Home Sweet Home: Hanging Curtains

Window coverings for the basement family room was one of the major projects I knew we needed to accomplish while Mom was visiting. The family room is right on the ground level of the main road past our house, so all night long we could see headlights going by and people could see into our lounging area. The entire upstairs of the house has nice wooden slat blinds, but we don't have the funds to outfit all the basement windows with such luxuries right now, so inexpensive drapes needed to work. Per usual, IKEA came through for us.

IKEA Curtains - Lenda 2 pair with tie backs

The size we needed (55x98) was on sale for only $14.99! WHOA! Way cheaper than anything I had seen online at other stores, so we picked up three sets. That way, we'd have six panels to cover the span of the two large windows and sliding door.



A separate trip to Lowe's where we found two curtain rods and the necessary hardware, and we were in business! NavyGuy got to work installing the rod while Mom and I took turns ironing the large blue panels. Above, you can see NavyGuy gingerly working around the television; Mom refused to get anywhere near the TV lest she damage it in some way and forever be the mother-in-law who broke her son-in-law's baby television set.



Can you see what's on the television while we worked? Inspiration of course! Basically HGTV is the only channel that all three of us could agree on, so we soaked up many episodes of House Hunters, Color Splash, and Bang for Your Buck while we worked.



Voila! Window coverings! They look slightly ghetto in this photo for some reason, but take my word for it - they look much better in real life (and anything is better than two blankets push-pinned into the wall...). I'm pretty excited about the blue color as an accent for the basement. I'd say for about $75 dollars and some time on a step ladder, we got a good end result.

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Easing into the week...

Mom left on a jet plane this morning after a whirlwind three days of shopping, unpacking, organizing, building furniture, hanging curtains, eating, drinking, and only a small amount of arguing (mostly between NavyGuy and myself). I'm working on sorting the photos from all of our projects and putting together some posts on the progress we've made on the house.

In the meantime, I'm spending my day catching up on some neglected tv (Mad Men!) and crafting before heading back to work tomorrow. For your enjoyment, I'll leave you with this - because it will make your Monday better.

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San Francisco Trip Best Of...

Before my summer trip to San Francisco becomes a complete and utter haze, I present the best of the trip. I've chosen the Top 10 memories from my visit with Mom and Sister in the land of sunshine...

Ten Best San Fran 2009 Memories

1. Sister's New Apartment - it looks like a super modern, stylish hotel. They're on the 14th floor, they finally have cabinet storage in their kitchen, a small office inlet that's perfect for Brother-in-Law to toil away in, and a red accent wall in the livingroom. What more could Sister possibly want? ;)

2. Touring "the Rock" - Mom, Sister, and I toured Alcatraz, which is awesome. I'll hold back on the history geek stuff, but did you know it was a famous fort before it became a prison!?!? I know - cool!! Anyway, the audio tour is fabulous; you get headphones and it leads you through the prison. There are great explanations of the history of the prison, and I would highly recommend the tour if you make it to the Bay Area.

3. Watching "the Rock" - Mom was terribly slightly disappointed to not find Sean Connery waiting for her as we entered Alcatraz, but she did get her photo taken next to the movie poster, AND the movie was on cable twice while we were there! Score.

4. Muir Woods - ahhh, nature. Despite my general aversion to all this natural, I couldn't help but love this place. So peaceful, and even quiet, despite the throngs of tourists. We wandered through the huge trees and tried to soak up as much American beauty as we could.


5. Golden Gate Bridge - umm... so apparently San Francisco is foggy...? ;) Who knew. We drove over the bridge, but our only real glimpse of it came when we were taking the ferry to and from Alcatraz. So, we'll need to keep this one on our list for a future trip to visit Sister; Mom and I would both still like to cross off "walk across the Golden Gate Bridge" on our life accomplishments list.

6. Beef Jerky on a Plane - somehow, both Mom and I had seat companions on our flights to San Fran who were a) overnourished and b) eating beef jerky. Smelly beef jerky. Rah.

7. Farmer's Markets - Sister has become a hippie when it comes to food. I was paraded through not one, but TWO, separate farmer's markets, and a Whole Foods store (where I made my own trail mix!). On the plus side, farmers like to give away samples, so I definitely ate my weight in fresh fruit and vegetables; clearly they know the way to my heart is through free bread and fudge. Also, I discovered pluots - a sort of yuppie hybrid plum and apricot - which are quite tasty!

8. Sourdough - manna from heaven. Especially when it's in the form of a bread bowl and it's soaked in clam chowder. Thank you Boudin, thank you.

9. "The bus driver flipped me off!" and other transportation debacles... - seriously, a random San Fran bus driver flipped me off as he whizzed by Sister, Mom, and I desperately waiting to be picked up (at a poorly marked bus stop). Then a crazy Korean lady sat next to me on the bus that finally picked us up, and I think she was mad at me for some reason. Then, Mom and Sister almost left me on the BART (rapid transit) when I started to doze on the final ride home!!! Yes, that's my family.

