A Christmas Quiz

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate… i've never had plain egg nog before but it sure does sound gross. Unless it tastes like the sugar cookie egg nog you can buy at the grocery store. That stuff is soooo good!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Ours were always sat under the tree.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? All about white.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? NO! And I'm so angry. I wanted some so bad but no one had it this year..fake or real! Oh well :-)

5. When do you put your decorations up? This year they were up the day after Thanksgiving. I would never put them up earlier than that...I like Thanksgiving too much!

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Anything. If it's food, I like it!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Christmas Eve's at my grandparents house. It was so magical!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Pretty sure my best friend told me (don't remember the age) and then I asked my (older) brother and he just busted out laughing at me. Guess I got my answer! Ha! Although, my mom always said, "If you don't believe, you don't receive" so I've always still 'believed' :-)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Family gifts only (from grandparents, etc.)

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? White Christmas lights and ornaments that Bradley and I have collected over the years. Since we met, we have bought each other an ornament every year but now our tree is full! So from here on out we're just going to decide on one new ornament a year together! We love ours for this year!

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? It's pretty but I hate cold weather. Thank you, Eczema.

12. Can you ice skate? I’ve been a couple times but I usually just stay on my hiney the whole time.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My Grandma bought me a really nice bible one year and had my name embossed on the front. I really love that Bible.

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Jesus. Remembering the true meaning and not getting caught up in the STRESS.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? EVERYTHING.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Growing up it was Christmas Eve dinner.  Bradley and I haven't really made any 'traditions' yet, but I see Leroy our 'Elf of the Shelf' becoming pretty fun!

17. What tops your tree? A wicker star.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Giving! I always get so excited about what I bought. Plus, I hate opening presents. It's just so awkward.

19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? Yummy!

20. Favorite Christmas show? Not sure

21. Saddest Christmas song? “I'll Be Home for Christmas"...rips my heart our every time. Makes me think of how's it's going to be when B deploys.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? "Noel"!

Right Now

right now i am…
watching:  the computer screen, duh! I wish I were laying on the couch wrapped in Bradley's arms watching tv, but... sigh....
eating:  nothing. But I did have a rather disgusting lean pocket for lunch!
drinking:  not enough water.  too much sweet tea.
wearing: black pants, pink sweater.
avoiding:  my to-do list of things to get done before we leave to head home..I don't even want to think about it.
feeling:  exhausted. 3:00am came waaaay too early this morning.
missing:  my husband. my family. sleep. 
thankful:  for such an amazing husband and our amazing life. Like someone said this morning, "we live near thousands but where millions want to be." Living at the beach is a dream come true!
weather:  70's.
praying:  for our loved ones, our uncertain future.
needing:  a break!!!
thinking: a lot about where the heck we're going next. Nervous and excited at the same time.
loving:  life!!

and you?  what are you up to?

Bradley's Future

Just a glimpse into what Bradley will be doing for the rest of his Naval career :-)

Enjoy!


http://vimeo.com/31978619

MIA

Oh, hello bloggy world. I'm Lauren, nice to meet you...again. Slacker doesn't even begin to describe my lack of posts. Ooops...I'll do better. K, promise!

The past few months have been crazy busy for us. Why? I don't really know. Just life, I guess! Bradley works long days and leaves before 6 most days and I've been a busy little bee everyday as well. By the time night comes around, we cook dinner and plop down on the couch then argue over who has to get up first to start the shower/bedtime routine. Ha! It really is so sad that we are so tired everyday - but that's life, right!?


The first week of September we survived our first Tropical Storm! Luckily my parents were here so it was nice to have family here (plus, my mom was WITH me so she wasn't a ball of nerves back at home the whole time worrying that a tornado had sucked us up)! Oh, speaking of tornado's...one did touch down a few streets over from us one night. That was scary. It came out of nowhere so they didn't have time to warn before it hit. Sadly, several of those neighbors lost houses. We truly are blessed that we made it through 2 entire hurricane seasons and only experienced a tropical storm. Being right on the gulf coast is wonderful 9 months out of the year but the other 3 you're sitting on pins and needles the whole time!

Perdido Key Drive (aka ocean blvd) Completely washed over with sand.

 

Once again, sand completely covered the roads.

The beach access right near our house. The entire parking lot was several inches deep in pure sand.

In October, we went pumpkin picking! There is the coolest little farm in Milton, FL where you can actually go out into the fields and pick your own pumpkins! We had so much fun!

