Tahquamenon Falls and Point Iroquois Lighthouse

If there is one thing the E.U.P. (Eastern Upper Peninsula) doesn't lack it is beauty.  I have never seen scenery as beautiful as some of the sights I've seen here.  The snow just adds even more beauty to these places.  Becca came to visit (willingly) in the midst of winter here from California where the temps are still averaging mid-70's.  I love her for that! We took full advantage of the sunshine here and went to see the Tahquamenon Falls which freeze over in the winter.  Danny and I made this 10 mile hike over the summer to see the Falls and they were beautiful then but to see them this time of year was like nothing I have ever seen before.  You can get to the falls also by driving to them which is what most people do in the winter (obviously weather doesn't permit 10 mile hikes!).  It's amazing to me how these enormous falls freeze almost completely over this time of year.  The icicles along the side were stunning! It was a very fun day filled with adventure (of course).  The day (or her visit) wouldn't have been complete without me getting my car stuck either.  Thank goodness for a good samaritan that just happened to be walking up to from the lake as I was trying to move my car from the deep snow to the other side of the lot.  

Ever since the lakes have become frozen over I have had this strange itch to want to walk on them. They freeze every year to the point of being able to walk/snowmobile/snow shoe/ice fish on but this is the most they have been frozen in 34 years! D gets to do this often for work but I had never experienced it and had been dying to do it! When I first heard that he and other people were out snow moiling and snow shoeing on it I thought they were nuts.  But then I just kept thinking about it and thought, "how many chances in this life after leaving here will I have this opportunity?" probably slim to none.  So while Becca was visiting we made it a goal to find somewhere we could access the lake.  We stumbled upon this by accident, which is also where my car got stuck, and ventured out.  It was exhilarating! As we walked farther and farther out we weren't sure if we were on water yet or still the "shore".  Becca looked down and saw a patch of water below a cut out of ice which was our indicator that we were officially walking on the lake.  My heart may have stopped for a split second and I may have panicked and turned around to run back but realized I couldn't without a picture! I am SO glad I had this opportunity.  

"Lake" Superior

After Becca left D and I made another trip to the Falls because our first attempt together was a bust due to white out weather conditions that we attempted to endure to get there.  Not smart of us, we nearly froze to death...that's only slightly an exaggeration!  Since taking Becca to the Falls just 3 days prior the temps had warmed up a bit and the falls were already flowing a bit more. We also pit stopped at a lighthouse that he goes to while at work and had a stunning view of Canada as well as some great pictures of the lighthouse. 

Just a little side-by-side comparison.  Same location, different season! The left one was taken this past weekend and the right one was taken over the summer.  Pretty awesome right? I love mother nature! 

A few things I've learned lately...

No, these aren't more snow lessons.

1.  When the sun is shining here, it is much colder.  When it is overcast, it is much warmer, and snowier...BRING ON THE SUN! I don't care how cold it is I would take the sunshine over the gloom any day.  It's not like we have had a shortage of snow or anything, we can afford the cold, snowless, sunshine.  When the sun is shining, I am happy.

2.  Living in the moment, one day at a time, accepting where you are and why you are here (i.e. a loving spouse whom you adore and married "for better or for worse" and well, you are currently learning to accept the "for worse" part aka adapting to a temporary tundra lifestyle) makes every single day much better and way more manageable.

3. La Rue Park CDC is the best.  Well, in comparison to any preschool I personally have experienced.  Am I saying it's the best in the world? Negative. Not even the best in the country.  I am not that naive to think it's the hands down best preschool ever.  However, it beats any darn preschool I've experienced here.  In terms of structure, children, lesson planning, theory, etc.  I want to drink, a lot every time I leave from subbing.  While I love being in the preschool setting and working with children, I miss my well behaved infants and toddlers.  I am proud to say my infants and toddlers were better behaved than the preschool aged children I currently work with.  Her program is wonderful but the kids well, they give me a run for my money for sure.  I'm not saying all the kids are the same here.  I've met some pretty awesome and well behaved children, but that group in particular, whew!

4. Running on the treadmill is better than not running at all.  There are indoor tracks here that I can use but this is so convenient and truly, what's the difference between running in a small oval vs. running on a belt? In my opinion, nothing! I wake up, groggily walk down my stairs, drink my coffee, and hop on.  I keep saying I'm going to give running outside another shot but sorry, when it's 15 below, it's just not physically possible for me.  I did see a man running the other morning at 25 below.  I think he may have suffered so long from cabin fever that he lost his mind, just slightly.  Dedication or craziness? I will never know! Anyway, a morning started with a run makes for a good day even if it has to be on a treadmill. I open the windows, turn up the jams, and go to town!

5.  Serious. Infant/Toddler. Withdrawals.  <---- Those are for real, I'm truly experiencing them every single day.  I even dream of some of them! Ahhhh

6.  If you want something of good quality, you are probably going to have to make it yourself.  Bread, tortillas, pizza dough, pasta, salad, breakfast, lunch, dinner, water (ok just kidding, but you get it) but pretty much anything and everything has to be made by you.  Unless you are ok settling for processed products with food labels so long you get tired of reading them and trying to pronounce the additives before you finish them then I suggest you learn to make your own stuff.  Once you get it down, 5 hours isn't really that long to make fresh ravioli just as you like them and the 3 hours it takes to make 100% WW bread (without using your bread maker that is) seems like a piece of cake in comparison to those ravioli.  But hey, at least we know what we are eating, right? It's so worth it, isn't it? Yes. Yes it is.

7. If you're going to eat out, do yourself a favor and pay the $6 in bridge toll to go to Canada.

8.  People in California will always ask you if it's still snowing or if there is still a lot of snow.  Yes, the 6ft snow banks are still here, and yes, it is still snowing.  It is winter.  It is snowing.  Please refrain from asking me again until June when my answer could possibly (possibly I said) be different.  Better yet, let me call you and tell you, "the snow has stopped, the snow has stopped"!  Or a better one, "is it still cold?" oh noooo not at all! We have no concept of weather or seasons there.  This I have learned since living here.

