Thankful Thursday

Ok, so I know I've missed a few days on my daily blogging, but being today is Thankful Thursday, I figured it was a good day to pick back up:)  Today, I'm so extremely thankful for the BEAUTIFUL weather!  Today's high is 68, and tomorrow is 75!  The rest of the week will be mid to upper 60's.  Yep, I already have the windows open and I'm letting the fresh air in!  It smells heavenly, like grass and ocean water:)  The fresh air is sweeping through the house, hopefully taking with it any sicky germs left in here (after I had the flu and Jason's sick now with a sinus infection).  I have been lysol queen (or princess, since my mom is THE lysol queen;o)), so there shouldn't been any active germs in here, but just in case, it's another good reason to have the house opened up!  So, I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful weather, and I'm hoping it's here to stay:)

Happy Hearts Day!

Wishful Wednesday

A new washer and dryer is on our list.  Ours are going on 10 years old and they are on their last legs.  Little parts keep breaking and going out, and thankfully, Jason has been able to keep fixing them, but it's only a matter of time now.  I already have our new ones picked out and they will be mine as soon as our first time home buyer's tax credit hits the bank!

Tinkering Tuesday

I finally have my RED front door!!!  We found an exterior paint guide at Lowe's that already had the colors paired for you, with your house color, shutters, and trim.  It had our house color and shutters already paired with this color, by Olympic, called Apple A Day.  I was sold, and we took it home and Jason painted it that night!  I am in love with the way it came out!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Monday Memories

This was our first homecoming in 2007 after a 7 month deployment.  Best. Feeling. Ever.

Spiritual Sunday

This is a verse that seems to keep popping up and crossing my path, and I keep trying to remind myself of it when I'm feeling down.

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Savory Saturday

This is a favorite of Jason's and Ashwee's, and if you love peanut butter, then this is the pie for you!

Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Pie
24 Nutter Butter Peanut Butter cookies, crushed
5 tbsp. butter – melted

Mix together and press into pie pan.

Filling:
1 – 8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. Cool-Whip (will need 12 oz. total)

Mix together and spread in crust, top with remaining 6 oz. Cool-Whip. Place in freezer for 2-4 hours. Remove ½ hour before serving. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Friday Funnies

Real life Mario Kart!!!  I wanna play!

(notice he is throwing out the banana peel, lol!)

Thankful Thursday

I always try to be thankful, so I think Thankful Thursdays is a good reminder of our blessings, big or small.  This Thursday, I am going to choose to post about the manufacturer that built our house, sending it's contractors up from Georgia to fix our house! 

They have been here the past two days fixing all the little things that were not completed or were messed up during building or moving and setting up.  Being a little OCD, these little fixes were really grinding on my nerves, but the stubborness in me wasn't going to pay to fix them when we just paid good money for a NEW house, that shouldn't have anything wrong with it.  So, I am thankful today that they are here making everything right!

Wishful Wednesday

Sigh.  How I would love to be vacationing here with my sweetie right now.  Warm breezes, cool water, sunkissed skin, and relaxation..I think that's just what the doctor ordered.  Too bad it's not easier to obtain!

Tinkering Tuesday

My sister, Ashley, and I have decided to do some theme blogging if you haven't noticed:)  Tuesdays are for posting about hobbies, crafts, projects, and things you enjoy doing and making.  Sooo, I figured since my most favorite-ist hobby is photography, that I would share a few shots from my latest shoot as my Tinkering Tuesday post!

This was the shoot I did for Rachel and Jimi right before they left NC, I just got done editing and so here's a peek at the finished product!  They were so much fun and we got so many good shots!

Monday Memories

Ok, Ash, since you are wanting me to do these weekly blogs with you, and on such short notice, this is what I could come up with for today... 

Mondays will be for posting about memories (stories or pictures).  So, since this was last second, I will do a picture this week.

I believe this was maybe 2nd grade?  Weren't the 80's absolutely awesome!?

Don't laugh too hard...I know you all have similar pictures somewhere!

I've Got Some Catching Up To Do!

 Where to start?!

This month has been such a blur!  I've been sick with the flu and bronchitis for the past week and a half, the week before that, we were at home for a short, but much needed visit. 