Can you guess who did which pumpkin?! :-)

The Navy sent Bradley to Las Vegas (darn, right?!) last week so my mom came and stayed with me for a girls weekend! We had SO much fun! I can't even begin to describe to you how MUCH I needed that weekend. We shopped way too much, spent a little more than budgeted but I got some great deals! Can you say $210 pure leather boots for $13.03!!! Oh yes, this girl loves a good coupon! I loved having my mom here but I missed by boo soooo much. That boy puts the thump in my heart and the sunshine in my days. We can't wait to kiss and hug on each other after we've been away all day. Yep, we're that couple and I couldn't be more proud! :-)

My birthday was also last week. I.hate.my.birthday. Despise it...I wish it just went from November 1 straight to November 3 and completely skipped the 2nd each year! Well, I guess I should clarify. It's not the getting older part, or the cake eating part (!!!) that I hate, it's the attention. There's something about singing happy birthday and having to open presents in front of people that just makes my skin crawl. I hate Christmas for the exact same reason. I guess I'm just weird, but I just hate the awkward "everyone look at me while I take 20 whole seconds to open this gift while everyone just stares and waits for my reaction".

Anywhoozle...

My hubby went above and beyond this year. I tell you, that man is just the BEST in whole wide world. I can't say enough good things about that boy. He is absolutely perfect for me. God really placed us together! We were just talking this morning while laying in bed about how perfectly our arms just wrap around each other. It's almost like we're two puzzle pieces and when we hug and hold each other, there is absolutely not one thing missing. Our arms are just perfectly proportioned to each others bodies. If that doesn't prove that God put us together, I don't know what does!

I came home on the 2nd and the hubs had dinner on the table! He grilled steaks, made baked potatoes and a salad! If you know Bradley, you know this is huge! He also had flowers on the table (he arranged them himself) and a cake! This all knocked my socks completely off. I wasn't even expecting this so I was in shock! Of course, the spectacular husband that he is, also visited a little store called Tiffany's while in Las Vegas!

lksdjflksdjf;sdjf;skdjfksdjfksjdfksjdfkjsdfjsdkfjsdjf (That is me freaking out!)

I almost hyperventilated!

My favorite colors!

Gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please excuse my appearance in the next few pictures..It was obviously really late at night after a really long day :-)

I was starting to cry...

 

 A little background on the necklace:

Since the first time we said "I love you", we have always had a little competition between the two of us as to who loved each other more. We've always tried to beat each other at who could say "I love you more times infinity" first. When we got married, I ultimately won by having that engraved into his wedding band. Since he didn't have my band do that and I never take it off, he wasn't able to ever have mine engraved. Instead, he bought me this necklace with the infinity sign as his way of 'winning'. I must say, though...Tiffany's might does beat out what I did in his wedding band. I guess it's time for me to start planning something to beat this ;-)

That sweet boy of mine, with icing in his teeth!

My family truly made me feel extra special this year for my birthday! I can't even begin to describe the amount of love I felt from everyone. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

And I will leave with a few pictures of our 'niece'...the sweetest little girl on the planet! She sure has stole our hearts!

Millie

The sweetest strawberry in the patch!

Love, Peace & Chicken Grease,
Lauren

What A Testimony!

What a testimony! God is so good!

Navy vs. Army

Can't wait!! GO NAVY!!!!!!!

9/11: Never Forget

I've seen a lot of different status updates, blog posts, etc. today for the 9/11 tribute. I haven't posted anything because I just can't find a way to express how I truly feel. My heart hurts for those families that lost loved ones, but I am also SO proud of our country and how we have pulled through. There is just nothing that I can say that sum up my emotions...I've thought about it all day. I came home to check my emails again and saw this video...it absolutely gave me chills. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

The Military-Civilian Divide

GREAT article and sums up exactly how I (and all) military wives feel! We have great support, but no one really know what it means or how it truly feels. Heather Sweeney summed it up just perfectly!

