The Chronicles of Moving: Part Four

This is the last one, I swear! It's been a long six months, but we finally have our own place again! It's nothing big, but its a place we get to call home for the time being.

Once everything is put away I plan to post some pictures. It currently looks like we're hoarders.

Our new place is smaller than what we had on the military base (also a lot nicer), so we had to put a ton of stuff into storage. We're also having a big yard sale next weekend we're hoping to get some money from.
You never really realize how much stuff you have until you're unpacking it.All I have are some cell phone pictures, but I'm loving how Aubrey's room is turning out. There was so much love put into it.

My dad drove across the country to bring us all of our stuff from our storage unit in AZ. Wow, we really sound like hoarders now-ha! I wish he could've stayed longer to visit, but in the short time he was here we went to the zoo.

 

I'm so, so thankful that we were able to live with my parents in Arizona and my mother-in-law here. It feels so great to have all of our stuff back! I can't wait to get back to sharing my crafting adventures with you all! 

Going Unplugged

Last week I went to a Women's Conference at our church that was called 'Unplugged' and loved it! I had been talking to my husband about spending more time away from electronics and more time with each other beforehand. We're always watching TV, on our smart phones, or on our laptops and rarely engage in a conversation. Its bad. I mean, there's nothing more important than family and everything on the internet or TV can wait. When I saw on my Instagram feed that Small Fry was going without TV for 5 days I decided it would be fun to join! We may or may not have cheated a bit (or a lot. Its hard to find something to do while Aubrey nurses and naps on me!) Oh, and sorry for all the cell phone pictures!

Day One: Color Play
This was the easiest day. I had so many great ideas! I used food coloring in whipped cream and let my daughter make a huge mess!

Day Two: Skype Date
I haven't gotten to see my best friend for sooo long! We arranged a little video chat via Skype, which was amazing. I love Skype. And Aubrey was just hamming it up for her God Mother!
See what Small Fry did here

Day Three: Kitchen Herbs
We went to the store and bought some small bags of soil and seeds for a little herb garden in the kitchen. Although I don't have a green thumb I'm really hoping they grow! Patience will be key. I also re-potted my only house plant that has stayed alive despite my lack of watering.
See what Small Fry did here

Day Four: Play Date
One of the sweet ladies I met from church invited Aubrey over for a play date. It felt so good to have ladies close to my age with kids to talk to here, and even better to have Aubrey socializing. I feel so blessed!
See what Small Fry did here

Day Five: The Jug
I'd have to say that the mot eventful thing we did was go to The Jug for some food and delicious ice cream. Aubrey loves sitting in the front seat with us and yelling at people as they walk by the window.
See what Small Fry did here

I want to thank Small Fry for the extra push to cut back on electronics. I noticed I was much more productive and bonded so much more with my babe. I'm hoping its something we will continue to work on. 

Blessings

The other day I was having a conversation with my sister-in-law, I don't know how the topic came up, but I said the most heartless thing about miscarriages. I'm fortunate enough to not know that type of pain or hurt. It's something I don't understand and can't possibly imagine. Today as I was reading this post and this post from Casey Leigh, I felt a tug on my heart strings. Knowing the closeness and excitement I felt for my baby before I even knew her gender, I couldn't imagine losing her. Then or Now or Ever. It's something I always worried about and still do. Its something I hope I have the blessing to never, ever go through.

Its because of those posts that I realized I take what I have for granted. I have been blessed with an ideal (for me) pregnancy that lacked morning sickness, pre-eclampsia, diabetes, and heartburn (for the most part). I have been blessed with an ideal (for me) labor that was very quick, not as painful as I thought, all natural, and complication free. I have been blessed with a beautiful daughter who never ceases to amaze me with her curiosity, good manners, beauty, and happiness.

