Trueisms

I'm dealing with an on again, off again headache today so I'm taking the easy way out. I'm reposting an email that was sent to me today. It's hilarious & oh so true on quite a few :o) My comments will be inside these: **

1. There is a great need for sarcasm font.

*I concur, I'd use it every single day*


2. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
*Amen!*


3. Bad decisions make good stories.



4. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
*I've been trying to figure this out for YEARS!*


5. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
*LOL yep that's me*


6. The only time I look forward to a red light is when I'm trying to finish a text.
*OMG I was doing this just last night, I was texting Dave while trying to pick up some dinner lol!*


7. The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again



8. A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.



9. Was learning cursive really necessary?



10. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
*Yep if I get bored then I start baking or if I've already baked then I eat it all tsk tsk*



11. Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.



12. Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".



13. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
*LMAO!! I love this!*


14. Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"



15. What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?



16. While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.



17. MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.



18. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.



19. I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
*Who does this???*


20. Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!



21. If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.



22. Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....



23. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
*I can't help but think of my mom lol!*


24. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.



25. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
*LMAO!! I've thought this before*


26. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.



27. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
*I look at these tags & think "Wanna bet" :o)*


28. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.



29. I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
*This happens to me ALL the time!!*


30. Why is a school zone 15 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...



31. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
*Yep totally agree*


32. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
*Again I do this & have yet to figure out why, maybe it's an OCD thing*


33. It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.



34. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
*Yep I do this lol!*


35. I think that if, years down the road when I'm trying to have a kid, I find out that I'm sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.


Hope you all enjoyed it. I'm off to lay down on the couch. I've actually been productive today but it's managed to make my headache worse. So I'm gonna pass out for a bit before the kids get home :o)

Oh & Dave will be home tomorrow YAY!!

Our Visitor *Update at Bottom*

She decided to pop up in my backyard this morning. She's gorgeous. My worry is that she may also be dangerous. She acts skittish until you turn your back then she follows you. It's unnerving especially when you have tons of kids in the neighborhood. Kids whose parents have obviously never taught them anything about stray dogs or wolves in this case. They come running up wanting to touch her, she of course runs but when they turn their back she's back, almost stalking them.

She's hung around almost all day. As I type this our neighbors have lured her inside their fenced in backyard with some treats. For the moment she's acting submissive with her tail tucked under but there's already been a few scares. When they first shut the gate she wanted to bolt & he cornered her - BIG no-no, you never corner a scared, stray(or wild) animal. Makes me wonder how smart my neighbors are, it explains why their kids have no respect for animals. The second thing - his wife let their little yap-yap dogs out in the yard. Um HELLO! This dog may very well EAT your dogs lady - not very bright.

I'm not quite sure what their plans are. I'm hoping they've caught her so the wildlife guys can come out & place her in a safer area. Or if she's a tame hybrid of some sort I hope they find someone to give her a good home. She's a pretty smart pup & gorgeous too! :o)

*It seems she likes being taken care of. My neighbors managed to get a collar on her & she's just chillin' in their backyard. She's most likely a wolf hybrid mix. Dave got all excited when I was tellin him about her. He wanted me to keep her & was saddened when he realized the neighbors beat us to the punch. But it's for the best, the OCD side of me couldn't take an uneven number in our family. Right now with the kids, the dogs, & cats, we total 10. 10's a nice EVEN number. 11 would throw me out of synch but damn she's so purdy it might've been worth it :o)*

Quality Mess

I'm in a slump. Not an "I'm depressed" slump. I think it's more of an "I'm burnt out" slump. I've been running at top speed since before we moved. We moved just over 6 weeks ago so add in all the pre-move *shish & you get a minimum total of 2 months worth of non-stop STUFF. I've done so much, been through so much, & seen so much that I deserve my Been There, Done That Tshirt about 10 times over.

The kids are in school so that helps with the shopping aspect. I'm not dragging 4 kids to get groceries, only 1 & trust me that's a big deal all in itself. But with the deployment coming up I'm trying to plan some quality family time. Some includes making a trip back home & others include family coming here to visit. In reality I'm driving myself crazy with it all. I WANT to go back home to see my family & pick up some goodies :o) But we also want to spend a day or two at the beach here in GA before he deploys. It's really one big mess - Wait. It's probably NOT really a big mess, I'm just making it into one by over thinking & planning. I know, I know, I can hear Dave's voice now "Just let it go & let it happen", I know :oP

I guess I feel like we're on a timetable. We have X amount of days before deployment starts & X amount of places to visit & X amount of family to see. My whole life for the past 2 years has been a countdown. It still is. I resent it. I'm wearin' down, I'm gettin' tired. Hopefully once Dave gets home at the end of the week things will look better. He always brings things into perspective for me & rejuvenates my spirit. Hopefully, together, we can figure out this quality mess...

