bad that this time, it directly affects my husband.

Memes!

2012-01-22T11:50:00.000-05:00

Both Erin & Sarah tagged me on this one!

The Rules

1. You must post the rules. (and link up who tagged you)

2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.

4. Tag however many people you want.

5. Let them know you've tagged them!

11 Facts About Me

1. I am the world's messiest roommate. Seriously. I would be the girl voted off the island if you lived with me. I don't know how my neat-freak hubby doesn't have a meltdown.

2. I eat my sandwiches upside down and generally exactly half of one. It's a little more noticeable if said sandwich is on a bun.

3. If I have a bed to myself? I like to sleep diagonally.

4. If I could have any job in the world .... I would definitely not be doing what I'm doing now.

5. I've loved riding and training horses for the better part of 15 years. I'm still waiting for the opportunity to own my very own competition horse. I am not opposed to rescuing an off the track Thoroughbred ... after all, this year's Horse of the Year was an OTTB that competes at the very top of his sport!

6. You have never met a more determined, committed person in your life. The word "no" or phrase "Not possible/give up/scale down your dreams" does not hold any water with me.

7. Sometimes? I think my life would make for an awesome reality show.

8. I have always had a champagne taste on a beer budget. This sometimes blows.

9. I still love "Where's Waldo".

10. I despise getting up in the morning, but once I'm up? I'm up.

11. Pixie Sticks = Taryn's Equivalent of Crack.

Erin's Questions

1. What's the best season/holiday for candy? What's your favorite seasonal candy purchase?

Easter... because Easter = Peeps!! Imagine how happy this girl was when she realized that Peeps can now be purchased for EVERY holiday ?!

2. Fill in the blank: "If you go down to the woods today, ____________________________."

You're in for a big surprise. If you go out in the woods today, you'd better go in disguise. For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain because ... Today's the day the Teddy Bears Have Their Picnic.

3. What cartoon character has a personality that is closest to yours?

I would LIKE to think that Patty Mayonnaise (DOUG) and I have similar personalities ... but I could be way off.

4. TV series box sets - Waste of money, or do you actually watch the episodes again?

I watch the episodes again. :) Over and over and over again.

5. Tell me about your most memorable road trip!

The Road Trip to Vancouver, Canada with Karis and Brenda. I'll give you the short version ... 3 eighteen year old girls. Big bag of pixie stix. Took us 3 days to get there and all of 3 minutes to get lost. But no, really. My favorite road trip to date.

6. How do you feel about the statement, "I married my best friend?"

TRUE! He is my best buddy. :-)

7. Tell me about the most influential/inspirational hostess you've ever known.

Well ... Brenda has always been an open door as far as whenever I'd like to come and visit ... sorry it's not more in depth.

8. If you could only eat at one fast food chain restaurant for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

Dammit. It has to be fast food? Well in that case ... Panera Bread!

9. Ice cream or froyo?

Ice Cream ... but boy, I love fro-yo too!

10. Imagine yourself in the following Snoop Dogg video. What kind of dog would you morph into?

A Rottweiler. Big bark, not much of a bite.

11. How are you doing on those new year's resolutions so far?

Epic fail.

Although, it might have helped if I'd made resolutions this year...

Sarah's Questions

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, except where you are living now, where would you live?
Italy. I can't get enough of Roman Culture, and fortunately, Italians make the best food in the world.

2. What is your dream job?
I would want my own dressage training program ... from training horses to establishing a lesson program for kiddos. 40+ hours/week with horses is absolutely a dream come true for me.

3. How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck all the would if a woodchuck only would. :)

4. Do you own any Scentsy? If so, what's your favorite Scent?
Yes ma'am! I think my favorite is "Flirtatious" and "Enchanted Mist".

5. What's your best accomplishment in life up until this point?
I graduated from college -- that was a pretty big goal for me.

6. If you could give $1million to any charity, which one would you give to?
ASPCA. I love animals ... I would be the crazy cat lady if I thought I could provide a healthy home for that many.

7. Do you believe dogs are people too? (hint: the correct answer is YES!)
LOL ... well, I try to steer away from humanizing my dog but sometimes I can't help it. A better question may have been "Do I believe all dogs go to heaven?" Abso-freaking-lutely. Anyone that says otherwise is in for a big surprise when they show up at the Pearly Gates.

8. What do you think of the Honey Badger?
I crack up laughing. Every freakin time.

9. Who would you call first, if you won the lottery?
My mother.

10. Do you wear shoes in the house?
Yep. And you know what? I put my shoes on the couch, too.

11. Could you live without a computer?

Possibly ... if I was allowed to have a tablet instead.

TAG, YOU'RE IT:

1. Nicole @ Flip Flops & Combat Boots

2. Skinnie @ Skinnie Piggie

3. Fran @ Free Borboleta

4. Jess @ Jessica Lynn Writes

5. Jordan @ Southern Hospitality

My Questions for YOU!!

1. What time do you like to get up on Saturday mornings?

2. Where would you visit if time & resources were no object?

3. What is your favorite fragrance?

4. Do you enjoy people watching? Why or why not? If yes, where is your favorite location to "wach" ?

5. What did you want to be when you were little?

6. Cats or Dogs?

7. Describe your favorite pizza.

8. Where would you like to retire??

9. Best memory?

10. Which store would you choose to max-out your credit card?

11. Describe your ideal vacation.

Fluffy White Stuff

2012-01-20T09:58:00.000-05:00

Picture is from last year ... but this is kinda what I woke up to.

Changing Life Gears

2012-01-17T14:15:00.001-05:00

In November, my life changed for the better in a pretty big way. Finally, at long last: I made it into the Big Kid Leagues and nailed down my first salaried, full-time position. (WOO!)

But here's the problem: just because I've moved on doesn't mean any of my friends have. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand and remember the trials/tribulations of being a student. I also remember that when I wasn't studying, I was working so that I could pay for my bills. I didn't have a social life.

But for me? College was 3 years ago. I've transitioned out of being a student. And I was recently able to transition out of being a perpetual work-a-holic.When I asked a dear friend of mine if she and her fiance were available ... the answer was "No, we have school stuff." I also know that they're very likely unavailable at any point over the weekend too, because they work. Repeat until further notice.

And I stopped.
I blinked.
I wasn't remotely upset; because hey -- I've been there and I understood. But that still means my Friday nights are just as uneventful. Turns out that Meetup.com isn't nearly as popular in Maine as it is in other cities ... and I was very disappointed that the Yuppy type groups are bigtime inactive. Drew has a similar problem in the sense that all of his friends have small children. Yes, all but one. ONE. So they generally can't do things last minute, and sometimes? I don't want to play Polly Pocket. I want adult beverages and inappropriate comedy. On a Tuesday.

When did life change? We're both stuck smack in the middle of COLLEGE and MARRIED/FAMILY LIFE. Honestly, I know I need to meet some new friends. But the demographic at my office is 30+. And meetup.com is a bust.... and what I do for fun?? Is train my dog in agility. Super fun ... but the other women in her class are also much older than 30.

SIGH.
Pity party for a party of one, please.
Truth: I might be facing the same beast even if I moved back to SoCal ... that's what sucks.

Well this is bizarre...

2012-01-16T13:12:00.000-05:00

The planets must have been in a funky alignment ... because in what world does it make sense that my recruiter husband has the holiday off, while I do not? And I work in a corporate environment! (I mean really, it doesn't make much sense ... 95% of businesses are closed today ... so half our AEs aren't getting anything done.)

Let it snow ....

2012-01-13T08:54:00.000-05:00

I try not to judge when weathermen up here tend to be way wrong in terms of their predictions. I mean, did they or did they not go to college for this? The key word is in fact "prediction" ... but when I'm told multiple times by different stations on the morning news that we'll be getting 3in of snow and it turns out to be more like 7 or 8?? That's a big difference.
Turns out no one in Portland was prepared for it either. Driving your little Corolla in at least 5 inches of unplowed snow is just tons of fun. (Read: Painstakingly slow.)

My townhouse complex felt it was necessary to plow the main drive ... but none of our cul-de-sacs. ( ??? )
My first thought was: Well, maybe they'll wait until midnight or so and take care of it after all the freezing rain stops...
Nope.
No such luck. I walked out to my car in the same, sloppy 8inches of mess that I came home to. Except this time ... the snow was frozen. Getting my car unstuck took a little more effort than I would like to.

This is just one of those days I wish I could go back to bed and just start over. Even my favorite cup of coffee isn't helping the mood.

Blah!

MilSpouse Quiz

2012-01-10T16:53:00.000-05:00

1. How did you and your spouse meet?

We met through a mutual friend at her home on base at Camp Pendleton in California. I distinctly remember that his response to his friends about me was "She's kinda cute". (KINDA ?!?! Freakin a, boy ... if you ever want to go out with me again you'll revise that statement.)

2. How old were you when you two met?

I was 22 and he was 25.

3. How long have you been together?

Our first date was in early December, but I don't think we became "official" until December 20, 2008. I remember the date because well .. it was the same day Drew had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery. Me showing up there definitely signified the start of something; you don't go to the hospital to be with someone you're only planning on being "casual" with.

4. Where are you and your spouse originally from?

He was born in New Jersey, but lived most of his life in Bangor, ME. I was subsequently born in Baltimore, MD and moved to Foothill Ranch, CA in 1996 ... and had been there up until I met my husband.

5. How did you feel about him joining the military?

He had already joined by the time that I met him, so I really didn't have a say in his "joining" per se. I was a little weary of getting involved with a Marine, though ... in Oceanside? Marines had a bad reputation for being players and all-around jerk offs.

6. Where did your spouse go to Basic Training?

Parris Island, SC.

7. Has your spouse ever been deployed?

Yes, although I wasn't with him when he deployed. I believe he's been to Iraq three times and one 2-year tour to Camp Iwakuni, Japan.

8. Ever been to his promotion ceremony?

Not yet ... but we're hoping he'll pick up Staff Sergeant (E-6) at the selection boards this coming October!

9. How long have you been a military wife?

15 months.

10. Did you marry him before or after he joined?

After. We were married on October 10, 2010 after he had been in the USMC for 8 years. We were roughly 1.5 years into recruiting duty at that point.

11. How did your husband propose?

Overlooking Niagara Falls on the observation deck. Apparently he had wanted to pop the question on the Maid of the Mist, but I was a bit like a human pinball and couldn't stay still for longer than 5 minutes.

12. Where did you get married?

At the Woodlands Club in Falmouth, Maine.

13. How old were you two when you got married?

I was 24 and he was 27.

14. Did he wear his uniform on his wedding day?

Yes he did! I think he looked quite sharp; although I did concede and allow him to change out of the monkey suit and into a tux for our reception.

15. Where are you and your spouse currently stationed?

Right now, we're on Recruiting Duty in Maine and there isn't a military installation near us for at least 100 miles.

16. Do you live on base?

One day, we would like to. It's an experience that we want for ourselves ... even if the general consensus is that it's been a poor experience for most.

17. How long were you married when you had to go through your first separation?

Considering we haven't been separated yet thanks to a non-deployable unit ? 15 months.

18. What is your favorite base so far?

I'm biased ... the only base I've actually been at with him was Camp Pendleton. Ask me this question in 10 years when I have more than one base and recruiting duty under my belt.

19. Do you think your spouse looks good in his uniform?

Heck yes! I don't have any pictures of him in cammies or his Charlies, though...

20. Do you think military life is more advanced than civilian life?

I don't think I like the word "Advanced" ... because the two lifestyles are like apples and oranges. I think the military life presents a heck of a lot more challenges, especially if your desire in life is to maintain a career of your own. It gets a little tough to hold down the fort if your husband is constantly away on training operations and deployments etc if you're simultaneously attempting to maintain a career and a family and a household.

21. Do you like the benefits you receive as a military dependent?

Absolutely. It makes it worth putting up with a lot of hassle.

22. Do you have a lot of military wife friends?

Yes, I do. And the best part? I haven't even met half of them yet, thanks to milspouse specific forums. I think that even if we get sent to a location where I find it difficult or impossible to find a career for myself; at least misery loves company. I won't be half as miserable if I at least have friends to share my time with.

23. What is the hardest part of the military life?

For me personally, it's the constant geographic upheaval. It took the better part of 2 years to really feel situation in a new state, with a new job and making new friends. And now we have less than 6 months here ... I'm not looking forward to repeating the process. In general, I like making and holding on to civilian friends, too.

24. Do you own military wife stuff?

Nope. And I really don't plan on it.

25. Do you support your spouse as a member of the military?

Absolutely! I 100% support whatever career path my husband chooses for himself. He enjoys what he does, so the territory that comes with it? It's just part of the routine. He respects my career as much as I respect his.