I have been guilty of getting frustrated, angry, and short-tempered with my baby. Those first few months were a hard adjustment for me. I have been guilty of letting her play by herself and ignoring her so I can do something I want to do. I'm not a perfect mother, but I love my baby unconditionally. I love that when she smiles her whole face lights up. I love the way she wiggles her whole body when she gets excited. I love that she follows the cats around the house. I love her giggles and squeals of happiness. I love when she climbs up my leg crying for me to hold her. I love the way she sleeps. I love every single thing about her; the amazing and the annoying. I never knew how much I could love somebody until she came along.

I've been blessed with an amazing life partner. I don't tell him enough, but he's truly amazing. From the moment I met him he has kept me safe, been well-mannered, and made me feel like the only person in the world who matters to him. He has worked his butt off serving our Country and providing for our family. I'm so incredibly proud of him for starting college. Life as new parents hasn't exactly been a breeze and has taken its toll on our relationship, but he's been so patient, understanding, helpful, and loving. He's still my rock and I love him more than I know how to express.

Photo by Stephanie Marie Photography

Even though I've questioned whether leaving the military was a good move, even though we don't have our own home, and even though we still haven't found a job, I know that God has big plans for us that are greater than we could imagine. Through all of this we're still able to provide the food and other thing that we need and pay our bills. The best part for me is that we all get to be together. No more deployments, ever. My husband will be here to watch our daughter grow up and be here for every birthday, anniversary, and holiday. That is truly a great blessing. No matter what we go through or how hard any day gets, I'm going to try to remember how blessed I am and that as long as I have faith, I will continue to be blessed.

Photo by Stephanie Marie Photography

Dr. Oz 3-Day Detox Cleanse

Its been over 7 months since I had my daughter and my body is still no where close to where it used to be at. I'm fed up with not fitting into the clothes that I have comfortably. Granted, I didn't do much during pregnancy (for fear of creating any complications; first pregnancy, I didn't know any better) to remain in shape and I haven't done much since then (for fear of ripping anything and lack of time) to get back into shape. Add on the ever so scrumptious holidays and cold winter...the results are not so pleasant.

I firmly believe in eating. Food is good for you (well, healthy food is) and starving your body to lose weight is not the answer. I've always been such a skeptic to cleanses, diets, pills, shakes, juicing, counting calories, and just about anything that limits how often and what I eat. However, with the growing popularity and knowledge healthy eating without starving yourself I have started to come to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, some of these things can benefit my health.

I was wrong.

You can find the recipes and ingredients for the cleanse {here}, if you dare try it. Oh, and on a side note,  they say this costs about $16 per day...yeah right! Its quite pricey! The ground flax seed alone was $10 and we had to substitute raspberries for strawberries because we're not made out of money. Raspberries were $6 per package, we needed about 7 packages.

Day One

{Breakfast}

Emotional/Physical Response: Not gonna lie, i was excited to start this. I was ready to go! I love tea, hot tea makes me sick, but I figured this green tea wouldn't be so bad. Boy was I wrong! I had to plug my nose and chug. The breakfast shake definitely made up for it. I was expecting to be hungry after drinking it, but I was full, and full for a while. I didn't have any urges to snack!

{Lunch}

"I can definitely taste the celery. I'm about to add ranch to that!"

Emotional/Physical Response: D I S G U S T I N G ! I'm a huge texture person. I can get past the leafy, grassy taste, but the texture is like someone already chewed my food for me. I took one drink of this and knew immediately this would be a struggle. Its thick and in desperate need of more liquid. I accidentally (no seriously, it was an accident) spilled one of my glasses (it filled two) and am so thankful that happened! I'm hungry, but maybe I can make it until snack time. I'd seriously rather starve than 'drink' the next glass. Not mention, I can't help but gag every time I take a drink.

My husband can't get over the taste and is considering quitting. He's hungry and wants a cheeseburger. He's a huge meat eater and I completely understand. We decided to dump the rest of the shake down the drain. Our stomachs hurt and we're both hungry. Snack time here we come!!

Suggestions for Success: Make it as a salad. Kale salad with cucumber, and celery with a coconut oil and lime dressing. Maybe toss in the pineapple and apples or eat them on the side. And just drink the almond milk. Whoever decided to put this in a blender is an idiot.