9.  Speaking of California's not having any concept of seasons, I can't believe I have gone the first 25 years of my life never experiencing seasons! I have surely missed out.  We got them but not as dramatic.  I like it.  I really like it.

10.  Apparently it's not normal for people to wear shorts to the gym when it's in the 20's.  If it is 20 degrees, I am not layering to go to the gym.  Even 15, so I'd say above 15. When it was 20 degrees in the early mornings in California, I wore shorts to the gym.  Just because it's snowing, still doesn't change that it is 20 degrees therefore, I will wear shorts to the gym.  "You have got to be cold" is what I often get.  WELL DUH! I'm not insane, just don't like the extra work I have to put into layering and removing when I'm simply walking from my car into the gym or from my car into the store after the gym.  "Hey look there's the California girl in her shorts again!" is what I got at the hardware store a few weeks ago.  I'm famous. 

11.  A good bed will make you a happier person.  Yes, we finally purchased a new bed and a king sized one at that.  Can you say hallelujah? My back sure did.  I sleep through the night (and by through the night I mean only waking up once to pee) and wake up feeling rested and with no back pain.  Happy wife.

12.  Last, but not least, home truly is wherever I am with you. I'm embarrassed to admit that this was not the mindset I had here initially.  While it was nothing personal against him, I just went through a selfish period where I was a miserable bitch here.  I was being selfish.  Home was California. Home was my old job.  I hated that I had to leave everything behind.  I didn't hate this place, I still don't, but I hated that I sacrificed everything.  But I didn't sacrifice everything because I still had him and that truly is the most important thing to me.  I was blinded by bitterness, sadness, anger, frustration, and so much more.  I was pulled from my "perfect" life and thrown into a life where I had nothing to do and felt useless here. I clean my house like a tweeker, my toilets are so clean I could eat out of them, my floors are so clean our socks never show signs of dust, I'm running out of spaces to organize, and I cook and bake enough to start a small business.  However, I may not be in California but I do have everything I need right here.  I will figure the rest out.  I think it may have been a good thing for me to be forced to slow down a bit and enjoy life.

Yes, life is good! <3

Snow lesson #173829

Since living here I've learned a few lessons about living in the snow.  Some have left bigger impressions than others such as the one time I learned about frozen patio furniture, no gloves, and Ugg boots in the snow and well this one. I knew there would be plenty more to come but wasn't sure when they would decide to pop up in my days.  Well, yesterday we had some fun! We had a decent storm pass through the night prior so the streets were deep with snow but my driveway didn't seem too bad. I shoveled my driveway in a half-ass manner (because as we all know, shoveling and me just don't mix) just enough to ensure my car would pull out but as I was doing this I didn't look far enough to the end of our driveway where Mr. Snow Plow Man must have come by this morning to plow the streets and left a wall of snow at the end of our driveway.  Yes, a wall.  Well, here I am in my gym clothes thinking to myself "yes! I plowed enough and I'm moving backward, PERFECT" then bam! my car came to a halting stop.  WHOOPS! Oh and D isn't home this weekend...go figure.  I sat there for a minute strategizing, "hmmmm how will I get myself out of THIS one alone?". I stepped out of my car because why sit in a car that is just stuck? And to my surprise (not sure why this should have been such a big surprise since I was STUCK in a pile of snow) I sunk into the pile of snow shin deep wearing gym shoes.  Ahhhhh, nothing like freezing cold snow in your shoes and up your legs in the morning to wake you up! Who needs coffee? In the meantime, I had text my friend whose husband came right down on his snow tractor to help get me out. Phew!


Moral of the story:

Even if you plow the main part of your driveway to get your car out of the garage and it looks perfectly clear to pull out, don't forget to check the end of your driveway where the street plowers may have pushed ALL of the snow from the street to the edge of your driveway or else you may get your car stuck. This is especially important to look for when your husband isn't home.

Oh and, like Uggs (which we learned in our last snow lesson), running shoes are not good in mass amounts of snow. Especially when your car is stuck because that normally means it's deep therefore when you step out of your car to get help, your feet will sink and running shoes will not suffice. Duh.

Oh and gloves, always wear gloves, thought this lesson was learned a while back but I guess I forgot.  Oh and don't leave the house when your husband isn't home to properly plow the driveway.  That is all. 

Job interviews, below zero temps, and snow shoveling

Phew! It's been a crazy week settling back in here.  I feel like I have been going non-stop every day this past week and it feels good to just relax! Since being home I've had 3 job interviews! Yes, 3.  One is for subbing at the Lutheran Preschool, loved it (finally!), the other was at Early Head Start for the lead infant and toddler teacher, and the other was just meeting with some parents from the school I worked at prior to leaving for California for two and a half months about helping with their kids when their schedules overlap (she's an RN and he is in school working towards that).

The Lutheran preschool interview went great, she immediately asked me to sub 4 full days next week for her while she is on vacation.  Perfect.  There's not too many kids enrolled yet because they just opened this school year but it is quickly growing! I'm excited to be able to have this opportunity so quickly.

The Heat Start interview was interesting because I had NO idea I was going for an Infant and Toddler position.  I didn't even know an infant and toddler program existed in this city to be honest, I had searched and searched and never saw anything so I settled for a preschool interview at Head Start.  When we sat down for the interview it was almost as if she was "warning" me as to what I was getting into when she looked at me and said "now you are aware that this is for an infant and toddler lead position, right?" Pretty sure my reaction was NOT what she was expecting.  I think I wore the excitement all over my face and definitely owned that interview.  They wasted no time calling some of the references I provided within that hour after I left. There was a written portion of the interview as well that I wrote a novel on. I feel very confident in that position. They did say that it would be a long decision making process, it's just the way it is there because it goes through so many people, so it gives me time to think if I really want another full-time commitment here with how often I want to come and go.  I don't want to burn my bridges in this town within the first year by starting and leaving positions, it's not me!