Peace Be The Journey

2012-01-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Rule #1 of the Military: Nothing is certain.

December was a long month. January is starting to feel just as long. My husband's tour here in Maine is going to be coming to a close soon (read: June 2012), and now more than ever: I'm locked in an internal debate. I started a new job in November knowing that my time here was going to be on the short side ... but from my perspective: I've been getting hosed on the job market for one reason or another and dammit, if I have a good opportunity: I'm taking it. So I did. I wasn't anticipating that I would eventually consider the fact that it might be better for my career in the long-run if I stay at my current position for a solid 12 months and re-evaluate whether or not I'll continue to stay here.

After a chat with my husband, we unanimously decided that if he receives orders for a location on the east coast; I will not be moving with him, and instead will move into a studio apartment downtown. He will go into geo-bachelor housing so that I can retain BAH. I would also maintain "custody" of our cat and dog considering they would not be allowed into the geo-bach living arrangements.

But we haven't reached a decision about what to do if we receive orders for the West Coast ... do I go with him? Or do I stay?

All of this is fine and good ... except that we requested orders in August, and his tour will be complete this summer. Originally, the excuse was "Well, we don't really have a budget ironed out yet..."
Fine, no problem. I totally understand.
I stop being so understanding when it turns out that there are people in his office that started several months after he did already have orders.
What the heck kind of sense does THAT make?
Husband has been in his career planner & SgtMajor's face about this since October; at this point: they're both sick of him and aren't any closer to giving us an answer.

I've had a lot weighing on my mind, but the shit-kicker reality check here is that I really can't do much until we have orders. It's all fine and good to do all the planning in the world, but without that final puzzle piece? It's a little like putting unnecessary stress on yourself.

I'm a planner.
I hate flying by the seat of my pants.
I always have Options A, B & C laid out.
This is one of those times I need to just ... stop.

I really need peace in my life. I need to let go of all the baggage I'm carrying around and just trust that it's going to work out. It's going to be okay. I have legitimate concerns and questions, but really, T ... just breathe.

I do get the feeling that we may not be assigned to one of our desired locations. The units @ the 8th & I Barracks in D.C. and the Marine Corps unit @ NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach are both very small; there may not be a spot available for him. Considering the military is broke -- they may not want to send us to Kane'ohe Bay in Hawaii, just like they may not want to spend the money to send us back to San Diego.

Somehow, I get the impression that Option E: None of the Above ... Camp LeJeune is a more realistic option.

Oh the weather outside is frightful ...

2012-01-06T10:10:00.001-05:00

Source: Helsinki According to PPUSA

Oh, HI! There you are, winter! I was beginning to wonder if we were going to get any snow this season ... because without snow? Temps in the twenties and teens feels frigid cold, and the whole world looks disgusting because the trees are bare.

It's now January 2012, and I can't help but reflect on things. I can't believe that sometime this month ... Drew will finally get orders for his new unit/duty station. Well, knowing me and my luck? We won't know until what ... 30 days before we move? He requested orders in August, and seeing as it's now January and we still don't have the slightest indication that we're moving to greener pastures, I'm beginning to think we'll be stuck in Maine until further notice. But you know? All things considered: it might not be so bad.

Timeout.
What?
The SoCal Girl that originally despised Maine has actually come around and doesn't mind it anymore?
Good grief: pigs are flying!

But no, really. It took some time ... but 2.5 years later? My life has finally fallen into place. In November, I accepted a new position with an affiliate of the FOX broadcast network. I was originally really nervous about the salary, because I'd previously been working like a dog for $8/hour at the radio station and the average salary for someone in Maine is $24,000/year. (Great. Because I definitely spent more to go to college ...) Imagine my surprise when there wasn't even a negotiation necessary: I was offered a number that was absolutely my best cased scenario. I'd been prepared for something mid-twenties, but it all worked out much better than expected and I could finally stop waiting on tables. The irony is that I had stopped getting so angry and frustrated about being a server. I had just accepted that I had 7 years of valuable experience, and that getting used/abused is just part of the territory. I suppose you could say I had come to peace with what I had to do to make ends meet.

Things have improved for Drew, too.
There's been a new SNCOIC at his office almost every 8 or 9 months. The first one? Seemed to be too lazy/slack and their office was constantly under the gun for not producing. The second one? Was a hard ass that didn't have things in perspective. He had them working until 10pm 6 nights a week pretty regularly ... and that's when his insane work hours really started to affect the dynamics of our relationship. Our trip to CA was almost bogus because he was so burned out, all he wanted to do was relax and do a lot of nothing. And while I sympathize? That was definitely not what I wanted to do. And now ... enter the third SNCOIC. Finally someone with some balance! Everyone in the office goes home around 6p and they don't work Saturdays as often as they used to. Every once in awhile: they stay a little late ... but I can't believe how long it took to get a balance between too little and too much! But the hubby is finally happy, the wifey is happy because hubby is happy .... peace in the universe at last.

Have you met my dog Bristol?
No?

She's a blast and 16 mos old ... so in other words: still an explosion of energy for the most part. All the energy has a good purpose ... I thought it might be fun to enroll my dog in agility courses and wouldn't you know it? She loves it. And hot cross buns she's fast on course, too! However ... she's been slowly developing some odd habits. She barks whenever she hears another dog bark.

Paces my living room.

Whines.

Has an unmistakable "I'm stressed out" look about her. I've never really known what to do about it, so rather than reward the bad behavior with soft cooing (It's okay ...) and stroking her head until she calms down ... I've just ignored her. But at this point, I don't know if that's the right course of action. I know that dog barking is a trigger for her. Just like I know that she recognizes the jingle of dog tags and that's a trigger for her, too. (Super awesome on Saturday mornings at 6AM in the summer when we have our windows open and she starts barking because Archie next door is going for an early AM stroll...)

She all but loses her darn mind if we see another dog on a walk. She barks, whines, pulls on the leash to say hello. But you know what? I don't want her greeting another dog with that kind of energy. I can calm her down, but I don't think she ever goes from a 10 to a 1. Other times .... it's like she's mentally checked out of the building and I can't get her focus back. This has happened while we're training agility with distractions ... she just can't handle it sometimes; runs off course to greet the Poodle standing ringside. (*facepalm*!) I attribute most of this to her being a young dog and not necessarily knowing how to process all of the external triggers in a healthy way, but isn't that my job as her handler and her owner? To give her direction??

I'm failing to give her healthy direction ... mostly because I'm not educated on all fronts. So when Bristol's agility trainer mentioned that she was creating a class that would help me with some of her specific behavioral quirks, I immediately signed up. And I bought the book (which I haven't been able to put down, by the way).

Is your dog:

Easily distracted?
Unwilling or too wound up by playing with a toy around other dogs?
Reactive or easily aroused?
Anxious, stressed or shut down?
Unable to control their impulses when excited?
Unable to be quiet and relaxed in their crate, in a class or a trial environment?
Uncomfortable or unable to work off-leash around other dogs?
A potential competitor in any dog sport?

I was particularly drawn to the class and the book because it's ultimate purpose is to teach me (and my dog!) how to relax, focus and work off leash reliably in stimulating or stressful situations.

If I can learn how to communicate effectively with Bristol, and accomplish relaxation and focus, and have her look to me for direction when she's stressed ... I think in the long-run, we'll have a much happier and mentally-healthy dog.

2011 was a lot. I landed my first big-girl job, albeit part time and for minimum wage.

I raised my first puppy from infancy to adulthood.

In fact, I'm still learning how to work with my young dog effectively.

I discovered her amazing aptitude for sports ... and I'm exploring these new frontiers with her.

Near the end of 2011, I landed a job I'd only dreamed about.

I've finally come to peace with my surroundings.

I don't bitch about the cold as much.

Here's hoping 2012 treats me just as well!

Ring-Bling

2012-01-03T07:37:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up this morning with C-Mae as we all share our blingity-bling! I had absolutely no idea I was going to be proposed to ... so Drew had to go through the whole process blind; without a single inkling as to what kind of a style I would like. My father suggested a Tiffany's princess-cut to him when Drew called to ask for permission to marry me. (!!!! Daddy, I love you. But I can't believe you suggested a $10,000 setting) Considering that was out of the question, Drew was on his own. Given all that? He did a fantabulous job! I love the vintage feel; and more importantly ... I love that he sat in Jared's for 4 hours to choose a ring for me. I think it would have taken away from the experience if I had picked the ring out myself; I would have been expecting a proposal! And if you've ever seen my engagement photos ... then you know what a shocked moment it was:

Cash through an ATM machine

2012-01-03T07:20:00.002-05:00

When I was younger (ie: 16 years old with my first bank account), I got it into my head that I didn't like feeding cash through the ATM machine out front. If I wasn't standing there watching the teller count my bills, who was I to say they couldn't pocket a $20 and simply chock it up to the customer couldn't count? It didn't bother me any to go to the bank during normal business hours and deposit my cash that way. Besides: I could stand there and watch them do it.

A few days ago, when I explained to an acquaintance that I didn't deposit cash through an ATM machine, she looked at me like I had five heads. Said she never waited in line for a teller and always deposited $300+ through the ATM machine, and that it had a laser in there to verify that there's as much money in the envelope as you say there is. (?? Really? It distinguishes 20s from smaller bills? Or even 50s/100s??)

Am I seriously neurotic? I really don't plan on changing my behavior, because to me? It's just safe practice to watch someone while they handle your hard-earned cash. I don't know that I necessarily want to give technology more power over my life. (Kind of like I'm a little skeptical about the cars that can technically park themselves. Or vehicles equipped with lane-assistance; the kind that will correct the direction of the car if need be.)

I know many of us MilSpouses bank with USAA -- and since they don't have physical branch locations, everything must be mailed in ... cash included. I must say: I find all of you ladies brave souls; I'm a traditionalist that just has to have a physical branch location. Thus the reason we switched to BoA when NavyFed closed. (We thought about going with a small, regional FCU ... but then again ... we'll be PCSing, and it's been a pain in the ass to get his paychecks through DFAS routed to the new account. In fact, I'm almost positive he sent in the paperwork in October, and here we are 90 days later still waiting for the change.

The Brutal Truth

2011-12-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

I notice that Hanna was doing a Brutal Truth series, and I thought her questions were pretty damn fabulous insights to getting to know a person. So, Hanna ... I hope you don't mind ... but I stole your interview questions. :-)

What's your greatest Weakness?Sweets. I just can't say no!
What's your greatest strength?

I am one hell of a determined individual. The word "No" generally doesn't stop me, especially if it's something that I want or want to achieve.
What has emotionally crippled you in your lifetime?

My ex-boyfriend from college. The story is much too long to tell ... but the short version is that he was a master manipulator and was a pro at emotional abuse. Part of my staying with him for the better part of 4 years probably had a lot to do with the fact that he was a lot of "firsts" ... first kiss, first boyfriend, first well ... you know. Whatever the reason: he held a power over me. Four years is a long time to feel emotionally tied to someone; especially if they don't deserve that dedication in the first place.

What has elated you with joy in your lifetime?

I found my paradise, my personal happy place when I started riding and training horses several years ago. This is a 15 year love affair that constantly gets put on the backburner because of all the cost involved. Life happens ... and unfortunately? Horses suck almost $1,000/mo out of my paycheck. There are other things that need to come first.

Have much have you evolved since your teenage years? Are you a similar person?

When I think "teenaged years" ... I think high school. And if that's the case? I've stayed pretty damn true to my 15 year old self. I'm still a mostly happy person, I'm still interested in the same things, and I still wear my heart on my sleeve. I think the only difference is that I've refined my "endearing" qualities.

What's something you don't want to tell us about?

Believe you me ... I have some secrets/skeletons in my closet. And they stay in the closet for darn good reasons.

When the world is crashing down on you, where do you go?

Usually? I go to my friends. Or my husband.

Do you have any goals? What are they?

I want to have a successful career that I love going to every morning.

I desperately want to own my own horse. I haven't quite figured out how to make this possible without breaking the bank.

Can you honestly say you love what you do?
Right now? No, I can't. It's entry level, so it's a lot of grunt work for not very much money. But the plus side? It's more money than I was making before ... so I'm really not that unhappy. But I can't use the word "love" to describe how I feel about my current position.

Who has been the single most influential person in your lifetime thus far?
My mother. She's a strong, sassy and independent woman that I love unconditionally and a person I look to for good advice and sound direction.

Honestly, we are all striving for something, what is your greatest goal in life? (I'm not talking about money!)
I've had the same goal since I was 9: I just want to be happy. Legitimately, truly happy. If Harold can paint his world the way he wants it with a purple crayon, why can't I?

