Ghetto

I've been looking for some kind of crafty project to get started on.  Something for the house.  At the same time, I've been looking for a desk for Malu.  We have an armoire-type desk already, but he doesn't like it. It's more my style.  He wants something simple, no drawers or file cabinets necessary, and something that gives him a lot of leg space.  Well, yesterday I saw the perfect table outside our thrift store.  It looked like this:

It was actually a small dining table that was the perfect size for a desk.  I really wanted it.  The thing was, at the time, the thrift store was closed.  The table was sitting outside the store with all the other donated items.  Most of the time that I see stuff I want outside the store, the store is always closed.  And I make it a point to get there the next day right when it opens, even if it's during work, to see if I can buy it.  But every time I do this, someone's already taken the piece I want sometime during the day or overnight.  And that's what happened to me again today.  I was ticked off.  I mean, I already made up my mind to paint that sucker red and to find coordinating accessories as well as a nice chair to go with it.  Fan-freakin'-tastic.

This is just straigt GHETTO with a capital "G".  There is a sign in the donation area that says that taking from that area constitutes theft because once it's left there, it's considered thrift store property.  I always respect that no matter how many items catch my eye (and let me tell you, this thrift store really gets good stuff!) because sheesh, stealing is a crime (I'd rather die than sacrifice my career over used goods) and it's just common decency people!

So there went both the desk I wanted for Malu and as well my crafty project.  The upside is that there is a huge flea market on post this weekend (and I've signed up for a booth!), so maybe I can find something there.  And, once I got over the table being taken outside the store and from me, I thought that maybe a family that truly needed a dining room table got it and are putting it to good use.  I hope that is truly the case.

In other news, this week is really flying by and I'm so thankful for it.  There's tons going on, and I'm not talking just at work...

• Malu is busy with school and his new unit in addition to being a super dad to Sina!  He's acing all of his classes and instantly became an asset to his unit over the weekend.  He even aced his PT test (he always does that anyway).  Sina and I are so proud!
• We have to get our stuff ready to sell for this weekend's flea market. 
• Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend and we'll be spending it with friends in Normandy!
• We have to pack for that trip. 
• His unit's dining out is on 4 June.  He has to get some dress blues.  It'll be our first one together.  I get to wear a dress!  
• I need to find a dress.  And stat.
• The Stuttgart Army Ball is on 11 June.  I have to fix my dress blues.
• We have to find babysitters for both events.  If not, we can't go!
• We still have some cleaning and organizing to do in the house.
• Sina's birthday is coming up in August.  Trying to figure out what to do with that.
• I have to find tickets for my parents to fly out for Sina's birthday.
• We have to get our dog, Lucy out here too.

AND...

In the midst of this chaos, Sina took 1.5 steps unassisted last night.  When she did, she looked up at Malu and I, smiled that big, gummy, adorable smile of hers and clapped vigorously.  She knew she did something fantastic!  We're so proud of her.  We almost have a walker on our hands!

And that's it for now you guys!  Until next time...Happy Wednesday...and ciao!



Ten on Thursday

I used to make Ten on Tuesday posts all the time, but somehow lost all motivation to do them consistently on Tuesdays.  Since it's Thursday and I'm actually in a blogging kind of mood, I figured I'd go ahead and do my "ten".

{One} We have a training holiday tomorrow and I'm so thankful for it! 

{Two} Thinking about the training holiday all week messed me up this morning and got my day off to a rocky start.  I didn't hear my alarm go off this morning, or maybe it didn't go off at all, but I was in la-la dreamland this morning when I woke to complete daylight, sunshine, birds chirping and Sina going goo-goo ga-ga from her bedroom.  All of a sudden, I sat up, looked at the clock and saw that it was 0740.  I tapped on my husband and asked him what day it was.  "Thursday," he says.  Holy crap!!!  I usually report to work by 0645.  Yikes.  I only had time to brush my teeth and throw my uniform on.  Bolted out the door with my hair a mess.  Lucky for me, the boss was out of the office all day today and heading out of the country on leave.  He probably only knows about this happening from reading my Facebook status.  Please don't ask me why I accepted my boss as a "friend" on Facebook either :)  He really is a nice guy.

{Three} Sina turned 8 months yesterday. I can't believe it!  I'll be posting about it tomorrow.  She'll be a year old soon, which I can't believe either.  We're still trying to decide if we're going to head to the States on leave (in August) to celebrate her big day with our families or stay here in Germany and do something small.  On one hand, my folks really want to do this party big (although my family never really does anything small--Filipinos for you).  Shoot, I want to do this one big just because it's her first birthday.  But is it worth going all that way for the sake of a birthday party?  She's already been to and from the states twice over the last three months and it took her a little bit to get over the jet lag and back into a routine again this last time (which was just two weeks ago).  What do you guys think?

