Memorial Day Weekend Wrap-Up

All I can say is....what a weekend!  It was a blast and judging by the all-day nap I took today, it wore me out.  But it was all worth it.  My BFFs of over 7 years--Chrissy and Melody--came to visit for a well-deserved girls' weekend and these are highlights from each day that they were here:

~Friday~

Lunch at La Terraza for authentic Mexican food since Mel requested it, having come all the way from Alexandria, VA. 

Pedicures and shopping at the mall.

Late night movie--Robin Hood.  Weren't too thrilled.  It was the longest movie ever!

Late night dinner at IHOP with Joy! (In the picture...Melody, Chrissy, Me and Joy)

~Saturday~

Southwest New Mexico Wine Festival just outside of Las Cruces, NM.  Chrissy and Melody drank; I ate!

My friends, Jennifer and Chrissy, throw me a surprise baby shower at Jennifer's house.  All my lady friends from work were there...it was so much fun! 

Another beautiful lady bug cake!

Thanks to Jennifer for hosting such a wonderful party.  Here I am with Jennifer and her sister, Vanessa.

What was also cool was that Jennifer asked everyone to bring me childrens' books with written dedications to my baby girl in them.  What an awesome idea!  Now Vaiosina's got a little library!

Of course, we ladies are all picture-taking fiends.  These girls are the best!

~Sunday~

The "maternity ward" as we're referred to at work.  Me with Laura and Leah at the baby shower.  Only I put this on Sunday because Leah went into labor early Sunday morning and her baby boy came into the world at around 6:30 p.m. that day.  So happy for Leah and her husband Jay!

As Leah was in labor, Chrissy, Melody and I helped ourselves to a scrumptious breakfast at the Crave Kitchen & Bar.  By far, my favorite breakfast joint in town (and Chrissy's fave too).

Unfortunately, later on that day, Melody's visit came to an end.  This was the final group picture. 

Chrissy and I went to see The Back Up Plan later that afternoon and finished the weekend off with dinner at Olive Garden.  Yum yum!

~Monday~

Chrissy leaves early this morning and I spend all morning into the early afternoon sleeping.  I was knocked out!  All the excitement wore me out.

Went to visit Leah at the hospital.  Didn't get to see the baby, but she is doing extremely well.

Honored our Nation's heroes--past and present--for Memorial Day and thought of my hubby in Iraq.  I love you sweetheart.

Now dreading going back to work.

------------------------

And that's all you guys!  Whew!  That was a lot.  Thanks to all of my friends who made this weekend extra special.  Hope you guys have a blessed and wonderful week!

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day to All!  And while we enjoy our days off, let's remember....

...those who are currently serving our Armed Forces here and abroad. 

(My husband, Malu, in Iraq; 2008-2009)

...those who have served our Nation in uniform in the past.

(Veterans Day Parade in CO Springs; retirees of the Fil-Am Community; My dad is on the far left, SGM (Ret) Mati Ioapo)

...those who made the final sacrifice. You will never be forgotten. And those wounded warriors who are in recovery.  Your sacrifices are not in vain.

I honor you, our heroes of yesterday and today.  May God bless all of you and your families.

Sleepover!

Guess who spent the night with me and Lucy  last night?

That's right....Chester!

He and Lucy got along so well, which didn't surprise me.  They're both so calm and laid back.  I was going to keep him for the entire weekend, but after struggling to take care of the two of them by myself (and you should have seen me trying to walk both of them this morning--I probably looked ridiculous). I think it wise for me to take him back to work--although I hate the thought of bringing him back to the staff duty desk; where he is watched by soldiers.  Not to mention, my house is entirely too small with two big dogs  and a big pregnant chick in it.  It will be even more cramped when my two friends get in today.  It's funny...I just had the feeling Chester thought the same thing when he got here.  He kept pacing around trying to find a space to get comfortable in.  He goes to stay with my boss and his family a lot and I could definitely picture him thinking, "wow, this place isn't as big as the Colonel's house!" 

But we'll see...I may change my mind.  I love him...and it is definitely nice to have another fur-baby in the house...even if he drools a lot and makes a mess when he eats and drinks!  But hey...my hubby does that too and I keep him around ;)  Just kidding baby.

My BFFs will be here in a few hours!  Let the fun begin!

Thursday Five

Woo hoo!  It's that time again! And I am sooooo happy that Thursday is here!

If you want to join in, it's easy...Blog about five things throughout the week that has made you

HAPPY,

GRATEFUL,

JOYFUL,

ELATED,

APPRECIATIVE

OR ALL OF THE ABOVE.

