Fall Photo Contest, entry #1

This is my first entry for a contest that's been running since October 8th... I had to wait for fall to show up around here!

[click to view in higher resolution]

Tomorrow {Friday} you can go here to view all the entries and vote for your favorite!

Alright, I give. {MCB}

I wasn't going to post about the sacred day... but I've been suckered in. By whom? Well... technically no one... but I did want to address the whole dress/hair thing. So many ladies have been terrified/worried about the MCB, and I realize it IS a BALL, but geez ladies... it IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.

My 1st ball-

I never pay to get my hair done, I'm sure it would look fantastic, but I don't see why I need to spend so much money on one night. I didn't even have my hair done for my wedding, my sister and best friend did it! Oh, and this dress... a leftover from prom, cost= $15.00

The group picture is post me getting steak on my dress (ps. I'm in the gold)... haha, a little seltzer water and a few wrinkles later- good to go! I am showing it to say all the dresses are acceptable, except the red one, that slit a little too high. Besides the dresses, you can wear your hair down, and updo is not mandatory. {and ignore the lens flare on the short black dress, I apologize!}

My 2nd-

Can you tell I was sick? My hair took all of 10min...haha.

I also grabbed the dress out of my closet- bought it on sale at ROSS a couple years before, a whopping $15.00. It went right below my knee and I wore my red shoes from the wedding. At some point matching the uniform gets boring after so many years being a Marine wife... and all of their pictures looked good. So if you want to wear a different color than blue/black/red/gold- WEAR IT!


This year?
It's still up in the air... the ball planning committee are idiots. It's actually on the 10th- a Wednesday... downtown at 5pm. I work and don't get of until 4ish. I don't live in downtown. Traffic is terrible. So... we'll see what happens!


Run down of my advice:

• Don't dress trashy.
• Be comfortable... if you aren't a showy person- a simple dress and hair-do is perfectly acceptable. If you love dressing up- go all out. But don't, under any circumstances, think you MUST get your hair done, your nails done, wear an expensive dress, shoes, & jewelry. There is such a thing as being fashionably frugal.
• Enjoy yourself.
• Listen for instructions- they will tell you when to stand/sit.
• Respect the ceremony.
• Don't be that girl that gets plastered and everyone videos her on the dance floor.
• Take pictures, make memories.

I can't wait to see everyone's photos =)

Happy 1st Anniversary!

Yesterday was our 1st Anniversary!
I cannot believe it's already been a year since we said "I do!"

We actually celebrated the weekend before because of volunteer obligations this weekend... here are some highlights from our anniversary trip:

I love you!!!

Fall Package Swap - It has arrived!

Flip-Flops & Combat Boots hosted the Fall Favorite's Swap and paired me up with the lovely and amazing Amber from Goodnight Moon. Haven't heard of her? Well... check her out!

[click any photo to view actual size]

She seriously spoiled me... I mean seriously... and look how cute she packaged everything:Now for the unwrapped version:Two super cute orange polka dot glasses, banana pudding bread {known as "yummy bread" by her children-so cute!}, a set of homemade note cards with photos she has taken, a note from her, a caramel pumpkin candle, a beautiful owl magnet, and a super cute glass pumpkin filled with candy corn - how did she know about my sick obsession with the stuff? Seriously I start eating... and just... can't... stop!

Did you notice the guinea pig treats in the background?
Yeah, she even sent treats for my little guys!
Look how excited they were:Beans was being a little hog, so Twix decided to see if I had anything else for him...

Once he realized my hands were empty he decided to fight his brother for a sniff...After successfully pulling a treat out of the bag, they enjoyed!

Amber...

Thank
You
So
Much!

Everything was AMAZING and totally needed with the gloomy days we've been having around here, especially with my terrible work schedule. =)

Want to see what I sent her?
Check it out here.

Monday: Pick-Me-Up

Okay this is such an amazing idea... I want to print one out and put it, um... somewhere! Maybe the post office bulletin board on base? Haha, anway- so cute.



The creative team at Kind Over Matter made this awesome (and F-R-E-E) printable poster. Click here to download it!

Spread a little happiness today =]

Guest blog {re-post}

"Home is where the heart is."

We've all heard it, seen it posted somewhere, heck many of us may have a pretty version of it hanging on our wall! As much as I like this saying, sometimes being a military wife we need another saying to preface it.

So... let's take a mini-trip down memory lane (mine that is, unless you just so happened to be in San Francisco sometime in April of 2009). I was still doing my internship in NorCal for the Coast Guard, what you didn't know? It's okay most people don't have a clue. I worked for the MWR from January-May of 2009, my final senior internship for my Recreation degree from Arizona State University-I miss that job! Any way back to our trip, my sister flew in towards the end of my internship and we spent a quick weekend being tourists in San Fran and the surrounding areas. It was so much fun, we took hundreds of pictures, rode the cable cars, walked down Lombard St., explored China Town, enjoyed Pier 31 and Ghirardelli Square, and even went salsa dancing after making a quick purchase of some dress flats from Payless (no tennis shoes allowed in the club).

Now I'm sure all of you are staring at your
computer screen wondering how on earth
this is suppose to relate to
"home is where the heart is."
Don't worry I'm getting there!

We made very little purchases while we were there, lack of money was one reason the other is that we've never been very materialistic, and photos are our best souvenirs from trips. However, while we were in China Town there was a set of hand painted prints I just couldn't pass up.

Honor. Courage. Dream. Where ever you may go, go with all your heart.

These all mean a lot to my husband and I, we have them hanging in our bedroom in a place we can see them every morning when we wake up. The first three are very important... but did you catch that last one? I mean did you really capture it's significance?