And the week before that, we had house guests for the week.  Our friends, Jimi and Rachel stayed with us while their house was packed and they started the process for PCSing (which means they got restationed in California).  It was a bittersweet week, we got to spend lots of time with them, but it was the last week we will probably see them for at least a year.  They are the type of friends who would drop anything to help you.  When we had our accident, Rachel was the first one at the hospital even though she was feeling under the weather, and Jimi was out of the country.  Those kind of friends.  We miss them terribly already!  Finding friends here is hard, as I've said many a time.  Most everyone is interested in drinking, partying, and hitting up the pool halls and dance clubs.  Not our scene anymore.  I guess we're growing up!  Rachel and Jimi are so similar to us..their idea of a good night is dinner and a movie, or PS3/Wii nights with take out!  I talked to her last night, trying to get used to our 3 hour time difference now, and they are getting settled in their new house on base in Pendleton.  She was telling me how they can see the ocean from their windows!  We are excited to try to plan a trip out there next spring!  We sent them on their way to toasty California, with a farewell snow!  And a good one at that!  Here's a few pictures from that snow:

Rachel and Me:

Jimi and Jason:

Kojak loves snow days!

 Jason and Jimi's snowman with the mohawk:

Our house:)

View of our road from the driveway:

The snow was so pretty, and everything was covered, but I think now, I have a little bit of spring fever!  We have so much we want to do outside to get ready for pool season!  

I have a recheck on my back tomorrow.  Nobody I've seen yet has wanted to do anything but throw drugs at me.  I don't want to depend on narcotics to get me through the day.  I'd like to try physical therapy or something like that.  Jason did PT and he is 90% better, even though they said he won't ever regain the feeling in his big toe.  Still minor in the grand scheme of things, but aggravating.  My back has been catching a lot this week, and it HURTS.  It will stop you dead in your tracks, and it's embarrassing at times, especially when you're in public and you all of the sudden have to hunch over.  So, hopefully tomorrow, I will get somewhere with this doc.  I also have to have a recheck on my lungs.

Jason just started a new class this week.  We can't wait to get through this one and start his 3 week break.  He will be taking leave this time, and we will be celebrating our 6 year anniversary on March 5!  No real plans on what we're doing yet, but I think we will spend some extra time at home with family this time!

So, this update hasn't been totally intriguing, but like I said, I've been quarantined for a week and a half.  Hopefully the warmer weather this week will bring better health, and fresh air, and we can enjoy some outdoor time!  Hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Christmas 2010

A Special Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we are thankful for each year.  This year I am thankful for something that in years past, hasn't been as surreal to me.  My life.  Now, you may say, you should always be thankful for life, but this year it's a little different, because we could have died last week, and there's nothing like a near death experience to put things in perspective.  We were driving Thursday night to the gas station and to rent a movie, it was a little after dark, and we were going between 45 and 50.  All of the sudden, last second, a van pulled across in front of us, like he never saw us, to turn into a drive way on our side.  With no reaction time (there aren't even skid marks at the scene), we hit him head on.  If you look at the pictures below, Jason tried to turn and take the brunt of the hit on his side (my knight in shining armor!).  We were both taken by ambulance to the ER and were released late that night with a lot of bruises and feeling pretty banged up.  But a head on collision at 50 mph could have been so much worse..thank heavens for seat belts and air bags.  The seatbelt bruised me pretty bad on my hip and chest, but kept me from going through the window!  The airbags burned Jason's arm, and my face is a little sore, but we didn't bust our heads on the dash or window.  My knees are both busted up, and I'm limping, and Jason's hand is swollen from it hitting the whindshield and shattering it when the airbag deployed, his collarbone was bruised, and both of us are hurting pretty badly in our backs and necks, and the doc thinks there is a possiblilty of Jason having a pinched nerve in his back or hip.  With all that said, we believe there was an angel riding with us that night, protecting us from worse harm.

And as always, I am so very thankful for my family who dropped everything last week to make the 3 1/2 hour trip to take care of us after the wreck, who prayed us through the ordeal, and who are continuing to take care of us this week at home, despite everything else going on trying to get ready for Thanksgiving!  I truly feel like I have the best family in the world, and I love you all with all my heart!

And going back to Jason...he really is the man I dreamed of.  He protects me at all costs, and despite his injuries, has handled everything this week from the police report to the insurance to the house and dog.  Our police report was wrong, and had to be fixed, because I wasn't even listed on it, and then the insurance has been a mess, because come to find out, the idiot that turned in front of us (who was obviously at fault), doesn't have insurance, or get this...a valid license!  So, needless to say, it's been nothing but stressful and draining, but Jason's handling things like a pro.  I love you so much, honey, and thank our Heavenly Father for blessing me with you!

And last, but not least, I am thankful for friends that rallied around us...friends who sat with us at the hospital until our family could get there, friends near and far, who were praying for us to be ok.  I love you guys!  You are truly the best friends a girl could ask for!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.  Hug and kiss your loved ones, you are not promised another day!  Tell them you love them, because you don't know when it may be the last time you see or talk to them!  Please, don't take it for granted.