The Few, The Proud, The Wife: January 2012

1/30/12

Biltong...the next beef jerky!

Have I ever told you bloggies that I lived in Namibia?

(For those who don't know,
its a country located in Southern Africa, right above South Africa.)

We moved there right after it gained independence in 1990

and lived there for almost 5 years!

Well, one of the wives out here is from

Botswana and

their cultures are very a like (Namibia's and Botswana's that is).

I found out she was making biltong

(its a southern-Africa type of beef jerky)
and I wanted some...badly.

The other day, out of the blue, she gave
her husband some to give to DH for me...

I am one happy lady right now.

Oooooh! the memories :)

1/25/12

Spain - Navarra (part 3)

My dad is originally from a little town called Tafalla, about 20mins from Pamplona (where they do the running of the bulls). The day after Christmas we headed out Tafalla so that DH could meet the rest of the family and get to know other parts of Spain.

Tafalla is a small town and when I mean small I really do mean small. You barely need your car to travel "far", unless its to go to the supermarket, but that's because you need help with carrying all your groceries. Shops, pharmacy, government, etc closes for siesta (2pm - 5pm).

We also decided to head to Pamplona and visit the famous city.

The next day we headed out to Olite and Ujué, two small towns near Tafalla (they are even smaller than Tafalla, didn't know that was possible.)

Next: San Sebastián

1/24/12

Meal Planning

I loathe meal planning.

I love to cook, but the planning...oh, the planning.

I usually go to the commissary with a list that

attaches itself to a well scrutinized meal plan,

and usually it goes well.

But sometimes planning meals for the week or two are the

worst.

Its as if all your good ideas have gone to the

well planned meals you made the week before and

now you are left with nothing.

So here I am, planning...

Also, it doesn't help that DH is a picky eater. So, when

I plan a meal I must remind myself: no veggies, no this, not that.

I need something like this:

Source: robbygurlscreations.blogspot.com via Becky on Pinterest

How do you plan with your "non-creative" weeks?

1/23/12

HUN: "Transitioning After A Deployment"

So its been a little over 2 months since DH

came home and this is how the

transition has been so far...

To read more head on over to the HUN.

1/21/12

Q & A Meme

I got tagged by Sarah @ Adventures in Life, so here it goes...
The Rules

1. You must post the rules. (and link up who tagged you)
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag however many people you want
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

11 Facts About Me

1. I'm almost 30 (a month-shy)...aaaaahhhhh

2. I can cook/bake almost anything, but I cannot make mashed potatoes from scratch.

3. I laugh about the silly things I have done (best medicine!)

4. I am not a person you want to be around when I'm mad

5. I was born in Kenya

6. I love reading "Real Simple" magazine

7. I wear glasses

8. I own over 12 pair of Converses

9. My biggest weakness... bags/purses

10. I don't drink coffee...I'm a tea gal!

11. I'm a sucker for chick flicks

Sarah's Questions For me

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, except where you are living now, where would you live?

It would be a toss up between Boston, NYC and London.

2. What is your dream job?

Working for the UN...I gotta dream big :0

3. How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

*chuck*chuck*chuck*

4. Do you own any Scentsy? If so, what's your favorite Scent?

French Lavender! (I think I bought my first one from you!)

5. What's your best accomplishment in life up until this point?

Getting my masters.

6. If you could give $1million to any charity, which one would you give to?

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

7. Do you believe dogs are people too? (hint: the correct answer is YES!)

YES!!!

8. What do you think of the Honey Badger?

who?

9. Who would you call first, if you won the lottery?

My husband.

10. Do you wear shoes in the house?

no, slippers.

11. Could you live without a computer?

yup! to be honest, I have done the whole "live without electronics for week", and not on purpose, and it felt great!

My Questions for Tagged Friends

1. Coke or Pepsi?

2. Best book that you have read recently?

3. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

4. Whats your favorite wine?

5. Mac or Pc?

6. Whats your favorite meal?

7. Whats your favorite quote?

8. Dream vacation?

9. Do you have an agenda? If so, is it on your phone or do you own an actual agenda?

10. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

11. Favorite holiday?

My Tagged Friends
1. Erika @ Chambanachik
2. Heidi @ Empty Nest, PCS and all the Rest
3. Skinnie Piggie
4. Elizabeth @ The Young Reitree

1/18/12

Military Girl Interview

Please head on over to Melissa Jaine

as she interviews me [click here to read] for her amazing

segment...

"Military Girls"

1/13/12

Spain - Toledo (Part 2)

Centuries and centuries and centuries ago Toledo use to be the capital of Spain. Toledo also, as DH found out, use to make the NCO and Officer swords for the Marine Corps...how neat is that?!?! (Toledo has a million and one stores and where they sell swords and while walking around the city DH began to notice the similarities in swords).

Toledo is about an hour away from Madrid and a small enough town to make the trip in a day. The last time I went to Toledo was about 10 years ago and in the blistering heat...NEVER AGAIN!

UP NEXT: Navarra (Tafalla, Pamplona)

1/12/12

Spain - Madrid (Part 1)

I owe you all a HUGE apology. Its been a little over a week and I have not blogged once about my trip to visit my family in Spain.

So here its goes...

Madrid

After +15 hours of traveling, not counting from the time we woke up, we were pretty much POOPED and all we wanted to do was to go to sleep. I swear, traveling to Europe makes DH's and my sleep schedule switch, I'm the early bird meanwhile he sleeps until noon. Oh well, I'm not allowed to say anything about his sleep because then I can hear my mom saying, "Ines, don't be mean. He was just in Afghanistan."I swear my mom spoiled him more than me and he knew it too...MEN! hahaha

It was good to be around my family and it was good to be around a friend environment. Thanks goodness for DH that my family speaks English, because poor guy only know but three words in Spanish.

In Madrid we did the whole touristy thing. We went on the double-decker bus, attended local attractions, etc. We also celebrated Christmas and New Year's Eve there (though we didn't go out for NYE because we are booooring...hahaha)

I LOVE Madrid, such a beautiful city.

Next up: Toledo

1/6/12

Cleaning With Pinterest

I've been struggling with cleaning my stove burners.

They are disgusting. Like nasty-distgusting.

I tried everything from soaking them in steaming hot water to scrubbing them with baking soda and lemon juice...

NOTHING WORKED!

My MiL came across this pin on Pinterest (where else?).

Basically you put 1/4 cup of ammonia in a large ziplock bag with the stove burner, leave outside overnights and let the fumes do the magic. Then use a sponge to easily rub off the grease.