Wedding Season :)

Wedding Season is coming at me full force next year, two of my very best friends, Carrie and Heather are both  getting married in the spring/summer of next year.  Is it going to be a crazy, busy first half of the year? Yes. Is it going to be insanely exciting? Yes. Am I thrilled beyond belief for the both of them? Yes.  Am I truly honored to be a part of their special day? Yes. Yes. Yes. 

I have been friends with Carrie since we were about 7 or 8 years old; a long time. I know.  We have gone through one rough patch, quickly got over it, became closer than we were before and never talked about it again.  She is the type of friend I can call up in the middle of the night crying hysterically and she won't say anything until I talk.  She is the type of person who won't try to say "I understand" if she doesn't, she'll just say, I'm here for you if you need me and I'll listen you whenever you need to talk.  She's one of those friends who I may not talk to everyday  but each time we talk it's as if no time has passed since the last time we spoke.  She is truly a best friend and I'm so blessed to have had her in my life for as long as I have.  She has seen me on my worst days and she's seen me at my highest point, and she's loved me all the same, never once judging me.  I will appreciate that so much because it's so hard to find friends who love you know matter what you're going through and refuse to judge you.  We've watched each other grow up, we've become mature adult women together and there is no doubt in my mind if we've made it this far, our kids will be best friends as well.  I'm so incredibly thrilled for her and Andy to finally be tying the knot, I know her wedding will be sad in parts but I hope she knows that she has an angel shining down on her, extremely proud of who she has become and all that she has accomplished in her life so far.

Heather and I have been friends for about 8 years.  As soon as we met, in English, senior year of high school, there was an instant draw towards each other.  From that day forward, we got in trouble for talking to much in school, we were inseparable, we picked on Carrie nonstop (and she is extremely good natured about it), and we talk nonstop about pretty much nothing all day everyday.  She is one of my few friends who if I don't talk to everyday, I start to panic.  We have been inseparable since we first met and are constantly talking.  People often ask us what do you guys talk about ALL DAY.  Well the answer is simple, what DON'T we talk about?? I could not picture my life without Heather in it, she provides me with at least a couple good laughs each day and she is a little ray of sunshine.  She is a part of my family, we have grown into adults with each other one by our side.  We are 100% honest and open with each other.  Our children will be best friends.  I know that if I ever need anything she will drop whatever she is doing at the drop of a hat to come be with me, that's the type of person and friend that she is.  She's the type of friend who is loyal, true and will have your back if someone hurts your feelings.  She's one of the best friends anyone could ever have.  I couldn't be happier for her and Dan, I know that she has waited a long time for this time to come.  I hope that she enjoys her engagement to the fullest and plans the wedding of her dreams.  Following her heart and ignoring what everyone else tells her to do. 

I am so thrilled for  both of these girls and I can only hope to be half the bridesmaid that they were to me on my special day.  I am truly honored and excited to be standing beside you as you both marry the loves of your life.

New Car!

Yes, I got a new car on Monday night! Well, technically Chris and I got a new car but it's mine :) We traded in his Scion and kept my G6 for him and I got a brand new 2011 Honda Accord in Royal Blue.  It's fully loaded without the navigation system. I LOVE it.  I love hondas, they run forever, keep their vaule and are nice cars.  Plus, who doesn't love the "new car" smell? It's got leather seats which means seat warmers! Love seat warmers to keep my skinny little butt nice and toasty in the winter time! And blue tooth, which I know people say is the number one cause of cancer but I hate holding the phone up to my ear while I'm driving, so that's a very nice little extra to have.  Not to mention, that it's a lot roomier on the inside than the G6. We are going to get the windows tinted sometime in the near future, but all in all I pretty much love it :)

Also, another major thing that happened this weekend was that one of my very best friends, Heather got engaged to the love of life of her after 5 years of dating him! I honestly could not be any happier for them! They are a couple that is truly in love and are getting married for all the right reasons.  I can not wait to stand beside her on the day that all of her dreams become a reality. I am so excited to help her plan her dream wedding and be there for her every step of the way.  This is what true friendship is about- being truly happy for someone when something good comes their way! I'm so lucky to have her in my life and I honestly wouldn't know what I would do without her, I love her to death and I can not wait to watch all your dreams come true!

