I am bursting with excitement and trying to find a way to keep my trap shut. It's hard. I need distractions.
Normally, I would blog about it here, but I likely have a handful of people reading this (ahem, spies from work... you know who you are...) that are not in the know... and won't be for a while.
Kevin is at work, I have the weekend off. I SHOULD be studying, I WANT to be shopping (or relaxing on a tropical beach somewhere with an umbrella drink, but who doesn't want to be doing that?)... and I AM doing nothing. Nothing productive at least.
It snowed yesterday for the first time this year, but didn't stick (thank goodness... I am not ready to shovel yet). It has gotten considerably colder up here which makes me miss the south even more. I am a tropical person, darnit. What am I doing in upstate NY???
Well... I guess that's about enough whining out of me. I think I might wake the Lucy monster up and take her for a run.
There was absolutely no point to this post... you may carry on. :)
11.12.2011
11.11.2011
Y3W: Thank You Veterans!!!
This is my very first Y3W post and I am super excited.
Today, is veteran's day and I want to send my deepest gratitude to America's brave men and women and their families. It takes an enormous amount of courage, strength and self sacrifice to serve our country... and it takes patience, love and understanding to be a military spouse/family.
I have had the honor and privilege of doing both. My husband and I are both proud Marines. My brother is a Marine, my grandfather is retired Navy and my brother-in-law and two cousins are in the Army. Most of my close friends serve in some branch of the military.
Patriotism runs deep in my blood and not a day goes by where I do not feel truly blessed to call myself an American. Today is a day to understand and appreciate that the freedoms we enjoy are possible only through the sacrifices of our brave men and women in uniform.
"This nation will remain the land of the free, only so long as it is the home of the brave." - Elmer Davis
To our brave military men and women and veterans... serving here in the United States or on foreign soil, during peace time or war, active duty or reserve, currently serving or retired... THANK YOU.
Today, is veteran's day and I want to send my deepest gratitude to America's brave men and women and their families. It takes an enormous amount of courage, strength and self sacrifice to serve our country... and it takes patience, love and understanding to be a military spouse/family.
I have had the honor and privilege of doing both. My husband and I are both proud Marines. My brother is a Marine, my grandfather is retired Navy and my brother-in-law and two cousins are in the Army. Most of my close friends serve in some branch of the military.
Patriotism runs deep in my blood and not a day goes by where I do not feel truly blessed to call myself an American. Today is a day to understand and appreciate that the freedoms we enjoy are possible only through the sacrifices of our brave men and women in uniform.
"This nation will remain the land of the free, only so long as it is the home of the brave." - Elmer Davis
To our brave military men and women and veterans... serving here in the United States or on foreign soil, during peace time or war, active duty or reserve, currently serving or retired... THANK YOU.
11.10.2011
Happy Birthday, Marine Corps!!!
Yes... I get to celebrate 2 birthdays a year. One of them celebrates the day I was born... and the second celebrates the birth of the world's most fiercely amazing fighting force, The United States Marine Corps. I was so truly blessed to be a part of this brotherhood for 8 crazy years and, even though I have been out for 2 years now, I still celebrate the Marine Corps birthday with all of my fellow Marines.
I did not end up going to a birthday ball this year... and that breaks my heart. The ball is a wonderful celebration of tradition and honor where old Marines and new get together, eat together, drink together and party together. You will hear brand new boots telling their "This one time... at boot camp" stories and Korean War vets telling their battle tales. If you ever have the opportunity to go... I highly encourage it. There are time honored traditions like the cake cutting and toasting as well as the reading of the very first birthday address and the current year's birthday address. It is an amazing thing.
Tonight, DH (also a Marine) and I are celebrating together. The Marine Corps is what made us who we are as individuals and what actually brought us together as a couple. We are both Marines down to the core and this day always brings us bittersweet memories as we both miss being a part of the Marine Corps family.
I will close this with a few motivating pictures of Marine Monica and the Commandant's Birthday Address for the 236th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps... Semper Fidelis.
This past year in operations around the world including humanitarian disaster
relief, counter-piracy, theater security cooperation, special operations, counter-insurgency
and many more, you continued to solidify our place as America's Expeditionary Force in
Readiness. Since the Continental Congress created two battalions of Marines 236 years
ago, our legacy as an ever-ready, ever capable, victory producing organization remains
intact.
