Happy Valentine's Day

The extent of my Valentine's Day decorations...

 

My favorite valentines...

 

 

We've had a pretty good day around here...well, the boys have fought constantly and made me wanna pull my hair out, but I love them...Hubby got me an external hard drive to store my plethora of pictures on so my laptop will run faster.  He's such a sweetheart!  I got him Burn Notice on DVD and threw a roast in the crock pot.  I got all domestic and made a cheesecake (ok, so it was a 15 minute Jello thing, but still I had to mix something) and some biscuits.

Hope you've had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day = Torture

Honestly, I have never been a big fan of Valentine's Day.  In elementary school, I was shy and awkward.  In junior high, I had glasses the size of saucers and frizzy hair.  In high school, I was still shy and not all that confident.  I was never the girl that got tons of huge valentines from admiring guys.

Of course, now I am awesome.  I'm still shy sometimes, but I'm much more confident.  I got contacts and a straightening iron.  I also have the most amazing husband.  He doesn't shower me with huge valentines, but, bless his heart, he does his best.  But despite this awesomeness, I still think that Valentine's Day is the most torturous holiday of the year (closely followed by Groundhogs Day, because I'm not a winter girl and feel a lot of anxiety over the whole shadow or no shadow thing...plus, it is just a ridiculous holiday...kinda like Valentine's Day...oops, I digress....).

I have NO idea what to get hubby for Valentine's Day.  He needs another movie like he needs a hole in the head.  We have 3 kiddos and no babysitter, so a night out is not in the cards.  Truth be told, I really think he'd be perfectly ok with getting nothing.  (Less pressure for him that way.)  But I don't want to let the day go by without giving him at least a little something.  Ugh, I think I'd rather be waterboarded than try to figure out the perfect not-too-small, not-too-big, says-just-enough-without-going-overboard gift.

Ideas?  Comfort?  You in the same boat? 

It's Tuesday and I'm Feeling Random

Yay! It's Tuesday! I've been out of the loop for the last couple of RTTs because my schedule was completely thrown off by Christmas break. But, I'm back! Yay! Let's proceed with the randomness...

**I should only read the articles that I click on when I'm surfing the net. Reading the comments always makes me mad because people are so rude. I know this about myself, yet I never seem to remember it.

**I have managed to get completely sucked into that stupid ZooWorld game on Facebook. Seriously, it could turn into a major problem. Is there one of those Annonymous groups for that?

**I begin my final semester of college tomorrow!! I can barely contain my excitement!

**I'm a little nervous about the whole getting a job thing after I graduate.

**One of my dogs is standing on the side table in the living room looking at me. Not sure why she thinks it's ok to stand on the table. Maybe it's because I never make her get down...

**Oldest kiddo like the Disney channel because it's "shows all for kids" unlike Nick which is "shows for kids and grown ups because they have George Lopez"...those are his words, I'm not sure where he came up with that...

**My Christmas decorations are still up...Hubby did take down the outside stuff so people driving by don't see what rednecks we really are...I can guarantee that the decorations will be down by Easter though so we're not too redneck.

**We're moving in late March which is probably the only reason I feel comfortable making that guarantee...

**I keep all of my notes and papers from school. At the end of each semester, I make a file for each course I took and put them all in a box. My problem now is that the box is full and the files from this fall semester won't fit in it. Guess I need a bigger box.

And that's it for today's random thoughts. I have to go check on my Zoo. Didn't get enough randomness here? Go check out the UnMom for even more random thoughts! Have a great Tuesday!

What I Did This Decade

Can someone please tell me exactly where this decade went? Just yesterday I was marveling at how the world didn't come to a screeching halt like the Y2K nuts said it would and now it's ten years later. So, to recap, here is what I did this decade:

• Graduated from high school and went to college
• Met this really hot guy and married him
• Dropped out of college
• Let the hubby join the army and moved to Hawaii (then Texas, then Kentucky)
  
• Gave birth to 3 awesome kids
• Went back to college
• Read some books
• Voted
• a bunch of other random things

So, what did you do this decade? Anything interesting?

I Want My Schedule Back

Christmas break has thrown me so off my schedule. I love spending some quality time with the kiddos and the hubby, but I want my schedule back. I missed Random Tuesday Thoughts yesterday, so I'm gonna throw out some random Wednesday thoughts. I promise I'm gonna be back on schedule soon and we will return to our regular blogging programming :)

**I haven't taken down the Christmas decorations yet...not because I'm that in love with them, but because I'm lazy.

**The hubby is watching the Burn Notice marathon on USA and he's not even in the house right now. But, I guarantee, if I turn the channel, he'll come in wanting to know why I changed the channel because he was watching that.

