You know you are sick a deployment when...

THIS

is your dinner.....


It looks gross, but that's okay by me! Its just 1 can of tuna and 1 can of water chestnuts. I use the chestnuts like crackers and scoop up the tuna with them. I'm officially done with cooking lol Ive now resorted to canned food creations

Is it homecoming yet so I can cook real food like I used to do?

Memory Lane Monday: Through the woods!

This one is short and sweet...


After Kale returned home from Afghanistan in 2009, we went zip-lining! It was so fun...I am really scared of heights and when I wasn't zip-lining I was clinging to a tree for dear life but when I was zooming through the forest, I was fine! It was tons of fun and Kale and I really want to do a night time one.  Kale wants to tape glow sticks all over his body, just the mental image I have in my head would make the 3 hour trip back to the place worth it! 

 Kale brought his helmet camera and recorded a ton of our hour long tour...then we got Cujo and he ate the memory card so we dont have ANY of the video anymore, more reason to go back!

 Kale says I look like a monkey here....he added "a cute one" when I gave him the death stare, he hasnt mentioned it again!

 We survived! My helmet was too big, I highly doubt it would have prevented a head injury- its halfway off of my skull!

Thumbs up!

My latest and potentially greatest epiphany

1st I want to start by saying today is 7 months down- if this had been the "normal" planned deployment Kale would be home or just about to be home...I plan to throw a 5 minute pity party and go on with my day!

Back to what the title was about....

General George S. Patton once said "Make your plans to fit your circumstances." What a genius man.  

Too many military spouses, myself very much included, try to make plans that include our loved ones and then when it doesn't work out post statuses like "The Marine Corps strikes again!" or one of my personal favorites "The Marine Corps is my husband's mistress and sometimes that bitch gets all the attention." 


I spent the better part of 4 months "boo hoo"ing about how we didn't get our Sandals vacation that we planned in May, heck- I've complained about it as recently as last week but you know what? No more...I have had an epiphany, a military spouse epiphany!

I'm gonna take what General Patton said and apply it to my life.  So often I have made plans then had something come up on the Marine Corps side of things that messed it up and instead of adjusting my plan to that new circumstance, I complain about how everything is ruined! I will now be making plans to fit the circumstances...

For example, my sister graduates high school in early June.  My original thought was to have Kale take post-deployment leave during that time frame so that we can drive up and watch my sister graduate and have her graduation party during that time as well.  Now that Ive had my "ah ha" moment, I can see the many faults that could come along with this plan- what if Kale doesn't get leave for that time frame? That would ruin my entire plan and I would miss the graduation and it would break my heart! So instead, I will plan on driving up for that weekend to Erie by myself.  If Kale gets leave for that time frame than we will adjust to that circumstance, aka him joining me.  I cant plan on him being there, but I know my schedule (or lack there of since I don't have a job!) and I will plan for me.  

I cant keep trying to control what schedule the Marine Corps has my husband on, I cant control when he will come home or get leave but I can control how I plan for events.  There is no use trying to get the circumstances to fit into our plans, so from now on, I will fit our plans into the circumstances.

This yanks my chain

"God bless all of our soldiers", "Pray for the soldiers that are deployed", "Soldiers sacrifice so we don't have to"


All of those statements are very nice and warm the hearts of Americans when they see them but me, it annoys the CRAP out of me! It irritates me that the general public thinks that everyone in the military is considered a soldier, but it even further irritates me when family members, including parents refer to their Sailor or Marine as a soldier...


SOLDIER = ARMY
MARINE = MARINES
SAILOR = NAVY
AIRMAN = AIR FORCE
COASTIE = COAST GUARD


Its not a difficult concept to understand! It isn't anything against the Army either- its not their fault that the public doesn't know the difference. When I watch the news and hear about my husband's unit and them being referred to as soldiers irritates me, they didn't earn the title "soldier", they earned the title "Marine".

It's just as easy to say "God bless all of our troops", "Pray for the troops that are deployed", "The military sacrifices so we don't have to."

Memory Lane Monday: A day late...

Today is Tuesday...pretend its Monday for the next 10 minutes okay? Memory Lane Tuesday doesn't roll off the tongue as well as Memory Lane Monday.

So LeShea and I went to a Belly Burner workout class over at the air station last week.  We had went the previous week on a Thursday and the instructor was really cool and had a pretty difficult routine so we decided to go back except we couldn't do until this past Friday.  We walk into the room and it is a different instructor- she looked super intense and before we knew it- we were being screamed at and doing the hardest ab workout Ive ever done!

