Happy New Year - 2012 Edition

I will graduate this year.

Joe will start terminal leave this year.

We will move to Arkansas this year.

We will start a new chapter of our lives this year.

I've been waiting for 2012 for 3 years. I can't believe it's here. I can't believe all of these wishes and dreams will become a reality in the next 365 days.

Every Third Year

Every third year I get a GREAT Christmas. Thankfully, that was this year!! Two Christmases ago we were in the middle of a PCS and literally homeless, staying at a Holiday Inn Express (ironic, no?). We had Christmas breakfast at the Village Inn where I cried over my hot chocolate because I missed my family. I'm pretty sure we have pizza delivered for Christmas dinner.

Last year Joe was deployed and I was 14 hours away from my closest loved ones. 'Nuff said.

This year... finally!! A good Christmas in my warm home with my husband and favorite dog. We went back to TW Village Inn for breakfast just because why not. And then we played around at home, watched movies, played new video games and made a great fondue feast that couldn't be beat.

So fast forward a year: Joe's terminal leave starts Dec 22, 2012. So we'll be on the road home that day. Hopefully we'll be back in AR by Christmas Day. Fingers crossed. We will more than likely be homeless again. But we'll have family to stay with until we find a house to buy.

Merry Christmas everyone!! Hope your day was spent with your special people (and dogs)!

Patriot Surplus product review

So a few weeks ago, during all the craziness that is my life, I was contacted by Patriot Surplus to do a product review. I made the huge mistake of letting Joe know about it, and of course he checked out the website and begged me for a machete. Such a boy thing to want, right?? Not sure where he's going to use the machete while we live in this apartment in the middle of Colorado Springs, but he's convinced that he needed one. But we know for sure it will be used when we move home to Arkansas and help my parents clear bush out on their farm.

This is the machete he got. You can check it out on their website HERE.

I thought it was awesome that they actually listed Soldiers on the packaging. :-)

Joe wanted the one with the knuckle guard so he knew he wouldn't hit his knuckles more than necessary on the (hypothetically) bush that needs to be cleared. He said it's a good weight, and feels like he could have a good grip and control over the machete. Know any hunters? This would come in very handy while planning trips to deer stands or to duck blinds.

If Joe hadn't decided immediately he wanted a machete, there are so many other things to chose from. Military equipment, paintball gear (for that teen in your life), weapon accessories, outerwear for hunting or camping, they even have engraved military rings with your branch insignia. They have it all, I def recommend checking their site out. Click HERE!

And it shipped amazingly fast. Even in this holiday postal fiasco, it arrived at my house in only a few days.

"Hey Joe, I need a quote for the blog review."
"Tell them it's really cool."
"Got anything else? Stop playing with the big knife and think about
something for me to write."
"Sara, it's not a big knife, it's a machete. And machetes are just cool,
the guys will understand."
"Thanks for being so amazingly helpful."

Grade A & one last class!

Just a quick brag...

I made As in both of my classes this term! And I literally have ONE class left to complete the coursework for my Masters.

Cool, hu?

Bad Blogger

I never blog anymore guys, I am so sorry!

So how about a quick little update?

I'm *still* in school. This is finals week as a matter of fact. I have a 10-page paper due. I'm actually kinda excited about it - nerd alert! I got my book in the mail for my LAST class next term to complete my course work. Then I have a thesis to complete. The thesis will have a survey online. I need as many participants as possible. So please be on the lookout for that about March. I will be spamming online so bad, you wont miss it. I need a couple thousand participants. Yeah, thousand! I have faith in my online friends to pass the word around though. :)

Work is still work. Making it possible to go to school - which is what really keeps me going.

Joe has a pretty final terminal leave date. 384 DAYS until he's done with the Army. I CANT WAIT!! It's possible for us to be home for next Christmas. Again.... I CANT WAIT!!! We're so done with the Army, I cant even begin to tell you. You can send me hate mail about it all day long, I dont particularly care anymore. I'm so sick of the shit they put their Soldiers through. Joe deserves better.

I cant believe it's December already! Where did this year go? We're in super holiday mode around here this year! We're making up for last year when Joe was gone. We have all the "stuff" we want. Joe got his video games and his huge TV. I got my new phone and two fondue pots.... and tickets to Trans Siberian Orchestra!!! We will be going in just a few days. I am SO excited!! I will try to remember to take pics for you all.

Well, gotta get on that paper now... hope ya'll have a good weekend!

Cracker Barrel Thanksgiving-To-Go

Doesn't that look delicious? I'll be the first one to admit I'm completely cheating this Thanksgiving and ordering my dinner through Cracker Barrel. My friend Bethany tweeted about it yesterday and it sounded just so good and easy. Last Thanksgiving was pretty sad around here, Joe was deployed, all my family was back home in Arkansas. So this year we wanted to go all out. But with work and school, it's hard to cook a whole dinner that cant be beat. Joe and I both work on the 23rd and I have class that night. And neither of us wanted to spend our day off cooking. Plus I have to work on the 25th (I know, completely blows, but it is what it is). And who doesn't love Cracker Barrel?? Sweet potato casserole, yes please!! And their biscuits? And turkey AND ham without having to cook either?? Sounds too good to me.

Here is their add from their website:

I had to promise my mom I'd bake a pie so the house smells like Thanksgiving. :)

NIVEA GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!

I'm SO sorry I'm a day late in announcing the winner! It was a crazy Monday. Anyway... the winner is.....

Congrats Nicole!! Please email me at willow162001 (at) yahoo (dot) com with your mailing address so I can get that to Nivea so they can get your giftbag in the mail!!

