Yet another 5QF

1. Can you drive a stick shift?
- From what I can remember, yes. I learned to drive one when I was like 12. It's not that hard to pick up, just difficult to manuever in the city.

2. What are two foods you just can't eat?
- Mushrooms and fish. I can't stand the texture of mushrooms at all, they've grossed me out since I was a little kid. And fish smells, looks, and tastes nasty to me. I almost gag whenever I try it lol.

3. Do you buy Girl Scout Cookies? What is your favorite kind?
- I love thin mints, I think everyone else does too... And Samoas, mmm coconut.

4. How do you pamper yourself?
- I'm really not one for pampering. I get my nails done from time to time and my hair highlighted/colored. Besides that, I really don't do much. I've never been to a spa or anything. Maybe today's the day I should start though. ;o)

5. What is your nickname and how did you get it?
- My nickname is "Scooter." When I was a toddler, I had one of those walker things. And my parents say I used to haul ass all over in that thing. So from that, they started calling me Scooter. I used to be so embarrassed when they used to shout it out loud at my games in high school and stuff. But what else are parents for? Embarrassment is at the top of their list! Or so it seems haha...

5QF can be found at: http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

No title, just thoughts

Have I mentioned that I'm totally excited for the Mister? Well, I am. He's really starting to get excited about signing with the Army. Of course, since he has XY chromosomes, he won't come right out and say "hey babe, I'm excited!" But it's so easy to tell... His general manner and mood has changed already. He found out yesterday they should be able to send him to Basic shortly after he signs. So, he'll probably be going in May.
I'm actually really looking forward to him going as well. Partially, because he will be out of the house for a while, and I can then cook whatever I want to eat. =o) But, I'm kind of a sap for the handwritten letters from time to time. It'll be much easier to write to him there, unlike deployments where it takes 3 weeks for mail to arrive. Also, I'm really hoping we'll be able to see him graduate.
Lots to come in the upcoming months, I'm so ready.

I am amazing

Yes, I'm definitely tooting my own horn here. Did you know military members and their families can get discounted tickets to Disneyland.. $99 for a 3 day park hopper. So, that's $300 right there.. way better than around $500.
For the past 3 days, I have been doing constant research on hotels. Tonight, I found the winner, a Holiday Inn less than a mile from the park. The room we reserved is AWESOME! It's a queen bed and kids suite, meaning along with the queen, it has 2 bunk beds. I'm totally stoked. The price is unbelievable too, $114/night. So, is it March 28th yet?!?
The day we get done with Disneyland, we're driving down to San Diego to see some good friends and go to SeaWorld. Tickets for SeaWorld are free for military members (4 tickets total).
I just can't believe this is all really going to happen! It will be our best family vacation yet.

I can do this!

I don't remember the last time I had chocolate.. Like a real chocolate bar. I don't think the dessert tasting at the reception center counted at all. Oh yeah, I joined my mother-in-law and sister-in-law today for an open house at a local reception center. Anyway, I know it's been a few days anyway since I've had chocolate. It is driving me a little nuts, but I think I'll survive. I'm confident in saying yesterday was the last time I had a soda too. I'm trying to give up both completely for now, I'm sure moderation will be fine someday down the road.
Next week for sure, this week maybe.. I will start the workout program TurboFire. I'm really looking forward to it. It's High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), lots of cardio. I like cardio, I just hate, loathe, can't stand running.
Well, it's off to bed for myself and the husband. TTFN...

Not much of one, but it is an update

Well... we've decided.. to heck with moving into a rental house. I looked almost all day yesterday and couldn't find anything in our budget that takes a cat, house-wise. There were plenty of Townhouses, but we just decided to stay here in the apartment.
So, since we will be looking into a small auto loan and buying the husband an older Jeep Cherokee (it's what he wants, I won't argue), we will still have some money in the bank. Quite a bit actually. So, the family will be going to Disneyland! I have been doing some research and it looks like we can go for 4 days between the parks and hotel and spend, at most $1300 for hotel and tickets. Not quite sure how much gas will be, but I can figure that out later.
Once we get the second car, I can start bugging the husband about the CNA certification class again. =o) It's only 4-6 weeks of class.
Also, I took the girls to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point yesterday. I realized we haven't been since March 2009, so yesterday was the first time for our youngest. The girls loved it! Shannon was amazed as usual, and did very well whenever it was time to move on from one thing to another. Erin was almost speechless the whole time. She was just taking it all in and enjoyed every second of it. My camera battery died about halfway through the excursion, so I'll have to get back there again soon and take some more pictures.