**I've cooked in my CrockPot everyday this week. My sis gave me a CrockPot recipe box for Christmas so I'm testing some of them out. I'll pass along what works.

**I read Matilda this week, just for fun. It was amusing, different than the movie (of course) but still good.

**We visited the National Corvette Museum yesterday. It's pretty cool. The only downside is that the hubby now wants a Vette...

**I love taking my kiddos to the library. They are quiet and don't argue there.

**My kids are now demanding lunch so I've gotta go...

My Christmas Happiness

I got some really great stuff for Christmas...pretty dishes, books, a freakin' awesome handbag from my parents, a Crock Pot recipe box...it was fantastic. However, the very best gifts I got this year were the smiles from this wild bunch...










And the reason for their smiles...



I hope you all had a very merry Christmas full of love, happiness and memories to last a lifetime!

Catch Your Happiness

The other day I was reading one of my magazines. On the last page, it has a few inspirational quotes. One of them really stuck out to me.

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin

It seems to me that so many people believe that they are entitled to happiness yet make no effort to make themselves happy. Or they go about it all wrong. With Christmas upon us, I think we should all remember that happiness does not ultimately come in the form of whatever gizmo, gadget or doo-dad that you unwrap tomorrow morning. Next year, we will have forgotten all of these things, or sold them in a yard sale to make room for the coming wave of new and improved gizmos, gadgets and doo-dads. Happiness is the love around us, our crazy families and the memories made during all the madness. So, while you are unwrapping those presents tomorrow, take a minute to look around and catch a litle happiness for yourself. Merry Christmas to all!

Home for the Holidays

Home is where the heart is.

This has been my motto for years now. Since my hubby joined the Army, we have moved several times and will continue to move frequently until he retires. This little saying has helped me in so many ways. Whenever his unit deploys and wives start packing up and moving home, I stay put. My heart is in the house we share, the location where we are stationed, and, ultimately, the life we share. It isn't always easy, but it hasn't killed me yet.

The holidays are always an interesting time around a military base. It's almost like a ghost town. Everyone packs up and heads off to visit family in other places. We have been known to do that. In fact, we haven't been in our own house for Christmas in a few years now. Going back home is always fun, but super stressful too. The hubby's parents are divorced so that means we are pulled in three different directions. It can be really frustrating because no matter how hard we try someone always gets shorted. This year, the hubby wanted to go visit his grandparents in Minnesota. I have a severe aversion to cold weather. I wanted to go to Arkansas. There was no way we were going to agree, so we chose to stay home for the holidays. Both sides of the family have been relentless in their efforts to lure us to them for Christmas (and hubby hasn't entirely given up on trying to convince me to go to MN), but we have stuck to our decision. Our friends around here ask if we are going home for the holidays and we say "No, we're staying here." Then it hit me today...Duh, we are going to be home for the holidays. We will be in our home. I am really excited to watch the kiddos open their presents around our tree on Christmas morning. I am also really excited to know that we won't spend the day rushing here, there and everywhere. This year, my heart is just really into a quiet Christmas at home with my hubby, the kiddos and our crazy dogs.

So, I am editing my motto in celebration of the Christmas season...

Home for the holidays is where the heart is.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Yay! It's Tuesday which means I can empty all of the random thoughts out of my brain and call it a blog...

**My children have done nothing but fight this afternoon. Is it bedtime yet?

**I took my Spanish final today. I am officially done taking foreign language for my degree, YAY!

**I always had a sneaking suspicion that Tiger Woods was secretly a douche bag.

**I have completed my Christmas shopping!! Now I just have to get it all wrapped and shipped.

**My MIL is coming to visit this weekend.

**We watched Elf last night. I always forget how amused I am by that movie.

**My oldest kiddo has started reading The Boxcar Children Mysteries. I love that he's reading stuff that I read when I was his age.

**Middle kiddo got Super Mario Bros. for his Nintendo DS. The hubby and I might have spent several recent nights playing it after the kids have gone to bed.

Well, I've gotta go finish making dinner so we can get the kiddos fed and to bed, then spend another romantic evening fighting over whose turn it is to play Mario...