Are there people in your past that you wish you could make amends with?
No. I don't burn my bridges on a whim. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice: shame on me.

What memory will be forever burned in your mind to the point where you can smell the room and feel the energy?
The day Andrew proposed to me.

What movie and or book speaks to you?
"Trying Hard to Hear You" by Sandra Scopettone. It's set in the seventies, and follows a group of teens in a summer theater program. It all takes a turn when two of the boys come out as homosexual in a time period when being gay was right up there with committing a heinous crime. It's a story about acceptance, a story about love ... and a story about being who you are.

What is your greatest wish right here and now?

Truly? Honestly? Right now I'm wishing that Drew and I find ourselves stationed at the 8th & I Barracks in downtown Washington D.C. I want it so badly that it's impossible for me to not be heartbroken when the USMC decides otherwise.

Deep Dark Marine-Wife Secret #3

2011-12-29T11:42:00.001-05:00

I'm a bad bad BAD wife. BAD.
I secretly wish my husband had the drive to become an officer (even a Warrant Officer) instead of wrinkling his nose in distaste. I don't think there's a single thing wrong with being enlisted; my husband certainly enjoys being a Marine.
However: I know he dislikes being an 1141 (electrician) and prefers being the head hauncho with a desk. In years previous, he received a Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (NAM) for his above-and-beyond leadership efforts. He was also the Platoon Sergeant (supervises squad leaders and the platoon as a whole. Second in command under the Platoon Commander) for his unit at Camp Pendleton and he seemed to enjoy sitting at a desk delegating and mitigating appropriate paperwork.

His resume is technically non-applicable, but I do believe the aforementioned accolades would serve him well. I think he likes to lead. I think the responsibilities he enjoys taking on would generally be officer-type tasks. I think he is very much looking forward to getting away from the hands-on work of his job and getting into a desk. He had made some noise about becoming a Warrant Officer at some point in time; but being volun-told into recruiting duty more or less depleted all of his MOS credibility, and by the time it gets back to where it needs to be? He'd rather just continue on and become an E-7.

Like I said: I'm a terrible wife. It's his career path, and who am I to judge? I find him (and others as enlisted men) to be honorable, intelligent, hard-working. But let's be honest: I certainly wouldn't mind reaping the benefits of a larger paycheck and an increase in the base housing quality (and/or increase in BAH).

But there we have it. Deep Dark Marine Wife Secret: I kinda wish my husband wanted to be an officer.
Ultimately, I'm happy if he's happy. But I definitely don't call these posts "deep dark secrets" for nothin.

:: hides in hole ::

Holiday Card Review: KM Paperie

2011-12-20T15:39:00.000-05:00

I've known Kailey for a long time; try fourteen years! We went to middle school and high school together; and we both have mutual friends. Via Facebook, I've kept up with her while she finished her Graphic Design degree at NAU in Flagstaff, moved to Hawaii with her longtime boyfriend (now husband!!) and watched with awe as she not only started her own business, but flourished with it and expanded to new demographics. She's gradually moved from specializing simply in graphic marketing designs into wedding invitations, and even more recently ... cards for your every day needs!

Her newest business endeavor? Owning and managing KM Paperie ... a design studio with a focus in wedding invitations. I'd been watching her business for sometime (genuinely proud of her; because how many entrepreneurs fresh out of college end up with the own business??), so imagine my sense of glee when I suddenly noticed she offered holiday card designs! Her work is so stellar that I'd wished she'd had KM Paperie up and running when I was getting married in the fall of 2010 and subsequently ordering invitations earlier in the year.

Card Design (c) KM Paperie
Photograph (c) Savannah Daras Photography

KM paperie offers both custom and pre-made card desgins priced affordably! After you purchase a design (be it custom or pre-made) -- she creates a secured client page for you that allows for open lines of communication and subsequently the space to upload any design inspiration and a photo you'd like to use for your card! Working with her was seamless -- she was both swift, efficient and professional and I couldn't have been happier when my holiday cards were delivered to my doorstep via FedEx in a timely fashion. I've never sent out cards like this before ... much better than any Shutterfly card I've ever ordered! Her prices are in the same ballpark, but the quality exceeds Shutterfly's tenfold ... why wouldn't you opt for a design from KM Paperie?

As my card arrive to their recipients, the response I've received has been: "Beautiful!"

"Never seen anything like it!"

"WHERE did you get these, were they expensive?" (Answer: nope!)

Not looking for a holiday themed card? Send her a message ... KM Paperie is available for all occasions. Baby announcement? Party invitation? Change of Address card?? With prices like these and quality that you can't beat ... why shop anywhere else??

KM Paperie

KM Paperie Facebook

KM Paperie Blog

PTSD

2011-12-19T11:21:00.001-05:00

As a MilSpouse, the phrase Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is no new concept. But at the same time, I'm a little naive about it. I turn my head and think to myself "No way, not my husband. He's an electrician for cripe's sake..."

But then I hear stories of a couple that has been together for 10 years. We'll call her "Jane" to maintain her anonymity. Jane's husband was characterized as the most selfless, loving family man and father as one could possibly get. But then ... he came back from deployment. And now? He wants nothing to do with his family, he's cold and withdrawn from Jane ... he avoids his children and has openly admitted to not wanting to work on any of his "issues". While he hasn't engaged in any indiscretions, his behavior can be interpreted as emotionally abusive toward her. The harsh reality Jane is coming to is that he is not the man she married. She never thought this would be happening to her and the hardest part is learning how to let go and walk away ... or be strong enough to believe that he can pull himself out of the hole he's dug himself into. Who wants to walk away from their husband when he's going through such a dramatic and abrupt change; especially when it's the polar opposite of his normal persona? But then again, he doesn't want help and he shuts Jane out. She worries that the man she married is still in there, but this new person? This cold, unyielding force in her life? Rationality says to move on, but her heart still believes in the vows she took ... for better or for worse. But what happens when your husband doesn't seem to believe in those vows anymore? What if he's disrespecting your marriage in more ways than one and doesn't seem to care? Does this give you an out? When is enough enough? How far is a wife expected to go before it becomes unacceptable? Is this change permanent? He has all the love in the world with Jane and a caring family that is his, but is openly choosing to abandon it and turn the blame and problems on Jane. It's hateful and he doesn't seem to feel a shred of remorse for it.

To me?
It's bone chilling. The fact that good men can be turned into a complete 180. How much hurt do their families and loved ones have to endure?
What would I if the situation were reversed??

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-12-16T12:32:00.000-05:00

1. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get my butt UP in the morning before work to go to the gym. Really, legitimately ... I want to tone up. I'm a pro at talking myself out of a workout. I keep debating joining the Maine Masters Swim Club; but they meet at 6AM, and don't get out until 7:30a ... I don't know if I have enough time to shower/change/drive to Portland by 8:30. :-(

2. One thing I’d like to happen next year is a big, fat raise. (Hey, I can dream, right?)

3. One thing I’m looking forward to next year is definitely PCSing to a new unit! I'm excited ... and wouldn't you know it; there's a pretty damn good chance that we'll end up back in San Diego by default. All of the units we requested a really small; Camp Pendleton is the only big one. I would chuckle, but definitely not complain. I might cry if/when we move away from the area.

4. One change I’d like to see next year is my cleaning habits improve. Seriously; I'm the roommate you'd vote off the island for being a human tornado. My poor husband!

5. My plans for NYE include heading to a friend's beach house! She was my editor when I was interning at a magazine here in Maine ... and she recently moved to Munich to go to grad school; but is back in town for a bit! I love her. She's small, she's sassy and a phenomenal writer. Can I be her when I grow up?

Home Sweet Home

2011-12-14T11:30:00.001-05:00

I know you're not supposed to compare another's life to your own ... but I sometimes can't help it. I'm immeasurably jealous of all of my married friends that are not attached to a servicemember. Most of them are either a) in the home-buying phase or b) have purchased their own home.

With all the moving around that my husband and I are very likely going to be doing over the next 12 years, it doesn't make sense (right now) to be purchasing our own home. From our perspective, it just doesn't make much sense to buy a home if we're not going to be there longer than 5 years, and from what we've witnessed: the real estate market can be a little hostile if you're attempting to sell. It's just not a stress we're ready to deal with if we have to PCS on short notice.

We do know that we want to drop anchor in the SoCal region of California, that much is clear. It's an expensive neck of the woods, so we're definitely planning to utilize the VA Loan in some form or another, whether it be for the $50k downpayment or the loan itself. In the SoCal area, pending credit and other factors .. the loan maxes out at roughly $800k (but don't quote me on it, I may have read the data incorrectly), but because of high property taxes etc, we're looking to spend well under what we're approved for. I'd be willing to buy a less-expensive home and make the upgrades and customizations myself over a period of time. (Although, honestly ... when looking at these homes, even if it's just online like Drew and I do ... it's so easy to forget to ask the pertinent questions: how old is the roof? The AC unit? the hot water heater? I tend to get lost in granite counter tops, appliance upgrades and hardwood floors and forget to think about the questions that I wouldn't normally think to ask).

The "right time" to buy a house is definitely not the same for everyone. I believe it's the right time when you, the prospective homeowner, believe it's time to buy. It's always going to depend on the specific market and the specific situation. For us, the fact that SoCal is generally expensive ... makes it more important for us to pursue homes when the market is on the low-end in certain areas, but it definitely doesn't mean we'll rush into it right away. Simply moving back to the San Diego area may not be the indicator that it's the "right time" for us personally ... who knows what kind of credit card debt etc we'll have accrued in the transition periods. However, we are going to approach the VA to get pre-approved and go from there when the time is right for us.

In the meantime?
We dream about double paned windows. (Seriously. You take that for granted until you end up in a rental unit that doesn't have them. Our heating bill is getting ridiculous.)
We dream about our own yard.
We dream about having our own personal space that we don't have to share.
And we sure as hell dream about NOT living next to a freeway or major road!
But to make our dreams a reality, it may mean scaling things down a bit and being willing to live in less-expensive neighborhoods in San Diego county. Or it may mean being willing to spend the same $400k or so, and only being able to afford a condo in San Marcos. It's going to mean weighing the pros and cons... can I handle the heat if it means owning a home versus a condo? Or do I really and truly desire to live in the exclusive neighborhoods? If that's the case ... we need to be okay with not being able to afford some of the upgrades and definitely being okay with not being able to afford the square footage of a single-family home.

We want our own home so badly.
We want to get out of renting, and put the same $$ toward something tangible.
But for the forseeable future, it may not be the best time. Our compromise is probably going to be living in base housing if it becomes available for the next couple of years.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T08:52:00.000-05:00

Simple pleasures

2011-12-10T09:48:00.000-05:00

Image (c) Stan's Coffee

Sometimes? All you need for all to be right in the world:

is a cup of coffee

some PJS

and a 15 month old ~~puppy~~ dog to be blissfully zonked out after this morning's walk + ball chasing session. (Swear on my life, Bristol has two speeds: 1. Full Tilt Boogie and 2. Stopped.)

Both of my Brother in Laws, Sister in Laws and 2.5 year old niece and nephew are visiting

from Lancaster, PA and Lincoln, ME

And while the babies are sleeping (or playing quietly for the moment)

I'm enjoying this quiet moment of bliss

Tell me ... what are some of life's simple pleasures that make everything seem alright in your world?

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-12-09T11:01:00.002-05:00

1. My favorite song of the season is Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon. Followed closely by the Chipmunks' rendition of "Christmas Don't Be Late".

2. My good friend Erin is someone who inspires me because she is one of the most productive and motivating individuals I've ever met. As if being a Special Education teacher wasn't enough, she's active in her community, enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserve, researching the possibilities of becoming an MTI at Lackland AFB, looking forward to deploying and aiming to complete her PhD. And to think I lay around the house on Saturdays...

3. If I had $100,000 to give to a charity, I’d give it to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or the ASPCA.

4. If I had a theme party, I’d make it a Sex and the City theme. :-) Fashion, cocktails and a healthy dose of raunchy? Oh, hell to the yes!

5. If I had one wish for my kids/future kids/some young person I care about, it would be the wish that they were very glad of the way their mother and father raised them. I certainly appreciated my parents' "parenting styles" much later in life.

Quiet Moments

2011-12-08T17:53:00.003-05:00

Guest blog!

2011-12-08T17:29:00.003-05:00

I'm blogging over at Romance at a Glance today; come read about my planning experience!

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Holidays

2011-12-07T18:22:00.002-05:00

With Love,

From Athena.

Miscellany Monday

2011-12-05T09:56:00.002-05:00

This is the first time I'm linking up with this meme!

{one} I really like my new job, but I'm finding that the position comes with moments of busy and moments of either a) nothing or b) tedious/boring data entry. Seems pretty typical for sales; riding the ebb and flow.

