Busy, Busy

Husband and I both have been working longer hours this week. I feel like we’ve been rushing from one thing to the next. And to give you an idea of what state of mind I’ve been in lately… Today I was running a few errands, and I stopped at a store to buy a farewell gift for one of my friends. I brought the items to the register, paid, and then turned to leave. The clerk said, “Don’t forget your gifts!” Oh yes, the gifts. The whole reason I went to the store in the first place. Sheesh. I’m getting packed up to go on a 2-week work trip. Let’s hope I remember all my clothes, my laptop, and, more importantly, my mind!

Small World

We went to church on Sunday on base, and I saw a girl that looked exactly like an old friend that went through initial military training with me.

I kept looking at her throughout all of church, thinking, “It looks so much like her, but why would she be here?”

It turns out it was my friend after all! We gave each other the stare-down after church, and then laughed when we recognized each other. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and it was fun to catch up. She happened to be visiting her boyfriend, who is stationed here at our base.

It is indeed a small (military) world.

P.S. I took this picture when Husband and I went to Disneyland last summer. I’m almost embarrassed to say that the “It’s a Small World” ride is still my favorite!

Cooking Success

I got the Pioneer Woman cookbook for Christmas, and I just love it.

Husband had to work yesterday. (Yes, on a Saturday, which is a bummer.) I decided to try a couple fun new recipes from the cookbook while he was at work.

I made the “Flat Apple Pie” dessert first because…well, why not? I kind of cheated because I used ready-made pie crust. I had to bake it for less time because I didn’t want the crust to burn, so the apples were still a little firm, but good.

The first thing that Husband said when he saw it was, “Apple pie? This looks so good!” The second thing he said was, “Why is half of it missing?” Oops. (Guess I was a little enthusiastic with the taste-testing.)

The second thing I made was potato skins. While I can’t speak for the nutritional content (sour cream, cheese, and bacon are probably not the healthiest things ever), I can say that they were absolutely delicious! My only regret is that I didn’t make more.

I noticed at the bottom of this recipe, Ree (the author) mentions that after you make them you’ll be the “most popular person in the room” and you might even receive “marriage proposals,” which at first sounds a little dramatic.

After Husband had happily devoured all the potato skins, he looked at me and said seriously, “I’m so glad that I get to come home and see you. I’m lucky to be married to you.”

And now I realize that Ree was right. The secret is in the skins. P.S. I have no pictures to show you because we devoured every last crumb of both the pie and the potato skins.

P.P.S. We liked the skins so much that we might actually make a second batch today.

Laundry Disasters

I usually do the laundry in our household. But every once in a while, Husband will help out when he has time. Usually I say, “Aww…you didn’t have to do that.” Now, my new saying will be, “You don’t have to do that. No really, please, don’t do that.”

The first laundry disaster actually had nothing to do with the actual washing of clothes. Husband had cleaned up around the house using one of his small, bright red rags. Evidently, it was a little damp when he threw it in the laundry hamper. It just so happens that my favorite white, collared shirt was underneath the red rag.

Ladies and gentleman of the jury (or internet), I present you with Exhibit A.

The shirt has to be retired, unless I want to make people wonder if I’m an overzealous artist or a messy butcher.

Husband apologized profusely about the incident, and I wasn’t too upset because I know it truly was an accident. To be on the safe side, I stored all of his “favorite” red rags in a new location – the garbage.

This past weekend was the second laundry disaster. Husband threw in a load of laundry on Saturday morning. He happened to wash the long-sleeved white shirt that I was planning to wear that night. The only problem is that the shirt can’t go in the dryer, or else it will quickly become child-size.

I told him, “How am I going to wear that shirt tonight? There won’t be enough time for it to air dry.”

Husband had an idea. He hung the damp shirt on the towel rack in the bathroom, and put our space heater on underneath. I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Ok.”