La Dee Daaa

So Monday was my 26th birthday. It's official...I am on the downhill slope to 30. Ahhhh, actually it doesn't really bother me too much.  I have a wonderful life, good health and a good job.  I should be loving life not dreading the fact that I'm getting older each day.  I should be looking forward to all the adventures life is still going to throw at me; excited that I now have a husband to tackle them with me. I am truly blessed with everything that I have in life and I am so incredibly thankful.  I know that there are plenty of people out there who are less fortunate than I am so instead of being grumpy about being older, I am choosing to take it with a big smile.  Chris is gone for the week, in Georgia doing some  hazmat training so he wasn't able to celebrate my birthday with me but he did send me 30 beautiful roses to my office, which definitely put a huge smile on my face!

My girlfriends and I went out to dinner at Cheesecake that night which is easily one of my favorite places to eat. I mean, who doesn't love Cheesecake?!? They are all so wonderful and I am very grateful they could all take time out of their lives to celebrate my birthday with me.  I've learned a lot this past year, and most of it about friends.  I've come to realize that people aren't always who they pretend to be.  People you think are your friends will turn their back on you the second you say something that they disagree with.  People you think are your friends will turn your back on you the second that the going get rough.  True friends will be there for you through thick and thin.  True friends will fight it out with you, hug and makeup and the next day forget that anything ever happened.  I have a handful of that type of friends and I would much rather have a few of them than a bunch of fake friends.  These girls have been there for me when times got hard, they were there to celebrate the  happy times; and I know without any doubt they'll be there for me always. But that's what life is about, it's about finding out who you and finding out who your true friends are.  I believe that some people are only meant to be in our lives for certain times and they teach us valuable (often hard) life lessons that we'll carry with us through our life.  They teach how to treat people correctly and how to be a good friend.  So I'm grateful for all those people who walked out of my life when things got a little rough, because without you I wouldn't be who I am today, I wouldn't feel so blessed to have such an amazing circle of girlfriends.

I'll leave you with a picture of one of my favorite gifts...a little cupcake memo pad from my favorite sister :) She knows me so well!

Oreo Cookie Cake

Ingredients
*1 cup white sugar
*1/2 cup butter
*2 eggs
*1 and 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
*1 tablespoon vanilla
*1 and 1/2 cup four
*3/4 cup milk
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 cup crumbled oreos

Directions
*Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside
*Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 6 minutes
*Beat in eggs one at a time (I beat each egg for two minutes and then beat it for 6 minutes once both were added to make it light and fluffy)

*Stir in vanilla
* Alternate adding milk and flour mixture to the batter.
*Beat until smooth
*Stir in cookie crumbles

*Pour batter into a 9 X 13 inch pan

*Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean)

** I had to double this recipe to make enough batter to fit into 2 9 inch round pans. **

Cookie and Cream Cheese Icing

Ingrediants

*1 stick butter, room tempature

*2 8 ounces packaged cream cheese, room tempature

*pinch of salt

*1 teaspoon vanilla

*3 and 3/4 cup powder sugar

*1 and 1/2 cup crumbled oreos

Directions

* Blend butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy

*Add salt and vanilla

*Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until smooth

*Add crumbled cookies

Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

XOXOXO

My Bench

If you had to write a bench dedication for yourself and your significant other what would it say? What would you want the world to know about you if you only had a couple sentences? How would you describe your significant other so as people sat on that bench they would realize why you love them? So that they could form a picture of your other the way you see him through your eyes. 

For Chris:
"A tough guy with a huge, loving heart and a soul that can light up any room.  A football lover, Lebron James lover, Yankees hater. A man that would do whatever it takes to give his girl the life he thought she deserved.  All he wanted in life was to live out his dreams with the woman he loved and be the best man he could possibly be.  A serviceman to this country who will never be forgotten for all the precious time he gave up with his family to keep yours safe.  So, sit down and relax.  Live your life to the fullest of your abilities."

For Me:
"A tiny girl fulled with a huge amount of love and hope. All she wanted from life was to find true happiness and true love.  A firm believer in there is something good in every bad situation.  A woman who loved her man with every ounce of her being. A woman who just wanted to live in a world filled with peace, happiness and love. A lover of her friends, family, cats and the Yankees. So sit down and love life with every ounce of your being.  Embrace all things that life throws at you with a smile. "

Things I'm Thankful For

Things I am extremely grateful for everyday...

1.) My husband- words can not explain how lucky I feel that he is mine and I am his.  He is truly my missing piece and he makes me feel complete.  No matter how far apart we may be, I can always feel his love shining down on me.  He is my best friend and my soulmate. I thank my lucky stars everyday that we happened to be at the same bar that night.  We are a rare few that no the meaning of "true love" and I couldn't be happier.

