Blog Title

I've decided to change my Blog Title. I just want something shorter to be honest. But I'm far from creative. So I need some help. What ideas do you guys have?? I don't want something Military. I respect and LOVE all ya'lls cute Military titles, but we won't be Military forever and while it's a huge part of my life, it isn't the only thing that defines me. So, help ladies?!?!

What's on Heather's Phone??

It's Tuesday again! I'm not even sure I have enough new pictures on my phone for this! Haha. Well, enjoy what I have anyways. :)

*Please note that while my phone is touch screen, it's not snazzy and fancy and barely gets on the internet. Sorry my picture quality is lame-o.*

First up, because we are TMOing our HHG IMMEDIATELY after Christmas, I insisted we break with tradition and put up our tree early. Usually we do it the day after Thanksgiving after our Black Friday shopping, but we will be painting back walls that day so boo.

Next up is my haul from a recent trip to Borders. Here on island, Borders is the only choice for bookstores. I frequent the used bookstore, the Book Rack, a lot but for anything new, Borders is it. I dug through the discount aisle and came up with all these books! And all for the total price of $22. :)

It wouldn't be my phone if it wasn't covered in pictures of my babies. This is Gracie on our bed. He likes to do weird things like try to fit between the slats in the footboard..... Also, please note that the bed is rumpled because I was washing the sheets and had pulled the quilt over the mattress to protect it from cat hair... haha

In my house, you can't go to the bathroom alone. And if you do, this is what will happen. Yes, that's a foot.

Lastly, I don't have a picture of Memphis, but I have a picture of the destruction he left behind. This is the closet beneath our staircase. It has all the boxes from our belongings, the vacuum, and some glasses. Or at least it used to have some glasses...

I hope you enjoyed this walk through my phone!!

Nutcracker Overload

So I feel the need to share a funny experience in my life. Mostly because it cracks everyone up and yet, somehow everyone forgets and repeats history with me.

Ok, so there is this play called the Nutcracker. And I HATE it. Like more than hate it. I DESPISE it.

In middle school, my class saw the Nutcracker. On ice. The only thing worse than the Nutcracker is when you put it on ice. So when high school rolled around, my theater class attended a play. It was the Nutcracker. I thought, it can't be as bad off ice. I was wrong. I endured.

Finally, the Nutcracker is out of my system! Oh wait, for my freshman year of college, my then boyfriend worked really hard, saved up lots of money and bought really expensive, super good seats, tickets. To the Nutcracker. We traveled all the way to Nashville and big surprise, I hated it.

This is it, never again, no more Nutcracker. Until oh yeah, 2 years later, a different boyfriend surprises me with tickets. TO THE NUTCRACKER. This time I took lots of bubble gum. And again, I sat through this play.

I'm not sure why I give off this vibe that the best Christmas present you could provide me is tickets to the Nutcracker. I have tried my best to explain to people as loudly and as often as I can that I HATE THE NUTCRACKER! It has never helped. What has brought this blog on you ask?? The appearance of 2 very inconspicuous, small, paper thin packages under the tree with my name on them.

I swear, if they are tickets to the Nutcracker....

MilSpouse Weekly Roundup!

Abbey over at Trading Diamonds for Dogtags is hosting this week's MilSpouse Roundup! Hop on over to see some inspiring ladies and read their talented blogs!!

Secrets of Heather Lynn Past.

In light of the upcoming Christmas holiday and Scrooge's dealings with Christmas Past, Present, and Future, I'm gonna share some secret moments of my past. For your viewing pleasure of course! Enjoy.

First we have the first home football game of my freshman year of college. This is definitely the dorm hallway (notice the visitation schedule for when boys are allowed). haha. I am the skinny one in the dead middle. (Oh to be 104lbs again...)

Next up is some classic High School Prom action. I'm 16 in this picture and a Sophomore. That was my glitter dress. And my really TALL hair. Luckily, my date was also really tall. :)













This would be on one of my first outings with my now husband. I let him convince me that a "real woman" would ride the mechanical bull. This is after working a 8 hour shift at the restaurant. I stayed on for 2 of the 3 rounds. Would have lasted the 3rd but my now-husband paid the guy to throw me off. At least the guy came up and told me that B did it so I was ready. haha.

This is a perfect example of a bad idea in the making. On the other side of the camera, my friend Kelly and I are being convinced that we should run through the sprinklers fully clothed and sort of slip-n-slide on the marble. Needless to say, we did it. Kelly ripped off her entire toenail and we had to have the medics (in the ambulance, of course!) come over and wrap it. Oh yeah, and we were soaked.