{Four} Nicole at Flip Flops and Combat Boots is hosting a Spring Swap this month.  I've been paired up with Jackie at In the Life of the Lefevres and I've got my package all ready to go!  I'd tell you guys what I got for her, but it would totally ruin the surprise for her.  I'll let you guys know once I get her package in the mail.  I LOVE blog swaps!

{Five} I hope Congress resolves this government shutdown issue...and quick.  If the shutdown occurs and is long-term, troop pay can be affected.  Our family is lucky to have enough to get by if the shutdown is long-term, but not all military families can say the same thing.  I worry for them.  I worry about how our office here will operate without our government civilians.  I'd say about, if not, over half of our directorate (as well as the entire Command) is civilian! Straight up...it'd be a freakin' mess!

{Six} We're thinking about going to the Wilhema Zoo in Stuttgart this weekend, if the weather is nice (today had to be in the 80s; it was gorgeous).  We've heard such wonderful things about this place, which is said to be a botanical garden, zoo and aquarium in one.  I definitely want to see it.  And I know Sina would love it too!

{Seven} It frustrates me that after living in this house almost two months we still don't have everything put together.  We can't repair a part of our sectional that broke during the move until the claims folks back in the states approve our application, paperwork, or whatever.  So we're stuck with a partly-broken sectional until then.  We still need curtains in all rooms, Sina's clothes are still all over the place, and the guest room is far from done (we need a bed for it too).  I can't expect Malu to get it all done by himself either.  Sina keeps him tied up all day and when she's sleeping, he has to do his schoolwork.  And when I am off, I just want to relax....all day long.  So lazy!

{Eight} Although I love being in Europe, I'm too much a homebody and miss the states.  I miss my family and being able to fly or drive a few hours to see them. I miss our close friends.  Not that we haven't met cool people here yet, we just haven't established our "crew" of people that we're supposed to hang out with on a regular basis, like the group we had in El Paso.  I can see how people love extending their stays here in Europe, but I don't think that's in the stars for us.  Not to mention, I'm totally missing American restaurants.  What I'd give to have some chicken lettuce wraps from P.F. Chang's.  Yum!

{Nine} Speaking of missing stuff back in the states, we miss our Lucy girl.  We finally had a chance to get a power of attorney (our legal office is at another post in town) so that my parents can take Lucy to the vet and get all the paperwork done to bring her to Germany.  If you're reading this for the first time, Lucy is our 8 year old Shepherd mix who had to stay behind with my parents because it was too cold to fly her on the day we departed Colorado to come here.  I know she misses us too and is wondering where we went and whether or not she's going to see us anytime soon.  Pretty soon baby girl!

{Ten} God, help me, we're filing our taxes on line this weekend even if it kills me.  We just keep putting it off for no good reason other than we feel like we haven't had the time.  Now we're running out of time!  I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it!

Whew!  That took a while.  Thanks for sticking with me through it you guys!  Enjoy your Friday.  I know I will be!

Blog Award!

I am so behind on this....about a week ago, Em from Life to Bragg About gave me this Stylish Blogger Award.  I'd recently stumbled upon her blog and I can't remember how.  Just a few things about her:

She's an Army wife--hooah!

She's stationed at Fort Bragg--as I was years ago.

She's gorgeous and extremely fit--so jealous!

She is a fabulous (and healthy) cook!

And she's going to have a baby--how exciting!

So Em, thanks so much for this award!  I'll definitely keep following along on your blog!  As with most blog awards, the Stylish Blogger Award has a few conditions:

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.

Done.  See above.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

     1) I'm stealing this one from Em--No one can ever find my veins.  When I was in college, I was denied at the blood donation place because my veins were too small.  In fact, when the medics were trying to confirm that I was pregnant (during my deployment to Iraq--see story here), it took eight of them to draw my blood.  And after every blood draw, I always end up with a massive bruise .  It sucks.

     2) I miss school and would love to go back after I'm done with the Army.  I have an MBA, but would love to pursue either a degree in accounting (become a CPA) or in nursing.  I also secretly (well not anymore, cat's out of the bag now) want to go to culinary school.  Just for fun.

     3)  I want to have another daughter.  A boy would be nice too, but Sina has been so much fun, I can't help but want another girl.  The downside is having to fork the bill for two weddings, but still, they're fun.  And if we do have a girl, I'm thinking that I might name her "Sue Ella"--Malu says the name sounds too Southern Belle-ish.  But I like the name for two reasons--one, suela (pronounced "Sue Ella"), in Samoan, means Jewel.  This would be in honor of Malu's Aunt Jewel who recently passed away.  Second, growing up, my dad always called me "Ella" (for the "elle" part in Michelle) and it always made me feel special.  And Sue Ella would be whole first name, so I'd have to find a good middle name.  And who knows, all this could change as time passes.  And now that I keep repeating the name in my head, maybe it does sound a little too old fashioned.  Maybe "Ella" would do fine.

     4) I'm obsessed with caprese salad these days--tomatoes, mozarella, fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Delicious!