The Fun Never Ends

We had a busy but fabulous Thanksgiving weekend! On Thursday, we joined the rest of America in stuffing ourselves full of wonderful food and then vegging out in front of the TV for some football. I think we were a pretty good looking bunch...







On Friday, I went temporarily insane and went shopping at 4:30 in the morning...I'm happy to report that I have regained my sanity (well, at least what little bit I had to start with).

On Saturday, middle kiddo turned 6! This was his first official picture as a 6 year old...




Yep, he's such a serious kid! We had a great little party for him and he opened his parental torture devices...um, I mean presents. Then we watched some more football. The Arkansas-LSU game has been on his birthday since he was born, so it's a tradition for us to watch that.

Yesterday, I helped the hubby catch up on his course work. Now, I'm catching up on my own school work. I've got finals coming up next week. Yay. And I have to finish my Christmas shopping. Double yay. Oh, and Christmas cards apparently don't address themselves. The fun never ends around here :)

Did ya'll have a fabulous Thanksgiving and long weekend?

Hunting Season for Women

This morning, for the first time in my life, I took part in the madness known as Black Friday. My middle kiddo turns 6 tomorrow. We're getting him a Nintendo DS, which the wonderful world of Wal-Mart had on sale for $98. Also, they had digital photo frames for $29. I figured I couldn't beat a deal like that for the in-laws. I stood in line for 2 hours. I know, that's tame compared to some. And it was totally worth the smile I'm gonna see tomorrow when middle kiddo opens his birthday present. After all of this adventure this morning, I've come up with a few reasons for why people call it Black Friday...One, it's freakin' pitch black outside at 4:30 in the morning...Two, standing in line for two hours will cause one to black out. I also came up with a cardinal rule for Black Friday shopping: Leave your crabby hubby at home. (I came up with this one after standing in line next to a crabby hubby for two hours...seriously, if he called his wife to see where the "F***" she was in the store one more time, I was gonna stomp on his phone...)

Anyhoo, I successfully secured the bounty and have returned home. I don't think I'll leave again today. People are freakin' crazy!

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 9

Tomorrow is the big day...Thanksgiving! Is everyone ready to gorge themselves on turkey, pie and all the other fixin's? Personally, I don't like turkey, or mashed potatoes, or pretty much any other thing that normal people do...I do like rolls and pumpkin pie, so I'll stuff myself on those things...Anyhoo, on with my countdown...

I am thankful for days off. Today, the boys and I had the day off from school. We were able to spend some fun time together. We went and picked out their Christmas ornaments. Then we went to redeem their Book-It coupons at Pizza Hut. Before heading to pick up the baby from daycare, I took them to pick out their Christmas present for their baby sister. They are super excited that it's her first Christmas and picked out a super cute little stroller-along walker for her. It's pink and she can put a baby doll in it. I'm pretty sure she'll love it. All in all, we had a great day and it was all thanks to having a day off.

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 8

I guess I really have been counting up to Thanksgiving rather than down. Oh well, it's the thought that counts right....anyhoo, today I am thankful for our Army life that let's us move to the places we've been. Sometimes it is frustrating to move so frequently. (Our next move is coming up in April and we'll have been here for less than 2 years...) But we've been to some awesome places and seen some awesome things...

Kolekole Pass, Hawaii

Sunset in El Paso, TX

Waterfalls in Kentucky

We've been to some fabulous places and seen some beautiful things. And it's all thanks to our Army life. It is not always perfect (or convenient) but it does provide some great benefits :)

I Want a Vacation and Other Random Thoughts

Buckle in and enjoy the random ride...

**I want a vacation! Someplace warm, with sand and sunshine, little fruity drinks that come with umbrellas...and no kids. That's right. Mommy needs a vacay.

**I have a cold. It sucks.

**I've got the rest of the week off from school. Woo-hoo!

**Normally, I avoid Black Friday shopping like the plague. However, I think that I'm gonna brave it this year in order to save $30 on my middle kiddo's birthday present.

**Did I mention that I have a cold and that it sucks? Well, I do and it does. The cold makes me spacey and the medicine makes me loopy....Loopy can be kinda fun, but spacey sucks.

**I love the show Bones. It cracks me up and it is one of the few shows that the hubby and I agree on.

**My MIL is my friend on Facebook, but has not friended any of her children...Is this odd or is it just me?

**We're staying home for the holidays. I'm excited about this because we always travel to visit family and it is always stressful.