As long as I’ve been a military spouse, I’ve always lived in a military town, surrounded by military families. Typical discussions with friends revolve around the trials and tribulations of deployments, packing and moving, and our husbands’ unpredictable work schedules. I’m blanketed with empathy, and I never have to articulate my feelings because those in the military community understand.
It never occurred to me that my lifestyle was a foreign concept to civilians until a conversation I shared with a nonmilitary friend during my husband’s second combat deployment. After asking the usual questions about how he was doing and how long he’d been gone, she startled me with this one: “So how long after he returns home can he get out?”
“Get out of the military?” I asked, somewhat confused.
“Of course,” she continued, somewhat confused herself. “Doesn’t he want a normal job? Don’t you want him to have a normal job?”
I offered a feeble attempt at explaining that my husband had no intention of leaving the military anytime in the near future and that I wholeheartedly supported his career despite the hardships. But as her eyes glazed over and her attention waned, I felt my words were falling on deaf ears. That’s when I realized how wide the chasm was between civilian and military communities. If a close friend, someone who has an emotional connection to a service member, isn’t able to comprehend our lifestyle, then how can I expect the general public to understand?
I’m certainly not the only military spouse who senses that disconnect. According to a 2010 survey conducted by Blue Star Families, a nonprofit organization supporting military families, 92 percent of military family respondents felt that the general public did not truly understand or appreciate the sacrifices made by service members and their families. The psyche of the military family probably isn’t a blip on most people’s radars. And I’ve learned to accept that without considering whether there is a way to bridge the gap instead of ignoring it.
After that conversation with my friend, I became more guarded about my military lifestyle, sharing as little information with civilians as possible. I know that the second I reveal to the nice mom sitting next to me at the playground that my husband is deployed, I’ll be barraged with a series of frustrating questions, and my answers will do nothing but open the door to more frustrating questions. “No, I don’t know exactly where my husband is” leads to “Yes, it bothers me that I don’t know when I’ll hear from him again,” which of course paves the way for “I don’t know how I do it all either, but I don’t have any other option.” When the discussion inevitably shifts gears with the introduction of a political debate about the war, I politely excuse myself and blame my children for a bathroom break.
Military life, with all of its inherent complications, isn’t easy to comprehend, but sadly, I’m not certain the general public wants to understand it. I’ve seen the apathy in the eyes of women who brush me off with a quick, “I could never live like that” before changing the subject. And I’ve read the not-so-subtle cynicism in the comments of blog readers who wish we would all stop complaining because, in their eyes, we knew what we were getting into when we married a service member during wartime.
Most of the questions and comments directed at me have been harmless and well intended, but some of my friends have been on the receiving end of much more insensitive interactions with civilians. They have dodged questions like: How do you feel knowing your husband may have to kill someone? What would you do if your husband was killed? How can you support the war? How can you have children when you know what kind of life they’ll be forced to live? Don’t all military spouses cheat on their husbands while they’re deployed? It’s a shame to think that these questions may be a reflection of how the public perceives military spouses, and that perception does nothing but widen the gap.
On the other hand, I have encountered people who do show interest in learning more about military families, and I don’t mind answering questions that are based on genuine curiosity. I do mind questions that either force me to state the obvious or put me on the defensive. “How long will your husband be deployed?” is perfectly acceptable and expected. However, “Don’t you hate it that your children are without a father for that long?” isn’t the best question to ask. Of course I hate it (stating the obvious), but even after admitting that, I feel obliged to offer an explanation as to why I’ve allowed my husband to shirk his parenting duties (now I’m defensive).
I realize that it may be awkward interacting with a military spouse who is coping with a deployment because the right words don’t seem to exist. But I can let you in on a little secret. The two best questions I’ve ever been asked were “What does your husband need and where do I send it?” and “Do you need a free baby sitter?” Questions like these may not prompt insightful portrayals of our lives, but they open the door to future discussions as well as convey a desire to help.
In a way, I can’t blame civilians for their lack of awareness. After all, before my husband joined the military I had no idea what it meant to be a military spouse. I had no clue about the sacrifices we would both be making in the name of patriotism, nor did I anticipate the challenges of the lifestyle I had unwittingly agreed to when my husband raised his right hand and took that oath. Everything I know about military life is through personal experience and the adventures I’ve lived vicariously through other military spouses. But for people who can’t experience the lifestyle themselves or through a friend or family member, it’s easy to overlook the military population.
I often think back to that conversation with my friend and wish I had made more of an effort to talk about my life instead of dismissing her as uninterested. I wish I had explained what I was going through at the time and asked her for the support I was silently seeking. She might not have been able to empathize, but she might have been a shoulder for me to lean on. Maybe one day we can pick up where we left off and find a way to meet somewhere in the middle of that great divide.
Heather Sweeney is married to an active-duty service member and lives in Virginia. She is a mother of two, a teacher and a freelance writer.