10. Pooping - yup. Mom definitely took Lucy the puppy for a walk around Oakland and saw a man pooping in the street. And the part of the story she kept repeating was "and he didn't even pull his pants up when he was finished!". Cuz, clearly, that aspect of the incident was the most upsetting part...

Hooray for travel with family :)

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"Everything That's Not Nailed Down"

Editor's Note: I wrote this post last week (8/19) during the packing bonanza and somehow it never got put up on the blog. Even though it's a wee bit outdated, it includes a thesis statement of sorts pertaining to our move, so I felt the post had to be shared. Enjoy.

Our mantra this week. Anytime NavyGuy asks me what he should do next, I simply yell shrilly, "everything that's not nailed down" which he's finally figured out means, "You're a college graduate - look around the house and find something to pack or pick up and put in the car!" We've actually made significant progress, and have only a couple specific areas of the house that still need to be packed (laundry room, pantry, his desk, and one cupboard in the kitchen), but it's obvious we're nearing the end of our packing rope so to speak.Having moved many times in the last few years of my life, I find it interesting how the packing process starts out very organized and neat... devolving in direct proportion to how many empty boxes you have left and what shaped items remain to be packed. For instance, in our house, the first thing to get packed is always books. They are all square shaped so they fit nicely in the boxes and you can clearly label each box, "books"... and you can be fairly certain that when you reopen the box a few weeks later, it will still be full of exactly what it says is in it. That goes along smoothly for a while as you finish packing books, then work on other simple items like DVDs, clothes, and even kitchen items. Everything in its box, appropriately labeled and organized by room or category.

It's once you reach the point where you're walking around the house with a half empty box collecting anything that will fit in it that you know you've reached a bad place. Today I packed a rubbermaid tote with a bathroom scale, clock radio, coffee filters, two extension cords, a random book found in the livingroom, a beach towel, frying pan, flip flops, and half a dozen pens. And that, is why God invented the term "miscellaneous." (And also why NavyGuy'll spent the next six weeks trying to find an extension cord...)

Updated Wednesday 8/26 - The box I spoke of above has been located. Yes, I really did pack extension cords with the coffee filters. Go figure.

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House Shopping List

As we're starting to make headway on the chaos, a list is forming. A list of things we want need for the house...

- flat screen television for the livingroom

- coffee table for the family room

- desk chair for my desk (which yes, Keby, came from Target - but of course!)

- bookcases for the library nook

- curtains for the bedroom

- blinds for the family room and guest room

- craft table / storage

- medicine cabinet for bathroom

- storage shelving for garage

We're obviously not purchasing all of these items in the next two weeks... however, Mom is coming on Friday and we're crashing IKEA hardcore. So, if one had to prioritize that list, what would you buy first? What item is crucial that we get ASAP?

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Ah, life

When there are park rangers and road flares before nine a.m., it's going to be one of those days.


NavyGuy's car died as he was driving to work. The alternator pooped out and he was stranded on one of the curvy backroads between Anacortes and base, so I got a phone call around 7 (and there goes my day to sleep in). He needed to get down to base for a test, so I picked him up, dropped him off on base, and then returned to the stranded car to wait for the tow truck to show up.

When I returned to the car, a local park ranger was checking out the abandoned car. After I assured him that a tow truck was on the way, he proceeded to line the road with red flares to warn approaching cars that NavyGuy's vehicle was not 100% off of the road. (We had tried to push it, but there was no moving it.) No chance of remaining under the radar now that the road flares were involved... every car slowed down to stare at me in my oversized sweatpants, faded fraternity sweatshirt, and flip flops... especially once the tow truck driver arrived and asked me to help divert traffic around the car. Yup, I became a human road flare on Rosario Drive - all my dreams are complete now.

NavyGuy's car should be fixed by tomorrow afternoon. Apparently we'll be getting a new alternator instead of new curtains for the bedroom...

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Before Pictures

Since some people... (you know who you are... Mother) have expressed interest in seeing the new house in all its chaos and insanity, here's a glimpse into the mess. My mom suggested I call these "before" photos, like on the decorating shows on HGTV where you see the hideous 1980s kitchen with gold drawer handles and then the after photo pops up and the kitchen magically looks thoroughly modern and beautiful.

All you're getting for some time is the before version, but eventually there will be after photos (with thoroughly modern and beautiful rooms!).

Future Office / Craft Room

Future Family Room / Library (Yes, those are all boxes of books... and you can't see all of them.)

Future Kitchen and Livingroom

Future Diningroom

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I {heart} Target

Because, well... I'd still be moving my possessions on my back Sherpa style if not for these babies.
Can a person ever really have enough Rubbermaid containers?

(For those of you playing at home, the correct answer is, "no.")

On sale this week for $4.

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First Post from the New House!!!

