Weekend Updated!!!

Finally after a long day up at the company watching the PVTs go through Pugil training the hubbs was home. We were hoping his work day would be finished around 3pm or so and then we could go out and enjoy some time together. That didn't happen though it was closed to 4:45 almost 5:00pm. He had to work on Sunday as well so I was pretty bummed that he didn't get out of there earlier. I mean hello we are in blue phase and its the weekend. There is no need for all the DS to be there this late. 

Any how we showered, cleaned up and headed out. I was on the hunt for a fabulous "little black dress"  and the hubbs was so kind enough to go along for a little shopping excursion.  

 Sadly enough I didn't end up finding a dress but we didn't leave empty handed either. I have managed to build quite the Fiestaware collection of dishware and when I saw they came out with a pink place setting I was sold. I was hesitant on getting it because I have 10 place settings already. It didn't take much convincing though after the hubbs reminded me of how much I like pink. He's such a sport when it comes to my pink fetish and the addiction I have with fiestaware. 

What's your thoughts, are you on the fiestaware band wagon?? 

If you have fiestaware do you have multiple colors or just one??

We ened the evening with dinner and then back home for a lazy night on the couch with the pups. Just perfect for the two of us. 

~DAY 351~

Because my plans got completely pushed aside on Saturday to get my last minute shopping & packing done for my trip, that mint that Sunday was crunch time. I had so much to do in such a short amount of time. The hubbs was suppose to be off around 4pm and I wanted to be home when he got off. This was we could spend the evening together. With me leaving for a couple weeks, I wanted to soak up every minute I could with him. 

The only way I was going to get it all done and taken care of was with a little be of help from Starbucks, Sweet Tea to the rescue. 

What's your go to quick fix drink??? 

Sweet Tea always seems to turn any day around, ok not really but it does help a lot. 

~DAY 352~

Pugil Sticks

Today I had the chance to go out and photography the company doing Pugil stick training. This was one event that I hadn't seen in person yet, so I was looking forward to it. At the end they had a competition between the platoons. Each Drill SGT picked their strongest male & female to compete against the others. 

The platoons cheered each other on, by chanting and singing cadence. 

It was so fun to watch, they have a great team spirit about them. 

This is one of my favorite pictures from the day. I was out there for 4 hours taking pictures and watching. 1st SGT had to step in for a minute and break things up before it got to serious. (lol, no one was seriously hurt, although a few did have to go to the ER)

DELTA DEALERS FIGHT STRONG!!! 

Drill SGT P. watching his PVT represent the plt. He was on edge the whole time, it was pretty comical.

Each PVT was able to get a 2 minute training / practice round!! 

Drill SGT Y. cheering her plt on and giving them some love for a job well done!!!!

I had a lot of fun out there watching and chatting with some of the PVTS. This was a great moral booster for them, as they don't have much longer to go till graduation.
It was a bitter sweet day as well because it was my last day to go out and take pictures for this cycle because I'll be leaving soon. 

~DAY 351~

Picking up the Pace

I'm picking up the pace, adding to the miles, sweating off the calories and working on my fitness....all while tring to get in the best shape of my life.
I never would have though a year & a half ago, I would enjoy running as much as I do. Now though I can't ever picture myself not running. Its such a passion of mine and a great way to stay fit and in shape. Not to mention I'm able to take the pups, most days so it gives them a chance to get out of the house and really stretch their legs. Some times I seem to run better when they are with me, or really it could all just be in my head. Either way I enjoy it and how it makes me feel when I'm done. 

~DAY 346~

 The husband wasn't picking up is phone.....why you say.....because the company was at the live grenade range, practicing / teaching the PVT's how to throw grenades. I really needed his truck that evening (like right after work) so I just took it upon myself to go switch out cars. I'm sure he enjoyed walking out to his truck gone and finding my car there. That will teach him to not answer his phone next time. lol.  

~DAY 347~

 There's nothing better than coming home and running off all the stress and worries from your day. I always feel so much more refreshed afterwards and ready to take on the world. For dinner we tried something new, they were called Pizzadillas. It was pretty much all the pizza toppings tossed inside a tortilla shell and cooked on the burner long enough to melt the cheese. They were pretty tasty!!!

