Hello, 2013!

What. A. Week.

I had the most wonderful Christmas. Having my husband home, being with my family, it was just perfect. I got so many wonderful gifts as well, so many things I've been wanting for a while!

Now, all of a sudden, tomorrow is the final day of 2012.

What?

Where has this last week gone?

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family, then headed for Maryland the day after, and this has been the best trip ever!

So.much.shopping.

My in-laws got me a sterling silver bracelet, and a hand painted wine glass, and hubs got a REALLY nice watch, and it's been good food and shopping pretty much since we got here. Let me tell you guys, if you live around DC, Leesburg outlet malls have fantastic after Christmas sales. I got some really cute tops, and even more workout attire for some amazing prices. I'll post pictures of what I got tomorrow before the NYE festivities start.

What was your favorite thing you got this year? And what are your resolutions for 2013?

-KJ

Out with the Old!

Well my dear friends, 2012 is coming to a close in a few short weeks.

Christmas is only 6 days away, and even though I'm going to be traveling a lot until New Years, I'm taking some time now to reflect on the past year.

The first half was rough, while Mark was gone. Hated hated hated the first part of the year. Looking back, though, it could have been a lot worse. I'm very blessed that he came home safely, and that I had such supportive family and friends during his deployment.

The last half just dragged on, one tough thing after another. This last month has been better than probably the entire year, but my goodness, I'm grateful the year is almost over!

I'm not sure what our plans our to ring in the new year, we'll be spending it with his dad and stepmom, so we will either go out or stay in, but I will be very happy when it's 2013! Like I said in my last post, there's so much to look forward to! I've already written down my resolutions (though I'll probably be adding more!), and they're going to get stuck on the fridge when I leave work tonight so I will see them and remember them every day.

I will be taking my size measurements on New Year's Day so I can accurately track the start of my weight loss journey. Mark will be starting insanity with me, and I will be taking several classes at the gym we're joining as we'll, so hopefully with a few lifestyle changes, we'll be on the right track!

I also will have a VERY exciting announcement to come after the start of the year. It's something I've been looking forward to sharing but haven't been able to, so once everything is ironed out, you all will be the first to know!

I'll post once we get to my parents, then again in Maryland!

-KJ

P.S. I'm not sure if I ever showed a picture of the new car, but I've had some emails about it, so here it is!

Looking Ahead!

I don't know about you all, but I'm looking forward to 2013!

There's so much going on!

We'll finally hear about BOP orders (we put in for Andrews, Langley, Peterson, and Travis!),

We're both starting insanity, and getting a gym membership at this great gym up the road from base,

we'll be celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary in March (hopefully with a long-overdue honeymoon),

and hubs will be signing away 5 more years of his life to the USAF.

Not 100% sure if that last one is a good thing or not. ;)

But in all honesty, I'm very much looking forward to the new year. New experiences, hopefully at a new base with new people.

However,

As excited as I am to be thinking about the future, I can't stop seeing the amazing things I have right in front of me.

My family, my friends, my sweet (but rotten) puppy, the roof over my head, the food in our pantry, and the electricity keeping us warm tonight. 

So my thought for the week is this:

Be grateful for what you have, someone somewhere is desperately needing and longing for what you have.

-KJ

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Hey everyone,

Sorry I've been absent! There's been a lot going on! (Though in my life, when is there not?)

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I definitely did, we went to Arkansas to see my dad's side of the family, and since Mark was deployed this time last year, it was extra special, since he was meeting everyone for the first time. Having him there really meant a lot to me. We didn't go Black Friday shopping, we just drove home, but we did stop at the BX and get one of my gifts.

On that note, it's OFFICIALLY Christmas time in our house. We set the tree up, it's decorated, even have a few gifts under it already. I couldn't wait to get it all set up. This is our first Christmas where we've been able to set up the tree decorate, as he was gone last year and the year before we were still dating, so we're considering this our 'first Christmas' together.


I even made a wreath! I think it turned out super pretty for my first ever Christmas wreath. It was really easy to do. I bought it at the BX, wrapped some ribbon around it (blue with silver snowflakes), and added some red snowflake ornaments, and made a red and white bow to put on the bottom. Our Tree is silver and Air Force Blue, so we're kind of going with an Air Force/patriotic theme.

I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest the last few weeks gathering up ideas for decorating and for cookie recipes to try out, and there's something that caught my eye that I'm dying to try, and will be trying this weekend! Making 'lumps of coal' out of Oreos and marshmallows.


So much for that diet. ;) but in all actuality, I haven't been that bad this year. I enjoyed myself, but I didn't over do it, and for that, I'm proud of myself. I've kind of fallen off the wagon with Insanity, but after feeling extremely refreshed by yoga tonight, I've been inspired to begin it again tomorrow. Pray that I can actually stick with it this time.

Also, I wanted to give a big shoutout to my husband. Tomorrow, November the 27th, is his five year anniversary in the United States Air Force, and Friday is his promotion ceremony. He becomes SSgt Johnson on December 1st. I just couldn't be any prouder of him, he's going to have an amazing career, and I'm blessed to be able to share it with him.