As class finished and we walked out of the exercise room we decided- that woman must have been a Drill Instructor at some point.  She had the voice to go along with it too! We then were talking about how there was no way that we would be able to survive Marine Corps boot camp!


I so vividly remember when I went down to Parris Island ,"The land that God forgot", to see Kale for the first time in 3 months! My Dad and I had flew down to Myrtle Beach and spent a few days with my aunt and uncle before we all headed down to P.I. for family day and graduation. 


Family Day was so hot!! I was not prepared for how hot it was going to be, especially in a giant hanger where they had the ceremony.  We were running late and missed the part where they marched in so I didn't know which giant group Kale was standing in. After what seemed like FOREVER, they were released and the mad dash started. 


Finding him was like finding a needle in a haystack! Not only did they all look exactly the same, but I hadn't seen him in 3 months! What if he looked different!! Little did I know then, this was only the first time that I would have to wander around searching for him in a giant crowd (homecomings!)

Once we locked eyes, I jumped from the bleacher into his arms!! He looked great!! It was as we were hugging that we realized we were both drenched in sweat and how gross we both looked! We still took a picture! We spent the rest of the day with his family driving around the base and he showed us where he had done his training and all that jazz! I don't really even remember where we went except when we went out to lunch and he ate his entire meal with a spoon and DEVOURED it in like 2 minutes...I was stunned. 


When we parted for the day, I was so excited for graduation because that meant he was going to get 10 days of leave after it- 5 days into it though he would join my family in moving me into my dorm! It was a quick turn around...anyway, off topic...

Graduation Day was great- the ceremony was very neat and I had a major obsession with the bull dog! I found him pretty quickly once they were dismissed unlike the day before but we didn't stay long because my Dad and I had to drive back to Myrtle Beach and catch a flight and he had to drive back to Erie with his family...

It seems so long ago but so short at the same time.  I remember it so vividly but it was over 4 1/2 years ago...time sure does fly...

Killing for the Crown

Our battalion had a girls night out on Friday- we did a murder mystery! It was so fun, it was a beauty pageant theme and was called "Killing for the Crown".  At first I thought it was gonna be weird and I was mainly in it for the purpose of getting out of the house and the free desserts but I had a lot of fun pulling out my old ball dress and getting ready for the party!

I was Miss Kentucky, my dress was even Kentucky blue! My character was pretty tame- I basically just hated one girl (Miss Texas) and loved another (Miss Louisiana).  Turns out Miss Texas was the one that was murdered but almost everyone in the room had a motive to kill her. 

Right before filling out the sheets of who we thought was the murderer, we could review some last minute evidence...so one of the clues was "toxic breath mints" that said made only in Arizona so I put down Miss Arizona as the killer but then I got to thinking...that was TOO obvious! So I put Miss New Mexico since she could have jumped across the border to buy the mints so it didnt look as obvious...

Turns, out my gut was right! Miss Arizona did it! No one at our party guessed correctly so Miss Arizona got the prize- $200 to a local Bed and Breakfast!!! Of course I would be the only one to guess correct then CROSS IT OFF!!!

Darn it! It was still a fun night! Dressing up always brightens up how my week has been, but it did wish that I was actually going to a ball with the hubby!

The knock at the door...

I had quite a scare on Tuesday...I had friends over for dinner and we were enjoying our dessert- I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, it was amazing, but that is for another post! There was a knock at the door.  Now, any military spouse who has their loved one deployed can tell you that until they are home, you are already a little jumpy when people come to the door. 

So, my heart starts to race just a little at the sound of the door knocking.  I get up and turn the corner and since it was dark, I could only make out 2 guys standing at the door.  My heart starts racing quicker because I know that the CACO (Causality Assistant Call Officer) do notifications with a Chaplin so they are always in pairs. 


At this point I was still thinking I that things could be fine, maybe it was the Meat Guys that drive around! Then, I see it....I see the one wearing a dark green jacket.  At this point, my heart is pounding out of my chest. You see, our command always told us "CACO wear their Alphas (green dress uniform) to notify, so if you see the dress blues, you are fine!" Oh crap...this isn't going so well...
10 more steps...10 more steps...


I keep walking toward the door, my mind is RACING! My thoughts kept changing- "OMG, I have friends over!", "Will one of them chase after my dogs when they run out the front door after I pass out?", "Will someone call LeShea", "Are his parents being notified now too?", "How do I tell my family?", "My life is about to be O-V-E-R".  