{two} How do you measure true love? When you've mentioned to your husband that you're seriously considering staying in Maine until next November instead of PCSing with him in June because it's an incredible job that you enjoy ... and he asks his monitor to extend his tour on recruiting duty so he doesn't have to be separated from his wife if he doesn't have to be. God love him, because I know how much he dislikes being a recruiter. He would put his own comfort aside so that I can succeed in my chosen career path?! Bless him. We had already put in a request for orders in August, so I don't know that they can backtrack ... but it's the thought.

{three} Adjusting to a salary has been a little different. Part of me thinks I was stupid to up and quit waiting tables when I did, the extra $50-$100+ per shift would be really handy right now. Things are a *little* tight, especially since I don't get paid vacations or holidays yet and we're taking a trip to Pennsylvania/Maryland for the holidays. Right now, we can pay our bills, gas and groceries ... but it doesn't leave much "fun" money for now.

{four} Holy crap. I'm going to see my brother and father in 3 weeks! When they found out that Drew and I were solidifying plans to go to Baltimore for a few days, they bought a flight out from CA as well! My mother will not be joining them ... Drew and I were supposed to be moving in June and she wanted to use her vacation time to come see us over the summer. I haven't seen my family since July; so this will be a great opportunity.

Military By Owner

2011-12-03T23:35:00.002-05:00

Part of what worries me sometimes, if my husband and I choose not to live on base ... where are we going to find a rental home? (If I can help it: I never want to live in an apartment again).

I learned recently of a pretty fabulous website that I think I should share!

http://www.militarybyowner.com/

Looking to buy a home?

Looking to rent, like me?

Plug in your state and the base you're with ... and the website will pull listings for you! I feel a little more comfortable with this site than simply trolling Craigslist.

Go on, give it a shot! I can't believe I never knew this website existed!

It's Starting to Feel a Lot Like Christmas!

2011-12-03T15:53:00.003-05:00

I may not like the cold weather, but boy ... I do love the Christmas decorations. Seeing as my husband and I didn't have any plans for a Friday evening, I suggested we head up to Freeport to do some window shopping. Freeport is the home of the LL Bean Flagship store, and subsequently a pretty sweet outlet mall that has done some expanding over the last 3 years.

And on this particular evening? Apparently we arrived just in time for the "Sparkle Weekend" at LL Bean ... complete with parade!

Only in Maine does Santa Claus make his appearance in a parade via Lobster Boat. I'm really bummed I don't have any pictures of it!

We may not have any white stuff up here ... but it's certainly starting to look and feel like the holidays!

Ch-Ch-Changes ... AGAIN?!

2011-12-02T15:54:00.003-05:00

I woke up last week and realized I wasn't crazy about my blog name. Or the direction my blog was going.

The blog needed a facelift in more ways than one.

It needs to feel more ... "me". Because here's the honest truth: I'm not bright eyed and bushy tailed on a regularly basis. The blog name "A Cup of T" is cutesy.

It implies a lot of sunshine and daisies in my life. (Irony: gerber daisies are my favorite flower.)

I'll be the first to admit that it's not always the case. And when I started thinking about who I was: I always came back to the notion of strong when I need to be, and when I'm not? I self medicate with booze (usually Gabbiano Chianti).

Cool. So I had the mantra behind the blog, but what about the name?

And that's where fate stepped in.

I've been listening to a lot of the song "Flightless Bird" by Iron & Wine recently.

And I couldn't help but notice ... that the band name fit what I needed.

And then I thought: screw it. I'm rolling with it.

So no, perhaps I'm not original in terms of my blog name.

Perhaps this is some kind of copyright infringement. Or I'm violating some kind of Mark.

But it's pretty damn perfect ... so I'm rolling with it.

The Australian Christmas Story

2011-12-02T07:38:00.001-05:00

Too cute!

He loves me!

2011-11-27T16:03:00.029-05:00

I think I know what true love is after today.

When I landed my job with an affiliate of the FOX network, it was everything I've worked for. It's in my industry, it's salaried, it's a great learning experience ... and the best part? I was finally able to afford to quit waiting on tables! But then it hit me like a ton of bricks: oh my god. We're supposed to be PCSing to a new unit after our 3 year tour on Recruiting Duty is up in June 2012. Why couldn't this incredible opportunity have landed in my lap at least a year earlier???

I had spoken to Drew about the possibility of staying in Maine through next November, so that I can stay for a full year at my position; after all ... 12mos looks a heck of a lot better on your resume than 7 months. He must've known how important this was to me, because I haven't exactly been the world's biggest fan of the state of Maine. Now, don't get me wrong: I love my husband. I would never want to be separated from him if I didn't have to be; especially since the USMC manages to do that enough for us with deployments, MEUs and TDYs. However ... what's another 6 months in separate locations when all is said and done? This could really benefit our family in the long run. I haven't quite figured out a living situation, considering my *4* friends in the Northeast live in 1BR apartments with their S/Os, and I'm definitely not crazy about being the girl on the couch for 6 months .... but I'm a little creeped out by becoming the roommate of someone I've never met before.

Drew came home from work today, took my hands in his ... and asked me if I truly loved my job. Well, of course I do, silly! And his response? "Good. Because I talked to my monitor today ... and I asked him to extend my recruiting tour for another 6 months so we don't have to live hundreds, possibly thousands of miles apart from each other."

!!!!!
Oh my god.
He's kidding, right?!

No, he's not. I don't know that it's possible to extend after you've already put in your request for a PCS ... but the very fact that my husband would consider staying another 6 months as a recruiter, a job that he loathes with every fiber of his being ... just so I could succeed? That he would put his own comfort aside to be with the woman he loves? Maybe it's not possible for him to extend ... but I love him about 50x more (if that's even remotely possible) simply for the gesture.

Agility

2011-11-25T19:23:00.001-05:00

So I've spent this last autumn training my 14-month old Cocker Spaniel to do some agility. And ah, I've ridden and trained horses ... so I kind of thought it would be pretty similar concepts.

Nope.
Apples and oranges for the most part; although the body language part of it is pretty spot on. The guise of agility is that it trains your dog. Right now, 99% of what we do is training the "handling" of the dog on the course. But of course, this is my first agility dog. We're both learning as we go.

Anyway.
I like to think we're making progress. Hopefully at some point we'll be ready for a Novice competition. But that's assuming I can friggin train weave poles. (Which, right now? Are the bane of all evil).

I have a freakin new-found respect for all the dogs in this video ... and good grief, can those Border Collies fly or what?!

How we spend black Friday ...

2011-11-25T12:58:00.001-05:00

I can hardly believe that this is the first Black Friday I've had to myself in .. uh... 8 years? Generally, my mother and I went to the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach (think craft show + fake snow)

It was our thing. I love handmade! I've been on the prowl for hand-painted ceramics for quite some time now. But, it's been 3 years since I've spent Thanksgiving in SoCal. However, this is the first time I've had this weekend off. And since I have a lot of nothing to do ... (all my friends are servers and have to work this weekend) I've been missing her.
I don't think it matters how old you get ... you miss your Mama.

So this morning, up I rose at 7:45 in the morning, nice and spry.
I had a budget today: $200.
And I had a goal: I needed slacks for work, and a few more sweaters. Target = love. Honestly. And the crowds? No worse than on any other friday. I would have loved to have gotten my slacks at Banana Republic (my favorite store to shop for business casual) ... but on Black Friday? My guess is that Freeport was going to equal a madhouse. I think I can handle that the slacks I bought at Target don't fit perfectly. I'll buy nicer slacks, nicer blouses and phenomenal belts and scarves next month when I have another $200 to spend.

All things considered? Success!
But I still would have liked to have gone back to SoCal for the holidays.

How'd your Black Friday go?

And then I got to thinking....

2011-11-25T08:07:00.000-05:00

I've been horrible at blogging as of lately. Part of it is dealing with a family crisis, and the other half is complete lack of anything interesting to blog about.

So gimme some tips!
What do you want to read about? :-)

236th Birthday Ball

2011-11-20T22:21:00.000-05:00

Saturday evening marked the 2nd ball Drew and I have attended (I did not go last year).

First, I went off to get my hairs did. I was going for a french braid across with beachy curls ... but at some point; I completely forgot to brush them out. (DOH!)

This photo is really dark ... but thank you Nicole for the gown!

The Recruiting Station Portsmouth consists of Maine, New Hampshire and Eastern Massachusetts, and in years past ... the ball has been in Waltham. This year however, it was at the Marriott in South Portland, which is all of 15 minutes from our townhouse in Yarmouth. So we did not opt for a hotel room this year. (I like to sleep in my own bed).

After some rushing around to get ready, we arrived to the ball at 0500 for formal ball photos, cocktail hour and socializing. I was initially shocked at the cost of our ball tickets ($150 per person) ... but then we learned about the open bar. Heck to the yes if you're a drinker ... but lamesauce if you were the DD like me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm about as moto as the next person ... but I've never actually seen an ice sculpture of the Eagle, Globe & Anchor before:

He looks fabulous ... and I look a little ... well ... awful?

From there, it was time for the ball official ceremonies to begin.

Now, in year's previous ... the guest speaker has been a stuffy general with a longwinded Semper Fi/Oorah speech. But this year ... the LtCol was a riot and a half. I can't quite recall all of his speech, but he defined Marines as the epitome of Peter Pan ... in the sense they never grow up. I have never wished more in my life that I'd recorded the guest speaker. What a riot!

I was really moved by the SgtMajor's speech ... which was dedicated entirely to the Recruiting Duty spouse.

All in all?

Great night.

Happy Fridays.

2011-11-18T21:53:00.000-05:00

Today was all kinds of fabulous for many reasons. The first and foremost being that it was my last day with the radio station. (Okay, this is a little bittersweet. It was a great company to work for; loved my boss and I loved what I did and who I got to work with ... minus the crappy paycheck. They did offer me my job back at any point in time; be it next week or next year. They also mentioned I'd be the first person they'd call if something full time opened up)

I saw Breaking Dawn today with some friends ... GREAT movie! Although I did learn today that the original cut earned it an R rating due to adult content; and I tapped my fingertips together in an Evil-Kineval type way and what I really want to know is if they're going to release that version on DVD. I'm Can you imagine the uproar that would have caused with all the tweens??

Saturday is the Marine Corps Ball ... which to me, has always seemed like prom in a way. Plus the pomp and circumstance and Semper Fi/Oorah ... and plus booze. Generally a good time before it turns into a dance party and drunken debauchery continues. This year; instead of trekking our butts down to Boston -- it's in Portland. Meaning: we can go home whenever we want. Fistpump! In years previous: I was always game for staying for dinner; and then hitting the town.

Sunday is going to be my last shift EVER at the Olive Garden. How pumped is this kid?! No more 10% tips. No more being nice to people that are blatantly rude. In general ... no more working weekends! Whoa.
Haven't had Fri/Sat/Sun free since I turned 17.
Good god, what am I going to DO with all this free time? Oh, I know. I can actually make ski-trip plans. I can actually take my dog to the playgroups on Saturday mornings.
I can sleep in if I darn well want.
Amen.

What If? (Meme)

2011-11-14T09:11:00.001-05:00

Saw this on Nicole's blog this morning and just had to participate.

What if I were to get pregnant?
I'd be terrified. And excited. But mostly terrified.

What if I could have any job in the universe?
ANY job? I would give any number of my limbs to make my living riding, training and showing horses. One of my dear friends is living my dream. (Of course, it was her dream, too.)

What if I had the day to myself?
Gasp! Wait, what? This happens ...?!
Nicole's answer was so spot-on to what I'd answer, that I'm going to steal it verbatim. :)
With no dog? I'd wake up when I want to. Call Starbucks and have them deliver something to me (this is a dream world, right?!) I'd take a really long, hot shower. Watch a few tearjerkers on Lifetime. Make an incredible lunch and eat in the living room and not have to worry about the dog being curious. And then after enough relaxing I would get off my lazy butt and clean the spare bedroom....with no interruptions.

What if I could get married all over again?
I'd hop a plane to Vegas. My wedding was fabulous, but it was way stressful planning it. (Thanks, family o' mine...)

What if I could live anywhere in the US?
Easy.
Suburb of San Diego, CA.
I'll fork over that 8.75% sales tax ... and sacrifice a little bit of extra acreage ... and live with some traffic ... all to have 80/sunny be the median temp year round. Eternal summer? Yes please.

What if you could have any talent in the world?
Honestly? I'd love to both sing AND dance. Classically.

What if you met me in real life?
You'd probably find that I'm not all too different than the "me" I portray in this blog. I'm fun! (Biased opinion).

