January is Sanctity of Human Life Month...

......Do you value life?

To Recontinued Beginnings...

Hey Bloggy world!

Kinda funny to me even still to post to "the bloggy world" and to even believe that people are reading this stuff... not many people... but people are reading it! I decided around Thanksgiving to take a hiatus from blogging... I didn't really put an indefinite time on it.. I just knew that I needed to take a break from it to really think about my goals and priorities and where it all fell.. and I am so glad that I did.

While I truly enjoy my blog.. I enjoy writing about our crazy life and getting my own thought out on paper and just being able to connect and for friends and fam to see little updates on our life... I was beginning to loose sight of WHY I created this blog in the first place.. which is for all of those things... and was beginning to almost feel blogger envy... haha if that makes any sense... wondering how I could get more followers, get more popular, get people to want to do giveaways on my blog, or become a blogger guru diva with people advertizing and tons of people visiting daily, how I could turn it into a business, or how I could win those cutesy little blogger awards... haha it was getting so bad that I would feel so guilty or make myself sick over not being able to write a post! And that my friends is not healthy LOL. I definitely made this sound a little more dramatic than necessary but I think it got my point across.

So I decided to just take a break... to leave the blogging world for a while.. and spend sometime just enjoying things.. enjoying life... and focusing.. Here is my focus... God and my relationship with Him, my husband and my relationship with him, my daughter and our relationship, my pregnancy and being healthy, school and my studies.. truly learning and doing my best and not just going through the motions, keeping my house together... starting with being better about making balance healthy, yummy meals for my family, and my volunteer work (which I am excited to share more with you about), getting more connected and involved in our church, and taking some time for me... be it to read or to sew or whatever. So all in all those 6 weeks off were glorious and exactly what I needed.

So here I am ready to tackle the blogging world again... just for me... just for my family to stay in contact and just to be able to look back at later and reflect on where I was, where my family was, and where God has taken us.

My 2012 goals are to continue to make positive changes in my life and to simply "be my best" I actually had been thinking something similar to this anyways, but I read an article that featured one of my fav bloggers Amber over at Goodnight Moon and she talked about how she is always asking her children to be their best and that that was her resolution this year... not to set some crazy goal she couldn't keep but to simply be her best. I think that that is a great way to look at it, and how I pretty much already viewed things. Being my best is a goal I have been continually refreshing and renewing and trying to continue to stick to. So that's what I am going to do. My hubs and I decided separately that we wanted to focus on being more positive in our life and so that's fun that we get to do it together and really stick with it and we are both working at our goal for reading the entire Bible this year in our chronological bibles we bought each other for Christmas.

Another excited little snippet in our life is that we found out last night that we are having another baby girl!! We are very excited and very surprised because we (and everyone we knew!) were honestly expecting it to be a boy!! No names in mind yet but I will keep you posted when we know! Mike took me last night after the ultrasound and we bought paint for the girls room.. I had been going back and fourth because a lot of our house is different shades of blue/teal and that's what I was leaning towards for a wall color if it was a boy but when she said girl I instantly was like... PURPLE... it just hit me.. we picked out a beautiful color and will probably paint this weekend. Mike also bought me a double jogger stroller and the infant seat that matches/latches in so I am pretty excited about that. We also ordered the crib... we had a little extra money this payday so we were able to get all the big stuff we don't think people will buy since we are so far away.

The baby shower is something I am pretty torn/mixed up about.. I just don't know what to do.. I want to celebrate this precious little girl and what she means to our family but I just don't have a network of people here yet to invite and then do I go to SD or MN? Flying to SD with Kaylee sounds so miserable while pregnant its an all day travel event.. and plus we don't really have the money for the flights.. sooo idk I am going to have to think it through and decide! I just don't feel right not doing anything for her!! Anyways that's enough baby stuff!!

On to the exciting stuff!! I am starting some volunteer work that I am beyond thrilled to share about..

Most people already know that I have been writing for the Homefront United Network since April.. Well, I was named the Communications Director of the site this week! I am so excited about this opportunity to learn, to grow, and to serve my military community. This is a fabulous opportunity and I am so looking forward to the ways that God uses me in this position and grows the HUN to reach out to as many spouses as we can. If you haven't heard of Homefront United please take a minute to go on over and check it out, like our fanpage on FB, and share your support. We offer resources and support to all military branches, Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard, and Vets. I took over the giveaways/reviews portion of the site as well so if you are interested in hosting a giveaway or having a product reviewed please don't hesitate to contact me. The HUN is also always looking for people interested in any PR, partnering with the site, or advertising on the site.