5 Years Ago

5 years ago today, Bradley stood up in T-Court of the United States Naval Academy and took his Oath of Office to join the United States Navy. I was so hurt that I wasn't invited to go, so my parents decided to plan our vacation during then to take my mind off things. He called me right before the ceremony, and I tried so hard to be positive and optimistic- but I just lost it when we hung up. It wasn't the fact that he was joining the Navy, or leaving for college for 4 years and 700 miles away...but that one sentence was about to change our lives forever. It still gives me chills...

"Having been appointed a Midshipman in the United States Navy, I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God."


Babe, I am SO proud of you and the sacrifice that you make every.single.day to protect this country and me. You work so hard, and I can't imagine not being here with you now. Five years ago was scary for me, only being a sophomore in highschool, but I gave my heart to you and promised that wherever you went and whatever you had to do, I was there...right beside you. These five years have flown by, and so much has happened! I truly can't wait to see what we're doing and where we are in five more years! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I was 100% put on this earth to be a Navy Wife...YOUR Navy Wife! Love you so so much!!

One year Anniversary!

I can't believe we already celebrated our one year anniversary! This has been an amazing first year, and it has flown by! I can't imagine having anyone else by my side for the rest of my life. I've blogged about it before but I am slightly obsessed in love with my husband. Our love runs so deep, I just can't imagine that there is any way possible for me to love him any more than I already do- but somehow every day that passes, I somehow do. He is so intelligent, caring, loving, supportive and passionate person I have ever met.

Our wedding was amazing. I can't imagine changing anything or anyway it could have been better. It had 'us' written alllll over it! I'm feeling nostalgic....shall we....

June 5th is my most favorite day! We won't reminisce on the honeymoon...ahem...I'll save you those details! Although, that was my favorite part! ;-)

Anyways, so onto the actual anniversary seeing as that is what this whole thing is supposed to be about! The actual anniversary was on Sunday but we celebrated Saturday. We went to this aaaaa-mazing restaurant in P-cola beach! I can't wait to go back there! It was yummy! We just ate, came back and watched our wedding video, then on Sunday, Bradley made breakfast, had leftovers for dinner and ate our cake! Romantic?! Haha! So typical of us home bodies! We knew the cake topper wouldn't make it through 2 moves, so we just went ahead and decided to serve it at our wedding. My parents surprised us, though, and had a fresh one made and brought it to us when they visited 2 weeks ago! I love my parents! It was sooo good, too! We ate the whole thing.

I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us! We are already staring another move right in the face...can't wait to see where we go! I hope we have 100 more years together, just like this perfect first one!

Our 'Staycation'!

Best. invention. EVER!

We were talking about what our vacation plans were going to  be this year. Yeah, so we're broke. But that's okay, because we live in the most beautiful vacation spot in the world, Perdido Key, Florida! I've heard people say it before, that once you live at the beach, you're too busy to enjoy it anymore. Yup, that's us. So in our effort to save money for more important things , we decided on a 'staycation'! There is so much here that we've been wanting to do but just haven't had the time yet! Bradley just finished up Intermediate, and before he started Advanced, he took a whole week off! Do you realize how rare this is?

We started our week off by resting and cleaning. I know, you're probably thinking, 'how boring'! But in order to relax, you have to rest first! So we did, stayed in the bed until 2:15 that day! It was niiiice!

We've been wanting to climb the Pensacola lighthouse here on base since we moved here. Yeah...been there, done that, and I definitely don't want to do that again! They say it's haunted...we didn't see any ghosts, but it was scary! We made it to the top, got the pictures to prove it, but you won't catch these two scaredy cats there again!

View from the top

View of base

Coming back down...slowly!! The steps are so tiny!!

Aaaaand we made it! Whew!

Of course we had a beach day thrown in there which I did not take pictures of! We were borrowing a camera so we were constantly paranoid of messing it up so we didn't even take it out of the bag!

My favorite place in the whole.wide.world just happens to be about 1.5 hours away from us, so we headed to Destin one night just for dinner and to shop in my favorite little shopping center!! We had a blast and of course, Bradley's favorite part was the crab legs!

Nom, nom, nommmm!!

My cousin came into town to visit her boyfriend who was just stationed here. I haven't seen her in forever so it was really nice to hang out! Aaaand she got engaged while she was here! We got to listen into the whole thing- by accident of course. We were butt dialed! It was the best a butt dial could possibly be though! We had dinner with them the next night to celebrate!

The newly engaged!

And the old married couple ;-)