Then, head over to www.mannland5.com and get linked to all other Thursday Five participants!

Here's my five:

1.  OMG...need I mention again that I am so happy it's Thursday!  It's because today is my Friday!  Memorial Day weekend here we come.  Can't help but think about where all the time has gone.  Last year around this same time, Malu was finishing up his R&R with me here.

 

2. My friends, Chrissy and Melody are going to be here tomorrow!!!  Chrissy and Melody are the two girls to the right of me in this picture, which I believe was taken back in 2006.  I can't wait!  We're going to have tons of fun.  I'll tell you more about these girls a little bit later.  Jocelyn, the girl in pink, was going to come, but couldn't.  We're going to miss you Jocelyn!

3.   I spent all of last night until midnight doing some cleaning!  I swiffered the floors and cleaned the bathrooms.  Now all I have left to do is straighten out the guest room and my own room and I'll be good!  I love having the house all spic and span.  I was exhausted afterwards though. No problems sleeping last night!

4.  Waking up to a gorgeous El Paso day today.  Lucy and I had a breezy walk at the park this morning.  Loved it!

5.  Going to get my White Chocolate Mocha (half-caff) at Starbucks here in a few minutes! 

I have a feeling it's going to be a great day!  Yikes...I hope I didn't jinx my day.  I still have to go to work.

Happy Thursday you guys!

Ten on Tuesday

Just in time for Ten on Tuesday!  I'm sorry it's so late guys.  After my long day, it took me a while to get settled in.  But anyway...here goes!

1.  Today I kinda had a "day off" from work.  Our brigade commander authorized a Women in Boots Day for all the females in his brigade.  It was hosted by one of the battalion command sergeants major (CSM)--and the only female CSM in the entire brigade.  What was cool was that we all got to attend this shindig in civilian attire, so it was much like having a day off.  And we sat through a series of lectures for the entire day; addressing issues like women's health, sexual assault awareness, women & finances, etc.  It was just a great day...to be out of the office, in comfy clothes, and amongst all the women in my unit.  I loved it!

2.  When I got home from work today, I couldn't be more happy.  All the weeds turned weed bushes were completely pulled from my front yard.  I'd hired a nice guy to come and work on them all day for me.  Can you believe he'd quoted me $30 to do it?  I insisted on paying him more...and I did.  I seriously wish that I had taken a "before" picture because it was REALLY bad.  Now, the front yard is weed free! Yippee!

3.  As we speak, I have the first batch of Vaiosina's laundry in the washer.  I know I'm just over 30 weeks, but I really don't think that's too early to start washing my little baby's clothes...just to be ready.  Not only am I washing some of her outfits (just the 0-3 month sizes for now), I'm washing her linens and blankets. 

4.  Speaking of blankets...you know those fluffy, soft baby blankets?  Well, we amassed about 15 of them--and all are so cute--at the baby shower.  That's how many we're washing.  And that's not counting the blankets that were handmade.  I mean, will we actually need that many?

5.  Two of my best friends are coming into town for the Memorial Day weekend and I absolutely cannot wait!  That's why I'm doing so much cleaning these days!  Gotta get ready!

6.  Speaking of this weekend...I'm taking my friends to the Southern New Mexico Wine Festival.  I know you guys saw my last wine festival post not too long ago.  Since I cannot drink...I'm definitely going to be eating.  A LOT!  And stocking up on my post-delivery wine collection while I'm at it.

7.  I just got the coolest pair of Crocs flip flops and oh my goodness, are they the most comfy for my swollen, aching feet! 

8.  I am exhausted and am contemplating whether or not I should put away all the laundry I have laying out on my dining room table or to put them off until tomorrow. 

9.  I really want to get one of those Shark steam floor cleaners, but am wondering if they're really worth it...or if I should just stick with my trusty ol' Swiffer. This house is mostly tile and the floors are just filthy.  I'd like to get them cleaned up before my BFFs come.  Does anyone out there have a Shark?  If so, are they worth it?

10.  I can't tell you how excited I am that this is a short week.  I'm sooooooooooooo ready for the weekend!

Anyhoo, have a happy Hump Day everyone!  Til' next time...

~30 Weeks~

Oh my gosh...we're halfway through our 3oth week and I can't believe it. 9 and 1/2 more weeks and not only will the baby be here, but hopefully Malu will be here as well. The last deployment, Malu got here on the exact date he told me he was going to be here. I certainly hope it happens again this year. He's supposed to be back on or about the 23rd of July.