This would be a group of friends and myself. We are on a bridge in the middle of downtown Knoxville. It isn't actually that late, there are lots of people around.... Please note Jake in the back drop-lockin-it.

Lastly, I'll leave you with mine and Kindle's idea of a rocking Fourth of July. We certainly lit up the sky that Fourth of July.... :)

As you can see, I've had lots of great ideas. I've had loads of help coming up with these great ideas. And I've had plenty of trips to the ER to show for it. But as Mavis Leyrer said (edited of course)-- Life’sjourney is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body,but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting “Holy [crap],what a ride!”

Shutterfly Final Product!!

If you are getting a Christmas card from us this year, DON'T LOOK BELOW! :) Otherwise take a looksie at what a great card Shutterfly produced!

 

You should stop on by Shutterfly and grab some cards of your own!!

What's on Heather's phone...

So over at Jessica The Lowe Family News it's a Tuesday link up! Here is what is living on my phone. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

First we have my lifesource. Since it's the first thing I reach for it might as well be the first thing I share....

 Next, since my life revolves around my babies we have a picture of my adorable kitty, Gracie...

Followed by a picture of my other furbaby, Memphis. (He's smoking his rawhide cigar... haha)

Here is the view from our balcony at the hotel we stayed at following the ball. It was beautiful.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a black thumb. I kill it all, but here is the results of months of effort and plant food. I'm oh so proud. :)

So here was a little view into my life. I'm sorry it's boring and that I'm a lame-o. haha. Hope you enjoyed!!

It's never goodbye, it's always I'll see you later.

So today was a sad day. It was yet another day they don't tell you about when you sign on the dotted line to become a Milspouse. Today wasn't the day that my husband left for training, it wasn't the day I moved away from family to be with my husband, it wasn't even the day that he deployed for war. Today was the day that my first friend left island to soon be followed by others, and then myself.

Today was the last day we will all be together here at this duty station together. It was the last day we will all live down the street from each other and take nightly walks, day trips to the beach, or have lunch in the Keys (Waikiki).

Mrs. G. is the first to go. She is so sweet and kind. She's a fresh breath of air and the kind of friend you hang on to. I already miss her and she's just at the airport.

This is the part of this life they forget to tell you about. The part where you are always making great friends for a lifetime, then moving away. And they don't tell you that you won't always be the one leaving. That would be easier. To pick yourself up and move your family is easier. They don't tell you that sometimes you will be the one left behind. That's harder. Soon I'll be the leaver, but today I'm being left. And it sucks. But I'm proud to tell you that I didn't cry.

At least not until the door closed behind her.

A Different Breed

They've got shiny cars and polished nails
Yeah, those girls they've got everything right
They've got fancy clothes, perfect hair, steady lives
But I don't

They're the first to send out thank you notes
They've got well kept homes to entertain
They'll do anything just to please you
But I won't

If these are the girls that you choose
What make you think I'd be good for you

Can you tell me baby
What do you see in me
I'm a FAST RIDE I'm a crashing tide and
I'm crazy
Can you tell me baby
What do you see in me
You've loved a long line of consistency
I'm a different breed

This is an excerpt from "A Different Breed" by Carter's Chord. It's a great song. I enjoy it because let's be real, 90% of the time I live in a pony tail. Other women curl and flip with their hair. I like Volunteer t-shirts and Soffee shorts when home, they wear high heels. But that's ok, cause my hubby loves me for my frazzled, stressed, waits for the laundry to pile up and I do it all at once, me.

Sometimes we forget that we don't always have to be perfect, or always be trying for others to like us. To impress those around us. We can just be ourselves. If you are always yourself and never trying that hard then you don't ever have to worry about disappointing others when they see the real you. :) Just some food for thought.

Free Christmas Cards??? YES, PLEASE!!!

So, it's finally that time again! The wonderful fun filled, activity packed, Holiday season! In our household, all before the end of January, we have Thanksgiving, Mom's birthday, Christmas, my birthday, brother-in-law's birthday, Dad's birthday, my husband's birthday, and our Anniversary! We have a very busy and expensive few months. But as a blogger, with Shutterfly's help, things just got a little bit easier!! Currently if you are a blogger, and LOVE Holiday cards, they have a deal for you!You can check out their choices, and sign up yourself HereThey have some GREAT options! My favorite so far is:

I like a simple card sometimes.

My husband's favorite is:

And one last GREAT idea from Shutterfly?? Take that Beautiful Christmas card picture you had made and turn it into art! That way your Christmas Card can hang in your house, too!!

Hope these ideas help your Holiday season run a little smoother!!!

The finality of mortality

Finality: The fact or impression of being an irreversible ending.
Mortality: The quality or state of being mortal.

