Isn't she lovely!

"V" came in my office the other day with this bag...


Inside was this beautiful girl...
Apparently "V" has been reading my blog...

She's gorgeous, and numbered (only 3 of them)

She's a farmer's wife...which must have reminded "V" of me...or not, but whatever...

Her blonde hair and sweet smile make me think of "M"....

When the kids asked "V" why he bought her for me, he said because he loved me in a very sweet loving voice...and I may have "swooned"...thank you "V" that meant so very very much!

Goodwill Chic Boutique Find Revealed..

Ok so here is my cool find for today...I LOVE IT!! "V" even LOVES it... I think it's one of those things that will be constantly evolving and changing within our house...within our entertaining and maybe even in otherways!

Good pickin's

So today I went to Goodwill a super trendy boutique and picked up a sweet picture holder...I can't wait to show you it when I get home! I will have to clean the silver up...my friend says toothpaste works well so I will be handling that as soon as I get home!

Hopefully the suspense won't kill you...or maybe I'm the only person who could get excited over a picture frame!

Just when you think you know someone...

Oh Transportation office...after 9 moves...and successful one's at that...I thought we knew each other well, I though we had an understanding...you had a system that I followed for 14 years now, and then you go and change it...everything is different...and it's thrown me off course...I feel like I am floating out in the middle of the ocean with no paddles...my organized schedule must be completely revamped.. Hopefully the next time we meet we can get on the same sheet of music and we can once again continue our amazing relationship for the rest of our Army days.


Oh and super kuddos to the wonderful women at our local Transportation Office, what awesome attitudes and super friendly! Not something we find too often in Military Offices! And it was especially nice with how impressed you were with my Moving Organization Skills (MOS)

Sunny Side Up!

Hey Military Wives...or anyone for that matter

there's a great new Milspouse post on their Blog go take a look, it's definitely hit home for me

Sunny Side

Toga's are expensive...

So "V" and I made a Toga run during my lunch break today...and "V" asked after we rang all the fabric up and paid if we could make sure the Toga's were dry cleaned and hung up for safe keeping since apparently that's the formal dress I will be wearing to any future formal events...ok so he was maybe over reacting a bit, but it was kind of costly...the one thing I didn't tell "V" is that I'm really nervous that I will ruin some very expensive fabric...keep your finger's crossed and tonight I will be putting together some of the party goodies so keep your eyes peeled for that!

P.S.- I'm not sure how much fun this whole thing is when you're married to a history "buff" who enjoys correcting every historical reference to this party...apparently "it matches" is not a good enough answer for him...

Holy cow...

So it's almost time for the Toga party...and guess what in true fashion, I have yet to get much done...shoot at this point "V" and I will be Toga-less. So I need to get on it and get things done. I need to get the food together, decorations, drinks, music, and togas, oh and Olympic style medals for Toga contest favors...

Have you ever thrown a Toga party or even thought of throwing a Toga party? If so throw some ideas my way...STAT...help a girl out, and if it's DIY and inexpensive even better!!!

How sweet!

Jen over at Tatertots and Jello honored me with this super cute award! I am super excited! Thanks so much Jen! If you haven't been to visit Jen then you should, she's FANTASTIC!

So...I want to pass this award on to some other bloggers that I love very much and read everyday!

1. Saucy @ bloggedy blog blog she is just incredibly cool, I love her relationship with her daughter and I am DYING to make a charm bracelet like she makes...if only I lived in Canada!

2. Donna @ Party Wishes Donna throws the COOLEST parties and I love her business with ready-made in a sense parties, what a fabulous idea and something I would LOVE to do!

3. Sandy @ 4 Reluctant Entertainers and like she says it's a blog about real entertaining for real people

4. Style Sisters this may have been the first blog I read while looking for a decorating tip one a online and I am still a big fan!

So thank you again Jen you are too kind! I've been blogging for a while now but never consistently until recently and I am so much happier for it, meeting and seeing such fantastic blogger's even virtually has been super cool!

I did it!

