Home Alone

So it is Christmas eve and I am sitting in front of the fire at my parents house all alone actually.  My sweet sister-in-law (including her husband and 21 month old son) have the flu.  Both of my parents have taken her to urgent care because my brother is in no condition himself to be driving around town at 8pm on Christmas eve.  And while it really stinks to be home alone with not much to do on Christmas eve while your own husband is deployed, I really don't want to be feeling sorry for myself because I know Liz (the sis-in-law) would rather be anywhere else than urgent care herself.  

So I decided to take a little time and enjoy listening to Dolly Parton's Home for Christmas CD.  I have to admit that I really do enjoy Dolly Parton, maybe I should visit her theme park, Dollywood.  Tonight has been pretty good, I made dinner for my Mom and Dad (Apple cider chicken, horseradish mashed potatoes, and roasted green beans and tomatoes, yes I am bragging a little).  And after I'm done with my ramblings here, I plan to make Almond roca cookies, dang I'm good. 

Anyways, we got some good news today.  Michael is supposedly leaving the desert the first week of January and heading back to OK before trying to get a flight to L.A.  I say "supposedly" because the military has a fear of commitment.  I won't believe they are sending him home until I get a call from my darling saying he is IN FACT back in the great state of Oklahoma.  From there we are planning on getting a hotel room somewhere close the the beach to do what is it married people do after being separated for an extending period of time (I'm sure you can use your imagination, but please, no visuals).  I think there will be much time spent with his family in So. Cal., along with seeing our friends as much as possible.  After all of the family time is over, we head back to Oklahoma so I can start yet another semester at OU (which I am actually kinda looking forward to).  I'm looking forward to driving home with Mike, we usually have a pretty good time road tripping across country.  

Now I'm going to call to see if Liz is still alive and then make cookies while listening to the timeless Dolly.  I should be good at being alone after the last few months, right?  Sure I am, especially when I have something to look forward to, I love being home in front of the fire, one of my favorite places in the world...and I love cookies.  Merry Christmas, I really hope everyone had an awesome year and an even better one coming up.       

Aycock, Shumaker, Cassidy and (1/2) Krause Thanksgiving

I was fortunate enough to spend Thanksgiving with my family this year.  It was great to be home for my favorite holiday of the year with the people I love.  It was emotional when we went around the table talking about what we are thankful for, but something I will never forget.  Maybe it was me, but this was a remarkably low-stress Thanksgiving...one for the books.  And of course only one thing could have made it better...having my other 1/2 with me.   

Family picture time, I think this was the 8th one...

Chillin' with Grandpa, we matched.  

He is very proud of his belly button.

Pure amazing-ness

Pol-o-tics #2

So, Barack Obama has been elected as our next President.  It is obviously not what some of us wanted, but in the end it is what this country wanted.  And we know that God is ultimately in control, take comfort in that.  

For those of us who voted republican, it is now our chance to show HOW to support a leader we do not necessarily agree with.  President Bush and the Bush administration have been torn apart and slandered by the media (and by most of this country) for the last eight years.  As Christians we need to pray for and support the future leader of this country.  And that's that.   

Pubba

This is my stinker, Jezebel.  I just wanted to say how much I love this silly dog.  I'm so glad that she is here while Michael is gone.  She is my sidekick and she follows me around everywhere.  Her favorite things to eat are sticks and rocks.  Sometimes she drives me crazy and I just want to put her in her crate for the rest of the day.  But then I look at her perfect little doggie eyes and I realize again how much I love this pup!  What a good girl. 

Pol-o-tics

Politics is one of those issues that I avoid, 1. because I try to avoid conflict and 2. I guess I feel like I never really have a handle on what is going on.

But this presidential election hits a much closer to home since we are military.  I get extremely upset when I see everyone on T.V. spouting their negative opinion about McCain and Palin.  I understand that people think differently how things should be done, but the way "conservatives" are being treated is disgusting.  The things people say about Mc Cain/Palin are disgusting, it is OK if you disagree with them, but have some respect- they are presidential hopefuls, grow up people, stop the name calling and act like adults.  

I feel like I have done my homework to understand the stance of each candidate.  I am not going to get into what I agree or disagree with but here are some thoughts.   

If Americans simply vote on emotion we heading for disaster.  Electing unqualified people simply because you are angry at the bush administration will drastically weaken this country.  If you think the economy is bad now, wait until the far left get thru with the federal budget, this country will change for the worse.   

I do not understand why, anyone who has studied what Obama really stands for, would still vote for him.  And that statement is aimed even more at those Christians who plan to vote for him.  

I know it is harsh, but for those of you who are family and close friends, do not tell me if you vote for Obama, I'll have no respect left for you. 