Where ever you may go, go with all your heart.

Ladies... we move (a lot), I've done it, you've done it, we'll keep doing it. It's the military way of life. But we have to remember to truly invest ourselves in our new locations- make friends, find a church and volunteer, actually learn your neighbors names, try to have an open fridge house... this something my mom taught me. You visit my house once and I will serve you a drink, snacks, maybe even dinner. The second time you come, "you're home," please help yourself. I feel as though after a move we sometimes become "shut-ins." Not in the sense that we sit in our house all day, but rather that we shut others out for fear of being hurt (again). I know the sadness of saying goodbye to family, friends, loved ones. But, we can't let this fear mold our lives... we need to live our lives to the fullest! Be yourself, accept invitations, you never know who will be placed in your life for that short season, or who you will have a positive affect on.

"There is a time for everything, and a season
for every activity under heaven."
~Ecclesiastes 3:1

So don't forget that where ever you may go in your journey of life, to go with all your heart!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This post was originally written for Mrs. S, you can read the guest blog here... I wanted to re-post it for anyone who isn't her follower... but if you're not, you should be!

Tagged- again!

The lovely Erin from Moore to Love has tagged me!
Here are her questions:


1.What is one of your favorite blogs you have found and why?
I seriously am addicted to One Pretty Thing, it always has the cutest crafting ideas for ANYTHING... gifts, weddings, parties, baking, kids, seasonal, and holidays. I have taken away so many ideas and projects!

2. Did you go on a honeymoon? If so, where?
We technically took two... kind of, you'll understand in a second... When we got married, he had to report back 4 days after the wedding, so we had a quick 3 day honeymoon in San Diego, CA. 3mo later we took a week long cruise with my family (our own suite though!) in the Caribbean.

3.What is your favorite brand of make-up?
I am only true to my foundation... Bare Escentuals. Other than that it changes (things on sale, things given as gifts, etc), currently my make-up bag has:

• NYC & ELF mascara
• Ulta, ELF, & Victoria's Secret eye shadow
• Ulta, ELF, & Victoria's Secret eye liner
  

4. If you could be on one tv show, what would it be and why?
NCIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just absolutely love the show, the characters, and the fact it is the only TV show I have EVER watched the entire series for.

5. What is your greatest fear?
Amongst other given things... not living up to my fullest potential.

6. What has been the best birthday present you ever received?
Being born? Haha... okay okay. Well all of my birthday presents are always heartfelt and thought out, because I NEVER ask for anything. This year my husband completely spoiled me.... I got a Canon Rebel XS, love it.

7.What are some of your family traditions for Christmas and Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving we always participate in a food drive of some sort and our doors are open to anyone without a place to go, we go around the table and say what we are thankful for before dinner. Christmas Eve we attend church service and then sneak around our neighborhood hanging something on the doors (this past year we hung a candy cane with the history if it attached). Christmas morning we always have cinnamon rolls, skype/call the family if we aren't celebrating with them, leisurely open stockings/gifts, and then have an early dinner (3/4pm) with family/friends depending on where we are. Once we have children I would love to continue the pickle tradition.... a small gift for the child who finds the pickle in the tree.

8. What are your goals for 2011?
Settle into our new duty station as quickly as possible... church, new friends, new job. Be the best MOH for my friend's wedding as possible from an ocean away. Survive any deployment we are bound to face. Grow in my relationship with God <-an ongoing process! I am going to try and tag people that {I don't think} haven't been yet:

• MrsMike from The Year After
• Whitney from Everything Happens for a Reason
• Annie from Blonde Glambition
• Kaylee from Devil Dog Darling
• Tootie from Tootie's Place

Here are your questions:

1. What is your favorite room in your house, why?
2. What book are you currently reading, would you recommend it to others?
3. What is your favorite outfit? (either post a picture or describe in detail)
4. What is your favorite dessert to bake, can we have the recipe? (if you don't bake, just your favorite baked good...)
5. Where do you consider home?
   

Monday: Pick-Me-Up

Columbus day... not really sure why it's a federal holiday since he didn't actually land on US soil (I believe it was an island near/in the Bahamas) and technically when he did, it wasn't uninhabited (I mean hello- Native Americans!) BUT, I am glad for the day off!

So Mr. Columbus.
I thank you for...

• "Discovering the New World"
• Thus, allowing my ancestors to move here.
• Letting me enjoy the freedoms of the USA.
  
• Then becoming a federal holiday.
• So I can- sleep in, rest up, and enjoy a day with the hubby.

Okay, so any history teacher would kill me for my "belittling" of such an important event. I apologize.

If you have kiddos and want to teach them a bit more about the day or just have fun with it, one of my favorite go-to sites is One Pretty Thing. They recently did an entire post on Columbus day crafts & activities- Check it out here.

It's a new week... I hope yours is going well! =)

Happy {belated} Birthday...

So...



My birthday was yesterday.

I worked and slept through it.

Nope, not kidding.

• Got up at 5:30am.
• Left the house at 6:45am.
• Stuck in traffic for 2hrs.
• Worked until 3:15pm.
• Went to bed at 5:30pm.
• Hubs made me soup at 6:30pm.
• Went back to bed at 7:30pm.

Awesome. Haha...

BUT I have an amazing family and group of friends!

I got so many texts & voice-mails, along with an edible arrangement, TOMS shoes, new earrings, and a Canon Rebel XS (which I've wanted forever... but now I actually have to learn how to use it! Anyone willing to teach me?).

And today- I bought myself flowers =]

So besides my sheer exhaustion and sickness, I'd say my birthday was still good.