Just as I'm taking a deep breath and reach for the handle- I see it, the guys are wearing JEANS! JEANS! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!


I open the door, and they hand me a pamphlet and ask if I have a Church because they would like to invite me to their Church.  My mind is now racing again about how I want to beat these people but all I could form was "I'm Catholic" and shut the door.  I couldn't believe it, who goes door to door at NIGHT! 


I walked back to the table and went about my night but as more and more time went on, the more upset I got.  I thought my life was about to change forever, but it didnt....but there are lots of women who open that door and don't get stupid people inviting them to Church, they get the CACO. 


I had a pit in my stomach for hours after but some people have that pit in their stomach for the rest of their lives.  I can only pray for them, for their comfort, and for those Church people to forgive me for the nasty email I wrote to them.

Oh the loving sounds of...

Artillery....

There is nothing like being woken up to the sound that a bomb went off right on your front step! I don't know why there is such a vast difference of the way artillery sounds/feels but sometimes I can barely hear it than other times I'm pretty sure they are landing in my front yard.


My house shakes, my ears ring, and the loud ones startle me still! I could have swore I was told they have time restrictions but apparently I was wrong, or we have some rule breakers because Ive been woken up before 5am, and heard it after midnight! 


As annoying as the noise is, it oddly makes me feel comforted too...you know, just like the saying for the jets...

"Pardon our noise, it's the sound of freedom"

Memory Lane Monday

This trip down memory lane isn't exactly Marine Corps related but it kind of is at the same time...

(This is from another awesome event our FRO threw- Halloween party with Mark in the middle!)

I was at our battalion sponsored "Spa Night" last month- it was awesome, we truly have the best Family Readiness program in the Marine Corps! I have never heard of another Family Readiness Officer who is as awesome as our FRO is, he just cant be beat!! Anyway, at the spa night- he got 3 massage therapists who did 15 minute massages, 2 ladies to do mini manicures, 2 ladies who gave foot massages and did some reflexology, and Mary Kay consultants who did make up classes with us.  We also had tons of fruit veggie, and deli trays to snack on.  Oh and he provided free childcare for the event.  It was so amazing, we are so spoiled!! 


Anyway, as my massage was finishing up (it was awesome), for the last minute or two she gave me a head massage.  After I got up, I walked back over to my friends and I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirrored-wall that I was walking by.  My already messy pony tail was a disaster- I looked rough! I reached my arms up to grab the hair tie and re-do my ponytail quickly when the memory hit me:

When I was in my car accident last year, it happened to be the day that Kale had duty.  So after spending most of the 7 hours in the ER- alone (Kale was allowed to come for an hour, a whole hour...gee thanks Marine Corps), I arrived back at our house-alone, I let the puppies out and fed them- alone, I struggled to get into bed- alone, I laid down and stared at the ceiling because the pain was too much to sleep-alone, once morning (5:00 am, thanks to the puppies) came and I could barely move my upper body I had to get out of bed- alone.  See a pattern?


8am rolls around and I was trying my hardest to get ready to do my final presentations as a undergrad student.  We needed to be in "professional attire" and were told to wear our suits.  The presentation was about my experiences during my student teaching and it was in front of my advisers, classmates, and students who would be student teaching within the next year.  It was a 15 minute presentation then 5 minutes for question and answers. I slowly, and painfully got dressed.  I suffered through putting make-up on before I decided to just throw in the towel on looking pretty.  As I stepped back from the mirror, I saw the train wreck that was my hair!


It was a mess- my car accident happened around noon the day before and when it happened, my hair was in a nice and neat ponytail. Between the ER doctor feeling around the back of my head, the X-Ray tech putting my head in super awkward positions to take different shots of my neck, and my restless sleep, my once nice ponytail looked like I had just stood outside as a tornado passed right by.


I went to reach up to undo it so I could fix it and right as my arm began to reach up at all past my forehead, I got a sharp pain that radiated throughout my neck and shoulders.  Tears from the pain instantly filled my eyes from the pain but I had to do something- I couldn't present like THIS! I reached up again, this time slower hoping to avoid the shooting pain but wasn't so lucky, same result! Now not only are tears filling my eyes from the pain, but they are flowing down my face from the frustration.  


Just as I am about to call my friend to come over to brush my hair, I hear the door open.  

It was Kale! He came home with a lovely bouquet of flowers and walks over to me realizing that I'm crying.  I explain my frustration with my hair and the pain and even just explaining it to him makes me start sobbing even more.He finds it funny that I'm full blown sobbing because of a ponytail but without even saying a word he grabs the brush, lets down my hair, brushes it, and pulls it back into a ponytail.  


