Happy Holidays

We have entered my most favorite time of year, the winter holidays, most specifically Christmas! 

Really the Holidays for me kick off with Thanksgiving.  This year it was just the two of us and we actually went out to dinner instead of cooking.  It was an experience, one that i don't think i will be able to repeat again.  It was kind of strange to be surrounded by strangers eating food i had no part of cooking.  Thanksgiving is about family, no matter how small our family may be right now.  I think event if it's just the two of us next year i'll be perfectly happy to stay home in our pjs all day and make the big traditional meal...leftovers are the best part anyway!

The weekend after Thanksgiving is when the real fun begins and it becomes all about Christmas! I LOVE decorating, the smell of Christmas Trees and little white lights seriously make my life complete. The house is cozy and warm and it just makes me so happy.  I finally got to make my tomato cage tree and it actually came out really well! 

Clearly i got the idea from Pinterest, and it took way more lights than i originally thought it would but it is a great addition to my holiday decor.

I also got crafty with our kitchen table.  I made a new runner with my sewing machine and some awesome gold flecked burlap and then added a few hurricane jars, candles, pine cones, etc. 

Last is our cute little tree.  We broke down and bought a fake pre-lit tree since we really don't have room for a real tree.  And since we won't be here for Christmas we figured it was okay to cheat this year.  And its a great excuse for me to have a second tree next year!

We cannot wait to be home with our families for the holidays, and i am seriously hoping that we will get some snow to make it a perfect New England Christmas! But for now i will enjoy my cozy little apartment, even if it is 65 degrees and there's palm trees outside. 

Have i mentioned lately how lucky i am to be on this crazy adventure with my Marine?!

I hope everyone has a magical Christmas with lots of love and little white lights ;)

Two Years Later

It feels like two years since i've written a blog entry...but that's not what this one is about.

This month, we celebrated our two year wedding anniversary!  And in true military wife fashion, I was minus one husband.  We went on a weekend trip to celebrate a few weeks before, since he has been gone all month.  And thankfully on the day of, my best friend and maid on honor was here visiting. And if you can't be with your hubby on your anniversary, i have to say a MOH is a great stand in!  Not only did she happily drink champagne with me for the better part of the day we also gushed about how beautiful and wonderful my wedding was.  Being away from Mark on our anniversary this year made me realize how strong our marriage really is, and how much we have grown in the last year.

We moved to California without killing each other!
We packed up everything we owned, a dog and a cat, and drove 4 states to the West Coast and we actually liked each other at the end of it.  Have any of you moved like that? It's stressful, its not fun, its exhausting and scary.  We were patient with each other, we were understanding and supportive.  I can't say we were the same towards the dog, but he forgave us.

This year, Mark and I each lost a family member very suddenly within a few months of each other.  It was the first time we went through something like that as a couple.  Being far away from our families, we only had each other to lean on, and we held up just fine.

The greatest thing i have realized this year is that Mark and i went from living as two people who loved each other, to really being two parts of one unit.  Its an amazing feeling to be part of someone so completely.  I feel loved, and safe and taken care of because i know that my husband is thinking of me as part of every decision he makes.

So there's my sappy entry, about how my husband is amazing and how much i love him.  I still remember our wedding day like it was yesterday, and it couldn't have been more perfect.  But everyday since then has been perfect in its own way.
Love you bams ;)

Father's Day

Being that the only children we have are furry and don't talk, Father's Day is still all about our dads this year.  Its days like today that really make me sad that we live so far because for me all i'd like to do is spend the day with my dad.  Instead we skyped and now i will reminisce a little before i put in the next load of laundry.  

My dad was always hard working, taught me valuable lessons, provided me with incredible opportunities, and protected me like a great dad should.  But strangely i didn't become a "daddy's girl" until i graduated from high school and went off to college.  Maybe it was because he stopped working so hard and started having more fun, or maybe i was finally old enough to see how great he really was. probably it was a combination of both, and either way i am grateful.  

We watched football and drank beer, i taught him what a keg stand was and he took pride in being a "Phi Sigma Sigma Dad".  He talked me out of several compulsive changes of my major and he took a genuine interest in my life at college.  My newfound closeness to my dad gave me that extra push to go home on long weekends and en excuse to get excited about the homecoming football game.

When it came time to plan my wedding, it was my dad that was the most excited about hearing all the little details.  He came to almost every appointment, not just to write a check, but because he was actually interested in what the flowers would look like or what the food would taste like.  He made sure he got to invite all his friends and that there would be an open bar so that it would be a great party.  he said all the right things when i showed him my dress or talked about the favors.  