The last one I went to was with a family whose daughter went to the preschool I was at before leaving.  She was a doll and I couldn't stand knowing I was leaving and potentially not going to see her again so I left her parents a card before I left with all my information.  They immediately contacted me about a potentially position helping them out when their schedules overlap.  Few hours here and there...totally my speed right now! While I was at their house, she informed me that she applied for an RN position with the Air Force (she's ex-army, he's army reserve) and she got in so they would be moving in June to where you may ask? VACAVILLE.  YEAH, what are the damn odds of that!?! Her position is at Travis AFB in Fairfield.  I literally choked on my sip of water when she said it and was so excited for them but so sad at the same time.  I knew he was from Southern California, but I never expected her to say that's where she was going.  How ironic is that?

Lastly, adjusting to the temps wasn't TOO bad because when we came back things were "warmer" than they had been.  Lately things have been a bit on the bitter cold side.  Definitely not rocking shorts to the gym and to the grocery store after like I was last week.  The coldness comes from the skin piercing wind.  Ouch.  Thankfully I don't spend much time outside.

As for snow shoveling, yeah, unless it's an emergency, you won't catch me doing that shit ever again. Do I feel like I am "above" snow shoveling? Not exactly.  We all had nice snow blowers provided for us but the CG cut the budget for fixing them so some have broken and we've all been sharing which works fine and my friend's husband has been doing our driveway for me when D is gone at work.  Yesterday the storm had brought quite a bit of snow so when I got home I decided, "why not give this shoveling thing a whirl", yeah no. NEVER. AGAIN. There were FEET of snow, FAR below zero temps, and more snow falling as I was shoveling and the wind blowing the snow that I was shoveling.  I looked at my neighbor who was shoveling her driveway, said "f*** this I am not leaving tonight anyway" walked in the house and that was that.  My friend's husband is on his way down to snow blow my driveway this morning.  Thank Goodness. And thank goodness for a treadmill in my house!

On a brighter note: The snow is beautiful, the cold is bearable, and I'm already planning my next trip out to California ;)

Home again!

And she's back!

Holy cow, I was MIA for well about 2.5 months but, it was for a very good reason I assure you.  I was in wonderful California and I was kept so busy that I didn't even have time to sit on my computer at all.  It was a lovely trip filled with visiting great friends, family, work, kids, running, lots of good food, wine, sweets, dinner dates, shopping, celebrating, and so much more.  It was harder to say good-bye this time than the last and I think it'll continue in that fashion as long as I keep visiting and leaving.  I'm a California girl at heart and will always miss it in some capacity.

We started the trek home from Southern California this time which, in my opinion, was a MUCH better drive scenery wise than heading north and just taking I-80 the entire way.  We stopped in Albuquerque, NM at a so-so last minute booking of a room at Holiday Inn (Ehhh not impressed, usually Holiday Inns are a safe bet, lesson learned), Collinsville, OK (just outside of Tulsa) at Danny's Aunt's which was a very nice change to have a break from a hotel for a night, Chesterfield, MO at a much nicer room at the Hyatt (Chesterfield was VERY nice, right outside of St. Louis), then made it home last night around 10.  The drive was much easier this route and I would absolutely go this way again over taking I-80.

We arrived home to FEET and FEET of snow plowed up along the roads and our driveway. Thankfully our kind neighbors have maintained our walkway and driveway for us while we were gone, pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to find it if they hadn't.

It was nice to be home, still not quite sure what I'm going to do when all this settling in is over.  As for right now, I have plenty of work cut out for me.  Unpacking, putting away the Christmas decor that I had put out for D to enjoy, and just getting organized again.  I realized last night and today that I need to get rid of some stuff.  I left behind easily an entire closet and dresser full of clothing and shoes that I didn't miss one bit, I also didn't even have to unpack anything to get by last night or today.  Not one thing.  Okay, maybe my hair comb! OH, and my toothbrush...but other than that, I didn't *need* anything from any of my luggage.  Needless to say, I think it's time for a little closet purging...yet again.

The thing I missed the most about not being here?!?!! MY KITCHEN! Yes...I went straight to the store and got down and dirty in my favorite place in the house tonight...

On tonight's menu: Black bean and Sweet Potato Superfood Soup from one of my favorite blogs Produce On Parade.  It is VEGAN and you would never know!  It has purple cabbage in it as well which I love. I made a few modifications, added a little extra chili powder and cumin and a smidge more salt (to taste) and I served it with lots of cilantro on top, corn chips, and added a little Fage greek yogurt (not vegan anymore).  It was delicious and will be made again!

I'll leave you with that tonight.

Happy 2014! Here's to new adventures, stories, and memories! 

More snow and a deployment

Well, I spoke too soon when I said we only saw snow for a few days and haven't seen it since.  It began snowing a few days ago, it has all melted, and it is predicted to snow again tomorrow and Tuesday.  Tomorrow is 1-3 inches which to people here is "a little bit".  Funny thing is, the other day when it was snowing I was sitting in our window watching it come down and began to wonder "is this a blizzard"? HA! not quite! :) I am still enjoying it, even though it seems a bit premature, and D and I both agree that it is better than rain.  We both like it.

Speaking of sitting and watching the snow out my window...while I was doing so I spotted a WOLF...yes, a wolf, right by my backyard fence.  Apparently they are back.  They closed hunting for them because they were once offering money for every wolf caught due to an overpopulation of them in the upper peninsula.  The hunting caused them to be nearly gone up here but it seems as if they have repopulated the area and they have reopened the hunting for them.  Runners are being warned because one was spotted following a runner! A car spotted this and tried to veer his car towards the wolf to scare him back into the woods and picked up the runner and drove him home.  My treadmill has never looked so appealing.  As I was saying, the other morning I was watching the snow come down and I spotted one in the forest behind our house just walking by our fence.  I had to take a double take and look really hard and realized what I was seeing.  I thought it was someone's dog, but quickly realized one, it was huge and two no one was following behind it.  My friend down the street has spotted huge paw prints in the snow in her yard and she and I both saw them in her yard yesterday.  Needless to say, I'm a little scared that they are brave enough to be in our front and back yards.