A couple hours later, I decide to check on my shirt. The good news is that it’s completely dry. The bad news is that the bathroom is filled with smoke, the shirt has scorch marks on the back, and the plastic on the space heater has started to melt. I scream, and Husband comes running in.

The shirt had fallen onto the space heater, and the rest is laundry-disaster history. I couldn’t be too mad at Husband for this one, since, sadly, I went along with his crackpot plan. This time, we’re retiring both the shirt and the space heater.

Exhibit B.

Husband said, “I’m so sorry! I’ll never wash your clothes again.” Good idea. And then I realized I just signed myself up for a lifetime of doing laundry. Hmm…

Happy Friday

It’s a rainy afternoon, which is a perfect excuse for curling up with a good book. Husband is getting home early today. A 3-day weekend awaits us. We might take a mini-road trip. And/or we might go out to dinner and see a movie. I think we’re in for a fun weekend, either way. Hope your Friday is happy, too!

Keeping Tabs

I have a daily habit of checking our credit card account online. It only takes a few seconds, and I just like to make sure everything looks ok. Coincidentally, there are times it also lets me know that Husband is ok, too. Today he is traveling, and I wondered if he made it to his destination safely. I usually don’t call him right away, as I try to avoid acting like the worried wife (that I sometimes am). But our credit card already gave me the answer. Not only is he ok, but he’s also well fed (Taco Bell), all at a very modest price ($6). Thank you, credit card!

Good Books

1) I looked back at the list of books I read in 2009. Surprisingly, I’d have to say that my favorite was My Life in France by Julia Child.

I picked it up at the library on a whim after I saw the movie Julie and Julia, and it turned out to be so good! I enjoyed reading about Julia’s adventures and her passion for cooking and traveling. You can’t help but notice her enthusiasm for life in her book, which I found very inspiring.

2) Recently, I read The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I don’t usually like romance novels, but Nicholas Sparks books are always the exception. This one wasn’t my favorite of his, but it was still pretty good. It took me a little longer to get into it, but I still ended up being hooked by the end. And, in typical Nicholas Sparks fashion, the ending made me a little teary-eyed.

3) I’m proud to say that I’m now reading a book written by…my dad! This past year when I’d ask him on the phone what he was doing, he’d say, “Oh, I’m writing my book,” as casually as someone would say “Oh, I’m having a cup of coffee.” He finished it not too long ago, and he surprised me with a print-out of it as a Christmas gift. And I know I may be biased, but it is really good! It’s very suspenseful, and I often have to have remind myself that the author is not Tom Clancy, but my dad!

What good books have you read recently?

Relocation?

I’m wondering if they relocated Husband’s duty station while we were asleep last night. What other explanation is there for the weather turning from fairly pleasant to frigid? Based on weather alone, I think we might be stationed in the Arctic Circle now. (I’m exaggerating - but just a little.) Rationally, I know that I spent nearly 2 decades of my life where “wind chill factor” was a common winter phrase, and I should be able to handle the cold. My brain might know that, but my shivering body seems to disagree. I think a cup of hot chocolate is in order.

Back to Reality

I got a case of the Sunday Night Blues a full 24 hours early, on Saturday night. Putting the Christmas decorations away and knowing that soon we’d both be back to a regular work schedule made me a little sad. The Sunday Night Blues hit Husband on Sunday morning, as he started thinking about everything he’d need to do back at work. But, we knew that the end of our break was inevitable. After all, you can only spend so much time napping, watching TV, and eating leftover Christmas cookies, right? At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Welcome, 2010!

My new work planner that I ordered recently arrived. I didn’t specify a color, but I was surprised to see that it was bright pink. So this year is already looking rosy (literally) for me!

I’m excited for a new year and a fresh start. Husband and I have quite a bit of traveling planned, and I can’t wait. We most likely won’t have to move this year, which is a relief that we can stay settled here for a bit longer. And I’m sure there will be plenty of other adventures along the way.

I wish the best for all of you this year!