Thank goodness he is home!!! Life is back to our kind of "normal." And I am loving it!!! Thankfully this month he gets 3, 4 day weekends!! It is like 3 mini vacations!!! We don't have any plans yet but it will be the perfect time to do something!!!
So the day I went to pick him up when they all got back from the field, they were all hungry tired & oh so STINKY!!! Most of them haven't bathed most of the time they were out there. Command would not release them until they all went and got haircuts. You know, they have to keep up with Army standards...hair lengths being one of them. They told them to go a few at a time so I gave one guy a ride. In the barber shop you have to pull a number b/c it can get busy at times. So he pulled number 11 and looked up and they were on number 38. Only 70 people in front of him, with 6 barbers working. No big deal. Just one sign that all the guys are home. While they were gone the post seemed like a ghost town. Not any more!! YAY!!!
The hubs and I were laying around that evening as he tells me stories about being in the field. Like how all the privates assigned the leaders animal names. He said his was The Great White Buffalo (but u had to whisper it?).... made me lol. And how his squad leader got his team killed (I am not fond of those stories)! My favorite though was when he was discussing how cold and miserable it was out there, although I felt bad for the guys, he made me lol when he looks up so seriously and says..."nothing like having to wipe your ass with frozen baby wipes!"
I love having them all back and I am glad we won't have to deal with them going to the field again..... well until D-Day!!!
Later!!!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
He's almost home!!!
Just a few more days and my love will be home!!! I will be so relieved. This is the first time in a long time I have not spoken to him in over 2 weeks. They usually let the guys call home once or twice while they are gone!! I miss his voice!!! Awwww!!!! We are expecting the guys to return home around 3a.m. That is not ideal at all, especially for the families with small children but I can deal with that!!!
Thankfully, I have grocery shopping, scentsy parties and baby showers to keep me busy until his return!
I came across this on a fellow Army Wife's FB page so I thought I would share on here. I have seen it before but it is one of my favorites!
A Military Wife
Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.
Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home, For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move... .....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships. They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...
Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.
Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.
--Jane Hubbard Hyde
Thankfully, I have grocery shopping, scentsy parties and baby showers to keep me busy until his return!
I came across this on a fellow Army Wife's FB page so I thought I would share on here. I have seen it before but it is one of my favorites!
A Military Wife
Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.
Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home, For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move... .....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships. They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...
Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.
Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.
--Jane Hubbard Hyde
Friday, March 15, 2013
Smothered Pork Chops!!
The husband and I eat lots of chicken, steak & seafood [well of course veggies too] during the week. Pork is not really something I cook often. I think it was because I was not very good at cooking pork, it was always dry & well, gross so I just stopped buying it. Period!! While meal planning the last week before the hubs left for the field I stumbled upon a great recipe for PORK chops!!! It turned out great and I will definitely be adding this to the monthly menu!!!
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup buttermilk
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions
Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.
Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Giving credit where credit is due: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/smothered-pork-chops-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback
Oh, & I added mushrooms & then served it over brown rice! Fantastic.
Ingredients1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup buttermilk
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Directions
Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.
Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Giving credit where credit is due: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/smothered-pork-chops-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback
Oh, & I added mushrooms & then served it over brown rice! Fantastic.
1/2 Way There!
Yep. We are halfway through this field training! I am so ready for my guy to get home! The days seem longer while he is away and I get so bored. He wasn't able to bring his phone this time so I haven't talked to him at all. I think that is the worst part.
The only up side to him not taking his phone is that I was able to take it in to the shop to be repaired. After almost a year with it being broken he finally had a reason not to [NEED] it so I could FINALLY get it fixed. So they were unable to fix it so they gave him a new one. He will be kinda bummed b/c he didn't back up his phone to icloud recently BUT.... I am freakin' pumped. The upgraded phone now has a working camera and takes panoramic pictures like the iphone 5!! I am beyond excited to try out this new feature!! I'm sure once I get the chance I will go crazy with this feature.... & I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda jealous he has it & not me!! :o(
Luckily I have two fur babies to keep me entertained throughout the day. Today I woke up to balls of socks all over the hallway. The husband always balls up his socks when he packs. Since all his crap is all over the spare bedroom floor it is like a playground to a kitten. He must have found these socks and had the time of his life with them while I was asleep!!! Too funny!! But this pic is how I found them today....cuddle buddies!!!
Tucker (the baby) has found out that the bath tub is a cool place to hang out. It's annoying that he follows me to the bathroom... Every! Single! Time! But now it's ok b/c he doesn't hang out at my feet anymore! LOL
The only up side to him not taking his phone is that I was able to take it in to the shop to be repaired. After almost a year with it being broken he finally had a reason not to [NEED] it so I could FINALLY get it fixed. So they were unable to fix it so they gave him a new one. He will be kinda bummed b/c he didn't back up his phone to icloud recently BUT.... I am freakin' pumped. The upgraded phone now has a working camera and takes panoramic pictures like the iphone 5!! I am beyond excited to try out this new feature!! I'm sure once I get the chance I will go crazy with this feature.... & I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda jealous he has it & not me!! :o(
Luckily I have two fur babies to keep me entertained throughout the day. Today I woke up to balls of socks all over the hallway. The husband always balls up his socks when he packs. Since all his crap is all over the spare bedroom floor it is like a playground to a kitten. He must have found these socks and had the time of his life with them while I was asleep!!! Too funny!! But this pic is how I found them today....cuddle buddies!!!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Life is Crazy Steak Marinade!
This last week has really tested me! Since the guys are leaving for the field you would think that command will give them a lil time off or at least they would let them off at decent hours. Oh heck no! Not this unit. I swear in the last 5 days I have spent less than 10 hours with the husband. Wed-Fri he probably worked 50 hours. He was so exhausted he would fall asleep almost immediately after eating dinner & taking off his boots. ;o) Saturday they had to be at work at 630 & when he finally got off he came home & napped. He woke up just in time for us to go out to dinner with the whole platoon!! Granted, I had fun hanging out with all the guys I guess I was just missin' the hubs. As soon as we got home from dinner we had planned to watch a movie and chill but b4 I knew it....he was snoring. :o( Sunday he got a lil break & didn't have to go to work till 10!! But he came home & he had injured his knee so, off to the E.R. It was a pointless trip because they didn't help him at all and just said to schedule an MRI, which he won't do because, well, he is stubborn!!! Now he'll be out in the field and hopefully over time his knee will get better and we won't find out he has done something awful to it.
Well, with all this time on my hands I have had an opportunity to try out different recipes. So I wanted to share.... This is a recipe, I tweeked a lil, for steak marinade! I had defrosted steaks but wanted something a lil different than the "norm."
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons dried basil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Mix all ingredients. Let the marinade sit on the meat for 4-6 hours. Cook!
Well, with all this time on my hands I have had an opportunity to try out different recipes. So I wanted to share.... This is a recipe, I tweeked a lil, for steak marinade! I had defrosted steaks but wanted something a lil different than the "norm."
Best Steak Marinade Ever
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons dried basil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Mix all ingredients. Let the marinade sit on the meat for 4-6 hours. Cook!
The meat was so pretty with all the seasoning!! & they were so yummy!!!
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