~DAY 348~

I wasn't able to make it to Zumba tonight because I was asked to babysit. I of course said yes, this was for a couple from our company. The wife (S) is helping us out with the pups while I'm away so it worked out great. They had a kid free date night with a free babysitter for the evening and she's going to help take care of the pups. Of course the hubbs will still be here but for half the time he will be in the field going through Vic. Forge with his PVT's and we all know he will have CQ once or twice while I'm away. Any how I was able to get in a quick run around the neighbor hood before they dropped little Z off at the house.

~DAY 349~

 Seriously I have some of the most fabulous parents ever that I baby sit for. I watched little Miss. L Friday evening. Earlier that day her mom texted me telling me that if I wanted to go on a run with L in her jogger stroller she didn't mind. She knew I was coming right from work and wouldn't be able to get my run in before hand. We had so much fun playing at the park lots of laughs and giggles. And I have to say for the first time running with a jogging stroller it really wasn't to bad at all. No worse than running with the pups. lol. 

~DAY 350-~

Its Fall Yall

..............I'm so excited for fall...............

*Cooler weather

*Leaves changing colors

*Holidays

*Holiday Baking

*Vacay

*Cute Clothes

*Boots

*Season Change

*Hot Coco 

*Soup & Cuddles

*Gift Giving

*Foot Ball

*Pumpkins and Pumpkin Patches!!

I redid our classroom bulletin board today. Since I'm going to be gone most of October I wanted to go ahead and get in the Halloween spirit. I think its absolutely cute, what about you??? 

As much as I hate love hate doing the board, I love the way it turns out in the end.  

My favorite part is the 3D tree on the end.
I'm not so creative when it comes to bulletin boards but it all came together pretty well. 

~DAY 346~

InstaWeek

 I love checking the mail and getting letters from my little brother!!!! They always make my day. I've finally managed to get to were I don't have tears rolling down my face after I finish reading them. 

This was my view driving out to the land nav range on Monday night to see the hubbs. It seems like Range Road goes on forever!!!

~DAY 339~

Wednesday night was NIC ~ Night Infiltration Course for our Company. This is were the SIT low crawl through the dirt with live rounds being shot over their head. Little do they know the rounds are 35 feet high so even if they were to stand up and jump they wouldn't touch them. No lets see a SIT try to do that, they get their butt chewed out by a Drill SGT in a heart beat. I had the privilege of going out and taking pictures for our families. Last cycle when I went I watched from inside the tower. This cycle I was able to stand on the stairs of the tower, Its really neat to watch. The hubbs actually crawled with them. 

This was a picture I managed to get of the sunsetting that evening, it was so pretty!!!

~DAY 341~

Since the hubbs had Friday off (CQ recovery) we decided to go out for dinner. I wasn't up for cooking and felt like a much needed date night was in order!!! Mexican it was, that seems to be the trend here lately. Its oh so yummy, we just can't help ourselves. :) 

Her's (strawberry margarita) & His (mojito)

A yummy life size Sopapilla. 

~DAY 343~

Saturday morning we went to the range to do a little shooting. I even shot through 2 full magazines, shocker I know. After that we can home and took the pups up to the dog park to play for a bit. The hubbs had to be at work at noon to get ready for the evenings events. (I posted a sneak peak picture below, I'll post about it soon) With it being game day here in the South I was asked to do a all afternoon babysitting gig again. Of course I said yes since I knew I'd just be hanging out at home any how. I finished up there around around 7:00pm and headed out to meet up with the hubbs and the rest of the company at the event pictured below!!! 

~DAY 344~

Saturday was a long night for the both of us so we took full advantage of it and slept in till almost 9am. (yes that's sleeping in for us)

Some weekend mornings when we are both home we will do a big breakfast. This morning I tried my hand at homemade biscuits, they turned out really yummy!!!