What if I went back to school?
Been pondering this. Not a clue what I'd do afterward have no idea where an MA in Communications would take me. I don't regret my major; not one bit. I do regret that I may have chosen a career path that may not exactly yield a lot of $$$/year .... but I enjoy what I do.

What if money weren't an object?
I'd quit my job, start a family ... and when the munchkins were old enough to go to school for a full day? I 'd buy a horse. Then, I could have my cake and eat it, too.

What if I could meet one celebrity?
Harry Potter.
No, not Daniel Radcliffe.
Yes, I know this is a fictional character. HP was my childhood. I grew up with the books. I love the books (and films)!

What if I could shop at one store for the rest of my life?
Banana Republic or Express.

What if I could choose any pet?
Llama. I will call him Emperor Kuzco. :)

What if I could go on a trip right now?
Take your pick:

1. Take a trip with Caroline & Rachel and visit Jessica at Aviano AFB in Italy
2. Summer along the Mediterranean Sea! (Monaco, anyone?)
3. Head back to Orlando with husband and do it all over again! Food Festival at Epcot, Universal City Walk ... HARRY POTTER WORLD x2 ?!
4. Hawaii

What if I had to choose between a house cleaner and professional chef?
Oh man! Perhaps the house cleaner ... I despise cleaning with a passion. But I could always learn how to cook a little more gourmet.

What if I had the option to get plastic surgery?
Breast reduction. 32DDD's suck balls.

No Subject.

2011-11-13T14:11:00.002-05:00

My favorite sweater (in merlot)

With my new favorite scarf. (God knows I love mustard yellow)

What you don't see .... my turquoise pea-coat and mahogany heels.

I looked the part of "autumn".

Actually ... it's what I wore for my "family photo" with my husband and my dog. By the way? My dog has an attention span of 5 seconds. Getting her to look AT the camera was a pain. She's adorable and a ball of love; but she has two speeds: 1) Full Tilt Boogie and 2) Stopped. I think our poor photographer is going to have to do a LOT of editing and blending work. (Sorry, Savannah! But Bristol's so darn cute that she's worth it, right?)

Random: I realize today as I look at this photo ... I really need a haircut. :-/ I liked it above my shoulders. I think I'm gradually working up the guts to go for a full pixie cut.

Smoky Eye?

2011-11-11T13:59:00.001-05:00

So.
Our Marine Corps Ball is next weekend ... and I would love to do a smoky eye in silver/black. Anyone have a quad or a palette they recommend? The silvers I have are a little bit too ... matte; I want 'em to shimmer! Generally, I add some pigment to get the effect I want but that stuff is messy!

Also ... I have the world's longest lashes; but they never seem to get quite as dramatic as the falsies. Think I should use them?

Worldess Wednesday

2011-11-09T14:40:00.001-05:00

What part of my personal life feels like

Cognitive Dissonance

2011-11-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Source: International Truth Movement

When the Universe finally cuts you a break...

2011-11-07T16:41:00.000-05:00

it would ironically happen on a Monday. I have finally at long last, landed a full time position with a salary. And it couldn't have possibly turned out to be more spot on ... in my mind, I had a number that was best cased scenario and a number that was the minimum I would accept. Wouldn't you know it? They offered me the best cased scenario without any negotiation.

In two weeks, I officially start my new job as the local sales assistant for an affiliate of the Fox Network. (Yes, the TV broadcast network). In other words: I get to do almost exactly what I do for the radio station; but for twice as much $$$.

I'm in a little bit of shock; because it means that after 8 years? I can FINALLY quit waiting on tables. I always told myself that the day that I make twice as much as I make waiting tables, that it would be okay to quit. That day has come.

I was pleasantly surprised that the radio group was as excited for me as they were; I know they're sad to lose me, but glad that a window has opened elsewhere. I have an open door here anytime; from career advice to potentially coming back -- which is incredible.

Like I said: today is a GREAT day!

I am NOT a Mainer

2011-11-01T07:46:00.000-04:00

I can't possibly ever hope to call myself a Mainer. It's what, 27 degrees outside ... and I'm wearing long pants, windbreaker pants, a sweater, sweatshirt, North Face jacket, a scarf ... and two pairs of socks.

What? Don't laugh. (I can hear you laughing).
I don't like being cold.
All of that being said; I got up and put all of this on so I could take my riled-up 14mo old pup for a walk. Yes, just to walk my dog. I have no shame.

I may look like this:

but I feel like this:

Your Primary Job

2011-10-31T20:44:00.000-04:00

But the fact is, your primary job is always going to be Marine Wife. Everything else just comes second.

Somehow?
That phrase doesn't make me feel good about myself. It makes me feel .... limited.
Am I supposed to feel like this? A little like I've just been stereotyped into a category?
Do normal people enjoy being a wife as their primary function?
I love my husband ... but I've never felt my role as "wife" was my primary job.
I sort of resent the above phrase.
But the real kicker here is that I think it's true; however much I may dislike it.

I think I need to start finding a new answer to the question "what do you want" ? Because "I Don't Know" needs to stop being acceptable in Taryn world.

Juxtaposed Seasons

2011-10-31T11:32:00.000-04:00

Up here, the weather is having some trouble deciding what season it wants to be. All photos were taken yesterday ...

** DISCLAIMER: all photos courtesy of Russell Caron Photography

MilSpouse Friday fill-in

2011-10-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

1. The best part of October was being able to take a weekend trip to Bar Harbor with my husband.

2. The worst part of October was nearly spending more money than we made this month. (I have never been so stressed out in my entire life.)

3. For Halloween, I’ll be handing out candy. No dressing up ... just handing out candy and watching a lot of Grey's Anatomy on DVD.

4. I hope that in November does not result in any drama.

Orders Orders ORDERS. (Cmon !!)

2011-10-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

Someone please pray to whatever higher power they subscribe to ... because the SgtMajor swung by Drew's office today and will be placing a call to his monitor. Maybe this means we'll finally get orders?? (But part of me won't hold my breath).

Case of the Mondays

2011-10-24T11:03:00.000-04:00

It was below 40 degrees when I walked up to my office this morning at 7:45. And then! Travesty.

I couldn't remember my 5 digit password to enter the building.
Uh.
I've been punching those numbers in for over a year now ... and I can't remember?

It was a chilly 5 minutes until I remembered the password.
Anyone else "have a Monday moment" ?

Milspouse Friday Fill-In

2011-10-21T10:08:00.001-04:00

I want to finally have a decent salary. This $17,000/year bull shit pisses me off when I spent more to go to college.
I have a great husband, 2 furbabies and a roof over my head.
I wish things were a little easier. I've been doing hard for 8 years.
I hope we get stationed in Washington D.C.
I wonder about what if's.

Bizarre clouds

2011-10-19T14:08:00.002-04:00

I don't think I've seen anything like this before ... kinda makes you wonder which way is up!

Meet & Greet with the Indigo Girls!

2011-10-19T08:28:00.000-04:00

Yes friends, that is what I will be doing this evening. WHO are the Indigo Girls? Well ... they're pure awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKqUglOC3_8&ob=av2e

Sometimes, working for a radio station is pretty sweet. Spin Doctors visited yesterday, and today the Indigo Girls? I've also had the pleasure of meeting Jack Johnson, Sara Bareilles and The Neon Trees. Today, my job rocks.

can you be "too" proud?

2011-10-17T14:28:00.002-04:00

Source unknown

I think there's a good chance that I'm the only person in the world that finds these graphics extremely obnoxious. To me, it really alludes to a sense of "I'm better than you". While there are far more factors involved, being in the military is at the end of the day just a job. I would be just in love (and proud of!) with my husband if he were the VP of Marketing. But you don't see these wives plastering it all over their car or preferred social media. What exactly is the point in bragging? While a "proud [insert DoD branch here] girlfriend/fiancee/wife" is less in your face ... I have to wonder again, what is the point? Yes, our service members put their lives on the line. Yes, they deserve our support. But nowhere in there does it say "Air on the side of slightly disrespectful of others' occupation".

I'm proud of my husband ... but damn, do I really need to put his rank sticker on my car? Last time I checked, I wasn't the one in service. As such ... his rank doesn't belong on my vehicle. I do however, have a yellow ribbon decal on my back window. That kind of support is a little more appropriate.

The point of this blog is certainly not to bash how people choose to be proud. I just don't understand why being proud has to sound an awful lot like a popularity contest. From "my daddy wears combat boots" to "If you're not dating/engaged/married to a [insert DoD branch servicemember], raise your standards."

Honestly.
Maybe it's not glamorous to work in retail or HR or business management ... but people are proud of their jobs. Just because your man doesn't go to war or leave the family for months on end does NOT mean there is a lack of standard.

What length?

2011-10-17T11:55:00.002-04:00

I read this post on CMae's blog Happiness Is ... and that got me to thinking.

I'm crazy in love with my furbabies. My dog is my pal ... and my cat is my snuggle buddy. For anyone who isn't familiar ... meet Bristol (13 month old parti blue merle Cocker Spaniel) and Athena (2.5 year old Domestic Medium Hair ... and quite petite at 6lbs)


I try to keep her well-groomed regularly ... but the raggamuffin look is how we roll.

Anyway.

So let it be said that I love them both more than anything. However, Bristol has been scratching like a maniac since July. At first, she had fleas. So I discounted it. But after the fleas were gone ... and I bombed my house ... the scratching continued. So off we went to the vet to try and get her some relief when medicated shampoos and a switch to grain free ocean blends of food didn't work. I got a little nervous that she had suddenly developed an allergy to carpet fibers. And my first thought? Was not rehoming her.

My first thought was: "We'll move!"

My husband, naturally looked at me like I'd lost my Cotton Pickin' mind.

I then announced that if we owned a home and had this problem; I'd rip up the carpet and install laminate flooring.

His mouth my have fallen open, hand connected with forehead ... and we wagged his head back and forth and turned away from me, muttering something about "Women are crazy..."

Considering I'd tried everything I could think of, from medicated baths to Benadryl to changing her food ... a vet visit was in order. And I was fully prepared to spend $375 + $49 vet visit. I did call and ask husband's permission ... because it seemed like an exorbitant cost for something that could technically wait.
My vet and I decided however, that we would skip the allergy test for now ... since the intensity of the scratching indicated that perhaps fleas were the cause. So we started her on prednisone as a start. And it's taken a few weeks ... but I'm now at the point where I can give her a half tab every other day, and I'm hoping to wean her off the drug. $12 worth of prednisone was a much easier cost than the $400 I predicted. No, I don't know for sure what my pooch is allergic to ... but at least this time, it didn't break the bank.

However.
My animals are my kids, and I would spend any amount of $$ to keep them happy and healthy. Maybe I am a little crazy. But what lengths would you go to for your pet? Your family member? Your best pal, and your favorite snuggle buddy?

Frustration

2011-10-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

Bang head here.
If it's not one thing? It's another. C'est La Vie.

99%

2011-10-14T15:49:00.000-04:00

Source Unknown

I feel like I could have written this.
I did graduate without student loans and 100% debt free.
I did work 30 hours a week while attend school full time.
But I did have a new car... I leased instead of owned.
And I did have an iPod; but it was older.
And I did have a credit card that I used for gas that I paid off every month.

And now?
I'm using that 4 year degree to be severely underpaid at my office.
So I work 50+ hours/week with another part time job.
I don't see my husband. Or my friends.
I don't have free time very often.
But dammit, I make good decisions regularly.
99% my ass. Shove it, jerkface.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-10-14T13:24:00.001-04:00

1. A word that always makes me laugh is: Dingleberry.

2. If you looked in my refrigerator right now, the oldest thing you’d find would be ... my large pint of strawberry yogurt? I bought a month or two ago, but apparently it's still good until nearly the end of the month.

4. The last movie I saw was Avatar. I put it in this afternoon while I folded clothes. We really need to buy it in Blu-Ray.

5. The best thing that happened to me in the last few weeks was my trip to Bar Harbor with husband. We both really needed a vacation from reality.

Dear Husband,

2011-10-13T15:20:00.000-04:00

Dear Husband,

I've been particularly edgy this week. I'm grouchy that I do much more than admin work at the office and they can't (or more likely: won't) pay me appropriately. I'm grouchy that the management team at Olive Garden is playing favorites again and implementing rules they just can't seem to stick to. I don't have a problem with making rules ... I have a problem when they bend them for certain people, but not others.

I'm really sorry that I've snapped, flipped my lid and shouted. Some of it wasn't really your fault.

I love you. We had a fabulous vacation to celebrate our anniversary in Bar Harbor, and then we came home to reality. More like it smacked us both in the face and we realized WHY we took a vacation in the first place.

Love,
Your Wife

PS: I'm REALLY sorry I yelled.
PPS: I'm not sorry I called you an ass when you made the hobbit joke. I have Napoleon Syndrome, remember?