     5) For someone who used to jump out of planes, I'm terrified of flying now.  Is it me, or are flights these days just a little too turbulent?  It freaks me out. 

     6) I'm going on a trip to Strasbourg, France tomorrow.  Yay!

     7) I still really want to learn to use a sewing machine.  I think that I could make some really good stuff if I only knew how--stuff that I could sell!

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

    I haven't really been browsing any new blogs lately, but I'll tag just a few:

     Crispin Chronicles

     Army of Two

     The Patriotic Peacock

4. Contact these Bloggers and tell them about the award! 

     I'll be doing this soon!

Well, I'm off to start my day.  There's a huge Spring Bazaar going on today and I can't wait to go.  I hear they have some Polish Pottery---here I come!

Seven on Sunday!

Working late nights and blogging just don't mix.  That's why I've been making weekly posts these days.  I can never seem to find the time (or the energy) during the week to do it.  Anyway, I figured that I'd just quickly list a few things to sum up this past week.

One.  It was busy.  My boss was actually back in Stuttgart for the week (after being gone for about two weeks for TDY), which means complete and utter chaos and, again, just late nights for all.  It's really not that bad though.  I never leave the place every night feeling stressed (because everyone's cool and the job really is, to me, pretty enjoyable)--just super tired.  I'm there at 6:45 a.m. and then leave twelve or so (or more) hours later.   So when I get home, I'm just completely drained--physically and mentally.  I mean, my mind runs a million mph all day long.  That's a lot of energy burned!  Then, when I get home, it's just about time to get Sina bathed and into bed--not nearly as much time as I would like to spend with her. Sometimes it makes me sad.

Two.  My daddy turned 59 on March 1st!  Love you dad :)

Three.  It's Mardi Gras season in many parts of Europe.  In Germany, they call it Carnival or Fasching.  A few weeks, my NCO told me that she thought we should have a Mardi Gras luncheon, so I told her to put one together.  I mean, what a great idea, right?  So we had one on Thursday and we had such a good turnout, great dishes, and even decorations!  I took a stab at making king cake.  I knew nothing about king cake before making it and I usually shy away from recipes that require me to make my own dough.  Surprisingly, and even though I'd overdone the bottom of each cake a little, people loved it.  It even looks cool, what, with all that colored sugar on it (which I made by myself, by the way!).

Oh, and am I the only person that didn't know that purple, green and gold are signature Mardi Gras colors?  When I first saw the recipe (my NCO found it for me), I told my office I wanted to choose nicer colors for it (like red) and I was told that I couldn't.  Also, it's tradition for a small baby figurine or a little trinket to be placed inside.  Whomever finds it is usually "crowned" king for the day or is blessed.  I stuck an angel ornament in mine.  I'll be posting a recipe on my cooking blog soon.

Three.  A few weeks ago, I won a giveaway (which never happens!) on Jamie's blog, Stuck in a World of Blue & Camo.  Jamie and her family are currently stationed in Japan and she sent me a Japanese tea (or maybe saki) set, a fan, chopsticks, and a pretty set of hair clips.  I love it!  Thanks Jamie! 

Four.  I wanted to go to a fasching parade in Weil der Stadt, which is about a 38-mile drive from our place.  It was a good thing I checked the town's website online before we left on Saturday morning.  It said the parade was on Sunday.  I was bummed, because it was such a beautiful day yesterday--sunshine!  The first day like it in a while!  Instead, we decided to venture out the Patch Barracks gate into town.  We had no idea that there is a nice mall about 1.25 miles from our house!  When we got there, we ran into a friend of ours who told us that she and her husband usually walk there every Saturday morning for breakfast with their dogs (because you can bring your dogs in), do some shopping, and walk back home.  And, in the spring there's a farmer's market in that plaza.  So cool!  Looks like that will become a weekend thing for us too!

Malu always asks me why I get so excited in these German malls; because it's not like we don't have malls in America.  Yes, we do have malls, but these are slightly different and it's always fun to compare (I think it's a girl thing, really).  The mall we went to has two grocery stores in it. They have these cool escalators that allow you to go on with your shopping cart.  Tell me these aren't differences that can't be embraced?  And...this particular mall has a cafe/gelato place that sells cones for 1 euro. Yum!

When we got home, we took a long nap.  I mean, walking can be exhausting!  We spent the evening catching up on The Tudors.

Five.  We were going to attempt to go to the fasching parade today, but it was a little cold out today and Sina's got the sniffles again.  We didn't want to take her out and we always have next year--or the year after that.  So we pretty much stayed in all day, watching movies and binging on Ben & Jerry's Phish Food.  My idea of a great rest day :)

Six.  We're dog-sitting again for our friends' two Shelties.  Two boys--Griffey and McCoy.  They're the cutest!  I'll try to get some pics of them later.

Seven.  Sina is officially 7 months old today! 

I know...I can't believe it either.  I'll be making her 7 month update soon.  This is a picture of her helping her daddy unpack earlier this week.  And no....we're still not done unpacking!  One of these days I'm going to show you guys what our place looks like, completely furnished.  But at this rate, it won't be for another month!