Our rich heritage of selfless service and fidelity to Nation and to one another lives
on in all who currently wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor - those who have answered the
clarion call to duty with remarkable courage, dedication and unshakable resolve that
Marines are so well known for. To all Marines - past and present - and especially to our
families ... I extend my deep gratitude for all you have done and all you continue to do.
As we celebrate our 236th birthday, let us look forward to future challengeswhatever
they may be - and reaffirm our pledge to be America's premier crisis response
force; to be the first to fight... Always ready for the toughest and most challenging
assignments.
Happy 236th Birthday, Marines!
Semper Fidelis,
I did not end up going to a birthday ball this year... and that breaks my heart. The ball is a wonderful celebration of tradition and honor where old Marines and new get together, eat together, drink together and party together. You will hear brand new boots telling their "This one time... at boot camp" stories and Korean War vets telling their battle tales. If you ever have the opportunity to go... I highly encourage it. There are time honored traditions like the cake cutting and toasting as well as the reading of the very first birthday address and the current year's birthday address. It is an amazing thing.
Tonight, DH (also a Marine) and I are celebrating together. The Marine Corps is what made us who we are as individuals and what actually brought us together as a couple. We are both Marines down to the core and this day always brings us bittersweet memories as we both miss being a part of the Marine Corps family.
I will close this with a few motivating pictures of Marine Monica and the Commandant's Birthday Address for the 236th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps... Semper Fidelis.
 |
| That's me... all the way on the left, leading a mud run during a Corporal's Course that I instructed. |
 | |
| I'm in the middle with fellow Marines, Kat and Tiffany. This was during my second tour in Iraq. Kat was an awesome mechanic, Tiffany and I were gunners. |
A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
For ten years now, our Corps has been engaged in continuous combat operations
against those who threaten the security of America and our allies. We turned the tide in
the Anbar province of Iraq and continue to see success today in southwest Afghanistan.
While it has come at a cost. .. we have much to be proud of.
For ten years now, our Corps has been engaged in continuous combat operations
against those who threaten the security of America and our allies. We turned the tide in
the Anbar province of Iraq and continue to see success today in southwest Afghanistan.
While it has come at a cost. .. we have much to be proud of.
This past year in operations around the world including humanitarian disaster
relief, counter-piracy, theater security cooperation, special operations, counter-insurgency
and many more, you continued to solidify our place as America's Expeditionary Force in
Readiness. Since the Continental Congress created two battalions of Marines 236 years
ago, our legacy as an ever-ready, ever capable, victory producing organization remains
intact.
Our rich heritage of selfless service and fidelity to Nation and to one another lives
on in all who currently wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor - those who have answered the
clarion call to duty with remarkable courage, dedication and unshakable resolve that
Marines are so well known for. To all Marines - past and present - and especially to our
families ... I extend my deep gratitude for all you have done and all you continue to do.
As we celebrate our 236th birthday, let us look forward to future challengeswhatever
they may be - and reaffirm our pledge to be America's premier crisis response
force; to be the first to fight... Always ready for the toughest and most challenging
assignments.
Happy 236th Birthday, Marines!
Semper Fidelis,
James Amos
General, US Marine Corps
11.09.2011
Thursday is the new Friday
... well for this week at least. Friday (Veteran's Day) is a federal holiday and our office will be closed. Yay!! At one point, I was hoping to be out of my office job and working as a nurse by now, but... the office job does have its perks... holidays being the biggest one!
So... tomorrow is my Friday. :)
Oh... and tomorrow is also the Marine Corps birthday!! I will likely be posting again tomorrow and/or Friday... but just in case, wish any Marines you know (current or retired) a HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY!! And on Friday, thank a veteran.
So... tomorrow is my Friday. :)
Oh... and tomorrow is also the Marine Corps birthday!! I will likely be posting again tomorrow and/or Friday... but just in case, wish any Marines you know (current or retired) a HAPPY 236th BIRTHDAY!! And on Friday, thank a veteran.
11.06.2011
Happy Half Birthday to Lucy!!!
Our little furbaby is 6 months old today!!
I have always had a special place in my heart for animals, and we were so very excited to add a pet to our family, but I never imagined the amount of love and joy that Lucy would bring into our lives. Happy half birthday, pumpkin butt!!
We started off our Sunday with a trip to Petsmart (Lucy's favorite store, of course) then dropped her off at home while we ran some errands. We decided it would be wise to stock up on wood pellets while A. they were on sale and B. the weather was still nice enough to make loading/unloading them not too much of a pain. So we loaded up with a full ton of pellets (50 bags!!) and headed home to unload. Just in case you were wondering what a ton of pellets looks like (you were... weren't you?)... it looks like this...