D is officially on his way to B.O. School in South Carolina.  We will be apart until December 27th at the soonest.  It will be the longest we have ever spent apart.  The goodbye was a really rough one for both of us.  I'm hoping being home will cause the time to fly by.  I truly don't know how some of these wives do this so often and it's for months at a time.  The boats here are gone most of the winter.  Major props to them for their strength.

My mom flies in Tuesday and boy is she in for it! There's going to be a fresh snowfall to greet her with high and low temperatures in the 20's. :) I will say, I feel like the temperatures haven't been too shocking for us.  Yes, it's cold, but we've managed to adjust.  The other evening I went to the gym in shorts and it was snowing.  I was cold, but I survived.  I did however, receive some seriously crazy looks from people when I walked into the restaurant to pick up dinner for D.  I'm sure people were wondering who the nut job in shorts was.  People wear hats and gloves and are all bundled up everyday.  I haven't had to wear anything more than what I would normally wear in California on our really cold days.  I haven't as much as touched my gloves or hats or snow boots (which I know will come in handy later in the season).  I feel confident that we will in fact survive this tundra lifestyle.

This is across the street from my house...the first one was taken just last month...ahh the beautiful colors of Fall.  The second one was taken two days ago.  A light dusting of snow turned it from a Fall wonderland to a Winter wonderland.  Stunning in both photos.

Canada...take 2!

Since the restaurant selection here is very mediocre, Saturday we decided to head off to Canada to find some *good* (term used lightly as D says it won't ever be as good as California Sushi, and I agreed that the Thai would never be as good either) sushi and Thai food. It was fairly successful.

One night I sat here researching all the restaurants in Canada and I found a ton of great places just waiting for us over there.  There's an abundance of Italian places, steakhouses, sushi, Thai, and yes...Indian! My tummy couldn't believe my eyes! I have a running list of places we must go to. We ate lunch at a Sushi/Thai place which we both agreed was good and then made our way to the mall (yes, they also have a mall!) that didn't have any stores I recognized but a lot of stores were versions of stores we have here.  For example, they have a store that is setup exactly like Victoria's Secret but called something different.  Same with a lot of other places.  It was nice to see.  Of course, it is no Galleria or anything but it's a mall nonetheless. I may have snuck out with a new pair of glasses from there. :)

Then, we did what I was looking forward to all day, we found the grocery store that I had been anticipating going to for a while.  Pino's. HOLY CANADIAN VERSION OF NUGGET. I was in heaven! It was gorgeous just as I had envisioned, they made and sold gelato, a fresh bakery with goodies galore (a couple of their handmade cannoli made their way home with me), a produce department that reminded me of being right back at home in my very own Nugget.  Oh, AND...they have a Starbucks! Say what?! Only 20 minutes from us there is a Starbucks! Now, granted I have to pay a $3 bridge toll to get it, it's nice to know it's there for when I'm over there doing more than just going for coffee.  Needless to say, this grocery store brightened my outlook a bit on things over here.  Let's be real here, grocery shopping at Wal-Mart is not the business and if it wasn't for being here and not having a Target, I wouldn't go there unless I absolutely had to.  It is stressful, full of rude people, and just not a fun experience.  Our regular grocery store is sub-par but I do go there to get as much as I can and we have a huge fresh produce stand open just about year round. But sometimes, we just gotta go to good ol' Wal-Mart.  I rate my grocery stores (yep that's right! I take my grocery shopping VERY serious) on multiple levels.  Cleanliness, layout, organization, product availability, friendliness of the workers, and overall atmosphere.

Fall, Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls, and a government shut down.

Fall is upon us and the weather here since I have returned has been cool and without humidity.  I am enjoying it.  The trees here have changed to vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and other beautiful in between colors that I wouldn't normally see in California.  They say the first couple weeks of October are the prettiest and I will admit, it's beautiful.  One thing Michigan has going for it! I love fall so it's just perfect in my eyes.  I know winter is right around the corner and I know it's rough up here but what is making me feel better about all of it is knowing I can leave WHENEVER I need to if I just can't hang! I am all set in terms of winter clothes but I know I'll still be cold, not that I'll be spending that much time outside anyway.  :) Anyway, it is what it is and we shall take on the winter as it comes.  Truly our biggest concern is our cars with the salt on the roads.  We see so many rusted vehicles up here and it scares us.  I know it's lack of care on the owner's part but it's still awful to see.  We will do all we can to keep our cars pretty, I know for a fact D won't let them get ruined.

Another reason I love fall us because of all the delicious squash that is in season! I buy tons of it all season and cook it in a million different ways.  One of my favorites is butternut squash chili that I make often.  Tonight I made a gluten free version of Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Rolls from Skinnytaste...they were delicious! I made a few of the lasagna rolls with regular spaghetti sauce just in case D wasn't crazy about the butternut squash sauce but he actually enjoyed it too.  I will admit, her sauce recipe wasn't TOO full of flavor like I prefer so I added a little extra to it and I'd still probably add more next time but the recipe is a keeper.  It even tasted good with the regular sauce and the butternut squash sauce mixed.

On another note, as we all know, the government is in a partial shutdown.  This greatly effects us as D is a federal employee.  Thankfully as of now they are paying military salaries but a lot of things have been cut, it's quite sad.  They took away their government vehicles, their galley's (the kitchens where they can purchase meals while on duty), the trash is no longer paid for (this goes for us in housing as well!), medical COULD possibly be effected, all military schools have been shut down (unless the training is necessary for national security purposes), and if they don't figure this out by the 15th, they will not get paid.  If they remain unpaid for over 90 days all military contracts are void and all personnel are free to get out with an honorable discharge.  If pay is withheld they will get backpay for however long they weren't paid for.  Also, many military banks are offering to pay the members their salaries (loans without interest) for as long as it's needed then once they start getting the backpay, they will pay back the banks. Not only does it hurt the military members here but all the men and women overseas are taking a hit from this as well.  They cut their meals from 3 meals a day to 2, and they will also lose their pay come the 15th if the government doesn't figure this out. Vets are losing all their benefits and reservists aren't getting paid.  Veterans attending school with their GI bills are losing their funding if nothing is figured out by Friday.  How sad, right!? It's so unfortunate and corrupt in a way.  They are all still getting paid I'm sure.  Dirtbags.  Hopefully they get their business in order and come to some sort of agreement.  I'll tell you one thing, if D doesn't get paid for 90 days, we are outta here! :)

Home sweet home.