2.) My "children" aka Marshmellow and Abby.  They are my best friends.  They know when I'm sad and need a little loving, they know when I'm happy and can make me laugh.  They are loyal, cuddly and never say anything bad about me. :) But seriously, my life would feel a little empty without my furry friends to keep my entertained/company when Chris is away.  They make our little family complete.  I spoil them because they deserve to have the most fantastic life possible and they deserve every ounce of spoiling we can give them. 

3.) My family.  Without them I wouldn't be who I am today.  They have helped me grow and learn to become the women I am today.  They have taught me the values that I live by.  They are my rock.  I know that if everybody else should walk out on my tomorrow and my world comes crashing down, they will be there to help me stand back up.  I am truly blessed to have a family that (for the most part) gets along and enjoys each others company.  I am one of the lucky people in this world that has parents who support my every decision and trust me to follow the right path in life.  I am one of those rare people who is able to call her siblings her best friends and mean it 100%.

4.) My amazing friends.  I have learned a lot the past year, most importantly that people don't stick around when things get tough.  That people who you considered to be one of your best friends will stop talking to you because you voiced your opinion.  I have learned that your true friends will always be there for you, no matter how long it's been since you've last talked.  I have learned that with true friends, you don't have to try and it takes little effort to maintain the friendship.  True friends will happy for you no matter what, and their happiness for you will be so genuine and real that you will be able to feel it.  I've learned that friends come and go throughout your lifetime, but your best and true friends will be there for you through thick and thin.  Those are the friends that your children are going to refer to as their aunt and uncle.  Those are the type of people I want to surround myself with.  Those are the types of friends I am so lucky to have been blessed to have in my life.

5.) My jobs.  I know I may complain about them both at times but the fact of the matter is that I'm not jobless and I'm making ends meet.  And for that simple fact, I'm thankful.

Military Wife

  "I am a military wife -- a member of that sisterhood of women who have had the courage to watch their men go into battle and the strength to survive until their return. Our sorority knows no rank, for we earn our membership with a marriage license, traveling over miles, or over nations, to begin a new life with our military husbands. Within days, we turn a barren, echoing building into a home, and though our quarters are inevitably white-walled and unpapered, we decorate with the treasures of our travels, for we shop the markets of the globe. Using hammer and nail, we tack our pictures to the wall, and our roots to the floor as firmly as if we had lived there for a lifetime. We hold a family together by the bootstraps, and raise the best of "brats," instilling in them the motto, "Home is togetherness," whether motel or guest house, apartment or duplex. As military wives we soon realize that the only good in "Good-bye" is the "Hello again." For as salesmen for freedom, our husbands are often on the road, at sea, or in the sky, leaving us behind for a week, a month, an assignment. During separations, we guard the home front, existing until the homecoming. Unlike our civilian counterparts, we measure time, not by years, but by tours -- married at Knox, a baby born at Portsmouth, a special anniversary at Yorktown, a promotion in McDill. We plant trees, and never see them grow tall, work on projects completed long after our departure, and enhance our community for the betterment of those who come after us. We leave a part of ourselves at every stop. Through experience, we have learned to pack a suitcase, a car or hold baggage and live indefinitely from the contents within: and though our fingers are sore from the patches we have sewn and the silver we have shined, our hands are always ready to help those around us. Women of peace, we pray for a world in harmony, for the flag that leads our men into battle will also blanket them in death. Yet we are an optimistic group, thinking of the good and forgetting the bad, cherishing yesterday while anticipating tomorrow. Never rich by monetary standards, our hearts are overflowing with a wealth of experiences common only to those united by the special tradition of military life. We pass on this legacy to every military bride, welcoming her with outstretched arms, with love and friendship, from one sister to another, sharing in the bounty of our unique, fulfilling military way of life." 
Author Unknown

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (makes 28 cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/4 teaspoon for dusting.
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 1 1/2 tablespoon for dusting
4 fresh large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

*In a mixing bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
*In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium high speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, beat until combined.
*Pour batter into cupcake pans, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway.

*Mix together sugar and cinnamon for dusting in a bowl and set aside.

Icing (I had to double the recipe you you might want to as well...this is the original one)
4 tablespoons butter, room temp
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

* In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and gradually add milk. Beat until light and smooth. Add more milk as needed until the desired consistency is reached.

