Bizarre-Strange-Confused

Those are just some of the word describing me right now.

Wow- not sure what I am going through. I need to look up emotional stages of a deployment. I am feeling so weird. I am tired all the time now. I don't really want to do anything. yesterday I sat on my couch and stared aimlessly for over an hour. BIZARRE!  I never take naps- NEVER- I took 2- yes 2 this week. BIZARRE I forced myself this morning to go meet some other spouses for coffee. I typically love going and look forward to it each week. not today! BIZARRE

I'm feeling so many emotions at once right now. I am so mad at my van- I just got it fixed yesterday and spent $370 on it. Today- it dies on me. The exact reason why I got it fixed yesterday.UGH So far this deployment- my heater broke, garage door opener broke, van broke-twice-, fence broke, mower broke, sump pump broke and flooded some of the basement, master bath toilet leaked into downstairs room and my kitchen sink leaked. I'm sure there is more.  All while I am taking care of 2 dogs, 2 vehicles, a house and bills. Not to mention my 2 kids- my daughter who absolutely adores her dad and is going through some self esteem issues. Plus-my son, which is a 13 year old teenager-UGH!!

I feel so tired, worn down, sad, angry.......

I literally would love to just sit at my kitchen table- put my head on it and just let my arms hang down for hours and hours. Not moving or thinking. Just sit there. I don't even want to sleep- even though I am SO tired, I don't want to sleep.

Call me a whiner, complainer- whatever. Don't really care. I know that we signed up for this and I am not saying that I don't want to be a military spouse or that I can't handle it. I'm just saying...........

I don't know what I'm saying really. LOL Maybe I'm just going through a moment. I hope it ends soon. I have so much I need to be taking care of and yet I can't seem to accomplish anything.

I know there are worse situations. I am aware that I truly don't have it that bad. I am thankful that we are all healthy and blessed with a roof over our head. I am thankful for the love of my family and all they my husband provides for us. I am thankful that we are ending this deployment soon. I am thankful that his job does not regularly put him in harms way. I AM thankful.

But still----  I feel..........................BLAH      (blank face staring at computer screen)

I'm sure none of this has anything to do with the fact that my husband has been gone since Jan 30th and I miss him more than I could ever explain.

What was I going to write??

So- I am having a brain fart!  As I lay in bed last night I was thinking about writing and had a great title and everything. My brain was flowing and was excited to write today.

Apparently while I slept the anti blog fairy came and stole my thoughts.

I've got nothing!! Yep- NOTHING.  :-(

It will bug me all day. I have learned my lesson to at least get up and write myself a note or just get the computer and write.

Here's to hoping your mind is processing better than mine.  :-)

Did time slow down??

Good golly it feels like time just slowed way down. It is probably due to the fact that we are on our last few weeks before this deployment is over. Everything has just been speeding along and now that it is so close it feels like it is farther away than before.

It doesn't help that I am real excited to get our orders in Oct and know that we will be starting a new adventure. So much is going to be happening starting in September for us. I guess i should brace for the storm to come- homecoming, orders, selling house, promotion.................

I will enjoy the slow time because I am thankful that it felt like time was going somewhat fast since he has been gone. I almost thought that maybe I wasn't busy enough- and then I looked at my calendar and KNEW that wasn't it.

Hope all of you who are going through a deployment that the time continues to go quickly.

We put our base choices in!

So after reading everyone's thought and getting many opinions from friends- we finished our list.

Our choices are:

Livorno, Italy- Army Base
Aviano, Italy
Ramstein, Germany
Hickam, Hawaii- this was not on his original list b/c he is not sure if he qualifies for the job. So this is our hail mary of sorts.

Eglin, FL

We don't find out until October. Now is the dreaded wait time. I am not looking anything up or getting my hopes up. It is so hard when you spend time researching a base in hopes of getting it then you don't.  I REALLY want us to go overseas. It is just such a great time for us to be able to go and our kids to remember and enjoy it.

Off to pray to the PCS gods for the next couple months!!  :-)

UGH- Homeownership AND hubby deployed

Man oh man. You know Murphy's Law. Of course we have our own Military Murphy's Law that we all are aware of. You know- everything breaks when your husband leaves. Well, that is currently what is going on in my world.