31 Flavors of Chicken Part Deux

This stuff is goooood. My mom made it for us when my sister & I were little. & it just so happens that I was craving it this week & guess who else had it for dinner tonight... my mom LOL! What a co-inky-dink :o)
Cube your raw chicken breasts & cover them with Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

Then crumble some crackers, toss your mustardy chicken in, cover well

Place them in a casserole dish

Pour some melted butter over them

Bake'em at 375 for about 20-25 minutes

Looks, smells, & tastes delicious, I promise! & they're versatile; they're great for appetizers, finger food events, full blown dinner, or for just snacks at football games etc.

I've also been baking bread today. I baked more of the honey rolls that I made earlier this week. We kinda ate them all :oP & I tried my hand at white bread. It came out fantabulously!! & it's so simple, which I love!

So soft & yummy! I'll have to make more for Dave when he gets home at the end of this week. And from what I've heard it's a Squadron "holiday" on the 31st which means he'll have the day off for my birthday YAY!! Hope everyone has a great week!!

31 Flavors of Chicken

Next week sometime my hunny is supposed to be back YAY! These two weeks haven't been bad. I definitely had my moments where I just stood in the middle of a room, looking around, wondering if I was really ready for all this. Or when I crawled in bed last night & just on the cusp of deep sleep I had a dream that Dave was killed in a live-fire training stint. I sat straight up in bed with a full blown panic attack. I've been thinking about joining a support group or maybe some therapy for myself & the kids when this deployment starts. It certainly couldn't hurt & I'm not above asking for help especially when my mental health is at risk. 2 deployments in less than 2 years...Wow. But we'll cope, we'll adapt, we'll overcome - for me there's no other way :o)

Now do you wanna see what I made for dinner this evening? Homemade Bread, I'm perfecting it, just a tweak here & there. I think I've about got it right :o)
Rising

Baked YUMMY! & don't mind that big roll-less area there, some of us couldn't wait to try them :oP Besides bread is the best when it's warm...

I mean LOOK at this whole wheat goodness *sigh* makes my heart skip a beat

And then there was the main course. I wanted Chicken Parmesan tonight. I didn't wanna go through making a huge mess - dipping, coating, etc. I sprayed my dish with EVOO, placed my chicken breasts, & cracked a can of tomato sauce to pour over them. But what was I gonna use as a coating? I didn't have any ShakeNBake so I crumbled up some crackers & spread over them. Then I topped with a pinch of chicken rub on each breast. Grated some mozzarella on top along with a couple dashes of parmesan. Baked at 400 degrees for 30 mins & Voila!! It's What's For Dinner!

It was pretty good, the kids liked it especially Devlan who only eats fruit & yogurt(seriously.) I had no complaints, hell here lately some of the neighborhood kids have been eating dinner at my house. I guess I'm not a bad cook after all LOL!

Before you ask, I'm not a Wine-O. I use wine to cook with, not drink :o)

I think next I'm gonna try covering my chicken in Grey Poupon Mustard (love that stuff) & use crackers again. I'm digging the cracker thing, it's quick & easy, always on hand. So until next time Enjoy!

A New Hope

Interesting Piece of the Day

I hope he means what he says. I hope he plans to keep his word. I hope...

Ya know, my birthday is in 11 days. I've got calls asking what I want for my birthday. I could name off plenty of material things that I don't need. Things that would benefit me. But you know what I want the most, something that would help everyone?

Peace in the world. A time when there's no fighting, no killing, no wrong doings. Just Peace in the hearts & minds of every soul on Earth. That's what I want for my birthday. Maybe one day God will fulfill it ♥

*sniff sniff*

>*From: David Jones

8/8/2009 5:49 PM

To: ♥ Bree ♥

I LUBBA YOUR SMILE, IT MAKES ME HA-HA-HA-HAPPY

Just droppin by to gibba you some lubbin', why cause I LUBBA YOU!!!!*<


It's silly(think Tropic Thunder & simple Jack) gushy-mushy things like this that always bring on the tears when he's gone. He sent it to me a few days before he left. & I came across it again a few minutes ago. Instant tears. It's been a week. I miss him. This sucks.