Ice the cupcakes and then sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture on the top. I also dusting mine with shimmer powder and placed little edible pearls on them.

xoxoxox

Summer Weekends are in Full Bloom :)

Sweet Summertime is in full swing, and I couldn't be happier about it! This past weekend was a great weekend, mostly because I got to spend the entire weekend with Chris, which does not happen very often.  In fact, it's the only weekend I'll get to spend with him the entire month of June. With his deployment quickly approaching us, I have a need to spend all our free time together. Which is normal I suppose.  Anyways, Friday night we just relaxed and hung out while I made these awesome snickerdoodle cupcakes and butter cream vanilla icing(recipe to come shortly) for my friend Heather's cookout.

Saturday was the cookout. wahooo. Of course, Chris got called into work for a couple hours, so he dropped me off at Heather's house and he came around 8oclock.  Basically it was a great time. It was a prefect summer night and everyone got along, no drama.  Heather and I were in our own little world, which is typical. Making fun of people while they're talking to us but pretending to be really interested in their stories.  And, of course there was beer pong there.  I thought it would be a good idea to play with wine. it was not.  We giggled our way the games, acting like we could play when in reality we both are awful at the game. It was a fun night. It was our first outing with a group of friends as husband and wife :) It felt nice.

Sunday was a typical relaxing day. Went to the pool and got some sun.  I also began reading a new book called Sister: A Novel by Rosemund Lupton. Which was recommended to me by my aunt and it's so good! I'm not very far into it, but I couldn't put it down yesterday.  It was great! I also made a new chicken recipe for dinner that was amazing.  It turned out really good, it stayed tender and juicy, was really tasty and super easy to make.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 clove garlic (i used minced garlic)
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
seasonings of your choice (I used season all, garlic salt, pepper and salt)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

*Preheat oven to 375
*combined melted butter and garlic is a small bowl
*Combine dry ingredients in a larger mixing bowl
*Dip chicken in butter mixture
*Dredge chicken through the bread crumb mixture
*Repeat
*Place chicken in a pan (i sprayed my pan with pam to prevent sticking)
*Pour remaining butter and garlic mixture over top of the chicken
*Cook 20 minutes each side

I cooked this chicken with cheesy potatoes, (I believe that I posted the recipe in an earlier blog) and oven backed broccoli, which is super easy and very good.

Oven Baked Broccoli:
1 bag frozen broccoli, or fresh broccoli, whichever you prefer
*Place broccoli in a large mixing bowl. 
*Add olive oil and mix well
*Add bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese
*Season it to your liking (I added garlic powder, salt and season all)
*Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil (I always PAM mine just so it does not stick)
*Cook at 375 degrees for 25 mintues

Enjoy!
xoxox

Oh Em GLEEEE

Yesss, last night was the amazing GLEE concert!!

My sister and I went and fully enjoyed ourselves to the max! Not to mention we had amazing seats, thanks to Hot 995 and the Kane Show! The entire concert was amazing.  First off, the singers stayed in the GLEE characters, which I was afraid they weren't going to but they did, and it was awesome! Second off, they can all sing ten times better than they do on the TV show if that is even possible. Third off, they are all amazing dancers.  After watching them I get severly depressed that I can not dance after watching them.  Ok well not severly depressed but super sad. I mean that's all I really want in life is to be able to shake my tailfeather like those kids on GLEE, espesically Britney...that girl can shake what her mamma gave her! Well, after 25 years of trying to dance like them, I just don't think it's what I'm meant to be able to do. Ballet, yes I can dance. Hip hop unfortunately not.  But I'll keep on pretending like I can. 

 Anywaysss, the show was amazing.  All the songs they sang were so great, except I was really looking forward to seeing a couple of the Mash Ups live, but they didn't do any of them. So that was a little disappointing.  One of the highlights of the concert had to be when Artie got up out of his wheelchair and started dancing, whew can he dance! I wish he wasn't in a wheelchair in the show! But I guess that's what makes it such a good show, all the diverse characters.  And for the record,  he didn't just randomly get up and started dancing; it was the song from the episode where he dreams he can walk and dance.  So, it stayed in his character's part...whewwww!