VETERAN'S DAY

Make sure you thank a Veteran today!!

Another First -- Veteran's Day

Sitting here, snuggling with Joe after yet another 24hr staff duty. It has dawned on me that this Friday will be my first Veteran's Day with my Veteran of a Foreign war. Are you doing anything special next Friday? Does your family have any traditions?

NIVEA's "Kiss of a Lifetime Contest" and a GIVEAWAY!!!

Have you heard of NIVEA's “KISS OF A LIFETIME CONTEST”???

NIVEA is on a mission to find America’s next deserving couple to experience this once-in-a-lifetime moment this New Year’s Eve in Times Square, see below on how to enter!

Contest Details:

Enter the “NIVEA Kiss of a Lifetime Contest” on NIVEA’s Facebook page – http://on.fb.me/NIVEANYE2011. All you have to do is “Like” their page and submit your love story through their “Kiss of a Lifetime” app BEFORE November 13.

Public votes will then determine the winning couple deemed “America’s Most Deserving Couple” to win the grand prize, which is:

· The couple will be flown to New York City where they’ll join Bill & Giuliana on the NIVEA Kiss Stage in Times Square on New Year’s Eve for the year’s most spectacular kiss

· Two exclusive VIP tickets to the New Year’s Eve party at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square

· The couple will appear in NIVEA Lip Care’s new commercial set to air on New Year’s Eve

Now.... would you like enter to win a “New Year’s Kiss Prep Kit” that includes five full-size Lip Care products from NIVEA? It's super easy!! Just leave a comment on THIS blog answering the question of NIVEA's contest: WHAT DID YOUR LOVE OVERCOME THIS YEAR? HOW DID YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONE TRIUMPH IN 2011? Dont have a significant other? Tell me who you would like to spend the holidays with- parents, family, friends, dog? The blog giveaway starts now and will run through November 13th. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced on November 14th. Good luck!!
I also will receive NIVEA products to go along with this post. This is not a product review.

Noisy Neighbors

I have lived in an apartment since I was 19 years old. But I have never had this current problem before.

My neighbors have extremely loud sex at 3am and wake us up!

Monday morning, at 3 am, we were woken up by their bed violently hitting our wall. Then came the screaming. Joe and I were both up. And couldn't go back to sleep. We were both pissed. So that morning before work, I left a short polite note on their door. "Could you please move your bed away from the wall so we can't hear you at 3am? Thanks- the neighbors on the other side of the wall."

So all quiet until this morning... at 3am. But this time it wasn't the bed, it was her, SCREAMING at the top of her lungs. Her voice woke us up. We could hear ever word she said. Think about your walls, how loud would she have to be to have ever word made out? Then the bed banging started. It's embarrassing and annoying. How stupid and inconsiderate do you have to be to know you are loud enough to wake up the neighbors and continue to do it anyway??

So I'm thinking about talking to the apartment office today. I don't want them kicked out or fined or anything, but I gave them my note and nothing has changed. I think they need a warning from the office. Maybe the office has had this problem before and knows how to handle it.

I know there are certain things you have to live with while living in an apartment so close to other people. But having my wall hit at 3am shouldn't be one of them.

So tell me what you think. Am I way off base here? Should I just let it go and continue to be annoyed at 3am?

From a Military Man

I got this from a friend from Facebook. I'm not usually into stuff like this, but this one touched me for some reason.

"I cannot promise you every night of my life. I cannot promise to be beside you for every difficult moment, every trial, and every hardship. In truth, I can promise you that I will not be with you for most. I will leave you at inconvenient times. Any special date to us may be tainted with the anniversary of the death of one of my friends. I will ask you to take over whatever life we have built together for months and years at a time. And will then crash back into that life that you have used your sweat, your tears and your heartache to keep together, and try to take it back as I knew it before.

I will shut you out at times because it will be the best way for me to hold it together at that moment. I will lie to you. I will tell you I don’t know things when I do. I will not always tell you where I am going, when I will be back, or who I am with. I may not call you for weeks and months and you will not be able to call me. You will ask questions that I won’t answer. You will know answers to questions that you will hope you never need. I will share things with my brothers that you will never understand. They will know things about me that you never will. They will be a support to me in some things that you cannot be. I will miss birthdays. I will miss anniversaries. I may need time to process things that seem natural to everyone else.

It will seem that someone – or something – will always take precedence over you. I will uproot you and ask you to re-establish our family anywhere in the world, in any season, at any time – over and over again. Sand and mud will be tracked through your halls from the boots I am too tired to take off. I will leave you when you beg me not to. I will stand at attention while you cry beside me. I will not turn my head and I will walk away. I will knowingly break your heart. And I will do it again – and again. I cannot promise you all of me. I cannot promise you much of anything.

But if you will have me, I can promise that as I march away from you, it is not without sharing your heartache. I promise you that every time I break your heart I will be breaking mine. Every time that I cannot answer you I will be protecting you. Whenever you want to call and you have no number to dial, I will be wanting to do the same. I will protect everything that we have created together with every fiber of my being while you do the same back at home.

I will honor you in everything – every moment that we are apart and every moment that I am with you. I will fight harder and push further knowing that I do so for you. And I will carry you with me in everything, until my sandy boots once again sit just inside our door.”

Cold hands

On my way to work this morning, I passed a school zone with a Soldier acting as a crossing guard. This little boy walked up, struggling with his jacket and tiny gloves. This Soldier immediately removed his gloves, dropped to one knee and helped zip up the jacket and situate gloves. The Soldier then stood up, gave the little boy a high five, and stopped traffic so he could cross safely.

Just wanted to share.