Anyway, here is my 30 week picture. I believe I've only exposed my big belly once and I think that was enough. The baby is probably at or almost three pounds and I can definitely feel it. With the El Paso heat at full blast (and it's only going to get worse), I get sluggish, tired, sweaty, and cranky all day long. My walks with Lucy? Let's just say I have to do them extremely early in the morning and after sunset because it's too darn hot otherwise. I shouldn't complain too much though. Lucy is dying in the heat as well.

I haven't done this pregnancy survey in a long time, so I thought I'd give it a whirl!

1. How far along? 30 weeks and 4 days. Oh yeah, baby!

2. Total weight gain? Again, not sure. I'm an idiot and never logged in my weight when I first found out I was pregnant. To make things worse, I always go in my uniform to my appts and get weighed in with everything on. From my first visit to the OB to my last about two weeks ago, I'd gained a total of 8 pounds. I guess we'll see how much I weigh on 2 June.

3. Maternity clothes? I've got tons of them. I went on a shopping spree a while back and got all kinds of cute baby doll tops. Now that it's extra hot around here, I have to be in a dress or a tank top to be comfortable. This might be TMI, but since it's so darn hot here, I strip down to my bra and underwear when I get home from work and lounge on my couch with the ceiling fan--and sometimes the A/C--on full blast. I'm sure Lucy thinks it's funny (or weird). And I hate, hate, hate being in my uniform all day long. I overheat all the time.

4. Stretch marks? The ones on my tummy, just under my belly button, finally made an appearance late last week. And they itch. They're not pretty, but I'm not really one to fret over stretch marks. I mean, who else is going to see my belly? I never expose it, even in a bathing suit!

5. Sleep? Well, I'm not sleeping right now and it's almost 3:00 a.m, so what does that tell ya? I don't have many nights like this, so I'm not sure what the deal is. For the most part, I sleep okay. I mean, it's not very comfortable because I'm constantly just rotating from side to side all night long and occasionally feel my arms and legs go numb. Thank goodness for my boppy pillow!

6. Best moment this week? Honestly....finding the curtains for the baby's nursery today. They are white and pink and go perfectly with the room. I'll have to show it to you guys sometime.

7. Movement? Oh, tons! It's funny...I have a lot of pregnant friends and hear a lot from other people about how their babies get into their ribs and kick them all hard and stuff. Not me. Vaiosina moves around a lot, but she's very gentle. I can feel her moving her feet, hands, body along my tummy. She thumps and kicks every now and then, but for the most part, I feel rubbing and fluttering. But boy, does she like to to lie or push against my bladder. I'm constantly peeing and that's not fun!

8. Food cravings? Let's just say that my mom and friends keep telling me I need to watch my sugar intake. I can't have enough sweets to save my life. It's not like I'm binging on a dozen donuts or snickers bars at every turn, but when I go out to lunch with friends, I almost always have to have a dessert. In the mornings, I have my Starbucks half-caff white chocolate mocha and pretty much have to have a rice crispy treat to go with it. I'm seriously trying to cut back, but it's hard. I still have to have my PB&J Cream Cheese bagels. And I'm constantly drinking tall glasses of milk all evening after getting home from work.

9. Mood temperament? OMG...I'm an emotional wreck all the time. The most trivial things make me cry and I absolutely hate it, especially at work because that is the last place that I need to start the waterworks. Thank goodness communications with Malu have improved. He's been privy to a lot of my crying and has been very understanding.

10. Weekly wisdom: Don't push yourself....take it easy and/or ask for help. I have serious issues with that. I just want to do everything on my own and then pay for it when I'm all tired and/or sick. Like today...putting up the nursery curtains? Not cool. With how clumsy I've been lately, I probably shouldn't have been on that step stool putting those darn curtain rods up. Yet I did, and was completely winded afterwards. Oh, and I know they're seriously ugly...but Crocs...are your best friends! I wear mine everywhere and they're the most comfortable footwear I own right now. As a matter of fact, I want to go to the outlet mall this weekend to buy a pair of flip flops there.

And that's all for now! I think I first started doing these surveys at about my 18th week. I can't believe how far we've come. It's weird...although the baby will be here in less than 10 weeks (hopefully), I'm already starting to miss her being in my tummy. I'm constantly holding and/or touching and feeling her in there.

Vaiosina...mommy, daddy, and Lucy can't wait to see you!

Wonderful Weekend!

Oh, how I hate that the weekends come to an end so darn quickly. I really don't want to go back to work tomorrow, but on the bright side...it is a short week because of the Memorial Day weekend. Now that's something to look forward to!