Anyway, I'm signing off for now.  It took forever to make this post--our internet connection has been horrible tonight!  Have a great week everyone!

99 Things

I got this idea from Jes' blog, Bleu Dress and Dress Blues.  I thought it would be fun to do this and update it from time to time.  I'd like to add more pictures to it too...I can't seem to find pics of my trip to Europe a few years back.  And there's a lot of stuff on this list about Europe!  All the stuff in bold are the things I've done.

1. Started your own blog -- um....this blog.  I also have a cooking blog in case you guys haven't seen it yet.

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii -- I have a lot of family (on my mom's side) that still live there.  We were stationed there years ago too and visit from time to time.  LOVE Hawaii!

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity -- back when I was in college, it was tough for me to give to charity.  But I still did it!

7. Been to Disney World -- I've been there twice, but the last time I went was in the mid-1990s.  We'll be going again when Baby V is old enough!  I've also been to Disneyland!  My husband hasn't been to either.

8. Climbed a mountain 

 9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo -- I used to sing in a choir at church in Colorado. I did a few solos there.

12. Visited Paris -- My best friend, Chrissy, and I did a tour through Europe for R&R in 2005.  It was awesome!  And now that we're moving to Germany, I'll be able to go again!

13. Watched a lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch -- I used to draw pretty well and was in a few art shows in elementary/middle/high school.  I also learned how to cross stitch. 

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty -- we were stationed at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1980s...so we got to see everything in New York City!

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train -- while on R&R in Europe, Chrissy and I used the Eurail to go through Germany to France and Italy.  We slept overnight a few times.  It was really cool!  When I was younger, my family and I rode the Amtrak train from New York to Florida to go to Disney World.

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill -- no comment :)

24. Built a snow fort -- we were stationed at Fort Drum, NY in the 1990s, where it snows until June.  We built snow forts all the time!

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice -- see #12.  It's cool, but man, it's expensive to ride a gondola in Venice. 

29. Seen a total eclipse -- my mom, brother, sister and I lived in Hawaii one of the times that my dad was stationed in Korea.  I can't remember what year it was, but an eclipse happened on my birthday.  I think it was my 11th birthday...so that would have been in 1989.

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person -- when we were stationed at Fort Drum, NY, we used to take family visitors there.  I think we went there about 5 or 6 times.  We got so sick of going.  Now I want to go back!

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors -- my first time visiting American Samoa and (Western) Samoa in 1996 with Malu.  That's where my dad is from.

This was my first time visiting Samoa and the first time I met my grandma.  I'd met my grandpa years before in Hawaii.

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person -- again, see #12. 

39. Gone rock climbing -- does indoor rock climbing count?

40. Visited the Alps

41. Sung karaoke -- name one Filipino you know that doesn't own a karaoke? Ha ha.

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance -- I rode with a friend who had to be taken to a hospital.  This was when I was in college.

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. I have no idea where 49 went

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris -- okay, yeah...see #12.  We only spent a day in Paris and got to go up the tower.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater -- the first movie I watched in a drive-in was Ghost, in Hawaii.

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business -- my husband and I got into multi-level marketing (just to give it a shot) a long while back.  We started a travel business.  Yeah...that didn't last long at all.

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check -- oh, college days!

68. Flown in a helicopter

I was assigned to an aviation unit for most of the time I was stationed at Fort Bragg.  I deployed with the unit too, so I was on helicopters a lot.  This was taken on the flight line in Balad, Iraq in 2005.

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

I bought the Jeep Commander a week before Malu came home for R&R last year and surprised him with it when I picked him up at the airport.  One of the most spontaneous things I've ever done.  Don't get me wrong, this truck is great.  But let's just say that I won't be making this big a purchase again without letting Malu know about it first!

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper -- this happened a few times when I was in high school...for sports.  But my senior year in high school, I was featured in the local paper and unfortunately made a really ignorant comment about working at fast food restaurants.  Not a moment I was proud of.

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous -- I've met a lot of famous people, actually.  When I was deployed, I was in charge of protocol for my unit, so I had to "escort" a few VIPs around.  Some congressmen, Wolf Blitzer, a few Army generals, Dean Cain, Vince Vaughn...off the top of my head.  I've met a few others too.

92. Joined a book club

93. Got a tattoo -- got one in Germany while on R&R.

94. Had a baby -- yup, had one of those!

Sure did...I still can't believe that I did it.  And she's growing so fast!

95. Seen the Alamo in person -- yup, been there, done that!

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone -- who hasn't?

99. Been stung by a bee

I know I've done over half the stuff on this list!  Pretty cool!

Ten on Tuesday

Welcome to another edition of my Tuesday Ten!  Just a set of ten random things that are going on in our crazy lives--in case this is your first time reading my blog.

