Happy Birthday- Care Package

Today is my husband's birthday. This is his 2nd year in a row we have been apart. And you want to know something? I'm OK with that.

 As much fun as we would have if he were home, I'm much more creative when he is gone. I spend the entire deployment planning for his homecoming, birthday and this year- our anniversary.

Basically he is extremely spoiled and comes home to tons of gifts and decorations.

 Last year I made a whole box of cake in jars for him and his division. This year, I have been a lot busier. So, I took an easier route with old fashioned candies, other random candies and other goodies. Where I had a lot of fun with it was decorating the box.

Many girls will paint or glue paper to decorate the inside, I do something more fun, in my opinion. I use Duck Tape in fun obnoxious colors. I use it on every box I send to make it more fun... Even if it is just more fun for me! Then, I use sharpies or paint pens to write all over the Duck Tape. For his birthday box, I also used tissue paper and a "Happy Birthday" bow to make it pretty.

I took some pictures this year :)

I typically only cover the box flaps with Duck Tape

I then put tissue paper in the bottom and fill it up

Prettified :) 

I will even wrap the box in the "Pretty" tape. 

So, there you have it. That's all there is to my husband's birthday box. Fun, yet simple. Duck Tape makes everything fun (and where where I'm from, fixes EVERYTHING!).

The different colors, patterns and designs make themed care packages a blast. For instance, come college football season, I will be making a Tennessee VOLS themed box, using UT Duck Tape brand duct tape. Fun, right? Yes, it is.

For continence of his birthday at homecoming, I have a few ideas- some thanks to Pinterest, but you will just have to wait several more months before I unveil more. Just think of balloons. Lots and lots of balloons (something like 30 Balloons and each have a meaning). The idea came from something I saw in Pinterest, and I am taking that idea and creating something completely different and "Me", err.. him.
Plus my projects around the house (yard mainly) to surprise him as well! :)

Happy Birthday to my Mr Amazing!


p.s. My husband received his box just in time for his birthday :)

When I turn 25..

Dear soon to be 25 year old self (February 20),

Times up! All the things you had wanted to accomplish by the age of 25, you didn't do all of them. Slacker.

But I'm proud of you. 

When you're 16 years young, 25 seems forever away. You're supposed to have everything figured out by then, all your dreams should have come true by now... psh. You lied to yourself. 

By the time you turned 25, you had a list of things to accomplish- things that you saw as being the right thing to do- things you needed to do by 25. 

Here were your top things to do by the time you turned 25:

Go to college

Get married

Buy a house

Buy a new car- SUV (mommy vehicle)

Have a career

Have 2 kids

Go to college: You should have been more specific. Maybe you should have told yourself to "finish college". So, in a sense, you accomplished this Goal. You went to college for one year. I don't think you realized how much the real world cost... and even though you paid for your own things (car, insurance, phone, clothes), there were a lot of expenses you didn't think to consider. 

Get married: You succeeded. At 25, you have been happily married for more than 3 years. Although, at 16, marriage was a Fairy Tale. And in ways, it is your very own Fairy Tale. But it's also a lot of work to keep things working smoothly. You've learned so much about what a relationship is and how a Man is supposed to treat you. He would do anything in the world for you. He pushes you to be better and to go after your dreams. You always said you'd marry your best friend, and you did, you just didn't know him then.

Buy a new car: Speaking of that great husband... He's too good to you. He took you to a dealership where the two of you purchased you your first SUV, and first new vehicle. Only the second car you've owned since you have been able to drive. Go you!

Buy a house: You cut it close, but in July of 2011 you crossed another mile-stone. You and your husband purchased your first house. Small, but more than enough room for you, your husband, 3 crazy animals and one day.. a little one. Now, get busy on all those home projects you want to do you found on Pinterest!

Have a career: You're still working on this. You're starting to really get somewhere with your photography career. You're still in the beginning stages, but you've learned so much to better your business and skills since becoming serious about photography to make it more than an obsessive hobby. Every session you improve. You can see it yourself. If you see it, I'm sure others do as well. Keep it up. You'll have the career you want if you stay on the path you're on now.

Have 2 kids: Fail. But good things come to those who wait- even if it's not by your choice, but your body refusing to hold a baby right now. When it happens, you're going to be a good momma. Just stop being so hard on yourself right now. If you can't have babies, there are other options. Even if it is hard to stomach not having your own. Afterall, you use to say you didn't want to have kids of your own. You wanted to adopt because there were too many unwanted kids that need a family to love them. You may get your wish after all. I know you say you're ok with waiting until you're 28 to really be serious about kids, but I know you. You're bothered because you want a baby so bad, and it's hard knowing every time your  body says no. I know you're just scared of facing yet another miscarriage. Keep your head up. Big man upstairs has something planned for you.

It's crazy how fast time flies. How much you've grown up in 9 years. 

So much changes. 

Happy 25th Birthday.

Here's looking at you kid,

Your [almost] 25 year old self

9 Days!

(betcha thought this was going to be a OPSEC violation didn't ya? Not! haha)

My birthday is coming up. Nothing special.. my birthday doesn't really phase me too much... although, before my husband deployed we were talking and I mentioned how there seems like there is such a big jump between 23 and 24. I don't know why that is because.. in all actuality, it's only a year. He however, decides to be a "wiseguy". In response to me saying it seems like a big jump/ a lot older, he says, "Because it is". Of course he was joking. I laughed (after dead legging him).