"V" and I were out and about the other day and we noticed that the store that was closing only had a few days left and I had seen they were selling their mannequins only had a few days left...so we stopped back in to see if their prices were any lower on the mannequins and GUESS WHAT?? THEY WERE 80% off with an additional 20% off of that price. So without further ado...I would like to introduce...Miranda, "M"'s new roommate!
Even though she's headless, armless, and footless..."M" and I still think she's a cool chick! We've had fun dressing her up and its a neat-o way to try out new outfits! Thankfully "M" will have a friend when we move...

How cool...

I went and picked up the mail tonight and guess what??? My jewelry is here! And it was packaged so pretty, I just had to take pictures...

I just LOVE it all!! Go check out The Passionate Collector!!

Friend Makin Mondays...

Join in the fun...at Kasey's...


My TOP 10 in no particular order...



1. Coach Outlet...
Beautiful Jewelry...
Ginger Ale...
P.S. I love You...
Holidays...
Baking...
Flowers...
Traveling...
Family...
The Swell Season

Kansas wind...

The wind here in Kansas never seems to stop blowing...you can't wear a skirt here in Kansas...or a dress....or a large shirt that could possibly billow up and over your head....unless you're into that kind of thing...

We've been living in Kansas for 3 years now and despite the ridiculous weather I will greatly miss Kansas. I remember sitting in my living room in Germany in tears at the idea of moving to Kansas only a short 10 months after we had arrived in Germany. I mean honestly who would choose Kansas over Germany...why Uncle Sam would make that decision for us, but it has been one of the best things that has ever happened to us.

Moving to Kansas has been quite the adventure...we moved to a really small house for the first year we were here and then to a not as small house for these last 2 years. We've made some incredible friends and we've survived a RIDICULOUSLY long deployment. We've experienced all 4 seasons...softball sized hail....and a Tornado that showed me the amazing kindness and get to it spirit that Midwesterner's have.I will greatly miss Kansas and all of our friends here. It's almost not fair at times...it seems "V" and the kids and I are always doing the leaving...leaving neighbors and friends...leaving jobs...leaving schools. I'm hoping this time when we make the move to Virginia that we will have the same luck there as we have here. It's a bigger area than my kids have ever lived in...and it makes me nervous, but I will head off as always with high hopes!

In other news this weekend is a crazy one! I am heading off to a remote for work and as soon as I am done with that I will pick up a Birthday gift for a party "M" is going to a gift for a farewell party I am going to...send the boys off for a round of Golf together...come home make dinner and head out for drinks with friends. Tomorrow we are thinking of heading here ....never a dull moment!

Analysis Paralysis

Hey you! Yeah you... want to know about all about Analysis Paralysis...bet you have it or have had it...

Go here and read all about here at Decor8

It's amazingly insightful...and definitely is something I struggle with frequently...

House Guests...

Have I failed to mention the house guest's we've had for the last 2 weeks?
This is Buddy the gentle giant...he's 200lbs of pee(no really I've never seen anything like it) Buddy likes to stretch out in my very small living room and pass gas (I'm being polite today what can I say) he also likes to cover my kitchen floor in half a gallon of water and drool...but he's such a sweet dog
This sweet baby is the aptly named and elusive Casper...he's a very well behaved dog who curls up in the smallest most uncomfortable looking balls..."A" loves Casper and would love it if Casper stayed with us forever!

These guys have been with us for the last couple of weeks while their Mom & Dad had to head out of town for an emergency...this is their second stay at our home...they were with us last year when they lost their home in a terrible tornado...I love these dogs...but...this doggy has my heart...and he is ready for our house guests to leave...my very spoiled Pug is not wanting to share his family...it's been a very interesting 2 weeks to say the least and when our house guests go home tomorrow our house will be much quieter...

Todays haul....

I am now a definite collector of The Passionate Collector!



Not only will I be scoring the beautiful wafer necklace above...
But this awesome bracelet out of the clearance section and....
I've picked up this GORGEOUS necklace all from The Passionate Collector....I can't wait!

The bracelet will be gorgeous with this new dress I scored with my gift card


and the necklace was purchased specifically to rock this sweet leopard print fake fur...
Or even the flower in my hair...And the wafer necklace I will wear with EVERYTHING!!!

THIS JUST IN!!!!