In church this morning, the Chaplain asked those in the congregation who would soon be deploying with 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines (My husband's battalion) to come forward so that as a congregation we could pray for the safety of them and their comrades. As I sat in my pew, comfortable next to my husband, I was safe and content in my knowledge that this time my husband isn't going. I was elated that finally our time has come that I didn't have to beg and plead for time to pass slowly before he leaves and quickly once he was gone. And I was guilty, as I am fully aware that although my husband is grateful he is not going, a rather large piece of him wishes he was going because he feels like he is leaving his brothers to head into danger alone, and that does not sit well with him.

Looking around at the congregation, I was struck with the realization that every single person in the Chapel has felt the same as me. They have stressed, worried, probably cried over the unfairness that is deployment; and they have relaxed when others left as they realized they or their loved one was not counted amongst those leaving. I felt companionship to those wives sitting in the pews around me, and understanding for those Marines and Sailors who were only in those pews temporarily. I realized that some of the people around me might not come back from their next deployment. That some of the people sitting around me previously didn't come back. It was a grasping of my own and my loved ones mortality for me. These people were so close, yet so far.

And the closest, sitting directly in front of me, a young Navy couple with 3 small children and 1 more on the way. As Dad held the two little girls, one in each arm, little brother stood tall and strong at his side. No more than 5 he was the spitting image of Dad's structure and calm, leading by example for his two little sisters. And as Mom dug through the baby bag for a juice I was unfortunately graced with an image of Dad overseas. I realized he, along with all our other Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Coasties, etc. live in a world of hand grenades while dreaming of sippy cups.

It was the finality of the moment for me. The this is really what this life is like, part. It's not all glamorous Dress Blues and formal dresses. It's much more than that. It's learning to live in the here and now while praying for a future that may never come. It was praising the Lord in that moment knowing we could be seeing Him face to face the next.

It had nothing to do with the glory of being a military wife, and everything to do with the sorrow of it.

Books Galore

So Everyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with books. My husband intends to build me a library to house my mountains of books. Because he loves me.

So today, while perusing the used book store, my husband holding my chosen treasures, I considered the fact that I would LOVE to own a bookstore. A used bookstore where people can trade in books they don't care to keep and buy books at a discount. Because sometimes books are just too darn expensive.

While this might be a distant dream intended to only ever exist as a dream, what is reality without dreams??

Halloween Blunders

So for Halloween this year, the hubs and I had people over and we had a "Party". Parties for us are not typical and this time consisted of us, and our friends sitting on the front porch in costume greeting Trick or Treaters. We know we're lame, we accept it, and we're ok with it!

But, there is a growing danger in Trick or Treaters nowadays. Do you know what that danger is? Getting the costume wrong. Here are a few of our BIGGEST blunders.

Me to little boy: Oh, a Power Ranger!
Little Boy: *stamps foot* I'm Bumblebee the Transformer!

Husband to young teenager in all black street clothes: What are you? A robber?

Mrs. G: Oh look Tigger!!! (Once she see's tag on costume) Oh, I mean Garfield....

Little Kids: Trick or Treat
Mr. G: Smell my feet, give me something good to eat, if you don't I don't care.... (realizes he has to talk about children's underwear and stops)

Just a few laughs for you today!

Secrets, Ball, Halloween (with loads of pics)

So It's finally that time! This has been a very busy weekend for our crowd! On Friday we went to a late movie, didn't even start til 9:30!!! That means we were up past midnight on Friday. Wow. :)

Saturday found us prepping for, and attending the ball. This year it was at the Sheraton Waikiki, so the hubs and myself got ourselves a room at the Hale Koa. So the big surprise is about to be revealed. I changed my hair color! (I know, kinda a let down for some of you, but momentous for me!)

You are looking at Mr. and Mrs. R on the left. Mr. and Mrs. G in themiddle, and the hubs and myself on the right! (No more blonde!!)

The view from the balcony at our hotel.

So guess where our table was? That's right, front and center. Literally

So that made Saturday also a night past midnight. :) (wow, 2 in a row!)

Then came Last night, Halloween. :) We had peoples over and that made night 3!!!

Clearly my husband, the cowboy, and me! Belle, my favorite!

 Unfortunately of all the pictures of Mrs. R. and myself this was the closest to "good" I could find. haha. So here we are shoving our faces. lol

Hope you enjoyed my weekend!!

It's beginning to look a lot like....Halloween?

