Sav and Rye Gardiner

Nothing like hearing a gunshot on the phone

2012-01-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

There are things about being a Marine wife that i have gotten used to that seemed so odd before... like sitting in my living room and hearing gunshots from the range. or having armed men patrolling my neighborhood. recently i heard something on the phone that still caught me a little off guard "hey babe, hold on, you're going to hear gunshots in a minute"

I miss my husband. i am SO ready for him to be home. I definitely DON'T take him for granted while he is here. and i am So excited to get some more time to "chill" with him.

I have a field trip with my preschool in the morning. i am pretty stoked about it. This is probably my lamest blog post in a while. i'm not really going to apologize... some more exciting posts are on the horizon. i mean i have a birthday coming up quickly

What a Wonderful World

2012-01-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

Here we are, one week into the new year. and it has been fantastic so far! Rye and I have had so many adventures already! We've been hiking, to the beach, and relaxing as a family. He even took Deezul running the other night (and i didn't even have to hint that i wanted him to take Dee). We are 7 days until Rye has a birthday, and unfortunately he will be gone for his birthday, and will probably miss mine by just a few days (super lame right!).

I'm planning a baby shower for my friend Steph. Hoping it'll be good karma and one day someone will get to throw me an awesome shower. I've been using my silhouette cameo for her invitations (IT'S AMAZING!!!!) seriously anyone that does crafting crap should own one! Santa did good on that one :)

I am thinking i'm going to grow my hair out for a while... sometimes i just feel the need for a long side braid, that i am currently unable to attain. So what out for that in the next months.

There is so much going on in the Gardiner house i don't even know how to start describing it all. Watch for some awesome updates soon!

Oh and i acquired a dresser yesterday, started sanding it today and am hoping it will be DONE by this week :)

Well it happened

2011-12-30T19:24:00.000-08:00

I LOST my military ID.... yup, after scoffing at practically every wife on base who has ever lost one (has anyone made it an entire career without losing one?) It fell out of the car the other night and it's GONE... i felt awful, and surprisingly Rye made me feel awful too. i thought he'd be like "you made it over 2 years!" nope, no such luck for this little lady. i got the whole "fantastic Sav, now my Social is just floating around on base somewhere... ugh, i'm lame and i know it.

So this morning (despite not feeling 100%) i got pretty to go take a new ID picture. We drove down to the ID office and what do ya know.. they are OUT of dependent ID's... ya i'm pissed. ugh! i went to buy Rye a drink in the mini mart on base, and since the girl knew me she let me buy it, but i ended up having to use my costco card so they could check the name on my card with my ID... ya it was embarrassing. oh well, i looked nice and pretty all day, and had a pretty sour look on my face cause there was nowhere to sit at the mall when we got lunch (seriously soooo many people) and then the gps made me turn around like 3 times to find the stupid place Riley wanted pie.. and then the PIE WAS GROSS... and then we BOTH tipped our waitress without knowing the other one did... so we left like a $6 tip for $7 worth of crappy pie... ugh, i'm just gonna stop complaining right this moment. I'm going to go babysit a few of the base's CUTEST kids, and it's going to make my night :)

If You're Happy And You Know It.

2011-12-29T09:40:00.000-08:00

I had the most AMAZING Christmas, that seems to have extended a few days past... every year Rye and I take down the Christmas tree ON Christmas... like in the afternoon... ya it's still up. The tree is definitely dead, but i just haven't had the motivation.. maybe tomorrow morning i'll do it :)

I got absolutely everything i could ever want on Christmas, AND SOME... Rye and I are both on shortened schedules this week, so we have been able to spend alot more time together, which is nice since as we all know the work up officially starts before the new years fireworks smoke has cleared.

But for right now, i am so happy. I almost forgot what being THIS happy felt like, but I am going to enjoy it. here are a few awesome pictures from our Christmas :)

Christmas eve eve drive up to the temple

Deezul... being a Deezul

The temple wasn't decorated, but BYU was :)

Dee on Christmas morning in his Christmas pjays

Rye's Christmas Pjays

Dee freakin loved opening presents

and he got a TON of toys

This box was really difficult for him to open... he actually gave up and tried to open OUR presents

AND DONE! he passed out in this position pretty much the rest of the day.

Fog Machines and Rockband

2011-12-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated my blog lately... i just feel sometimes like does anyone REALLY care whats going on in the crazy head of Miss Savannah G... usually i think the answer is no. But i started this blog not really caring if anyone read it, just to get my feelings out. so i think in that spirit... HERE'S AN UPDATE.

This is the first Christmas since 2008 we'll be spending together. 2009 he was in Bootcamp, and 2010 he was in Afghanistan... so as i told Rye it almost seems like uncharted territory, even though we've still spent 5 of them together in the past. Riley has a problem with Christmas... he spends WAAAAAAAY too much money. Thank goodness we both don't believe in having a credit card so the suffering of Christmas spending doesn't last through the entire year. Thankfully we are both finally DONE with spending this year... except we have to go shopping for Deezul tomorrow. who BY THE WAY, is now on the naughty list for destroying one of my victoria secret bra's.... seriously Deezul... did you REALLY think that was a smart move?

I was talking to Shellee (my amazing mother in law) and she had mentioned that she didn't know what to get us this year since they had both been planning on a ton of awesome baby stuff... pretty depressing when someone tells you that you screwed up your own Christmas. It just brought back the rawness of remembering what our plans for this Christmas WOULD have been. i would have been almost 6 months along by now... and i am MOSTLY over it all... i just HATE that we are getting very close to Riley leaving again, and we are still without good news. He starts his intense training again in January... so although he won't be in Afghanistan yet, i won't see him more than a few weeks until he pretty much deploys.

It's been super rainy here, WHICH I LOVE. i really love the rainy season in Hawaii. Riley can't stand it. it means we have to find more ways to stay busy INDOORS, which he is not a fan of. We've been playing a little more rockband, always a good time there :) Kyle got Rye a fog machine for Christmas, so we had a fog machine rockband night this last weekend. now all we need is the laser show and we'll be ready for our new years eve party :)


our Tree in the fog


my scentsy burner and little tree's ya... you can't really see them at all. haha

26.2

2011-12-12T09:51:00.000-08:00

Riley took an online test once that told him that he is the 1/2 marathon type of runner... that he COULD run a marathon, but he would be hurting and the 1/2 is better suited for him. He decided to run one anyway!

Riley and Kyle found out last minute that they were going to have to work this weekend and couldn't run the race, after talking to their higher-ups they were excused to go run... i mean it IS a marathon after all!

We started our day at 12:30 (ya as in 30 min past midnight) we left the house by 1-ish to drive to waikiki and find parking... oh my goodness that was an experience all on it's own. we made our way down to the shuttle which then drove us over to the starting point. I realized quickly into the day that i am sick... i have some sort of a stomach bug, and was definitely NOT feeling too hot. fighting the urge to puke into a porta pottie is NOT fun... ugh.

We made our way to their designated start point ( the 3-4 hours group) and waited. The instructions were all given in japanese first and THEN in English, which i'm not going to lie upset me a little. I understand that 75% of the participants flew here for the event FROM Japan... however they were guests... if they held a race and 75% were americans that flew in for it.. i would still expect the primary language to be japanese. ANYWAY we were eventually able to find our way without any english signs telling us where to go.

The boys took off to a starting firework show, it was pretty legit. like 10 full minutes of fireworks... i'm a sucker for fireworks. and you can't tell me you don't love their outfits. they ran the whole thing together, how many people do you think thought they were a couple :)

After they started i was planning on heading straight to the finish to wait for 4 hours... but then i overheard that mile four would wrap right around to where i was... so i wait a little bit. i was SEARCHING for the green shorts along with the shirtless guy with a pink headband... how i missed them i'll never know (my eyesight is getting worse) LUCKILY my husband saw my pretty little face and pointed himself out... so i just barely missed it.....

if you look closely you can see Riley's eyes under Kyle's chin, staring at me like a creeper... gosh i hate that i missed them. So They passed and i started making my way to where some of the buses were SUPPOSED to be to take people to the finish... no buses... LAME... so i knew at this point i would have to walk the 3 miles back to the finish line... all the while feeling like i was about to puke. so i was standing and just playing with my camera taking some blurry shots (on purpose) wishing i had my tripod to get the effect i was wanting... when some weirdo starts talking to me. His name was Will, he's in the army and he was a creep. he told me (in the first 15 minutes of talking to him) that he has no problem going after married women as long as their men aren't deployed.... i looked at him and just said "seriously" with my most judgmental face on :) I am not the quickest person to realize when someone is hitting on me (cause it doesn't happen often) so it took me a good 10 minutes to realize that is what he was doing. When i mentioned i am married is when he brought out his charming line about married women (creep)... then he found out i was Mormon, and the rumors started flying... he was CONVINCED that i was a polygamist. the ONLY good thing that came of Will, is that an hour of me trying to get rid of him just flew by.

So with only about 2 ish hours left i joined the crowd of 10k race day walkers on their last 5k to the finish line... i tried to stay on the side since i was not registered... i honestly just needed to know how to get back to the finish. I walked down the main shopping strip of waikiki, when i nice older couple stopped me and asked me what the point of the marathon was, if it was for a foundation or what.. i informed them it was just the annual one but that their were a lot of teams running with shirts either FOR a foundation or there was a team whose shirts said "victory lap of 26.2 miles after beating cancer" he informed me his lovely wife is a cancer survivor and i told them that my nephew of only 4 years old just beat cancer as well. we chatted for a few minutes about their trip, and i learned that the younger man with them on their trip came to the island to visit my base... his brother was stationed at Kbay and was KIA earlier this year in Afghanistan. It was a conversation that i am better for having had.

I got to the finish line with nearly 3 hours on the clock. i decided it was time to find my spot at the finish line to get my classic picture of them finishing... this race was designed so if you want a picture of you finishing... you MUST buy theirs. there was no way for me to get a clear shot of the finish line. So i made the decision to walk down to right before the finish where everyone was cheering them on to finish strong, and found a place.

right before 4 hours i saw the green shorts and blue shirt.

At the finish line then had these showers set up... Riley said it was AMAZING!

The are both in pain at this point. Riley has decided he is MUCH better at running 1/2 marathons, and that while he will do a few marathons... he's gonna mostly stick to the shorter distances... if you can call 13.1 miles short. Now we just need to get me ready for my 1/2 marathon.. i have about a year until go time!

I am SO proud of these boys. also you can SEE them getting thinner and more fit through all their races. I am SO glad i was able to brave through not feeling well and be able to be there for the guys. They are amazing, and i love being there to support them!

I am SO tired.

2011-12-05T08:27:00.001-08:00

This weekend was the XTerra world championships for Trail Running. I kind of thought this would not be the best idea for Riley to run since he has the Honolulu marathon NEXT weekend.... but he assured me that it would be fine. So we registered him for the 21K (it was 13.6 miles which is .5 LONGER than a half marathon) through the jungles of Hawaii, I registered myself for the 5K, hoping to just beat my previous trail 5k time. Kyle signed up as well (his first trail run) as well as 2 other Marines.

We piled in the car early Sunday, and headed north on the highway, if you haven't ever been here going from our house towards the North Shore is GORGEOUS, you are on a road that is LITERALLY 10 ft from crashing waves, My car has gotten splashed by waves on more than one occasion. Up by chinaman's hat there is a ranch, Kualoa Ranch. It is HUGE and they film a ton of movies there. i have been wanting to do a tour there for a long time now, just haven't yet. We finally got there, found parking and just hung out, they had the parking just down a slight hill from the start/finish. So we were able to stay around the car until just right before, I sprawled across the trunk of our car so Riley could tape up my leg, which i have to say is the most AMAZING thing ever. Since i roll from the outside of my feet when i walk/run i get ALOT of shin and foot pain while running. it's the main reason i have hated running since middle school. but with using the KT tape (which will peel off if not secured at the top with a piece of duct tape, let me know if you know of a better sports tape for running) I have zero pain that SHOULDN'T be there.

The events from our car.

About 30 minutes prior to when the race was set to go, Team Xtreme made their entrance. If you don't know who Team XTreme is, they are a group that runs all sorts of races IN THEIR GAS MASKS.... not easy! they benefit the wounded warriors. This morning they were making one CPL's dream come true by parachuting him into the race, along with all of Team XTreme. Seeing this CPL who lost an arm and both his legs in Afghanistan last year, was absolutely moving. As the race was getting ready to start, they made their way to their place, which meant parting the crowd for his wheelchair and the group. everyone was cheering for them, there were about as many OOH-RAH'S yelled as there was clapping (including my husband, who you could tell was having a very motivated moment)

Team XTreme and Cpl Love

So the start time was delayed 20 mins... cause the cops that were supposed to direct traffic, just didn't show up. They fired the shotgun and Riley and the boys were OFF! 10 minutes later the shotgun was fired again and i was gone. I was getting passed like crazy at first... and was feeling like once again i was going to be in the VERY back of the pack... Then we reached the first hill, and not ONE other person was running, they were all walking (it was a tough hill) I slowly started passing people that had shot off like a bullet when we were on flatter ground. Then there was a downhill, and a few passed me again... next uphill i took it back! the first bead of sweat dripped off my nose at minute 8, then it was like a shower... sounds pretty gross huh! however i'm one of those girls that feels sexiest when i'm gross and sweaty, I mean whats not hot about girls who are active?! My legs were SO wobbly, i almost fell over a few times.... almost threw up a few times, EH it's part of the experience. I finally finished my 3.1 miles through the valley and tried to steady my breathing. I walked down to the car, changed into my flip flops, grabbed the camera and headed back up to the finish to wait.

gorgeous right!!!

The first of the 4 guys in our group to finish was Rye (SO proud of that boy!)

The other three trickled in within 18 minutes of Riley, one of them only 2 1/2 minutes behind.

Is that picture not fantastic. They had all just finished, were wearing their finishers medal and i told them all to look Bad-A... ya i think this one is being put onto a canvas. :) love it.

This is us with the ranch in the background. seriously such a gorgeous place!

It was an amazing event! we both had so much fun! We went to the after party later, and watched a slideshow as well as the video highlights, So i got to see the run that Riley was on... HOLY INSANE!! they were ducking under trees, and holding onto ropes as the ran down a muddle track. seriously when they post that video online, i will put a link up here, cause it looked insane.... oh and did i forget to mention that i beat my last 5k time, and Riley was in the top 100 overall for his race. He's been wanting to hit top 100 in a race for a LONG time, and this was the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, with about a 1000 people running his race. AMAZING.

Here we go.

2011-11-29T20:02:00.001-08:00

Another month is coming to a close... which means a NEW one is starting... the last month we'll ever have of 2011, treasure it.

I have been in a funk all week. Like REALLY in a not so fantastic mood. I am trying really hard... and that may be my problem. I just need to let go... and trust that i will be seriously and truly happy again. I have an AMAZING husband (seriously, he is the best) and a MOST OF THE TIME awesome dog... (except this morning when i found one of my good pairs of scissors RUINED)...

As i laid in bed last night with a few tears streaming down my face i thought to myself... Is not having a baby REALLY worth crying over... to which i quickly responded with a snotty sniffle and a "uh-huh". I had a breakdown... i know, CALL THE PRESS... it happens. I'm not always this strong woman you all may think i am. I struggle... DAILY. Rye came into bed laid on his side with Dee in between us, just reached over, grabbed my hand... and simply told me "it's gonna happen babe". that's all it took... one simple touch to stop my breakdown in session.

Then i think about it... people are asking me what i want for Christmas... ALL I WANT... is two pink lines. that's it. I want to know WITHOUT a doubt!!! that before Riley leaves this country again... that i will have a piece of him. That i will forever be able to look at our child and say "WE MADE THAT!" I want him to have a bigger reason to come home. I want to give him what he so badly wants. But no one can give that to me.

I never thought after our cruise in Nov 2007 that i would be here 4 years later.. still without a kid. I'm just about to that point, where i am starting to lose hope of it happening... and i don't need people to tell me that it's going to be ok... cause what if it's not. What if we NEVER get a baby G....

UGH LISTEN TO ME, i sound like such a negative Nancy!!! ok, i'm getting off the couch, putting on my new running clothes and going for a run... i need endorphins.... NOW!!!

I'M SORRRRRRRY!!! i've been BEYOND busy!

2011-11-26T11:37:00.001-08:00

I seriously thought every single day about what i needed to post for what i am thankful for... so rather than post 10 back posts... i will just finish these gratitude posts with what i seem to be most thankful for lately.

I'm thankful that i'm healthy. I may not be getting ready to add a little one to our family right now... but there is physically no reason why i should not be able to do that sometime soon. Actually there is no reason that i should not be doing that NOW, but that's besides the point. I'M HEALTHY.... so many others are not able to say that right now. I am beyond thankful that i am one of those that IS able to say that. oh and in case you were wondering, my nephew Jaxon... COMPLETELY done with cancer treatments. CANCER FREE! Health is something that we take for granted... and we shouldn't. Because we never know when that may be taken away from us.

I had a dr. appointment this last week, and while things not be going the way i REALLY want them too.... They are going pretty good. And someday, we'll have a little Baby G.... but for now, i'm ok with where i am.

Every month that it's just Rye Deezul and I is another month i am able to continue to work out as vigorously as i have been. Riley and I are happy and healthy... and THAT is what i am most thankful for this year.

Thankful Day 15- Surprise Visits

2011-11-15T22:51:00.001-08:00

Today i am thankful for those times when you are driving home, just wanting to get in the door so you can fully break down... and you try to pull in but someone is in your parking spot.

Tonight i got home to find that Steph decided to join us for dinner, i walked in on her and Rye playing his new call of duty. soon after, Kyle showed up. I wasn't even given the chance to break down and cry, i just realized how truly blessed i really am.

It's been a hard week. i'm super busy which always makes my emotions run high. But i would also be finding out this week if we were going to have a girl or boy, it's one of those milestones that i had marked on the calendar and a countdown on my phone for.

I had a meeting tonight, and of course i was the only wife that was not either pregnant or already had kids... And as usual i felt completely ostracized because of that. People never know what to say when they learn i don't have kids after half a decade of marriage, they always assume we don't want kids, and i think that instantly makes them have harsher feelings towards me, like i don't like kids or something. So i'm on my way home, this sad song comes on the radio and i just LOSE it. i mean i have tears just streaming down my face, i'm ready to go inside and just cry on Rye's shoulder and complain about how it's not fair, and all i want is a child is that SO much to ask for....

I never got that chance. I have just spent the last 2 hours spending time with a few of our best friends here, laughing and chatting about all sorts of things. Making it impossible for me to be ungrateful. It's obviously not my time for a baby right now, So i just need to be thankful for everything i HAVE been given, and be patient for those things i want so badly.

Try not to get caught up in the situation you are in, stop. take a look around. and realized how completely blessed you are.

Thankful Day 14- That 1 Year has passed.

2011-11-15T22:44:00.001-08:00

Exactly 1 year ago from the 14th, i played the waiting game. of going home for a few minutes and then getting called back.. just waiting for that one last goodbye as the buses pulled away. It is crazy that a year has passed. if does NOT feel like an entire year.

This year, Rye and I spent the afternoon grocery shopping for thanksgiving next week. We joked and made a date of it, before i left for a few extra hours of work. only to return home and find that my husband was getting sicker by the minute with this awful cold. So we made a late night trip to safeway and got him all drugged up on nyquil so he could actually get some sleep.....

And in the morning, he was right there. I cannot explain to you the joy of waking up and seeing him there. When he left for this last training, i didn't realize that i ever did this before, but i would find myself just reaching over to his side of the bed to just touch him, and he wasn't there... it was EXTREMELY depressing.

I am SO thankful that this last year is over. SOOOO thankful. I don't know if he'll be here next year on this day, so for now... i'm going to savor it.

Thankful Day 13- Phone Insurance

2011-11-15T10:07:00.001-08:00

Every military wife LIVES with her phone attached to her. knowing at the most inconvenient time... your husband will find time in a war zone to pick up the phone and call you... and you BETTER be ready to drop EVERYTHING. I cannot tell you how many times i went into a meeting or somewhere important where i immediately apologized in advance in case my phone rang, and i just got up and ran out... it happens. The most devastating thing during a deployment is to NOT have a working phone. Thank goodness i did not have to deal with this, but MANY of the other wives did. Steph had to put a message on her voice mail a few times telling her husband to call MY number.

I firmly believe in phone insurance... when i was 17 i shattered my phone while roller skating, and my mom told me she would NOT replace it... luckily sprint was nice enough to add phone insurance and then replace it :) ever since that moment i was a believer... verizon is NOT quite so accomidating and i am SO GLAD to be back with sprint. This weekend at church my phone found it's way to the garbage can in nursery. I think a child accidentally knocked it into there... Riley is convinced it fell out of my purse and in there. WHATEVER, it's done, who cares HOW it happened. all i know is that i am SO HAPPY that i have phone insurance on my $500 phone. We quickly went into the sprint store and without ANY questions they ordered me a new phone. however i must wait until Wednesday (HOPEFULLY) to get it... so until then, i am without a phone. It is a bit difficult trying to work out our schedules with one car, and me without a phone. I am just thankful that this little mishap will not cost me anything... Things could have been MUCH worse... and for that, i am thankful they are NOT.

Thankful Day 12- Laughter

2011-11-15T09:26:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for my ability to laugh, and laugh often. I am a very happy person, and i LOVE laughing with friends. I love all the inside jokes that only Rye and I are able to laugh at.

I love playing balderdash with my dad and siblings and laughing so hard that i have ACTUALLY peed my pants a few times....ya... i just admitted that.... eh, don't lie... you've been there. OR you're jealous!

I love laughing so hard at a joke you are in the middle of telling that you can't finish the joke because A.) you are in hysterics and B.) it's NOT that funny, and there is no reason you should be crying from laughing so hard.

I love laughing at what an idiot i can be at times... i was playing a game with a bunch of guys from Acting Up, the question was "what should a man NOT do in bed" we were all secretly writing our answers so we could guess who wrote what... me being the only married one in the group, didn't take the question to be "dirty" and wrote down "clip his toenails".................. ya, it wasn't hard to guess that was my answer....

I love trying really hard not to laugh, and trying to keep my cool when the guys are being really funny.... but knowing in my head that i need to look "cool" rather than laugh at something we all KNOW is funny. And then i just look like an idiot trying to hold in a laugh.

I am mostly thankful that i have things in my life that i am able to laugh about.... i know it won't always be like this, there will be times when there is not much funny in my life... and then there will be the good times... THESE my friends, are the good times!

Thankful Day 11- Veteren's

2011-11-15T09:07:00.001-08:00

Veteran's day is something that is MUCH closer to me than ever before. I always knew it growing up as the small holiday that shared my youngest sister's birthday. When i heard the word veteran i would think of those older gentlemen in costco with their hats letting the rest of us know that they were in Korea or Vietnam... I did not ever imagine that i would be married to a Veteran or the Afghanistan war...

When the towers were first hit, i was in middle school. We sat in our history class for weeks and talked about the repercussions of what was happening. The Olympics were well on their way to Utah within only months, and as anyone that lived in Utah at that time knows... we were a target, and we were all a little worried. I remember Ben (the love of my short middle school life, HA) leaned over and told me that the government was going to have to restart the draft, and he was for SURE going to be drafted... and if he wasn't he would lie about his age and join in the fight.... ya... i think we all assumed it was the start of world war 3, and that our government was just as unable to find out someones age as they were in the 40's... it was a nice thing to say to a girl Ben, so you get points for that... but a very poorly thought out plan. I told him he was an idiot and they wouldn't start the draft, he then said he would wait till his 18th birthday, to which i replied that the "war" we were expecting would be LONG over by then...

Who would have known that 10 years later i would be married to a man who was brave enough to leave me for a short period of time(even though it felt like lightyears) and join in the fight.

Last veteran's day i was preparing for Riley to leave any day... others in his unit had left already. people thanked us both for his service on facebook and over the phone... and i was furious with every message, they just reminded me of the ultimate sacrifice i was PRAYING would not be made, i was trying to keep myself together so that i could enjoy what i hoped would not be our last week together. Don't get me wrong, i still appreciated everyone recognizing the choice we made to join this lifestyle.

This year is different. I have Riley back home with me. He is safe, and we were able to spend this holiday that is so dear to my heart now, together. After spending the evening before in downtown Waikiki for the ball having random strangers tell Riley happy birthday, and thanking him for his service... i assumed that would be the end of our long weekend to celebrate the USMC birthday and Veteran's day. I never imagined how many people would actually go out of their way to make a B-line for us and quickly thank Rye for all he has done. Only being able to spot him by his lack of hair :)

We decided to scale a mountain to celebrate the holiday. Koko head is hard... don't let anyone lie to you and tell you otherwise. it was GORGEOUS!!! and totally worth the work, my thighs STILL hurt, days later. As we approached our car there was a sweaty man with his arms far above his head just standing and as i stated "airing out his pits within smelling distance of the car... great..." He approached us and asked if we were heading into town, their group got locked out of their car and they needed a ride into town to get the spare. Riley i guess was feeling very kind, and said it was no problem. Rye drove an hour out of his way just so that these people would not have to call a cab and a locksmith. It's that kind of attitude that makes him the kind of man i am proud to call my husband.

Thankful Day 10- Self Confidence

2011-11-14T17:42:00.001-08:00

I have never struggled COMPLETELY with self confidence, however i have never once thought of myself as the prettiest girl in the room. I know that i have been given talents and skills, I also know that others have similar talents and skills FAR superior to mine.