FRG meeting went smoothly. Tons of info, met some pretty cool gals from our Troop, & I'm actually looking forward to the next meeting.  My Death By Chocolate dessert didn't win the contest but it never stood a chance against Blueberry Cheesecake YUM!!! It was fun though & there was even a smidgen left for me :o) Until next time America.

My Rights, Thank You Very Much

I read the news every day, both the world, national, & local news from back home. I like to think I keep up with the goings on in our world. I'm a smart girl, I know that there is usually no black and white area. In this world there's lots & lots of gray and all the different shades of gray. So when I open my mouth to speak I like to be able to see the sides of all stories. So having said that let's get on to the article that sparked some interest today: Here, go ahead, read it. I'll wait.

What'd ya think? Scary or just some people exercising their rights? Wanna know where I stand? Yeah I wouldn't either but I'll tell ya anyway :oP You ARE on MY blog so HA!

OK #1, I think it is absolutely true that if we do not use our rights then we lose them. America has gotten lazy. We expect things to just be given to us. We think that the rights we have are automatic so we no longer care to use them. So when people DO choose to we look at them with scorn.

Let's see, freedom of speech. We all have the right to speak up and out about what goes on in the world. Many people don't or some of the ones who do aren't educated enough on the topic to know what they're talking about. Then there's the radicals, the extremists, the people who think their way is the only way. What about us in the middle? Those of us who understand what's going on. When did we stop listening to one another? When did we become so self absorbed?

Right to bear arms, as in this case. For those who are opposed to having weapons then good for you, you probably don't need one anyway. Yes criminals get guns but guess what? Even if the gov't decided we could no longer bear arms do you think the criminals are going to go "Oh damn, we gotta turn our guns in"? Hell no they aren't. Criminals are always going to find a way to get weapons. Just like drug dealers & users always find a way to get drugs. Does that mean that the law abiding citizens of America should have to turn theirs in? Absolutely not. Should every citizen who wants to own a gun take a  safety course before they're allowed to make a purchase? Absolutely. That would mean that if you want to buy a gun(after you receive your gun permit of course) then the safety class would teach you how to keep it safe, how to keep children in your home safe, it would teach the laws on the use of deadly force, home invasion, etc. Now I think that's a great idea. Educate yourself on the use of your weapon.

Now do I think it's the brightest idea in the world to bring a gun to a Presidential speech? Uh, NO. I understand wanting to make a point but that's stretching into the realm of moronic. Do they have the RIGHT to wear/bring their weapons? Yes but they're also running the risk of starting a riot and someone getting hurt. I personally would not feel comfortable carrying my weapon on me in a crowd of people. I keep ours visible in our car or safely put away.

I think it's funny how much society has changed. Just over 100 years ago it was NORMAL to see guns in public. Hell, everyone had one, it was as normal as putting on your watch every day. Are we so fearful of guns that we'd let them take our rights away? I'm not. I feel safer knowing we own a weapon. I know how to use it, I'm not afraid to use it. I hope I never have to but if the situation were to arise you bet your ass it'd be in my hand.

Busy Lil Lady

We had this chicken for dinner yesterday. It was dee-light-full & just as good the second time I made it as it was the first time. So my suggestion? Try it. :o)

Before the yumminess begins...

& this hot mess is the deliciousness that comes outta the oven... Oh my word...

So I've been busy today, making desserts for our FRG meeting tomorrow night. I couldn't decide what to make but settled on this: Death By Chocolate

Quick & easy to make - absolutely mouth-watering :o) You can find the recipe here. I'll warn you that it makes a lot so if you're only eating for 2 then I'd cut the recipe in half, trust me.

Here is my helper:

No I'm not pregnant, it's just an odd angle with the camera which makes me look a lil on the chunky monkey side :oP  Do you see my pup? I mean look at him. He literally finds his way to me(he's blind) & will sit right between my feet. How many times a day do I trip over him? Only about a million. I don't complain though cause I love him ♥

The other dessert I made is to die for. I made the dough from scratch. The kids & I wiped out over half of it tonight. You can find the recipe here. If you are a fan of cinnamon rolls then please go try these.

I mean, seriously, can you look at this & NOT want a bite? I couldn't so I made them :oP

& I'm not making any promises that the cinnamon rolls will be available for the meeting tomorrow so HA!!

Do Not Disturb

I'm cuddled up on the couch today with a good book. The big kids are riding bikes around the neighborhood with their friends. The little kids are upstairs watching a movie & playing cars. My pups are on the couch with me and my kitties are chasing each other around upstairs. It is definitely a good day. Now if only my hubs were here...