So you are all getting oh so close to the big secret reveal. :) Next hint? It shines through when looking at me. :)

On another note, I'm so over the whole "Certain rules for Certain people" thing. Lemme explain something to you. My family IS certain people! GRR. I really really really wanna scream over some of this stuff. You don't get to pick and choose who gets what rules and who gets what privileges and the rest of us just suck it up. Unfortunately for you, you haven't met me....yet. :)

There is a certain firey whirlwind coming your way and you don't even know it yet. And this whirlwind does not take kindly to not getting her way. Just ask my husband.

hehe. :)

Stress is overrated

In anticipation of B's EAS (End of Active Service) date and our impending move, I have been remarkably overwhelmed with all the things we have to get done! All the planning, budgeting, packing, cleaning, repainting, ALL of it!! I have since given up sleeping in anticipation. (And this is still with a couple of months left!)

The Marine Corps has been such a part of our lives for so long. It's scary to step out on faith and try something new. But this is what is best for us. A lot of people have asked us, "Why doesn't B just reenlist?" Well, he at one time, planned on it. Things have changed, we have changed, and that isn't what is best for us anymore. Sure, it would be easier to just re-up. But we can't make life altering decisions on what's easiest. We can't settle because we have become complacent. We deserve more than that. We have great plans and great things we want to achieve and as great as the USMC can be, this just isn't the right road for us anymore.

I've been doing some reading and praying and attempting to trust that the Lord has a plan for us and everything will work out. And as He says,  

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I willstrengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteousright hand.

And I know that He will. And that is enough.

Image Credit

Secrets, secrets are so fun....

Ok, so next hint....


I changed something about myself. <3

On another note, This Saturday is the ball. It's at the Sheraton Waikiki and I have the most beautiful dress. I tried to not get to swept up in the ball because it was never that big of a deal to me, but once I got this dress and this jewelry I'm just so excited to dress up so much. :) I am a true girl at heart. haha.

This will be our last ball before Brandon is done in the Corps so we got a hotel in the Keys. (For those not in Hawaii this is what Waikiki is fondly callled, haha). We're making a mini-vacation out of this. I love it, and I love my husband. He will go above and beyond to make me happy. He even scheduled me a hair appointment cause I was going to be too cheap to do so. haha. :)

I has a secret!!

"Got a secret
Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it, in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave"

hehe. It's not a BIG secret. Well, to me it is, but to the rest of you it won't be. I'll drop hints this week and on Halloween I'll tell you what it is!!!

First Hint:
I am NOT preggo. 

The END!!!

A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.

Yeah, I'm going to be lame. I don't want to do this. Haha. I love myself and that is enough. I love my husband, my family, my life!

And mosty, I love that this 30 days is over!! hahaha. :) Hope you've enjoyed the peek into my life, regular blogging to resume immediately!

Day 29

Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.

Today I see the light at the end of the tunnel!! Yay! haha. This has been interesting but I'll be glad to click Publish Post tomorrow and be done with it. :)

So let's see, something I hope to change about myself. I would like to be more active. Right now as it is, I walk 3.5-4 miles a night with a girlfriend of mine (and we get credit for walking unruly pulling doggies, haha). But other than that and just normal activity, I don't feel like I do enough. But I'm working on it and that's all that matters!

Day 28

What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?

Oh Lord. Don't get me wrong, B and I do very very much want children. Just not yet. We're about to be moving, without jobs, without a home, with only one car, to a place we've never even visited. HAHA! Does this seem like the best time to find out we're expecting?? Not hardly. Now, there's a conversion scale for military. You know how your dog has 7 years to every 1 of yours?? On base it's like that in childbearing. So to be 24/25 without kids is like being 45 without kids here. You may laugh, but all you milspouses know what I mean.

It occured to Brandon the other day that the new "boots" (fresh to the fleet, no experience) can be up to 8 years younger than him. ha. ha. ha. Most of the wives (and some husbands) aren't legally old enough to drink. Oh yeah, I even know one wife who isn't legally old enough to buy cigarettes. Just sayin'.

So for us to say that we're going to wait even a few more years to have kids is blowing some minds. But we want some time together. We want to travel a little bit, buy a home, get jobs post-USMC. So we're waiting. Happily.

Day 27

What’s the best thing going for you right now?

Well, Let's tick them off shall we?? I have the most wonderful husband in the entire world. I have a great family (in-laws too!!) who love and support me and B. I have a beautiful kitty cat and energetic loving doggy. I have a roof over my head (even if it's just til we move!!) that isn't too shabby with it's 4 bd/2.5 ba. And I have an ever present, ever loving Heavenly Father that keeps the stress at bay.

So how could I ever pick just one???

Day 26

Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

I think that every high schooler thinks about this at one point or another. Life is so terrible in those years. And the worst part is that it's impossible to accept that high school isn't forever. Every heartbreak is not the end of the world. There is a future.