I feel you just need to find that happy medium. Where you are happy with how you are, but are never content to the point of not wanting to improve in some way. I saw a quote on pinterest that i LOVE it was something like "Too Much Ego will Kill your Talent" and it's TRUE. when you talk yourself up too much, people expect SO much more, and are more likely to be disappointed.

I am so grateful for parents that brought me up with the understanding that i am WORTH something. That i am good enough to not have to settle for anything. I have a dad who still on a regular basis will tell me how proud he is, and how beautiful he thinks i am ( i look JUST like him, so i hope he thinks i'm attractive :) ). I have a husband who never lets my head get too big... HAHA He will praise me for things i deserve praise on, and let me know when i'm being overly cocky about something i shouldn't be.

Mostly, i am just thankful that I am happy being me. I am ok with the flaws i have, and i'm ok with not being the best at everything, or anything :) I am Savannah, and i'm AWESOME. and i'm thankful for that.

Thankful Day 9- Amazing Music

2011-11-14T17:27:00.001-08:00

It's not secret that i'm a nerd... Ya i have never ever denied that. I will sing just about anything in the shower, or while doing chores.... or while chilling on the back porch with Deezul... pretty much i just love to sing, When Rye is gone, Pandora is a constant in my house. There is NOTHING better than good music for any sort of mood.

I have a few new favorite bands/artists this year that have been good enough that i will listen to their albums on repeat for at least a few days. Including but not limited too
-Sara Barreiles -Jason Aldean - Mumford and Sons -Kings of Leon ..... Seriously the list goes on.. those are just the few stuck in my head right now.

I honestly feel that there is a soundtrack for every type of occasion, sometimes i just need to be sad, so i blast some Nora Jones "Come Away With Me" and songs that match with it, and just let it all out... OTHER times i feel the need to just BELT, so out comes my celine dion pandora list, so i can cook dinner and just SING.

Sometimes i just need to get back into the old Acting Up groove and belt some show tunes... ya, i'm one of those girls. We try to have enough Rockband parties that i am able to still feel like a star on occasion, but i still feel that something is missing and i may just have to try out for a play sometime soon..... HA we'll see how Riley feels about that.

Thankful Day 8- New Friends

2011-11-14T17:18:00.001-08:00

Just to start this out, I want to apologize for NOT staying with this everyday, i had internet issues.... SOOOO and NOW i am without a phone for a few more days, so just bear with me... days 8-14 are coming at ya within the next few hours.

New Friends... i am SO thankful for all the new friends this life has brought us. I know i have shared this before but when Rye and I were still living in St George, he mentioned multiple times that he wished we had friends to just have a BBQ with, or a game night. and now we have SO many new friends and we are able to do the things he always wanted to.

When Riley was gone a few weeks ago, I was texted by a few of the guys who did not go to the training, making sure that i knew if i needed anything to make sure and call them. It was such a comfort knowing that if i found a centipede or rat (PLEASE NO) in my house, that i would actually have someone to call. because not knowing anyone who is able to help with that kind of stuff makes you feel more isolated on this tiny island.

Some friendships don't last too long, others last as long as they are meant to, and some last for a lifetime. No matter how long the friendship, they serve their purpose. To teach us to trust others... to teach us NOT to trust others so easily, to teach us that sometimes we NEED to humble ourselves and ask for helps, the lessons are never the same. So to those "New" friends for me, some of whom may not be friends anymore. I am thankful for you, as well as the lessons you have provided me.

Thankful Day 7- My Husband's Skills

2011-11-07T23:56:00.000-08:00

This last week as i was driving home from the vet with Deezul, a woman side-swiped me, she was only close enough to smack my side view mirror.... I heard the noise, looked over in time to see her "OH CRAP" look on her face... and that quickly turned into a panicked "HURRY HURRY" look as she hit the gas a pulled away, turning left as i turned right so i was unable to get her plate number.

I drove back to base with my mirror dangling, The guy at the front gate (it's one of the cops that i really like, he's the nicest man every day as i drive onto base, and has slowly over the past year learned a little about me, including that i work at the ASYMCA, my dog's name is Deezul, and he even knows i'm Mormon (that last one was spilled by one of the Marines that was irritated that they pulled us over for Riley having blood shot eyes)) He asked me what the heck happened, as the other gate guards were getting ready to issue a fix it ticket to me. i explained that some woman just did a hit and run and i was furious, but my husband was due back in a few days and would fix it. So my new favorite gate guard got me off with not even a warning but just a "try and have a better rest of your day"

I had to let Riley know that Dee and I were in a hit and run, but that we were both ok, and it could have been much worse. He assured me that he would fix it as soon as possible.... so i did a super ghetto duct tape job to get me through the week, i wasn't even sure it would hold up on the freeway.... YIKES.

Riley returned LATE last night, we had to drop Deezul back off at the vet's office for another surgery, and then i headed off to preschool.... 4 hours later when i returned home.. MY MIRROR WAS FIXED!!! when i told him how impressed i was he replied with "Sav, it pays off to have this knowledge!" YES IT DOES!!! what would have been at LEAST $150 to fix was less than $10.

I am SO thankful for Riley's knowledge of cars, it is what let us be able to buy a car for $500 that is EASILY worth more than $3500, and fix EVERYTHING wrong with it for $100. it is an extremely valuable skill and one i am forever grateful for.

Thankful Day 6- Reunions

2011-11-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Before Riley joined the Marines, we had not spent any time of our married life away from each other, except for my 4 day trip to New Orleans, and his week long training in California for his old job. While we were dating we would have to go a week (two TOPS) without seeing each other for a few months while he was living 4 hours away. But we all know being married is COMPLETELY different than dating. so we really never spent any time away.

We were both ok with this, we are best friends and there is no one in the world i would rather spend everyday with! And i am not just saying that either. He doesn't often have "guys day" because he always ends up dragging me along on whatever adventure they have planned.

Everyone knows that i did the math and figured out that i spent 60% of our first year in the military away from each other... that is a HUGE difference to seeing each other EVERY day... What is the best part about him leaving for periods of time? ya i don't get asked that often.... or EVER for that matter. however there is a good part about him leaving... it means we get to enjoy another reunion. They are the happiest part of my life!

It keeps things fresh. But it is definitely not for everyone. It is NOT easy to be apart, and i credit my strength with the fact that we were able to solidify the foundation of our relationship before being thrown into this crazy hampster wheel. Every time he leaves, i am given the opportunity to improve myself and our surroundings so that he comes home to something better than what he left. I am able to realize how much i miss him, and how much i really do need him, but also as much as i NEED him... i'm able to do this. I CAN be alone.

The reunion though... that is something that only a military wife fully understands. When he was at bootcamp and there was absolutely no contact other than letters, he didn't feel real. It honestly felt like he was gone forever, in a totally new life. THAT is what i imagine having a missionary would be like.. but deployments, and trainings... When they leave for training, it's hard because you know that he is training to LEAVE, and that it's only __ weeks or days THIS time, but soon he'll be gone for a long time... And deployments are not fun, easy and are not cookie cutter- each one is completely different. You say goodbye, and you go home and you Pray to God every night that he is going to be ok. You rush to your phone EVERY call, because you never know if one of them may be the last. You don't argue because you don't want unkind words that you may have to live with and regret for the rest of your life.

When they return home from a deployment, it's proof that they are alive and well. even if they had called you the day before or week before to tell you they are on their way home. For us on the home front, it's not over until you spot them coming off the plane. Holding him after time away from him is the greatest feeling in the world. i have never felt as close to God as the moment i held Riley in my arms off the plane from Afghanistan, tears streaming down my face, Thanking him silently for bringing him home to me. Thanking him that i won't have to say "the last time we ever"

and THAT is what makes me ok with this military life. for those days, like today... when i get Riley home after he's been gone. Because as strong as i am... and as well as i can handle things back home... I need him more than anyone could ever know.

Thankful Day 5- Girls day

2011-11-06T05:05:00.000-08:00

Remember remember the 5th of November! Real quickly, i am sure many are relieved that facebook was not "taken out" in honor of Guy Fawkes day... i was kinda hoping that it would... oh well.

Today I am thankful for Girls days. Steph just barely left (ya it's nearly 3 am... we party hard)..... HA. Her husband is in a training that means ALOT of homework so he spent the day with the boys studying and she spent the day with me, watching chick flicks and having a home "spa" day.

We made this face mask i saw on pinterest made with honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon. it was quite melty on our face, but i will most definitely do it again, my skin has such a nice glow, and feels so soft! After that we got out my Mary Kay Peach Satin hands and satinized our feet and then our hands, rinsed off our face mask and then did satin lips.

I then had to go try on my gown for the ball and make sure the girl that is altering it took it in enough. SHE'S AMAZING!!!!

As much drama as girls cause... and as mean as girls can be... you simply NEED to have a girls day every once in a while. it was such a fun and relaxing day. Pampering yourself occasionally is a must as well. i LOVED that we got pampered and the only thing we spent money on was honey, cause i was all out.

After renting Alladin, we started Twilight... and both CRASHED probably at 9:45 ish... Steph's husband just called for her to go grab him so they can go home. It was a good day. And this year Steph and I have had more girls days than i can count and i am thankful for every single one!

Thankful Day 4- Crystal Lite

2011-11-05T01:30:00.000-07:00

ya ya ya... say what you will, it causes bipolar, it causes kidney stones.. yada yada yada... I LOVE IT!!!!

As a girl who has given up carbonation (special occasions don't count!) and a girl who is counting every calorie that enters my mouth hole... 5 calories for flavor is WORTH IT!!!

I keep the individual packets in my purse for those moments when the water somewhere is less than par, and i will not allow it in it's current state to meet my taste buds... i have a bad gag reflex ya know!

I really am so thankful that this is an option for me :) it helps keep me on track and not add extra calories into my daily intake. so THANK YOU CRYSTAL LITE!!!

Thankful Day 3- My Job

2011-11-04T00:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone knew that i was taking a break from working. I was enjoying being a stay at home wife, and being able to devote my whole day to the welfare of our family. I got a call in April from a girl in my ward at church. We were both in nursery together, but i was extremely confused as to WHY she was calling me on a wednesday. She told me that her work was looking for someone to do sibling care during preschool, and she thought i'd be perfect for it. pretty much told me that she got me an interview. I went in the next tuesday, expecting an interview, her boss showed me around and then told me that i started as soon as i got back from my trip to Utah.

and BAM just like that i had a job. It has honestly been one of the greatest blessings this year. what started out as a simple 5 hours a week, grew into my now normal 25 a week of teaching preschool. I have never worked anywhere that after 6 months, i didn't DREAD going into work. I will admit there have been a few mornings, when the house is a disaster, or the weather is horrible, or Riley has jacked the car for the day... where i think to myself what an inconvenience having a job is. HOWEVER... having an extra paycheck, and being able to do things... like pay $1000 for a surgery for our dog, outweighs ANY con.

I adore the girls i work with. We find ourselves chatting all the time about ideas, work, and families. We are all so willing to pitch in and help each other. and we have ALOT of fun everyday. There is always something going on, or some funny story.

Don't think i'm only writing this cause tomorrow is my day off and i get to go enjoy the weather (which will probably rain) I really am so grateful that God knew what i needed, even when i didn't. and he sent me the opportunity that i needed.

So now i am going to lay in bed with Deezul and listen to the pouring rain outside my window. yay for living on a tropical island it's still 76 degrees outside :) don't hate me.

Thankful Day 2- experiences

2011-11-02T23:59:00.000-07:00

Today i am extremely grateful for all the experiences i have been able to live! especially those that may have been HARD when i was going through it, but made me a better person in the long run. I recently found a letter i wrote to myself. I wrote it when i was 17. At the time i wrote it i was bawling (you can see the tear marks on the paper) I had just gotten home from being out with Riley, and had told him i thought he should move in with his parents.

For those of you that don't know the situation, Riley and i started dating, a few weeks later his parents moved, he felt a feeling like he needed to stay. So he arranged to stay with a long time friends family. over the course of the year the family got more and more abrasive. To the point that it was borderline psychological abuse. Riley was REALLY struggling with them, but did not want to move in with his parents cause it would mean leaving me, as well as having to switch schools for the last term of his senior year.

So for his mental health, i told him to leave. With the promise that nothing would change between us. but knowing that the other times i had tried a long distance relationship... it never lasted. I knew it was the ONLY option though, because he was severely depressed in the current situation. Anyway, in this letter i talk about the situation and how i am so completely in love with him, and i don't see how we will get past this. But because i was so in love with him, that i HAD to let him go. I honestly thought that night, that we would eventually get pulled apart. Lucky for me, that boy already knew he planned on marrying me someday. and did everything in his power (including driving 4 hours each way nearly every weekend to see me) to make sure that we stuck through it all.

That is one of those experiences that forced me to Grow. To put someone else's needs above my own, even knowing at the time that i would probably gain nothing. I have always tried to be that same girl. The one that sends him off to war, promising i will keep it all together. promising that i will be ok without him, knowing full well that i am in for _ months of restless nights, and more than a few days when i just feel like something is wrong... waiting by the phone for him to call and tell me that he is alive and well.

Riley leaving for any amount of time is always an experience in which i grow.

Losing my pregnancy was another one of those self altering moments. I have had to accept that i will not get exactly what i want/pray for. I really wanted Riley to be home for my due date... however maybe i am supposed to get pregnant and have the baby while he is gone for another experience, i don't know that now...

There were a few weeks in that really Dark period i've talked about. I felt... Dark... that is the only way i can explain it. It is something that i have had to realize is actually more normal than i thought. I made a comment one day (i think the day or two before Riley said i should be medicated) that the pregnant woman in the parking lot made me furious and i just wanted to hit her... KEEP in mind i would NEVER actually harm a person. But it was that thought process of "WHY DOES SHE DESERVE THIS?!" and "What makes her more deserving than i to be a mother". that is still a question that plagues my days. When someone that i KNOW complains about everything in their life gets pregnant. i immediately think in these EXACT words "and SHE deserves a kid more than me..." I see fathers all around base that are non-existant in their children lives. who do nothing but play on the computer or constantly go out and party instead of spending time with their families... and then i look at Riley who will practically HOLD Deezul down and force him to snuggle with him cause he say's he just wants some snuggle time. And when he tells me that a music video he watched makes him want a little girl.

Or that time in the baskin robbins parking lot when he apologized for his medication comment. Letting me know that he has a hard time with me voicing my anger and hurt with the situation because he IS hurting and it IS hard for him to hear about everyone getting pregnant... When he wants to be a dad so bad. Looking into his eyes, and wanting to give him a child of his own, and yet at that moment feeling that i had just murdered his child and killed his dreams.

I thought things would NEVER get easier. and yet here i am, being able to talk about it completely rational. I can already tell that this experience will forever change me as a person. I have to take everything as an opportunity to grow and learn. and to move forward as a wife and daughter of Heavenly Father.

As i have always said to Riley "Look Unto Christ in Every Thought. Doubt Not. Fear Not."

Weight Loss Wednesday- Dress Shopping

2011-11-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here we are, my second weight loss Wednesday post. How have you changed your life this week?

This last week was "ration" week, if your a military wife you know the drill. you live off whatever you have in your house until payday :) luckily my house is pretty stocked. I only had to do this because of the thousand bucks that was used for Deezul's surgery, it's not a normal occurrence in our house. I had to get creative to stay within my calories allotted for the day. And i was SO busy with halloween and all the events of that, it was difficult for me to find time to run.... those were definitely my obstacles of the week. But while everyone else was trick or treating, i hit up the commissary (our grocery store on base) i got ZERO trick or treaters... and i knew that our store on base was closed, so i drove over to pearl harbor and went to theirs. EMPTY!!!! it was amazing, that has never happened on a military payday! there were VERY few people in the store. i loved it. so now the fridge is TOTALLY stocked up on nutritional goodness. Yesterday i made applesauce in my crockpot... ya it was pretty dang good! Steph said it was almost too sweet, it was like an apple pie. She at a whole cup of it, and i think my calorie estimate was about 100 calories for it. she was pretty impressed!

I think i was only able to run once this week. it's been really crappy weather, which i LOOOOOVE, but my bodybugg doesn't like rain, AND i'm a bit of a klutz, so i can just imagine me eating pavement, as a platoon of Riley and my friends run by... NO thank you. I did hit my calorie burn goal everyday (maybe missed it once, but i was close)

I went dress shopping for the ball yesterday. Steph and I went and fell in love with the EXACT same dress. and BOTH wanted to buy it... she won :) i had to find another one. so i am happy with the dress i got. we'll see if i LOVE it the night of the ball. This year there will be MANY more pictures, since i didn't bring a camera last year. trying on dresses was fun though. probably cause i have had better self esteem since taking this all serious again. Riley is going to get home to a changed woman.... and a changed menu, HAHA. yesterday made me hopeful about future clothes shopping trips. lately clothes shopping is the LAST thing i want to do... cause i don't want to be depressed about it... so instead i'm changing myself so that i am nothing but excited about new clothes :)

Alright so here are my stats
Since last weeks post i am down 3.2lbs
Since 12 days ago when i started i am now down 7.2lbs
HECK YAAAAA!!!!!

I feel fantastic! keep in mind i'm still eating! and normal food too! i had 2 fun size chocolate candies on halloween, plus 2 suckers. last week one day a mom from preschool brought cupcakes (which by the way, one cupcake is 160 calories.... ya thats half my snack allowance for the day!) it's all about making room in your daily plan for a treat. i had to work that cupcake INTO my 1200 calories. I went to 2 BIG Halloween events, plus Halloween and i am still DOWN 3.2 lbs this week. i am EXTREMELY pleased with that. My original goal was to be down 15 lbs by the ball which is a week from tomorrow, i don't think i will get there. HOWEVER i am not going to be upset about that. I am happy with my progress.

also real quickly this is the BEST method i have found to have a healthy breakfast! Chop up all your different veggies and have them in containers so on mornings when you don't have tons of time, you just have to grabe a small handful of each, and toss them into your egg scramble (2 egg whites and 1 full egg) i add 1/4 cup cottage cheese as well and it's usually about 250 calories! and that includes my little bit of fruit on the side! here is how i do it!

on the left we have red peppers and green peppers, on the right are my tomatoes and green onions. and in the middle is the corn i sliced off the cob (i'm in the middle of doing that right now actually, so that container isn't full yet. keep these in your fridge or freezer and then you are able to toss them in!

Thankful Day 1- Vacuum's

2011-11-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

I originally wrote this last night, just forgot to post it, so i apologize.

I LOVE Thanksgiving, it's a time to reflect on ALL you've been given and all that you have in your life. So i am going to do the 30 days of gratitude posts. some may seem more serious than others, but i assure you, these are ALL things that i have realized more this year how much i really need them in my life.

Day 1- Vacuum's.

When i first got to the island everyone knows it took a year to get all our crap out here.... so i had to just live simply. This meant SWEEPING my floors. i don't think the military believes in carpets (probably because of how poorly military familys take care of their houses as it is.) This means my ENTIRE apt is hard floors, that is ALOT of sweeping. and i HATE sweeping. the floors ALWAYS feel gross even if i swept earlier that day, it was IMPOSSIBLE to clean the house all at once.

When our stuff arrived one of the items i was MOST excited about was my Dyson ball. it's an AMAZING vacuum, and it was one of the first things i used. i can now quickly run the vacuum over the floors (nearly daily) because Deezul feels the need to coat the floor with his hair, it's a never ending battle. But having my vacuum back gives me a bit of an advantage.

I Never Am Able to Find the Words

2011-10-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

When i meet wives on base the first question is ALWAYS the same "Do you have any kids"

We had an event at my work tonight, it was SUCH a success, and so much fun meeting so many new parents in the area. I think i must have been asked if i have any kids AT LEAST 15 times. and after smiling and responding "nope not yet" all of them said something about how i should really wait, or good for you, something along those lines. i never know what i should say, because i REALLY hate when people respond the way they do. I've always hated it. like you just met me, and yet you have an opinion on whether or not i am ready for children. So if you are one that responds in that way to people, just keep in mind that it might not be the best response. i had a girl tell me, the weekend i was actually miscarrying, that children were such a burden and it was such a good thing i didn't have any yet... not knowing that the baby i was hoping to have had died and that i was in the middle of an extremely painful miscarriage. How could she have known, i wanted to keep that as private as i could at the time. I am realizing now that i don't WANT to have to keep this to myself, i don't want or need pity... i just hated that i felt like i was completely alone, and then when people found out what had happened, SO many people came forward saying they went through a similar thing... WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS?!?! it should NOT be taboo. I found out recently that a wife (who i have known for a long time) has been telling people (alot of people) that i am unable to have children. I found out about this and was HURT. i found out because someone mentioned my name and this person (WHO DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ME) was like "oh ya, that's the girl that can't have kids."

I was more hurt and upset than i thought i would be. This is NOT who i want to be known as, ESPECIALLY since it is not true. i was venting to Riley about this, and as always i was proved how lucky i am to have him, he knows how to deal with me he quickly responded "then i guess she will look like a retard when we have a kid huh!"

I was really close with 2 girls when i was working in st george, one got married only a few weeks after we did, and the other followed by only a few months, we were all the same age within weeks of each other. we just clicked and became this trio at work. the first girl and her husband decided shortly after they got married that they wanted to expand their family. the second wanted to wait YEARS for kids.#1 had been trying for about 6 months when #2 was surprised with morning sickness, she felt AWFUL that the other had been trying so hard and NOTHING. they were finally able to conceive after i think 18 months. It was painful to watch her go through, when she finally got pregnant the dr. told her it was not a pregnancy and was actually cancer. THANK GOODNESS he was proved wrong after a few days, and they gave birth to a healthy baby boy. But when i first called Riley to tell him what the dr said to her, he told me his stomach dropped and he felt sick to his stomach. i remember when she had her first miscarriage they had to do a D&C, our work wouldn't give her more than one day off... and she came to work depressed for a VERY long time. i never fully grasped what she was going through. i remember multiple times she would just break down and bawl while i just held her and told her it was all going to be ok. I went home night after night EXHAUSTED telling Riley how unfair it was that they wanted a child SO BAD and would be amazing parents and yet crackheads were getting knocked up by the minute. I would lay in bed and talk about how bad i felt for her, and say something along the lines of "that won't be us" in a hopeful way.

Here we are 4 years after deciding we were ready, with no luck and a few losses on our side. We kept all of this a total secret from nearly everyone, not even our parents knew we were trying. it's been 4 years of everyone including our parents telling us that we are still babies and aren't ready to have kids. Not knowing how many times i have cried over having to go to the story for "girly supplies".

I finally feel like i have been able to for the most part put our recent loss behind me. I was pretty bad for a while there. I'm not normally a depressing person, but we had a couple dark weeks. I started crying in the theater when i watched the preview for "The odd life of Timothy Green" at the beginning the dr tells them they cant have kids and i just LOST it. I'm a firm believer of treating depression with exercise. Riley made the mistake only ONCE of telling me that whatever i was trying wasn't working and i should get on some drugs... i think after the death glare he realized he had made a BIG mistake. Rye has never had to deal with me having a COMPLETE meltdown, it was a totally new thing and he was almost in a panic to try and figure out how to deal with me when i wasn't being the easiest wife in the world. I still have rough days, i'm sure i always will or at least for a good long while. But most days i am able to look on the bright side. It's still hard to realize that this next week i would find out what we would have had. Or to see the girl at church that has a due date the day after mine would have been.

I am extremely blessed, i have the most wonderful husband in the world. Not a day goes by that i don't thank God for him. He's my very best friend, i enjoy nothing more than being with him. And i have the worlds greatest dog. sure he can be a butthead, but he is SO well behaved and the biggest mama's boy i the world, he's my baby boy, and will always be my "first kid".

So for tonight i am TOTALLY fine, just sick of people having opinions as to whether my husband and I should be allowed or ready to procreate. We always intended on being young parents. Riley's rule was that he did not want to be a dad before he turned 21...... he will be AT LEAST 25.... things don't always work out the way we plan for them to.

So i am now an open book on the subject of what happened, i am not afraid to talk about it, and no one should be afraid i might break down into tears at any moment. I'm back to normal Sav, I never realized how level headed i normally am, until i felt like i was losing it. it's a scary thing to feel like you are going crazy and are not in control. Let's not do that again :)

Tatoos On This Town

2011-10-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

Goooooood Morning faithful blog stalkers!!! i'm trying to keep myself busy until 9am when i am allowed to eat breakfast (i'm trying something). So i had that headache until this morning, i woke up a few times in the night with it... i was in so much pain i went to bed at 7pm, Rye called and woke me up at 8 just to catch up on my day, and then let me go back to sleep. i slept until 6 this morning... WOWZA, i was tired!!! So first thing i went and took Deezul outside, which was when i caught a glimpse of the sunrise this morning, Holy Moly it was amazing.... So i hurried and threw on my running clothes and went for a quick Run. it was gorgeous!

So i get home, hurry and shower and then throw on some awesomely motto sweats... yup the green boot camp ones. they are my favorites! Then Kat texts me and tells me to check out the video for "Tattoos On This Town" by Jason Aldean, now i LOVE that song so i hurry and click over to youtube....

Seriously i BAWLED! haha ok, blame it on hormones... you'll probably tear up too though.

What's With the Headache

2011-10-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

So i have decided with this time alone this time i am going to (when i'm not working) chill out with a one tree hill marathon... ya, it was just added on netflix.

