And I'm back

I got to go "home" to be with family for a few weeks over Thanksgiving. What a huge blessing! I was so busy enjoying myself that I literally haven't been online for anything for a while now. I promise to post a catch up post and a few pictures and then get back to my regular posting. Having just returned home I've got lots of Christmas decorating and baking and planning to do, so there will be lots of that to come! Happy December :)

11-11-11

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." *Thank you and God bless all our Veterans today!*

Post-Party

My Scentsy stuff went really well. I got over $250 in free stuff! Guess what people are getting for Christmas ;-) It was a great group of girl who came and we had a fun evening.

Plus my house is really super clean now. That always makes me excited!

I went shopping and filled up our Operation Christmas Child box today. Picked up a few things for J's care package, bought Thanksgiving cards, got a shower gift I need for this weekend, met a friend for lunch, and I have book club tonight.

Must get the oil change scheduled and a key made!! Must.

Got some good news from the doctors office today as well. All my tests are normal so they're referring me off base (yippie!!!!!!) to a GI for a scope. Not looking forward to that (OK, I'm completely terrified) but I'm praying it will answer the question of what in the heck is wrong with my crazy stomach. Prayers for that situation please!

Got to talk to J a lot yesterday too. they had a 36 hours break, pretty much the only one they've had in 2 weeks. we Skyped for the first time since he left. It was so good to see his face. I just wanted to reach through the screen and grab him. :) He's doing well, staying busy.

To Do

There are three things I have to provide food for this week. My Scentsy party on Monday, small group on Wednesday, and Bible study Friday morning. I'm thinking of making a big batch of apple dumplings for small group. It's a new recipe I need to try anyway. For Monday I make make my Mom's fruit dip and cut up fall fruit (apples, pears) and buy berries. Maybe a pan of brownies or a batch of spice cookies too? And Friday I'm thinking I may make a loaf or two of my honey wheat bread and homemade apple butter.

That means A.) I'm gonna be busy in the kitchen and B.) I will have to brave the commissary at some point this week.

I also need to call the medical center tomorrow and find out what my new doctor has to say about the tests she ordered last week. Blah.

Need to make a spare key! So my small group and my neighbor will each have one before I head home for Thanksgiving.

I need to make a dollar store run. I need fun things to put in J's Thanksgiving care package and things to fill up my Operation Christmas Child box.

Craft store. I've got everything but pretty paper for my Christmas cards either at home, or ordered.

And of course, the usual house cleaning, laundry, etc. goes without saying. Here is to a busy, productive and healthy week ahead!!

Two weeks down!

The Weekend

It's been a good week. I've been feeling good and J has been busy flying. Last night I had a hiccup in the feeling good department. But between 2 medications I'd gotten at the doctors it didn't amount to the usual drawn out unpleasantness. I actually slept well.

Today it is cool and wet. Yesterday it was cool and rained buckets. This morning it is bright and sunny and sparkling from the rain. Church this morning and football this afternoon and then most likely over to participate in Sunday dinner and more football at the home of a couple in our squadron.

*Seasonal Scentsy Warmers

This coming week is going to be busy! I'm hosting a Scentsy party on Monday evening, going to book club Tuesday, hosting and making snack for small group Wednesday, getting together with a girlfriend Thursday, I have Bible study and snack Friday morning and in the evening a jewelry party to attend, and then I'm going to a baby shower on Sunday. I hope I stay feeling well so I can keep all my engagements and stay busy.

*These are cards I handmade for Christmas 2008

I also received several packages in the mail this last week. Materials for this year's Christmas cards. I decided with J away I'd have lots of time to be crafty. So far I've not touched a quilt, scrapbook and am wondering when I will be making these cards... :) All I have to do is find some Christmas paper at a local craft store and print our picture and I can start in on them.

Book Review: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

http://www.amazon.com/Major-Pettigrews-Last-Stand-Readers/dp/0812981227/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320598658&sr=1-1#_
"In the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary in the English countryside lives Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson’s wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, the Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother’s death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?"

My Mom recommended this book to me. It was lovely. I loved the setting, the characters, the story line. It's picturesque and very real at the same time. I'd highly recommend this book!