(happy dance)

Yes people, it's really happening. The movers are hauling in all of our worldly belongings, and I'm camped out at the kitchen counter directing traffic and typing my little fingers to the bone. (I'd feel guilty about sitting while they're huffing and puffing, except, a) they're getting paid, and b) I'm too happy to care.) I'm giddy. Positively giddy. By tonight, NavyGuy and I will officially be living in our own house, by ourselves, without ANY roommates, and it will be glorious. I've started putting a a few things away in the kitchen and I'm lovin' being able to decide where I want stuff to go... instead of having to compromise with two Marines who want ample space for their protein shakes and George Foreman grills.

Okay, fine, the Catholic guilt is starting to kick in; I should probably go at least look like I'm doing something. I'll try to throw some pictures up later of the chaos - off to do a happy dance!!! :)

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Tuesday Tidbits

*Only in Washington, can you drive down the highway and see an orange construction sign warning of an "Ecology Crew Ahead." I can't decide if that's really cool, or a really big waste of my state tax dollars.

*Still packing. I swear, this is the last time I'm moving. Ever. No, wait. I'll relocate in the future, but I'm not taking any of my stuff. I'm simply walking out the front door of my current residence, getting on a plane, and moving into my new house where I'll buy all new stuff that someone else will unpack and put away for me. Yup, that's the plan.

*I created a small flood in the back washroom at work tonight. Apparently the drain cannot handle more than one sink being emptied at a time. Lesson learned (and wow does that water flow quickly). Luckily the floor needed a good rinse anyway.

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TWP Guest Post: Part 2

Scroll down to see Part 1 of TWP's trip to Anacortes.

Day 2: Day 2 begun with the fulfillment of my one and only travel request: a trip to the San Juan Islands (okay there were more requests, but this one was the biggest!). NavyWife played along after many assurances that nature would not at any point touch her, that there was chocolate on the islands and that shopping opportunities would be ample. The ferry ride alone was so gorgeous that it made the trip for me and the awkwardly warm weather even allowed us to ride the ferry home with just t-shirts on!

View of Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.

Cute, overpriced souvenirs were bought by all, I tricked NavyWife into eating at a local organic restaurant with promises that it was "cute and trendy" (read overpriced and organic) and Meatball was a model traveler. We also learned a thing or two after finding out that there are a plethora of lavender farms in the Pacific Northwest. I even made up for the abundance of nature by getting NavyWife and I a chocolate-chocolate chip cookie ice-cream sandwich with chocolate lavender ice-cream. Sounds slightly disgusting, but it was amazing! Later NavyWife's mom questioned my unceasingly "wild" influence after finding out that we paid $5.00 for said ice cream sandwich....

Meatball eats organic, much to the horror of her Fairy Godmother.

After our return to Anacortes, Meatball and I had a much needed nap while NavyWife retrieved her groom from a two-week stint on a testosterone-ridden carrier plane. There were videos, technical jargon, and in-depth accounts of the trip, but I unfortunately tuned out shortly after learning that "Danger Zone" does not in fact play on a loop on the boat. Boring.

We rounded out with a stop at the local drive-in burger joint, a long trip to the world's greatest park and way too much ice-cream from the "Happy Donut".

Waving to the ferry

Cheers: To reliving my decade long childhood dream of becoming a marine biologist. If it weren't for the crippling motion sickness and irrational fear of drowning in a large body of water I'd be riding a whale at this very moment.

To NavyGuy's awkward football hold of Macy. He doesn't bat an eyelash at flying a multi-million dollar plane and protecting our nation, but nearly peed when asked to pick up a one year old. Little did he know that by week's end she'd be following him around the house asking to go uppy and he'd be putty in her hands.

To the greatest park ever! An Anacortes gem complete with clubhouses, pirate ship, an Orca whale-shaped sandbox, disgustingly cute kids drawings and paintings and a hand-painted trout stream leading the way up to the slides. I wanted to pack it up in my suitcase and bring it home with me.

Jeers: To the $3.00 dollar juice I bought Meatball to placate her on the ride back on the ferry only for her to drink a total of three sips of it. I then tried to get her to drink it each subsequent day of the trip, forgot I left it in my purse and had my bags searched by TSA before our departing flight.

To the random kid at the park. Meatball has yet to figure out how to get her chubby legs to sit down at the top of slide and cute little boy came over and offered to "help". After his sweet little angel face proclaimed "I know how to get babies to go the slide", he ran up behind her and ever so thoughtfully pushed her down the slide and skipped away.

Enjoying the unseasonably warm weather while sprinting across the ferry deck.

Stay tuned for the final installation of our trip West... for sightseeing, shopping and trying not to offend the United States Navy!

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TWP Guest Post:

Hi there! We have one last guest post as part of our celebration of 500 posts. This final installment comes from TWP. She's one of my oldest friends, my unofficial wedding planner, overall source of hilarity and support, and her daughter (FlowerGirl, FG) is my godchild. Love them both to death. The two of them visited NavyGuy and I last week, and TWP has chosen to recap their vacation for her guest post... crazy good times. Enjoy her version of our week together! :)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatball: Our Trip to Anacortes
The Highs and Lows of Traveling with A Toddler

Part I:

The Cast of Characters:

TWP: Me! I'm one of NavyWife's BFF's. I've known her since we were in 4th grade and both had hideous clothes and even more hideous glasses. I've been doing my best to corrupt her ever since the day we met.