It has been a busy whirlwind of events around here! Our household goods were delivered Friday and by Sunday afternoon we were completely unpacked and things were hung.  Yes, we are a little crazy when it comes to unpacking and organizing. I can not stand boxes.  The control freak in me shines it's brightest when it comes to packing, unpacking, building things, fixing things, etc.  D had a hard time staying out of my way and had to pry me from unpacking to go to bed where I only slept 4 hours both nights because I was determined to finish.  On Sunday afternoon I emptied my last box! Stuff is in order and clothes are busting out of the closets (project for this weekend) but we are settled in nonetheless.

Here are some pictures of our new home! Bear with me as I used my iPhone to take panoramic shots of the rooms.  The spare bedroom is not on here as it still has some stuff to be hung which we will accomplish this weekend.  I haven't purchased new curtains yet as I can't find the curtains I want anywhere, there are still some empty walls in our halls and stairwell which will all be finished soon as well.

Downstairs bathroom....

Kitchen

Dining room

Added a new bookshelf assembled by yours truly ;) 

Had to rotate the table to get the shelf to look right in that corner, clearly this house was built by a man because the damn hanging light will never be centered over my table with there still being enough room to sit in all 4 chairs...even without the bookshelf! Yes, it will forever bug me.

Living room/kitchen

Our bedroom

Our bathroom

Shot from stairs of living room, dining, partial kitchen

There you have it! Our new home.  I love that the entire living room wall is windows that look out into a forest! It sure will be gorgeous to look at during the winter while I'm sitting inside nice and warm :).  Our laundry room is also HUGE so my desk and treadmill both fit in there.  All in all, we love the place...our one complaint? The closet space...or lack thereof.


OH YEAH! If you want an easy peasy way to hang pictures listen to this...I saw it on pinterest and we hung every picture right the first time.  Grab some toothpaste and a Q-Tip.  On the back of the picture where you will be hanging it from put a dab of toothpaste.  Find where you want the picture on the wall, careful not to push it onto the wall until you are ready, use the level, measuring tape, etc to make sure it's even and level then press the item against the wall and remove.  There will be toothpaste marks where the screws or nails need to go.  CLEVER! It worked for everything we wanted to hang! Things with wire, regular hooks, everything! :) 

My green thumb.

Ok, ok, so I haven't actually "planted" anything yet but I did purchase this cute little petunia plant and stone base for it to sit on at my new favorite produce stand in town! :) We decided this stone stand will be for our annuals aka "the plants that will die as soon as the freezing cold winters come" and I will get to plant my perennials (the plants that can potentially survive the cold) in the ground very soon.  I did absolutely die over a hydrangea plant (one of my faves) and a peony plant (another fave) that I MUST find a place for...both perennials yay!!!! I also have plans for a garden box with a little bit of produce and herbs...ready, set, GROW! :) 

Little bits of happiness

Pure beauty.

Welcome to "The Soo"!

We arrived in Sault Sainte Marie, MI on Monday the 24th and after one more night in a Hotel in Michigan where they screwed up our reservation and upgraded us to a two room jacuzzi suite, we checked into our new home.  A 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, duplex.  It's nice.  Same square footage as our old apartment just a different layout and the rooms seem a bit smaller but they will work.  Brand new carpets and appliances (minus the washer and dryer which we purchased our first day here). Our stuff was supposed to arrive on the 26th but we were told that for some unforeseen reason we aren't getting it until July 5th.  OH. NO. Thankfully, we are allotted 10 days for "house hunting" in which they would pay for our hotels and we are given an extra per diem for food costs while we have nothing. PHEW! Oh, but wait, D thinks camping in our new house on an air bed for a week sounds better. Ugh, I GUESS I am sick of living out of my suitcase as well...camping it is! I managed to pick up a few sub-par items at Target before we left Sturgeon Bay such as a pot, pan, and cooking utensils so we could at least cook in our place and not have to eat out.  Sub-par is an understatement.  The pot lid doesn't seal so I had to cover it with foil to cook my rice and the can opener broke after one use.  I also somehow forgot to grab a knife and ended up creating an entire mexican meal (complete with the homemade rice and all) with a dang plastic butter knife. Carpal tunnel anyone? After two meals, and a mild freak out, I finally purchased a knife. Where there's a will, there's a way.

We scoped out the town, I've managed to go to Wal-mart more in three days than I probably ever have in my life and I have found out that "farmer's market" has a whole new meaning up here...I'm not sure how they define it, but it sure isn't the same as Davis' definition.  Thank GOD I found Emerson's produce, a cute little produce stand that has just about everything I need, because Wal-mart just DOESN'T cut it for me.  I also found a grocery store that is *normal*, a small health food store (my saving grace) and ladies and gents....A GYM! I've done a little research and found that a city two hours from us has Target, Lowe's, and well, REAL stores.  I also have to go to this city to get my car serviced so it will become a common trip in the future.   TARGET! YES!

Upon arrival I was greeted with two packages. First, a welcome package from the oh so amazing Becca filled with TJ's snacks, homemade brownies, and my favorite cookies from the farmer's market...Upper crust whole wheat PB and Chocolate chip cookies.  Heaven. Second, a Nordstrom package.  We all know a home wouldn't be MY home without a Nordstrom package waiting at my door.  Turns out, the .com headquarters mails out of IA which means 2 day shipping instead of a week...yippee! :)

We ventured into Canada for a day to hit up Home Depot (which was outrageously priced compared to here) to look for a lawn mower and weed whacker and also explored the Ontario side of Sault Sainte Marie.  Not too shabby...must eat at a few restaurants there before we head out.