I spent a few extra hours at work today helping decorate for Halloween. About an hour before i left this headache hit me with a force like a rocket. i don't get headaches often, but 2 hours later, this is definitely proving to be the worst i've ever had... LAME!!!! i just cannot wait for the sun to set so i can go to sleep, cause this does not feel nice!!!

Tomorrow is normally my day off (one of the many) but i will be spending the day at work for an awesome event that i am excited for :)

I know this is a quick post. But at this second i don't have too much on my mind.

The End :)

Weight Loss Wednesday! - No Boring Breakfast Here

2011-10-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Alright so i promise not to make this blog all about weight loss, or fitness or anything like that... So i have given myself a rule, i am ONLY allowed to post anything like that related(except for races and such) on Wednesdays, so welcome to the first ever weight loss Wednesday. After i posted about that girl (you know, the one that is TINY now) i decided it WAS the perfect motivation. I started tracking what i am putting in my mouth, which for me has always been the one thing i WON'T do. I put an App on my phone so that i can track anytime anywhere, and can simply look up the foods on the app rather than have to look up online how many calories something has. According to the App i should be taking in 1240 cal per day (it went down to 1220 after i entered my new weight yesterday). tracking my food has made a WORLD of difference. I am having to watch everything! i bought these new pumpkin spice almonds (AMAZING!!!!!)

i bought this whole container on base for only $5, YA, go grab some NOW!!! anyway, they are amazing, but i am only allowed 22 nuts at a time... and that's 160 cal just for some almonds. now some would argue, almonds are good for you, YES they are. however too much of a good thing isn't always good for you. counting out my almonds, and putting them in a baggie was slightly depressing the first time, because Riley and Kyle were just snacking on them in the car, asking if i wanted any... and i couldn't.. it was a sad day.

I am also a firm believer that when you eat the same thing day after day, it's NOT going to end well... so i have been mixing it all up big time! here are my last three breakfast's

This scramble has 2 egg whites and 1 full egg, some sliced up tomatoes, green peppers, corn stripped from the cob, red peppers, 1 slice of turkey lunch meat, cottage cheese, salsa and black pepper that plus my 1/2 of the orange i cut up totaled 260 calories, and you can see the edge of my drink, i've been drinking the strawberry crystal lite (always been my favorite)

I have always HATED greek yogurt, it's too tart and just UGH... but i knew that to get serious about this i would have to start eating it... so i tried the yoplait honey vanilla, pretty dang good. So this is the 100cal yogurt cup, with 3 frozen strawberries sliced up (it was too many strawberries in my opinion... it was like yogurt coated strawberries rather than yogurt with berries) and then an 1/8 cup of rolled oats sprinkled on top. this totaled 191 calories, looking back on yesterday i would have added something else, cause i got hungry a little sooner after this than i was expecting. i think 250 calories is good to hover around for breakfast. Too low and you get hungry soon after

check this out... ya it looks amazing... this was my breakfast about an hour ago. it's 1 cup vanilla soymilk, 5 frozen strawberries, half a frozen banana and 1/4 cup of oats. This is 282 calories. and worth every single one! i actually made this same smoothie without the oats for dessert last night. it's such a simple recipe but it tastes like we bought it. I made one for one of the Marines and he thought it was amazing. so this recipe is a for sure winner!
you cannot tell me that a doughnut looks better than these meals.

Riley and i eat healthy 75% of the time normally, however i never measured my almonds or cottage cheese... and so i was taking in too many calories to lose any weight. Even with all the working out! With simply tracking what goes IN my body and paying close attention to my bodybugg to track how many i am burning... i have lost over 4 lbs... since Saturday. My skin is clearer, i have a glow! and i feel better. Yesterday i got home after work and was BORED cause Riley is gone, and i ended up eating a brownie someone had brought us... when i tracked it... it was 150 calories... for a tiny brownie. i won't tell you it wasn't good... cause it was. but not worth having to adjust my day around! i would rather have a chocolate pudding with whip cream for 70 calories.

My goal is to be down by 10 lbs by the time Riley returns. I am confident i will shatter that goal :) stay tuned for next Wednesday to see how i'm coming along!

Beaming with Pride (Rye's 30k)

2011-10-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

I swear this is our story almost every weekend now... Riley ran a race. and is awesome. haha so i am SORRY if you do not share my enthusiasm or interest. Riley and Kyle had their 30k yesterday, ya that is 18.somethin miles. they have been doing the marathon readiness series to get them ready for the Honolulu marathon, and this 30k was actually the last 18.somethin miles on that course.

Here is my recount of the day! Gun time was at 5, so we had to arrive at 4(a little later if we were running late but i wanted to shoot for 4 to make sure they both had time). Since the race was in Waikiki (we live on the other side of the island) we had to leave BASE by 3:30, which meant Riley and i had to leave to pick kyle up by 3:20, thus our alarms for the day were set from 2:20-2:40. We stayed up late the night before watching storage wars on netflix(i blame Rye for that).

I told them both i would drive so they could prepare themselves. Truth is, Rye is horrible when it comes to dealing with traffic and big cities, so it was for my own benefit. Alright so we get there and find out there are 1300 runners, HOLY CRAP!!! Riley was still hurting from the trail run him and i did last week, so we had our doubts as to whether he should do this race or not. He told me prior to the race starting that he was just going to take it easy, and not "worry" about trying to place.

Gun time at 5:00AM (still pitch black outside) i hurried and put my camera on auto just to get a few shots of them coming around the first bend

they are in the middle of the picture towards the back, Harpster in his black shirt, Rye in his red.

I settled in for a LONG morning, knowing that i probably would not see the boys for at least 2 1/2 hours. haha ya that was my goal for them. i sat on a bench in the park listening to my audio book for the first hour. I kept hearing this REALLY weird noise, it sounded like freakin monkeys. So i took out my headphones and was trying to figure out what kind of animal was screaming like a monkey. it seriously took me 5 minutes to realize that i was only 150 ft from the honolulu zoo, and i was ACTUALLY listening to monkeys screaming (must have been feeding time.... or monkey fight club). After an hour of hoping that a hobo wasn't going to shank me for stealing his bench (if you've ever been to Honolulu you have experienced the homeless here) i thought i would get up and go for a walk, since i had at least another hour to kill. i crossed the street to waikiki beach and decided to take some pictures of the city with the sunrise, i got a bunch that i love alot, but i think this will be the one i will get printed onto a canvas.

Soon i figured i should head back to the finish line, the time clock was approaching 1:50:00. by 1:57 we had our winner CRAZY FAST, HOLY CRAP!!! I found my place at the finish line to make sure i could get some good pictures of the boys, and started counting finishers so i knew when to expect them... i don't know why i do this, i ALWAYS lose count and forget what i'm doing, and then i see all these finishers and i get worried that Rye didn't do as well as he hoped and then i would have to deal with that disappointment.

The clock hit 2:30:00, and i started getting a little worried. did he get injured? is he limping to the finish line, did he decide to stop at mcdonalds on the race course? WHERE was he?!!? 1 minute later he was in my sights!

haha you probably cannot see him, if i zoom this in all the way i can see the figure in the red shirt... what can i say, i KNOW my husband. i would know him anywhere.

He always looks so calm and focused when he runs... i look like a cat in heat when i run.

He headed straight for the water and snacks, while i stood my ground hunting for Kyle. Soon i saw some maniac running for the finish, MORE like sprinting.

less than 5 minutes after my goal for them, and they are both across that finish line. AMAZING!!!! i don't care how they placed (i never do) i am just so absolutely proud of them both!!! oh and ladies, Kyle is single! so if you are interested, i can put in a good word for ya (seriously)

Kyle grabbing some water

he's wiping off sweat, NOT smelling himself... haha i think

stretching it out

they may look a little irritated, but they really love that i get all these pictures.

i don't know if you can read that... but Rye place #120 OVERALL, and 2nd in the male 20-24 division... AMAZING!!! and Kyle is #129 OVERALL and 3rd in the male 20-24 division... INSANE! i was so proud of them both, they have both worked really hard, so to be able to both place was the best thing that could have happened

names were called, getting their awards.

i told them to smile with their plaques... where are the plaques? and who the heck is Riley creepily staring at???

Ya..... these are definitely the boys.... giving me a "professional" pose with their awards... nerds :)

The Proper Motivation

2011-10-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have been SEARCHING for that thing that would just make me re-think EVERYTHING, and would make me get completely back on track with eating and fitness. yesterday i found just that! i was on pinterest and came across this picture

As you look at this picture i am sure that like me you have many thoughts running through your head, there is NOWAY this is the same girl and IF it is, there is NOWAY that she lost all that weight in a healthy way. well get ready to be wrong on all counts. She decided after high school that she wanted to change her life, and so 1 year later she was down to 111 lbs, and in the healthiest way possible, simply eating the right foods, and the right amount of those foods. She doesn't believe that starvation is the way to get healthy, and knows that you only need so many calories in a day and that eating good foods is the best way to take in those calories. she didn't go on a crazy diet, she just changed the way she looked at food and the way she burned calories.

if this is not motivation for ANY stage of your life you may be in then there is something wrong with you. i don't care if you are pregnant, just had a baby, or just living a crazy life... if you are simply figuring out how many calories your body needs, and then putting them in your body the right way... you will be that girl everyone is envious of. the best thing about this, is even after i DO get pregnant, i won't have to change my eating habits at all... i will only need to add a few extra hundred calories per day, which is as simple as a yogurt and an apple. there is NO evidence stating that you need to "eat for 2 people" yes you are eating for 2, but the other person, is only a few pounds, and would like to start their life off with the right foods as well... so do it for yourself, for you family and not for anyone else.

Eat healthy and exercise, and the pounds will come off... i promise. if you want to check out her website click HERE!!!

Deezul's face lift

2011-10-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

So i just got home from dropping Deezul off at the vet, he's having pretty major surgery today to give him a bit of a facelift. Shar Pei's are WRINKLY, if you have seen the pictures of the wrinkly baby and the wrinkly puppy, AWWWW i love that one :) Deezul is not a pure bred but at least 75% Shar Pei, he is PRECIOUS.

he was 7 weeks old here, a few days after i got him

3 months old here... haha he still does this, check out those back wrikles

6 months old

10 months old, sleepy puppy

As you can see, he is FULL of wrinkles. the problem with that is... his eyelids roll INTO his eyeball, and irritates his eyes. he is constantly crying (actual tears) and has lots of eye boogers. we have known that this was a possibility when we got him, and we've been getting regular checkups to make sure his vision was still up to par. and the last 2 months we've been putting money away for his surgery (seriously, it is over $1000) So he had all his pre-Op appointments, he had to get all his vaccines up to date (they were due this month anyway) and they had to check his cornea's. this surgery is timed perfect, because he is JUST now starting to scratch the cornea's, so there will be no permanent damage and he will have perfect sight.

The surgery consists of them slicing away the excess eyelid skin... OUCH. so he is getting a bit of a facelift today, so that we can actually see his pretty little eyes. i really do love him alot, he's my baby boy and i would do anything for him.

So watch out this week for pictures of a doped up post-op sleepy baby Dee.

Waimanalo Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

So as you all know i am now the mommy and me preschool teacher on our base, so this last week we had a field trip to the pumpkin patch. Seriously i have been WAITING for this one, cause i have never been to a pumpkin patch. I was REALLY excited and just hoping that i wouldn't be disappointed with the type of patch the island has.

We started off with a hayride through his farm, on the course of the hayride he told us all about how just him, his wife and their three kids work the farm. they hand plant and hand pick every ear of corn and they only plant enough in each section so that when it's ready to harvest they can pick it all by hand day by day to fill the sales needs. he then told us about how they were a christian family and at this farm, they serve the lord. i ABSOLUTELY loved that! it seems like we are in a day in age when admitting that you serve the lord is no longer "cool" and by stating that to all your customers it seems like taking a huge gamble these days. now 70 years ago if you did not say that you were a christian family it would probably have horrible effects on your business.

This fluffy looking guy was on the hayride.

We then picked out our pumpkins, and checked out their mini petting zoo (complete with a donkey)

Heeeeehaaaaaaw

so as things were winding down i looked over to where i THOUGHT they were selling corn, but they were still picking the corn for the day, however they WERE selling fresh lemonade in these mason jars... ya i had to have one, so i left the farm and got some cash. TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

So cute right!

overall this place was absolutely adorable, and picture perfect. on an island where nearly everything is disappointing compared to the mainland... this definitely delivered. and i WILL be going back with Riley.

Lazy Weekend

2011-10-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

Well the race was this morning... i woke up and forgot that i was planning on taking a few dayquil's prior to leaving for north shore, so that didn't happen. the car ride was filled with Riley almost falling asleep, and me trying to stop coughing. So i already knew that i was NOT excited about singing. nobody wants to sing if you can already guarantee some crackage in your voice. So i decided to just accept that and attempt to ready my mind for my first ever race.

So in case you were wondering, yes i sang, and YES i messed up... coming off a two week cold though, i am still overall happy with how i did. THEN i immediately went over to the start line with Rye, they had a real life cowboy on a horse to shoot the gun to start the race. Rye leaned over, gave me a quick kiss and told me to have fun. and then he was gone :)

On the Drive over, Riley assured me that i wouldn't Die... and i would do fine, and it wouldn't be that hard because i run that far with him on base all the time. OK, this was a trail run... through a working ranch... it was NOT pavement. i proved that when i totally face-planted :) ya not surprised... i'm a clutz, anyone remember the six months i spent in a full arm cast cause i broke my arm twice?! no injuries though, got right back up and kept running... around mile one i realized i was NOT pacing myself very well and was overdoing it, that was right before i fell... so the 2nd mile i walked most of it... cause it was ALL up steep muddy hills (oh did i mention it was raining?) mile 2 hit and i was off like a bandit again... kept just thinking "just don't stop running" i met up with 2 girls and ran the last mile with them, and then the last tiny leg i sprinted, cause i didn't want them to finish ahead of me.

So, I FINISHED!!!! NOT first, not even close (wasn't expecting or hoping to be) but i hit my goal of not coming in dead last. i wasn't far from it though, but for Rye signing me up the night before, and it being a freaking insane trail, AND being sick, i am more than impressed with myself.

So now for the interesting stuff, Riley is always improving, today he ranked in the top 25 overall for the half marathon (YA, he's amazing!) he was number 23, and 9th for his age division. Gosh i was SO proud of him! ok, well the dumb movie i WAS watching is over so i'm going to go make this AMAZING stuffed red pepper thing we saw on biggest loser, i will leave you with some pictures of today.

Do you see his red shirt?

GO BABE! GO BABE!

Seriously, that is insanely well!

both of us (post-race) in our shirts. Rye REALLY wanted this picture. i couldn't believe how much he LOVED that i ran, he told me on the ride home that he really liked being able to talk about the course with me and actually have me "get it" it was definitely an AMAZING experience that i am glad we were able to have together, even if we didn't run together.

oh p.s. did i tell you the way Rye roped me into running the race.... i mentioned to him on thursday that i wanted to do a race so i could have my very own race shirt.. he found this race yesterday and said if they still had shirts available i was doing it. i really do love him.

Big Day Tomorrow

2011-10-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

So i am sitting in bed, downloading music for a special playlist for tomorrow... i don't know what i am going to listen to yet, but it better be pretty motivating.... Cause THIS GIRL is running her first race tomorrow... it's only a 5k, but i still feel all sorts of awesome. I am still getting over this HORRIBLE cold i have had... but i went for like a 3-4 mile run with Rye the other night and did totally fine, so i think i will be able to breath... i'm sitting here and totally have the butterfly's though.....

So we were registering for the races, Rye is running a half marathon tomorrow... did i mention these are trail runs, NOT road, so let's pray i don't trip over a stump or root of some sort. Anyway so we are filling out paperwork, and the girls stops us and asks if either of us sing, i never know what to say to that "why yes, i sure as heck do, i rock the CRAP out of my shower these days!" so i just kind of stood there trying to figure out what to say, Rye of course has NO problem piping up and telling her "SHE DOES!" The girl stares at us in disbelief, and says that she just had a feeling she had to ask us, and that she hadn't asked anybody registering all day, but they have been wanting to find someone to sing the national anthem before the race, and if i would be interested... now keep in mind i am still sick, i have that gravely voice that makes me sound a little bit like Tom Waits. but yet again that darling husband of mine as proud as ever states "she would LOVE to!!!!"

So on that note i will end this post and finish my playlist... cause come tomorrow morning i will be singing the national anthem in north shore, 5 minutes prior to running the race myself. oh and the kicker, the girl that asked me... she happens to be from St. George as well... small world

25K

2011-10-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

I forgot to update my blog after Riley's latest race, OOPS! So here we have the play by play of the day :)

So this race was MUCH closer to home than the 20k, we only had to drive off base about 10 minutes to get to the starting point, as we started driving we realized there were cones ALL down our street, it didn't take long for us to put two and two together and figure out that as part of Riley's race course he would literally pass our house. Rye and Kyle joked that they would just quit at that point and go chill on our couch, just say SCREW IT. So we get to the starting point at like 4:30 (gosh thats too fricken early!) So the race starts and i try to find a place to snap a few pictures, curious as to how far back they will be since they BOTH said all they cared about was finishing, neither was felt up to par and didn't think themselves able to push it too hard.

getting ready to start the race

I was settling in, playing with my camera, enjoying the gorgeous sunrise! all those blurs on the right, those are some of the runners.

so i was still messing with settings when i noticed a familiar silhouette in my frame, then all panic broke cause the settings weren't right and i had to put the dang thing on auto real quick so i could catch a few shots

So as soon as i snap this picture i'm about ready to try to fix the settings before Kyle comes by, no time! before i can even turn around i hear my name called, there he was.

you can even see Rye in this picture ahead of him but just barely! gosh they are too fast, i was just a little upset, but then glad at how well they were doing!

fast forward a few hours

in the trees you can see the red of Riley's shirt, here he comes round to the finish!

YEEEEEAAAAA BUDDY!!!

wait who is that guy that just passed him at the finish.... jerk.

Kyle coming round to the finish line!

RUN KYLE RUN!!!!

Relaxing after running

results

check out Kyle!!! number 4 in his age division!!! you are AMAZING!!!

There he is, that husband of mine, placing 3rd in his age division. i am SO proud of him!

still just chillin waiting for awards.

Kyle LOVES that i follow him with a camera :)

i really like these boys :)

There is Rye, after getting his 3rd place plaque, oh and that guy that passed him at the finish line...... ya he placed 2nd in Riley's division, and 1st place was only 10 seconds ahead.... So Riley was RIGHT THERE!!! and Kyle was NOT far behind at all. they are amazing, i am so proud of both of them, and cannot wait for the 30k so i can be right there yet again, harassing with my camera and cheering them on!!!

Explanation

2011-10-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged much since Riley got home. here is my explanation... it's long-ish so just beware.

When Rye first got home, i was completely focused on us, and getting back into our groove of things. July brought a visit from Rye's parents which was amazing, and lots of down time to spend sooo much time together. i have to say, it was one of the best months of my life.

August started out promising to be the best month of my life, the first week in August we found out we were expecting, big amazing news, since we've been hoping to expand our family for almost 4 years. we only told a small handful of people, but somehow word got out, like everything does on a small base. before long i had people i did not know, asking all about the rumors they had heard. i was FURIOUS, i wanted this to be our secret... but it seemed no matter how much i wanted it to stay quiet that wasn't going to happen. We spent august budgeting and planning, with lots of trips to stores pricing out fun "baby gear". the last week in august, we lost the baby. i had done everything right, but as you all know, sometimes it just doesn't "stick". i had been to the doctor a few days before and had an ultrasound, everything was normal, so the good news was that it was a completely normal pregnancy, and the reason for miscarriage seemed completely normal.

since then i have been working day to day on dealing with the loss of what would have been. i had known it was too good to be true, for me to get pregnant so soon after he got home, and for my due date to be only weeks before we expect him to deploy again, i knew the timing was too perfect to hope. it's difficult, i've always been an optimistic person, and for the first time in my life... i'm not. on top of this, it seems that every wife in Riley's unit has been announcing their news, and i'm talking like 2 pregnancy announcements a day. i have recently almost stopped completely logging onto facebook, because i don't want to be bitter, but seeing that little black and white picture of what i don't have anymore is heartbreaking.

To want something SO bad, and to try so hard for 4 years, only to have it taken away... it's something that only a very small percentage of people will ever understand. i'm tired of the most fertile people in the world trying to give me advice, and people who have never experienced such a loss trying to play it off as if it is completely normal, and that i should not continue to be upset.

So if i don't seem myself lately, that would be why. this is also the reason i will be deactivating my facebook for the next little while, i am much happier when i DON'T check it. I am very grateful for all the love and support i have gotten, and i am ok. really i am. and this just like all the other trials in my life will pass, and i will be left a stronger woman than before.

now that this is out and in the open, i expect that i will blog more. so stay tuned.

I HATE when i run out of spray paint before i run out of Motivation

2011-09-25T02:21:00.000-07:00

So the B key on this computer is now completely shot... i thought about just giving in and paying the $100 for a new keyboard, but Riley HATES this computer and just wants me to get a new one, FINE BY MEEEE!!! so excuse any missing B's in this post... i have to dig my finger nail in the little hole thing to make the letter, super fun huh.

So today Riley had Duty... for those of you unaware of what that is, it means he has to get into one of his dress uniforms and go babysit the barracks to make sure the stupid Marines don't make any decisions too high on the stupid scale. For 24 straight hours, ugh that would suck. So after dropping him off this morning i set off to do some garage saleing. i didn't bring any cash 1.) because we are trying to be really good about budgeting and hand me down crap isn't in the budget and 2.) i decided that i am a terrible impulse buyer and if i absolutely fell in love i would have to drive to go get cash, drive back... and by then i would have to still think it was a good purchase AND it would have to still be available. Well all the sales sucked big time, and i came home empty handed. i've been wanting to start on my barstool's but i am not getting fabric for those until this next payday (i made the smart decision that it wasn't a "right now" necessity.) ya, i do smart things like that from time to time. PLUS the fabric store we went to didn't have the gray i dreamed about. who knows if it actually exists... a girl can dream though. So i was sitting at home thinking about how i NEEDED to do a new project for the house. so i spent 24 minutes trying to get the code on our padlocked storage closet, finally broke in and grabbed almost all the spray paint i had in there. I grabbed the ihome, and Deezul and headed out to the back porch.

My in-laws are amazing, have i said that lately? when we bought our house, Rye's parents were changing their back patio furniture... so they just GAVE us these awesome chairs. They originally went in the set with a table and it was this amazing outdoor dining room. however a storm came and somehow shattered the glass top to the table. so they kept two of the chairs (they are SO comfy) and gave us the other 4. When the chairs first got delivered on island, they had oil spots and such all over. within 3 months of being here they have tons of rust spots on them. so i have been planning a face lift for these bad boys for a while now.

So this is the before (super boring huh!)

Do you SEE all that rust?!

I'm doing yellow on two and blue on the other two.

i then had to lay the chair down and at each angle cover all the brown with white.

TADA!!!!!

So it took me less than a can of blue and 2 white to finish this chair, i am now all out of white and sad as could be. So what for part two of this and see how this little project finishes out!

P.S. did you notice how Dee is a total photo crasher :) that's my boy!

Inspection

2011-09-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

So due to some recent events which i won't post about cause it's really nothing to be spread. Riley's unit is now implementing house inspections for the married Marines. which of course sends EVERYONE into panic mode... thoughts of Marines in dress blues with white gloves and a sword walking through my house, making sure my window sills are spotless... seriously though, i think last night when this was announced the mini mart on base probably had a spike in energy drink sales. Riley calls me in a panic telling me they may start in the morning, and we still have that pile of laundry that needs to be done (it is literally like 2 loads worth... that's IT)

Now i have no problem with a house inspection. i think it's a good idea. I mean we are living in military housing, they have every right to make sure we are not tearing the place down. Although with the current state of this apartment i sometimes wish that were an option. They can not tear down this condemned building fast enough. only a few more months! After the initial panic of someone coming through our house to judge us, we found out it's mostly just to check living conditions and as one Marine put it (make sure we don't have dead animals in the closet and nothing is growing in the fridge)

I am still going to make sure the house is spotless. If i am having some of Riley's higher-ups in my house it's going to look pristine. i honestly DO feel that this is a good idea, and other than not looking forward to having to mop the whole house like NOW (I've been putting it off) I'm ok with it all. It's a little motivation to get the spare room organized quickly (more to come on that). i think alot of girls (including me) got married VERY young. one of the problems of that is we move from home, to our very own place... not always knowing what running a household entails. I was really lucky to live so close to my mother in law for so long, she would take me to her cleaning supplies dealer (i guess it was not near as sketchy as her old dealer) and then she'd show me all the tricks to getting things to their cleanest potential. She is the one i call when i have any cleaning questions, i mean i dropped a plate of lasagna on her nearly white carpet... ya you can't even tell, she's THAT good. HOWEVER all the wives aren't so lucky to have a nearly OCD mother in law to show them the way. So they are left with a big house and feeling more than a little overwhelmed. i feel this inspection thing will put a fire under their bum.