Was it a good ponytail? No way- it looked awful.  Was it exactly what I needed at the time? Absolutely.  For the first time in nearly 24 hours, I didn't feel alone, he reminded me that he will always be there for me when I need him most just by putting my hair up for me!


Seeing my hair at the Spa night sent me back to that morning.  Small reminders of the way he shows his love brightens my day.  My husband may be gone often, but he is doing what he is needed.  He is doing what is needed of him, of his country, and for our freedom- including the freedom to have the perfect messy ponytail. 

Happy Friday!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! 


Today is going to be my lazy day of the week- I have tons to do but I decided I'm not going to do it.  I'm going to finish a book Ive been reading and play with the dogs!! 


Tomorrow I have a birthday party, a Pampered Chef party to do, than a night out with the girls! 


Sunday I have Church and a painter is coming to give me an estimate, he said if I take his estimate- he can start Monday...which would be AWESOME!!!!!! He sounded great on the phone and the other estimates I got I wasn't too happy with the price so fingers crossed!!


Enjoy everyone!! See you Monday!

My "to-do before homecoming" list

I dont know why I do this to myself...I always wait until my to-do lists become overwhelmingly long to start them! A lot of my items have been on my list since deployment day but I kept puting it off until "it got closer to homecoming".  Now, homecoming is still a couple months away but I put a different "have done by" date to my list because if I want it done by homecoming, then the last couple weeks will be completely insane so instead- my deadline will be my birthday, May 2nd.

I broke my list down by room and its pretty long but I know I will get it done.  I am also going out of town for 2 weeks in April so the rush is officially on! 57 days until my birthday- so with the 2 weeks that Ill be out of town (Erie and DC!) only leaves me with 43 days- eek!!

So, since I know you are all DYING to know what I need to do, Ill share!

Living Room:
-Repaint living room (hiring a painter- worth the money!)
-Hang photo wall
-Assemble bar stools

Kitchen:
-Organize pantry
-Re-do cabniets
-Get a screen door installed on our back door

Half Bathroom:
-New toliet (hire plumber)
-Hang painting

Laundry Room:
-Organize top storage shelf

Master Bedroom:
- Put vinyl saying on wall
-Hang two canvas prints

Master Bathroom:
-Hang Beach Photo
-New Toliet (hire plumber)
-Attach shower head to wall (hire plumber)
-Fix Jacuzzi Tub (hire plumber through home warranty company)
-Hang wooden letters on closet doors

Man Cave/Game Room:
- Hang Signs
-Set up shelves for food
-Plug in fridge, fill with beer (this will wait until right before homecoming)

Guest Bathroom:
-New toliet (hire plumber)
-Paint walls (hire painter)
-Redecorate with UK theme
-New hardware installed
-Hang UK poster

Front Yard:
-Plant shurbs
-Seed the yard
-Position chairs on front porch
-Paint garage lights black
-Install motion-sensor light above garage (hoping to bribe one of my awesome friend's hubby to do this!)
-Plant and hang flower baskets

Patio:
-Buy outdoor rug
- Bring patio set to deck
-Install planters across patio rail
-Plant vegetable seedlings in planters
-Hang cord for clothes line

So yeah, that's a lot!! Im gonna be one busy gal- but the busier the better! Full steam ahead until my birthday!!

Mardi Gras-New Orleans flashback!

Its Fat Tuesday! I plan on indulging in some fried chicken strips and cupcakes today! I live life on the edge...


When Kale and I were down in New Orleans this past May we kept talking about how awesome it would be to be here during Mardi Gras! Since we aren't there, I thought I would look back on our photos and remember the fun times we had there!!


Our trip was for his brother's memorial service- we flew into New Orleans, stayed overnight, drove to Lafayette for 5 nights, drove back and stayed in New Orleans for another night then flew out the next morning.  So we only spent 2 days in New Orleans so we decided to live it up those 2 days!


I told Kale that I would take care of the hotel situation and decided to surprise him with staying at the Harrah's hotel so that Kale could be close to the casino.  I had told Kale previous to arriving that I didn't know if we would have time to go to the casino a lot because we have so many other things to do- he was bummed...but little did he know! When we finally arrived, he was like a little kid on Christmas- too cute!

I ate lots of yummy seafood while Kale looked at me like I was gross! He did enjoy his fair share of fried alligator!

See Kale's shirt? That isn't sweat...it was a crazy rain storm that we found ourselves in with no umbrella!