Meatball: Otherwise known throughout the blog world as "FG" or the Flower Girl. My daughter and NavyWife's goddaughter. So named because 1) while I was pregnant with her I majorly craved meatballs. Not with pasta or sauce or anything, just meatballs. Bowls and bowls of them and 2) her head is an adorably huge, perfectly round, baby ball of chunk that looks like a giant meatball. She's a 20 month old hilarious bundle of craziness and can be best described by saying that her current favorite food is Caesar salad...go figure.

Nice Roommate: One of the oddballs currently making NavyWife's house messy. He basically played on the computer for five days straight during our visit except for a brief respite to play Rockband.

Weird Roommate: The current bane of NavyWife's home organization existence. He made pasta the first day we got there and it was still sitting on the stove when we left. He also wore nothing more than boardshorts (that's right no shirt...EVER) during our entire trip and says "dude" every other word. After eating perhaps his tenth "well-balanced" meal of chicken and rice during our stay he proceeded to give me a lecture about how I really shouldn't drink soda because the high fructose corn syrup is bad for me. I would have thrown the can at him, but I would never waste a precious drop of my Diet Coke on such a Tool.

And so, the adventure begins...

Day 1: We wake at the mind-numbing hour of 5am to depart from St. Paul. Meatball is oddly chipper for this early hour, I manage the SuperHuman feat of packing Meatball and I into ONE, count it ONE, suitcase (mothers worldwide: it's possible!) and we make it out the door on time. The plane ride was smooth, no one vomited, and I survived changing a diaper blowout in the airplane bathroom. NavyWife met us at the airport, Meatball slept the entire car ride to Anacortes and we had lunch at an adorable place, Gere-A-Deli: yummy desserts, delicious chicken salad, and a re-caffienated TWP made for a much better day all around. We hiked the oddly steep hills to the slug-filled park near the NavyFamily's uber-adorable home, drooled at the fabulousness that is about the be the NavyFamily's new home, ordered some yummy pizza for dinner and crafted the night away.

Meatball at the toddler park.

Cheers: To the kindness of strangers.
-To a fellow warrior/mother/angel in the war against squirmy toddlers who waved something shiny in front of Meatball while I attempted to not have my bags searched and messied.
-To the TSA agent who turned a blind eye to my 6 pounds overweight bag because he didn't want to have to charge me the $90.00 overage charge. I love you old TSA man with a big heart! You deserved that $5.00 tip!
-And To the highly tolerant flight attendant who allowed Meatball to play in the exit aisle for over an hour, sparing me and the entire plane from the wrath of a toddler who won't sit in one place for longer than 30 seconds.

Jeers: To the other parents on the flight who thought my presence in the exit row indicated my willingness to provide free child care at 35,000 feet.

And to Meatball's blatant disdain for every single item in the 40 pound "purse" I brought on board to entertain her. I should have known that a free plastic cup and the drink cart would have brought her more joy.

The amazing view!

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Are We Done Yet?

Woosh! I thought my life was going to slow down after the wedding in May. I kept saying, "oh, yeah, I'll get back to work on my grad program after the wedding... and work on starting an Etsy store... and go to the gym more often..."

Well, apparently, my life didn't get the memo. Because this summer has been even more hectic than the spring was! NavyGuy is back from his boat detachment, and while he was gone, I closed on our new house - so we're officially homeowners! Then six hours after I signed all the paperwork, I hopped a quick flight down to San Francisco to visit Sister and Mom for three days. Then back up north to spend a frantic day cleaning and baby-proofing the house we're currently in because TWP and FlowerGirl arrived the next day to vacation for a week! Oh, and now the movers are coming on Friday to move all of our furniture, so we need to have everything else packed and moved to the new house before then... and I pretty much work at Target every day between now and then... ARE WE DONE YET?!?!?!?!

Needless to say, I'm exhausted just explaining all that (let alone living it). Luckily, it's all super good stuff, so despite the sleep deprivation - I'm happy as a clam and excited about all the adventures we've been having. :) Lots more recaps to come, but for now I'm off to crash for the night and recharge my batteries before another long day of packing.

P.S. Happy 1 year anniversary to Roomie A and her hubby! They've survived one year of marriage and still going strong ;)

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Mom's Guest Post

The challenge went out to be a guest blogger on the occasion of NavyWife's 500th post. The idea of writing about myself was almost as loathsome as having my picture taken. So I decided to write about what I know best: my girls. (Mushiness alert!) Congrats on reaching 500 (confirming #5 on my list).

Top Ten Reasons I am Proud of my Daughters

#10: They are both dog people! Admittedly, they were not around cats as they grew up, but both NavyWife and Sis adore dogs (anyone know how to keep them as permanent puppies?).