Kids

I've been babysitting for a family in our squadron that has twin boys. They are about 15 months old right now and in a funky stage; they want to do things on their own but can't. They desperately try to communicate, but can't. There is lots of whining, not as much napping and the biggest change of all, moving. They aren't walking yet, but they crawl. Fast. I had them all day yesterday and they are with me again today. It's nice to be busy and be tired at the end of the day, but it's left me thinking about what on earth I'd do if we had kids, heck even just one.

J is gone a lot, deployments aside. Having your own kid means someone doesn't come and pick them up at the end of the day giving you time for a quiet dinner, a hot shower and a full night of sleep. How in the heck do so many military wives manage with a house full of young kids and a husband who is frequently away and, many, without any family support near by? It's a down right terrifying thought. One of the various reasons we don't have any kiddos yet.

And yes, I've heard it many times, it's different when they are your own. But the only difference I can see is that instead of a part time job, it's full time. No breaks, no rest, no help. Anyway... Things are going better today. Yesterday there were no naps to be had! Today they are sleeping as I type. Sleep on boys, sleep on!

After the twins left yesterday I did a little mini house cleaning. Dusted and vacuumed, shook rugs and swept floors, cleaned the kitty's area and ran some laundry. Is it bad that J's been gone a week and  a half and I'm still washing his clothes...? I will have to get down to a serious house clean Sunday afternoon or Monday.

Dinner was a kid's paradise, Cars mac and cheese, a hot dog and applesauce. Don't judge; it's quite a step up from a bowl of cold cereal.

Wednesday night means the house fills up with the folks from our small group at church. Love it!

I also got to actually talk to J yesterday for about 5 minutes. It was so great to hear his voice. He's still flying, sleeping, and flying again. He said they keep them busy like that for 4-5 days and then let them have 24-36 hours worth of a break. Honestly, we'd both rather have him flying. He stays busy and the times goes faster and I feel like he's at least being useful while he's away from home.

Praise God I've been feeling better this week and had a productive doctors appointment Tuesday. I'm hoping that it wont be much longer and they will finally figure out my stomach issues and find a treatment that will help.

J

J is doing well on his deployment. He arrived at his location and settled into his room. After reporting to me that the guys are responsible for cleaning the bathroom themselves I promptly sent him Clorox wipes!

His schedule is busy. They fly 16 hours days, rest and do it again. Sometimes they make it back to their "home" base between missions. Sometimes the flights are too long so they spend the night somewhere else in the Middle East. Thus far the WiFi has been good enough to use Google Chat almost daily. So even though I can't hear or see him, I get to text and know he's alright.

The other day he did his first HR run. HR is human remains run. This one was for a British soldier. (The picture isn't J's it is from BBC World News). He said it was pretty awful. If you've ever seen a bunch of pilots get together you know they are immediately talking about "work", laughing and joking and comparing war stories. But bring this type of mission up and the room pretty much goes silent. It's an honor to get them home, but oh so sobering.

I'm going to start planning his Thanksgiving care package soon. I want to be sure it arrives on time!

Book Review: Jane of Lantern Hill

One of my very favorite authors is L.M. Montgomery, best known for her Anne of Green Gables books. After reading that entire series, all 8 books, numerous times, I've been on the hunt for other books of hers. That is how I discovered the Emily books and most recently, Jane of Lantern Hill.

This is a Kevin Sullivan movie that I grew up watching. Great movie!

The story centers around Jane Stewart, a lonely girl living with her oppressive Grandmother and her weak Mother in Toronto. One summer her long lost father sends for her to spend the summer with him on Prince Edward Island. the summer transforms Jane and there are many, happy consequences.

It's a lovely and fast read! Highly recommend.

Post-Halloween.

Pardon the blurry cell phone snapshot. This was my Halloween "costume" yesterday. A mini witches hat and massive amounts of green eye shadow. There was a steady stream of kids for 2 hours and lots of my neighbors were sitting out passing out candy and chatting. It really made me despise the TV. I wish more evenings were spent out of doors chatting with neighbors.

This was my last minute pumpkin. I felt so cruddy last week that I had given up on carving. I think he turned out alright. The eyes in the window are my cat. He loves Halloween!