**Here's a joke that my oldest kiddo told me this week: How do you keep a dog from barking in the back seat? Put him in the front seat, of course!

And that concludes RTT for this week :) If you need more randomness, head on over to the UnMom and check it out.

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 7

Onward the Thanksgiving countdown goes :)

Today, I am especially thankful for the fabulous friends that I have.



Thanks to our Army life, we have friends across the US and the world. Regardless of where they are, my friends are always there whenever I need them. We've been through think and thin, deployments, terrible twos, chaotic moves and so much more together. They randomly send me cards to brighten my day. They never fail to amuse me on Facebook. My friends keep me going during those times that I just wanna pull the shades and crawl into bed. (Ok, really they bring over the booze, get me intoxicated and then laugh at me, but whatever works, right...) I am truly blessed that I get to call the most wonderful women in the world my friends!

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 5 & 6

Some days just get away from me. Yesterday was one of those, so I missed posting Day 5 of my Thanksgiving Countdown. I'm gonna combine days 5 and 6 to make up for that.

This time around, I am thankful that I don't always get things my way. Or, in other words, I am thankful for unanswered prayers. If everything always went the way I planned for it to, I would have missed out on a lot of really cool things in my life. I would have moved to Texas for college and never met my husband. I would have won the lottery a long time ago and never learned the lessons of money management and being happy with what I've got. I would have gotten my college degree four years after I got out of high school and I would never have learned to appreciate education the way I do now. There are so many times that my plans haven't gone right. And each time, something better came from it.

Two wonderful quotes come to mind when I think about this blessing...

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 4

Thanksgiving is inching closer and, so, my countdown marches on. Now that I have gotten past the perfunctory blessings (kids, hubby, parents), I'll move on to some less obvious stuff.

Today I'm feeling pretty thankful for coffee. That's right...I believe it may be the nectar of the gods. Without coffee, this is me...Once I've gotten my coffee, I'm a happy person. Even my kids know that mommy requires coffee to function properly. As a mommy to 3, wifey to 1 (just thought I'd confirm that I'm not a polygamist...), pooper-scooper to 2 dogs and full-time student, I have about a million things going on every day. It takes a lot of caffeine to keep me going...



In the words of Lorelai Gilmore, "I'm the perfect storm of caffeine and genetics" :)

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 3

Day 3 of my Thanksgiving countdown....

I have been blessed with super parents. They have been married for almost 28 years, which is almost like a record these days. When I was growing up, they sometimes annoyed me. Now, I realize that they were looking out for me. Never once did my parents tell me I couldn't do something. My dad is one of the most patient people I know. My mother is one of the most intelligent people I know. I love them very much and can't believe how lucky I am to have such great parents!

My daddy and me....a few years ago...

My mommy and me, at my sister's wedding a couple years ago

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 2

Each day between now and Thanksgiving, I am going to make a post about something for which I am grateful. Yesterday, I bragged about my kiddos. My blessing today made those kiddos possible. No, not the milk man or failed birth control! It's my hubby!



He is fabulous. Not only does he protect our freedom, but he cooks dinner sometimes too!



In addition to his culinary skills, the hubby is one heck of a dad. Also, he's not too hard on the ol' eyeballs. Yep, I'm a nerd...a nerd in love...

Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 1

Recently on Facebook, I've noticed a lot of my friends doing a countdown to Thanksgiving. Each day they will update their status with something for which they are personally grateful. I think is wonderful. Personally, I think we should remember to do this everyday, not just in preparation for Thanksgiving or on the actual holiday. Anyhoo, I've decided that each day between now and Thanksgiving, I'm going to make a post about something for which I am grateful. (Or, at least I'm going to try, somedays just get away from me...) So, here it goes...

I am grateful that I have the three most amazing kids in the universe.



Seriously, they are awesome! Each day, I learn something from them. Some days I learn (or re-learn) patience. Other days I learn that the best things in life are simple. Yesterday, my oldest kiddo sat down next to me while I was doing my homework and asked if I wanted a Kit-Kat bar out of his Halloween bucket. At first, I said no. Then he told me that it was his last one, and that he was going to have one and he thought it would be fun to share the last one with me. Well, after that, how could I say no?! So, we sat there and had a Kit-Kat break. It lasted less than 5 minutes, but was probably the best part of my day. My kids have huge, loving hearts and stubborn streaks that are about 5 miles wide. I love them more than anything and thank God numerous times a day for blessing my life with their presence.