#9: Readers, Readers, Readers! As we drove 9 hours from Fargo to Grandpa and Grandma's (in the pre-personal DVD era), I rarely heard a peep from the siblings in the back because they were poring over the suitcase of books they had brought along. Today, they are my best source of "what to read next." And both of them would rather curl up with a good book to relax (ok, maybe naps are a close second) than almost anything else. I love well-read women!

#8: Around the World in 80 Days. These two lovely ladies are expert travelers, including packing the suitcase. No customs agent or TSA official better get in the way of either of them reaching their destination. Maybe their just-do-it attitude came from the cancelled flight, terminal run, backup flight, layover in Detroit, but oh, so good Dove ice cream bars on the UNAIRCONDITIONED flight to Disneyland when they were only 3 and 5. They've enjoyed flying ever since!

A young NavyWife and Sister at their favorite play table... many moons ago.

#7: Princes, not frogs! I can't believe my luck in getting sons-in-law. My girls definitely picked great men with whom to spend the rest of their lives. I never had to hire a hit man all the while they were dating, although I definitely carried around a good case of Mom worry for a few of their "friends." Which brings us to...

#6: Long distance wedding planners extraordinaire! Sis got the ball rolling with her cross-country, internet planning extravaganza, and NavyWife only added to the fun when she and NavyGuy decided to marry only 10 months later with the same cross-country agenda. Both days were picture perfect, with very few glitches, and just as memorable as they planned. Yes, ideally, the weddings would have been in their hometown, but that would not have fit either of them. The venues they chose were perfect and they have beautiful memories of not only their wedding day, but of all of the work they did to make them perfect.

#5 and 4: I Am Woman! and Scraptastic! The wedding theme from number 6 is a perfect segue into the next two reasons why I am so proud of my girls. All teasing aside, the theme of Sis and A's wedding, "I know what I want" is a perfect description of her independent, determined spirit. She has a unique knack of doing whatever is necessary to get what she wants (Ask the wedding consultant at Monona Terrace!). NavyWife can also go after her goals, but she will often confer with NavyGuy, Sis, friends, or me to confirm that it is the best idea. As for craftiness, NavyWife has the lead on this one. She tackled wedding projects head on, and continues to cut, stamp, glue and organize paper crafts to the wonderment of all of her family. Her sister is equally as creative, (remember, I know what I want!), but will smartly farm out the work to someone who has materials and time that she currently does not have. What each of you creates in your own personal style is a continuous source of pride for your mom.

NavyWife, Mom, and Sister

#3: Embracing change. New homes. New "permanent" roommates. New cities. New jobs. A new puppy. New transportation. Even new jewelry. Therapists say the biggest reason for stress is change. In the last three years, I have lost count of the number of major life changes that my girls have made, (often dragging me along for the literal ride) and they have come out with flying colors. Sure, a few headaches, sleepless nights, and broken dishes, but each of you has taken on the next day with a renewed spirit and determination to make it work.

#2: Fabulous to their friends. My girls have always had many, many friends (check out the millions of group photos from high school and college). They have found new acquaintances as they have lived in various places, and both NavyWife and Sis have developed strong bonds with those friends. I truly enjoy hearing about the lives of those friends, and am very happy that my girls continue to be involved and devoted to them despite the miles that separate them all. It's especially fun to watch each girl interact with their sibling's friends.

#1: The number one reason I am so proud of my daughters is that each of them has grown into the woman I want to be when I grow up!

Love, Mom

NavyWife, Sister, and Mom at Inner Harbor, Baltimore.

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HistoryGirlie's Guest Post

1. What should readers know about you that they don't already know?
That I'm really a CIA spy, keeping tabs on the paper and dairy industries of NE WI for the government. Just kidding. I don't really know. I guess if they read my blog, they have a pretty good grasp on who I am. If anyone has any questions, click on over to The Adventures of a Farmer's Wife! :)

2. What is your favorite recipe to make in the summer? Your favorite recipe of all time?
I love making a berry cake recipe in the summer that Farmer's mom gave me. It's a shortbread with raspberries sprinkled on top, with a struesel sugar topping. It's super quick, and it's super duper delicious. I don't know if I have a favorite recipe of ALL TIME. That's a lot of recipes for me to go through. But some of my favorite things came from my mom, like Chicken India, Sugar Cookies, and Sour Cream Chicken Breasts. I have lots of favorite foods I make.