Susan from The Passionate Collector just emailed me so we could coordinate for my FABULOUS necklace to come my way...and of course there are a few other things I want and she told me there's a SALE going on!!!!!!

if you order by the 28th and use the code CHC1 when checking out you'll get a 10% discount...so does it get any better????

I'm going to go splurge and pick up a few things RIGHT NOW and so should you!!!!!

Oh what did you say??? I'm at work and should be working....please....I'm going shopping!!!!!

PS don't tell "V"....oh wait he bought himself another watch for Valentine's Day...yes for himself...so I should be good to go!

Oh he bought one for me also...and a bracelet...but still...

There'll be sad songs...

Have you ever had those days where you know that if you had stayed in bed things would have been easier...of course you have right?? I got strange news last night that has me worried and then today has just been a whirlwind of stuff... so this is definitely the day I could stay in bed and watch Breakfast at Tiffany's and various other Audrey Hepburn movies while eating ice cream...I think this weekend I am ready to have a good time... good time where I don't cook cupcakes or decorate or throw a party...can someone please make me a martini??

Just racking up the awards

So for the last 3+ years I have been the Family Readiness Group leader for my husband's company. It's been hard and rewarding work. This is the largest company we have ever been in, at times there have been up to 150 families and 300 Soldiers in the Company...which is HUGE. I helped to start the FRG here from scratch after this unit moved from Germany, I went through pre-deployment, deployment, and now post deployment along with all of the training and daily Army stuff that has gone along with it. It's so good to be hanging up the hat and be rid of the MAJOR responsibility of it all. I'm ready for the break. It's definitely bittersweet to let go of something I gave a lot of time to, but I'm tired and we're moving and geez "V" hasn't even been in this Company for over a year so what was I still doing as the FRG leader. It hasn't been easy and there were times where people have been really mad at me, but I honestly did it all to help Army families and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

I was though recognized recently on quite a few different occasions...in fact in appx. 7 day's I received 3 awards and have 1 more to go...you can see all of the pictures below
This was an award I received from AAAA(Army Aviation Association of America) it's called the Order of our Lady of Loreto , I was awarded this along with 2 other amazing Army spouses!

The second Award for help with our recent Battalion Ball...this one was not as deserved because I sat out most of the planning for the planning for this Ball but I was honored to be recognized anyway


The last Award I received last night from our Army Post. It was the Installation Volunteer of the Quarter Award..once again I was very honored


I found out last night I have one more award to go next week, and hopefully then I will be all set! As honored as I am I would rather fly under the radar, at least when it comes to awards, so I will be glad when we're all done!

The Moving Chronicles...Part 2

So yesterday "V" and I sat down and tried to hammer out dates and such for the upcoming move...we thought we had it all figured out and figured out well...that is until I got back to my office and called the kids school district to find out the earliest the kids can be pulled out of school and considered as passing their current grades is 10 day's before the end of the school year. Well this threw us off big time as we were looking at pulling them out 3 weeks before the end of the school year... so yeah anyway as I'm sure you can imagine I panicked and we've since changed all of our dates again to work around the school district...so needless to say our trip to Disney World has been interrupted by my children's education...awesome...no I'm just kidding really I am not upset in the least that I will not be riding the updated version of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride or the ever so multi-cultural it's all a small world ride...oh and Mickey Mouse hat's are sooo over rated...there's not a bitter bone in my body....

Is passing 8th grade really that important???

Exciting!

All thoughts of moving have been pushed aside...as I am now helping to plan a WEDDING!!! I haven't been this exited in a LONG time...ok I lie probably since this last Saturday when I threw out the Valentine's Dessert Buffet, but I digress...this should be fun!!!

Ok so time to put together some inspiration boards...fun fun fun!!!

This will totally help me take over...I mean help this gal when she plans her wedding..that is if she wants my help...whatever you're getting it anyway!

Belated Friend Makin' Monday on a Tuesday which is weird but whatever...

So here goes and if you didn't do it on Monday and are a slacker like me head over to Kasey's for the details and join in the fun...just try and be a little more timelier than I am...