Now, he is counting down. He sends me emails, "12 days until your birthday ;)", "10 days!" and today, "9 days baby!". Ok, I know he has nothing planned because well- We do share a bank account! (he's not a big gifter) haha. So, now I wonder.. is he just doing this to remind me that I'm older, or that I'm always going to be older than him.. or (maybe) is he actually more excited about my birthday than I am?

hmm..

He did buy me a bracelet from his last port. I was quite shocked at that seeing as in nearly 4 years, the only jewelry he has bought me is my wedding rings lol. I have to wait until homecoming to get it though, he's too scared to mail it. I can't say that I blame him for not wanting to mail it though.. Things have been "mysteriously" disappearing from packages going to and from the ship. "cough cough mailroom". *shakes head*

Anyway, I will be staying in VA for my birthday. Had nothing planned, but some of the most amazing ladies I know have decided that "nothing" is not going to happen. We're going out- dancing.. idk. Most likely going to be themed (quite possibly "Cowboys and Indians" because I'm Native American and very country). I told the husband about it yesterday and He is requiring me to take lots of pics for him.

Is it a big deal he's missing my Birthday? nah. It's not the first birthday he's missed and it won't be the last.

BUT as a Birthday present to myself! I bought myself an awesome carpet cleaner today. Woot! So, now- that's what I'm off to go do! :)

He's Home! He's Gone.. Pack,Unpack.. (week in review!)

 {Pic Heavy Post!}

I've been kind of MIA lately. Been a lot going on. All good though ;)

Got everything packed up while the Hubs was underway. By the way, I am SO over seeing boxes! haha. I thought I was going to have to move everything on my own, but luckily the Hubby got to come home early. Yay! :D <- there's that big cheesey smile again. (ps.. he's at sea again already)

Got some really good pics of the ship and a friend's 2 kids when the ship pulled in, :)

Since he got to come home early, he was actually in for his 21st. I know.. I know. I'm a cradle robber. He's 2 years younger haha. Anyway, back to the point. We went out for his birthday. I was the lovely Designated Driver for the night (fine by me.. I rarely drink). We had a blast. Yes, he got sick. It was expected and planned, haha. I still keep picking on him for the fact that I held liquor better on my 21st than he did. He blames getting sick on me. I bought him a Pineapple Upside down Cake shot.. and he said it was Nasty. I think he didn't like it because he took it right after a scooby shot. I'm sure the flavors clashed.. or it might have had something to do with the Liquid Cocaine shot {gag.. 21st flashback!}... or one of the many other shots that were bought for him that night. Needless to say, 130pm the next day... he was still drunk. Hangover hit later that evening.

To the left: The Hubby and myself. I love that pic of us:)
To the right: The hubby and his princess bag from one of his friends.
In the bag was a Gnome yard ornament sporting the TN Vols.

1. Liquid Cocaine    2. Feeling pretty good (several shots in)     3. Scooby shot

4. Scooby shot = gone.  5. Pineapple Upside Down Cake shot.. aka.. the one that made him sick  
6. a couple minutes before he got sick.

I spent Memorial day Packing.. Packing.. Packing. Did I mention I was tired of boxes? I lit a candle at 2pm for all the fallen Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Soldiers.

We went and signed the final paperwork for our new place and inspected it. He had to work, So I started moving little things in.. boxes, boxes.. more boxes. Then the next day was the official move day. Couple of the guys came to help us. Bought Beer and Pizza for helping us. I think the Beer is what got them over here haha. They literally threw my couch off the balcony {FIINAALY get to get a new couch!}. The hubby broke my coffee table.. wasn't too upset about that either.. wanted a new one anyway ;). Didn't really have time after getting everything in the new place to unpack anything. We were beat. So.. we slept. The next day.. he's back to sea.
Now, I'm left with the unpacking. More dealing with boxes, and finding furniture.

Left: Goodbye ugly couch!      Right: This will eventually be our living room

I have been unpacking for a couple days now.. and looks as if I have gotten NOWHERE! It may have something to do with the fact that I have spent most of these past couple days couch shopping. I ended up getting a couch and loveseat, and then threw in a coffee table, end table, and new bedroom furniture as a treat to myself haha. Well, we did need it and honestly, I got a hell of a deal. 2 rooms of nice furniture and I spend just $1400.. Of course we financed it, but it's all in my hubs name to build his credit. I have a fun (I got extremely pissed!) story that I'll blog about after this post. Don't want to drag this on to be a HUGE post.. well, it's there already. Ok, now that I'm done being sidetracked... haha. Our new furniture will be here on Tuesday. I can't wait!
{I'll post pics or the before and after when everything's put in it's place}

Our neighbor's are really nice.. well one's really weird. That's a story for another time. The other family is an Airforce family. The son is my little buddy. He'll talk my ear off. He's about 10 years old. I've talked to him about what he thinks of his dad being in the military. I'll have to post about that later too. ;)

For now.. I have to get back to cleaning and unpacking. Which means, more boxes. Welcome to my exciting life ;) haha. I'll be getting out tomorrow though (maybe this evening to take pictures for a friend). Tomorrow, going to see Jason Aldean in VA Beach. Woot! Yes, I said woot. :P

Hope ya enjoyed the pics! :D