{Snack}

Emotional/Physical Response: Fruity, nutty, delicious, although not as refreshing as this morning. I substituted almond milk for water. My husband decided to quit shortly after dumping the lunch drink, if you can call it that, down the drain. He proceeded to eat a pizza.

At this point, I was seriously considering quitting, but decided to give the dinner shake a try. We bought all the food in advance, so we have a ton left over now that my husband decided to return to chewable food. I made kale chips, which were okay, but not fantastic. I may or may not have tried a few...or ten.

{Dinner}

*runs to sink and washes mouth out with water.*
 

Emotional/Physical Response: I was really, really hoping that this would be good. Upon tasting the coconut water, my hopes began to fade. If that's what drinking out of a coconut tastes like, I'm never drinking out of a coconut. I hate spicy food. The sip, not even a whole drink, just a sip, I took tasted like the Mexican candy that I grew up around. Which, might I add is usually mango flavored and coated in chili powder. It's nasty. I immediately spit the mango flavored fire out of my mouth into the sink and ladled water into my mouth while salivating. 

Suggestions for Success: 1. Like mangoes. 2. Like spicy food. 3. Like coconut water.

The Results

Don't waste your money and don't buy everything for the three days at one time. Call it a lack of motivation, will power, or what you will. I will find a different, tastier way to eat healthier and help detox my body. If you tired or completed the detox, I give you major kudos! Everyone is different, and this is not for me. Now please excuse me while I go enjoy my pizza and make delicious desserts.

*This is not meant to discourage anyone from trying the detox or state that this detox doesn't work, seeing as we didn't complete it or follow the recipes exactly. This is meant to be humorous and show that its okay to try something and not complete it. It doesn't mean that you failed, it just means that everyone is different and what may work for one person may not work for another. That's okay. If you try this detox, I wish you the best of luck! If you tried it and didn't complete it, its okay and I congratulate you for trying! Either way, you're one step closer to a healthier you!
**These images are not mine. If these are yours, please let me know!

The Chronicles of Moving: Part 3

Well, I'm here in beautiful West Virginia writing this blog post. It's been a long four days, but let me start by explaining what I'm doing across the U.S.

Last time I had written about moving, we were heading to Phoenix, AZ to live with my parents. We fit almost all of our stuff into a tiny storage room and were waiting to hear back from either Tempe or Mesa Police Department. We never did. As our last paycheck was quickly approaching my husband began looking into joining the Air Force. You're probably thinking we're crazy! Why would you leave the military to join again? We're not really sure, (haha) it was just a backup option. But alas, that won't work out either! You see, the Air Force only takes about 250 previously enlisted military members per fiscal year (the 2013 fiscal year just began in October) and there are no more spots left. Sigh.

So, we decided to pack up our things and head over to the East Coast to live with my mother-in-law! There are lots of wives who don't like their mother-in-laws, I'm proud to report that I am not one of them!

It was hard to leave my parents who have gotten used to us being there and spending time with Aubrey. The day we left my mom started tearing up and it just broke my heart and made me tear up! I felt horrible separating her from her granddaughter. I will be sending lots of pictures to my parents whenever I get the chance!

Now begins our four day journey across the U.S. As we went through Arizona we stopped and looked at petrified wood, fossils, and Native American pottery.

When I was a kid my family made a trip from New Mexico (I believe) to Arizona. Along the way at the Arizona/New Mexico border there is a tourist stop called Yellow Horse. We missed the exit to it and there was no where to turn around so we had to skip it. Booooo! But here's a picture of me and my brother standing inside Yellow Horse in two states at once. He never did like pictures.

As we were entering Albuquerque, there was a beautiful (and distracting) tunnel that lit up colors of pink, blue, purple, and green. After stopping for the night, we were heading towards Oklahoma City! Our car was packed full!