If you could be stationed at any base ...

2011-10-13T10:38:00.001-04:00

... where would you want to be stationed?

I would die and go to Taryn heaven to be stationed at Aviano AFB in Italy. (In other words ... Jess is so living my dream. She's a freelancer, she's an amateur photographer ... what better to do ALL of those things than Italy?!) The fact that it's a mere hour from Venice is a perk.

My second runner up is a little more attainable ... I would love to be stationed in or near Washington D.C. Still dreaming a little dream that there will be a spot at the Marine Barracks Washington (better known as the "8th & I Barracks") next year.

What about you?
Where would you love to be stationed?

Marine Wife Dirty Little Secret ...

2011-10-11T16:17:00.001-04:00

So the Staff Sergeant selection boards came and went. Drew was in the below zone for E6 ... and he was passed over this time. He's a darn good Marine, and is less than 6 months away from completing his B-Billet as a recruiter, so I really believe he'll be chosen at the next SSgt Board.

However.
A MARADMIN came out over the summer that said all Marines have either a) 10 years or b) 2 SSgt Selection Boards to be promoted to E-6 ... or they will be discharged from the Marines. Part of the thinning out process.

2011 marked his 9th year in the USMC. 2012 makes it year #10. 2012 will also make it his second SSgt Selection Board.

My little secret?
It wouldn't break my heart if he was no longer in the Marine Corps.
I enjoy having him for supper.
I enjoy knowing there isn't a deployment in our midst.
Mostly, I enjoy this semi-normal life we've been living.
It's incredibly selfish, I know.

Do you have any dark, dirty little Military Wife secrets?

Tail Wagging Tuesday

2011-10-11T13:01:00.001-04:00

Does your pet do anything strange/weird?
This isn't the greatest photo of it ... but Bristol sticks her tongue out just a little bit. Like this:

Balls. She loves balls.If we don't hide them from her, we'd forever be throwing balls.Sometimes? We ignore her.But she's wise. Bristol drops them in our laps. No way to ignore her then, right?I applaud my clever pup.

Cartoon

2011-10-11T12:54:00.002-04:00

Source unknown

Bar Harbor (** HEAVY with photos)

2011-10-09T20:10:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, we've returned from the Bar Harbor, Maine ... and I think I'll let our photos do most of the talking (I must've taken at least 100; I chose 30 of my favorites). Although, I will say this ... Acadia National Park was beautiful! And we lucked out with the weather; it was in the high 70s/low 80s for our entire trip!

Drew and Bristol making sure I was still behind them. I love that he's waving at me.

Lunch time for chipmunk

Lobster boats in the harbor

The Village Green ... we had our picnic lunch there this afternoon!

And ... because one of my blog readers mentioned that her uncle owned a shop on Main Street, of course we had to stop by! We weren't able to make it to the hotel, however.

1 year ago ...

2011-10-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

I wrote this post. (Well ... almost 1 year ago.)

Truthfully? Husband and I will be taking off for a long weekend. Our destination? Bar Harbor, Maine. We'll see you on Monday ... with plenty of photos, because a New England autumn? Is fabulous.

The No Good Horrible Very Bad Day

2011-10-03T09:57:00.000-04:00

I hated yesterday with passion of firey hatred.
I hated that I walked out of the Olive Garden with $185 for 3 days' worth of work. That is just NOT right on the weekend.
I hated that the office is not going to give me 30+ hours or a raise.
I hated that I have to work retail until Hell freezes over to make ends meet.
And I *hated* feeling like I wasted my time earning a 4 year degree.
I hate that I feel a little like a man without a homeland ... in the sense that I don't really know what I want to do with the rest of my life; I just know that I want to make more than $17,000/annually.

I really want out of retail.
Like ... REALLY really. I swear I'm a smart cookie. I didn't go to college just so I can be a waitress.

You know you're a parent when ...

2011-09-30T10:09:00.001-04:00

Your dog throws up on you and your response is a shrug.
Yeah. Go team.
One minute we were watching Grey's and she's climbing on my lap ... and the next she's ralphed on my sleeve.

I think Drew was grossed out by the fact that I wasn't immediately concerned about changing my shirt.
My rationale? 1) It was bile. 2) I have what, three drops on the cuff of my shirt? And the rest is on the blanket?? 3) Seriously. I've seen this dog upchuck her entire breakfast ... the outcome could have been much worse.

Although ... the flip side?
I think it's entirely possible I gave her too many treats during her agility lesson... thus the vomiting and the loose stool this morning. What can I say? I was super proud of my dog for completeing a sequence, suddenly understanding what a target is ... and grasping the concept of weave poles in a period of 10 minutes. Now ... if we can just keep her little ADD brain focused; we might actually be ready to compete in the springtime. She shows her true "young dog" colors when she decides the cricket on the floor is more interesting than the course we were just running ...

Anyhow.
I was waiting for my cat to suddenly have a bodily function ... because generally speaking, if Bristol vomits? Athena leaves me a hairball ... and vice versa. Generally, I hope to not be in target range of projectile vomiting.

"Fake" Military Wife??

2011-09-29T15:13:00.000-04:00

One of my secrets: I don't feel like a real Marine wife.
Why, you ask?

Well ...
I met Drew after he had come home from a deployment to Iraq, and a mere 30 days before he started school for Recruiting Duty. (and by "after" ... I think it was 6+ months after)
So ... I've never done a MEU or a deployment, and I'm probably going to feel pretty stupid if I'm pushing 30 and have never gone through a deployment with him. Not that there's anything wrong with being unsure of the process ... but I really don't want to be in the same category as a "young wife". And you seasoned wives know exactly what I'm talking about ...
And then ... we moved here ... and it's not really a military town.
No base housing.
Not that much fraternization with other wives etc.
I don't think I deal with that much "bull shit" related to the USMC (a blessing, methinks). Even the runaround with the next PCS isn't even driving me nuts ... just frustratingly antsy.

I may have the dependent ID, but I don't feel like I'm having the same military wifey experience.
Besides: how often is it that your in-laws are your neighbors? At one point, we could throw a rock from our back window and hit their back porch. Yeah. THAT close. In what world is THAT supposed to be part of the "MilSpouse Life" ??

Rainy Days

2011-09-29T15:00:00.000-04:00

It's been doing this all day:

Yeah.

Super motivating to get things done today, right?

Wrong.

I think the only thing productive I've done for the day was make it to my GYN appointment this morning. (Probably #1 on my list of my least favorite activites. It takes what, 5 minutes? But it's awkward).

The really awkward thing is ... I'm sitting in my cube at the office, truly avoiding the stack of paperwork that needs to be filed. Sometimes, it blows to be entry level. What I wouldn't give for a lowly intern, potentially even lower on the corporate totem pole than I am.

Fun fact: It's a major pain in the ass to change banks.

Why would I change banks if we bank with NavyFed, a bank that caters to DoD?

Well?

The ONLY branch in Maine is closing.

Awesome ... considering 50% of my income is cash....

Back to Bank of America we go. I seriously doubt we'll change banks again; it's great that there's DoD banking available ... but BoA has twice as many locations in more places. Besides, for as much of a pain in the ass this is? I don't think it's worth it to close the BoA account once we get closer to a Navy FCU branch in the future.

The positive for the day? Drew showed up at my office in full uniform "just to say hi". This is the second time that he's done this. The man may not send flowers, but he's damn cute when the purpose of his visit was to say hello to his wife. (AWW!)

Hump Day

2011-09-21T09:31:00.000-04:00

I really couldn't think of anything original for this post ... but let's recap the last two days:

MONDAY
1. I had this horrible thought ... I had given my dog the store-brand version of CLARITIN instead of BENADRYL like I had thought. And then it occurred to me that holy hell ... I overdosed her. I got a little paranoid that I killed my dog. (She was fine, by the way. Just ... a little bit on the amped side)

2.Somehow ... our power company didn't get paid this month. Strikes me as odd considering we have an electronic withdrawal set up. So imagine our surprise when Drew gets home at 5:01pm and there's a big fat notice on our door. (WHY do they do that?? Now all my neighbors think we're deadbeats who don't pay utilities). So he gives our power company a call (at 5:02) ... and they're closed. Drew doesn't really check his email that often ... and apparently they sent him an e-mail a week ago? But I was more surprised that they didn't send something in the US Mail .. paperless or otherwise, that's a REALLY good thing to consider mailing out to your customers....

Case in point: thankfully, I didn't have much in the fridge ... but all of our perishables are clearly not useable. Is this something I can have my Renter's Insurance pay for? It wasn't like we were TOTAL deadbeats; our power company for whatever reason didn't process this month's payment ... technically not my fault. They've had all of that information for 3 months.

3. Didn't I just blog about how frustrated I was that recruiters that started after we did had orders already? And that I felt that less than 6months notice was a little, well .. inconsiderate? I think I'm going to shut up. An acquaintance of mine that is stationed in Okinawa, Japan knew their orders were going to be for Camp Pendleton. Orders were expedited and they've been waiting ... and waiting ... and told to wait a little more (read: 2 weeks total). Her husband came home the day before yesterday and said that they should anticipate another 2 weeks before they leave Japan. Yeah, well, they got their official orders the next day. She leaves in 2 days. How God's name is her husband supposed to check out of his unit, return CIF gear, get TMO to box all their items, government furniture picked up, house cleaned and expected, sell the Japanese car, shut off international cell phones etc etc etc ...

I think if it were reversed? I'd be having a small panic attack.
Bottom line: I need to quit my bitching. If anything, I suffer from a severe lack of patience. I will consider myself lucky if I get 90 days of notice. Matter of fact, I think 14 days would be a hell of a lot better than 48 hours.

4. Drew's 28th birthday is this weekend. I can't believe how big a deal his family makes for his and his twin brother Brent's birthday! His grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousin are driving the 6+ hours from Stroudsburg, PA to Kennebunk. His brother, sister-in-law, nephew and his SIL's parents are driving up on Saturday morning. His older brother, other sister in law, and niece are driving down from Lincoln. And then add in all the relatives that are here in Maine ... we're looking at 15-20 people hanging out for their birthday.

Is it bad that my family has never made THAT big of a deal about a birthday? I mean, don't get me wrong ... I got phone calls and cards and such ... but it was never quite the big "to do" that Drew's family makes it.

Dammit, USMC ...

2011-09-19T15:48:00.001-04:00

I'm a little peeved that people that started recruiting duty 3+ months after we did already have orders for the next location. We leave sometime in the spring or summer of 2012 and are still waiting to hear word on the wind? Last time he checked, we wouldn't know until Jan or Feb of 2012?

Yeah.
You know something?
Maybe that's how they like to roll ... but normal people? Don't like planning the next 3-4 years of their life with 90 days of notice. Just sayin'.
No, I need to rephrase: I don't like to plan my life like that.
True story: I really only want to know so that I can either a) start blasting resumes b) start the process of setting up a transfer to a branch of my office located in Virginia c) start buying an assload of bikini's ... because if we end up getting sent to Hawaii, I plan on spending a crazy amount of time on the beach. I might actually take up surfing. (But that's a little stupid, because I lived in Southern Cal for what, 15 years and I didn't take it up then?)

GAH.
Why do I get the feeling that "Damn It, Marine Corps!" is the story of the next 12 years of my life?
I'm severely lacking in the patience department. But can you really blame me? Wouldn't you want to know? I think 6-8 months away is kind of a good window to give someone a heads up that their life is going to change.

Summer ?!

2011-09-19T09:09:00.000-04:00

Hi.
It was 36 degrees this morning.
Where exactly did summer go??
Of course ... Nicole was visiting in nearby Kennebunk this past week, and I was super disappointed that I wasn't able to get out of work that evening to meet up with her! What I really want to ask her of course ... is why on EARTH did she bring chilly weather with her?! (I tease, of course. Jacksonville, NC is a much more mild climate than Maine is this time of year).

Today is brisk enough that I really feel the need to swing by the farm stand on my way home to pick up some Mums and Pumpkins.

... and I'm secretly hoping I haven't killed my dog.
She's had a skin allergy for the last 2 weeks that just won't go away (part of me is worried that she's allergic to her new food; I switched her to ProPlan from Blue Buffalo in August) so this morning ... I figured 1mg per pound of dog ... and since my store-brand anti-histamine pills are 10mg each ... I gave her two. And THEN read the back of the box: "Adults: Do Not Exceed More Than 1 Pill in 24 Hours."

Oh friggin facepalm.
Is it possible to kill your 25 pound dog with antihistamines?
I did give her the non-drowsy version ... but really now. I felt bad that she's been scratching uncomfortably for the last 2 weeks, and medicated oatmeal/tea tree oil shampoos haven't helped.