Day 25

 The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

This one's easy. If it weren't for my Savior and His amazing Grace I wouldn't be. It's hard sometimes, ok, a lot of the time, but in the end, it's so comforting to know I am never alone.

Temptation comes our way but I always try to remember...

1 Corinthians 10:13 (New International Version)
No temptation hasseized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he willnot let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you aretempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up underit.

 On a Second Note. Happy First Anniversary to my lovely sister, Stephanie and her husband Matthew!!

Pumpkin Carving!!!

So the other night, Prince Charming and I decided to carve pumpkins! Since the only "pumpkin patch" that we could find close by was in Waimanalo and only open on weekends (more activity than patch) we decided to cheat and just buy them at our Handy Dandy Commissary. Here is how things went:

My Big Pumpkin

 Our Little Pumpkins!!

 Prince Charming Cleaning his out.

 Me and My Pumpkin

 Memphis apparently angry at his pumpkin

 Me Cleaning mine out. EWW

 The Finished Product

 Our 3 Little Pumpkins. (Take special notice of the one on the right)

 Because he's business in the front, and party in the back! :)

Happy Halloween!!!

Day 24

Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs.

So I'm going to be terrible. I hate doing these things when they come in forwards or on facebook or anything, so I'm not doing this one either. Instead I'm going to make a list of some of my favorite songs for everyone to enjoy!!!

Draw Me A Map. Dierks Bentley
Anything Like Me. Brad Paisley
Why Wait. Rascal Flatts
If I Die Young. The Band Perry
Carolina. Eric Church
Real. James Wesley
Jackson Hole. James Wesley
The Shape I'm In. Joe Nichols
My Kinda Party. Jason Aldean

This is my current favorites. They change regularly. I love many more as well, but I'm trying to condense the overwhelmingly country-ness for you. haha. Also, Please enjoy my East Tennessee Country. :)

 

Day 23

Something you wish you had done in your life.

For this one I have nothing. Anytime I think about something I wish I had done, I realize I still plan on doing it. So ask me this question again in 50 years or so.

Day 22

Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.

There is one specific relationship that I miss more than most. And sadly, my wish is that we hadn't lived together. I love my cousin. Still to this day I love her dearly. But being roommates in the dorm our freshman year seemed like the perfect idea. But instead we didn't get along and our relationship fell apart.

I wish I would have known. It was a price not worth paying.

Day 21

(scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?

This wouldn't happen. Kindle and I don't fight. Therefore this point is moot. Either way I love Kindle too much for her to ever die. She has to live forever. Or at least longer than me.

Day 20

Your views on drugs and alcohol.

Neither my husband, nor myself have ever done a drug in our lives that wasn't rightfully prescribed. And sometimes we don't even take them then. haha. I find no purpose in drugs that are "recreational". I think that they take away from who you are. They take control from you. Why would I ever want anyone or anything else to have control over me??

Day 19

What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?

I'm a right wing, gun toting, Southern Baptist, conservative, Republican woman. Liberals hate me.

Haha. That is a paraphrase of a quote I heard one time. And that's all I'll say about that. :)

Day 18

Your views on gay marriage.

I'm not here to start political debates. That being said I'm not answering this one. You don't come here to fight with me and I don't write this to anger you. So. What will I write about today??

Spelling and Grammar. Mine's not perfect, no one's is. In fact, I'm sure several of you will find multiple mistakes in this post alone! But my issue isn't with the occasional beacuse instead of because. My issue is with Homophones. (Oh and some people just mis-hearing some things). So without furthur ado, here are my main peeves.

"Taking something for granite"--You are not taking something for a piece of stone. It's granted.

They're, their, there-- I must have missed the memo where this was so hard.

Sense, since, cents?--No comment on who used cents.

Affect, Effect--This one I find frequently on signs posted on gasoline pumps.


The list could go on and on but I think you get the idea. haha.

Day 17

A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

I read a lot. I mean, a lot. So I don't think there is any ONE book that has changed my views on anything. More like a collection of similar books has enhanced my views.

Those views are simple. England is greedy and has always wanted lands and people to control. haha. Seriously though, they wanted to control Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, the Americas, Africa (Heart of Darkness anyone??) and I'm sure much much more.

Why couldn't they just leave people alone? haha. Just sayin'.

Day 16

Someone or something you definitely could live without.

Easy. Seafood.

My hatred of all things seafoody has never been a problem until I moved to Hawaii. Can you guess why I run into difficulty here? I mean we have a freakin' fish counter in the grocery store. Every restaurant can fry it, saute it, bake it, grill it, serve it raw, whatever you want. Except throw it away, which is what I want. :)