Ok so about the spare room. so i was at the salvation army yesterday. I seriously HATE that place, they are SO overpriced. they were selling this piece of crap dresser for $160, at the D.I. it would have been $20. anyway they had this hutch their, priced at $125 i was NOT willing to pay that much, so i went up and asked the girl if they were willing to negotiate.. no dice. I asked how long they have had it, 2 days. so then i tell her i'll give her $100 right then and there. She then gets all pissed and tells me it's already on sale from $190. i ask her how it's on sale if they JUST got it, and then tell her it has ALOT of rusty and broken parts that would need to be replaced. She tells me it's worth $200(NOT) and that i should be happy to pay $125... so i got a little upset and stormed out telling her to keep her freakin overpriced hutch and that the whole store is freakin ridiculous. i was excited to get the hutch, redo it and then keep it in our craft/workout room to organize all that stuff, it would have been PERFECT! but instead she HAD to make me mad. stupid woman, and STUPID overpriced thrift store. you can keep your junk!!!

ok enough procrastinating... i need to get cleaning.

Run Forest Run!!!

2011-09-09T07:45:00.000-07:00

So i am not a very good runner... i try, but with my legs/feet shaped and cocked funny, finding shoes that make running not painful (in a bad way) is a challenge. my husband however is insane! he loves running! him and Kyle decided to run a 20k this last weekend, and when i say decided, i mean they talked about it but were both too busy to work up for it. so they hadn't run in like 3 weeks when race day came along.

We had to set our Alarms for around 3:30 on a sunday..... let's just say the day started out with some texts along the line of "you awake Kyle?" "This is retarded" "yup"

We picked Kyle up at the barracks at nearly 4, he came down barefoot and without an ipod, so we sent him back up barefoot to grab his pod. He joked he was hoping to slice his foot open so he wouldn't have to go and he could go back to bed. in the parking lot of an infantry barracks, i'm surprised he DIDN'T slice his foot open. we drove the 40 minutes to the other side of the island (that is a FAAAR drive on this little island. i know mainland that is nothing.... but it's pretty ridiculous here) got the boys all checked in and ready to run, and then i settled in with my book for the race... it's about a 4 mile loop, so they passed me 2 times and on the third, they finished, so i was able to get some action shots :)

here are the boys (with the matching yellow striped shorts.... ya i gave them crap for that) waiting for the horn to go off. they were originally going to go easy for the first mile to warm up... but when the horn sounded they had all sorts of motivation and just took OFF

Rye making his first loop and feeling good!

Kyle only a few minutes behind him.

Riley on lap 2, i know the picture is blurry, but i love it!

Kyle on lap 2, still only a few minutes back!

There he is!!! finishing 6th in his age division, and 132nd overall (out of 700)

Kyle finishing 8th in his age division and 152nd out of the 700

cooling off

yes they both have a piece of chocolate cake in their hand, the race provided all sorts of awesome snacks for them post-race

these two are pretty much best friends, and they are two of the STRANGEST, and funniest guys i know

he looks so skinny! and sweaty..... ewww

ya, how cool is his number! this was his first race EVER, go Kyle!!!

The results (the page they were on at least)

i love everything about this picture.
All in all it was a good morning, they were both glad they did it, and are excited about the next race they will be running. we spent the rest of the long weekend relaxing and napping.

There IS life after deployment, things for the Gardiner's have returned back to complete normalcy. people keep asking if Rye is different, and if going over there changed him. everything we do in life is going to change us, it's inevitable. we just have to have faith, and the right attitude to allow our experiences to better us rather than to effect us in a negative way. you can't look at this last picture and tell me that's not the same guy from a year ago, he is amazing. and every day i am grateful that i married him.

So congrats boys you guys did AWESOME, and i can't wait to be at your next race, camera in hand.

Interesting

2011-08-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

You know those people you are friends with on Facebook... the ones who complain about SOMETHING in every status update. first of all, i don't understand how ANYONE could be that unhappy with their husband, dogs, AND kids to only say a nice thing about them MAYBE once a month. There is a girl who had 40 updates in a week... and only 3 were not complaining about her kids dog or husband. THREE!!! and it's not that she was having a bad week, because thats pretty much how it is every week.

i've been thinking about that this week. how can people be SO upset with what God has given them. they have a husband when other military wives aren't so lucky anymore. they have children, when SO many others try for years with no avail. When people complain constantly about there kids it honestly makes me sick to my stomach... almost as much as people diagnosing their kids with any disease or disorder just to get their kids on some sort of drug that is supposed to make them listen. i had a woman tell me that the doctor said her kid did NOT have ADHD, so she went to 13 other doctors before one said he might have a mild case and they could TRY drugs... REALLY..... you want your kids to need to take drugs every day. SO desperate that you went to 14 total doctors, cause you were convinced there must be something wrong with your kid. now i am saying NOTHING bad about those with ADHD, it's just the parents today just feel like if their kid doesn't listen to them, they MUST have a medical issue... 20 years ago they would have simply decided a parenting class would maybe be a good idea.

I went to a party yesterday, and i should not have gone... i know that now. i am in no place right now to go out and try to enter into social situations. i am an absolute mess. this girl who was 5 or 6 months pregnant. talked about nothing but her pregnancy for 4 hours straight. She asked me if i had kids, and then when i said no, she told me "wait as long as you possibly can! ugh this pregnancy is horrible and this kid is going to cost $___ in the first year. and i mean you don't want to have kids when you are a newly wed, you definitely want to wait until you've been married a good long time. i know i'm glad we did. and i would give anything to not be pregnant anymore" UGH gag me. so i asked her how long they have been married (cause i hate nothing more than people giving me marriage advice unless they have a good 20+ years on their side) she told ME that they will have been married 18 months when she is Due. Given the week i had, i am going to justify my next comment.... knowing that had it been ANY other time i would have gritted my teeth and just let it slide. not saying what i said was nice or RIGHT... but if any of you knew what my week has consisted of, you would have cheered me on. i turned to her and said "well then, i've been married 5 times as long as you have and i don't really appreciate the unwarranted advice"

i wish i had said that. i really wish i had told this girl where to shove it. i was told by others that i gave a DEATH glare. and i guess i gave it to that girl a few more times throughout the party. that made me happy.

I try to be a very optimistic person. i don't normally complain on facebook, i mean read my posts from deployment... i'm sure not many of them were "woe is me" style. people see me as a very positive person. i know this because when i posted a few Emo-Worthy status updates, the calls and texts were almost instant. which is the last thing i wanted. i am SO grateful that i have so many amazing people out there who care about me. but i'm the kind of girl that DOESN'T want a hug if something happens. and doesn't want to talk to anybody for a while. usually i just want to spend time with Riley (cause he is my favorite person in the whole world) hug him a little tighter, and listen to him tell me that everything is going to be fine.

I don't ever want to be that girl, who hates every aspect of her life. When you are THAT unhappy with everything, i think it's time to take a step back and reevaluate. Even with everything going on in my life right now, i am still grateful for all i've been given. and feel incredibly blessed. that being said, i'm going to go ahead and wallow in self pity for a bit more. i'll be back to normal soon hopefully.

days like today

2011-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

you know those days when you don't want to go to work, cause you woke up in the middle of the night, and then had to fight with the dog for your rightful space on the bed, and then you toss and turn for hours... and then your husband has to get up at 5 am... so you are kind of just UP after that... and you are tired and don't feel awesome.........

ya i'm having one of those days... i need to hop on my bike and ride to work... since once again Riley took the car and i have not a motorized mode of transportation.

Dirty Little Secret

2011-08-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

As people who regularly read my blog, you know that there are many things i am not able to tell you. And i assume you are used to that part of this little blog. Just know that in due time i will let you know everything i can :) until then... excuse my lack of posting. every time i sit to write a post i can't think of anything to write that i'm allowed to write about. but today i have plenty on my mind... so bear with me.

Riley has now been home over 2 months. oh how time flies.. on this day last year i was sitting at Shaunci's house, eating burnt chocolate on strawberries, and crying about how my husband was in California for our anniversary. today, i'm on my own (amazingly comfy couch) in sweats and a tank top, thinking about taking a nap before Rye gets home from work for the weekend. our 5 year Anniversary is today. what are we doing for it??? ya we're going to the DMV... haha romance at it's prime huh! one of the boys needs to go really bad and we need to go too... so we are just going to hurry and get it done. ok, so i got all ADD and didn't finish my post, so now it's the next morning and i'm going to hurry and finish it. So we ended up going to see a movie yesterday, and then we took Deezul for a walk and snuggled on the couch and read our books. it was a good day. we are actually really going to celebrate today, we are both kinda thinking North Shore would be fun. we pretty much drive up there every weekend(ya it's an hour drive each way) but the snorkeling is just AMAZING up there.

With Borders closing all their books are super duper cheap, i don't know if you have checked it out but you should, we have now spent like $60 and have 8 new books, that WOULD have cost us $150 for all of them, the deals are amazing. I will be taking over as the preschool teacher at my work, i am shadowing right now and then in like 3 weeks, i have my first official class. i'm a little nervous, but the kids in the class are awesome, as are the parents. and i have confidence that i will do just fine :)

I'm really missing my Best Friends lately Lauren and Kat should come out and visit me..... i live in paradise, and other than my inlaws we've only had ONE visitor.... so maybe the rest of you should take advantage of a free place to stay in Hawaii.... PLUS a free tour guide who knows all the best spots around.... ready, set GO!

Well, Deezul has now woken Riley up as well (stupid dog) so i'm going to end this post... i will try to post again soon. and i will let you know everything soon enough.

Where has July Gone?!

2011-07-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

almost this entire leave i find myself waking up early... not early for me since when Rye was gone i was up at 6 am everyday at the latest... but i'll wake up around 7, and Rye will sleep a few hours longer. i LOVE this because it gives him the chance he deserves to catch up on some MUCH needed sleep... after 7 months of NOT sleeping. I will get up and out of bed, some mornings (like yesterday) i'll cook breakfast. Yesterday it was blueberry pancakes and homemade strawberry syrup. other mornings ( like today) i'll snuggle on my spot on the couch and attempt to write a blog.

The weather all week has been EXTREMELY gloomy... which yes i DO love.. but it puts a damper on any plans that would have involved the beach. we have but days left of Riley's leave. Next week he returns to work and our life will return to normal... i suppose it's normal... for us at least.

i had a dream last night, that Riley went back to Afghanistan next week when he returned to work.
it's something no Military family wants to think about with only 5 weeks since the return from deployment... but next week he will go back to work to get ready for his next deployment. at least this time around i have much more faith in us. i know that we are both incredibly strong, and we can get through a deployment. as well as reintegrate ourselves back into married life without issues. but we are NOT going to talk about the next deployment for a WHILE...

The boys are all returning from home. Riley doesn't like it cause it means he is gonna have to go back to work. this month off has been AMAZING. we have done so much, bonded, laughed, and seen practically every movie in theaters. i am so incredibly blessed to have married my very best friend. we have more fun together than any married couple should.

So this is my post to let you know that we haven't killed each other, and that there IS life after deployment... it is weird suddenly having someone around ALL THE TIME, when you are used to just chillin with the puppy.... sometimes you JUST WANT TO READ, but you can't always do that. it IS an adjustment, but as long as you are sensitive to each other and what you both went through... you'll end up fine. cause you will NEVER know what they went through on their deployment, and they will NEVER fully understand what you went through... if you can both know that going INTO a deployment it will make your life SO much easier after, instead of feeling the need to play the one up game on each other.

i'll post again soon, since life will be normal soon... if you can call my life normal.

Bayfest

2011-07-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

We hit up the Sea life part the other day... tickets are normally $30 a piece, we got them on base for $12... ya... STEAL!!! so we show up with seriously like NO time before the dolphin show... i was acting like a TOTAL capital B, cause i was stressing out... so i kinda put Rye in a bad mood... ya i'll admit that, i was totally in the wrong on that one. we were at the park for about 3 hours, it's a tiny park, but it was kinda cool because they filmed ALOT of 50 first dates there... and as i've said before that has always been Rye and My movie... we first saw it in theaters when we were first dating.

watching the aquarium... it was kinda lame....

can you tell that he is still irritated with me at this moment :)

waiting for a dolphin/penguin/ sea lion show

these dolphins were funny they were playing with each other!

after the sea life park, we HAAAD to go get VOLCANO NAAAAAACHOS at margaritaville, it's become Riley's favorite place on the island :)

So i have been looking forward to the Puddle Of Mudd concert since they announced it back in april. i wasn't so stoked about Hoobastank, but figured it would be a nice "plus" at the concert. I called my father in law and told him they should come visit around bayfest so they could hit up the concert with us. well....... yesterday was that big day. we started the morning with a farmers market, then went home for a nice nap and a movie. While Curt made us a roast in our new pressure cooker (it was BEYOND amazing) we then got ready and headed over to the hangars where bayfest is going on. i kept telling everyone we should head over early so we could walk around, but we arrived with 10 minutes until hoobastank, so we had to hurry over to the concert area. that's when i was informed we were not going to try and get close we were going to stay back,.... here

ya i was a little upset... i didn't pay for a concert to WILLINGLY be in the very back. Riley and I quickly moved up a bit closer after the band started
Hoobastank started and they were AMAZING, awesome, and funny. they played with the audience, chatting, making jokes, and above all else recognizing the military and all that they do. seriously gained SO much more respect for them. He brought out his daughter Maggie and said this was the first show she'd ever been to, she was so cute, and like MAYBE a year old.

we weren't front row... be there was a mosh up close, so front row was kinda out of the question.

After Hoobastank finished we all anxiously awaited for Puddle of Mudd, just chillin and killing time.

and YES, it was Riley's idea to do a cheesy smile picture... i love that boy! so maybe 2 minutes after that picture was taken it decided to POUR rain on us....

ya, it was pretty awesome... so after a LONG wait... Puddle of Mudd came out... and i have to tell you, i think they were like coked out of their mind, they played like 4 songs before even acknowledging the audience, and even then he just seemed arrogant. now i REALLY love their music... and i got BORED after a while.. so we headed back to sit with Rye's parents again. which is when the lead singer decided to start yelling at the audience for taking pictures and video taping... like I'm serious he was PISSED, he went on about it for a few minutes, then played, and then started ranting again... then he like set down his mic and walked off stage for a minute... it was a ridiculous tantrum, and made him seem like a complete douche... so we left with 1 song left... we heard it out on our way to the car... and honestly i don't feel i missed much... Hoobastank was BY FAR the better band at bayfest, they were so down to earth and gracious... you just can't help but adore them

now my mother in law is a character... if you have never met her.. you are MISSING OUT... i'm serious, she is hilarious. She apparently got up and was dancing the entire concert.. and i guess she thought it would be funny to do this when we came back... Riley's face makes the video soo much better :)

ya... her little lap dance was SO funny. she for sure embarrassed Riley and I... it was awesome. so this morning we are heading to church, and then since there is only today and tomorrow left on their trip i think we are going snorkeling today, i got really sunburnt on my shoulders at the sea life park, but i think i'm almost healed. i LOVE having my in laws here... but next week, we are probably going to just sleep and recuperate

Why is No One in the House Awake Yet?!

2011-07-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

So it's 6:45 i've been awake for nearly an hour, and it's just Deezul and I... i got out of bed because i heard Curt and Shellee talking. i guess that was just pillow talk and they decided that more sleep would be nice. So i'm just sitting on the couch, getting stuff done on the computer... and then stopping and deciding that blogging would be more entertaining. Harry Potter comes out at midnight tonight... movie number 8... and it was the midnight showing of number THREE that Rye and I became a couple... wow... the end of a HUGE era. it's a little sad. i REALLY want to go. but the in-laws are here, and i doubt they would want to go. and Deezul is actually getting surgery today so tonight he is going to need some lovin from mama.

Yup, today is the day we take away my little pup's manhood. everywhere on this island wanted to charge a FORTUNE to get him fixed, i'm talking like 500 big ones! WHAT?!?! no. so now that i finally found a decent place it's getting done. Rye is having a hard time with it. last night he asked if it was too late to call and cancel. he'll be fine Rye! in 3 hours he has to be dropped off... and being his mama, i'm stressing a little bit too.

So as you read, the in-laws are here, it's been a BLAST so far, yesterday morning while Rye and I were still in bed they took Dee for a walk down to the beach... he somehow got OUT of his collar... they had a platoon of Marines stop and try to catch him (no dice) from what they described he probably ran a total of 2 or 3 miles (at a dead sprint). he's gotten out multiple times, and he has NEVER come when i told him to. so i head out on the porch yesterday and see Shellee waving like a mad woman for me to come out. then she yells and tells me Dee is loose and she needs my help to come get him, cause they have been chasing him for half an hour. i walk outside stretch, and see Dee in the distance. i yell his name ONCE... in a "i haven't seen you in so long" type of tone. he stops looks right at me, and runs to me and practically into my arms. it was AMAZING. it's moments like that, where i just fall in love with that pup all over again. he is the biggest mama's boy EVER.

So Curt and Shellee got here Monday late afternoon. We went grocery shopping that evening with them and just chilled at home, cause they had been awake for nearly 24 hours. Tuesday we got up and Curt decided he wanted to show us how to use the pressure cooker they just bought us. so he made us pulled pork. HOLY COW IT WAS FANTASTIC!! then after lunch we headed out to go do a quick hike of a lighthouse. it is actually the lighthouse that they filmed a scene on "50 first dates" which is Riley and My movie... kinda like our song. it's crazy i was just reading about that movie 90% of it was actually filmed on our side of the island, and even in our bay... so we are going to try and watch it today so we can see how much of it we recognize :)

alright i took a break and got on Google+ chat with my brother. they ONLY issue i have with google+ is that it won't link to my blogger... so i can't be signed into both... pretty lame huh! anyway here are some pictures from our hike, it was FUN! oh an everyone else is awake now and i am about to go get ready to take Dee to the Doc... not fun.

we stopped at one point on a huge cliff, i saw this big Rock and told Rye to go do a yoga pose, he decided on the Crane, it didn't turn out as awesome as it should have, so i had him do Tree

i like this one :)

it was like CRAZY windy, and Rye was having to hold that pose FOREVER and wait for his dad to get his balance, while laughing at his dad's lack of yoga skill... that's why Rye is slightly less than perfect :)

haha ya.... we couldn't get all three of them before the people caught up to us and they got a bit embarrassed :)

Rye and his parents at the top, overlooking the windward side and the lighthouse

Rye's dad Curt was pretty into the hang gliders, he just stood and stared at them forever!

Rye had this app that was tracking our distance, time and such

this last picture is the ONLY picture i got from north shore, with Curt's facial hair, the normal snorkel goggles don't fit too well... so i figured we should try the goggles and nose plug... it looks like he's from the 1970's, but it was freakin effective... i will use that set up from now on, i LOVED it.

at north shore we went out to start swimming, and someone pointed out that there was a sea turtle in the water, so i swam with the turtle for at least an hour, it was AMAZING. seriously, sometimes i look around the island and can't believe how blessed i am to get the opportunity to live here. we stopped on the way home to try one of the shrimp trucks... WOW... it was insanely good.

ok, more updates to come!!!!

Life Goes On

2011-07-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

I know i have neglected this little blog of mine.. i sit down, start writing a post and then think to myself "man, you are just not that good at this anymore... no one is even going to read this" i get a few paragraphs out... and then i decide there are other ways to spend my time at that moment. But i received a post on facebook from my good friend Kaitlyn that she has missed my posting, i mentioned that to Rye that i haven't posted and he responds with "i know." turns out he's still checking on my blog even though he's home. i am so blessed to have a husband who loves me enough to actually read whatever is on my mind, and is genuinely interested... i mean he checks my blog often, i'm a lucky girl :) alright so here is my ULTRA BIG UPDATE!!!

Last time i left you with our new love affair with our grill... that is still going strong! we grill almost every night. the sun goes down, Riley gets the meat all seasoned he heads out back to fire up the grill... he opens the back door, lets Deezul out and calls to me for whatever he forgot in the kitchen, i grab said things and head out back. Riley works his magic on the grill, and I sit out on our patio and sometimes i read, other times i just chat with Rye and play with Dee. Once dinner is done we head inside, fix our plates and head back out back to eat and enjoy the breeze of the ocean just a block away :) jealous yet?

Leave is officially in full swing. we dropped all the boys off at the airport last Thursday and so now it is just Rye and I... until Monday with the in-laws arrive. I am really excited for Curt and Shellee to get here! we are needing to finish organizing this little apartment... we're getting there.... slowly but surely! we are currently hoping to get a new place on base.. since our upstairs neighbors porch is litterallly falling apart... and if there were an earthquake.. we'd be screwed.. and either our puppy would be smashed, or our grill would be squashed... and IIII would be PISSED!!!

Here are a few pictures and any stories that go along with them... and here we go!!!!!!

Alright so this first picture was taken one of the first days he was home, Dee was SO glad to have Rye home, the two have been snuggling like crazy for the past 3 weeks... and Rye being the loving puppy pop, always makes sure Dee is covered and comfy

So Riley got on me like the 5th day that he was home saying that i wasn't taking any pictures of us... and he was a little sad... so when we stopped at a roadside stand to get some fresh corn and coconuts... i snapped a quick one

The 4th of July we hung out with our friends Steph and John, we had found out that Pearl Harbor had a big day of festivities planned for Military families on the island. we made a stop at the navy exchange and grabbed some new hiking/trail running shoes for Rye. When we first got to Pearl Harbor and started walking around we realized that they had SO many things to do.. and all for FREE, seriously it was awesome. free paintball, free train rides, and the one that i DEFINITELY stood in line for... free airbrushed tattoo's. i thought long and hard about my choice... but my love of the land before time got the best of me and i got a "little foot"

it got REALLY hot REALLY fast, so we found relief under the "beer tent" we pretty much sat at the table for like 4 hours... killing time until it was time for the concert.

The DJ started saying "15 MINUTES TILL THE BAND" so we headed out on the grass.... ya they didn't come for 3 more hours :) so we sat on the grass and chilled :)

i love this picture :)

Steph and I, ya... we're pretty awesome!

Does this girl look like Molly Ringwald from 16 candles??!!!!! here lemme find a comparison picture... be right back

So the Plain White T's were pretty awesome... they were... odd, and they dressed like they were trying REALLY hard to look like they shopped at a thrift store. but we were FRONT row... ya it was awesome. and some drunk guy like got WAAAAY too close, he was trying to push in front of me.. i turned around to look at Rye, he was LIVID... i think he was like almost seeing red. but they guy got kicked out of the concert before he pushed Rye too far :)
After the concert... like IMMEDIATELY after, they had some Broadway star sing the national anthem, and then the fireworks started. they lit them off of one of the battleships in the harbor. it was the most patriotic 4th of July i've EVER had.

A few days ago we woke up and decided to hurry and hike this little trail i did once while Rye was gone. i thought it would be a good one for him to run.. he decided against that, but it was still nice!

this is us up on top! Right after we started heading down, it started raining... it was a nice drizzle and then on the drive home it POURED.

oh, this picture was taken on the hike up. :) ya, it's an AWESOME hike.

So yesterday morning i had to go to the doctor and get some blood drawn. i'm also FINALLY going to find out my blood type, i'm super curious since Rye has a rare blood type... i kinda hope i am the same... but i doubt i am. ANYWAY, so i go into the lab and i mention to the girl that i'm really bad with needles she responded with "ohhh man, this will be fun" ya let's just say she was HORRIBLE, and i have no veins... and i didn't cry, but i did make a small involuntary noise. as i walked out of the lab all proud of myself, Rye smiled at me and said "did you cry?" to which i told him OF COURSE NOT... I'M BRAVE! so he put an arm around me and asked me "well since you were so brave, do you think we should go to the zoo?" at first i thought he was kidding.. but less than an hour later we were on our way

I wore my new running shoes.. they are AWESOME!!! they are the mizuno creation, TOTALLY worth the money, i have some messed up feet and legs so finding shoes that don't make my legs hurt is always hard, i'm an extreme over pronator... ya i think that's the term... anyway i love these shoes!

So Riley HATES ostriches more than almost ANY animal, i was snapping the picture of him and his nemesis animal. he was telling me that when he was in elementary school they went to the zoo, one escaped and chased them... so he REALLY hates them :)

my favorite animal is the hippo... so we stopped to watch them, and i always HATE that they are nocturnal, cause i never get to REALLY see them in all their awesomeness... but this hippo was hilarious, i LOVE this picture!

So there you have it, they super awesome Sav update! i will blog more i promise, i have just been enjoying my time with Rye, who JUST walked in the door from a long run. he's so hot! i love him alot!

Grillin

2011-06-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

So we got the new grill set up! so happy about that, i've been wanting a grill since we moved here last year. i am SO happy!!! i will be out grillin rain or shine now!

putting it together was an adventure... as you probably gathered from my post about Rye's missing tools...but it was worth it! we grilled corn on the cob that first night, and then the next night had a bunch of the guys over for Dogs and xbox. we played band hero for HOURS, until i finally kicked everyone out close to midnight. i look forward to MANY more nights with good food and good friends. Yay for life after Deployment!!!

Building the Grill

grilling corn

Rockin out!!!

Dee is stoked to have his buddies back

Add caption

ummmm.... ya

Oh Gosh, and the Drama starts

2011-06-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

So Riley is HOME! woohoo!!! he was soo excited to have all of our belongings here FINALLY... however we have had some problems already. so we bought a grill this weekend, and while putting it together this morning, Rye went to his massive tool boxes to get the tools he needed to put it together... and that's when i heard the panic voice from the other room "Babe, did you use my matco ratchet?" to which i told him... "nope, i used one but i put it back in the toolbox i swear!" his ratchet was missing... along with his $100 screw driver, a set of sockets, his impact (worth around $300) the attachment to his impact and a few other things...