 Another major highlight was the Britney solo.  Of course she sang Britney and it was amazing.  She can dance better than Britney herself and not to mention she looks just like her.  You can't have GLEE without Sue, who is  hands down the funniest character on the show.  She was "speaking" to the audience from the little TVs they have and it went along with the concert so that was a nice little touch.  She is just so hilarious, one of my favorite characters by far.  Now, I normally don't like Kurt on the TV show, I'm not sure what it is about him but he just drives me bananas, but he was awesome at the concert.  The boy can definitely sing and dance.  Ahhh, overall an amazing concert and I had such a good time with my sister. 

xoxox

I just finished reading Chelsea Handler's book "Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsa." Let me just say, I normally don't laugh out loud at things I read in a book but this one had me cracking up. And when I say cracking up, I mean laughing out loud at public places like the pool and the gym.  I decided to read if because she has a column in Cosmo every month which I find just as equally hilarious and thought it would be a nice, easy read with a little bit of comedy.  Well a little bit doesn't even begin to describe her book; I was literally laughing at every story she had to tell.  She's so openly honest that it's refreshing.  It's refreshing not to have someone who sensors everything that comes out of her mouth.  It's refreshing to have someone not care what the public thinks about her or her opinions.  It was a non fiction book and she did not sensor her thoughts or stories one bit and I absolutely loved it.  She is definitely someone I would like to read more of.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light, summer read for the pool/beach this summer! But if you are sensitive to people who don't care what others think about them and have absolutely no sensor, I would stay far away from this book.  But if you're looking for a couple good laughs based on true life stories, this is the book for you.

Another little tidbit of information that I would like to share with you is a website that one of my sorority sisters made me aware of one day while I was complaining via facebook that it's a pain to try and change my name.  It's called Missnowmrs.com and it's a website that is obviously set up to make the name changing process a heck of a lot easier and quicker.  Fr $29.95 it walks you through the entire proces, filling out questions and then printing off each individual form with instructions on where to send it, how much the fee will be and what to bring with you.  I mean this website was so  incredibly helpful, I had no idea that I needed to change my name on some things.  And talk about making the process ten times easier! So for all my friends who are getting married sometime in the near future, I'm going to leave  you with the link for the website.

http://www.missnowmrs.com/

xoxoxo

Dreading September

Chris is leaving on another deployment in less than three months and I can't help but feel dread.  I know I'll be fine and I'll survive this deployment without dying just like I have the previous two he's gone on since we've been together.  But I'm not looking forward to the feeling of being lonely when I'm surrounded by a ton of people, missing him so much that it physically hurts or being worried about him and wondering if he's going to come home to me everyday that I don't hear from him.  This is the life that I signed up for, I realize that but it doesn't make it any easier everytime he leaves me. And I can't help but feel like September is going to be here before we know it and all I want is for time to slow down a little bit.  I want to spend every minute that is possible with him before he leaves.  I know that deployments will only make us stronger as a couple and bring us closer together emotionally and for that I am extremely grateful because we have something special that not a lot of people in this world have the pleasure of knowing but they are also the hardest thing to go through.

Articles like this don't exactly help my worrying about it either...
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/06/06/iraq.soldiers.killed/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Although Chris tells me all the time that he will be fine and nothing will happen to him and that he'll be home before he knows it, I can't help but think that those soldiers most likely told their loved ones and families those same words.  I can't even begin to understand what those families are going through right now and I hope I never have to know what it's like to lose my husband to combat.  All I can do is say that my heart goes out to them and prayers are with them to get them through this tough time.  I hope they know that their loved one died an American Hero and there is nothing to be more proud of than that.

xoxox

Bread!

This past weekend Chris was at drill so I decided to attempt to make homemade bread from scratch for dinner on Saturday so we could eat it with our dinner on Sunday.  First off, I was a little nervous to attempt to make bread but I found a recipe that seemed simple enough and it turned out to be delicious.  And I know this because, we ate the entire loaf at dinner Sunday.  It was definitely something I plan on making a lot more of!

Ingrediants

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon warm water

1/2 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

2 teaspoons bread flour

1/2 teaspoon white sugar

1/3 cup quick cooking oats

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons vegetable oil

1-2/3 cups bread flour

Directions

*In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon warm water, 11/2 teaspoon white sugar, 2 teaspoons bread flour, and yeast. Let grow for about 5 minutes. It will bubble almost immediately.

*Measure oats, 3/4cups warm water, 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, salt, 1 tablep spoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 cup oil into the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed slightly, and begin adding bread flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Humidity determines how much flour you need before the bread pulls away from the edge of the bowl. It is normal for the dough to be sticky.

*Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

*. Shape the loaf and place in greased 8 x 4 inch pans. Let rise until dough is 1 inch above rim of pans, usually 1 hour.

*Bake at 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until tops are browned. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

What I'm Currently Listening To

Ahhhh music! Who doesn't love it?!? Summertime, windows down, music blasting is the best way to listen to it.  Here are my top picks for songs that are currently set to repeat on my gym mix. 

1.)Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga.  I mean honestly, who doesn't love Lady Gaga with all her upbeat songs.
2.)Man Down by Rihanna.  This new song of hers is about killing a man but the beat is awesome. Definitely a good workout song!
3.) Barefoot Blue Jean Night by Jake Owen. Love this song. Love this artist. Hands down my new summer favorite. I could listen to this song on repeat all day every day. Must download now.
4.) Get out of my Head by Lupe Fiasco
5.) Somewhere With You by Kenny Chesney.  Ahhh good old Kenny, puts out great country hits that it's impossible to get sick of them. or him. If you haven't heard this great song yet, you need to download it immediately.
6.)Light Up the World by the Glee Cast. Yes, I'm a Gleek.  This song is awesome though, it's got such a great upbeat temp it's impossible not to love.
7.)Honeybee by Blake Shelton.  Not his usual country song but a fantastic one none the less. Very lovey dovey in a country way.  Can't help but crank the volume and sing at the top of my lungs when this one comes on.
8.)Rolling in the Deep by Adele. I don't know what it is about this song that makes me turn the volume up but she has a fabulous voice.
9.) E.T. by Katy Perry and Kanye West. Love this song. Way better than the last 2 songs that she put out.
10.) All of the Lights- good workout song.

Hope to see you jamming out at the gym :)
xoxoxo

Memorial Day Weekend

Chris and I took a trip up to New York City to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend; we've been together for over 4 years and we've been to New York numerous times but only during the dead of winter.  So we decided instead of just talking about going up there during the spring to actually do it.  We had a great weekend, the weather was perfect for walking around and enjoying the city. 

Saturday we went to see Spiderman Turn off the Dark which was on Broadway.  It was pretty good! Not nearly as good as Lion King, but then again, I don't think that many shows are, but still good.  The stunts were pretty amazing.  Afterwards we had dinner in the theatre district at this little Italian place called Trattoria Trecolori which was amazing.  They gave you decent sized portions so you didn't feel like you had to overeat because the food was so good you just couldn't stop.  It also tasted like their pasta was homemade, which is always the best kind of pasta. After dinner we just walked around Times Square for awhile just enjoying the city, the summer night and each other's company.

Sunday we got up and took the Staten Island Ferry over to Staten Island to see some of the fleet week ships.  Unfortunately the line to get in was a 3 hour wait so we headed back to city and walked around for awhile.  We went to Centrel Park and spent a couple hours there.  I was such a gorgeous day and it was quite fun to people watch.  There sure are some interesting people in the city.  Definitely not a boring moment, that's for sure! We went to this place called the Chip Shop for dinner which is like a British Pub.  It's very small on the inside but the food is really good.  But the dessert is what you go there for.  I had the deep fried twix and Chris had the Deep Fried Snickers and if you're thinking well that sounds good.  Let me tell you, it was the best dessert I think I have ever had.  I mean, what can go wrong with deep frying candy?  It was like a little slice of heaven right in my mouth.  After dinner we met up with my cousin for a couple drinks at a nearby bar. We had a really good time. 

It was a relaxing trip in comparsion to everything I normally cram into a weekend, but it was definitely a fun one! Hopefully we'll get a chance to go back before Chris leaves on this next deployment, but I suppose only time will tell.

As we drove back on Memorial Day I couldn't help but think about what Memorial Day actually means.  For most people it's simply a day off of work, a long weekend to start their summer. But for a lot of people it's a day to remember our fallen heros; a day to remember that their are still thousands of troops overseas putting their lives at risk so we can enjoy freedom; a day when veterans remember their fallen friends; a day when family members of a veteran feel pride of knowing that their loved one is one of the few who have fought for our freedoms.  I am one of those last people, I love my solider more than words can express.  I miss him terribly when he is gone, but at the same time I am extremely proud of him for what he is doing.  I treasure our time together because I know that it can end without any warning.  I know that going through multiple deployments together has made us stronger than a lot of couples I know.  I am one of those people who is proud of her veteran.


xoxoxo