1. jog or walk: walk
2. coffee or tea: Depends on the weather
3. pepsi or coca cola: Pepsi
4. flats or heels: heels specifically these right now
5. fries or onion rings: fries, I hate onion breath!
6. cats or dogs: dogs
7. skim or whole: skim
8. small purses or large: large
9. van or suv: van
10. winter or summer: winter since I'm fat right now and use the extra clothes to cover up bulges..
11. 1 piece bathing suit or 2: 1...I could not imagine the shock and awe on people's faces if I wore a 2 piece...
12. sit down restaurant or fast food: sit down
13. McDonalds or Burger King: McDonalds for Lunch Burger King for Brekfast
14. White Gold or Yellow: White
15. Fish or Chicken: Chicken
16. Edward or Jacob: Edward
17. Pizza or Burger: Home made pesto chicken pizza
18. apple or orange: apple
19. Spend or save: Spend
20. 1 story or 2 story house: whichever is bigger, available when we need it, in a good school district

The Moving Chronicles...

So I am starting to feel the crunch...but not as bad as I thought I would. I figured by now I would be a complete wreck at the thought of moving again and trying to get everything together. Here is a list of my current worries and questions about this move...

1. Find a house...I think this may be the first time we're attempting to rent a house over the Internet...which still seems nutty
2. Finalize the actual traveling process... we still need to go to our transportation office and set up dates to have all of our worldly belongings moved...we also still need to make the final decision on weather "V" will be driving back here with his car after his school or straight to Virginia and flying back. I also need to map out our trip from here to Virginia and plan our stops and hopefully some cool sight seeing trips. We also need to make the decision on weather to visit our family in Florida and spend some time at Disney World.
3. Of course none of the above can happen without my figuring out what day I will quit my job and when we will be pulling the kids out of school... in an apparent delusional state I mis-judged the kids last day at school so now I have an upset teenage girl who has realized she will not be with her friends on the last day of school. I've also always worked up until the last minute with our previous moves and I just don't feel the need for that kind of pressure so picking a quit day is proving harder than I thought.

Hopefully I will be able to get it all together in the next few days and finalize some of these plans once and for all, it will at least make me feel like I'm accomplishing something...

Love and Friends

We spent a fantastic Valentine's Evening with friends... while waiting 2 hours for our table I obviously was a little sick of my friends as you can see below...

Ahhhh just kidding this gal is one of the bestest friend's you could have!!!

And then "V" was so wonderfully sweet even though he felt like sick...it was so nice to have him back for this holiday!

"V" was having a delicious beer for our friend Jared who's cutie patootie wife is pictured above...Jared's Birthday is on Valentine's Day and we missed him since he's deployed....

According to the local guys that Jared is hanging with in that very warm sandy far-away country he's soooo pale that he swims in Milk so we thought it was pretty funny that his wife ended up with this coaster last night at dinner...

Great Friend's on a great Valentine's night!

We came back to our house for a ton of valentine's goodies!!!

I had set the table before we left and covered everything in saran wrap to keep the kids and dogs out...

I was smart enough this time to pretty much buy everything pre-made with the exception of the Cupcakes and Trifle which were both super easy...

This Trifle was almost Completely Fat Free!! And "D" LOVED it!!! Make a Angel Food Cake some Fat Free Raspberry Jello and Raspberry Non Fat Yogurt..break up the cake and layer all of the ingredients...freeze for 2 hours and your set!

Store bought chocolate cake with some Fresh strawberries added on top

It's amazing these cupcakes even made it to the table after I had dumped them all into the saran wrap right before leaving...somehow I managed to re-decorate them in 2 minutes....

The pink plate is part of my new conversation heart plate set I picked up earlier in the morning for $8!!!

My favorite cookies....

The silver heart pictured was a gift from a very sweet co-worker on Friday!!

Boy did those vintage cards come in handy!!!

Flowers from my sweet friend Doris who recently quit her job, is going back to school, and started a new job as a German Translator...such big changes all in a week!! I am so proud of her!!!

What Valentine's day would be complete without chocolate covered strawberries...oh and a little beer...
My card to Dale...Check out my cutie mini cupid...I bought a few of these for the decor...

And of course Valentine's dollar store balloons...

I hope everyone had a fantastic day with their loved ones!!!