We couldn't go to New Orleans and not go to Bourbon Street! We also couldn't pass up getting some beads- UK beads to be specific!!

I want to go back so bad- I really want to go do the graveyard tours and be able to spend more then 48 hours in an awesome city!

Memory Lane Monday

Ive learned so much in my couple years dealing with the Marine Corps, and looking back on some of the things that I used to believe (mainly because of Kale) down right make me bust out laughing when I remember them. Today, I was talking about something and it just cracked me up when I remembered my first time on base.  

(This photo makes me laugh because he had just picked me up from the airport and I took one look at him and realized that we kind of matched, I kept saying "I have to change my shirt- we cant be "those people"" only to realize that my baggage didn't make the flight!!)

Kale was still in SOI, I came down for the weekend and his aunt (who's husband is a retired Marine) drove us around main base and took us to the beach and back.  After we got back to our hotel room, Kale was asking me if I saw any of the snipers.  I said no and he went on about how they have snipers in the trees and on the buildings in case people try to enter secure areas that they aren't supposed to- the snipers would fire a warning shot first, then deliver a real one.  I was terrified!! 

He also told me that if when we were driving on base and I went under the speed limit while passing the ASP (Ammo Supply Point, I think), Marine police cars would surround my car within seconds because they would think I was spying.  At that point, I decided I would never drive on base once I moved down!! 


After about a week of living at Lejeune, I realized that there was NO WAY that what Kale told me had been true- snipers just sitting in random trees along the road? Really? I fell for that???


As for the police cars- where would they be hiding if they were to swarm me "within seconds", not possible! 


I laughed it off as Kale being silly and try to worry me, and laughed at myself for believing him.  Last year I brought it up while driving on base with him and he has NO IDEA what I was talking about! He doesn't remember telling me that at all! He even denies it but I know he told me that!


I was so naive back then....

Our monogram....FAIL

You know those cute vinyl wall clings that you can order online?

I really wanted to get one for our entryway with our monogram...

So I enter in the initials and am about to submit the payment when it catches my eye...

our monogram is...

KFC!

Kale FISHER Colleen

Ugh, no thanks- Id rather not look like I just love me some fried chicken....onto Plan B..

I think Ill just do the "F" or something like this...

(I found this one on Etsy- here but havent purchased, yet! Im still bitter about the KFC....)

"Life with you makes perfect sense...you're my best friend"

This story is kind of embarrassing on multiple levels but I'm going to share it with my awesome readers but you have to pinky promise not to mock me...


It starts off with what might be the most embarrassing part of the story...well, here goes nothing...

I was watching Hannah Montana....stop giggling....please? Anyway, I was watching Hannah Montana, and it was the last season- potentially even the last episode.  Hannah got offered a movie deal in Paris while Lily was super excited for her and Hannah to go to college together.  Lots of silly stuff goes on- Hannah lies to Lily, they make up, Lily decided to go to Paris but changes her mind because it wasn't her dream, Hannah has a whole song full of decision making while pacing back and forth in her Paris hotel suite, she decided to go surprise Lily at college and go to school with her instead...

Simple right? Nothing tugging at your heart strings? Yeah, well apparently my "deployment hormones" were at an all-time high because I was BAWLING! I wasn't teary-eyed, I didn't get choked up, I was full blown bawling my eyes out. I could barely breathe I was crying so hard! 

I viewed the episode as always choosing your best friend.  They were willing to give up each others dreams to make the other person happy and in the end- she realized being with her best friend is what she wanted.  That is totally fine and dandy- but you know what? I want my best friend to always be around too!!!

I hadn't heard from Kale in a while and just really wanted to have a nice chat with him.  I didn't want to be rushed and have to fit in over 2 weeks of happenings in under 5 minutes, I wanted to have a chat like we do every day- sitting on the couch and just chatting about what happened.  Unrealistic, I know, but its what I wanted.  I know that its unrealistic so I don't focus on it, I'll have my time to sit and chat with him when hes home! Seeing such an awesome TV friendship though made me realize just how much I missed having my best friend around....cue the waterworks! 

Kale is so much more then my husband, he truly is my best friend.  Hundreds of times a day, I want to tell Kale about what just happened, or even better- I wish he would have experienced it with me.  No one else do I think about more, no one else do I wish I was with more, no one compares to him! 

So, if someone would have walked in during that time they would have seen me, uncontrollably sobbing while Hannah Montana plays in the background...looking back, it makes me giggle with how silly the whole scene would have looked...

But, morale of the story- I miss my best friend.