I had that leak a few months back and turned all the water off in my bathroom. Well, I had the plumber come yesterday and everything was fixed. Turned out to be my toilet seal- $100 and all fixed. I was THRILLED!!! So worried that it was going to be some major leak or something and dreading to find out reality.

Well- I was excited too soon. This morning my sump pump went out. After all night and morning of rain it decided it was done working for me. ( a sump pump is in the basement of some houses and removes the water from the foundation) Anyway- I went to go start laundry and saw some water. Hmmm I had the plumber here yesterday and I thought he fixed everything. great- he must have missed something--- right!

NOPE

Whole new problem. My sump pump stopped sending the water out  but it is still coming in and now all my lower drains are stopped and overflowing. Just fabulous!!  I start trying to self fix the issue. Power is on, breaker is good and the pump is just making a weird clicking sound. Oh wait- no time to try and fix the issue the water is coming and now overflowing in the bathroom next door.

I call the plumber and he is at another job but will get here as soon as possible.  Oh No!!  please be soon!!


I start bailing water. One pitcher at a time, up and down the stairs. I have to pour it outside since my drains are full. After 12 dumps the water looks the same. :-(

Plumber calls and is on his way- it had only been 20 minutes. THANK GOODNESS

He was wonderful- Started working fast right away and fixed the problem quickly. He could tell I was a little frazzled and was so nice.  So I now have a new sump pump, lots of towels to wash and a new bill on the way.

Honey- are you coming home yet????????

Recipe Swap!!!

HOW FUN!!   

Is having a Recipe Swap.  I LOVE recipes so here is one or two that I would like to share-- ENJOY!!

Easy Crab Cakes

1 cup boiling water
1 pkg stove top stuffing
3 eggs
2 cans crab meat
1/4 cup butter
1 lemon

Add boiling water to stuffing mix in large bowl. Stir until moist.  Let stand 5 minutes. Mix eggs and crab meat in separate bowl. Add crab meat mixture to stuffing. Melt butter in pan and shape crab meat into patties. Cook on med heat until lightly browned.

Marinated Cheese- SO SO yummy!! Serve this cheese over crackers to WOW your guests.

Block Cheddar Cheese
Block Cream Cheese- extremely cold. Set in freezer for a few minutes before cutting
-MARINADE-
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white or red wine vinegar
1 bottle diced pimento's (drained)
3tbs parsley
Garlic Cloves chopped or minced
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp basil

Mix together all marinade ingredients in a pourable container. MIX WELL and place in fridge.

Cut both cheeses in same size small rectangles. Place cheese in container alternating between the 2 slice into rows. cream cheese/cheddar/cream cheese/cheddar.........

Pour marinade over cheese and let sit in fridge for 2 hours. Serve with crackers.  :-)

We got orders to Italy!!

Ok- maybe we didn't!   WAIT- don't leave. I agree that was a mean thing to say just to get you to read this blog post BUT- I do need your help.

We got our available bases for our upcoming move in the spring. We have to pick 5 bases that we would like to go to. Not that they are 100% going to give us one of those choices- after all it is called a "dream sheet" for a reason. BUT- (yes, I know I say that a lot) we still want to pick 5 and dream about them .LOL

So, we have 4 picked out. They are Livorno, Italy; Aviano, Italy and 2 Ramstein jobs. That leaves us with one more choice- stateside. We are stuck between Eglin-FL, McGuire-NJ and Fairchild-WA.

Eglin- we were stationed at Hurlburt before this assignment so we know the area. Don't really need info, just want to compare.

McGuire- we visited for 5 days this March and really liked it. But- yes I said BUT- we weren't living there.

Fairchild- never been

So here is where I need your help. Have you actually been stationed at any of these bases?  I need   info and good info! I used to know of a website that wasn't military governed and people wrote there actual experiences but can't remember the site- do you know it? We have 2 kids so I am interested in high school and middle school info.


Thanks!!  :-)



Oh- and don't forget about -------->GROUPON   

Being a homeowner stinks!

UGH- my head hurts. I took a Motrin-800 and am hoping it takes away my pain. I also bought a box of  Milk Duds because I just needed a little bit of goodness in my day.

I haven't been sleeping well lately and I am sure that has to do with why my head hurts. So much on my mind lately. We got our base choices and are now picking our top 5 for our list. I am WAY excited about this. BUT that means it is time to sell the house again--DREADFUL!!

Have I mentioned I hate being a homeowner!! So not fun when you are in the military.