Did you know that there is a city called Groom in Texas? I wonder if there is a Bride somewhere. As we were passing through Texas I learned that there are country singers who are famous and only tour there too. For instance we heard a song from some guy named Earl Dibbles Jr. Have you ever heard of him? Me neither! We had to stop and get gas at this little, tiny gas station and on the bathroom stall door people had written when they were from and where they were going. It was pretty cool! Apparently a lot of travelers have stopped there.

As we got to Oklahoma, we got very confused on the interstate because there were quite a few exits on the left instead of the right. Not to mention that the lines on the roads definitely needed to be repainted. We saw the lowest gas prices we have seen in years: $2.98per gallon! That was heavenly! We made our stop for the night in Oklahoma City.

Day three and on the road again, we were heading to Saint Louis! Not much to report about our drive there. We were all so tired of being in the car we didn't make many stops. Originally I had wanted to take our time and stop at various free tourist attractions, but that idea went down the drain quickly.

One thing that kept us occupied while Aubrey was sleeping was answering thirty questions that I found {here} on Pinterest. I learned a few things about my husband and we had quite a few laughs! So here we are in West Virgina spending time with family while we wait for the college spring semester to start.

Thanksgiving & Zoo Lights

I have a lot to report, but I'll try to keep it short!
1. Thanksgiving
2. Black Friday/Cyber Monday
3. Yuma Visit
4. Zoo Lights

1. Thanksgiving
We had a great Thanksgiving! My mom wanted to stop and get some family pictures before we headed over to my Grammie's house in the afternoon. My brother was being a super grump and Aubrey hadn't napped yet, so the results weren't great. We'll be trying again on Saturday!

We enjoyed some football, lots of food, and family time. Oh, and more family pictures!

Then we headed to my great-aunt Vicki's house for dinner (like we weren't already stuffed)! Alas, more football, food, and family time. But, there's a lack of pictures. Oops!


2. Black Friday/Cyber Monday
 Well, I can't say that we braved the lines on Thursday evening or even Friday morning. Heck, we didn't even leave the house unless we had to! However, there were some good deals I wish we had gotten, but I guess we (or I) will go out next year.
We got really excited about Cyber Monday! Although the deals aren't quite as good, they're still good! The odd thing about us, we didn't shop online until later that night. We went out and got a Nikon Coolpix L810 from Target that was still on sale from Black Friday. You see? You waited in those crazy long lines at the crack of dawn while I slept all cozy in my bed and I was still able to get the same deal you did days later. Here's where I stick my tongue out at you and say 'Ha-ha!'

3. Yuma Visit
We went to see our good friends in Yuma one last time before we move...again. Oh yeah, did I mention we're moving to the East Coast? Well we are, on Monday. Yay! Anyway, Aubrey loves her Godfamily and so do we! We had our own little Christmas celebration with them.

Our friend Cortney and her kiddos came over for a little barbeque and marshmallow roasting. Aubrey and Sydney got to "play" for a little bit. It was more like oogling and grabbing at each other, but it was adorable!

I swear they're only a month apart!

Then came the gift opening with a sleepy baby who was not too happy to be woken up, despite how she may seem in the pictures.

And after a long, fun filled night we had to leave in the morning. We're gonna miss you guys so much! Skype dates here we come!

On our way back to Phoenix we stopped by Zack's old barber shop, A Man Cave, to visit. They gave us four tickets to the Cardinals vs. Rams game that day! So sweet! Zack and my brother went while I spent time with some extended family. The Cardinals lost for the seventh time in a row, man are they bad!

4. Zoo Lights
Every year the Phoenix zoo puts up lights and stays open into the evening for an event they call Zoo Lights. There's limited access to the animals and to be honest most of them were sleeping, but it was a great sight anyway!

Aubrey really enjoyed it, as you can see by her big cheesy grin!

There was a talking giraffe who asked if he could ride in her stroller. I made a joke about his weight, but I don't think he thought it was funny. Aubrey even went on a carousel ride for the first time! She loved it!

We watched a beautiful light show on the water.

Twins, right?

And of course her daddy bought her some souvenirs! How cute are these jammies!? I just love the little tail on the booty!

We hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving! December is right around the corner!