Vote for what is right, not for what is popular.   

OK, but not great.

Pretty much sums up how I've been feeling.  We are going into week 7 of deployment.  I'm just feeling tired and overwhelmed.  I'm OK, but not great. 

Being silly, trying to enjoy our last few hours together.

Back in the swing of things

School started on Monday...I'm thinking this is going to be a decent semester.  I hope I can rock it like last year.

P.S. Enjoy my cheesy "First day of school" picture.

Deployment.

Michael is deploying at the end of the month.  This, of course is going to be a hard 4 months for us.  It is comforting thinking about the fact that we did long distance for a year before we got married.  It was not fun getting to know each other over the phone, or planning a wedding with my fiance being literally across the country, but I feel like I/we are stronger because of it.  I guess I'm a little nervous because I don't feel like I have the best of support systems out here.  Everyone keeps asking if I'm going home to be with family while he is gone.  I can't because I'm in school this semester, I know they are just asking, but it feels like salt in an already gritty wound.  I have all these plans to stay busy:

 1. fix up the office to actually BE an office.  2. find a guitar teacher.  3. actually sign up for guitar lessons.  3. Kick butt in my classes.  4. get OUT of my self-debilitating comfort zone and make some friends of my own.  5. possibly pick up another (better paying) serving job. 

So keep us in our prayers.  This could be a great growing experience for both of us.  I am determined to do more than just cry in my beer...so to speak.    

 

Mr. Selleck

Oh, Tom Selleck....where do I start?  I guess I start nowhere because he is like 65, but he was still a hot little tart in his day...and he is going to make a fine lookin' grandpa.  Creepy?  I think not. 

Workin' Fool

So for the past 4 months I have been working at Olive Garden.  I don't have much to say about it other than I make terrible money and work terribly hard.  But despite the hard work, I do actually enjoy it.  It takes a special kind of person to take the verbal abuse of hillbillies, and turn around and smile back at them.  I have made a few friends there, but this is my last week working at OG.  Michael is deploying at the end of the month and it is hard for me to be the kind wife I want to be when I'm working 6 days a week.  He swears the piles of dishes and laundry don't bother him, but they bother me.  So for the next month I am going to strive to be the model wife I always envisioned myself to be, sending him off with sweet memories of homemade meals and a clean house.  

Chicken dish, delish.

I created a new recipe today...it's actually really good:

3 Chicken breasts, sliced in strips

1 Bell pepper, sliced in strips

1 Onion, diced

1 Cucumber, sliced in strips

Some kind of creamy pesto sauce (just find something at the store)

Tortillas

Salt and pepper chicken and cook in olive oil.  Saute onion in same pan in chicken drippings.  Add bell peppers to onions and cook for a few minutes. 

Assemble just like a fajita.  Add pesto sauce and cucumber strips.  

Yum, yum!!!

'Nuff said.

I took these last week, I was just playing around with some time exposure stuff.  They're not the best, but I still thought they were pretty cool.

Home

Im not quite sure what this blog is going to be about exactly (don't expect it to make too much sense because I think in fragments and this is my blog, and that is how I write).  Spring/Summer time stirs comforting emotions in me (maybe it is because the weather gets warm and the BBQ's get broken out of hibernation).  I remember playing at the church we lived next to with my brother and sister when I was 5.  I remember afternoons at my Grandparents' house when Grandpa would get upset with us for opening a soda and not finishing it.  I remember climbing up my favorite tree in the backyard to watch the sunset over our neighbor's yard.  Like I said, these are all things that are comforting to me, but I don't understand why I have to hold back the tears when I think about them.  There is something about Oklahoma that reminds me of where I grew up (Bakersfield).  I love the feel of country, I love seeing random cows in fields, I love sprawling grass lands.  I always feel homesick, but I'm getting to the point where I don't know for exactly where.  Sometimes I feel homesick for a certain period in time, a time in my childhood (even though you could not pay me enough to go back).  The idea of getting older and everything changing scares me.  I don't like the thought of loosing my parents, my husband, my anything.  I don't know where this train of thought is going....  Oklahoma is starting to feel more like home, which I guess is normal because we are coming up on our second year of living here.  I stood out on the back porch an hour ago, when I let Jezebel out for her last potty of the night, and I just stood and listened.  Our house backs up to a creek so we have lots of trees just past our fence.  It is one of my favorite times of day when it is dark out with a warm, light breeze.  I could hear the crickets and the frogs, I could see the tress moving in the breeze and the fire bugs all around (which I love).  I have just been struggling with feeling content.  I guess that is something I have dealt with all my life.  Mike and I keep saying things will be great when we move back to Cali and are close to family again.  We want to enjoy our time here, and we don't feel like we are wasting it, but we both get homesick.  That is when I realize that I'm ok with being in OK (haha).  It sounds dumb but...pretty much...Michael is my home...Im going to be fine anywhere we can be together.  That is kind of an abrupt ending, but hey, I already told you this would be fragmented.       