3. What is a typical day like for you?
Hmmmm....it depends, during the school year or summer? Is Kitty home or not? If it's a typical day this summer, I get up to Kitty either screaming from her crib or if she's already in bed with me, she's got her face about 2 inches from mine saying in a very chipper voice, "HI!" We then turn on the TV to catch the headlines (did the world blow up? Was I named the new Queen of England??) and then head downstairs to feed Kitty some breakfast. Farmer comes home for breakfast shortly after that, and we chat about our upcoming day, while Kitty eats breakfast #2 with Daddy. When Daddy goes back to work, I hit the showers while Kitty watches some Sesame Street. After shower, we start on the day's chores. Daddy comes home for lunch about 12:30, we watch the soap opera, and then after Daddy goes back to work, Kitty hits the crib for a nappy and I keep working or I hop online and catch up on my online friends, my e-mail, and EW.com. Kitty sleeps for about 2 hours and after she gets up, we start in on supper. (I cook alot, and since my dishwasher is broken, I do ALOT of dishes) After supper and clean up, Daddy goes back to work, and we go outside and play, and water the flowers and pick the garden. We come in, Kitty gets a bath, and we start reading books and playing inside. Daddy gets home about 8:00 from milking cows. He plays with Kitty, showers, and then we calm her down for bed. If she goes to sleep early enough, then Farmer and I watch some TV and hit the tick about 10:00 pm. Fall asleep immediately and start over again the next day. :) Exciting enough for you? :)

4. What are your favorite blogs or websites? [Aside from MarryingtheNavy ;]
EW.com, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, and the blogs in my blogroll. I especially enjoy Green Girl in Wisconsin, and Seeking Sanity.

5. What is your favorite MarryingtheNavy blog post, or topic?
Because I know NavyGirl so well, I like all the posts....it helps me feel connected even though she's out in timbucktu. I also appreciate the tone of MarryingtheNavy, because it sounds like NavyGirl is sitting on my big ugly green couch telling me the stories. ;)

6. What are you looking forward to the most in the coming months?
Starting back at school, the holiday season with Kitty, and all the fun things coming up that Kitty will be doing!!!!


Thanks so much HistoryGirlie! Hopefully my readers enjoyed a peek into your bloggie life :)

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NavyGuy Guest Post

Well, 500 posts, that's quite a bit of material for our friendly neighborhood Mugs. She's left her job, packed, moved to Florida, packed up, drove across the country for almost 2 months while living in hotels and with family and friends, unpacked in a new house with two roommates, got married, got a new job, bought a house, packed again, and is moving again. I think if there's an overall theme to her life for the past two years, it's been change. In case it's not abundantly clear, Mugs doesn't like change. If there is anything that I'm sure Mugs didn't expect to be doing when we first met freshman year of college, it would have to be driving from Pensacola, FL to Anacortes, WA in the middle of summer to start a whole new life.

Through it all, though, she's been helpful and patient, a caring and thoughtful partner in all the changes we've gone through. I can think of no one else I'd want with me while doing everything over this past year and a half. I'm glad all of you find her writing interesting and entertaining, and I hope you all keep coming back to read about all the changes that I'm sure will come.


Awww... what a sweetie. It's true I detest change, but somehow NavyGuy keeps getting me to accept it and find the good. Plus he often plies me with ice cream whenever a big change is coming, which tends to help :) Thanks for sharing your thoughts NavyGuy!

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Sister's Guest Post

Our first guest post comes from my younger sister. She's currently living in Oakland, CA with her hubby and their adorable puggle Lucy. Sister works for a non-profit called Playworks, and Brother-in-Law is going to UC Berkeley for law school.

1. What should readers know about you that they don't already know?
I have a pretty healthy NPR obsession, I want to visit every farmer's market in the Bay Area (we're talking well over a hundred people - it's admittedly an extremely lofty goal) and will literally stop whatever I'm doing to try and pet any dog I see.

2. What is your favorite recipe to make in the summer?
Mmm, Capresse salad - an heirloom tomato straight from the farmer's market, fresh mozzarella, rosemary ciabatta, fresh basil from the plant I've kept alive for over two months(!), and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! A close second would be fresh fruit salad, with peaches, plums, pluots, strawberries, and blueberries.

3. What is a typical day like for you?
7:12am - Drag myself out of bed to attempt to look like a real person for the day.
7:32am - Jump in the car or start walking to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to make my way over to San Francisco for work.
8:47am - Start Gchatting with my friend A (whose birthday is 7/31, best day ever!!!), about an event that happened that should have been experienced together, and how our boys are soulmates.
9:50am - Head out to schools to catch the first recess, and jump into multiple games of 4-square, wall ball, multi-ball, band-aid tag, crazy kickball, cookie jar, and sharks and minnows throughout the day...
5:15pm - Collapse in my car or on BART, and make my way home.
6:12pm - Walk in the door and get smothered with Lucy kisses and squeals, as the spouse nonchalantly plays Halo with the soulmate and manages to say 'hey' around his headset and microphone (so as to not interrupt the game, of course).
6:13pm - Lose myself in the Food Network channel.
6:58pm - Head downstairs or outside for a 5 mile run.
8:03pm - Return, drenched, and quickly jump in the shower before Lucy can attack me with more kisses.
8:41pm - Eat my weekday standby salad of spinach, romaine, arugula, and balsamic vinaigrette.
9:02pm - Clean up the kitchen, watch random tv, read my nutrition chapters, play with Lucy, catch up on blogs and emails, talk with the spouse, do the laundry, make my lunch for the next day, do some strength training, get distracted by more blogs and emails, until...
11:47pm - HOW IS IT 11:47 ALREADY?!
11:48pm - Sigh.
11:58pm - Another sigh, as I check the time again on the computer.
12:03am - Collapse into bed, with Lucy pushing her way under the covers.