I also began training yesterday to volunteer with the Catherine Foundation Pregnancy Care Center. I will be a client advocate, basically a lay counselor, to the women (and men!) that come in. I get to help with all sorts of things from Material asst. where we provide supplies for people's children that they may need from diapers, to clothes, to blankets, to whatever.. The program is ALWAYS looking for donations so if you are interested in donating anything, sending money to the foundation, or anything like that let me know and I will get you the appropriate information. The center provides pregnancy tests and ultrasounds and counsels girls on God's love through Jesus and offers information on various resources in the community, churches, food kitchens etc. I had a great day yesterday and am looking forward to my training tomorrow. Later today I am going to start reading my training book and I am really excited to learn all about it. The center's main focus is on life and offering support to those that need it without referring for or recommending abortion. God is working mighty miracle in that gorgeous old victorian building and behind those doors and I am so excited to become a part of all of that. Stay tuned I am sure I will be updating. Also look for the CF on facebook to stay up to date on whats going on in the center, prayer requests, and donations we need for our donation supplies.

Well... In the spirit of spening more time with my daughter... since I have 10 more days off of school we are going to go get ready and head out for a fun day... we have a few errands and I want my starbucks tea... definitely going to buy the box and vanilla sweetner and try making it from home!!... but it's pretty warm for a jan day here on the East Coast so we are going to go to the library and head to the park for a little while! I'll get some pics!

Mil Spouse Holiday Blog Swap 2011!!!

What an exciting day to return to the blog world! Almost like a big debut! Today my dear friends is the MilSpouse Holiday Blog Swap and what a fun day it will be! The Holidays can be crazy, but us blogger still find time to blog about all the fun stuff in between. The ever so lovely Wife on the Roller Coaster is hosting this awesome blog swap so swing by her page and make sure to check out all 28 blogs who are hosting various writers. 

This is my first ever blog swap so I am excited and nervous all at once! To raise the stakes a little I am participating from this sweet little blog and I also happen to be representing the Homefront United Network in the swap so you can read double the holiday love from me! Head over to check out my post for the swap on sweet JG’s blog over at Me and My Soldierman, and the post I wrote for the Homefront United Network can be found on RC’s page, Wife on the Roller Coaster.  And remember because today is extra special make sure to leave lots of comment love, here for Allie, and on other pages for myself and the awesome bloggers participating!! And, if you aren't following these ladies yet, I def recommend you do, because they are a great group to be involved with!!

And without further ado, here is my guest blogger, Allie, from My Marine and Me. 

Hello all! My name is Allie and I am 24 years old. For nearly two years now I have been married to the love of my life Ryan, a newly promoted Sergeant in the US Marine Corps. We have been through one deployment, to Iraq in 2009, as well as my college graduation, our engagement, an internship at Walt Disney World, a wedding, and now our biggest adventure yet; married life. Ryan re-enlisted in June of this year for another five years, but that all came with a condition... he had to go back to school and change his MOS. No more 0311/Infantry for my husband, he is now becoming a Ground Radio Technician. I am holding down the fort here in Northern Virginia while Ryan is in 29 Palms, a student once again until he graduates in April. Then we will PCS and finally be together again!

The holidays tend to be a little different when your husband is away. Fortunately I will have my husband home on the actual holiday itself, but even being apart for the 'season' leading up to it is more difficult than I thought it would be. I know I am lucky we will be together in a few weeks, even for a brief time, but I find myself missing Ryan more now than I did the past few months. Maybe it is because I am remembering how much fun we had preparing for our first married Christmas that it seems a little extra lonely this year. Flashback to 2010...

We went to a small farm in the middle of nowhere on a day it was bitterly cold and cut down our own tree. And realized we forgot gloves. Pine trees hurt on overly cold, bare skin!

We also had my husband's old 1999 Honda Accord. No roof rack... two doors... let's just say it was a miracle that thing made it home without flying off the roof of our car!

Ryan oliged as I made him take fun/corny pictures of us hanging the "Our First Christmas" ornament.

We played Christmas music, drank wine, and decorated our tree together. Then we watched a movie of the Christmas persuasion by the light of our tree.

For Christmas itself we went up to NJ to spend the holiday with my family. The last Christmas we'd have in my house as they were moving to North Carolina next year.

My Mom made a stocking for Ryan to hang next to the one I had for my entire life. It fit perfectly in the line up on our fireplace!