Wait, did I say lawn mower and weed whacker? YES! That is right, we have a yard ladies and gents which means I can plant stuff! A garden of yummy produce (probably next season) and lots of beautiful flowers! I can't wait!

I've managed to get a few runs in since being here and quickly found that I am literally half a mile from a beautiful beach. YES! I have lots of area to run around here as well and it's beautiful! I'm going to get all my outdoor running in before it's too cold and I'm confined to my treadmill or the gym and their treadmills during the winter.  Did I mention there's tons of poison oak (or ivy, not sure the difference) up here? I discovered that on my run! Also, the BEES! They love me...guess that choice of lavender body wash and lotion isn't a good one around here. A friend made the comment that lavender to bees is like cat nip to cats.  Lesson learned.  I've been eaten alive by mosquitos (apparently they love me too) and caught in a thunderstorm/downpour on a run.  I guess the sound of loud rumbling thunder means take cover not head out for a run.

We don't have cable or internet yet but I managed to head down to Verizon and had them turn our phones into mobile hotspots. SCORE! So I can now push my data to our computers.  GO ME!

I miss my Babes more than most things right now.  I've been in contact with my friends from work everyday and their parents and I get pictures almost daily.  Last night I even had the chance to FaceTime with two of my sweet girls.  Made my night.  I have been told they are having a little bit of a tough time adjusting (both the babes and their parents) which makes me so sad and feel as if I have let them down so much.  Especially one of my sweet boys whom I know truly misses me and knows I am gone.  My sweet little guy.  My other handsome boy seemed to be a little off too last time I checked and his mom was stressing because she didn't have anyone to text throughout the day to keep her up to speed on how he was..and my baby girl has been looking around for me in the classroom.  I know they will all adjust, I just wish they didn't have to.  I never anticipated leaving this soon and I hope to visit very soon.

All in all, I'm adjusting.  I think the small town life is a bigger adjustment for D than it is for me seeing as I grew up in a town smaller than this, with way less than there is here.  It seems like a big tourist area, the entire waterfront is shops and little restaurants. The worst part about it for me is the RUDE PEOPLE! Everyone seems so miserable...not just to us I mean to each other! Just unfriendly, unhappy, flat out rude.  Not quite sure why but it's ridiculous and kind of comical in a way.  You would think that in a small town people would be more friendly, not here.

Welcome to Michigan! 

Did someone say, "road trip?"

The Mid-West...the land of frizzy hair, giant bugs, and no toilet seat covers...vegetarianism?!? What's that?

Our trip went fairly smoothly...I navigated, D drove most of the time...except the few times I took the wheel for maybe 2 hours tops but then I was over it, plus driving 65 max while trailering a car is mind numbing.  I tolerated his criticisms of my style of driving while he tolerated my random CDs I found while packing filled with random old music from emo and classic rock to country, trap and house music.  We made it through without a fight and we both came out alive! PHEW! :)

We made our way from Vacaville, CA to Salt Lake City, UT early in the morning on Wednesday the 19th, both cars packed to the brim with my car in tow.  After a stop in Elko, NV where I was asked how I wanted my veggie burger cooked (to which I responded, hmm thoroughly please!) to a long anticlimactic trip through the salt flats we finally hit Salt Lake City and decided to just keep going to Park City, UT. Beautiful city.  I somehow managed to book us a last minute hotel at a Hilton which turned out to be some luxury vacation home place...good mistake! The room was beautiful and the bed was oh, so, COMFY! I hit that bed and passed out solid for the night.

After Utah we had a goal set to make our way to Lincoln, NE.  We pit stopped in Cheyenne for dinner at an old train station (very neat) then kept on moving along to Nebraska.  Wyoming by the way (and Nebraska) might be the absolute worst states to drive through....B-O-R-I-N-G!  Nebraska is non-other than the land of the GIANT. BLACK. BUGS. to me now.  We stopped at a random rest stop in the middle of Nebraska and I opened the door to hear this strange humming noise.  After walking a few steps and hearing a nice crunch I quickly realized that this place was infested with nasty big bugs that I didn't know whether they were going to jump on me or take flight.  Needless to say, that was a VERY quick stop.  We have friends who told us to do all we could to make it to Lincoln but the City in between named Kearny is as far as they made it one time and recommended we didn't stop there because there's literally nothing there.  Well, time flew by and it was getting late and Kearny was quickly approaching and we were 100+ miles from Lincoln and we stopped.  Not bad. Small town. The day we left we were recommended by the girl at the hotel to eat at some BBQ place (Vegetarian here!).  I decided to check out the menu and to my surprise (not really) I was limited to a salad and grilled cheese, (Kid's menu) surprise, surprise! but did manage to have a KILLER peach cobbler for dessert. :) From there, we hit the road to Iowa City.

Iowa didn't have much to see but it was MUCH greener and MUCH prettier to drive through than Wyoming and Nebraska so overall, it was our favorite.  We stopped in Coralville/Iowa City and had dinner at a yummy place recommended by friends from Iowa.  Great stop.

Our goal from Iowa was to make it to our friend's house in Sturgeon Bay, WI where we would stay for a couple days.  We made it! Sturgeon Bay is beautiful! Our friends have an old house from the 1900s that they are remodeling and they live on a good amount of land.  Beautiful.  We stayed there for a couple days then we hit the road to Sault Sainte Marie, MI., in separate cars, D following me, the amazing navigator, where I quickly realized that D drives like a grandpa. Oh. Boy.

Engaged for a year? Month of Vacations? Sure!

Ok, so I have no clue where this year has gone but we are pretty much 6 months away from our wedding! I feel like our engagement was just yesterday but really it was just about a year ago. April was very busy for us and May is looking the same. We have a bunch of mini vacations planned and I'm excited about all of them. Once again every weekend is booked!