4. What are your favorite blogs or websites? (Aside from MarryingtheNavy ;)
Well, I love me some Adventures of a Farmer's Wife ;), but I also really like EatLiveRun.com and HealthyTippingPoint.com. Both of these ladies, along with several others that they collaborate with, document everything they eat in pictures, and share their tips and ideas on healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Also, I like the Atlantic's food blog, food.theatlantic.com, because you never know what random, interesting article you might find.

5. What is your favorite MarryingtheNavy blog post, or topic?
Well I'd be lying if I didn't at least mention the Lucy (the puggle) or my birthday posts...or both of the big ol' wedding recaps...but I'm a big fan of the Cheers and Jeers posts as well. Often I hold the exact same opinions! (Okay, okay, thanks Mom.)

6. What are you looking forward to the most in the coming months?
Hmm...

1) A fresh new school year with new Playworks people in SF.
2) The half marathon experiences that Yoyo and I will both have this fall ;)
3) A trip to Chicago with the spouse for law firm job interviews and to meet up with my A and Brother-in-Law's soulmate...oh, and please people, cross your fingers that Brother-in-Law actually lands a job for next summer at this point...
4) And the BEST of all...the whole family's big trek north (~14 hours) for Thanksgiving 2009 in Anacortes!! After all, Lucy is already pretty anxious to meet her future puppy-cousin. ;)

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#500

Happy 500 posts!!!!!

I've given myself a small pat on the back for getting to this point, but more importantly - congrats to all of you readers! You've been reading and commenting and making this blog what it is. So hats off to you! I can't thank all of you enough for listening to my ramblings and supporting me throughout this past crazy year.

To celebrate 500 posts, I've called in favors from some of our most popular guest stars around MarryingtheNavy. Sister, Mom, NavyGuy, HistoryGirlie, and TWP have all written guest posts, and throughout this week, I'll be sharing their words. Then it'll be back to business as usual around here - rants, craft projects, anecdotes, and general musings from yours truly.

Hope you keep coming back for the next 500!

P.S. I'd love to meet all of you who have been hiding in the weeds :) If you haven't commented yet, here's your chance to say a quick hello. Share how you found the blog, why you keep coming back, or just give a shout! (And for you frequent commentators, keep up the great chatting!)

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#499

Why is Magic Johnson shilling for Rent-A-Center? I'm completely baffled.

Don't believe me?

Proof.

I think my favorite part is the fact that they made him hold a basketball throughout the entire commercial... just in case you didn't make the connection... wait... is there a connection between basketball and renting appliances?

Also, and excuse me for lacking all tact here, but - didn't this guy announce he was HIV positive like twenty years ago? How is he still alive?

The bafflement continues.

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#498

Another busy day...

~ It started very early with a shift at the Food Ave, where I managed to spill a co-worker's mint tea all over some shelving in the backroom. Whoops. Luckily, she was pretty cool about it. And the backroom smelled minty fresh for most of the morning.

~ Since I'm a food worker now, I had to get my food handler's permit from the county. After one wrong turn at the Mt. Vernon courthouse (where I managed to set off the metal detector twice... sunglasses on the top of head, hair clip in my back pocket), I found the Health Department and sat down to watch a riveting thirty minute video about food safety. Can you tell me the temperature at which cold foods must be kept below? Cuz I can tell you.* Cuz it was definitely stated in the video like sixty-seven times. I impressed the health worker with my speedy test-taking skills after the video ended (100% correct baby!), and coughed up $10 to walk away with a card proclaiming me "Food Handling Certified."

~ Then it was off to the title company to pick up the closing paperwork for the house. We're, I mean, I'm closing on the house Thursday morning, and NavyGuy wanted a lawyer to check out the paperwork ahead of time (considering I told him several times before he left, "I want the house, I will simply sign anything they put in front of me without reading a word"... it was probably a good move on his part.) So drop the papers with lawyer, drop comforter and pillow shams at the dry cleaners, pick up Cheerios at the grocery store (not a single box left at home!), then hit the bank to get a check for the highest sum of money I've ever contemplated in my life. Thank goodness the teller actually filled out the info for the cashier's check, because I'm certain my hand would have started twitching uncontrollably if I had to write the down payment total... yeeeaaooowza! Back to the title company with the check, and then finally home.

~ More packing and cleaning. Two more wedding gifts arrived, which I'm super grateful for because a) it means two more Thanksgiving guests can eat off of nice plates in November, and b) it gave me another large box to use for packing. However, it also gave me two more items to pack... slight perspective for you - from our bedroom alone, I've packed 18 file folder boxes of books. 18. There's more books in the livingroom and garage, and again, that's just books. I haven't even ventured into the closet to deal with the obscene amount of clothing and computer cables. I think our motto for the new house is going to be, "one item in, TEN items out!"