Yeah... that's huge.
The rest of the day will be spent enjoying some football games while Kevin makes his famous-in-our-house wings. I love Sundays!
I have always had a special place in my heart for animals, and we were so very excited to add a pet to our family, but I never imagined the amount of love and joy that Lucy would bring into our lives. Happy half birthday, pumpkin butt!!
We started off our Sunday with a trip to Petsmart (Lucy's favorite store, of course) then dropped her off at home while we ran some errands. We decided it would be wise to stock up on wood pellets while A. they were on sale and B. the weather was still nice enough to make loading/unloading them not too much of a pain. So we loaded up with a full ton of pellets (50 bags!!) and headed home to unload. Just in case you were wondering what a ton of pellets looks like (you were... weren't you?)... it looks like this...
Yeah... that's huge.
The rest of the day will be spent enjoying some football games while Kevin makes his famous-in-our-house wings. I love Sundays!
11.05.2011
Trash The Dress!!!
I finally got up the nerve (and found the time off from work) to do my Trash The Dress photo shoot. My absolutely amazing wedding photographer, Tess Moran (Tess' website), suggested we do the shoot in Buffalo as she knows the area well and knows some great spots. I am always up for a trip to Buffalo (they have GREAT shopping. Seriously... Walden Galleria Mall is heaven) so I hit the road! Tess recommended Stacey from Studio 2000 to do my hair, and she was awesome (although in the wind and cold, my cute curls didn't stand a chance). Next I went to Sephora to have my makeup airbrushed (LOVE their Temptu system). I had my wedding makeup done at Sephora in May and just love the look (in person and on camera) of airbrush makeup... plus they do it for free!! Hel-lo awesome!!
I met up with Tess at her studio and we did a special shoot (I would post details, but it's a surprise for Kevin for our anniversary... maybe I'll post a review after that).
Then we headed out to downtown Buffalo. Tess knows the area well and has a phenomenal eye for creative locations and poses. We ended up going to the old first ward, not exactly the nicest part of the city. The area was full of abandoned buildings, factories and mills which made the perfect backdrop for the shoot. It was a little bit rustic, a little bit grungy and a lot of fun. A colleague of Tess, Andy Buscemi, joined us for the shoot so he could build his portfolio. So I had 2 photographers... I felt like a rock star and it was an absolute blast. I felt totally confident, comfortable and relaxed. It was great to just goof round in my wedding dress (and some wicked cute rain boots) and snap some laid back pictures.
You can't tell from this picture, but there was a building next to this bridge... it was some sort of barracks (fire? maybe?) anyway... it was full of young guys, so they got quite a show, lol. They were shouting out the window the whole time we were there, like hecklers at a football game. As I was walking up, one of them shouted "I like your Boo?s"... I heard "I like your boobs" so I turned around and gave them the death stare. He then yelled "I said BooTs"... and I cracked up. Oops.
Another one of them shouted "It's not too late"... and I said "I'm already married." He fired back "It IS too late." I laughed so hard. Those guys kept me laughing throughout the first half of the photo shoot.
Tess spotted this window from the top of the walkway. She said "It looks like a heart, we HAVE to take some shots by it." So... I climbed through some bushes and voila... heart window pictures!! Isn't that cool?
By the end of the shoot, I was absolutely freezing (it was a brisk 40ish degrees outside), my dress was a mess and my veil was in shreds (thanks to the spikey bushes I climbed through), but that's what a Trash The Dress is for. I loved every minute of it and am thrilled with how the pictures turned out.
Hope you enjoy!
11.03.2011
My First Airbrush Tan
A few weeks ago, I scored a really sweet deal on Groupon.com. It was 3 organic airbrush tans for $40 at Vie de Bella Salon near the SU campus. I'm all for a good deal and these Syracuse winters can be brutal on my awesome Floridian tan. So, naturally, I grabbed the 3 pack!
I didn't really plan to use the tans until the middle of winter when I am at my whitest white... but with my photo shoot tomorrow (Rock the Dress... will detail and post pics after the shoots) I thought it might be a good idea to use one of the tans now. So... on a whim, I called yesterday to see if the could squeeze me in. The receptionist was great and found room for me, then proceeded to educate me on the do's and dont's of spray tanning prep. Holy instruction manual. I might as well have been preparing for the SAT's... lol! She said to shave if I want to, because I shouldn't shave right after, yes exfoliate, no lotion, no cream, no oil. I will have to remove my makeup and deodorant when I get there. (Yikes! I am really self conscious about some discoloration on my face and never go anywhere without makeup). I should bring loose, baggy clothing to wear after and I will not be able to shower sweat or wear makeup for 8 hours after. Uh oh!! I have some shopping to do after... how bad is this going to be?