Feel the pain!

2011-09-14T14:39:00.000-04:00

I've busted out the big guns ... and I've hired a personal fitness trainer. Once a week ... plus my usual workout regimen until I look less like the this:

and more like this:

You know something?
I'm cringing just thinking about the world of hurt I'm going to be in.
Bring it on. I have a couple of pair of True Religion jeans in a size 3 that I'd like to easily slide my ass cheeks into.

I'm 25 years old, dammit.
I want to make my husband drool.

Un-planned Pregnancies

2011-09-14T11:26:00.002-04:00

When Drew and I were first married, people at his office were saying that we'd be pregnant whether we liked it or not before our first anniversary. I was pretty peeved with that assumption. But then I smiled an evil smile and asked Drew to have them up the anty... I'd love to cash in on October 8 when every single one of them is dead wrong.

But here's the cruel irony: everyone in the office that MADE that statement? Has found themselves with an un-planned pregnancy. A "surprise" they didn't know they wanted.

You know ... it's a damn shame that pharmaceutical companies haven't come up with a pill that a woman can take that all but eliminates the element of surprise ... the best part is, I pay $3 for a generic brand. Tell me you can't afford $3.
Or even $20.
At one point, I was paying $50/month for those bad boys because my medical insurance was crap. I figured $50/month was a LOT better than paying for diapers every month.

I guess I'm not so much peeved about all the un-planned pregnancies in the world ... but more that the people that pointed their finger and chuckled at me and insisted I'd be a mother before I turned 26? Are the ones that seem to habitually suffer from "oops".

9/11 ... 10 years later

2011-09-11T09:36:00.002-04:00

"Freedom was attacked today by a faceless coward."

- George W. Bush

I was only a sophomore in high school when 9/11 happened. I was driving to school in the morning, and frequently, Rick Dees on KIIS FM 102.7 made some jokes for "Dees Sleeze" around 6AM ish. I remember thinking about having my mom call in after I got out of the car because a plane crashing into the World Trade Center in New York was absolutely the anti-christ of funny.

Turns out, that was no joke.
It was the only time in my life the same thing was on every single channel.
I wonder if the way we treat 9/11 now is the way that folks in the '40s treated World War II? They could remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

I think the most impressive thing to me about the entire situation, was 9 years ago tomorrow, on September 12: when I drove up and down my street, and almost everyone had a flag on the front of their house. Not the little ones you stick in the lawn for the 4th of July ... but the big ones.

That was patriotism to me. Coming together when it felt like everything was falling apart.

But it wasn't the plane flying into the towers that scared me the most. It was this:

The knowledge that whatever Hell was happening up there? Was too much for them to bear; when given a choice: they would rather plummet 90+ stories to their death.

Not exactly the news I wanted to hear

2011-09-07T15:51:00.001-04:00

Disclaimer #1: No, I'm not pregnant.
Disclaimer #2: No, Drew isn't going to be deployed anytime soon.
Disclaimer #3: No, our recruiting duty tour has not been extended.

With all that being said, I had never wanted to reach through the phone to throttle my husband more in my life than I did yesterday.

I came back from the office after a half day and took a nap. And by nap, I mean the kind of nap where an atomic bomb could go off and I wouldn't stir. For all intents and purposes, I was dead to the world. Suffice it to say that I did not hear my phone ring between 2 and 4:30pm while I was catching up on some must needed ZZZ's.

I also didn't notice that I had (4) missed calls from my husband until I was in the car with my dog on the way to her Intermediate Obedience class ... and the man never leaves a message. Or perhaps a more accurate statement is that it's RARE if he leaves a message. So when I see the little indicator that I have a message, I'm intrigued.

Message sounds like this: Hey baby ... I have some REALLY news that I need to tell you. I'll call you back in a little bit.

He sounds about as excited/lighthearted as a fat kid with cake in his hand.
Egads!
My little heart skips a beat. Perhaps we have orders somewhere? Perhaps we're being sent to DC and he wanted to tell me himself? OOH! Maybe they're a) promoting him to SSgt and b) making him the SNOIC instead of 2nd in charge. OH! Better yet, perhaps he's getting some kind of a fabulous raise ... like the correct BAH for instance.

So I dial him back, my heart a-thumping.
And uh ...
the news that was best to tell me in person?
One of his best friends is unexpectedly pregnant; NOT particularly excited about it ... and Drew is having a grand old time busting the poor guy's chops that baby #4 will mean that the guy will be 50 years old before all the kids are out of the house.

And I paused.
My jaw hit the ground.
THAT was the really great news you wanted to tell me over the phone?
You couldn't seriously leave it in a message?
This is me hypothetically pounding him for getting my hopes up. Here's a tip, husband: don't get your wife all excited for something stupid. (Not that a pregnancy isn't great news; but the giving him a hard time about it certainly is).

Sigh.
I kinda feel like someone stomped on my heart a little bit.
Darn it all ... can the powers that be figure their 'ish out so we can have orders somewhere?
Please and thank you?!

And husband?
This is me reaching through the phone to throttle you.

Alright ... I fail.

2011-09-05T18:05:00.000-04:00

Wow.
How exactly did it get to be this long before I made a blog post?!

I swear I have a good excuse. I've been working close to 60 hours/week for the last 2 weeks.
My paycheck is going to be awesome when we take overtime into account, but shew ... the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was do anything other than sleep.

SO!
Considering the last few weeks have been a hell hole ... husband and I went to the Lady Antebellum concert in Laconia, NH yesterday! We both love them so much , and we last saw them perform at the 2009 Stagecoach Festival in Indio, CA. Sunny Sweeney opened for them; and while she's a little twangy ... I love a little firecracker blonde with an attitude. :-)

Today however, we discovered that there was a Monkey Trunks located right here in Southern Maine, less than 30 minutes from our home! We were fully prepared to make the 2 hour haul out to Chocorua, NH for the big Monkey Trunks location, and then surprise! Has there always been a Monkey Trunks in Maine?! (The answer is no).

Monkey Trunks, you ask?
What in God's name?
If rope courses and ziplines sound like they might be a great time ... this adventure park is for you!

It was a beautiful afternoon, so after 2.5 hours sweating it out on the rope course ... we made the hop, skip and a jump down to The Pier at Old Orchard Beach. Ever been to Ocean City, MD? Santa Monica, CA ?? The Pier is quite similar. In other words: it's all my favorites, in one spot: Salt Water Taffy, local homemade Chocolate Fudge and Pier Fries, oh my!

For the hell of a few weeks I've been grinding through, this weekend absolutely made up for it.

I love Summer, but ...

2011-08-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

I'm tired of sweating my booty off in my ~~apartment~~ townhouse because someone (read: this kid) didn't feel it was ever going to be hot enough in Maine for a long enough period of time to warrant spending the $400+ for a portable air conditioning unit.

Yeah.
Way to go, T.
I mean sure, it's only been 2 or 3 weeks of God-awful humid weather that doesn't really hold a candle to what Texas, Florida or the rest of the south experiences ... but it's uncomfortable, know what I mean?

I love tanning.
And soaking up the rays.
But I'm ready for Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks. Bursts of cinnamon scents in my home. Pulling out my jeans, sweaters and furry Ugg boots. (Hey, they may be ugly as sin ... but holy crap are they toasty. And comfortable as anything!) I'm ready for our first wedding anniversary on October 8th. (See? I love fall so much that I bypassed my love of summer and swapped it for the beautiful colors of fall.)

I am not ready for snowstorms.
Waiting 10 minutes for my car to warm up.
Chipping all the ice off my windshields.
Walking the dog in a blizzard.

But I am very ready for pumpkins, squash, Halloween and brisk autumn air.

I'm an eternal summer girl ... but I love the transition to fall. Anyone else join me in my love of fall ?!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

2011-08-18T11:38:00.001-04:00

Yeaahh ... it's Thursday. But that's okay. :) This was a fill in the blank week ... which I love!

My spouse and I rarely agree on interior design aesthetics, but always agree on turning the TV to the HGTV Channel .
If I could use one word to sum up the way I feel right now, it would be: caffeinated.
One of the things my spouse does that grosses me out is drink so much caffeine that it sounds like a #2 explosion in the bathroom. He can't help it ... but holy hell, is he okay in there?!
My readers may think I’m crazy for doing this, but I really love to stop what I'm doing and watch airplanes land and take off. I could spend an afternoon watching airplanes.
Frankly, my dear, I don’t think I'm going to be cooking or cleaning this evening.

And in other news?
Can I just say that I've never been more excited to spend $2700 in my entire life? Vis-a-vis: our new king sized bedroom set (we ended up buying a $1200 mattress, too). We did end up buying it in cherry instead of espresso.

Of course, our sales associate was filling out all the paperwork near the kitchen tables. I won't lie, our current table is glass with scalloped edging and pewter finish, with curved pewter chairs (with cream colored cloth upholstery). It's beautiful ... but holy hell is it a pain in the booty to clean on a regular basis. So much so, that we toss a tablecloth on it (I hate it. It looks gauche; but it's a helluva lot easier to clean the tablecloth than it is to Windex both sides of the glass). We've also had some issues being able to comfortably fit the table in our apartment sized dining areas.

So.

I saw this pub-sized table that seats 6 AND comes with a removable leaf and thought to myself, "My gosh ... we could remove the leaf and fit it into just about any apartment-sized dining space we wanted..." Pending the sale of my current glass table, I do believe I want to make arrangements to buy this baby for $399. Includes the table, 6 chairs and the leaf.

I'm so excited for new furniture ... I know I have some pretty awesome abstract framed prints of wine glasses and coffee cups in a storage closet at the moment because I had no idea what to do with them. And I did just buy a beautiful wall-mounted wine bottle/wine glass rack ... and all of a sudden, I'm thinking: Italian Bistro in my dining area! I can't wait to sell my current table, buy this one .. and go to town with the decoration process.

Wordless Wednesday: Magic Trick

2011-08-17T11:17:00.000-04:00

Now you see it ...

now you don't!! :)


Stay tuned for chunky red low-lights!

Goodbye, 6 inches of hair and HELLO to wonderfully light and fresh short haircut!
True story: I came this close to going for a full pixie cut. I think next time around, I might actually do it. If Emma Watson's baby face can make a pixie cut look rock'n, then I like to think that I can do it, too!

Starting off on the wrong foot

2011-08-11T09:22:00.000-04:00

It started when my alarm went off at 5:40 .. and I hit snooze, and the stupid thing never went off again. (Awesome).

I discovered we were out of toilet paper after the fact. (Fail!)
I poured a bowl of cereal only to discover we were out of milk. (Double fail!)
Drew announced that he didn't have time to pack a lunch because he had to leave in 10 minutes.
If I didn't know full well that we only had $70 in the bank account until Friday, I wouldn't get so flustered.
I complained that it really wasn't my responsibility as his wife to pack him a lunch, but it seems that when I do -- it's the only time he brings one. (I mean, come on now. He'll be 28 years old next month. If I can usually get my butt out of bed to walk the dog, shower, get myself ready for work, make breakfast and pack a lunch? He has zero excuse.)
But I made it anyway.
And then!
He forgets the sandwich on the kitchen table in his haste to get out the door.
*facepalm* Triple fail.
I took a deep breath, snagged the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and yogurt out of the fridge. I threw them in the blender. Used the last of the ice cubes. I made myself a damn smoothie. And I really didn't feel guilty about the big dollop of whipped cream I threw on top for good measure.

This is just one of those mornings that started off heinously awful.
And if it doesn't start getting any better, there's a good chance I'll be throwing a bottle of wine in my giant purse before I head off to the Sex & The City Marathon at the Saco Cinemagic this evening. I think some Carrie Bradshaw is the exact cure for my funk.

Ch-ch-changes !!

2011-08-10T08:57:00.000-04:00

I still can't believe that in less than a year, we'll be on a plane heading for somewhere new. Drew is allowing me to choose the location we head to next (provided they have a slot for an E5 electrician) and unfortunately, nearly all Naval bases are out of the equation, because they have their own electricians. It might be possible to get stationed in say ... Naples, Italy if he applied as Admin. (And you can bet your ass that I squealed like a small child. It's really too bad that admin would likely kill his upward-moving career; because Taryn loves pasta. Taryn loves the idea of Europe. Taryn would absolutely learn Italian. Taryn would stalk the Jersey Shore crowd if'n they went back to Florence...)