Traci and Frank French, featured in the picture below (they're the ones in the back with their son, Brandon), invited my friends Melissa and Maddie and their families to their beautiful house in West El Paso yesterday. We all got there in the afternoon, armed with all of our yummy dishes. And would you believe that I actually got out of my non-cooking/baking slump and actually made my dishes instead of buying them. Not only that, I posted these recipes to my cooking blog--the first post I've made in over a year. Can you believe that I haven't really done any cooking or baking since I moved to El Paso last January? A sad case of events. But I hope this means that I'm going to keep cooking. Well, I'll actually have to once the baby gets here. Can't eat out forever, right? Anyway, I made shrimp wonton cups and coconut-pineapple bars. Yum-o!

The French's have a lovely back porch with rocking chairs--one of which I hoarded the entire time. Hey, the baby likes it! We all just spent the afternoon and part of the evening out there talking and having a great time amidst a nice cool breeze and lit tiki torches.

A few hours before I left for Traci's, I'd called my mom and told her I was going to yet another dinner at a friend's house. To which she replied, "Again?!? Wow, you have a lot of friends who take good care of you." And you know what? I really do. I've been so fortunate to come across some of the sweetest people throughout my Army career and these folks are truly near and dear to me. What's crazy is that I've only known these ladies a few months, but if you were to see how deeply they care for me and go out of their way to take care of me, you'd think we've known each other all our lives. Not only that, they've all got fantastic hubbies and kiddies that I absolutely adore. Here they are...my special friends!

Traci & Frank French, Melissa & Ismael Hermosillo, Madeleine & Eric Finch

Thanks to Traci and Frank for hosting such a wonderful dinner party. And look out...the next time I go to your house, I might walk away with this precious little bundle of fur...

Isn't she just the cutest thing you have ever seen? This is Abbey...Traci and Frank's saint bernard puppy. I spent the entire evening playing with this little girl, who reminded me so much of Lucy when she was that small.

Today, after church, my friend Jennifer and I went to see Letters to Juliet. It had been a while since I'd been to a movie, so of course I pigged out on a hot dog, milk duds, popcorn and some cherry coke. Dee-licious! Oh wait, I guess I should tell you guys that prior to going to the movies, I'd stopped by Krispy Kreme because they had a 99-cent special on a dozen original glazed donuts. But it was an hour-long wait. No kidding. I wanted them so badly, but I was going to be late for the movie. Anyway, I digress.

Although the movie was your typical, predictable chick flick, I loved it. The movie was set in Italy and the entire time, I kept thinking that I cannot wait to move to Europe at the end of the year. I've absolutely put Verona on my list of places to see while I'm there. However, at this moment, Malu and I can't seem to find him an open position over there, so you never know...I may end up opting out of this assignment. I mean, I would HATE to go somewhere without Malu..AGAIN. Whoops, I digress again. So if you haven't seen this movie yet, you should!

And that was my weekend. Next weekend...my best friends will be in town. I can't wait. Until then, you guys have an awesome week!

Getting to Know You Sunday!

Happy Sunday you guys! You know what that means, right? You have to answer these questions, post them to your own blog and then go to Keely's at www.mannland5.com to get linked up!

It's a gorgeous day out here in El Paso. Of course, it looks like it promises to be another HOT day, so I guess I'm going to break out an airy summer dress and my flip flops and then head on over to church.

And the questions...

1. Do you have a fetish? Hmmm....not really. But if I had to pick one thing, I'd probably say shoes. I have so many pairs of shoes--some that have yet to be worn and were purchased years ago--and I keep building the collection!

2. Do you sing in the shower? Yes! I've always sung in the shower. My hubby does too. I miss hearing it.

3. Who was your first crush? First celebrity crush...can't remember. If I had to pick one, I'd say Jordan Knight of the New Kids on the Block...and maybe even Zac Morris off of the Saved By the Bell show. Real-life crush...a guy named William from 6th grade in Hawaii.

4. What do you think is the best manly trait a guy could have? Along with a great personality, the ability to fix things, cook (although he doesn't have to be a great cook), and clean.

5. Do you sleep naked? No. I mean, I have before...I just don't like it. I really prefer to sleep with my clothes on.

6. What do you do when (you think) no one is looking? Ummmm......not a lot because I operate under the assumption that someone is always out there watching what a doofus I can be sometimes. Okay, but once in a blue moon, if there isn't anyone around, I don't always pick up Lucy's poop at the park. I do 99% of the time, but sometimes (like now, since I can't bend over too much) I just don't feel like it.

7. What's the first thing you do when you go online? It's a tie between checking my blog and my Facebook page.

8. Summer is.....? The best!

Enjoy the day folks and come back later on...I'll be wrapping up my delightful weekend for you all!