And we spoiled ourselves by opening a Best Buy credit card to do our first big splurge as a married couple. A new lap top, a wii, and a surround sound system (you can guess who picked what!)

Our first Christmas season as a married couple was so much fun. We started new traditions I believed we'd carry on year after year and enjoyed time with family and friends.

This year my husband is three thousand miles away until the day before Christmas Eve. 2011 has a slightly different feel to it. Instead of chopping down a tree and drinking wine and listening to carols my husband and I have 'Tango Dates'.

Tango is like Facetime on the iPhone but it works off 3G, not just wireless, which comes in handy as wifi is not abundant in the barracks of 29 Palms. This was from our football date where we watched the Giants come THISCLOSE to beating the Packers.

Our tree is a little smaller...

And has a lot less in terms of decorations. It was $9 at Target, not a bad deal! Our manger scene helps fill in the blanks a little bit.

Then I went to Michaels and got us some new stockings..

Which are hung on the door frame since we do not have a fireplace in our apartment.

It is smaller for sure. Without Ryan it doesn't feel right I guess. When his plane lands the night of the 22nd, perhaps then it will feel like the holidays. I will work a half day and we will get in the car and drive 8 hours to spend Christmas with his side of the family in South Carolina.

I wonder how different Christmas 2012 will be? Where will we be? Will we go home to one of our families? Have a real tree? Only time will tell, but I will be sure to fill you in as it happens ;)

At least this year we can definitely avoid the baby praying mantis fiasco...

Hi Bloggy Friends

I am kind of MIA right now

and probably will be for another week

school is INSANELY busy but I am working really hard

to get the grades I want and KNOW I can get...

and I am spending a lot of time focusing on God and my relationship with Him

somewhere along the way in the last 6 months

I lost some of my focus because of the craziness this world has thrown at me

but... God is good ALL the time

and HE has really been working in my life lately

on top of that the house is crazy as always

and my baby girl is 18 months

and deserves way more attention and fun than I have been giving her

AND

we are going to Ohio for 5 days for thanksgiving to see babygirls

GREAT GREAT GRANDMA

you read that right great times 2!!

Sooo look back for me in a bit when things slow down

and... have an amazing blessed happy filled with love and family Thanksgiving

Miscellany Monday

1. It's that time of year where all the stores start putting out their Christmas stuff
the hubs and I were walking through walmart tonight and I noticed the Christmas goodies were out

which of course led these bad boys to catch my eye

except in the huge 1/2 pound bar...

I definitely had to buy one..

yum!

2. This weekend we went on a family day out to DC

it was so much fun 

we packed a picnic lunch

and ate it in front of the National Monument

and then explore some of the Smithsonians

we will definitely be doing it again ASAP

3. Now that fall is officially upon us

our backyard is kind of out of control

we have like 20 trees total just in our yard...

so it's pretty crazy

the last few days the hubs and brother in law have been working on it

I pretty much just watch and open bags

but it's been fun 

because I can catch moments like this one..

4. My baby is loosing all her baby features

and headed full force into toddler hood

and it's really fun!

She is officially trying really hard to eat with her own utensils,
(we started this one late!! bad mommy)

and today

we bought her a toddler bed

no more crib for this girl! 

We also bought her her first pair of REAL shoes

not just the soft baby shoes

and

they were a success!!
She loves them!
Doesn't want to take them off

(So cute right?!)
5. To go with toddler hood 

she is officially 18 months old!
Craziness!
To match the new found 18 month old

the hubs and I are trying to really cut back on the binky useage

the doctor wanted us to a long time ago

but I didn't feel like she is ready

and now I definitely think she is ready

we still let her have it for sleepy time

or any time she is really upset

but overall I have been trying to keep it away from her to just suck on randomly

she would just find them and stick them in

not cause she needed them

but because they were there

so that's what we are working at eliminating

I'll keep you posted!

6. I will be 16 weeks tomorrow

and that is mind boggling to me!

I will start taking pictures to document the belly

that is definitely starting to grow!

Anyways,

check back this week for some fun and serious updates about my life

until next time,

My new best friend... and worst enemy.. Pinterest!

This weekend I met my new best friend

and probably my worst enemy

Oh yes it has officially begun.

I know I am behind on the times

and most of my bloggy friends

have been pinning for ages

but 

at least I am finally on board! 

Next I will have to figure out how to get that cool little

"follow me on pinterest" 

logo thing on my side bar so all my bloggy friends

and followers can see all my fun pins too

but... 

one battle at a time!