We then loaded up and headed towards Myrtle Beach to do a little boot shopping. I've been putting off getting my boots for my trip and it's getting down to the wire. We knew about this little store from when we stopped coming back from our Retreat a few months back. The hubbs offered to drive back down there and well I couldn't say no. lol There is a flea market behind the store that we decided to check out while we were there. Let's just say I've officially come to the conclusion that I'm not a flea market, thrifter, goodwill shopper, reuse someone else's things kinda person. (farmers market, I can do all day long) Maybe its just that flea market or the goodwill stores we've been in to here but it creeps me out and just seems completely unsanitary. 

Any how I did pick up these beauties below while we were at the boot store. They are super cute and were a great price so a double score. Wearing boots is a popular thing here in the South. People dress them way up or go very casual. That was something I kept going back and forth on, if I was going to spend the money, I wanted to get some I'd wear often.  

While we were looking at boots, the hubbs heard a advertisement on the radio about a gun show in the area. Of course he just had to go, I teased him the whole time saying that he planned this trip around the show and that he knew all about it. He promises he didn't lol, but either way its ok, because we had a really good time together. 

~DAY 345~

NIC ~ Night Infiltration Course

Here's a few pictures from NIC that I took of our company. I got there right after out FRG meeting and was able to chat with the hubbs for a bit while we waited on the Privates to arrive. 

Once they did and filed in to formation I managed to get a picture of the beautiful sunset. I swear The South has some of the most prettiest sunsets ever. Of course Hawaii did to, its just nice to see it here. 

Below are two female soldiers praying together before they started the exercise, training. 

While I was waiting for them to get things started I over heard the privates talking about how nervous they were. Making comments about how if they stood up they might get hit with a live round. I felt awful for them kinda. Some of them were scared shitless and you could tell. I mean I would to if I was crawling though a open range with live rounds shooting off above my head. 

This was one of my favorite pictures from the night.

A couple times turning the exercise the range cadre turns the spot likes on. This means the PVTs have to stop moving and wait for the lights to go back off. They can't keep going, or even stand up. I'm not really sure the reason behind why they turn the lights. At some point through the 30 minutes that they have to crawl down the range flares are shot off. Lighting up the sky and probably scaring the crap out of the SIT at first. 

I was able to stand out side on the stairs to one of the towers and watch the action being taken place. Its really cool to watch through the night vision goggles. They all look like little ants crawling around. The hubbs crawled with them to help motivate yell at them along the way. 

I don't think I would ever want to do it, just because you can tell when they are through they are completely warn out. Not to mentioned covered in dirt from head to toe. 

Sunday Funday

We had a much needed us day. No work or Army to interfere, just the hubbs and I. 

We got up and got to work around the house because we had plans to attend the Greek Festival downtown at noon. But there were a few things we wanted to get done first this way when we came home we could veg. out and do a whole lot of nothing if we wanted to. 

Sadly but not so sad the Greek Festival ended up being a total bust. It wasn't what either of us expected at all. It took us longer to walk from our car to were it was being held then the amount of time we spent there. I was glad it wasn't one of those things I had to twist his arm to go to. We try to get out and enjoy things like this around the area when we can. You would think we would have figured out by now that well, the South just doesn't do things big like we are use to. 

We didn't let it ruin our day though. We decided to head over to Sandhills, its similar to a out door shopping mall. (thats the best way to describe it) We didn't need anything and frankly I'm not one to do a lot of window shopping. It just seems to be a waste of time, when I could be getting things done at home or relaxing. I really have to be in the mood to do some good window shopping.  Any how we strolled through a few stores I picked up my frame to put our wedding generation pictures in. 

(you can read about it HERE) 

We went to Old Navy, I picked up a few items for my up coming trip and then we checked out the new Home Goods store that just opened up. The only thing we got there were a pack of doggie poop bags. See I told you we were big spenders lol. A stop at Sonic or as the hubbs calls it SonicS for a drink to enjoy on the ride home and we called it a day. This was only my 3rd time at Sonic since moving to the South and I have to say still no soda for this girl, come January 2013 I'll have gone 2 years with out soda. When I lived in Texas I was at Sonic just about every day, it was just so quick and easy to stop by and get a drink on my way to were ever I was going. Large Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper easy ice was my go to drink. 