One.  This week, my hubby and I are starting a workout plan that'll help me lose the weight I gained during my pregnancy (about 20 pounds) and get me back in shape so that I at least get to the point where I can do PT without feeling like I have to keel over, as well as start to look and feel good and healthy.  I'm already fitting into a lot of my pre-pregnancy clothing, but my body has lost its firmness and has been left with lots of pudge!  Part of the plan includes implementing a healthier diet.  I am NOT excited about the plan.  I mean, for someone whose been indulging in whole jars of nutella with, well, just about anything (fruits, pretzels, bagels) for I don't know how long...it kinda sucks.  And last night's workout...let's just say I'm in pain today.  And my husband really took it easy on me.

Two.  Speaking of last night, I made a delicious pasta dish that was in this month's issue of Rachel Ray's magazine.  It's a Ribbon Pasta with Tomato, Dill and Ricotta.  I know, I know, pasta has a lot of calories.  For the record, the cherry tomatoes and dill sauce made the dish seem very light.  Could have left out the ricotta cheese...but hey, it's in the recipe, and it really pulled the dish together.  I posted the recipe on my cooking blog.  And speaking of the cooking blog...I gave it a new look the other day.  You guys should head on over there to check it out!

Three.  While I'm on this cooking topic, I should let you guys know that I joined a new online cooking group (thanks to my friend, Angie).  It's called French Fridays with Dorie.  The group is going to cook through Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook, Around My French Table and post about the recipes every Friday.  Almost two years ago (when I was in grad school), I was apart of the baking group called Tuesdays with Dorie and we did the same thing, only through Dorie's baking cookbook.  I did it for a few months, but then had to quit because I had no time to bake when I moved to El Paso.  I actually got the cookbook in the mail today and am excited to look through it.  Some of Dorie's recipes can be intimidating at first glance, so I'm going to use this time in the group to learn tons of new techniques!

Four.  This morning, we woke up to a very happy baby.  And that's always something to be happy about!  It doesn't matter what time it is when she wakes up, as long as she's in this mood, I'm thrilled.  And Baby V is like this a lot in the mornings...until she is out of her sleepy stupor and realizes that she's hungry.  I like to use that time to talk to and play with her, and to teach her new things--even though she may not understand quite yet.  But she always makes me laugh with her cute smile.  I was able to capture a few pics this morning.  This one is my favorite.  Are you as amazed as I am at how much she's grown?  Look at all her hair.  I mean, ALL of her hair.  She got it from her mommy for sure.  And we called it...we always knew that our baby was going to come out looking like Ewoks since both the hubby and I are pretty hairy!

Five.  Even better...Baby V is currently napping with her daddy in her nursery...on the rocking chair.  Seeing that never gets old to me.  It's my joy!

Six.  The La Vina Winery is having it's fall festival this weekend and we are sooooo there.  I've been to all of them since I've moved here (the winery is about a 30 minute drive from where we live) and the last one I went to, I was pregnant.  It wasn't as much fun.  And this is the first time that my hubby will be with me when I go.  Can't wait.

Seven.  I'm so happy I got a glimpse of some fall weather this morning.  It was actually in the mid-60s for a change.  I'm totally a cold-weather baby, so these extended El Paso summers (where it's 90+ degrees during the day) are so not cool.  It's so bad that I don't even feel like putting up fall decorations (and don't think I will since we'll be moving soon).  Right now, it's hot out, but it was nice to feel it for a while and to have somewhat of a nice breeze when we went for our walk this morning.

Eight.  Next weekend, we'll be going to Utah to visit Malu's grandparents and aunt and uncle.  It'll be Baby V's first trip out there.  It's about a 14-hour drive that we're both dreading.  But they really want to see the baby and it'll be fun once we get there.

Nine.  I got Baby V's newborn photos weeks ago and I still haven't shown them to you guys yet.  I'll do that tomorrow.  They're so cute.

Ten.  I probably should have done Five on Tuesday...it took me forever to get to ten!  Happy Tuesday everyone!

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!

Getting to Know You...on Saturday!

Well, Keely at http://www.mannland.com/ pushed GTKY to today so that we could have a break on Mother's Day. What a great idea. Most people will be busy anyway. And you guys know what to do if you want to participate!

Copy, paste and answer these questions into your own blog post and go to Keely's to get linked!

1. What has been your most memorable Mother's Day? (with your mom, as a mom, or with your wife)? I'm sad to admit that I don't remember any specific Mother's Day with my mommy, although I do remember a time or two when my brother, sister and I made her breakfast on our own when we were old enough to do it. I've been away from home for so long, that I only remember sending cards and flowers. I bet next Mother's Day will be memorable though, seeing how it'll be my first. Oh, and thanks to my friend Laura at work...she left a gift of Burt's Bees lotions, lip gloss, and an amazing leg and foot creme that makes you tingle all over. She gave me a card that said, "Happy Mother's Day! It's your first and only one where you get to sleep in! Enjoy!" She's so awesome!

