From Homecoming To Now

So I'm due for a serious update to all of you. With homecoming, Thanksgiving, my in laws arriving and a bunch of things going on in the middle I have barely have had anytime to myself. But alas, here I am.

I have written a piece about DH's homecoming on the Homefront United Network, which will be featured this Friday (12/1)...so stay tuned there (and yes, that was my public service announcement for the HUN.)

Aside from welcoming DH home and reconnecting with him, to getting things ready for the surprise arrival of my SiL and my nephew [click here to know what I'm talking about], to the arrival of my MiL, to Thanksgiving, to recuperating from drinking absurd amounts of wine water, to visiting nearby places and getting everything ready before...all that stuff kind of exhausts you. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Before I was alone. Now, I have all I need.

Thanksgiving went wonderful. We didn't cook a turkey *gasp* BUT, hear me out, we ordered one from Honeybaked Ham (not sure if you have heard of it, but I totally recommend it) and of course, a ham. It was less stressful than cooking a turkey for 5 people, being that 3 of us were females and one was 13 months baby...and lets be realistic, women eat less than men. But we did do all the fun sides: sweet potatoes, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing (which I can eat as a main course if allowed), gravy, bread, corn, peas and of course, apple pie and Nana's Pudding Cake (DH's favorite: yellow cake, cut up in squares with hot vanilla pudding poured over it)...great! now I'm hungry!

After stuffing ourselves until we couldn't walk, we decided to sit outside, because we live in the middle of the desert and it never gets cold, and that's when we began to consume endless bottles of wine water 

and battled over who was the "Phase 10" champion. Ps. for a person who played for the first time, I did pretty darn well if I do say so myself.

On Black Friday we didn't really venture out. To be honest, I'm frightened of Black Friday. We did however veg out until my SiL and I decided to see what deals they had at the PX and Walmart (I know, such crazy shoppers). But I am happy to say that I have finally come to the darkside and am a proud owner of a Dyson. Which, by the way, was purchased on Wednesday and we got an UH-mazing deal on it!

We did manage to go to the outlets on Saturday, which were crazily packed. It was so crazy that popular stores like Coach had a line to get in. I did managed to score some Christmas gifts!

We also headed to Palm Springs to enjoy a nice stroll along El Paseo and had some yummy food at Tommy Bahamas (which I never knew "did" food).

It was great to have family around and, as always, its sad to see them go. Until next time...

Well, that's it for what's been going on with me. We have the Marine Ball coming up, so I will definitely be blogging about that!!! 

A Surprise For Hubby

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved."

-Victor Hugo

A few weeks ago my SiL called to tell me that she was planning on coming to California for Thanksgiving.  My MiL was already coming and DH knew, but he didn't know about his sister and her son coming. So we decided to keep it a surprise.
With numerous phone calls, texts and doctor's appointments (my nephew wasn't feeling well) my SiL called me Monday to say she was "good to go" and will be here on Tuesday. Of course, I had to create a lie as to why I was heading to Palm Springs and be on my merry way.
I picked up my SiL and nephew and began driving back to Palm Springs. We had a slight scare when DH called over the Bluetooth, lucky for us my SiL entertained her son while I tried not to giggle like a little school girl when I spoke to DH.
We got home and waitied. I had no clue when DH was getting off work, but as luck would have it it wasn't long. All of a sudden we heard his truck, we hid minus my nephew who was wandering around the door. DH opened the door and was slightly confused as to why Brownie didn't great him and why there was a one year old wandering around....*ding*ding*ding*...wheels began to turn and he realized what was a going on.
I'm glad we were able to make this happen. The effort done by my SiL of flying last minute with a baby and the look on DH's face...priceless.

(image credit: My SiL's Facebook page)

Homecoming

After 7 months of sleepless nights and lonesome days,
DH is finally home and I could not be any more happy. 

Veteran's Day

A big THANK YOU to all the Veterans,

past, present and future...

(image credit: San Jose Community)

HAPPY 236TH BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES

(image credit: 3.7Mustang)

Did I Choose The Right Career?

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." 

- Michael Jordan

As MilSpouses, I we can all relate the to job or career field. Lately I've had the "Did I Choose The Right Career?" question floating in my mind and I keep telling myself:

"...if I could go back, I would do it completely different." 

or 

"...if back then I knew what my future held then I wouldn't have studied what I studied." 

But I didn't and I can't go back in time to change things around. I have contemplated going back to school and getting another master's in something more "useful", BUT when I started doing my research I realized that I wasn't eligible for MYCAA and other financial help (boo). I must also admit that I didn't want to give up "my career" and start from zero. I love what I studied. I love what it stands for. But I hate how I can't use it. 

I sometimes wonder,

"what if I become a nurse?" 

or 

"what about getting my teaching certificate?".

But is that really what I want? Is that really what I stressed and cried and worried and endured sleepless nights for when I got my BA or MA? No! I think those, the ones mentioned above, are wonderful careers (kudos to you MilSpouses who have chosen that route!) But I chose my studies before I met my husband and before I really knew how hard it was to have a career as a MilSpouse.

Am I the only one who feels like this?