Marrying Mark was clearly the best thing that happened that day, but walking down the aisle and dancing with my dad were some of the best moments i've had with my dad.  So cheers to you dad, you party animal and you big softie, I love you tons and wouldn't trade you for any other dad in the world.  It may have taken us a while to figure out our relationship, but its a damn good one.

For the love of Sunday

Sunday is becoming my new favorite day.  It's usually calm and it's rare that one of us have to work so we have the whole day just to ourselves.  When we only have one full day to spend together as a family we do whatever we can to make it a good one.  

Yesterday was a great example of a perfect family day. After sleeping in and cuddling with the fur babies, we made a big breakfast and lounged on the couch with coffee.  Then it was time for a walk with the pup, who gets so excited about going for a walk that once I put my socks on he runs around in circles barking at the door.  We did over 3 miles in the canyons that loop around our house, they are so pretty and the dog obviously loves the terrain.

After the walk it was lunch and haircuts...yes haircuts, in my living room, every week, thank you Marine Corps. I'm getting really good at a "medium fade", just saying.  

Somehow i got my husband to agree to go to church with me, and afterwards he said he actually didn't mind it!  So we are now a church going family.  A little quiet perspective on a Sunday evening isn't a bad thing.  Not to be too bragadocious, but I made an awesome dinner last night.  Chicken, fried rice and broccoli (recipe below), with a glass of wine and left over cheesecake for dessert.  All finished off with a few competitive games of Clue :) 

So that was our perfectly simple, family Sunday.  Filled with quality time, free activities and great conversation with lots of laughs.  I hope you all had an equally lovely Sunday! 

Chicken Marinade:

Soy sauce

Sherry wine

Ginger 

Garlic

Brown Sugar

(i don't measure things and i cheated with powdered garlic and ginger)

I cooked the chicken on the stove in some of the marinade so that the chicken stays moist and then the marinade caramelizes and gets all gooey and sticks to the chicken. yum.

Fried Rice:

Rice

Green Onion

Corn

Egg

Garlic

Soy Sauce

I used the same pan from my chicken (with the leftover marinade goo) and sauteed the green onions a little then add some corn, i had one ear of steamed corn left over so i cut it off and threw it in the pan.  Then add an egg or two depending on your taste, throw in the precooked rice, a little more soy sauce and some garlic powder, cook until mixed.  

Broccoli:

Steamfresh Broccoli

Put the bag in the microwave and press 5 minutes

:)

Things I love

Here is a list of some of the things I love and a good idea as to what a lot of this blog will be about.  Its like Ellen's favorite things, except i'm not giving anything away.  Stay tuned for posts about things I don't love; moving, the dentist, etc.  Anyway, things I love...

1. My Husband: the Marine who is the reason for this wild life that i am living.  He has given me a new outlook and appreciation for life.  He is an incredible, hard working man and he makes me feel safe, happy and loved, every single day.  Love you babe :)

2. Food (cooking and eating): Carbs, Fish and Veggies are at the top of my list.  I love trying new foods(and getting hubby to try them!), i love cooking for people, i love finding new recipes, i love discovering other cultures through food.  It brings people together and makes them feel good.  Yum.

2a. Wine: This doesn't really need an explanation.

3. My dog and cat: Phoebe my 5 year old cat has been with me since my sophomore year of college, she loves to eat even more then i do and has recently discovered the patio and is sometimes referred to as "jungle kitty".  Harley, our 1 1/2 year old pup is a German Shepard mutt with huge ears and a stubby tail.  He's not very smart, has separation anxiety and food allergies, what a prize.  Its just so hard not to love him when he's just so damn excited to see you and will lick anything you put in front of him. 

4. My family (sorry the fur babies were first): I come from a relatively small family but my family grew exponentially when i got married.  My parents are incredible people.  I probably don't thank them enough for everything they have done for me.  I am also lucky enough to have a whole family in law that i love and have welcomed me with open arms.

5. Crafting: One word; Pinterest. Okay, a few more words, I'm addicted to finding new projects that fill my time and home with adorable little handmade items.  I probably don't have the right to think i'm the next HGTV star but at least in my house, i am the craft master.

6. Living near the water:  As an East coast transplanted on the West, it has definitely been an adjustment but at least i have an ocean to look at.  Growing up near the water, i cannot imagine being anywhere else.  Life is just better when you can get to a beach in 20 minutes :)

7. Traveling: New places, and people and adventures.  Its a really good thing i like to travel since we have lived in 3 states in the last 2 years.  At the very least, this lifestyle is providing us with a fabulous opportunity to travel and go on some great new adventures.

So there is my first post.  Some of the things i love about life and about my life with my Marine.  Join me on my adventures if you'd like. There will also be some recipes and crafty how-to's (i'm an HGTV star remember?) because those are things i love :) Welcome to my journey of Love, Liberty, and the Pursuit...