I had turned the water off for my bathroom sink 2 months ago because there was a leak. Yes- I know that doesn't fix it but I was hoping it would sustain it until hubby got home. Well, today I went in the laundry room (downstairs below my bathroom) and noticed a drip of water. I knew that when I looked up I wouldn't be happy.

I could have just kept my head down, turned off the light and walked away. That would have been wonderful and easy.

BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I know that is not the right thing to do so I DID look up. Bummer!! The leak is back and now I turned off all the water to my bathroom. So I am now on a mission to find a good plumber.

   

Head hanging down as I heave a heavy sigh with a sad face.

It is such a pain to find someone that you can trust to come into your home and hope they don't scam you and take you for all your money. I will have faith though and be diligent in finding one. Otherwise the problem is going to get worse and I don't want hubby's return to be filled with fix this and fix that. ( although I do have a list going- of course).

Anyways, I just couldn't seem to recover from the leak and headache so my day went down the toilet faster than the leak under it.

But I do have children and I must make a speedy recovery and put on my brave happy face-- insert smile here!

After all- tomorrow is a new day

Nothing Scheduled- Not good

WOW- I have nothing scheduled for the next several weekends.  This is not good. I thrive on being busy so the time passes quickly. Luckily- DH comes home next month so I really don't need to keep myself too busy anymore but still. Maybe I am just too used to being busy. I probably should just enjoy the weekend and relax for once. BUT- then time goes by so s-l-o-w.

I do have lots of paperwork type stuff I could do for the key spouse program and the spouse club.

BUT- I would love to just do nothing maybe all day. Not sure the last time I just became a couch potato and watched tv all day. Not even sure if I could do that- I probably would drive myself crazy just sitting there. Knowing there are things I could be doing.

Is it payday yet??? LOL  It always helps when we have money then we can do things. This paycheck went quick with school supplies and registration. Yes- I PAY for my kids to go to public school. It is so crazy. My son in 8th grade cost $92 and my daughter was $60 for 5th. That is just so they can go and sit in the classroom. It does not include supplies and yearbook. Plus, last year my son lost a book and we had to pay for the book again. No- they are not getting new books every year- they are using repeat books. I have no idea why we have to pay here. I have asked several people and nobody knows.

Ok- off to do nothing or something. LOL   Hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend.

Ten Commandments of a Military Spouse

During my Key Spouse training someone mentioned the "AF 101" handbook for Air Force spouses.

It is HERE

This is a FABULOUS handbook for any branch of the service even though it focuses on the Air Force.
By far my favorite part was the ten Commandments.

So here they are:

The Ten Commandments of a Military Spouse

1. Thou shalt not write in ink in thy address book.

2. Thou shalt not covet choice assignments.

3. Love thy neighbors from other branches of the service no matter how superior the Air Force may seem.

4. Honor all thy benefits for as long as they all shall live.

5. Be thou kind and gentle to retired, white-haired Commissary, Exchange, and Thrift Store customers, because someday thou too will be a retiree.

6. Thou shalt not threaten to, or kill thy children or spouse when your spouse is TDY or Deployed.

7. Thou shalt look for the best in every assignment even though the best may refer to “most childhood diseases in one year” or “record snow in one month’s time”.

8. Thou shalt remember all thy friends from all thy assignments with holiday greeting cards, for thou never knowest when thou may wish to spendeth the night with them while enroute to a new duty station.

9. Thou shalt not curse your spouse when s/he is TDY/Deployed during moving days, holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries.

10. Thou must never arrive at a new duty station and constantly speaketh about how much better thy last base was.


LOL  LOVE IT!!

 Which ones are you guilty of? I am definitely guilty of #10 BIG TIME- especially since I was in Florida before. #2 is big for me as well since I am awaiting our orders.

Next month- so weird

WOW- I can officially say that next month my hubby will be home!!

I CAN'T believe it.  I am so excited . It seems like it was forever ago that he left and now he is pretty close to being home. THANKFULLY!  I am so dying for one of his hugs.

It always seems like ti is going to be forever and so lllooooonnnngggg until they get home but all in all I am thankful for the short time he has been gone. He hasn't been gone for a year yet so I really can't complain---yet! lol

I know that keeping massively busy has helped the time fly. We have had such a busy summer and accomplished a lot.   Next week we get our base possibilities for our move and then we will have orders. Time is flying~~