Now I'm watching TiVo'ed episodes of Bones and trying to decide if I want to continue packing/cleaning, or call it a night and resume the battle in the morning. The next few days are going to be equally hectic because I have work, closing on the house, and then Thursday evening I'm flying down to San Francisco to meet up with Sister and Mom!!! We've got a jam-packed weekend of activities, and I'm super excited, but... I still need to do laundry, pack, and deal with all of the house stuff. Oh, and did I mention that TWP and her daughter are arriving for a visit next week Tuesday? Yeah, I know - maybe in the future I should consult a calendar before scheduling every major event within two weeks of each other... while NavyGuy is gone and totally unavailable to help with anything! But I can't help it - who would pass up a weekend with their family, and then a week with one of their BFFs and goddaughter?!?!? Thank goodness for my recent coffee addiction to keep me going... ;)

*Cold foods must be kept below 41 degrees. You're welcome.

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#497

A big birthday shout-out to NavyGuy's dad today! This isn't actually the card he'll be receiving in the mail (because I forgot to photograph it), so instead I'll share the card that HistoryGirlie received last week for her birthday (yep... August is quickly becoming a busy birthday month for our family).
This card was a Sketch For You to Try from Jen Del Muro - I love how the little bow on top of the present turned out! Happy Belated Birthday to HistoryGirlie :)

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#496

A quick card for MOH and her husband on their second wedding anniversary. The stamps are actually from two separate sets, and I'm kinda of psyched about how I managed to match the two together. The flower, frame, and three word greeting are from a wedding set, and the "cherish" sentiment is from a different Stampin' Up set. I happened to grab both off of the shelf, and realized that the small sentiment fit inside the frame perfectly! Plus, I think the two sentiments go well together for an anniversary.

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#495

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but NavyGuy one upped me -

(An email I received today)

So this will sound absolutely absurd, but I swore I just saw your husband.

Back story: I've been following your blog for a handful of months now, seeing as I'm a Navy attachment also (but I've only recently established "follower-ship").

Anyways, I got off work in Norfolk/Virginia Beach (Virginia), and was talking with my dad when all of a sudden I yelled, "I think I just saw Marrying the Navy's husband!!"

So fast forward to now, I'm emailing a complete stranger, after months of stalking, claiming to have seen her husband, probably sounding like a loony bin, but wanted to see if I was fooled by a doppelganger...

So if you do get to talk to him, and he was in the Town Center of Virginia Beach, then - by golly - it was him.

If it wasn't him, well then it was nice to meet you. Keep up the hilarity of life. And enjoy the PacNW (I'm from Oregon). Hopefully you've gotten used to the rain. :D

Mrs. Wookie

Unbelievable. Un-be-LIEV-able!! NavyGuy got recognized!!! So not fair... I do all the hard blog work, and he gets the love. When I talked to him tonight, he confirmed the sighting; apparently, he's staying in the Town Center area, so I'm sure Mrs. Wookie saw him. He was super amused when I told him the story, and I suspect his cover (Navy hat) doesn't fit anymore now that his head has grown four sizes. Despite my tiny bit of jealously, I am floored that someone in the real world (besides my mother) reads this blog closely enough to spot NavyGuy out and about!!! Thanks for the note Mrs. Wookie, and for being a loyal reader - you definitely win reader of the year :) (And yes, we're getting used to the rain... although we could use a little more what with all the hot weather we've been having.)

Next up - paparazzi photos and stalkers!

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#494

We're counting down to #500... only a few more to go before I spring some awesome guest posts on you!

*NavyGuy left for his boat detachment on Saturday morning. I said goodbye to him three times. Why three? Well because once is just never enough. First he woke me up at 6:30am as he was leaving the house for base. Forty-five minutes later, he woke me up again with a phone call. Turns out, he didn't actually need to be to base until 9:30, so did I want to come down and meet him for breakfast... oh, and could I bring his checkbook 'cuz he forgot it. Sigh. We had McDonald's breakfast and said goodbye a second time. And then I went to Wal-Mart... where he called again. This time he'd forgotten a cable he needed for his phone, so could I buy one and bring it to him at the air terminal? One more time, hug, kiss, "don't fall off the plane," and he was finally gone.

*Since it was only 10am, I figured I could still get lots done! Several more boxes packed, some cleaning, and I was just settling in for my lovely Saturday afternoon nap, when my phone rang again. I cursed NavyGuy's name, then checked the caller ID. Uh oh, Target. Did I work today? No, I swore I had Saturday off... ugh, I better answer. Next thing I know, I ended up covering a Starbucks shift. No nap, but more moola towards the new house!

*Sunday was equally uneventful - work and more packing. Blah.

This week is going to liven up considerably though... closing on the house and taking off for San Francisco to visit Sister and Mom!

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