2. Have you ever been pulled over for speeding and were you able to talk your way out of it? Yes and I can't talk my way out of a ticket to save my life. My husband, on the other hand, has gotten out of every ticket he has been pulled over for. I don't know how he does it.

3. What's the oldest thing you have hanging in your closet? Not sure, but I know that I have a few shirts that date way back to college.

4. Do you whiten your teeth? No, although I've been told I have the whitest teeth ever. But I do use a toothpaste that happens to have a whitening agent.

5. Underwear or Panties..What do you call your "unmentionables"? I say "underwear".

6. If you could go on vacation right now..today..where would you go? Disney World or any place with a beach!

7. Do you get offended when people cuss on their blogs? Not really. Don't see any blogs with much cussing.

8. If you had to give up one luxury item, it would be....? OMG...I'd never give up my cell phone or this computer. So I'll go with the flat screen TV in my livingroom!

I had planned to do some cleaning but I. just. don't. feel. like. it. Oh, I'm so bad. Happy Saturday everyone!

Getting to Know You Sunday!

Argh...it's Sunday, which means I have to be back at work tomorrow. Getting to Know You Sunday, however, is one of the best things about my Sundays. Hosted by Keely over at http://www.mannland5.com/, she came up with the cutest, funniest questions for today. If you want to participate, head on over to her blog to get linked!

It looks like it's going to be a gorgeous day out. I don't hear any winds blowing like crazy from inside our house, so that is a good sign. All of my friends are going to the Blues and Jazz Wine Festival in town today and I'm thinking about going. It just sucks that I can't drink any wine...but on the upside, the food they serve is the bomb! They even have funnel cakes. Need I say more? But Lucy and I are going to make a final decision about going to the wine festival while we go on a walk and to a bagel shop that a friend told me about this week. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about my usual cup of coffee (decaf)!

So on to the questions:

1. If you could star in any movie genre..what would it be..romance..horror..comedy..suspense or action? I'd love to be in a chick flick---romance movie. Better yet, make it romantic comedy. Those are my favorite kinds of movies. And I'd demand that my co-stars would be either Mr. McDreamy or Rob Pattinson or Bradley Cooper.

2. Do you recycle? I have recycling bins, but I don't recycle as much as I should.

3. Have you ever been to a strip club? I'm ashamed to admit this, but yes. I went out of curiosity and I don't ever want to go back. Ever.

4. Do you have a nickname? I have a few. My dad has called me Ella since I was little. Malu has called me Chellebelle from the start.

5. What's a name you can't stand to be called? It's funny, Keely said that she hates being called Ma'am. I also can't stand being called that, but I've been called that ever since I got commissioned into the Army. All the enlisted folks have to call me that and to date, it still makes me feel like an old lady. But it is a respect thing. I respect it.

6. What are your Summer staples? If we're talking foods--fruits, salads and Cherry Limeades from Sonic. If we're talking clothes.....dresses and flip flops!

7. What was the last thing you bought for yourself? maternity capris and a wallet from Target.

8. Are you happy with your boob size? Yes. Not too big or small. And Malu, he's funny, always says that a handful is enough ;)

Happy Sunday you guys! And have a great week!

Getting to Know You Sunday & More

And what a great Sunday this has been . Heck, the whole weekend has been wonderful! Chrissy and I have been joking around about how she's been earning her keep since she arrived on Friday. Not only did she help me unpack the rest of the boxes I had left to go through...the nursery is ready for me to work on. And of course she got me about halfway through that by putting together the crib and diaper table and organizing all of the baby shower gifts. To say that I am thankful is an understatement. I honestly don't want her to go home. But my friend, Joy, showed up last night to help Chrissy unload a lot of the boxes--so she gets a lot of credit too. What did I do? Hmmm...I like to say that I directed the entire process. Yeah, I did, while most of the time, nibbling on a variety of yummy snacks--like the pan of rice crispies treats I made last night.

Before I roll into this Sunday's questions...I'd like to share some photos of how the house has progressed to today. Because I couldn't unpack all of the house by myself (most of the boxes were too heavy for me to move), I had to wait on people to come to visit from out-of-state to help me out. Like my parents....and now Chrissy, with help from Joy. Here is what the baby's room looked like before:

complete chaos

Chrissy and Joy unloading the crib from the car

Now the room is clean enough to fit the new crib!

I am so happy! And that's not all that's been great about this Sunday! Remember my IHOP story from last weekend? Well, my friends Melissa and Maddie called last night to invite Chrissy, Joy and I to breakfast at IHOP for this morning. Of course, I quickly agreed. At the time, we had 12 people going, and she said, "see? now you have 1 + 11 people to go with you!" I love her. We had 10 people...and it was fabulous. Sooooooo thankful for great friends!

Finally....on to the questions:

1. Mens chests..hairy or hairless? I like a little hair and Malu has just that.

2. How often do you run red lights? Not too often, to be honest. If I do, it's only because I hesitated to stop at a yellow light only too make a last minute decision to keep going.