Friday Photo Flashback:My Sweet Love(s) Part II

I'm so grateful it's Friday. It was a pretty rough week and I am ready for the weekend. This is my third week participating in Alicia's Friday Photo Flashback. Go ahead....break out your old photos and scan away! And then...go to her blog, More Than Words, to get linked up!

Remember how I posted this picture of Malu the other day? His most recent picture taken in Iraq and the first I've received since he left at the start of the New Year? I couldn't get over how much he's physically changed over the years. Not sure if it's because this is his third deployment, because he hardly ever gets any sleep, or both...but he sure has aged since he started his Army career. This was that new picture I told you about (should be familiar)....

And this was and old picture of him that I found in an old photo album. It was around 2003/2004, when he first joined the Army. I think I met him a year later. I can't get over how young he looked back then....even though he is six years younger than I. And this was taken a little over six years ago. How time flies!

Now Malu's not the only one that's aged. Although this picture was taken about 3 or 4 years ago, Lucy hasn't changed her look much.

But boy, do I wish I could go back to the days when she looked like this....

This was also taken back in early 2003, the same year that daddy's old picture was taken. Even back then, she was such a shy, good girl. I love you Lucy girl!

We won't even go into how I've aged in the last six years. I just couldn't find any pictures to show you guys ;) I know, it's a bloody shame.

I'm sorry I just can't stop posting and posting pics about my two sweet loves lately. I'll try to find cooler pictures next week!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Thursday Five

It's time for Thursday Five..where we post..
5 things that have made us..

Joyful

Excited

Grateful

Appreciative

Elated

or

just plain Happy

this week.

Once you're done posting..go to Keely's at http://www.mannland5.com/ and link on up!

I just can't believe how fast this week flew by!

My five:

1. Getting my new Vera Bradley diaper bag in the mail. My sister had gotten me a traveling bag with this same pattern so that I can use it when I go on trips with the baby. So I got the matching diaper bag to go with it. It is spill-proof inside and has a matching changing pad. I LOVE Vera Bradley and this pattern is fairly new and I think it's gorgeous.

2. About a two weeks ago, I'd ordered a glass drink dispenser from Boscov's online department store. The first time I'd seen one of these was at a Christmas party two years ago and I've wanted one ever since. Well, I've also seen them here on Fort Bliss at receptions. A friend of mine found it online...and on sale. It was regularly priced at $80 and I got it for $29.99. It'll definitely come in handy when I have people over. I haven't hosted a party or dinner in a long time, but when I do, this thing will make its debut!

3. The communications (i.e. internet and phone) on Malu's base in Iraq have significantly improved over the last week. So much that I've been talking to him just about every day over the last week, with the exception of last night. I think I jinxed myself yesterday when I'd mentioned how happy I was about it on my Facebook page.

4. I had a bad afternoon at work today. Not going into the details, but I cried when I got home. While it was nice of Lucy to lick all my tears away, I told her I wished Malu would call to make me feel better. Thank goodness for what I mentioned in #3, because he called about a half hour ago. After crying to him about my horrible meeting at work today, he told me that everything was okay with that soothing voice of his. I loved that he was there to listen to me today. Thanks honey!

5. I love my Word of Promise audio Bible set that I purchased a week or two ago on the Sunday that Jim Caviezel visited my church. I've been tuning in to and from work and I've made more progress through the Bible in just these past two weeks than ever before. The stories are brought to life with narrations from different actors, including Jim Caviezel, and with sound effects. If you're not one for reading (and it's not that I don't like reading, I just tire very easily when I read), then this is the way to go!

And that's it, you guys! Now it's your turn. Don't forget to go to Keely's and link up afterwards. Happy Friday's Eve!

{Somewhat} Wordless Wednesday

It's so freakin' hot here in Texas right now!

(being pregnant doesn't help any either)

and it's only going to get worse in the coming months!

So I miss...Colorado snow!

oh yeah....and my parents too! love you guys!

Their lil' dog, Rusty (pomeranian/cocker mix) has to be carried because the snow gets stuck in his paws...and because he constantly gets tormented by his little sister (Australian Shepherd), Misty (in background).

Spreading the Love!

Last week, my new bloggy friend, Staci, over at Random Ramblings of a Military Wife presented me with the Sweet Blog award! I'm just sorry that it has taken me so long to pass it along. But when you have a spare moment, go and check out her blog if you haven't already. It's great!

I'm supposed to pass this on to 10 other friends whose blogs I absolutely love. And here they are, in no particular order. Now go ahead and spread the love too!

Oh, and I apologize if you already have this award. Just means your blog is doubly special!