Good almost always comes with the bad

Well, this first bank has declined us for a home loan. And you know, I'm not too upset about it either. There are very few things we actually have to fix in order to be accepted in the future. So, we've decided to finally purchase a second vehicle and we will for sure be moving out of our apartment by the first of May.
Tonight I am going to start looking at rentals again and we will see about a car as early as this weekend. I'm not disappointed at all because there are still plenty of exciting things in store for us this year.

5QF

1. Have you worn the same outfit more than one day in a row?
- Yes, unfortunately, I have actually worn one outfit later in the night, slept in most of it, then woke up and wore it that morning too.. That's bad.

2. If you had to choose any LARGE city to live in, which would it be?
- Portland or Sacramento. Yes, both are close to home. Portland is the first option.

3. Fly or drive with the kids on vacation?
- Drive!!! Never again will I fly with both kids by myself. Unless it's an emergency. My favorite mode of transportation for a vacation is definitely driving though.

4. What is your idea of "spring cleaning?"
- I'm OCD about cleaning when I actually care. So, spring cleaning for me would be going through toys and clothes and getting rid of stuff. Deep cleaning, rearranging shelves and cabinets. Bleaching anything that can be bleached.

5. What is the best book you have ever read?
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame Smith

http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

Well on our way!

Less than a half hour ago, I submitted our paperwork to the mortgage banker for a VA Loan preapproval! I have already found a house I fell in love with, but I'm trying not to get attached because A) we haven't looked at it in person yet, B) I want to wait to hear back about the loan.

I almost feel like a giddy little kid.

I just want to understand!

I'm tired of this. I could be completely fine for days to months.. Then I'll dream about him, my dad. What sucks, they are rarely ever the pleasant memory type dreams. They're definitely dreams that reenact the day he died. The dream I had this morning started off with myself and a few others up at the house I grew up in/he lived in. We were all waiting for him to get home from wherever it was he went. We were all preoccupied inside the house and heard his truck pull up, but didn't see him pull in at all. So, I walked out and didn't see him anywhere. I walked all around the truck, then walked over by the other side of the house. And that's when I found him, semi-propped up against a tree. I just went blank, cold, white.. My uncle ran over to him and checked his pulse and what not and told me he was dead. Then I woke up.. Every time, this is what it's like!
Sorry if this is strange or odd for any of you to read. I just felt like I needed to get it off my chest. Rarely ever do I talk about the dreams, and if I do it's usually just to my mom or someone else and it's rare that I even talk about them at all. They always start off with a few days or the day before he dies. And it's almost always my uncle that is the one who tells me he's dead. Not sure if it's like that because that's how it really happened on the day he died or what.. My uncle is the one who was in the room with him at the time of his death, and he was the one who called me when it happened.
All I know is that I'm TIRED of these dreams! It's been almost 5 years now since they started. I'm tired of feeling crazy...

Blue is nice, but green has always been my favorite color..

The title really is true, green is my all time favorite color. But, what the title really means is we will soon make the transition from being an Air Force family to an Army family. Husband extended his enlistment last year through April of this year. So May 1st, he will be signing with the Army guard. I'm not making any big announcement over facebook or anything. A few people already know, family and our really really close friends.
I am truly happy in this decision and know it will be good for all of us. Some of you may be wondering about deployments and such.. the unit was set to deploy in 3-4 years, and now it's looking like 4-5 years. But we aren't really worried about it until the time comes. By then at least one of the girls will be in school and that will make it much easier! I'm not very experienced in the deployment section, but the one we've been through.. it was rough having him gone with both girls at home.
In other news, it's almost been a week since I've arrived back in Utah. The first few days were bad, I was missing California something fierce, but I just kept myself distracted and I seem to do alright. Anyway! Gotta run, more updates to come later =o) And happy Valentine's Day guys!