Now when they were packing us to move i was THERE. the toolboxes were both locked and closed... when they delivered them, one of the boxes was opened... don't know WHEN that happened... but as of our tally this morning he's missing close to $1000 in tools already... needless to say, he's in a TERRIBLE mood... ya i would be too! i have to go tomorrow to file the claim for the missing stuff.... ugh.... i feel so bad for Rye... he's trying so hard to stay positive.... he's amazing... and i am SO glad to have him home... let's pray that we can get some money for his missing tools.

At Last, My Love Has Come Along

2011-06-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

i know you have all been waiting on pins and needles for this day to come... My best friend is HOME from Afghanistan. it was a LOONG 7 months... but he's back. i'm going to make this a quick post, he's shaving so i have a few minutes.

The day of the homecoming i was running on 1 hour of sleep for 2 days... i had SOOO much to get done, and ended up just staying awake. I did my hair and got dressed, then ran around the house finishing a few last minute things. when i got the phone call that their flight was moved up half an hour. which would mean i would need to leave the house in 10 minutes... i had to get Laura and Ronnie on base, make sure Emily could follow me over, let steph finish getting ready in my bathroom and pick up Sam... ya, the stress kicked in.

i got to the hangar and was then stressed that some would miss the plane landing because of the time change. once everyone was there we all stood around and waited, but not for long.

pretty much stoked on life

And here we go!

Waiting with "Mama Harpster" i told you she was pretty!!!

Riley had already informed me that he was near the back, so i stood back for the first half and just watched the reunions happening all around me. when i saw the first guy i recognized i moved closer to wait. then i saw Rye, i can pick him out from a mile away! i kept expecting the tears to start the second i saw him... but i just couldn't get the smile off my face!

And then we hugged... and i got all teary eyed, ok so yes i cried!

SPOTTED!

SO FREAKIN CLOSE!

At Last

i love this picture

ok so this last picture, right after getting home, Riley went and found his pellet gun that is IDENTICAL to his real gun that he had all deployment... and wanted to play with it... i think he maybe had some separation anxiety from it :) it's been an AMAZING few days. yesterday we spent the day with Rolfes and Harpster (kinda Riley's two besties)

it honestly feels like he never left. everything is the same between us.. it wasn't awkward at ALL like it was after bootcamp... it's amazing. i'm happier than i thought possible... i'll post more pictures later... for now, i'm going to go shower and get ready for another day with Riley... YUP i get to hang out with him :) i love my life!

Tourist for a Day

2011-06-11T02:38:00.000-07:00

So, a few months ago one of the mom's of one of the guys got in contact with me, and we've been chatting ever since. i absolutely adore this woman, and could NOT wait for her to come out to Hawaii. Well Yesterday her and her younger son flew in, and i was able to get them from the airport. Today i drove over this afternoon to grab them and play tourist for the day. it's always fun to do that when you haven't really done TOO many touristy things while living here. we drove to north shore, stopped and saw the sea turtles real quick (ya i showed them my super secret turtle finding spot.... i'm pretty awesome like that). After the turtles we headed to the Polynesian cultural center. we did a luau and saw the HA Breath Of Life show, and it was AWESOME. i haven't been there before, and it was really interesting and entertaining. but i have to say my favorite part of the day was driving, i was able to just chat with Laura and get to know her even better... it's one of the things i miss most about the states.... long road trips with lots of time to just chat.

I am so excited for this weekend... time is FLYING BY. i know it's not for Riley at this point, but i've been very good about keeping REALLY busy so i don't have a chance to think and stress about anything.

Poor Dee was home alone for alot of the day, i tried to fee him tonight when i got home... but he just wanted to snuggle in bed.... soooo i put his food up and crawled in bed with him... now i have to deal with listening to his stomach.... ugh, why didn't he just give in and eat the dang food.

Ok i'm going to bed, i have to get up early to head out to Grab Laura and Bear for the day :) have an amazing weekend everyone!!!

Stress and Excitement!

2011-06-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Well, i'm still here... still just Deezul and I, but soon... oh so soon, Rye will be home with me, harassing me once again to put the computer down and pay attention to him. I am thinking about turning my computer completely off and not touching it until he goes back to work.... let's see how that plays out. i'm able to talk to Riley alot more now, which has been so nice. i am to the point that every other wife is DONE with what they need to do and they are pretty much just killing time... i kinda wish that was me. i am stressed beyond belief with all that i still have to do. the secret is out. after a little over a year all of our household goods FINALLY arrived. ya it took two truck loads to get it all in our house. and now i am left with the task of unpacking EVERYTHING... and not much time to do it. i know i COULD leave alot of it alone and have Rye help me. however he's just getting back from a 7 month deployment, and the last thing i want to do with him is unpack and clean... know what i'm sayin. my original plan was to not tell Rye our stuff got here, and just have it all here and put away when he got home. but when it all arrived, the stress kicked in... and more than anything, i needed to vent to my best friend. i am now confident i did the right thing. He had secretly been stressing big time about having to unpack everything on his 4 days off work. the last thing i wanted to do was put an unnecessary burden on him.

So as stressed as i am, i am SO grateful that this last little leg is flying by... only cause there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything perfect for when he comes home. then we will see how he REALLY feels about the decorating job :) oh by the way, i figured out what headboard i want to make. the inspiration comes from a $500 headboard in pottery barn. i will make mine hopefully for less than $50.... wish me luck! oh and all my projects are SO much easier with power tools.

oh and another thing... Mumford and sons.... AMAZING.

oh oh, and thunderstorms in Hawaii are AMAZING but frustrating when you are trying to unpack and the power keeps shutting off.

Stressed!

2011-06-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

Well my power is going to be shut off in like an hour and a half.... for 6 hours... GREAT. that is EXACTLY what i need today :) Today is going to be a crazy busy day. i have a few appointments, and then i HAVE to finish the last of my "Deployment Projects".

I headed to costco yesterday for my final costco trip of the deployment! WOO HOO i freakin love costco. i spent a bit more than i planned but i got a TON of extra stuff. all stuff that we needed, except for I Am Number Four on bluray... but i really wanted that, so....... JUSTIFIED!!!!

i got alot of meat to freeze for bbq's with the boys and sunday dinners with my man. as well as one of those BIG drink dispensers... it was an AMAZING deal, and i've wanted one for months now. i had Sam and her husband come over last night, they brought the marine from our little memorial day cookout... cause i needed something moved, and having two marines do it is a HECK of alot easier. so i fed them all a Costco pizza, and then made them brownies. I am nothing if not resourceful. i finished out the night with the AC on 66 so i could freeze out my apartment, so i don't sweat to death today. Poor Deezul is shivering. he spent last night UNDER the blankets... he NEVER DOES THAT. poor puppy. and i WAS going to send him to Sam's to chill for the day, so i could get stuff done. but some last minute stuff happened.... so i am going to have to deal with the butthole today... let's see how things go :) i really do love Dee... more than almost anything. and anyone who has been around us knows this... HOWEVER for the project i'm working on today, i'd rather him be out of the way... it's a bit hazardous to puppy health :)

Almost Done!

2011-05-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

I am getting so close to being done with this deployment! woohooo!!!! The sheets turned out fantastic, i am super impressed, wish i knew where that other pillowcase disappeared to.... oh well, it will turn up one day, and NOT match the rest of my room. My Wreath looks AMAZING, i did make the mistake of hanging it on the door with a ribbon that was hot glued, so it fell of the door and BROKE... a few more sticks of hot glue and a better ribbon, and we were back in business. I have the ideas in my head now for what i'm going to do for my head board and foot board. i just have to see if i can ACTUALLY pull them off. i was just talking to my father in law and we both decided i should get a jigsaw. so that will be coming in the next month of two. and the i just have to get the lighting in the guest room figured out... i have a FEW ideas... to sure what i'm actually going to do though, i'm waiting for Rye on that one. The guy is AMAZING when it comes to bouncing ideas off someone.

I haven't slept much lately, since Riley has been able to have more communication, i'm usually talking to him or one of "my boys" from the squad. so i have been going on like 2-3 hours at a time.. no wonder i'm sleep all day lately. TOTALLY WORTH IT!!! They are all so ready to come home, i cannot wait for that! i have been working on something for the single guys in Rye's team, but i won't put it up here, cause i don't want everyone else stealin all my good ideas :) ya i'm selfish when it comes to some of my ideas. i have NO problem sharing it, after everyone knows that i am the one who originated the idea :)

i have to get housing to come fix my blinds on my sliding glass door... they use cheap ones.. so some of them just... break... but housing is coming this morning cause my upstairs neighbor's porch is literally FALLING off.... i've been nervous it's going to fall on Deezul. so hopefully they get that fixed... or condemn the building and move us all :) i would love for that to happen, except that i JUST painted!! and got everything perfect.

And what is with housing thinking it's a good idea to shut off my power TWO days this week... ugh seriously... it's going off today for a while... and THEN again on thursday. and i have WAY to much to do on Thursday... so i decided i will freeze out the apartment the night before so that when i'm busy and have doors open and such, it will stay SOMEWHAT cool... until 2 p.m. when they turn my power back on.

So i'm trying to decide what color to dye my towels. so if you have any suggestions... lemme know! that's pretty much all i got today i have to get ready for work, which i still LOVE. but i also love that it's not full time. i'll try and blog a few more times in the next _____ Days, i'll be super busy. but i promise big updates will be coming by late june.

If you have any sort of problem with my blog... don't read it... if you have any sort of problem with me, confront me about it. don't be a coward. seriously. if you are honestly too afraid to tell me off to my face, then there is probably a reason we're not friends.

Look Unto Christ in Every Thought, Doubt Not Fear Not

Getting Things Organized.

2011-05-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hey guess what friends.... MY HUSBAND IS COMING HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN SOON!!!! some days i sit and think wow, i cannot believe this crazy life we've been thrown into. soon my husband will be home from a war torn country. he has done alot of good, training the Afghani police and military. he's coming home as the biggest hero in the world to me. i am so incredibly proud of him. 2 years ago this week, we had already decided upon the Marine Corps and were waiting for him to leave for bootcamp. we were getting ready for a big California trip with Kat and Zack.

This life is crazy. i live thousands of miles from ANYONE that i know. i live alone 60% of the year, yet i'm far from single. i don't even bat an eye when i hear explosions and gun shots out my window. in fact the sound of gunshots is comforting to me. i got to the gym with a hundred guys who could kill me with a finger. I hear the world military or Marine Corps on tv, and i'm instantly tuned in. when walking to work in the mornings, i usually have to stop to pay respect to the raising of the flag. squads of running Marines are a normal occurrence (a very pleasing to the eye occurrence.) i live in a state where daylights savings means nothing, except the change in uniform. i speak in acronym's and people understand what i am talking about. i live on a military base where everyone has to be awake at 4-5 am... YET the grocery store on base does not open till 10 am... ya makes sense huh. i can walk in the middle of the night, and not fear what might be lurking in the shadows... worst case scenario, it's a drunk Marine, and my dog will murder them if they try ANYTHING!

i'm a Military Wife. i am the wife of a United States Marine... i am proud of my husband, and all the guys in his unit... and i'm proud of the wives. not the wives who go out and party all the time, but the ones who honestly keep the house together. This week i'll be trying to get everything organized. starting to get everything in place for when Riley comes walking through that door with me. i want it all to be PERFECT. cause he deserves that. to have everything perfect and in it's place. now to find the motivation to get up and do it. i was ALMOST out the door to go to the gym, when one of the guys messaged me and said Rye was getting on... so here i am 90 minutes later.... looking at the stormy weather and deciding whether walking to the gym is a good option right now.... we'll see. Stand by for confirmation of gym trip!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

Well.... this started out as just another holiday weekend that my Husband is not here for... i was just planning on sitting home and doing NADA!!! however, Sam mentioned that her husband was firing up their grill... so i did the right thing... invited myself over for a burger last night :) i am so incredibly happy that she has her husband back, i'm JEALOUS... but not a mean jealousy. her hubs had one of his buddies from the unit over as well... it's strange to hear Rye's name mentioned from people i DON'T know... it made me happy.

I was over late, after burgers we pretty much just watched tv,.. and since i brought Deezul over, i harassed him a little :) so i got home late and CRASHED immediately, since they took all my furniture and i'm waiting for MINE to be delivered, i'm sleeping on my new comfy couch. my couch is AMAZING... have i mentioned that lately.

I woke up this morning, decided to Dye some sheets... remember these ones?

ya the one that butt head ruined. i wanted to dye it to match the new color scheme that i am working on for our bedroom. i was worried that the dye wouldn't work well... UMM IT'S AWESOME.. the black ink stain is still there a little.. but it's just on the fitted sheet, so i can put the ink stain at the bottom of the bed and no one will be the wiser.... except all my awesome blog stalkers... but my in laws don't read this, so my mother in law will have NO idea :) sorry i can't put up pictures.... still wanna wait for Rye to be back.

While the sheets were sitting in the dye i thought i would make a wreath.. so i spent ALL day making this wreath... it took me probably cose to 30 glue sticks... and my trigger finger once again has a blister. it's been too long since i've used my glue gun....

i'm killing time till Rye is home with me.... Time is not passing too slow... but definitely NOT passing by fast... each day FOR SURE feels like 24 hours... ugh i'm ready for him to be back! i cannot wait!!!!!!!!!

What i've Learned this Deployment

2011-05-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

This is the post i started last week... that Blogger decided it was going to delete before i was able to post.... booo

Alright, so this deployment is winding down... not over yet, but i see the end in sight HALLELUJAH!!! So i thought that i would make out a little list of some things i've learned for any wives who are reading this and gearing up for the longest __ months of their life.

So here we go... Sav's list of stuff she now knows.

The night they leave, they WILL NOT leave at the time given.... they'll tease you with a "go home for an hour and then come back" it'll be the worst night ever.
you can bring your puppy to the parking lot when saying goodbye, you just have to put them in your car when the drug/bomb sniffing dogs come out to do their thing.
It's alot harder to lose weight when you have more than half a year to do it... i kinda liked the crunch time of bootcamp more.... ya i know... i'm lame.
it doesn't matter if you DON'T brag about phone calls.... girls will trash talk if they find out you are getting more calls than they are
You could hear from him a few times a day for a few weeks... and then out of the blue... NOTHING for a few weeks... just NEVER expect a phone call, and you won't be quite so disappointed.
When everyone you meet seems to be PSYCHOTIC.... go back to church... you will meet the nicest most grounded people in the world.
Doing craft projects around the house will keep you busy.
It will also keep you out of the rumor mill... if EVERYONE knows you are always on your back porch spray painting SOMETHING... they won't be tempted to spread around that you were out partying.
DON'T party when your husband is gone... doesn't mean you can't go out to dinner with the girls... but going out dancing/drinking... it's not classy AT ALL... especially on an island where the ONLY wives that do that are the unfaithful ones... you MAY be one of the few that does that and is still faithful... but it's less believable.
When you are so sick you cannot even take the dog outside... DON'T suck it up and go help a friend run errands.
Trust no one... this means putting prescriptions in a place where no one is tempted to "take a few"
don't be afraid to take a time out from the other wives... it's better than snapping someones head off.
GO to your spouse's meeting every month! you get great information... and they smash all the rumors... like "oh the boys are coming home 10 weeks early"
Marines love gossip just about as much as wives do. so be careful what you tell anyone but your husband.
A puppy may be the BEST companion... he'll give you a reason to get up every day... and NOT talk back like a child would :)
While you may think it would be easier to spend the holidays alone acting as though it were just another normal day... it's not... Spend it with people that WON'T drive you crazy. people you can make amazing memories with.
People will try and feed you the whole "my husband is gone for a month, so i know what you are going through" NO THEY DON'T they don't have the fear in the back of their mind that their husband will get SHOT while selling security systems in nebraska.... AAAND they can text their honey anytime they want, and will most likely get a response within minutes or hours... NOT send an e-mail desperately asking for advice... with no reply for 3 weeks.
there will be times they will have to hang up immediately, you may not hear back for a few days. try not to stress... if he was on the phone with you when whatever happened... happened... then he is FINE.
Don't put a mopey status up on your facebook everyday... people will want to delete you
Better yourself... but don't change yourself.
Avoid fast food like the plague!
make your care package as creative and loving as you can, he notices... and so does everyone else.
Try to send things to the guys in his team... they will appreciate it more than you'll know.
Painting every room in your house will keep you busy for a few weeks... picking colors and taping base boards and ceilings for hours
Trust your instincts
People won't understand your "need" to do DIY projects... but when they see the lighting, shelving, wall art, rug, and other things finished in the house... they will be jealous... so don't listen to the criticism until it is all done!
You are not in college... no sleepovers, unless it is an extenuating circumstance.
When people complain about how you do things in YOUR own home... tell them to get the Eff out (i don't take my own advice on this one.. although i'd love to)
Walking to the gym burns nearly 500 extra calories round trip.
USO concerts are amazing.
Don't get into a "my husband has worse habits than yours" contest... no one wins... you just look like an idiot for marrying the guy who pees in the sink.
BE A BUILDER!!!! no one wants to be around someone who breaks them down, you want to be around someone who builds you up!
Build up your husband, most of these girls on base have never met your husband... so if you complain about him, they will think him a not so great catch. talk him up!!! i mean c'mon you married him for a reason right?!
Tell your husband EVERYTHING, and lay it out in a way that you are able to say "i have done NOTHING that you should be ashamed of" the trust will be so much stronger if you are able to say that completely honestly.
When you have a rough day, your husband has probably had a pretty bad one too. and already feels like CRAP for not being there for you, don't make him feel more guilty about having to go through whatever you are going through alone.
When sent "just because" flowers, do NOT get upset with your spouse for spending money. you look like a capital B... accept the fact that he loves you enough and wanted to show you how MUCH!!!
Audio books are AMAZING. and make the house sound much less quiet.
your power of attorney means NOTHING, no one on a military base cares about that paper. they still won't let you do ANYTHING... cause they will assume your husband was retarded for giving you one in the first place.
When the boys try to convince you of changes in your husband.... don't pay any heed until you are able to address said issues with your husband... it'll save you a bubble bath where you are contemplating everything and crying... on valentines day...
playing little big planet with your best friend who lives 5000 miles away, will make you happy.
As will skype.
become passionate about as many things as you can.
find pleasure in as many things as you can!
Go to the gym as often as possible... and don't worry if all the guys stare at you... either they are jealous of whoever you are married to... OR they are totally judging you... in which case, it's still attention and you should just pretend they are jealous.... cause it'll make YOU feel better
get pretty, even if it's just to go to the store... it'll make you happier than rockin the grunge outfit.
when there is a lack of testosterone on base, the wives go crazy.... don't be afraid to lock yourself in your house and cut yourself off from everyone for a few days... this deployment ultimately has to be about YOU and YOUR improvements... don't get sucked down!
Call your in-laws often. their son is at war... and if his priorities are straight, YOU are getting the majority of communication with him... just knowing he's fine and still cracking jokes will help them ALOT.
take every opportunity to talk to your husband, and make it the happiest conversation possible.... you don't ever want the last thing you say to him be something totally rude and something you may regret for the rest of your life.
Count down the days till you get him back in your arms, it will make you happy every time you can replace the number with a smaller one :)
Don't ever forget why you married him, and why you are completely in love with him.
When you feel yourself drifting away... hold on to what you have built with him. and if you have built the right foundation, that will bring you back every single time.

Most of all, have confidence in yourself, and KNOW that you can do this. cause you can. you are amazing... it's why he married you. this lifestyle is not for everyone, and those who can do it, are honestly crazy strong women (ya i'll include myself in that category) i have just survived our first 18 months in the Marine Corps which included Bootcamp, SOI, Rimpac, CAX, and now Afghan... that is ALOT of trainings and separations... like i've always told Rye... it'll be worth it... it's got to be.


The hubs on the Right teaching his buddy Yoga in Afghan

Brace Yourself!

2011-05-24T00:09:00.000-07:00

Alright so last week i wrote an UBER long post about "things i've learned during deployment" for all my girlys who are ABOUT to go through a deployment.. HOWEVER, blogger erased it as i was posting it.. ya it didn't save like it's supposed to... so i threw a tantrum and refused to re-write it... i probably will tonight though.

Tonight i recieved a text from a friend telling me i needed to post a blog... so here we go. it's a bit harder to blog when i am refusing to put pictures up of the house..and when Deezul is adamant about falling asleep on my computer keyboard... lets see if i can do this while balancing this laptop on one knee OFF the edge of the couch (PLEEEEEASE don't smash to smithereens...)

So the house is pretty much DONE! woooooot ya i just patted myself on the back for that one.. ok so i didn't really, that would have taken too long of my hands OFF the keyboard... i have done SOO many projects. aside from painting EVERY room except the kitchen, there isn't much in my house that has not been "Sav-ized" looking from my perch on the couch (which is also new! i got a screaming deal on it, and it's amazing) i can see at LEAST 6 major things that IIIIII did... all on my lonesome. it is KILLING me to not put pictures up... but it will be so worth it to have Riley be the first person to see it all DONE... so be patient! All of our possessions from our house (prior to the military) are FINALLY being shipped. i spent a good long part of my Utah trip getting it all organized... HOWEVER, it will NOT be delivered until 1-2 days after Riley returns... so we will spend a good part of his time off... unpacking.. BOOOOOOO. it's alright though, it'll all be worth it once it's done.

So you are all probably wanting a "Sav" story huh..... alright here is one... i don't think i already posted about this... but i follow this girls blog, she does ALOT of DIY stuff... and is AMAZING! she's from St George and it makes me sad i never knew her... if i still lived there i would make friends with her. i actually went to D.I in St George hoping to run into her cause she claims to go at least once a day! no luck there though. There is this rug she made (i will link her blog when i post my pictures of my finished project... cause i don't want you sneak peekin on me!) it's a Zebra print Rug. it's AMAZING. so i have been determined since JANUARY to make this thing. so FINALLY like 3 weeks ago i tell Rye of my ambition and send him the link to check it out... he comes back and tells me he thinks it's AWESOME that i want to MAKE my own rug, but that the zebra is a little TOO girly...

now my man is pretty easy going and patient.. he has not thrown a SINGLE tantrum about my painting the living room purple. and he is usually VERY supportive, even if that means telling me that my idea won't work, thus saving me the wasted hours and heart ache... so when he tells me NO on a project, i usually throw a tiny tantrum... and then realize it was for the best. He suggested i find another design and make it work... so we changed the subject but for the next 3 weeks his words hung over me... i HONESTLY tried to envision another design and could NOT. I realized that HEEEE was not sharing my same vision and that for once, he was WRONG, and i was going to do it anyway. so on our next conversation i had to explain.

"ok Babe, so i KNOW you said you don't like the zebra rug. and that i should make another pattern... and i have thought long and hard about this... and don't think i didn't think about it, cause i really did... but i'm doing it anyway, so you'll have to suck it up"

to which he scoffed and said he figured as much... gosh i love that man! seriously he KNOWS there is no stopping me, and fighting this is just going to waste time... might as well let me have my way, and skip the argument that would eventually lead there anyway!

I also made Rileys massive welcome home banner that will hang in the hangar for his return... it's pretty awesome. and i am working on a banner for all "my boys" (Rye included) so that none of them feel left out on homecoming day. Rye and I are planning a bbq for our boys during his awesome 4 day weekend... we're both excited for that.

I am mostly just excited to snuggle that man of mine. seriously... our new couch is massive, to the point that we could both lay on my couch, and NOT touch, and the Deezul could be on the ottoman, leaving us both totally alone.. it's amazing. BUT i am already planning on just laying on his lap... falling asleep, and waking up to his hand in my hair :) let's be honest, it probably won't play out like that... he'll probably pass out on MEE and then i'll have to stay awake..... booo :)

guys, i'm ALMOST DONE WITH THIS DEPLOYMENT!!! i have survived, it's been a very strange adventure, but i'm glad to have done it... it will most definitely make Rye and I a much stronger couple. i am so excited to begin on US again. and HOPEFULLY get to spend a Christmas together!!!

Breakdown

2011-05-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Alright, so i've been waiting this ENTIRE deployment to see when i would hit my breaking point. i am pretty sure i hit that point last night! it was a LONG day. i didn't sleep at all the night before, cause i had too much to do. i spent yesterday with Sam, her husband returned home yesterday. he left with Riley and was able to come back with the advanced party. so ALL day we played the waiting game to when they would ACTUALLY arrive. i really am SOOO happy for her and everyone who came back. there is nothing like seeing people reunited with their loved ones they haven't seen in 7 months.

AFTER the homecoming, things went downhill. i was on this high from seeing everyone coming off the bus and into the arms of those they love... i realized how long i actually have left (much longer than i would prefer) and i haven't been able to talk to Rye in a good long while... so i kinda got a little sad at that point. like all i've REALLY wanted all week is to talk to Rye. unless the guys told him (which i'm sure the guys who talked to me told him) he doesn't know i'm back in Hawaii yet... ya thats how long it's been. he doesn't know that they shipped our stuff already. and i'm sure when he calls i'll forget about all the IMPORTANT things i need to tell him and i'll just giggle like a little girl and forget that i ever hit this breaking point.

i got home, got Trudy here(she just had knee surgery so i'm taking care of her at my house while she's on the mend.) i got mcdonalds (don't judge me i hadn't eaten all day, and was NOT in the mood to cook) so i have my first soda in like months. and it gets knocked onto the floor.. all 32 oz of it. and then i clean it up (all while crying... i don't know why... i was just done at this point) THEN the cup falls again. i THOUGHT it was empty but i guess not... so i RE-CLEAN it... then my fries fall over and spill. at this point i just want to THROW them across the room. THEN i get on facebook and see that one of my boys tried talking to me a few hours before and my fb chat app on my phone never delivered the message. and he was trying to talk to me about Riley. and i MISSED IT. pretty much everything came together and imploded inside me. needless to say... it was a rough day. and i am SO glad it's over.