I would first like to share the super duper exciting news that I had been holding in until we had an official date. DANNY IS ADVANCING. Phew! Amazing. He will be advancing to second on May 1st. The timing couldn't be better. He could have done this years ago and has been qualified in all aspects to do this a while ago but he kept putting off the tests thinking he was going to get out and it wouldn't matter. But now that he obviously still hasn't gotten out and we could use the pay raise and he could use the advancement on his record he has decided now is as good as any time to do it. So, as of May first he will be BM2 Dominguez and Petty officer 2nd class (I'm sure I messed up the word order but whatever!) I am proud of him for doing it. This does however mean that we will be submitting a dream sheet again this year right around the time of our wedding for potential moves next May. Fingers crossed for lots of CA picks! :)

>>First weekend I have a hair appt (nothing huge!) But I'll be getting my hair ready and ring polished and inspected for it's 6 month check up while I'm up there to get it nice and beautifully clean and shiny again for our engagement pictures. I will not wear my ring for a whole WEEK (YIKES!) after this is done to keep it in tip top beautifully clean condition!

>>We are taking our engagement pictures on our "engagement day" anniversary.  May 11th. We are taking them in Tahoe then we plan to stay the night (weekend) in Tahoe, may as well right? I'm excited for our pictures. It only took us a year to get on it! Oh well, it's a special day for us so it ended up working out perfectly and we can celebrate it in Tahoe after.

>>The weekend after we are heading to LA fri-sun for Alexis's shower on Saturday (well I'm going to the shower, Danny will hang out with his brother, golf, idk do their thing) I am hoping to see Meg while I'm there but we will see if I make it to HB...since we are heading down Friday, Saturday is the shower and we are leaving Sunday I am not sure if I will have time.  We are also hoping to make it to a Dodger game since we haven't been to a baseball game at all this season which is not like either one of us.

>>As soon as we get home from LA we are turning around and leaving on Monday to go to Reno for a week to see Matt play. These games are the closest he will be to us this season so we are definitely making the trip.  Last year we got lucky and he was in Sacramento and Fresno (Fresno was over a weekend) which made it easier but oh well!

>>Then we have Memorial Day weekend the weekend after we get back so I am pretty much off from the 18th-28th. I'll Take it!!! 10 days off of work will be nice. I will miss my kids but I can always go for a vacation!

Now that we have our May planned....let's move into JUNE! :) OH YEA! June is when Jess and Josh arrive.....OH YES!!!!! YES! YES! YES!!!!!

New neighbors?

Transfer season is upon us and it's time for friends to start moving again! Luckily, we moved last year so there SHOULDN'T be anymore for at least a year...or three! But we did find out a while ago that our good friends are moving back to CA. SF to be exact. :) My friend Jess, her husband Josh, and their daughter Alyssa will be back this summer. Josh got stationed at Sector SF with Danny (Danny is beyond excited) and they are looking into moving into our complex! HELLO I think this is the best case scenario I have ever seen come out of the Coast Guard and all this moving crap. Even if they choose not to live in our complex, they're still going to be VERY close and that means I will have another bridesmaid in the area. The only one I'll be missing and I have a feeling will never be closer is Meg. BUT she is in California so that's not bad at all. I am so happy to have another friend back here. I have made so many good friends since meeting Danny and it's sad that just about all of them have moved away.  July can't come soon enough, I am excited beyond words to have them home.  I cried when I found out he got SF, I cried when I found out they were going to be together when they moved home, and I'm sure I'll cry when I see them. I can't believe it's already been 3 years since they left. I remember the day like it was yesterday.  Possibly one of the worst goodbyes of my life.  Over the course of the 3 years though I had a chance to visit Texas (YUCK), road trip it back with Jess, pretty much spend a summer with her, celebrated my 23rd birthday MONTH with her, and have skyped, text, mailed packages, etc. back and forth for 3 years. I am so happy that I haven't missed a step of their lives and they haven't missed any of mine. No matter how far they go, military friends are lifelong.  I am starting to see this now. They will get here in July and we have the summer to spend together, she can help plan hands on my shower and bach party with Kayla and my sister, and I know she will have no issue being there now.  We can all go dress shopping together! I can have my flower girls shop together...it's just all working out in a great way and I am so happy. This couldn't have been better timing. <3

Life...oh crazy busy life!

Well, we are 14 days into the new year and I would have to say it has been pretty good. Last weekend we went up to Kayla's for a new year celebration/meet baby Jake party. She normally throws an annual new year's eve party but this year things were different because of Mr. Jake. She decided to do it the weekend after the new year and turned it into a meet Jake party for all those who have yet to have had a chance to meet him. That day Danny and I went up there around 11:30 to watch Jake while they finished up their errands and getting ready. Oh my gosh. He is so big and so precious! I can't believe how quickly he has grown. He's adorable. Well over 50 people showed up for this party and it turned out lovely! We had lots of great food, drinks, and great friends. Once Jake was asleep and the party died down the neighbors and a few others were in the garage playing games of beer pong...I'd say I rocked it for our team! :) It was a fun, relaxed, carefree night. Kayla always hosts a great time!

We also both began back at work and that has been great as well. It was so nice going back and seeing how much all my kids have changed in just a weeks time! We have 4 new little ones starting this month! It has been hard getting back into a routine after being off for a week and I've been exhausted. But this weekend brings us a much needed 3 day weekend which in turn brings us a 4 day work week.

We've also both continued our adventures in the gym harder than we both were doing before...it has paid off! We've both changed a lot and we're very happy! Yesterday I wore a high wasit skirt to work that was always a little too snug (since the day I bought it lol, I almost returned it but I've had it for 2 years) but it fit perfectly! That's a good sign. We've shed a few more pounds and toned up a few more muscles! We'll hopefully be good to go by summer! My dress is scheduled to come around that time and our engagement photos are around then as well so there's 2 things to be keeping in shape for!

My dad has been doing great! Things are really moving in the right direction with him and I'm happy. I talk to him often and he sounds good. He knows what he did was insanely scary and he realizes that he is so lucky to be alive today. Everything happens for a reason. We're a strong family and we have made it through a lot and we will make it through this.