Our week was so crazy that we decided to take yesterday off

and have some family time

we took a trip into DC

so I will be blogging about that this week
but when we got home

my hubs and I agreed

we just wanted to relax and vegetate on the couch

and that's just what we did.

We played his new Skyrim game 

that we preordered and paid for months ago

and I pinned to my little hearts desire.

At bed time I couldn't even sleep right away

because my brain was in over drive

with all the sensory details,

creative juices,

plethora of ideas,

and excitement about my newest pins

and projects!

Since I haven't linked up my boards yet

I thought I would share with you a FEW of the fun things I have found

literally I am in love with all my pins

and after 2 days...

I have just over 400 pins..

KIND OF INSANE

but... 

exciting anyways.

I have recipes for all sorts of goodness,

ideas for decorating the house, the babies room, and outside,

craft projects and DIY decorations,

mommy ideas,

kid projects,

organizational ideas,

cleaning tips,

and sewing projects

out the wazoo

and I can't wait to get to work!!

So here are some of my new finds:

I am obsessed with mozzarella sticks and pretzels
So there was no way I could pass on these
mozzarella balls and pretzel bites
I plan to make them in the near future so I will keep you posted on how they turn out.

I am starting to gather up ideas for when I start to decorate the kids' room

Kaylee and the new baby will be sharing one of our larger rooms

so I want it to be extra special

and extra awesome

to function for a toddler

and as a nursery

I think this set up
with the little chair

and garden baskets for books, stuffed animals, and toys

is a super fun way to make an area

all for Kaylee!
Super cute right??

I love the idea of decorating with things that are personal

and really cute/functional

so when I saw these adorable little prints
I was totally sold on recreating them.

I know they will work with what I want to do with Kaylee

so now we just have to wait and see what our newest little peanut is
(which fyi in dec we find out!!)

I could literally go on for hours with the millions of awesome things I have found..

but that would make this post a mile long

and it would take me forever to write and link everything

and I want to get my devotional time in

before I go to bed...

I pinned a little too long this evening ;]

So I will leave you with these two little sewing projects

I plan to try and conquer

a pillow case/pillow mat for kiddos

Awesome right??
Kaylee would totally love this!

And

this nifty little toiletry travel buddy

 I think this thing is stinking awesome

and will be making one ASAP

for the next time we travel

because I personally hate putting things in plastic bags

and hate those icky plastic makeup/toiletry bags
Plus... this is totally washable

just toss it in the washing machine

and be on your way!

Amazing!

Anyways..
Happy Pinning...

and if you aren't pinning yet..

get over to

www.pinterest.com
RIGHT NOW

first leave me your email

so I can send you a personal invite

because

they sort of take forever to get you one

and I wasn't able to pin for a while

and finally asked someone to send me an invite

and oh boy am I glad they did

until next time,

Veteran's Day 11/11/11

As I sat up today I noticed a ton of people posting about how today was 11/11/11 and how cool that was and not how today was VETERAN'S DAY and how thankful they were. 

This made me think about last years post on Veteran's day which you can find here
and the fact that

last year I said there would be no venting 

that no one could take away the meaning

of this special day. 

I posted this on facebook this morning

and it seems fitting to blog as well:
"Today is so much more than a date that reads 11/11/11... it's a day in which we take the time to honor, remember, and be thankful for ALL who have served this great nation. To my great grandfather's, to both my grandfathers, to my step grandfather, to my uncle, to my dad, to my husband's grandfather, to my husband, to my brother in law, to so many of our friends, to ALL who have served, are serving, will serve, and paid the price for our country... THANK YOU. Thank you for making a commitment to protect and serve regardless of the price and for standing up for the freedom of this country."

This country is the best in the world. 

I truly believe it

and 

I will always proclaim it.

And part of what makes it the best

are the forces that protect it!!

Our sailors,

marines,

soldiers,

airmen,

coasties,

national guardsmen,
active duty and reserves,

retired and current, 

past and present

put their lives on the line

so that we can live the lives we do.

A Veteran is someone, 

who at one point in their life,

wrote a blank check 

payable to the United States of America

for an amount up to,

and including,

their life.

So please,

honor, remember, acknowledge,

and

THANK a Veteran today

for the sacrifices they have made.

Last year I found this quote and found it suiting for this year as well:

“With bravery and strength they serve,
with dignity and pride they stand,
with courage and hope they fight,

the life they live is
dangerous,
treacherous,
rough,
and hard going

but when the fog clears they are the one who will still stand.”

Thank you from the bottom of my heart