You're Kidding... Right?

2011-05-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

I'm back on island (yay). i've been getting settled and haven't had much of a chance to blog. but it's 5 in the morning, and i was woken up... so might was well.

My good friend Trudy picked me up from the airport, and we've been hanging out non-stop since. I KNOW... my couch is THAT awesome. :) So she has a friend that lives in the building kiddy-corner from me, a few days ago Trudy decides to "warn" me that her friend found a RAT in her house... and then the next day we hear that, said Rat, bit her friend and she was heading to the hospital to get a rabies shot. now, i'm not USUALLY one to complain... yes they used lead paint in this apartment... i avoided EATING paint chips and painted over it... yes there is dangerous black mold in my bathroom... i bleached the crap out of it, and PAINTED over it. i have ants and spiders... i either A.) burn the spiders with matches B.) recognize how many ants this particular Spider has killed... and let it stay for a few more days before i SMASH it... or C.) Spray the crap out of every corner with bug killer, bleach and vinegar... and in ONE room... i painted over their entrance. And while i am terrified of mice, i KNOW they are not going to kill me... just be gross... and i've been SO grateful to not have to deal with mice either.

HOWEVER i will NOT be ok with RATS... are you kidding me!?!?! this girl insisted on getting a new house cause she had also found the Rat in her 3 month old's playpen. that is seriously a safety/health hazard. they told her that they could NOT just move her to a new house... and i am unsure if they came out and removed the rats from her walls and house. so ya, Trudy tells me this, and it bothers me, but at the same time i'm thinkin "i have Deezul, he's a big dog and a rat would be CRAZY to enter into Dee's house. It's 5:40 here... 40 minutes ago i was woken up in my pitch black room to the sounds of scratching and gnawing right next to my FACE! i have a mini heart attack... grab my phone and light up the area where the noise is coming from. yup... my bedroom wall. i thought about punching the wall and scaring the bajeebuss out of the rat... but i was afraid it would piss him off and he'd retaliate. I grabbed my phone... and headed out to my comfy couch... too bad now i can't sleep cause i'm afraid it's going to eat through my freshly painted bedroom wall... and murder me in my sleep. Dee slept through the whole thing! HOW COULD HE NOT HERE IT!!! i expected growling and viscous barks... disappointment of a guard dog :) he DID however get out of bed and fall back to sleep next to me on the couch... how can i be mad at him, if even when he's dead tired he'd rather move than sleep in the bed without me.

On another note. i start my new job tomorrow... YAY!!! it's only twice a week, but i'm excited.

I HAVE SO MUCH CRAP!!!

2011-04-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

The movers will be rolling into town in about 15 hours... to get all our crap to ship to us! WOOHOO i never thought i'd see this day!!! i have been at my mother in-laws house ALL DAY re-packing all the crap that was left at her house... WOW. first of all, i have SOOOOOOO MANY CLOTHES I FORGOT ABOUT! i am soo close to being finished, and then i get to go back and forth to my storage unit to get everything up there!

I attempted to steal my in-law's ping pong table for Rye... but apparently they got rid of it.. i know Rye, you're probably saying out loud "WHAT?!" in your Riley Tantrum kind of way :) but i tried. tomorrow will be such a long day... but i will be SO relieved when it is over... cause then all my stuff with be on it's way to Hawaii to meet me at my apartment to unpack it and then RYE WILL BE HOME!!! ya... take a moment and scream a little for me. we're getting close.

on a separate note... Deezul Oliver Gardiner turns 1 year old tomorrow! happy birthday to my little man. i really love that guy so much! he's the best part of this deployment! so tomorrow think for at least a minute "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEEEEEEEE" cause i will!

Happy Easter (a few days late)

2011-04-27T22:41:00.000-07:00

Well, we meet again... it's been an AMAZING journey these past few days... seeing MOST of my family, and so many amazing friends. it's been a blast from the past, people i haven't seen or spoken to in YEARS just popping back in left and right. which could be a while other blog post (don't worry, i'll spare ya). my mother in law asked me, on my 4 hour drive with her down to their house today... if i wish i still lived in Utah. Part of me says yes, i MISS the amazing people, and being surrounded by people of similar beliefs and standards... but ultimately my answer is no. I know that i am EXACTLY where i am supposed to be, living this crazy military life... being me, for EVERYONE else to see. plus only coming to utah once a year or so... makes everyone APPRECIATE your visits that much more.

i was able to see Jaxon and Bo this week! i LOVE my amazing nephews soo soo soooo much! i will post pictures when i get back home to Hawaii. it was so nice to just spend time with Michelle, Bobby and the boys. i needed that.

i was also able to chill with my brother Paul today for a bit, more pictures to come with that as well... but we had a lot of fun.

Lauren and i played TONS of harry potter. and i am please to announce that last night we defeated lord Voldemort. on harry potter 5... ya, go ahead and be a little jealous!!! we then started LEGO Harry Potter (which i will be buying.) we had lots of totino's pizza, and jones soda YUMMMM we ate at magleby's for breakfast, and cafe rio for dinner. and i got to see my good friend Megan's new baby girl SOOOOO adorable!!! she really was soo dang cute! and Lauren and I had a late night chit chat session with Xandra (who is beyond amazing) and it was SUCH an awesome conversation!!!

Lauren and I had a 2 hour piano session at her parent's house... just sitting and singing (like the good ol' days) we were a bit rusty, and hadn't sat and sang in FAR too long... but maybe i'll get brave and post videos (yup... i have video footage!)

So i missed Lauren's graduation by like an hour.. lame i know! but i got to her Grad lunch, and then we got to head out and go to the women's expo (i got my teeth whitened... am i supposed to admit that? anywho, TOTALLY worth the $50)

Saturday was Lauren's birthday, we headed out to see "Water for Elephants" REALLY need to finish that book now! i wanted so badly to finish before i saw the movie.. OOPS. then i headed to Lehi to do Ali's hair and make up for MORP (girls choice dance) and gave Lalo some time with her awesome husband.

Sunday started out AMAZING i was woken up at 5 am by the sweetest voice saying "happy Easter babe, i love you!" now don't go pinning a red A on me... it was actually that husband of mine :) i hadn't heard from him in a while and it was so nice to hear his voice, i really am so in love with that boy! i went to church with Lauren and Dal... and kept expecting to hear from at least ONE member of my family, to wish me happy easter and since i was within 50 MILES invite me over for SOME SORT of dinner or celebration. i had HEARD a rumor that i would NOT be invited to a family gathering... however i never actually believed this rumor to be 100% true. because in order for THAT to be true, one person would have to be so completely filled with HATE... and obviously missed the lesson in church that teaches what the atonement is ALL about, as well as WHYYYY Jesus actually died for us. and ANOTHER person... would have to ultimately choose the side of hate, and darkness, and go against flesh/blood/family.

i normally don't "air my dirty laundry" on my blog (ya, if you think what i already post about is dirty laundry... you should see what i DON'T post) however i have not been able to REALLY vent to Riley about this, which is what i REALLY need. so i suppose my blog will have to suffice. There is someone i am related to in no way at all (other than a marriage)... this person is the meanest most emotional and verbally abusive person to MULTIPLE people in this world that i love more than almost anything. let's call this person "Bitter". so bitter will say the most horrible things to ANYONE, just to prove Bitter is the better person. things like how lazy and useless someone is, and how this person would kill the family pet (just to assert their authority) Bitter has PICKED UP my little brother and removed him from a car, and on more than a few occasions yelled at me for things that a NORMAL person would handle like an adult... not slamming dishes and fridge doors and STOMPING up stairs.

now i dealt with most of Bitter's crap, knowing it was a temporary situation for me, and that i could just count down the days.... however, when i see my LITTLE SISTER who is still a teenager (and quite a fragile one at that) being bullied day after day (and a few may say she's being dramatic... SHE'S 16... OF COURSE SHE'S DRAMATIC!!!) BUT watching this emotional and verbal abuse happen on a DAILY OR WEEKLY basis was too much. Bitter on the rare occasion would go WAAAAY out of their way to do something nice, and make you think they were such a NICE person... but 80% of the time... it was a different story. so after a few months of WITNESSING this bullcrap, i attempted to call and give them a piece of my mind, however the phone call was not answered... so i sent a strongly worded text instead. did i go a bit overboard... YUP... do i regret sending the text... never for a second. i will NEVER apologize for standing up for my siblings or family. never ever EVER. my siblings ALL know that no matter what, i will be behind them 150% AS IT SHOULD BE!!! now instead of handing the situation like an ADULT bitter passed off the problem to their spouse... as usual i can just envision the yelling that happened about "how dare YOUR RELATIVE speak to me like that."

anyway, the story goes. i was informed i was NEVER again welcome in BITTER'S house again... this was WELL over a year ago. all because i stood up to a bully who still has a hold and reign over those i love. i have forgiven what was said to me... it does me NO good to hang on to such anger and hate. that is the LAST thing i need in this life. so i was surprised and SADDENED to hear that this "active" member in the church is still holding on to such hate... i wonder what their bishop would think about that... there are ALOT of people that i don't get along with... however we are ALWAYS polite to each other. what upsets me EVEN more than the hate that this person still holds against me is that the person that gave me life... the very breath i am breathing... did not stand up for her own daughter when it came time to have Easter dinner... instead i was forced to burden my best friend's husband's FAMILY to take me into their home for a holiday CENTERED around our Savior. i dropped it the last few days, because i was giving the benefit of the doubt thinking that MAYBE they didn't really do anything, and assumed that i had plans (this would mean my inside source was incorrect on what i heard originally) however upon hearing whom else was invited to this dinner... i am disappointed. i don't know all that much about parenting.. but i have never once heard of a parent, making it publicly known that they do not care for their child. because guess what... i had to EXPLAIN to EVERYONE on Easter (that was ALOT of people.. and ALOT of whom KNOW the parties involved) why my family lives less than 20 minutes away, and i was NOT invited to spend the holiday with them... seeing as i live across the globe. that right there negates anything that was said in the last year to make me think that i was loved in any way. it does NOT matter if you tell me you love me on the phone, and you call once a month to "catch up" and it does NOT matter if i STOOD UP TO YOUR BULLY FOR THE SAKE OF MY SISTER. YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS A PARENT. to not act like a child. no matter how you feel your child is acting. i will never in my entire life forget that on the ONE holiday i was in the area... when my husband was away in Afghanistan... you chose the side of hate... and showed your Daughter that you do not care about her.

that's what i learned this Easter. It's just Rye and I. So i guess it's a good thing that i am a tough girl.

I MADE IT!!!

2011-04-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

I am safe and sound in Utah. sitting around with my best friend (well i WAS, she's currently at the temple with her husband) but it's like things are just as they always have been... like we NEVER moved apart! She graduated this morning.. and i missed the graduation by mere minutes... but i'm here now, and will be here for her birthday (YAY!!!!) we're gonna binge on jones, and totino's and play harry potter on the wii, and band hero, and donkey kong (Dal is implementing a new tradition here! i welcome the addition!) and we're gonna go see "Water for Elephants" and "the Conspirator" and get mini spa day's and it's going to be the best birthday EVER!

i REALLY needed to come... i didn't realize how much i needed this. i have only been in utah for 4-5 hours, have only seen a small handful of people i know, yet i just FEEL the spirit... ya know. like they are all such AMAZING people, and i just want to be like them when i grow up. everyone is always so nice and genuine and just amazing! gosh ok i'm done spilling my guts...

Easter is this weekend. i think we should all remember the reasons BEHIND the holiday. and strive to be more like the Man who died on the Cross for you and I both. i feel no anger or resentment to anyone. some people are so full of hate, they poison the good spirit of what is around them. it strains families, and ruins relationships(big and small) let go of the anger, because i would like to say you are only hurting yourself, but you're not, you are NOT hurting the person your anger is directed at though... you are killing the people closest to you, that if you cared about them, you wouldn't think twice about their well being.

I am so blessed to be in Utah this Easter weekend, i will for SURE have to make time to walk around the temple, i am so grateful to be able to stay at Lauren's house with her and Dal. they are SUCH amazing people. i love my life. i really do.

Be More like the Man, you were made to be

2011-04-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

Before i begin, let me just start out by saying, i have not eaten ANYTHING in almost 24 hours, and i am eating the most AMAZING chicken salad sandwich... and i just realized (due to my husband and father in law, that i am able to pick out certain spices in things now.. this sandwich has a pretty good hint of ginger, and it's working for it! i also got a big Cinnamon roll :) don't judge me! So after my awfully horrid day on monday, i started my journey to Utah... more like my ATTEMPTED journey. as most of you know, i'm flying Space-A for military... pretty much i can hop on a military flight with open seats... for FREE! but it's not reliable, and you pretty much end up in places you don't need to be. I started tracking flights and trying to get on one tuesday morning... i was NOT able to catch a flight until this morning at 7:40 i'm not going to explain all of what happened this week. pretty much all the flights i was trying to catch were canceled at the last minute.

i got TO the airport at about midnight... the airforce guys at the gate decided it would be an AWESOME time to be total and complete douchers... so we had to leave Lena on a mystery bench in the dark while Trudy took me to the terminal. She then took Lena home to sleep and came back to keep me company. when i DIDN'T get on the 2 am flight, we decided to head to denny's for some food... i honestly think i ate 3 bites of my sandwich.. i get REALLY nervous before traveling... and my appetite goes away.. and i have to pee like every 30 minutes (ask Trud it was RIDICULOUS!) i think she may have made it a game as to how long i could wait to go AGAIN!

So the flight i ended up getting ON was bound for Phoenix, however there were ZERO military flights out of phoenix, so i was forced to purchase a ticket the rest of the way to Utah... which i'm ok with cause it only ended up being $100.. I KNOW RIGHT!!! so i gave Kat all my info for her to book it for me while i was mid air, not knowing what time i would land we got the 6 am flight... well after 90 minutes sitting on the tarmac in a MASSIVE air force plane with NO AC... they finally cracked the doors open until whatever issue we were having was resolved. while waiting, all the airforce guys working the flight kept asking if i was military (my hair is in french braid pig-tails... not quite the military look... whatever) i explained i was a spouse... all asked the same question "oh awesome, what does your husband do" to which i reply as proud as can be, "oh he's Marine Corps Infantry" and then i just watched as their jaws DROPPED and they immediately had some self esteem issues :) they then wanted to know why my "awesome" husband was allowing me to travel so far all by myself... wow... don't EVEN start with me... i mentioned he's been in afghan for __ months... lets just say i got the red carpet treatment after that.. HAHA. so the flight was FREEZING cause the plane had ZERO insulation and obviously when you are in the clouds... it's effing cold... so i FROZE... i watched 127 hours (totally started crying!) and i only have one hour left on inception (never seen it, and haven't let anyone ruin it for me yet :) )

We arrived in Phoenix around 7 local time, just as the sun was setting... man it's been so long since i've seen a desert sunset! AND A CACTUS!!! ya, i wanted to break out my camera!!! SO HERE I AM 12 hours before my flight... the USO is now closed, so i can't hang out in there (as was my original plan) i can't go to the terminal or check my massive bag until 4 am.. so i went on a search through the food court for an outlet...i found one, and then realized i was almost sick from lack of food and sleep... so i went in search of food... and here i am... only.....6 hours till i can check in and 8 hours till i fly out... yup, time is passing!

ok random tangent but i was thinking about this on my earlier flight... I feel like sleep is such an intimate thing, and i don't like doing it in the presence of other people... now i know what you are thinking... Sav, it's you we are talking about here.. you fall asleep in the car, at the movies, at dinner, and even standing up... OK BUT THIS IS SOOOO DIFFERENT!!! so here i am, laying down across my designated 4 seats to sleep on the freezing flight.... and i wake up and like 4 of the air force guys i can TELL have watched me sleep (not non-stop... but i could tell they had "observed" me) and it creeped me out... like i had been violated... i mean, i'm a kicker, and a talker (OH BOY AM I A TALKER) i don't know how to explain it... i just don't like it... it's one of the reasons i wouldn't choose to be one of the many honolulu bums on the park benches and side walks.. i don't want people watching me sleep! so now i am going to try and stay away even longers.... haha ya i'm tired, i just typed the word "longers" and i'm totally keepin it there! since monday night... i have logged 7 hours of sleep... and not all at once... i have 90 minutes in the last 24 hours.. so i doubt i'll stay awake, and people will probably end up watching me, and judging me... UGH is it tomorrow yet?! i'm ready to be in Utah.

Have i mentioned lately how much i DON'T LIKE traveling alone... i've only flown with Rye once, but it made it so much more fun! ok, i'm done now... my computer is almost dead... again... efff

Stranded.

2011-04-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

where is the most convenient place to be stranded? on a tropical island? at home? both of those things sound lovely, however i am NOT feeling awesome about being STUCK on this island! i have not left since i arrived last May, and i HAVE to get to Utah, and it seems to be the most difficult time of year to get off this island. the last 5 flights i've tried to catch have canceled last minute... ya... things could be worse.. i COULD be flying to Moses Lake wa, where there is ZERO chance of getting to Utah from there... but i am still irritated. it's 7 and at midnight, i'll be heading back to the air force base to try and get on a flight. i have been praying (yes actually praying, not just hoping and calling it a prayer) that i will get there in time, that i will feel the inspiration from the spirit to get me on the right flights.

Yesterday my good friend Sam came and got Deezul, so when i got home last night (after the flight being canceled) it felt REALLY strange to NOT have Dee waiting for me as i opened the door... we got Deezul the day before we moved in here. so there has not been a single day, that he has not been here when i walked in. it was a little hard. Trudy looked at me and had to ask if i was ok and going to make it. i got a little teary, but thats about it. :) we crashed on my new couch (oh my gosh it's AWESOME) and since we'd been so sleep deprived at this point from trying to get all my crap done and trying to get me on a flight, we slept through SIX alarms that were supposed to wake us up so i could catch a flight this morning... ya... i am hoping that was divine intervention saying i wasn't supposed to be on that flight!

So pretty much, i HATE traveling, more than almost anything. i'm ready for this trip to be over, so i can be home and preparing for Riley's return back to me. i have ALOT to get done. i want everything to be PERFECT for his return (but this is me we are talking about SOMETHING always goes wrong) the apartment is coming together, and when i get back i'll have to get ready for the arrival of all of our stuff from storage! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO i am so excited for that!!!

I have been in contact with one of the guys in Riley's team's Mom, she is so super sweet. and i look forward to meeting her VERY SOON for our homecoming. i'm sitting here in the dark living room, listening to Mumford & Son's... SO AMAZING, i want more than anything for Rye to call me, it's been a LONG week, and i just want to hear his voice. but i probably won't for a while... SO BUCK UP SAV, and get over it. he'll be home soon... things could be far worse... i just need to quit complaining... haha ok, i'm done. i'll update soon with my adventures in Utah (if i ever freakin get there!!!)

Oh Geez (kinda long.. but entertaining)

2011-04-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we are winding down on the deployment.... now when I say that, it's not like "Oh your husband is coming home soon and you're counting down the days... that means it must be SOON".... well for most of the normal world... it's not, but to me... a wife who has been without her better half for about half a year now... it seems unreal that we are getting close to the end. i've been CRAZY busy trying to get the apartment perfect for when Rye gets home. As most of you know i've done ALOT of painting... we now have SIX different colors in our house... i promise it looks good! however i am keeping the rest of the apartment a secret until Rye gets home, so you will all have to wait until then to see my masterpiece.

So on to my story! My bestfriend of YEARS Lauren is graduating this friday, and I (being an awesome friend) will be there! it has been almost exactly a year since i arrived on this island and i have not left the island since arriving. Since my husband is military i am able to fly for free on what they call Space A... sounds pretty insanely awesome right... well don't go getting too jealous on me, it's turned into a nightmare... i have about 72 hours to make it all the way to Utah, i was planning on catching a flight this morning... (it would have left right about now) however around midnight, they decided to make that flight disappear (cause they are the military, and they can do that) there is now ONE flight off the island and to the states... landing in southern california... only problem is... the ONLY base that flies to the base i NEED is in Washington... and i called that base, and EVEN if i somehow find a flight from a SoCal base up to Washington...they have ZERO flights between now and when i need to be in Utah. so i can either attempt to somehow find a way to get to the base in Vegas, have my in-laws pick me up, and then have Lauren meet me in st george... OR i can try and find a one way ticket from Cali to Utah... at this point, i am about ready to sit down and CRY!!!!!!

Don't go calling me a baby just yet... ALL this happened at the end of the day i had yesterday (i laid down to take a nap around 2 and woke up at 5 cause i'm stressing about flying)

So like i mentioned earlier i've been on island for almost a year. and the military STILL has not shipped our household goods to us. ya, everything from our house and life (pre-military) has been sitting in BOXES, in a storage unit for almost 2 years now. i arrived here with one suitcase, and have pretty much had to start from scratch... dealing with crappy "aloha" furniture... these are the most uncomfortable pieces of furniture you can imagine, yet since i've had to deal with them for almost a year, i don't even notice that the FULL sized mattress is covered in plastic. or when you sit on the couch, you get a bamboo stick right where it isn't so pleasant... or welcome. This to me, is part of being a GOOD military wife, being able to adapt... and do so with a good attitude. all my friends here have heard me say for the last year "OOH OOOH I HAVE THAT! AND IT'S REALLY NICE....... but it's in storage" i am SICK of bragging about crap that i don't even have access to!!!!

every time i go into the office to get this done, they send me back and forth between a few buildings and tell me i don't have what i need to get it done. or they WON'T move it cause he's deployed, OR that they won't move it cause it's in a storage unit.... seriously, it's bull crap. so THIS is my adventure... if you are NOT military, i will do my best to explain what's going on (in Sav terms of course)

Definitions before we start
TMO- this is the crappy place where crappy Marines DON'T help you get your stuff sent here. they find them most unpleasant Marine and stick him at the front desk.. so the first thing you see when moving to a new place, is an unfriendly face.

IPAC- this is actually probably worse than TMO... this is a place where they keep EVERY piece of paperwork you need... you bring them a list of what you need.... they give you SOME of it, and tell you that they gave you everything needed from the list.

FRO- this is the Family Readiness Officer... to the spouse of a deployed Marine, she is like Santa, or Dumbledore... or Oprah... you tell her what you want/need... she makes it happen.

Friday
alright, so i am thinking to myself, "Sav, you're going to be in Utah, you should see if you can get your crap boxed up and shipped to you while you are there" then i thought BACK "psh, TMO can't get their heads out of their butts to help me do this... lost cause." i mentioned this internal conversation to my good friend Trudy, who informed me that SHE also had troubles with TMO 6 months before, and was fully willing to throw a total FIT on my behalf (awesome friend right!!!) we head over to IPAC to grab the papers we KNOW TMO is going to ask us for. i hand the idiot at IPAC my paper and say "I need all of these... EVERYTHING on that list" he comes back with a stack, hands it to me, says i have all the right "orders" i ask him "Are you sure? i don't have to go to the 3rd deck to get anything else?" he answers confidently "NOPE, you got it all here, you are 100% set and ready to go" now it's about 2 pm... both of these offices don't open till like 9, then they close at 11 until 1 for lunch (yup... 2 hours) they come back to work and are off work by 4... so they are not really "customer friendly" hours. we head over to TMO, walk in, the place is CROUDED. The guy at the front desk was surprisingly helpful and SUPER nice. I told him my situation, that i was flying out first thing the next week and NEEDED it all done immediately. he let me know he could get it ALL done on monday, but he was absolutely SLAMMED at the moment, took my form i filled out, informed me it was now all on this website and i needed to get that done over the weekend, and on monday he'd push it all through for me...thank goodness! easier than i imagined... right?

Sunday
I have been super busy all weekend but hurry and get on the website to get this crap done. this website is not compatable with.... are you ready for this? ok.... Mac (any mac's) firefox, internet explorer 6 or 7 on windows vista, or windows xp... not compatable at ALL on windows 7... ugh, shoot me NOW! so i download the right version of internet explorer, but because my computer is windows 7 (i'm sorry that i have the up to date technology!!!!!!) i cannot access the link i need! after 3 hours of trying, i fall asleep while talking to Rye(it was only 9:30... and YES, he gave me plenty of crap about that.. but if you feel the need, go ahead and lay on some more!)

Monday
i wake up at 5:30, and get back on the website by 6... Trudy was planning on heading over around 9-ish so i had 3 hours to finish the forms on this website. however i encountered the SAME issuses... ugh so i call a few people, have them try... still NOTHING. at this point i really am almost to tears, beyond frustrated, and worried now more than before that i will NOT be able to get this all done. Trudy arrives with proper caffeine for me...( i have not had ANY caffeine and VERY little carbonation since Rye left... but the closer to the end of deployment, the more crap i have to get done, and a low carb monster just gets me GOIN!!!) i tell Trudy about this bullcrap website that TMO is forcing me to endure, she agrees (total bullcrap) and says we are going straight over there instead of wasting time on a stupid website that isn't helpful. So we walk inside, and there is the most unpleasant looking man at the counter (i say man, but he was probably a year or two younger than me... although his receding hairline and extra poundage made him look older. i Tell (let's call him Stephen... which may or may not be all or part of his name) "i was in here on Friday, the guy at the counter told me to come back today, you guys could squeeze me in, cause i'm flying to Utah tomorrow and i need to get this all done NOW"
-Stephen"Who told you that??"
me- "i don't know, the guy that was up here on friday" (i then proceeded to give him a rundown play by play of fridays conversation.)
-Stephen "ya, that won't happen... who was it? what skin color was he?"
me- "i don't know... white" Trudy shakes her head no at the same time stupid Stephen does
Stephen "i'm the only white guy that works here" as there are 4 or 5 other white guys walking around WORKING.... at this point i just want to scream
"well then i don't know i'm not a fricken racist, all i know is he was pretty good looking (much more than you!) he was taller than you, more helpful than you, and a heck of a lot nicer than you too!" but i didn't say that... i did repeat that rant later on to our FRO... but not when it really counted.