I also was finally able to coordinate a date for our engagement session. I wasn't in a rush to get them done, but I did want them done in enough time to use them for our save the dates. Our photographer emailed me a couple days ago with a million dates to choose from Jan-May and I was going through the list and choosing the ones that we were available for and when I came to May, I saw "May 11th" and thought YEP that's it! We got engaged a year ago May 11th so it's a perfect date for an engagement session :) Plus, we're doing it in Tahoe, so hopefully by then the snow storms will be over...but who knows with this crazy weather we've been having! I'm totally fine with having snow on the ground...I just don't really want to be caught in a blizzard. Over the summer I had said I wanted to do our session in SF. The cool sites in the city plus the beach would be perfect for engagement pictures plus I've seen many that she has done in the city and they were gorgeous. But then, I noticed Danny wasn't too thrilled or cared much about the idea of doing it there and I guess I wasn't dead set on it and kept trying to think of other places we could go instead. Then one night we were talking and decided on Tahoe and thought it was perfect for us. It fits us. The thought of going to SF gives me anxiety and stresses me out...I'm not even thinking of the engagement session, I'm thinking of the traffic and driving from one location to the next. Not. Fun. and the last thing I want to be on that day is stressed! Tahoe is also closer for our photographer and she said she has places in mind that are gorgeous that we are going to. Plus, I can get my water shots there as well. I am very satisfied with our decision and Danny seems a little more excited. We are also planning for it to be a mini trip and stay for the weekend after our pictures are done to celebrate. :)

Besides doing that, I have found a lot of ideas that I am pretty set on for our wedding. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful bridesmaid that is as creative and dedicated to my wedding, Becca, as I am. She has so many amazing ideas and loves all of mine...we're on the same page with everything and she is going to help everything come to life! I'm in the process of printing out the pictures of all the stuff I have found and adding it to my binder to make it more concrete than having to get online all the time to look at my pinboard lol. Don't get me wrong, pinterest has been great for all this, but I want it printed out so I can have better access to it. I STILL...yes STILL haven't finished my other bridesmaids things...I will definitely need to get on this like, tomorrow! I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my dress too. I look at the pictures every single day and can't wait to put it on again. I think it should be here sometime late spring/early summer? Ahhhh! Then it's shower time, bach time, then wedding time. I can't believe how fast November is creeping upon us...I felt like last May I was worried that we had TOO much time but no, things have gone by very quickly!

We have two events scheduled so far at the Forest House Lodge. One is at the end of this Month...it's a Vendor fair/meet the crew. It's to get our brides and grooms acquainted with all their preferred vendors and to meet all the staff that is going to help make this wonderful day possible. So far what we've met has been nothing short of amazing! Then in February it's their annual sweetheart cocktail event. This is more of a "get to know the other brides and grooms" thing where they will have cocktails, food, and fun events planned for the evening and then we stay the night in the lodge. Best of all, it's FREE! ok well maybe not free considering what we are paying for our wedding lol but it's nice to get all these added events in with our price. We are supposed to start our "payments" to the lodge this month for the remainder of the balance but we are hoping to just pay it off this month or next and be done with that portion of our wedding fees...yikes! I am so happy we chose this place for our wedding. The people that run it are amazing and I have no doubts that everything will run smoothly for our wedding. I really enjoy that we will get to spend more time up there before our wedding because it means I will be seeing a lot of the lodge and I can get a better idea of what I need as for decor. I plan to take a TON of pictures when I'm there this month and next of every space in the lodge so I can start piecing together where I want to put things, how I want things set up, etc. I also am trying to plan a day that Kayla, Becca, and Missy can all come together to see the Lodge so they can help bring my wedding vision to life as well. 

We've also been talking about how we should probably start registering places but we don't really know what for...see, I have an issue, well actually we both do...and everytime we figure out we *need* something we go and buy it because it's generally something we need or want now.  There are a few things we want to "upgrade" that we will register for. But other than that, we're just so unsure as to what we should actually register for! Hmmmmm....I was so excited to register until I began thinking about this! lol I'm sure once we get into the stores we will find stuff! But who knows how big the registry will actually be come time for people to start purchasing gifts...

We've also received our save the date for Alexis and Jason's wedding this summer! I'm so excited to see all of her stuff come to life! We have lots of similar ideas and I know her wedding will be just gorgeous! I have so many friends wedding planning along with me and it is so much fun to talk about and share all our ideas. Everyone has their own ideas and tastes and each wedding will be beautiful! 2012 is here, and it's our year!

Danny received a phone call the other day in regards to a job position with the sheriff's dept in Yosemite! If only his contract with the Coast Guard was up THIS May instead of next he would have taken it. They were looking for a qualified boat driver/officer to work for the sheriff's dept and patrol the lake. I could totally live in Yosemite. BUT maybe next year....

Amazing news!

So for the past month or two I have known that Josh submitted his dream sheet and 10 of his picks were California and that included Rio Vista and San Francisco. I kept texting him and asking him if he had gotten his orders yet and he said he hadn't but when he did, I would know. I have been dying to hear because I have been dying to have Jess, Josh, and Alyssa back in California for a long time.  As much as I wanted them here, I wasn't letting myself get my hopes up because I know how the military works. This morning while I was at work, I got a call from Josh and text from Jess. Josh got stationed in SAN FRANCISCO!!!! Can you say excited?!?! I was heading out for my break when I saw the missed call, voicemail, and text and literally jumped up and down for joy and started crying. I am so excited to finally have my Alyssa bear close enough to see all the time and to have Jess and Josh back in Cali. This is also great news for Danny as Josh is his really good friend and he will love having the company! I just need Jess to find a job in Cali and she will be here asap! This makes me so happy because I don't have to worry about her booking flights, and spending more money than she needs to in order to make it to my shower, my bachelorette party, and my wedding. She and Kayla had been talking because Kayla has planned all of this already and we were planning the dates to be convenient for her to book one flight out for 2 weekends of stuff. I know she will be at everything regardless, but this just makes it that much easier!!!! Ahhhh I am still so excited! I can't wait for them to be here this summer!!! I even offered to fly out and road trip it back with her! WHY NOT!!!? Life is so good.