So.
We have officially put in a request to transfer to one of the following locations (in order of preference):

1. Marine Corps Detachment @ Fort George Meade, MD [halfway between D.C. & Baltimore]
2. Marine Barracks Washington D.C. @ 8th & I Streets, D.C. [15min from Capitol Hill]
3. Marine Corps Detachment @ Naval Air Station Oceana, VA [Virginia Beach]
4. MCB Kane'ohe Bay, HI [near Honolulu]

Please note: We did not put MCAS Miramar or MCB Camp Pendleton on the list.
My theory?
We have at least 11 years left in the Marine Corps. I love SoCal -- but it'll break my heart to move a second time. Besides ... if I have an opportunity to live in D.C. ?? I'm taking it.

This is an exciting transition in our lives. I'm putting all my hopes and lucky stars on one of the 2 D.C. locations ... but the unfortunate truth is that space is limited and it's exceedingly tricky to get stationed there. But that doesn't really stop me from wishin' and hopin' and prayin'.

Now here's the crappy part: we've been anxiously anticipating this meeting with SgtMajor for what, 6 months? And now it's here and we likely won't have official orders until Jan or Feb of 2012. That's a long time to wait in my little mind.

happiness is ...

2011-08-07T15:31:00.000-04:00

when your best friend buys her wedding gown. After months and months of searching for the perfect gown: she's done it. And she looked beautiful. Flawless. Like vintage Barbie in a box.

Cannot WAIT to be Tara's MOH in 2013!

Whoopie Pies

2011-08-05T16:20:00.000-04:00

Seeing as I'm a poor friend and didn't get Sarah a Whoopie when she came to visit last May ... and Erin requested a batch ... Taryn's House of Whoopies has been in action from 1P - 4P EST this afternoon.

My Cookbook. (Thanks, Mom!)

True story ... I screwed up my first batch because apparently, dumb-dumb here used wax paper instead of parchment paper in her oven. (Parchment paper = treated with silicon to be heat resistant and non-stick).

So what happens when one uses wax paper instead?
She smokes out her kitchen like a newbie.
But you know what? The broken/crappy-looking whoopies = just as tasty as the one that look right.

So this weekend is alllll about this page in my cookbook:

The 1-23's of Taryn & Drew

2011-08-04T09:17:00.000-04:00

I found this cute little questionnaire on Mrs. Yellow Ribbon and thought I'd do one or two daily as a blog prompt.

1. how it all began: how you met, first date, first kiss, how long did you date? first picture together.....etc.
2. when you knew he was the one: self explanatory.. but how and when did you know?
3. proposal: how it happened, how long were you engaged for? was it a total surprise? pictures of that... etc.
4. the ring: tell us about it! did you pick it out? did he? pictures! tell us about his ring too!
5. engagement/bridal pictures: let's see em!
6. the colors: show some of the flower and colors you used
7. the dress: was it what you always imagined? did you have it made for you? white or ivory?
8. the little accessories: you know, veil? shoes? jewelry? what did your bridesmaids wear?
9. the reception: where was it at? show us some pictures! what day did you get married?
10. the cake/food: i love food. so tell me about what you had at your wedding!
11. favorite part of the day and least favorite part of the day: can be anything.
12. honeymoon: where did you go? was it good? ;) haha...jk.
13. thoughts on marriage: what is the easiest/hardest part? if you could change anything, what would it be?
14. first place that you lived together: pics if you have them!
15. kids: do you have any yet? if not, when do you plan on it? how many do you want? any tips on good/bad birth control?
16. most recent picture of you and your significant other and what you love most about them :) and any other thoughts.

How it all began ... (how you met, first date, first kiss, how long did you date? first picture together.....etc.)

I had spent the better part of 4 years with someone I shouldn't have. Truth was, that boy had a power over me that I'll never understand. That being said, when that relationship came to a crash and burn ... I was making up for the fact that I'd been in a monogamous relationship between ages 18 and 22 with a reckless abandon. An irresponsible and hoe-bag kind of abandon. I was all about having "Fun" without being committed. In December 2008, one of my bestest friends on the planet, Sarah casually mentioned that she was having a small get-together and if I was looking for someone to have "fun" with for a few weeks ... that her husband's friend Andrew was going to be around. As it turns out, Andrew was thought to be a pleasant guy; except when it came to dating women. He had a tendency to be ... well ... not exactly boyfriend material.

I think one of the things that stuck out to me the most was the fact that Sarah's husband Ben was deployed at the time, as was her friend Jill's boyfriend. And out of the goodness of his little heart ... drove 20 minutes out of his way frequently to kill any bugs that Sarah was too petrified to do herself; and to make sure both girls were making it through in one piece. Ben, Jill's boyfriend Jay and Andrew were all buds in the same unit, you see.

I ended up liking Andrew enough to say "yes" when he asked if I wanted to catch a movie and dinner afterward at some point. The part that I find odd .... the two people on the face of the planet that wanted the furthest thing from a relationship ended up falling head over heels for each other.

The Morning Rush

2011-08-03T08:35:00.000-04:00

The restaurant was incredibly busy last night, and I don't think I got home before 11:30, mentally grumbling because I knew it would take at least 30 minutes to wind down ... and I get up before 6 during the week.

After I had crawled into bed last night, I suddenly realized I hadn't set the alarm on my phone. But then I rationalized that Drew is usually smacking the snooze button on his at 6:15 or so; and I can just wake up with him instead.

So this morning ... I yawn .. I stretch like a cat, and crack one eye open. And in my sleepy haze, mumble: "What time is it?"
"Ten of 7."

I pause ... and then with a gasp, fly out of bed like a bat outta hell ... because holy mother of God, I usually leave at 7 to drop Bristol off at daycare for the day (yes, I take my dog to daycare. Don't judge) and subsequently get myself to the office.

So picture this: I passed out in my undershirt from Olive Garden so I royally reek of dirty garlic ... I didn't bother to shower at midnight, so my 2-days of unwashed hair + however much hairspray I used yesterday isn't helping the disheveled appearance. I'm running down the stairs, brushing my teeth in the process to let the dog out, feed the cat and find a pair of pants. Somehow, in that hot mess? I'd gotten myself dressed (and presentable), the dog in the car, a banana in hand ... and made it to the office with 10 minutes to spare.

But now of course ... the front desk is all caught up on data entry ... I'm dog-ass tired, I don't have any coffee and I have absolutely nothing to do.

Fan friggin tastic. All that stress ... just so I can sit here and twiddle my thumbs.

Home?

2011-08-01T16:51:00.003-04:00

There’s been a lot of buzz around the MilSpouse community (well … my “community” is limited to a forum because Portland, ME is mostly a Coast Guard/National Guard town) about the subject of home.

Is home where you hang your hat?
Where you make it?
A specific place?

I’m probably standing on my own island … but to me? A house is just a house until Drew & I finally stop our geographic tango. Home? Home to us is SoCal. I love it there, I want to raise my (future, God willing and the creek don’t rise) children there (or furbabies if I end up deciding kiddos are too much for me to possibly consider handling). We would like to buy a house when the constant upheaval comes to a cease-fire.

But in the meantime? My plan is to enjoy the ride. I’d gladly give a limb or two for an opportunity to live/work in Washington D.C. I want to live in the South at some point. But I also wouldn’t say no to Japan … or Italy … or Spain … or even Iceland. (I do NOT look forward to living in 29 Palms, Yuma, Fort Huachuca or Barstow. )

I know that just about every military wife on the planet is happy to say that home is wherever her husband’s career takes them. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy living in our apartment with all the little homey touches … but there’s just something about this neck of the country that just doesn’t “feel” like home to me. Maybe it’s a Maine thing. Maybe it’s an entire country thing. Who knows; I’ll have to let you know in the next 4-5 months when we officially get orders.

What about you? Where do you call home?

Back from the Home-Land

2011-07-25T09:53:00.000-04:00

I chuckle when Coast 93.1 Morning Show host Jon A. leans over my desk this morning and asks me how the "MotherLand" (otherwise known as Orange County, California) was?

Oh. It was freakin' awesome and much needed. (Photos to follow whenever I can manage to dig out my USB cord from the pile of boxes still unpacked in my office).

I didn't plug in much this week, in the sense that I had zero cell reception and no desire to sit on my hiney blogging of facebooking. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but Miss Outdoors-y wanted to bask in the sunshine. I have an epic tan (and an equally awesome sunburn because apparently, you can still get extra crispy in 75 degree weather) and now of course, I sit in my chair wondering why in God's name we moved in the first place. (Oh ... that's right... the Marine Corps told us to move to Maine. Darn them!)

So I finally get around to checking my work email, and in the midst of the explosion that has accumulated over the past week ... I find out that our current traffic manager has accepted a position with a creative branding firm, and will be leaving this week. Meaning: new open position.

Uhhh .. insert happy face here?!
I'm 80% of the way trained in traffic.
Maybe a new promotion is in my future provided Melany isn't interested?! (She's been training with Hillary since February, therefore making her the most qualified. But, she also works in production and enjoys that aspect, too ... so we'll see how the cookie crumbles.)
I have an interview with the business managers next week. I'm not counting on getting the promotion considering Melany is in fact the most qualified; but a significant raise and full time hours would be much appreciated.

I also troll around the 'net looking at available positions across the globe .... and this intro made me chuckle:

Can you survive on a few hours of sleep a night and lots of coffee to meet our client's deadlines? Are your attention to detail and organizational skills impeccable? Can you manage your time on multiple projects and still have a sense of humor? Then you may be the creative force we are looking for.

Seriously?
Why YES I love working on limited amounts of sleep.
Why YES I love it when clients wait until the last minute to send over the information, thereby requiring I sleep less and bend my world around theirs. Tons of fun!
Why YES I'm a freakin' riot when all of the above turns me into a sarcastic, snarky bitch.
And I do all this ... for $22,000/annual.
Quite frankly: I'm having flashbacks to my college newspaper when I was still stupid enough to be the news editor and later copy editor. First in and last to leave. I really wasn't a happy camper by the end of the year.

All I have to say: is God bless the person that accepts those crazy terms of employment.
Welcome back to blogging, eh??

MilSpouse Weekly Roundup #44

2011-07-15T09:04:00.000-04:00

Link up with Lauren at the Science of Missing You!

Wow ... I haven't participated in a Weekly Roundup in quite awhile!

This week has been ... well ... a mix of lackluster and a bang.

I was so excited to see photos of one of my best friends (Erin) at USAF Basic Military Training this week!

[See this post]

Drew and I are more than ready to leave for Orange County in SoCal on vacation tomorrow!

I think we both really need a break from life.

I'm so excited to spend time doing the things I loved doing before we moved to Maine.

Is that a bad thing? (Well, only if we consider wakeboarding, wine tasting in one of Temecula's many wineries and DisneyLand on a regular basis a bad thing)

Embarrassing: we're leaving the dog and the cat at a kennel for the week, and I'm nervous.

Bristol will be fine. It'll be like doggy daycare for a whole week.

And Athena? She'll sit in front of a window and sun herself like she always does.

But I'm still a little anxious about leaving "my babies" in someone else's care.

Time is ticking ... Drewby will be meeting with the SgtMajor to talk about what our options are going to be for PCSing to a new unit this time next year.

It's really a pull in two directions, are we going to our nation's capitol?

Or are we going back to sunny San Diego?

We'll find out for sure in January.

Holy crap.

o.O

Harry Potter Madness

2011-07-14T13:22:00.000-04:00

In light of the opening of the new Harry Potter film (that Drew and I will be going to see on SATURDAY after we arrive in California) .... I figure it's a perfectly appropriate time to share my photos from our day in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts when we went on our honeymoon to Orlando, FL in October!

"Downtown" Hogsmeade

The Three Broomsticks

Having a Butter Beer. I waited 15min for what was essentially cream soda + dollop of marshmallow fluff

Hagrid's Hut

Home is Where the Heart Is

2011-07-13T10:53:00.001-04:00

I love Etsy. I'm not very crafty, but I love to fill my home with homemade crafty things. Imagine my glee when I stumbled on this print by LilyGene:

I think I fell in love with it because the reality is: it'll be a long time before Drew and I will be living where our heart truly lies. What's not to love about sunny, sultry SoCal? (High taxes, you say? Earthquakes? Ridiculous cost of real estate?) But in truth, this print is perfect for our geographically mobile lifestyle. I definitely planted California Wildflower seeds ... and I have silk bird of paradise and bouganvilla ... we ooze CA wherever we go.

Sighting of my best friend at Basic!

2011-07-12T09:49:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, one of my very best friends (and my Matron of Honor at my wedding last October!) Erin left for USAF Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB near San Antonio, TX.

Yesterday, mutual best buddy Sarah sent me an excited text that there were FINALLY some photos of her up on the USAF Basic Military Training Facebook Page! And here are two of them (Erin is the tall one with glasses)

Image (c) United States Air Force

Can't wait for you to come back from basic, Erin! I MISS YOUR FACE!