Stephen then tells me that not ONLY am i missing another form from IPAC(go figure) but that he then calls me a retard for not figuring out his stupid website. (yes he actually called me a retard... i replied back with "did you just call me a retard" and he shot back "well the system isn't the problem" wow buddy) informs me that he cannot get anyone to "counsel" me until Friday, and then it'll take another 2-3 weeks for them to pick my crap up. at this point i'm getting pissed... because mr. apparently not white on friday told me he could get my crap picked up in the 2 weeks i'd be in Utah. and they could help me schedule that ON THAT DAY!!! at this point it's 10:45... so Stephen is now trying to get rid of us (so he can go stuff his face for 2 hours) he tells me i need to get the form from IPAC and then bring it back "you can bring it back here at 1300... that's 1 o'clock" wow.... doucher, thanks for clarifying. and THEN they can make an appointment for me... but since i'll be out of town, i will need to contact my husband, and have him fill out the legal forms to give someone else power of attorney to get "counseled" for us... and THEN since it'll be so delayed, he'll have to get his mom power of attorney as well to be there when they get our crap... yes, let me just ring Afghan and ask for my husband.

We walk out and i am FUMING. as we're pulling out, Stephen is taking off his cami blouse and getting in his car for an early lunch. we rush over to ipac hoping to get there before they close for their 11:30-1 lunch (not QUITE as ridiculous) we walk in i hand them the paper, and not very nicely demand "i just need number 6 on that list.. you idiots gave me everything ELSE on friday" he takes one look at it and tells me that i have to get that on 3rd deck... i snatch my paper up, and on my way out the doors i'm mumbling (pretty loudly) "i fricken asked you idiots if i needed to go to 3rd deck and you said no, fricken HATE MY LIFE!" yup... guys were staring. now i could type for EVER on what went on up on the 3rd deck... pretty much, alot of guys standing around playing on their phones, trying as hard as they could to NOT be helpful... 45 minutes later i had what i needed and we got the crap out of there!

Furious at this point i storm into our FRO's office. and begin to rant about how i've been here over 11 months and STILL have a plastic covered mattress... and i fricken hate deployments, and IPAC AND TMO SUCK... i think i may have threatened the lives of some of the not so helpful people. she let me rant for about 5 minutes (as her and Trudy laughed at my description of the way things went down... hey, we all know that i'm always looking for the story or "adventure" in everything) She calmly tells me that shooting the people in ipac is NOT ok... only cause she is needing their cooperation on something currently as well (HAHA) she picks up the phone and calls IPAC... tells them whats up, and pretty much that i'm important and they don't want to piss me off anymore.... (ok so she didn't say that... EXACTLY) Gets off the phone and informs me that i am to report in at 13:30 and they will get me taken care of BEFORE i leave for Utah. she tells me who i am going to see and Trudy tells me that is mr. not white but good looking from friday THANK GOODNESS! SOMEONE WHO SEEMED WILLING TO HELP ME.our FRO tells me to call her if they DON'T help me, and she'll raise a little hell for me (liking this woman more and more)

after a small child crisis (i forgot i offered to watch Sam's girls for a few hours.. so i had to find somewhere to stash them for a while, so i could go to this appointment) (yup... i used the words Stash and Children in the same sentence... go ahead and judge me) we get back to stupid TMO and get to sit and wait (which i'm ok with because i was told they would squeeze me in) we saw LOTS of interesting things during our wait. but the ONLY thing worth reporting is that a CPL who was obviously infantry, and OBVIOUSLY had some unresolved anger issues (possibly resulting from dealing with the guys at TMO the WEEK before he deploys... just a thought. well stupid Stephen (who is lower ranking than this CPL) asks if he needs help... (at this point the CPL has been sitting across from us WAITING for like 20 minutes... and this is the first anyone has said to him he snaps back with (oh and anywhere i use a word that doesn't sound so bad,... like freakin... it's actually the F-word. i know.. classy right?!) "did you freakin look at your roster?!"
Stephen- "excuse me?"
CPL angry- "your freakin roster! DID YOU EVEN FREAKIN LOOK AT IT?!" gets up walks over to the sign in sheet and starts hitting each line with his finger... while SCREAMING at stupid Stephen "RIGHT FREAKIN HERE, RANK E-4 NAME CPL ____ TIME 1352 REASON POV... DID YOU FREAKIN LOOK AT THAT AT ALL! WHY HAVE ONE IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO EVEN LOOK AT IT! YOU FREAKIN RETARD"
Stephen- "oh.....ummmmm.... well then... have you been helped yet?"
CPL Angry- "DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'VE BEEN HELPED?! I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR 20 MINUTES, MY APPOINTMENT WAS NOW 10 MINUTES AGO, WHICH I WAS 10 MINUTES EARLY TO. NOOO I HAVEN'T BEEN FREAKIN HELPED"

it. was. beautiful.... while YES this CPL had some anger issues, and he may have been a bit extreme... Stephen TOTALLY deserved it... as he has successfully screwed everyone i know over when it comes to TMO. So that was pretty much my day... i got my TMO figured out (thus far at least!) hopefully all goes smoothly when i get to Utah (IF I EVER GET THERE!) i am sure i will have some awesome adventures to blog about during my trip home, and i can't wait to fill you all in... and hopefully i'll be able to do so while unpacking all of my stuff that should hopefully be here a few weeks after i return... WOO HOO!!!!

if you have stuck with me through this whole post.. i hope you have been thoroughly entertained... it was a day of LOTS of anger, and surprisingly no tears... though i expected the type you get when you are so angry and don't know HOW to express that! :)

Birth Order and Love

2011-04-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Does my birth order REALLY effect my love life? normally i would tell you all that horoscopes and fortunes are CRAP, and WHEN they are correct they are dealing with forces that we shouldn't mess with in the first place... "inspired by the devil" as i've been told. however this isn't really "VOODOO" per-se it's just psychology there is an article on Yahoo today talking about the oldest middle and youngest sibblings and how that effects their relationships... i am a middle child.. 2nd oldest of 5.. i am the middle girl. and my sister was always such a dominate figure that there was NO room for more than 1 "oldest" sibbling types... here is what they say about the 3 categories...

If you’re an oldest child...
It’s no coincidence that most U.S. Presidents were first-borns, because this is the sign of natural leaders. You’re a take-charge person, so not the type to drive friends and romantic partners crazy asking questions like, “I dunno where we should eat; where do you want to go?” Instead, you’ll make sure you have reservations — and land a prime table, too. And anyone lucky enough to pair up with you won’t spend weeknights wondering whether he or she has Saturday night plans, because “oldest kids are planners,” says Dr. Leman. You’re also old-fashioned (in a good way). You always come through on anniversaries and Valentine’s Day.
Your love challenge: Being more spontaneous. First-borns aren’t the “seize the day” sort (you’re not one to text your sweetie to suggest meeting at this fun café you just walked past). Likewise, “you hate surprises,” Dr. Leman warns. Pity the fool who springs meeting the parents on you or when you thought it was just the two of you going out tonight!
Best match: The youngest child. “It’s a case of opposites attracting,” says Dr. Leman. “You help the last-born be more organized, and the last-born helps you lighten up.”

If you’re a middle child...
Contrary to their reputation as insecure messes (example: Jan Brady), middle kids actually make stable and loyal partners. “One thing you’re not is spoiled,” Dr. Leman says. You probably grew up feeling like you got less attention than your siblings, and that drives you to work for every perk — including a happy relationship. Also in the “positives” category: You’re “a compromiser and negotiator,” Dr. Leman notes, so you’ll give your partner plenty of say in everything from how quickly your relationship progresses to where you go on vacation together. And your romance should be free of daily petty squabbles (middles hate conflict); instead, you try to put others at ease.
Your love challenge: Opening up. Have you ever been told you’re hard to read? “Middle children can be very secretive,” says Dr. Leman. “They got hammered by the first-born and swindled by the baby, so they keep their cards close to their chests.” You’re also not the best communicator when you’re upset. But if you learn to speak up instead of holding your anger in, you’ll have a more harmonious relationship.
Best match: Youngest child. “Middles aren’t as threatened by last-borns as they are by exacting first-borns,” says Dr. Leman, so the odds are good for open communication.

If you’re a youngest child...
You’re all about fun. The most outgoing of all in the birth order spectrum, youngest children live to have a good time (it may be because your parents were more laid-back by the time you came along). On a typical first date you’ll have your date laughing so hard that water shoots out his or her nose. In fact, “most famous comedians are youngest children,” says Dr. Leman. A partial list of famous examples: Jon Stewart, Jim Carrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy. And forget ho-hum plans like dinner and a movie; you love to do the unexpected, often on the spur of the moment. You’re the type to take someone to a party only to whisper, “Let’s get out of here” two minutes later... and then convince your date to take a road trip to Atlantic City or Vegas for the weekend.
Your love challenge: “Babies are the least financially dependable,” warns Dr. Leman (it comes from being, well, taken care of all your life). That means your date may be stuck picking up the tab when your credit card is maxed out. Also, some youngest children — not you, of course! — use that last-born charm and charisma to be a bit, ahem, manipulative, says Dr. Leman. That breed of baby will leave a date and sneak off to hit golf balls with pals or something similar, leaving the other person wondering what happened.
Best match: Either the oldest child (they serve as a good counterbalance in a parent-child sort of way) or middle child (they value friendships, so they totally understand why you love being the life of the party).

ok, so like i said, i am a middle child. As Rye already knows, i am REALLY bad about expressing my feelings (just the negative ones) until i burst and EVERYTHING from the past __ months comes exploding and anyone with ANYTHING to do with it had better beware! and that bit about middles hating conflict... with me that is ABSOLUTELY true... now according to this... i should have married a YOUNGEST child.... well.. about that.... I TOTALLY DID!

Rye is all about the "fun" and "now" i don't see him as the type leaving me in the middle to go play golf though.... anyway i found this all pretty interesting... the reasoning DOES make sense. and all of this was too long to put in a status update on facebook so i thought i'd put it here and talk about it a little.

How Does She Know?!

2011-04-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

A few years ago everyone was RAVING about this disney musical that was in theaters.. Enchanted. i never saw it in theaters.. and secretly made fun of my friends who admitted to singing the songs for WEEKS after seeing it. once the movie hit DVD i didn't see the harm in attempting to watch it. i convinced Riley that everyone said it was soo funny (i hadn't heard that at all actually... however when it comes to getting a husband to watch something like disney... or Glee... a little white lie isn't the worst thing... it's just a push towards something you know they'll love anyway... they just need to know OTHER guys like it too) we rented it and popped it in with his mom while his dad was away at a training. his mom thought it was alright... Riley LOVED it... he'd be in the shower and i would hear (quite loudly i might add) "awww-aww -ahhhhh"

ya i totally just put a clip up... i wanted you to know what sound i just attempted to type... ANYWAY, he's pretty good at that noise... and it puts him in a good mood to do so :) He also LOVES the song "how does she know" and yes he'll sing it to me, very sweetly... but usually at awkward times.. if i'm in the mood to watch OR listen to enchanted, he won't usually complain. this is my man who did NOT grow up in a Disney house (like i did!) he has seen Aladin, but only because of Robin Williams (i believe) he's NEVER seen Hercules, or MOST other disney movies... i figured i had hit a fluke with Enchanted and was NOT going to press my luck... and yes, i loaded a few of the songs from the soundtrack on his ipod before he left, so it can make his day so much better when he needs it.

HOWEVER, as most ANYONE that knows me, knows that i have this obsession with the movie princess and the frog... it makes me laugh SOOO hard, i totally CRIED when i first saw it... and still tear up a little now. While Rye was at SOI and i was driving every weekend, he was on restriction one weekend... so we pretty much sat in my car the WHOLE weekend. we bought a power converter for my cig-hole thingy and watched movies in the backseat on my laptop the princess and the frog was released earlier that week and Of COURSE i bought it... (the blu-ray + DVD + digital copy edition) so i convinced Rye of the awesomeness of this movie and that we should watch it. well he got bored about 5 minutes in said something like "Sav.... this is REALLY lame..." and then decided making out was so much more fun. every time i quoted that movie or begged to watch it, he would tell me how confused he was as to WHY i liked this movie so much... ya at that moment i KNEW he would never enjoy this movie even a smidgen of as much as i did. so i gave up... HOWEVER he then left for a month for training in Cali way back in August. he had a day off and was chillin in the single marines lounge place... and apparently they played the princess and the frog MORE than once.. and he watched it all the way through (i think more than once) he called me and let me know he kind of liked it a little more... YES!!! success!!! let's just say, he's become a fan now... and i couldn't be happier...

i was thinking about this today as i watched "Tangled" for the first time EVER today. i am curious as to whether Rye will like it... i think he might! plus he does like Mandy Moore... but it is still not quite as epic as Princess and the Frog, OR Enchanted... maybe i need to see it a few more times before it gets added to that list of epicness. here is one of my favorite parts from Tangled.

i think i might download the soundtrack, ya i'm going to go do that... the point of this post is to express that i really enjoyed this movie, and we'll have to see if Rye will enjoy it... but until then, here is the song of the day

i had a few possibilities... however with this deployment getting ever closer to the end, i'm a sucker for a sappy song :) so from the amazing movie, Enchanted.... here we have So Close

You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive

A life goes by
Romantic dreams must die
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you
And now forever I know
All that I want is to hold you
So close

So close to reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far, we are, so close

How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
We're so close
To reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close
So close
And still so far

look who's been busy!

2011-04-06T23:29:00.000-07:00

The answer would be ME! i've realized that this deployment is always getting one day closer to being over, i have a list a MILE long of things i need to get done before Rye gets back. i've gotten the proper motivation to actually get things DONE! i have put a FEW pictures on facebook, but let's fill all my faithful blog stalkers in!

this bad boy i found at the salvation army for under $10, it took one can of kyrlon spray paint, and a little elbow grease, then i added a few bits of paper and VIOLA!

and here we have my AWESOME paint job, if you blow this up, you'll see all my horrible mistakes on the top. and as Riley put it, he's worried he'll come home to a retarded rainbow... HOWEVER... i quite like the colors i've been choosing, i think they are pretty "Gardiner-esque" i just picked out the color for the guest room... it's pretty awesome... i'm a little worried about how it will turn out but i have faith in my overall goal for that room. ya, i spent all of conference weekend listening on my T.V. and painting

after i finished painting the living room i had still had the Sunday session of conference left, so i started on this little project... i found this window thingy for $10 at Reuse Hawaii, which may become a favorite store! after one can of kyrlon spray paint, and some hinge thingy's installed on the back it's turning out almost like i had envisioned!

before!

all sanded and prepped for painting!

TADA!!!!!!!!!

oh and in the picture above you'll see in the corner THESE things

these are just the 2 small testers, i am making more, i wanted to see how they would turn out! and so far i am in LOVE!!! i'm making a bigger on that will actually end up being a hanging lamp :) we'll see how that turns out.

and now that the wind storms are finally over, i was able to re-hang the jars.. only TWO were shattered due to wind, i collected the sand to weigh them down in the bottom and i LOVE how they look in the dark!

so there you go, i still have more projects left, and ONE more paint color to pick out... the most important one... our bedroom... i'm thinking a REALLY light pastel, i don't want anything too bright... haha like the rest of the apartment. i think everything is starting to reflect US, yet i am REALLY worried that Riley is going to get home and HATE it... so cross your fingers that doesn't happen... only __ weeks left of this deployment and i am SO ready for Cute Bum to be home!

Waka Wake (this time for Africa!)

2011-03-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

Let's just start out by saying happy _ weeks left!!! i can't believe i've made it this far! and with no major breakdowns... i'm pretty dang proud of myself!

Alright So this last week or so i've been super busy, but the crazy thing is... i haven't done much! i've been really trying to focus everyday on my job... being HOT, so i am still working out 2-4 hours a day, trying to hit my calorie mark everyday, and eat as healthy as possible... now when you are cooking for ONE it can be a little depressing, so sometimes you just opt for some Dino-nuggets.... don't judge me, that was lunch today :) i was recently informed that you have to NAME the dino's before you murder them with your teeth, so Prudence the Triceratops and Vincent the Velosaraptor were quite delicious! my check marks are adding up!!! however the scale must be lying to me cause it's telling me that i'm doing NOTHING... ya hours and hours of zumba and running does not add up to a zero loss... not if you are actually EATING within your calorie mark... it's bullcrap and i'm pissed... so i'm giving up on the scale, and working out for the pure pleasure of the PAIN!

i had my first Zumba-thon on friday, it was nearly 3 hours of zumba, ya i for SURE hit my calorie mark that night! i was POURING sweat, i used to watch Riley do insanity in our living room and think it was DISGUSTING how the floor with be covered in little sweat puddles... but at the same time i'd be jealous, cause you can't deny that he was working hard, and when i'm at the gym and i'm all sweaty, i feel HOT, and like every guy in there is looking at me like i'm a super model... hey don't mess with my delusions :) but at zumba i could look down and there were sweat drops ALL around me :) AAAAAAND my shirt was a COMPLETELY different color when i finished, and when i got home, i had to actually WRING out my sports bra haha i know it's gross but i was sooo proud! you can even ask Kat, i'm pretty sure it was yesterday when i flashed her my sports bra to brag about the sweatiness :)

if i'm not tiny by the time Rye gets back, i'll be the fittest fat girl i know! i'm working on walking to and from the gym (equaling 4 miles) working out for at least an hour at the gym, and THEN taking Dee on about an hour walk at night, i just have to work on NOT sitting and watching netflix in between the two :)

Speaking of Deezul, my little man is 11 months old today... CRAZY huh!!!

i was rocking the bright red lipstick and decided to cover my little guy with kisses :)

this was taken at... i think 5:30 or 6 am, Dee was PISSED because i decided after Rye called at 4:30 that i should just stay awake instead of sleeping in till 7, i skyped Kat after hanging up with Rye and thats when i decided that wearing bright red lipstick in bed was a good idea... wow after typing that it sounds a bit inappropriate... anywho, i kissed Dee, then went to go cook myself a few eggs, he curled up on this blanket, and then i took this picture :)

So last week it rained ALLLLLLL week! and i gave Dee a bath, unfortunately he had to pee at some point, and sadly my puppy is no longer afraid of the rain, so he went and jumped in the mud puddles out back, and continued to try and dig up the ugliest tree on the island (i'm kinda hoping he'll succeed on that one!) so this is 3 hours after said bath, ya i wanted to CRY!

uh huh, THEN the little butthead tried to get on MY bed... he got spanked.

So i tried a new recipe this weekend, i made cream puffs for the first time ever! i didn't have all the ingrediants handy to make chocolate mousse filling so i just used lemon pudding for the filling.. pretty dang good if you ask me! or anyone that tried them. i cannot WAIT to make them with the chocolate mousse filling!

i am TOTALLY jumping around tonight, it's been awhile since my last post :) so i took Dee on a walk just an hour or so ago to return some movies i rented (yup, they're late) and he was EXHAUSTED he again laid down in the middle of our walk and stretched out trying to nap. only 2 people pulled over today to see him, one being a single Sailor that isn't stationed on our base, from his insignia i'd guess he's an e-5.. ok so i'm on a military base, wearing a wedding ring, i MENTION that my husband is deployed and suddenly that gives this guy the go ahead to ask me on a DATE! he apparently pulled over cause HE has a shar pei as well, and hasn't seen another one on the island, plus Dee is a good lookin pup... so THEN he asks if i'd want to bring Dee to the dog park by his house and he'll make spaghetti... haha not even kidding. Military guys are ridiculous. but at least i know working out is paying off eh?!back on track! so i get Deezul home, and he PASSES out on the tile after drinking 2 full bowls of water

can you see his 3 kiss marks :)

he's so smiley after long walks!

as far as Rye goes, he's doing his Gray belt training, GO BABE! i know, i'm proud of him too! he called this morning, wasn't in the best mood... called so his lil' wife could cheer him up :) i'm pretty good at that! just think Rye only __ weeks until you get to have me all to yourself! except during zumba hours!

lastly, you may have seen this on my facebook, it is my new ALL-TIME favorite you tube video, i can't even count how many times i've watched it. this poor guy is running on 3 hours of sleep in 3 days, trying to keep himself awake on post... he's delusional and losing his mind, and i laugh EVERY TIME. so here ya go! MAMA DOG!

You Make Me Happy!

2011-03-23T00:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy day. i was planning on going to my favorite zumba class of the week at 8am. but i stayed up late talking to Rye so i knew it was going to be hard to get my butt out of bed. so when my first alarm went off at 6:10, i shot Kat a text asking her to call me at 7 to get me UP!so i wake up to the sound of her ringtone... only to roll over and see it's my "normal" alarm at 7:30 going off.. so i FLIP out, jump out of bed, put Dee outside to go to the bathroom, fill up his food and water, track down some work out clothes, and get OUT the door in 10 minutes, at this point i have 18 minutes until the class starts.. so i start to jog, i'm not very good at running "off" the treadmill, and i had 2 miles to go, so i did take a few walk breaks... BUT i made it to the gym only ONE minute late! and i blame that minute on having to stop at 8 for "colors"

after zumba i had a nice walk home, showered and got ready for the day, made myself some eggs and a smoothie... i was REALLY craving chinese food, and decided to meet up with some girls at the food court on base... so i walked another mile BACK down to there... then decided chinese food was NOT worth the calories, and had one of taco bells "healthier" choices (less than 340 calories)

I picked up a new xbox game for Rye, i pre-ordered it a few months ago and it came out last week so i ran in and grabbed it, and bragged to the girls that i won best wife of the day award for that one. as i was sitting in the salon waiting for my turn to go get my bangs trimmed i got a text from my next door neighbor that someone dropped off flowers, and she brought them inside so they wouldn't get all withered. i had NO idea who would be sending me flowers on a random tuesday... curious i hurried and drove home (after getting my bangs all trimmed up)

he sounded pretty proud of his choice cause of the smiley mug :)

i sure do love him!

Sure enough they were from that awesome husband of mine... seriously, how did i get so lucky with him?! i don't deserve him, and i am NOT just being humble, i honestly lucked out with him! so what was the occasion you may be asking... well the card said "just because i love you, hope you have a happy day. love the nugget" so here i am thinking i'm the best wife for getting him a video game, and PRE-ORDERING another one for us, and he goes and blows me out of the water! goodness!

on another note, since last monday i have not only hit, but KILLED my calorie burn goal... 7 times! 7 out of 9.... that aint bad, and on those days i was EXTREMELY close to hitting my goal. i am keeping check marks on my chalkboard and i think once i get so many, i should get a reward.. what do you think my reward should be? and how many check marks do YOU think i should have to hit before i get it? maybe shopping money for clothes for each check mark? i don't know... lemme know what YOU think!

oh so tonight i found the CUTEST dishes at ross... i wasn't GOING to spend any money, but i kind HAD to get them. i didn't spend much but i absolutely LOVE the look of them, i might try to get some more.. i really love them!

and here's the pitcher that goes with

also i had a brunch yesterday, so i made a few recipes from the "our best bites" cookbook (which i know i've mentioned, but seriously it's AMAZING, and you should buy it!) i made the buttermilk caramel syrup

and the strawberry sauce

and look how cute i bottled them for my brunch! now this is mostly cause i had extra jars laying around... and i didn't have any lids for them and i was out of tinfoil, so i had to come up with something cute!

anyway, i'm going to have some frozen strawberries and keep on watching season 3 of Army Wives (ya, don't judge me, i'm pretty much POWERING through this series.)

Candle on the Water

2011-03-19T01:47:00.000-07:00

first off... i HATE the song candle on the water... yup i said it! and i haven't seen "Pete's Dragon" since i was young... but last time i saw it i HATED it.

alright so i know you all have been on pins and needles to see what my chandelier in the bathroom turned out to look like! are you ready??!?!?! i am SO ready to show you all.. the ONLY bad thing about Rye reading my blog is that i can't keep any of this a surprise for him... not that it'll make it any less sweet to be HOME. oh and in case my father in law reads this... "I REALLY DO LOVE YOU AND I LOVE HAVING YOU AROUND ANYTIME!!! SERIOUSLY!" just wanted to make sure he knew i wasn't just trying to avoid confrontation earlier :)

alright here we go!!!

i would give you a "whole picture" kind of picture, but the bathroom is a MESS, and i still have a few other things to do... but isn't it CUTE!!!!

ok so this NEXT project, i've been working on for a WHILE, and i FINALLY got them hung up today! so these are the day time pictures of my back porch lighting!