On a final, more somber note, please take a moment to remember that the war is still going on overseas, and that our service members are still laying down their lives for us. We had already decided to light a candle each evening, starting today, after dark in honor of those fighting and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and sadly, a woman I know was notified today of her husband's death in the Middle East. Please, even if your spouse isn't in the military, take a moment, and just thank God that they're home safe with you. Many are not so lucky.

Have a great evening.
-KJ

It's that time of year..

This is kind of how I'm feeling.

It's been a hectic month, to say the least. Hubs was in a wreck, I turned 21, started working, and while we were trying to get stuff ready for Halloween.. The inevitable happened.

The BX took down all of it's Halloween things by the 20th..

and replaced it all..

with Christmas decorations.

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

I will be the first to say that I ADORE the holidays. Christmas and Thanksgiving are my two favorite holidays. I love the family moments, the music, the warm fuzzy feeling..the holidays are my thing.

But when I say it's too early, it's too darn early! I would like to enjoy my Halloween candy first! 

 But, now that Halloween is long gone..

It's officially time for the holidays. No, I haven't started listening to Christmas music, or started hanging up lights. I have, however, started to plan where we're putting our first tree together 

(since Mark won't be deployed this year! :) )

what color stockings and tree skirt to get, things like that. I've even started some of my Christmas shopping!

So I would love to know: what are some of your favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions? Do you have a fake tree, fresh tree, green tree, white tree? Email or comment in, and tomorrow I'll post a bunch of the responses!

-KJ

Things are looking up!

It has been a wonderful few weeks! I'm very happy it's fall, it's probably my second favorite season, and I'm definitely getting into the Halloween spirit! My friend Tawney and I finished up the invitations to our Halloween party yesterday, and I passed them out at Mark's squadron today. I'll put a picture of them at the bottom, they turned out super cute.

Also, I will officially be twenty one in two weeks! I can't believe it! I'm not sure what we'll be doing, but I can't wait to celebrate!

I also started INSANITY yesterday. Let me tell ya, there's a reason they call it that. I'm super super sore today, but I'm about to do today's workout, so hopefully I can push through he pain! Once I finish it, I'll be posting up before and after pictures! I'm VERY excited to see what results I get. I'm using my It Works protein shake as well, so I'm sure I'll see amazing results very soon! I can't wait to share the journey with you guys!

And finally, I got an amazing job as a customer service receptionist! Basically, I'll be scheduling people appointments with finance, calling people who miss theirs to reschedule, things of that nature. I'm very excited to start, hopefully by the middle of next week after they get the paperwork processed and everything. I think this is going to be a great fit for me; flexible on time off, only part time so I can still take care of things at home, and the pay is great, so we'll actually be able to fly to Maryland to see Mark's dad for NewYears instead of driving. (Oklahoma to Maryland is loonnggg drive guys.)

Also, an update to the situation on orders: nothing. We're all pretty sure we won't hear anything about the unit shutting down until after the election, but either way, we're gonna be leaving. Mark is re enlisting after he sews on Staff sgt, and as soon as we can before hand, we're putting in for BOP. I'll keep you guys updated, thanks for all the concern and thoughts!

Have a beautiful weekend guys!

KJ

Things are finally getting back to normal!

Man, has it been a wild several weeks!

We finally have our car back,

Mark's done with ALS,

and last night was the last big event for a while, thankfully!

We went to the Air Force Ball last night, celebrating the Air Force's 65th Birthday!

We got a beautiful room for the night as well, so we could just relax after.

We were at the ball until midnight (we went back to our room for a while so our friends

who got ready with us could get their things), then went back down to hang out with friends in the lounge. 

The food was outstanding, and I ate wayyy too much, but it was worth it, and I danced most of the calories away anyhow. 

When we finally got back to our room, we stayed up even longer to watch Indiana Jones and eat

chocolate covered strawberries!

All in all, it was a wonderful night. We didn't get to stay in my hometown that morning like we had planned, to see the parade, but it ended up being a fantastic night. It was a nice, glamorous little getaway that was very needed! 

I'm glad things are slowing down for a while, though. I need time to get stuff completely cleaned up and done before the holidays hit (which, they're fast approaching, if you haven't noticed!), especially with all the traveling that we're planning on doing with my family, then going to see his dad around New Years!

Also, our orders to Germany were officially canceled, because they're not sure if the Herd will be shutting down this year. It was very disappointing, but we'll be getting there eventually, so we're trying to be positive! It just gives me more free time to focus on the holidays and family! I have big plans for decorating our house, and it'll take a lot of planning! 

I'll leave you all with a few more pictures from last night. If you ever have a chance to go to a military ball, take it! They're a lot of fun, the guest speakers are fantastic, and as all you ladies know, it's very fun to get dressed up, especially when your man is in blues!

Have a great day!

It's FINALLY over! :)

Hallelujah! 

Airman Leadership School is OVER!

I get my man back! WOOHOO!

I'm so proud of him I could just explode. He did absolutely amazing through everything

that we were trying to deal with, the car, his bike having issues, etc.

He stuck it out, and it paid off for him BIG TIME.