3. If you could raid any celebrity's closet..whose would you raid? I'm watching a movie with Hillary Duff in it right now and I love everything she's wearing. Would love to raid hers. I also wouldn't mind raiding Jennifer Aniston's closet either.

4. Would you rather have more followers/friends on Facebook, Twitter, or your Blog? I would love to have as many followers/friends on my blog as I have on Facebook. I've promised to do a giveaway when I hit 75!

5. What makes you feel sexy? When my hubby tells me that I am that, or beautiful, which he does often. I do feel sexy after a good day at the spa!

6. I get excited when...........? My hubby calls; when I get home to my Lucy girl; I leave work, especially after a long day; these days, when my baby kicks me and I can see my tummy move; I think about my move to Germany (I also get nervous about it); when I shop at World Market or Target. There are tons more, but this is what comes to mind at the moment.

7. Are you the "outdoorsy" type or more "indoorsy"? I am a little bit of both. While I spend a majority of my time indoors, I love getting outside and getting my hands dirty during a fun camping trip or going fishing, especially when it's with Malu. Gosh, can you guys tell I'm missing Malu a lot right now?

8. Would you rather have your dream home or a million dollars? I'll take the cash any day! I could find my dream home for a lot less than a million dollars and do something great with the rest of the money after buying it.

Well, happy Sunday everyone! Thanks for sticking with me through this long post and have a fantastic week!

Ultimate Blog Party 2010

I am obviously joining the blog party at the last minute...and from work no less. I'm so bad. But everything you want to know about me is showcased in my many posts. Take a look at a few. Heck, take a look at them all if you want, or have the time.

However, since I am supposed to tell you a little bit about me, let me sum it up here in a few bullets:

• The name's Michelle Ioapo A'etonu and I am an Army brat born to a Samoan father and a Filipino mother. They both reside in Colorado (Colorado Springs) where I finished my last year of high school and did all my college.
• I am married to the handsome Vaimalu A'etonu of Pago Pago, American Samoa. He is in the Army and currently deployed. I can't wait until he returns!
• I am also in the Army and am a Human Resources Officer stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas.
• I am currently 6 months pregnant with our first child--a girl--coming this July.
• We have a 7-year old furbaby, Lucy.

And that's about it! I know I'm way late, but I hope people take some time to check me out! For more details about the Blog Party, visit 5minutesformom.com. It's such a great blog!

Getting to Know You Sunday!

Woo hoo! It is a beautiful, sunny Sunday here in El Paso. I decided to come in and take a break to do this post after getting the car washed and a little something to eat. I had a mishap with the car, but I don't want to talk about that right now. As I mentioned in my "catch up" post last night...it's so nice to be blogging again. I was having computer problems last week and couldn't get a picture on my monitor. Then on Friday night, the monitor just happened to magically start working again. I'm sure that's a sign to start looking for a new computer. After all, this computer is almost four years old and in computer years...this laptop is ancient. Anyway, here are the questions. Go on over to http://www.mannland5.com/ to get linked!

1. What color do you wear the most? Oh gosh, when I'm not in my Army uniform...that nasty, drab, digital green...I'm usually in brown because it goes with just about anything.

2. Would you rather have $10,000 dollars or a dream vacation? I'll take the cash. I could do so much more with it and perhaps invest it and make a return on it.

3. Do you have a weird, quirky or unusual habit? I don't think this is weird...but I do grind my teeth. I have to wear a mouth guard at night. My hubby grinds his teeth too. Sometimes, so loudly it wakes me up at night. I ask him if it hurts and he asks, "I grind my teeth?" Yes, honey. You do.

4. I really need to start..........? Holy cow! I need to start working on the nursery! My friend Chrissy is coming to help me next weekend!

5. What was the first blog you ever read? Melissa's blog, Together We Have It All. She's an old friend from high school and has an awesome blog. She also has a cooking blog that is fabulous.

6. Do you collect anything? I collect the city mugs from Starbucks. Some that I have are from: Seattle, Beijing, Kuwait (the hubby sent me that one from his last deployment), Hawaii, San Antonio, Philadelphia, etc. They are extra large mugs and are perfect for when we have company, especially in the winter when everyone wants a good cup of hot cocoa. Would you believe that I've gone to almost every Starbucks in El Paso to find a mug only to discover just last week from one of the store managers that El Paso is not a big enough city to have its own mug. That's ludicrous! Obviously the Starbucks execs haven't visited this city at all. This place is crowded as hell!

7. How old were you when you had your first kiss? It was in 9th grade, so I was 13. I hope my mom is not reading this. After all, I was her perfect little angel back then...ha ha.

8. Do you text/twitter while driving? I'm guilty of texting while driving. I'm trying to stop now that El Paso has a new city ordinance that prohibits talking or texting on the phone while driving. Big time ticket if you're caught!