I enjoy random days like today so much. Were we have no plans to be any were by a certain time, nothing going on, no one to intrude on our day. Were we just go with the flow and do what comes to mind when we think about it. 

The weather was absolutely beautiful out today, not to hot at all. I'm wish it could stay like this forever!

We may or may not have joined the Taco family!!!!!  

Late night cuddles are the best when its with the one you love. And I don't mean the pups. lol

~DAY 338~

French Bread Pizza

Its as easy as one, two, three!!!!!

You'll need a loaf of french bread, pizza sauce and your favorite pizza toppings. 

Slice the loaf in half, bake it for a few minutes at 350 degrees to get a little crisp on it. 

Remove from the over and dress the loaf. 

Start with the sauce and then load on the toppings. 

We went with pepperoni, black olives, green bell peppers, onions and a bit of mexican cheese and then topped with mozzarella cheese. But the options are endless, you could make it as simple as you'd like or go over the top extravagant. 

Bake it in the over for about 6-7 minutes, just enough time to melt the cheese and add a bit more crisp to the loaf. Pull it out and serve immediately. Easy as one, two, three. There you have it French Bread Pizza. The hubbs informed me he use to make this all the time way back before "us". Sadly I never ever though of the idea to do this until I saw something similar on pinterest a few weeks back. 

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!

~Met Me At The Alter~

I love the different generation pictures that we have with the hubbs, his dad, and grandpa. They always make for great stories and wonderful memories. Following that idea I decided to put one together using wedding pictures. I couldn't think of a better way to display these photos either. Isn't it just crazy how much things change with time. 

Going from 1959 all the way to 2007 there's a world of a difference.

The first picture is my Nene & Papa (my dads parents) married in 1959. They would still be married today if my Papa was still alive. However we lost a great man to a horrible battle with cancer back in 2002. He was the first person I lost that was immediate family. My Papa was the one who always pulled our family together. He was a great GREAT man and I miss him dearly, I know everyone does. I always think "I wish I had one more day with him" or "I wish he was here to see this, I wish he could have see us get married, meet the hubbs, see us grow up, see us change". I know he is looking down on us watching from above but its just not the same. Some times I wonder if he was still here maybe JT wouldn't be in the situation he is in. He left behind a beautiful wife, mom, grandma & friend. Nene is one of the absolute strongest person I know. She has been through so much in her life and still manages to put a smile on her face and keep going. 

The second picture is the hubbs Parents aka my In-Loves married in 1980. They are still married today and in love more than ever. They have been through a lot being in the Army (FIL-was) although he was never deployed he spent time in Korea, on the trail, they were stationed in Germany when the hubbs was born and much more. They have stuck together through it all and because of them I know anything is possible. I truly look up them and can only hope we have a marriage / life that's half as beautiful as theirs. 

The third picture is US married in 2007. The absolute best day of our life and one I will remember forever. I have never been more certain of a decision in my life then I was when I decided to marry my best friend. It's almost been 5 years and we are more in love today then we were then. We've been through more in the past 5 years, then many couple go through in a life Time. And you know what I wouldn't change a single day / moment of it because its only made us stronger and who we are today. I can't wait to see what is in store for us over the next 5 years and many more after that!!!!! 

I though I'd share a few more pictures from each of the weddings. It was fun looking back comparing our wedding day to my Nene & Papa's and the hubbs Parents wedding. By how time changes but the love is still stronger than ever!!!!

At the alter - first kiss as husband and wife!!

Walking down the aisle together as Mr. & Mrs. G

Cake anyone??? 

Of course a wedding recap wouldn't be the same with out some sweet treats added in the mix.

I've been blessed with amazing in-loves, I really lucked out in that department!!! My grandparents are beyond wonderful on both sides of my family. I hope we are doing them proud by not only carrying on the family name but representing both sides of our families as they would. 

The In-Loves

My Nene & Papa