1. Kimberly at Kimberly's Korner

2. Lorilynne at Lori Babble

3. Angie at Just Simply Live

4. Lindsay at What the Dinkins are Thinkin

5. Expat Girl at The Sand is Different Here

6. Summer at Summer's Story

7. Alicia at More than Words

8. Ashleigh at A Deployment Diary (in Hawaii)

9. Jennifer at Real Love Stories Have No Endings

10. Melissa at Together We Have It All

And you have to go and visit all of these blogs when you have the opportunity. Not only are the blogs great, but these are all fascinating, phenomenal women with inspiring stories.

29 Week Photo & BBQ Sunday

Before I go into this evening's fabulous BBQ, I thought I'd throw in a picture of my 29 week-old belly. It's been a while since I posted one anyway. People tell me that I'm getting bigger, but for some reason, I don't feel like there's been any change in the last few photos. But....in their defense....I can definitely FEEL a difference. But I feel great. I'll try to remember to sum up the last two or so weeks in another post sometime this week.

But gosh, 3 posts all in one Sunday! I'm on a roll! Well, the ladies lunch crew from work decided to go one step further and do themed dinners on one Sunday each month. So this Sunday, we kicked it off at Leah and Jay's house and went simple and easy with a BBQ. Oh, it was tons of fun. The food was great and what was even better was that I was allowed to bring Lucy along. There, she met Leah and Jay's Great Dane, Moose, who really is all that his name implies. The guy is huge! They also have what I believe is a chihuahua/dachsund mix, but Lucy pretty much steered clear of him, for whatever reason. They also have two cats, but they stayed in the master bedroom. But look at this guy, he's huge! And he's got Lucy's temperament--chilled/laid back and just plain ol' sweet. I love him!

Since I was giving this guy all kinds of attention, I had to share some with my baby girl too. She does get jealous from time to time. No matter....she still won't make eye contact with the camera!

And you know we couldn't end the event without taking a group photo. Besides, I've been throwing out all kinds of friends' names in emails and phone calls to Malu that he is thoroughly confused on who's who. The last time he came to El Paso, I had a different set of friends from another unit! I thought I'd catch him up to speed and send him this photo. This is pretty much the ladies lunch crew--and the nicest set of girls to boot.

[L to R: Katie, Laura (3 mos preg), Leah (8 mos preg), Graciela, Joy, Melissa and Me (7 mos preg)]

Now it's time to get serious and head back to work tomorrow. Really, who are we kidding? Serious? No way! Thanks for hosting the party, Leah and Jay. It was grrrrrreat!

My Sweet Love

I haven't seen my husband since late December 2009. He left the weekend right before the New Year. Most of our communication since then has been by email or phone and he hardly takes any pictures. I've been bugging him for one for the longest time and have been relegated to posting old and favorite pics of him.

Well, imagine my surprise when he finally sent me a picture by email today. He said his work computer's disk drive is finally working and he was able to download this one.

I tell ya, I cried when I saw him. He hasn't changed much, although he seems to have lost some weight and has aged some--probably from the lack of sleep. He's a workaholic too.

Oh, how I've missed that smile. He's as handsome as ever. Just a little over two more months, babe, and you'll be home! I can't wait!

Nursery (Part I)

I was going to wait until the nursery was complete to start showing pictures, but I couldn't. And I'll only show the good side because, honestly, the crib is filled with all kinds of stuff from the baby shower as well as stuff I've purchased over the past few weeks. It's atrocious.

Anyway, if there was a contest for the smallest nursery, I'd totally win that one. It's literally like at 12 x 12 foot room--if that. I'm going to try to fit a dresser in there, but we'll have to see. I might just hold out until we move to Germany, where I hope we'll have a bigger room for her--shoot, a bigger room for me too!

My friend, Leah, is having a boy next month and she has a forest theme for her son's room. And in it she had a tree decal on the wall that I totally fell in love with. Lucky for me, Babies R Us had a girly version and I broke down and got it. They're so easy to put and and reusable. Definitely taking this along to Germany.

But that's it for now. More pics to come!

Getting to Know You Sunday!

Another reason I know I'm "nesting"...I woke up at 0630 this morning and started doing cleaning and doing laundry.....on a Sunday! I have to admit that I like it. I've hated how tired and lazy I've been the last few months. Anyway, it's Sunday and that means I'm doing Keely's Getting to Know You Sunday.

You guys know how it's done! Copy, paste, and answer these questions into your own blog and then head over to http://www.mannland5.com/ to get linked!

1. The most expensive thing hanging in my closet is.....? Probably the two Dooney & Burke purses I have and then all the Vera Bradley bags I have as well. I don't really buy any expensive clothes.