Wow! That was fun! Happy Sunday all! If you haven't seen my baby shower video, I posted it to this blog last night, so check it out! As for me, I'm going to head on over to Ross to look for some shorts and capris. I'd been walking around the town for the first part of the morning in unbuttoned shorts because it's hot and the ones I have don't fit me anymore. Funny!

Getting to Know You Sunday!

Happy Easter to all! I hope that you're all enjoying this day with your families. I know that I am. This day is always so special to me and allows me to reflect on all the blessings that God has bestowed upon my family and I. I am so thankful for the love of family and friends, that He has allowed Malu and I to take the next "big step" on our journey through marriage with the coming of our first child, and for blessing us with wonderful careers and a home. And the only reason we are allowed this is through the salvation that we were granted through the death of our Lord and Savior whose resurrection we remember today. Thank you Lord for soooooo much!

Anyway, it's another edition of Getting to Know You Sunday. You guys should know the deal by now. Cut, paste, and answer these questions on your blog and head on over to http://www.mannland5.com/ to link up!

1. Showers or baths? I like showers. Fast and easy!
2. Do you have any crazy urges? Just eating a lot more this week than in previous weeks. Bring on MORE sweets!
3. What is one thing we don't know about you? Not everyone knows that I was a valedictorian in high school.
4. Exercise..love it or hate it? I wouldn't say I love it, but I don't hate it either. I do it because the Army makes me do it.
5. Do you think you have a good body image? I think so. I wouldn't mind changing a few things, but I think I'm satisfied overall with my bod.
6. Flour or corn tortillas? I prefer flour tortillas. My friend, Jennifer, makes them at home. Yum-O!
7. How do you celebrate Easter? I'm almost always with family. We always go to church and usually either go to someone else's house to eat, or have a party at my mom's. We're actually heading out to a party right now.
8. Hard boiled Easter eggs or plastic eggs? I honestly grew up hunting for the hard boiled eggs. Plus, all the Easter excitement comes from dyeing your own eggs! It's more fun.

Auntie Daisy and I head back to El Paso tomorrow and I'm NOT looking forward to the drive. You should see the car. We could barely fit the baby shower gifts into it and tomorrow morning, we'll have to figure out how to get Lucy and our luggage in there. I'll post about the baby shower soon.

Getting to Know You Sunday!

It is a gorgeous Sunday morning here in El Paso! It's sunny and....there's no wind! We had a huge sand storm the other day, yesterday was nice but and still kind of windy. Today? Nothing, just warmth and clear skies. Lucy and I just came back from an invigorating walk around the neighborhood. Now, it's time for you to get to know more about me. If you want to participate, head on over to http://www.mannland5.com/ and get linked!

1. Why did you start blogging? My friend, Melissa, introduced me to blogging about two years ago. I was in grad school at the time, and loved her blog so much that I thought I'd start one. After all, I do have lots of stories to tell from time to time. I started out with just a cooking/baking blog, but then decided to do another one. Speaking of the cooking/baking blog...I need to get back into it. I've been slacking!

2. Who's the one blog friend that you want to meet in "real" life? Oh, I would LOVE to meet Sabrina at Superfluous and Tori at Tori and Chad. They've become really cool bloggy friends. I am happy to say that I will be meeting Jessica of Learning As We Go. Her husband will be stationed here in May. She's also expecting her first child, so it'll be fun to share my preggo adventures with her.

3. Why are you always concerned with losing those "extra 10 pounds" when chances are your husband/boyfriend/friends tell you you're fine the way you are? I've never really been that concerned about my weight. I'll make comments about losing weight, but it's not high on my priority list. Malu tells me I'm fine the way I am; he just wants me to stay in shape by working out and by eating well--and just be healthy. I guess if I was really concerned about losing weight so much, I'd do it for me and not anyone else.

4. What's the one thing you wish guys would understand about you? Not really concerned about other guys, but Malu...he understands me pretty well.

5. Tattoos. How many do you have and how many are visible when you wear your "everyday" clothes? I have one tattoo of a plumeria (Hawaiian flower) on my leg (more like my quad) and it's visible when I wear shorts (which I don't do often. I prefer capris.).

6. What was the best year of your life and why? I'd have to say 2007-2008 was the best. The Army sent me to grad school in Colorado, where Malu and I were able to spend our first full year of marriage together. We lived just down the street from my parents in our first new home. Even though Malu is gone right now, I must say that 2010 is a pretty cool year. We're expecting our first baby and I made the list to get promoted to Major sometime this year.

July 2008--Our First Home

7. Name three things you would do if you were a man for the day. Hmm...I'd burp aloud in public and not think anything of it? I'd put up all the curtains and hang up all the heavy picture frames in this house (I usually am self-sufficient, but Malu usually does these things for me) and I'd take the trash out (Malu usually does this when he's here, but it's all me these days!).

8. What's your alcoholic drink of choice that usually raises a few eyebrows? I'd have to say Long Island Ice Teas. I love them.

Happy Sunday everyone! Now it's your turn...give it a try!