Photo Wall Collage YAY!

So I received my frames today & immediately started putting my photos in them. I love the look. The linen inset frames them perfectly and takes absolutely nothing away from the photo. I'm incredibly happy with the way it turned out and cannot stop gawking at them :o) Oh & the 12x16 size worked out perfect for the space I had!

Awww it's me & my guy ♥

A closer look at the frames :o)

I'm not finished with the wall. I'm not sure what else I'll do with it but it doesn't "feel" finished. And when I figure it out I'll be sure to let ya know.

Happy Birthday to Me

Ok so since Dave is off in Cali training that means that I have to miss the Blue October concert. He got the tickets for my birthday & the Army found a way to eff that up too. Soooo I have found a new plaything. I fell in love with it instantly. I need one badly. Particularly for my birthday but since they aren't available until Sept. 15th I can wait. I love my Zunes & am totally psyched that they've got an HD version coming out YAY! When I completed a survey for them a few months ago I knew they were up to something spectacular. & trust me, Zune is totally cooler than iPod, totally. So go check'em out, pre-order one for yourself & for ME cause it's my birthday August 31st :o) You know you wanna get me one *hint hint* Real subtle right?!

You Know You're A Military Wife When...

You wake up & your husband's not there but it feels absolutely "normal" because he's gone so much you wouldn't know the difference anyway...

It has surprised me how well I've handled this situation. I woke up this morning & it was like any other day even though Dave is away. I know his presence is missing but I'm so used to him not being here that it feels normal. As a wife I should never feel that it's NORMAL for my husband to be gone. Though I'm not an ordinary wife, I'm a military wife and that makes a world of difference. It's like in some crazy way I hadn't adjusted fully to him being home so now that he's absent again my brain(& heart) just reverted back to my "deployment normal". Maybe, just maybe, this upcoming deployment won't have the same "start all over" effect as last time. Maybe...

State of Uncertainty

In my life I expect fairness, justice, respect, compassion, & love for one another. If I give it then I expect it back & will tolerate no less. I feel that it's been a 50/50 battle with the Army. I'm learning that as long as the Army is making numbers then nothing else matters. Of course you have people in the Army who want to see you do well, they look after you, & try to help you through rough times and/or situations. I thank God that it seems Dave's new unit has a good set of leaders. Though I don't like that the BC is one of those who worry more about numbers & less about the actual soldiers, in my opinion.

They are using a clause in re-enlistment papers that states that if HQDA finds a sufficient need for soldiers then you must deploy with your unit no matter your dwell time or last redeployment. Basically Dave's new unit is running on bare minimum guys right now & are about to deploy. In order to make numbers "they" have ordered every new guy, who is physically able, to deploy, taking absolutely no consideration for the fact that several of these guys(including Dave) just got back from Iraq 5 months ago.

Do I need to point out that just earlier this year there was an article about military personnel suicides being up? Some of these guys were on back to back deployments. Many of them most likely caught in the same trap my husband is trapped in. Is there anything I can do? Yes there is but only by putting my husband's career at risk. I can't do that. After the Marine Corps he fought for years trying to get back in the military. He finally made it, he's doing well. But I'll be damned if the Army doesn't put me in a difficult position.

There's a part of me that screams this is totally unfair. It makes me want to fight for everything. I want to take this to the media, the secretary of the Army, the President... I want to put my size 8 stiletto straight up "someone's" ass & let them count their numbers then. & not just for my husband's sake but for every single Soldier who is being shafted by the Army using this "technique". I know my husband & this group of guys aren't the first ones & sadly won't be the last. Though if I start pointing out this "practice" to certain people maybe it will gain enough attention to bring some light to the situation & someone can fix it, not in time for my husband but possibly someone else's.

Then there's the flip side of me, the rational thinking, analyzing side. If I go through with the plan above what will that do to my husband's career? Even if we get our way, my husband will forever be tagged(red flagged) in his career. I don't want anyone to think he's a trouble maker or shit bag. He's not, he's far from it. He's an upstanding man who fights for justice, he stands by his guys, he does the RIGHT thing. He's a superb asset to the Army. He just wants his 12 months with his family before deploying again. & after 21 of 24 months apart from them, thanks to the Army, he DESERVES it.