So... how was it?? Well... it was interesting, to say the least. The girl at the salon who did the airbrushing, Leigh, was fabulous and talked me through the whole process. She made me feel totally comfortable and only slightly ridiculous when she had me stuff cotton balls up my nose (seriously.). The two of us were in this teeny tiny closet size room for about 30 minutes while she sprayed me from head to toe. She was totally professional and seriously made me feel comfortable (I know I already said that, but I have to reiterate... I was standing there in a thong in this teeny room with just her. Lol.) She filled me in on what to do and not to do to help my tan look the best and last the longest. She also warned me, multiple times, that I would look splotchy, speckled, crazy, ridiculous until my first shower... at 8 hours.
I left bra-less in a t-shirt and yoga pants, and about 15 different shades of tan/brown/red/orange. I look like a total whacko. Oh... and did I mention it was like 40 degrees out? So... can we say tid bit nippley? Yeah. Anyway... I was hell bent on finding the perfect pair of super cute rain boots for my Rock the Dress session tomorrow. Needless to say this spotted leopard bra-less wonder ended up stopping at 4 different stores and the mall to try to find said boots. Mission fail. I did, however, manage to get some pretty interesting looks during my shopping spree.
I am excited to shower in the morning and see how the tan really looks, since the first 8 hours are a little... well... fugly. I am hoping it will be as even and gorgeous as I am imagining.
Tomorrow is the big day. A trip to Buffalo, hair and makeup, meeting with the best photographer ever and doing a crazy, sexy and fun Rock the Dress photo shoot... and maybe a few other pics. Wish me luck!
I didn't really plan to use the tans until the middle of winter when I am at my whitest white... but with my photo shoot tomorrow (Rock the Dress... will detail and post pics after the shoots) I thought it might be a good idea to use one of the tans now. So... on a whim, I called yesterday to see if the could squeeze me in. The receptionist was great and found room for me, then proceeded to educate me on the do's and dont's of spray tanning prep. Holy instruction manual. I might as well have been preparing for the SAT's... lol! She said to shave if I want to, because I shouldn't shave right after, yes exfoliate, no lotion, no cream, no oil. I will have to remove my makeup and deodorant when I get there. (Yikes! I am really self conscious about some discoloration on my face and never go anywhere without makeup). I should bring loose, baggy clothing to wear after and I will not be able to shower sweat or wear makeup for 8 hours after. Uh oh!! I have some shopping to do after... how bad is this going to be?
So... how was it?? Well... it was interesting, to say the least. The girl at the salon who did the airbrushing, Leigh, was fabulous and talked me through the whole process. She made me feel totally comfortable and only slightly ridiculous when she had me stuff cotton balls up my nose (seriously.). The two of us were in this teeny tiny closet size room for about 30 minutes while she sprayed me from head to toe. She was totally professional and seriously made me feel comfortable (I know I already said that, but I have to reiterate... I was standing there in a thong in this teeny room with just her. Lol.) She filled me in on what to do and not to do to help my tan look the best and last the longest. She also warned me, multiple times, that I would look splotchy, speckled, crazy, ridiculous until my first shower... at 8 hours.
I left bra-less in a t-shirt and yoga pants, and about 15 different shades of tan/brown/red/orange. I look like a total whacko. Oh... and did I mention it was like 40 degrees out? So... can we say tid bit nippley? Yeah. Anyway... I was hell bent on finding the perfect pair of super cute rain boots for my Rock the Dress session tomorrow. Needless to say this spotted leopard bra-less wonder ended up stopping at 4 different stores and the mall to try to find said boots. Mission fail. I did, however, manage to get some pretty interesting looks during my shopping spree.
I am excited to shower in the morning and see how the tan really looks, since the first 8 hours are a little... well... fugly. I am hoping it will be as even and gorgeous as I am imagining.
Tomorrow is the big day. A trip to Buffalo, hair and makeup, meeting with the best photographer ever and doing a crazy, sexy and fun Rock the Dress photo shoot... and maybe a few other pics. Wish me luck!
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