HOWEVER, i just went outside to light them... and it's too windy, ya i'm a little upset... especially after i told my husband he was being a jerk for saying we should "electrify" them... haha i have a feeling he MAY win that battle :) anyway i am going to get to painting...

i just got done from helping with this funeral for a family at church, it was an ALL day thing, but i hung out with some AMAZING women and we had more than a few laughs... plus serving someone else always seems to be worth it. when you serve your fellow man, you are serving the lord. and although today was stressful, and SOO many things did NOT go right, i cannot say it wasn't worth it. so what are you waiting for! go out and serve somebody!!!! :)

quote of the day, from oct 2010 conference
Choose Faith! Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism

All you need is love

2011-03-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

i'm realizing as i near the 150 blog post mark, that i sometimes almost double use a blog title... but dont' fret, i'm being cautious and creative :)

just wanted to blog real quick, i have kind of a busy weekend coming up here. i'm helping cook for a funeral today... hey my husband is gone, what else do i have planned on a friday night :)

i realized last night, that Rye will be home soon... i have a really busy __ weeks planned and he'll be back before i know it! so for now, i will continue to do what i'm doing, cause it seems to be working alright.

Yesterday i again hit my goal on the bodybugg, more like blew it out of the water again! 3400 calories burned! YES!!!! that is 3 out of 4 days this week! and the one day i didn't hit it, i was only 220 calories shy, overall i'm doing pretty dang good! i just hope to keep this up, because i am feeling fantastic!

Gravity

2011-03-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes feel like you're being PULLED? I don't know if it's because i've been with him for so long... could be, we have been together for 7 years almost. When Riley walked away from me and got on that bus, i felt like i was being ripped in two... i had never cried so hard in my entire life. And my dear sweet husband pointed out to the facebook world that he was worried about me, cause he'd never seen me cry so much. :) it's hard to embarrass me though... i think until you actually go THROUGH a deployment, you only understand a small part, the part that spouses CHOOSE to show the world. so for those of you non-military wives, here is a little insight into what my life is now. to everyone, i am this woman who puts a smile on my face day in and day out, it doesn't matter what is going on with me, i'll be smiling and making light of a situation.

However that night, i didn't care if other girls were looking at me like i was being dramatic, i didn't care if they were looking to ME for strength, and for the first time in our relationship, i was not trying to be the strong one. as most of you may know, when Riley left for bootcamp, i shed no tears... i knew he was scared, and i was NOT wanting to add anything on top of that fear, i wanted him to know that i was going to be ok... that he had an amazing woman standing behind him, who would wait for him faithfully. it hit later that night that he wasn't there. and i would not get him back, for 13 loong weeks. Those weeks were the longest of my life. i was an absolute mess. and the crazy thing is, i was around friends and family. i had the best people possible around me, lifting me up, and carrying me when all i wanted to do was listen to Josh Groban and cry.

And now here i am, completely alone... doing this all by myself. during Bootcamp i had to re-learn how to live by myself, how to make decisions based solely upon what I wanted... and during all of his trainings when i was traveling for HOURS upon HOURS, i learned to be by myself and embrace my alone time. When he was done with training and we were living together again, it was another massive adjustment... suddenly i again had ZERO alone time, i couldn't see the newest chick flick without bribery and agreeing to watch 300 and Fast and Furious...

My good friend Jesse is a seasoned Marine Wife, she's amazing. she told me something while Rye was gone the first time. i asked her if it ever got easier having him be gone. she replied with something that is proving to be soooo true. "it doesn't get easier.. ever. you just get used to feeling sick to your stomach with worry. you learn to make the days pass, you learn to cope with your bad days, and you learn to separate yourself from people when you are about to break down"

I continue to smile each and every day. but don't think that my smile is hiding misery, because it is most definitely not. i really am happy. i have the most amazing soul mate... one who is willing to make fun of my nose, one who i can make laugh so hard he starts coughing. I'm married to my very best friend, and there is not a person in the world that i look up to more than him. he is an AMAZING man, and AMAZING Marine, the most AMAZING husband, and one day he'll be the most AMAZING dad a kid could hope for.

My husband is not a wuss, and he is not a crier... he's like his dad. he's so much a MAN. but when it comes to his family (me especially) he turns into a big ol' softy. when it comes to leaving me, he doesn't do so well. Nothing brings a man to tears like family. When we first found out the exact date of his deployment, he came home from work, we had already been told a day... but he was informed it was moved up 3 days, and he would be leaving "day after tomorrow". my entire world at that moment seemed to be crumbling. i don't think i really said anything. i just went and started the shower (as i've said before that's where all our deep discussions happen) i remember he got in and i started bawling, i wasn't ready. it was finally hitting me that he was really going to leave for __ months. now this entire deployment i've "known" that he is coming home to me. there is not a doubt in my mind that he is going to come back to me. i've felt that way ever since that shower. i remember as he was holding me and i was sobbing into his chest, i just remember thinking over and OVER "please don't let this be the last time i get to do this. please, i just want to hold him again." and after i felt that peace that comes from the holy ghost giving you your answer to the prayer you've just uttered. Riley is going to be back in my arms in __ weeks, and as i've already promised Marylin there will be LOTS of tongue :) but just tasteful tongue of course haha.

Knowing he is coming home to me, keeps me going every day... but it doesn't make his absence any less known. i think of him every time i wear his gym shorts (his high school ones that i'm not supposed to wear) or when i find random socks of his in the most random places. he's the center of my world. or more like our relationship is the center of my world. everything i do, directly revolves around the center. i'm spinning a little lopsided right now, trying to keep my world on the right axis and spinning like normal without my other half. haha did that even make sense. wow.

i really hope this blog isn't too mushy or depressing, and hopefully it comes off the right way. i just kind of felt like i needed to vent, and as i've said before, this blog is my outlet, i won't sugar coat anything. and somehow Rye will read this before anyone else, ya, he's my personal stalker (i don't mind). but i am so proud of him, and me for that matter! i'm doing pretty awesome! don't be fooled, it's not easy, and it's not for everyone... but i'm the right kind of woman for the job...

alright here is the song of the day. it's been stuck in my HEAD!!! haha ya i am aware i think it's kinda a break up song... but just ignore that part! i think it's GORGEOUS!

and the lyrics.

Sara Bareilles--- Gravity

Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.
No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone.

You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your rain.

[CHORUS:]
Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.
But you're on to me and all over me.

You loved me 'cause I'm fragile.
When I thought that I was strong.
But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone.

[CHORUS]

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you're everything I think I need here on the ground.
But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go.
The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down
You're on to me, on to me, and all over...
Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.

oh p.s. i burned 3680 calories yesterday.. YES nearly 4 THOUSAND!!!

Burn Baby Burn!

2011-03-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

So i've been trying to go to as many Zumba classes as i can, and holy cow... i am SOO sore! there is another class in about 90 minutes, that i am going to try and make, if i can't i'll just have to run and lift weights. my really good friend Kristy is the one that got me turned on to Zumba, when our boys were at bootcamp she would go to like 2 zumba classes a day!!! ya, she was TINY! and her arms are so freakin toned, pretty much i would not mind looking like Kristy! now she's "with child" so zumba twice a day wouldn't be the smartest... but point being, she is a genius and i am so glad she told me what an amazing work out it is.

A month ago i was shopping at Charlotte Russe, and they were having a massive sale. i ended up buying a pair of pants for like $5... yup, a pair of jeans. but the only problem was, i couldn't wear them because they were too small.... a week ago i tried them on, and no luck. but YESTERDAY, i wore those bad boys to the MALL! woooooo i'm pretty excited! i just need to keep this motivation. cause if i can keep up with doing zumba or lifting everyday and hitting my calorie burn goal, i'll be in good shape! literally.

speaking of calorie burn, my body bug told me that in order to hit my goal weight, i need to burn at LEAST 2700 calories a day, which i have been unable to hit until now. it feels amazing to plug that guy in and see that i'm hitting what i need to. especially since the goal is soo high! anyway i'll quit blabbering, i have to get out of bed now anyway :)

BLECK!

2011-03-15T23:51:00.000-07:00

This title today is not the name of something or a real word... it's a noise. as in UGH, done for now!

i officially finished all 5 seasons of bones... not sure i should brag about that. but i started when i got sick, and i watch an episode or 2 every night. NOW i have just started season 1 of Army Wives... ya probably not the best show to start when you're all hormonal and moody... GOSH, so THEN i find myself cuddle attacking poor Deezul and telling him how much i wish Rye was here. cause he doesn't smell like BUTT! (usually)

and just when i'm about to break, he, as usual... saves me. swoops in at the right moment and says my favorite words "hey babe!" and suddenly i'm on cloud nine... yet i'm still in this odd mood. and Deezul can smell my loaf of bread from great harvest "potato cheese garlic" and has been SCREAMING at me for 15 minutes cause he's a FATTY!!!

well on another note. Riley is now ahead of me in the Book of Mormon... so i need to get on top of things! i mean the kid is on deployment... i should be waaaaay ahead of him... yet he hasn't finished the hunger games yet... ya i see his priorities :)

Spring Forward!

2011-03-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

The nice thing about living in Hawaii (among many things) is that we do not recognize daylights savings. so i don't ever have to lose sleep! haha with having to get up for that job i have of course :) however i do have my alarm set for 7:30 everyday, but without fail (except when i was sick) i somehow wake up at 6:43, don't know how that happens but it does. not that i'm complaining, i like getting up early... make the day feel longer. now being the wife of a Deployed Marine, you would think i would want the shortest possible days... however, i like long days (except when i am totally DONE with a day and it won't seem to end.

I started my first ever calling at church today, in the nursery... yup starting at the bottom :) plan on workin my way up :) for the most part though, all the kids are so cute and GOOD! These parents are doing a good job. and i hope that they know that.

towards the end of nursery, 3 of us were talking about kids standing up for their beliefs at church and such. how their kids will tell their friends when words and phrases are offensive, and how it really offends them to take the lord's name in vain (with the whole OMG phrase) i mean they are impressive the way they stand up to their friends. i'm such a people pleaser i wouldn't be able to do that. i should be better about that. challenge to myself there:)

but seriously, i need to be more like those brave high schoolers and middle schooler's who surround themselves with things that will uplift them, and better them.

I am so grateful for the Man that i have standing next to my side! (of course not literally as he is still deployed) he pushes me to be a better woman every single day, and thats the only way to do it! Riley was able to call and make sure i was not at the bottom of the ocean. we didn't get to talk for very long at all. but we had a very brief conversation that i've been thinking about since... i really just love him so much, and i love when he brings up hopes/dreams/goals... he gets so passionate and he's such a visionary, he can just imagine EVERYTHING. so i absolutely love to hear him paint me pictures of how things will be :)

i definitely married the perfect guy for me :) i'm really fond of him.

Go Big Or Go Home.

2011-03-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

Yes this title is a quote from the disney movie "Johnny Tsunami"... what could this post POSSIBLY be about... my first ever tsunami experience! what else :) before i begin, i want to let you all know that EVERYTHING i put in this story is absolutely true. and is NOT made up to make my blog post more interesting.

Put me in a blizzard and i'm fine. stick my in 120 degree heat and i'm gonna be alright... but put me on an island and tell me that there is a possibility that a bunch of waves are coming at me, i don't really HAVE a plan set in place.

Last night i had a meeting for the spouses of Riley's unit. After the meeting i stayed after to talk about a few things that i have to go into the office on Monday and get all squared away. So Steph drives me home, we say goodnight have a few more laughs and i go inside to crash. now at this point it's about 8:45, so i decide to put on an episode of Bones (since i'm now on season 5!) about 30 minutes in i check facebook real quick, and see that in the past 6 minutes 3 different girls had posted about a tsunami Watch for our island. So being rational i check weather.com... absolutely NOTHING on the matter... so i check around and 5 minutes later it's on weather.com. i call Steph and give her the heads up, she tells me that she thinks we should get stuff together just in case we have to evacuate. i tell her if it's bumped from a watch up to a warning... THEN i think we should do just that... 5 minutes later, it's bumped up to a warning, expected to hit at 3 am. I then hear that I am in one of the neighborhoods to be evacuated. so Steph and i start scrambling to get whatever we think we'll need. she packs up her stuff then heads over to my house and we load up my crap.

now the second i think about leaving my house in preparation for a possibly natural disaster i was pretty proud of myself, the FIRST thing i grabbed was my hard drive (has every picture on it!) and all of our important documents (socials, birth cert, marriage cert) all Riley's Military papers. Then i may have lost my mind a little bit... here are a few of the items i packed... and WHY i packed them... keep in mind i didn't know what to expect or how bad to prepare myself for!

Dog food (totally justifiable... right! ya how about ALL the dog food i had...)
my perfume (ok steph packed this one.. cause it smells pretty)
both pairs of rainboots (one for each of us! in case we had to go tromping around in the aftermath of a possible flood)
canned foods (plus a can opener)
matches (to cook my canned food of course)
massive tub of licorice (i knew Dee would be sad if it got destroyed!)
onion soup mix (ya umm just go with me.)
5 jars of almond and peanut butter (haha FIVE.... really???)

ok so thats part of my list... the BEST two items i can't even put on the list, because i need a bit more room to explain my thought process... alright i grabbed 2 onions... now yes thats just an odd thing to grab but the best part is WHY i grabbed them... ok, so i'm planning for worst case scenario, in which a massive wave comes (like Indonesia) and we are all foraging and scavenging and surviving for a few weeks until everything gets back on track...so i figured... if i brought two onions i could TRADE them... if need be. Ya i mentioned this to Kat, and she almost fell down her stairs and peed her pants from laughing so hard. i also grabbed a box of tampons... now neither Steph nor i needed them... i figured i could sell them... again kat almost died laughing. BUT had it come to that... i would have been prepared!!!

So we had the trunk FULL, we had 3... count them THREE puppies in the back seat and then us in the front. we stopped by walmart and grabbed water... and then headed to Tripler to sit in a parking lot on a hill and wait for the a-ok to go back home... we arrived around 11 pm... by this point my phone was BLOWING UP with texts from anyone who had woken up and had any idea what was going on. and my phone was quickly running out of battery life. i knew that as soon as my mother in law woke up, she'd see the knews and start FLIPPING out, so i shot my father in law a quick text letting him know my phone was DEAD but i was ok, and i'd call when i could. i kept expecting Rye to get online, see everything and call... but as of right now i have still not heard from him.

So we're sitting in the car, listening to the radio trying to get as much info as we can. and they mention that we are expecting 4-6 ft waves... at this point i feel like a BOOB for evacuating.. FOUR FOOT WAVES?! we get 30 footers on the north shore! then they explained WHY 4-6 ft waves were bad. these waves (which is a long series of waves) were coming at us from Japan moving at 500-600 miles per hour, or as the radio host put it (as fast as a jet plane) so imagine a 6ft + wall of water moving at you at 500 miles an hour... umm no thank you! so once again i was just fine with sitting it out on top of this hill.

close to 3 am Kat called and wanted to stay on the phone with me while it "happened" now Kat is my best friend, so i admit things to her that go through my head, and sometimes the second they come out of my mouth, i KNOW they sound ridiculous... but i can't help my thought process... i mentioned that even though i KNEW it wouldn't be like this... part of me expected the whole island to SHAKE when the waves hit... like a mammoth was charging into the island. she laughed, and asked if i could see anything... ok it was 3 am... it was pitch black outside... so no everyone i could NOT see what was going on. part of me kinda thought it would be a couple waves and we'd be home by 4 am if there wasn't too much damage. i didn't expect that the waves would continue for hours, and i would not get home until long after sunrise.

Deezul is extremely protective of me. especially at night time. so while we were trying to sleep. he decided to growl and bark at EVERY single person who even LOOKED our direction... so i stayed up the entire night and had to keep reassuring him that i was ok, and trying to calm him down. as a result of this, when we DID get home... he passed out and hasn't moved since (that's my boy)

All in all it was an interesting night. i think the craziest part, was listening to the tsunami sirens go off constantly... the sound of them reminds you of like world war 2.. you kinda feel like you're in the london bombings or something the damage to Oahu was minimal, some of the other islands were hit harder, and watching those videos puts into perspective how differently things could have gone last night.

My friend Kaitlyns fiance is currently in Japan, so it was so relieving to hear that ALL military personnel in Japan were accounted for! my sister informed me that most if not all missionaries were also accounted for. The videos of the tsunami in Japan make your heart skip a beat, the death tolls are continuing to rise. i will be keeping them in my prayers, and i'm sure you will too! it is such a tragedy, i can't imagine not having any time to flee... i mean it caught them COMPLETELY off guard.

i am now home. and trying to get at least a little sleep, while also replying to texts and phone calls so that anyone worried about me knows i'm alright. but i mean c'mon i'm tough. you really think i'd let some water take me out while my husband is deployed?!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers, i appreciate each and every one of you. Deezul and I are fine, we're still on alert... but i can't wait to go see what kind of shells the waves brought in!

Power of Prayer

2011-03-10T01:55:00.000-08:00

To all who have been reading/stalking my blog... most of you know about my 3 1/2 yr old nephew Jaxon, he was diagnosed with stage 4 of a rare cancer Nueroblastoma... they have been going in for chemo and such to hopefully shrink the massive tumor in his "tummy" since early November...Earlier today Jaxon went under for surgery to remove the shrunken tumor, and as the text i received read, "Jaxon is out, surgeon said it couldn't have gone smoother" woooooooosh and a HUGE weight was lifted of my shoulders! i had been stressing about this surgery for MONTHS! i called and talked to Michelle she told me a little more about the surgery and when i asked if Jaxon understood what happened today she told me the CUTEST thing... he knew that they were going to get the "bad guys" out of his tummy... while on the phone with me, Jaxon woke up and complained about pain (i mean the kid just had MAJOR surgery!) and was complaining about the bad guys in his tummy, to which Michelle put him at ease that they got all the bad guys, he just has to get better now. so there's that. next up he has another round of Chemo and then they have some major bone marrow surgery (which Michelle said is way scarier than this one, so we're not out of the water yet! prayers are still MUCH appreciated!)

onto my story of the night. and the real reason for the title.... although i'm 100% sure that everyone's prayers played a part in Jaxon's smooth surgery! Every wednesday night, i drive my friend Steph to work. she has to work the graveyard on Wednesday's and she is working on getting her permanent license but until than she's got the next best thing, a permit. So i drive her to work and then make the trip back home... SOLO. So Steph's car has a taillight out, it's not the bulb, there is like a short in the wiring ( we suspect from when one of the single marines felt confident enough in installing her Sub and next thing she knows half her wiring is on the fritz) Anyway, so usually we get pulled over and they inform us of the taillight.. now we are pretty enough that SO FAR we have just gotten warnings and such (i'm REALLY good at looking all innocent and somehow "forgetting" everything being married to a mechanic taught me) i'm also really good at flirting with the cops. the awesome thing about the military police, is that they don't have quota's (as far as i know!) so they aren't REQUIRED to write out so many tickets... so if you are sweet as pie to them (since most are single marines, and they deal with other douchebag marines all day) you can usually get out of it. now i don't speed, and i ALWAYS follow traffic laws ESPECIALLY on base... and i know PLENTY of other wives who are always complaining about the MP'S(military police) and how much they hate them and yada yada yada... now if they were to just slather on the charm a bit, they wouldn't have to complain so much! now i know i get alot of crap for "flirting" with the cops from other wives... but guess what! my insurance is REALLY cheap. between Rye and I we only have ONE ticket, and that is when i was caught going 7 OVER... ya, i got a ticket for that... but i was speeding and it was towards the end of the month... i got caught speeding, so i technically deserved it... but we have ZERO wrecks on our record so insurance is reasonable... i can't say the same for some other wives... my husband LOVES getting paid. and as LITTLE as has to go to insurance the better for his mood, and my own! so i will batt my eyelashes, and bring my voice up half an octive... dont' judge me :)

ok so tonight i was getting ready to take Steph, and we both know our luck with the taillight is running out.. as we've been pulled over for it nearly weekly since the start of the year. and last week around midnight this cop tells me he SHOULD give me a ticket because i'm DRIVING her car with the taillight out. but he didn't (usually if you can make them laugh/smile, they cut you a break!) but i was kinda stressing out because i'm REALLY sleepy tonight (i mean obviously... i'm blogging!) and i didn't want to deal with getting pulled over, and trying to sound charming. while also trying not to slur my words from sleepy-ness. so i said a quick prayer before i left that i wouldn't have to deal with being pulled over tonight.... so on my way TO Steph's work, a cop was going to pull out behind me, but instead pulled out right in front of me. 2 cops passed me going the other way as well. On my way back 2 more cops passed me BEFORE i hit the base, there were 2 cops at the gate (i may have kept my headlights off a little longer than i should have..shhh) then i passed a cop that was pulling out right behind me, but he quickly changed his blinker and went the other direction... seriously, SOMEONE was answering my prayers. so then i get home, get Dee back in bed but can't fall right to sleep... so i start writing this blog, and Rye gets online... someone is watching out for me :)

Hello Hello.... HELLOOO

2011-03-09T13:50:00.000-08:00

first things first! my best friend Kat survived a tornado this morning... ya intense huh! so congrats Kat, you're making progress... progress at what i don't know... maybe just another experience that you can say "i've done that" cause i can't say that... you're basically a BAMF!! Also, Riley called in the middle of the night (first time hearing his voice in entirely too long!) and he has been nominated for Marine of the Quarter! so unbelievably proud of him! he was voted by his fellow Marines... there are other people nominated (thats why it's a nomination and not a win.... yet :) ) he is studying for some test or something. And even if he isn't ultimately awarded the Marine of the Quarter... being nominated is SUCH an honor... and i couldn't be prouder. as i've heard many times "Deployments don't build character, they reveal it" Congrats babe! and to my other "boy" who was nominated! even if you don't win... it's like being nominated for an oscar! you are recognized.. and sometimes the academy gets it wrong and awards the "winner" to the wrong person... but being nominated is an EXTREME honor... BEAMING with pride :) can ya tell ;)

alright as promised here is your "crappy Sav tutorial"... cue applause! sooo in these last 2 boxes i sent, i have a few things in there i am quite proud of.... so brace yourself!!!

Let's start out with the awesome-er one... i saw this on a mom's blog (sorry i don't remember where!!!) BUT i decided i would make them for Rye and a few of the other guys, i mentioned it to Rye and asked how many i should make (i was expecting him to either tell me it was a lame idea... OOOORRRR that maybe 1 or 2 other guys would want one) however he got really excited and said "Sav EVERYONE will want one" so he asked me to make 10 total... and proceeded to give me their nicknames so i could personalize them... so here we go!

Marshmallow Guns
the way these work, you stick i mini marshmallow in one end... and blow really hard and it shoots pretty far... i know because i shot Deezul with each and every one of them to make sure they worked. You may try and say this is animal cruelty... but umm... has anyone thrown a mini marshmallow at you? NOT painful... PLUS he got to eat all the marshmallows... so he didn't seem upset at all!

ok so i started out with a 1/2 inch pvc pipe, i needed 12 inches for each gun, so when i bought the pipe i just asked them to cut them into 12 inch pieces... ya thats the smallest THEY would cut, so iiii had to do the rest of the cutting all by my lonesome (tip, spend the extra $10 and get the NICER pvc cutters.. cause mine left bruises and blisters all over both of my hands.) so i needed 3- 2 inch pieces, and 2- 3 inch pieces (wow did that make sense?! so i marked with a sharpie where to cut and set off to work.

the supplies

once all the pieces were cut i just had to fit on the caps, elbows and T's... sounds easy peasy... but it took a bit of finessing and sweat!

So at this point i wanted to make them seem a bit more "Sav made" so i used a cricut, cut out all the letters needed, and set to work with some modge podge to personalize them with their nicknames.


neither of these are Riley's... his nickname is far more lame :)

and this is the tool you do NOT want!!! please for the love of your hands, splurge and get a somewhat nice one!

worst $10 ever spent!!! worst tool EVER!!

so there you go.... i know it was a HORRIBLE tutorial... but i warned you with a name like "crappy Sav tutorials"

ok lets do another quick one! ok so this one i have been planning on doing LOONG before they deployed. however finding "mini mason jars" proved to be an adventure. i DID find them at a local craft store. they ended up being about a buck a jar... plus the mix was $1 (joys of shopping on base! it'll probably cost you 3-4 for your mix.) and the frosting was $1 as well... again, it'll probably cost a little more OFF base.

The Jars

it's pretty simple. you preheat the oven to whatever your cake mix tells you to... and then you prepare the batter JUST like the box tells you to...
then fill the jar but NOT all the way!!

my tester

fill it a little more than this one... i would say to that line... the FIRST one. thats what i did with the others and it worked PERFECT!

Then bake the jars...put them all on a cookie sheet... makes it simple to take out! check them with a toothpick to know when they are done. while they are cooling on the stove put the tops of the jars in water and simmer (just the seal not the thing you spin on over it.)

fresh from the oven

simmering.

ok so this next part, figure out what works for YOU, you COULD use tongs to take these out... i chose to use pliers... cause i'm Sav and why WOULDN'T i choose a non-conventional method. then put it on the jar and spin on the other thing TIGHT! ok so after you do this i set them all on the other counter to cool and one by one they began to pop... thats when you know they are SEALED and safe to ship without fear of salmonella and crap like that.

before the "pop" can you tell?

after the pop!

ok so at this point i'm proud... but once again i REALLY wanted to make them a bit more personal (maybe just so my boys will know that i made them and i didn't just buy them... i dunno) so i made these labels.. and planned on modge podge-ing them on.

CUTE HUH!!!

so i did just that... and they turned out DANG adorable!!!

so there you have it! get to crafting! and send someone serving overseas something that will totally make their day/week/month! cause that's basically what i strive to do!