Night, night.

Expelled

Last night, Michael and I went to see the new Ben Stein movie Expelled.  We had to drive all the way up to the Quail Springs mall theatre (about 35 min.) because the movie was pulled from all Moore, Norman and Oklahoma City theaters.  This just added to the anticipation.  A friend that has been going to church with us came to the movie which, was just awesome for him to see.  It was a great film that inspired great conversation about Evolution vs. intelligent Design.  Expelled talks about the fact that scientists can not discuss Intelligent Design without fear of loosing their job.  Ben interviewed 4 former scientists who just mentioned ID in a class or a paper and were just absolutely cut out of their academic community.  In the movie, the world of science is compared to the Nazi regime.  I know this sounds extreme, but these people fear for their life because of what the believe.  Of course it lays out many more similarities.  It was a lot of information to take in and this little blog hardly does it justice.

Anyways, I thought it was a great movie.  It makes you think and it actually gives both sides of the debate a fair chance.  Definitely worth the drive to Quail Springs.  

Updating.

OK, so I have been told to update this thing.  Which I really have been thinking about doing, but I was not sure if anyone even read my blog.  So now that I do, maybe I'll get around to it more.  Let's see....So many things going on right now and so many thoughts flying (yes, FLYING) around in my head.  But for now I'll stick to school.  I need to be writing a paper on a movie for my art theory class...and I need to be studying for the final Friday morning.  All I can think about is how great it is going to feel walking out of the class room, getting in my car and driving away with my first year under my belt.  As much as I complain and fuss about still being in school, I do really enjoy the program so far.  It is great being apart of something, and feeling like you belong.  Yes, yes, I know I've said all this before.  Anyways, I NEED to get this paper done.  Man, it's gonna feel good being done for the summer....

Guess I should say something about Valentines Day.

This was...I believe, our 4th V-day together.  The first was by far my favorite, he picked me up at my apt. and we drove to Ontario for dinner.  But everything was of course totally pack so after about 3 hours of trying to get into a restaurant, we went back to my apt. and ordered pizza.  We ate pizza and cuddled on the couch all night.  Anyways its funny how things change when you get married, this year we decided to forgo ALL gifts, so no cards no nothing (because we are broke as a joke).  The whole day I kept thinking how nice it was that we have reached a point in our relationship where we don't have to keep doing silly stuff like that every year.  Well, in the back of my mind I thought he would really get me flowers and chocolates and the whole bit.  So when he came home empty handed I was actually pretty mad (yes, yes, "unstable females" blah, blah).  I jumped in the shower before we headed out to dinner and he jumped in his car to get me what was left of the much picked over candy isle at Wal Mart (apparently he was one of about 20 other guys getting cards and candy at 4 pm on Valentines day).  It turns out that I love to get the cliché candy and flowers.  Women need acts of love like this from their men.  My husband adores me with all of his heart, and he tells me about 10 times a day how much he loves me....but a little candy added to that now and then really puts the cherry on top.  We ended the evening eating dessert and watching the classic 80's movie Better off Dead, turned out to be a pretty good night.  

OK, I have a website that I've set up and I would love to hear from people about what you all think.  

http://web.mac.com/tlkphotography

Military woes

So there are many perks of being military that we are very grateful for, like our house and Michael getting his master's for free.  But one thing that I really struggle with is the health care. People tell us not to complain, because its "Free" health care (don't get me wrong, I don't walk around talking about how much it sucks).  I would rather PAY for health care and actually be able to see a doctor instead of having free health and getting jerked around constantly.  Every time I need to see a Dr. it is the biggest production and I usually end up driving home in tears (of course without ever seeing the Dr.). 

Guess what happened today?  Exactly that, that's what. 

Gracias Military. 

Christmas

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Once again we made our annual voyage home for Christmas a few weeks ago. It was (in keeping with tradition) a great trip, just a little shorter than we wanted. But hey, we are not complaining considering that we thought we wouldn't make it home at all. Christmas morning was spent with the Krause's then off to L.A. for Christmas dinner with the Grandparents and extended family. The day after Christmas, we drove up to my parents for a few days and then all the way back down the great state of California to Corona. It was a great time to spend with family and friends. Mike and I got some great gifts and just like last year we could hardly pack everything back into the car for the trip home.