2. Have you ever played a team sport? I did softball in middle school and then volleyball and some track in high school. LOVE volleyball.

3. If you were a bug, what kind would you be? OMG...I'd totally be a lady bug. Ever since I've been pregnant with Vaiosina, I've been obsessed with them.

4. Where on your body is the worst place to get sunburned? My shoulders. I toss and turn while I sleep and when I do that with sunburnt shoulders, they constantly get rubbed. Ouch!

5. Are you happy? Absolutely! I mean, I have those hormonal, emotional type days, but I'm generally very happy.

6. People are always abbreviating..are there any abbreviations that make your skin crawl when people use them? Nah. I'm in the military. We abbreviate or use acronyms for everything.

7. Do you love where you live..or could you live anywhere? I don't mind where I live, although I can't wait to go to a place that doesn't have sand and wind/sandstorms. But I honestly make the best of any place I go to. Can't wait to make the best of Germany, although I'm sure that won't be hard!

8. What, if any, extreme measures do you go to to keep yourself from overeating when you're full? No extreme measures. I just stop eating!

Happy Sunday to you all! I'll be spreading the blog award love sometime this afternoon/evening!

Beautiful Saturday

Today was an absolute gorgeous day for the Armed Forces celebration held on Fort Bliss today. There was hardly a cloud, if any, in the sky today. I met up with my friend Melissa over there and we had such a great time. I didn't take pictures of everything that went on out there...believe me, it was a lot. They had vehicle displays, JROTC drill competitions, a car show, and various booths from local businesses as well as post agencies. But I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the chili cook-off competition they had going on. Soldiers from my brigade participated, as well as many other organizations on post. I had so much chili, it wasn't even funny. So many different kinds and all of them were delicious! And needless to say, I paid for it later on today.

Here is one fellow from AUSA serving me a sample of his special chili recipe. His was pretty darn good!

Also, the highlight of my stay out there....was this guy...

For those of you that are new to my blog, Chester is the official mascot of the brigade that I am assigned to--the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, otherwise known as the Bulldog Brigade. My boss brought him out to the celebration today and he was the star of the show. Everyone gathered around to see and pet him and he was just eating up all the attention. I love him so much!

After spending all morning in the heat, I came back to the house and napped for almost three hours. I didn't realize how exhausted I was. I only awoke to the delivery guys knocking on the door to drop our new washer and dryer off--which I am so excited about. But instead of getting started on the massive heap of laundry in my room, I opted, out of the blue, to work on the nursery.

Now, I don't have any pictures yet because I'm not done. But I believe I am officially in the "nesting phase". I put together the glider I got last weekend, and went to Babies R Us to buy more stuff. I bought decorations for the walls and stockpiled more diapers and wipes (because they had great specials today!). Man, this baby girl is expensive.

No worries guys, I will post pictures soon. But really, we have to thank God for all the things he has given us. Without Him, none of this certainly wouldn't be possible. And I'm not just thankful for the material things, but for this experience. I am enjoying it so much!

P.S. Malu called me today and of course, that always brightens my day!

Fill in the Blank Friday!

I just realized that I almost forgot to do my Fill in the Blank Friday! Just in time! Don't you just love the pictures that Lauren makes for these every Friday? I totally do!

You guys know what to do...just cut, paste, and answer these questions on your own blog and then head over to Lauren's blog to get linked!

1. The very best thing about the summer is the clothing--light, bright, and airy. Also gotta love wearing flip flops and going to and hosting barbecues. Yum! And one last thing...my birthday!

2. My first crush ever was a boy named William in the 6th grade. We went to Kalihi Elementary School in Hawaii. He even came to a family barbecue with me and it was at the beach. My family taunted me the entire time. It was humiliating.

3. This may sound really silly but I have several nicknames for Malu and one of them is "Ma-ma" for Ma-lu. He always thought it was weird to be called that, and it really is. I tried to stop, but I was just too far gone with it. He's heard it for so long that he's just used to it.

4. I squeeze my toothpaste from the middle of the tube and then always even it out when I'm done. Is that weird?

5. My absolute favorite comfort food is my mom's soup...in Filipino we call it sinigang. She makes it with beef and it's so yummy! I also love anything with pasta in it, as well as mash potatoes with my corn mixed into it and meatloaf.

6. A random fact about me is that although I'm a very social person and love being around people, sometimes I just want to be "emo" and be by myself. I like to be a loner sometimes and just stay home with my dog and lounge around in my pee-jays all day and not worry about a thing other than what's on TV next. Sometimes I like to do that for several days in a row and even through weekends. Malu and I just love to do that together when he's home. We're not trying to be unfriendly. We just like alone time. Ya know? Oh yeah, I'm OCD too...mostly about how clean the house is.