I'm agitated. I'm uncertain. I don't like it. Normally I am a straightforward, let it all fly type of person but I think this is one situation where all I can do is keep quiet & take the blow. It goes against 100% of everything I believe in. I would have made phone calls, set up meetings, & been ready to fight by now but this time it involves something precious to my husband - his career. I know his family comes first but his career helps to sustain his family so it's not something I can overlook or ignore.

I CAN tell you this: If something happens to Dave while he's over there - injury, death, if he so much as gets a blister on his foot that isn't properly cared for - you better believe you will see my face on TV. Hell Hath No Fury.

Yummy Goodness

Yesterday was Dave's last evening home for a couple of weeks. He asked for my lasagna for dinner. He's a lasagna fool. So like the good wife I am I made the man lasagna.

Have I mentioned I'm not a big fan of lasagna? Well I'm not so that should tell you how fabulous I am at being a wife :oP

I mean it's basically just a fancy version of spaghetti. Now spaghetti is quick & easy. Lasagna is Not. It IS messy though & I like messy cooking :o)

I didn't do anything super special as far as sides go. Lasagna is pretty filling all by itself so I just threw some salad & rolls on the plate & Voila! Dinner.

It was pretty good but you know what the best part was??? Dessert of course!! I made Molten White Chocolate Lava Cakes. Yum-Mee!

Only they didn't turn out quite as aesthetically as the Chocolate ones I made last week. Those things were beautiful & delicious, mouth watering-ly so. Yes I just made up a word Ha! So while the White Chocolate ones aren't beautiful, they were tasty.

If you wanna try these out you can find the recipe at Tasty Kitchen. You won't regret the visit, there's thousands of recipes there. So go on, find yourself something new to cook for dinner tonight :o)

A Lil LiveBlogging

I'll be setting up Dave's new blog today. We've decided to liveblog our deployment experiences. We did the same thing with the last deployment only it was on myspace & not something that was open to our family. So this should give everyone a lil more insight into our lives. As soon as he comes up with a domain name I'll get it started. There will be links to it from here & over at JonesHousehold6 so you shouldn't have a problem accessing it.

Today is his last day home for a couple of weeks. He's off to NTC in Cali. So we're lounging, spending time together, waiting for the kids to get home from school. Ya know, it's weird, there's a part of me that is ready to get this deployment started so we can get it over with & yet there's another part that wishes the day will never come. Don't take your time with your loved ones for granted, too quickly it is gone...

My Wall Collage Project

So I ordered my prints last week of these beauties:

Of course there's one of each of us along with our pups & kitties - that totals 10 photos. I decided to go with a smaller poster version 12x16. They called yesterday to inform me they had come in & Oh. My. Gosh. do they look fantastic! In the end I ordered them online from WalMart & had them delivered Site-to-Store(the shipping is free that way) & spent 80 bucks taxes n all. So I didn't do half bad spending wise.  Now I've been on the hunt for frames, couldn't quite decide but I came across this great site: Blick Art Supplies They're running a promotion through Saturday, August the 8th so check'em out.

They have some great picture frames & I found some that I fell in love with :o) & since I needed 10 of them I got them at BULK price YAY!! Plus I got 30 bucks off for the promotion they're running & only $6.95 shipping. So I topped out after taxes paying just under 150 smackeroos - which equals about $15 a frame :o)  Wanna know which ones I chose? Hmm hmm do ya?  Well they have Informal & Rustic Frames(they also have metal, contemporary, & formal frames) made from old barnwood/board, they are gorgeous! But I chose these Tucson Frames. Why? They're driftwood-style! & I wanted a frame that was.....framing but wouldn't take away from my photos. I think they're gonna go great with my vintage pics & should do a good job of bringing focus to the pictures without taking too much of the spotlight for themselves :o) Even though they are super fantastic frames hehehe! So it'll probably be another week before they get here but I'm cool with that.

I've also been editing some of my photos to decorate the house. I've decided to use my own photography rather than going out & buying someone else's work. I know that may sound cheap but I'm rather fond of my own photos since they're from back home :o) I'll share a couple with ya:

I figure they'll be good for bathrooms, the kitchen, laundry room, or any of the other 50 million halls I have in the house :o) I may just do a whole wall of my photography too. Hell it'll give me something to do during this next deployment. Maybe one day I'll get good enough that other people will want my photography in their house too LOL!

It's been a busy, busy week so busy that I forgot to give the kids lunch money on the FIRST DAY of school. But with all the info that has been thrown at me, the emotional rollercoaster I've been on, & taking care of the household - I'm lucky I haven't forgotten my head or completely fell apart. I think I'm doin' alright. I think...