7. The one piece of technology that truly makes my life better and I couldn't live without is my cell phone. I can't remember what it was like to just have a land line phone!

Have a great weekend everyone! I know I will. Tomorrow, I'm going to the Armed Forces Day celebration on Fort Bliss and on Sunday, going to a barbecue at Leah's house! Fun times!

Friday Photo Flashback

Happy Friday everyone! It's time to join Alicia over at More Than Words for Friday Photo Flashback, where you grab your old photos (pre-digital), put your scanner to use and tell us your stories! This is my second time doing it and it's so much fun. I have a box of old photos in my closet and it was so great going through them to find one to scan for today. So many memories!

This particular photo of my brother, Jonathan, and I was taken in the early to mid-1980's in Hawaii. My dad was stationed there at the time, which was so cool because all of my mom's family lives there. Jon and I had grown up on the real kung-fu movies. You know, the ones where the guys' mouths move faster than the words coming out of them? At the time, the original Karate Kid movie had come out, so we were practicing our crane kicks outside of a Bob's Big Boy restaurant after breakfast.

I can't believe how tiny my brother was back then. So cute. And oh how time has passed. I must have been around 7 or 8 then. Over 20 years ago. Look how far we've come! Not to mention 2 additional Karate Kid movies came out and now the newest re-make starring Will Smith's son is coming on next month. And I'm going to see it!

Have a happy day ya'll and see ya back on here this afternoon!

Friday Follow

I'm guessing that my bloggy friends over at One 2 Try and Midday Escapes operate on east coast time because they've already started my favorite Friday blog hop. I figured I might as well get a jump start before I hit the sack!

If you're a new follower, than I welcome you wholeheartedly! I promise I'll try to follow you back at the earliest opportunity.

If anyone is just interested in joining the hop, then go to either one of the blogs listed above and get linked!

Happy Friday everyone! Next up....Fill in the Blank Friday & Flashback Photo Friday!

Thursday Five

It's time for Thursday Five..where we post..

5 things that have made us..

Joyful
Excited
Grateful
Appreciative
Elated
or just plain
Happy

this week..

Once you're done posting..go to Keely's at http://www.mannland5.com/ and link on up!

My Five:

1. Getting the "Sweet Blog" award from Staci over at Random Ramblings of a Military Wife. I was so stoked to receive this, especially since it's coming not just from a cool gal, but a fab and fellow military spouse!

I'm supposed to pass this on to ten other bloggers, but I'll save that for another post in the next day or so...so look out guys!

2. The Army Equal Opportunity Program ensures that its Soldiers are aware of cultural diversity within their ranks. As such, each heritage is celebrated and recognize during each month throughout the year. For those of you that don't know, May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month and since I am Filipino (Asian) and Samoan (Pacific Islander) this observance holds special meaning to me. My brigade hosted the observance for all of Fort Bliss today and it was literally a "standing room only" event. I MC'd for the event and was able to see dance performances from the islands as well as a martial arts display. The dances brought me back to my childhood because, as an Army brat, I grew up dancing and performing every May for post events like this. I can't wait for my little bug to learn dancing. If she's got daddy's moves, I might just have a star on my hands :) Days like this also make me miss the islands so badly! I wanna go back soon!

The observance was actually featured on the local news. Check out this link: http://www.ktsm.com/news/fort-bliss-celebrates-asian-pacific-heritage

3. Malu called me just before I left work today (and early, I might add! well, early for me!) and we were able to talk for almost an hour. He had been "on missions" all week and it had been days. I love hearing his voice and how patient he is as he listens to me whine (mostly) about the pregnancy and work. He always asks what he can do to make things better and of course, I just want him to come home. Two more months! And it's funny. He asked me if I've forgotten what he looks like since it's been so long. Is this guy kidding? I have his pictures everywhere. And every other post on this blog has his picture on it. Oh, what the heck. I'll post one here too. How could I forget this guy?

And Lucy? Well, she just HATES the camera. The flash freaks her out...reminds her of lightning--and she HATES that too.

4. Joining in on the Apron and Tea Towel Swap over at Kimberly's Korner. I recently participated in her Flip Flop Swap and that was just so much fun, I had to do this one too. You guys should too. Head on over to her blog and find out what you need to do!

5. And, of course, finishing up our 28th week yesterday! Yup, one week into the 3rd trimester and all is well. No baby bump pic, but I'll try to post one soon!

Happy Thursday everyone! Woo hooo! Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!