He received the Academic Achievement Award, the Distinguished Graduate award, a special, large coin (the one on the far right up top) for his service, and was coined by the commander, and Captain Meckes. I'm 

going to get the frame for his diploma tomorrow once we get the car back (finally!!).

He's going to do amazing things in his career, and I truly believe he's going to be an outstanding NCO. The last five weeks have been extremely long and rough, but they had some very bright spots.

Mark should be sewing on Ssgt end of November/December/January, somewhere in that time frame, and 

hopefully we'll receive our official orders to Ramstein so we can get stuff started. Unfortunately, we were informed that several other people received orders and were not supposed to due to the freeze on orders for the Herd, so ours may not stick, or they may just get pushed back. It's hard to be positive when you don't know what you thought you knew, but that's the military way of life, and all we can do is be positive. Even if we don't get to go this time like we were told, we WILL get there eventually. :)

To top EVERYTHING that's happened this week off, there's a slight cold front coming in today,

so it'll actually feel like Fall, even if it's just for a day or two.

Our life is finally done spinning for a while, I hope.

So with that, I'm going to go work on some crafts, and do some baking. I can think of a certain ALS graduate/Ssgt Selectee that would enjoy a homemade German Chocolate cake when he gets home. :)

-KJ

My bucket list..Europe Edition!

So I've obviously been doing a lot of thinking lately about

what I want to do while we're overseas, 

and I decided to compose a bucket list.

1. Visit the beaches at Normandy.
2. Visit the Holocaust Memorial.
3. Go to Berlin.
4. Go to Paris.
5. Go to Venice.
6. Go to Prague.
7. Go to Amsterdam.
8. Go to Ireland. 
9. Go to England.
10. Visit Austria, pick edelweiss for mom.
11. Go skiing in the Alps.
12. Eat authentic German chocolate.
13. Eat authentic Swiss chocolate.
14. Take a train to France.
15. Go to Barcelona.
16. Go to Madrid.
17. Swim in the Mediterranean and Atlantic in Spain.
18. Visit the Eiffel Tower.
19. Drive on the Autobahn.
20. Go to Oktoberfest in Munich.
21. Go to Rome.
22. Go to Scotland.
23. Go to Greece.
24. Hike in the Alps.
25. Visit the Black Forest and purchase a cuckoo clock.

This is just a portion that I could think of off the top of my head. I'm getting more and more excited with everything that passes. The thought of just being able to hop on a train to Paris for the weekend or just drive to Switzerland for a day or two is amazing. I'm going sometime next week after Mark gets out of ALS and he's back to work to start the process for my passports, so I'll let y'all know how it goes. There was some debate on my personal FB page about whether or not I need a 'military issue' passport, the no-fee one for traveling there on his orders, so I will let y'all know what the official word is when we go. If any of you have any questions, pleeassee keep them coming. I'm about to answer some that I had gotten since announcing our PCS.

1. Jessica I.- "How was your husband able to find out about orders on a holiday weekend?" He got an email to his personal email, informing him that he had been selected for PCS orders. He has a CAC reader that he uses at home, so he was able to log in from there and see the orders.

2. Angela W.- "How do you know that you'll actually get the orders? We've been told we're going somewhere, and never actually went, just wondering if it's cause of something we did or not." In all honesty, we don't! :) The military is unpredictable. There's always the chance that they could change their minds and send us elsewhere. However, I'm taking my chances and planning for Germany, because if I didn't start planning until we had orders in hand, I would feel very, very overwhelmed from procrastinating. My advice, DO  NOT put your life on hold for fear you may not actually get orders in hand. What's the worst that could happen? Go ahead and plan for moving. If they end up sending you somewhere else, you'll already have plans in place for movers, flights, everything!

3. Marilyn J.- "What about your dog?" We're taking him with us, of course! We have to make sure his shots are up to date, get him chipped (They're chipping him when he gets fixed in a month or so), and several other guidelines must be met regarding his crate, etc. When we start that process, I'll do a post specifically about it!

Thank you for the input, guys! Please keep it coming!

-KJ

The best has yet to come!

I'm still awake. Partly because Mark is playing a game with his friends, and yelling at them, and partly because I'm still trying to process my thoughts.

Germany is really, REALLY far away from Oklahoma.

I've never been more than two days driving away from my state. Being across the ocean in a different country is going to be a HUGE change. I can't describe how much I'm looking forward to it though. 

We'll be there for four years. 

That's a really long time.

However, there is a LOT we can do in four years. A lot we can see.

The more I think about it, the more excited I get.

But, the more I think about it, the more it sinks in that I have a LOT to do,

and a lot to learn before we leave.

I speak ZERO German, for one. I know most people there speak at least a little English,

but I would like to be able to communicate more if I need to. Which I probably will.

I don't know anything about PCSing. 

Especially not overseas.

With a large dog.

I've never gotten a passport before, so I don't know the process.

I know the military will give me one, but I need one to travel with once we get there.

Plus, have I mentioned that Germany is far away from Oklahoma?

In all seriousness, I'm very excited. I was pretty nervous at first, but the more I think about it, and the amazing adventure that Mark and I are about to go on, the more excited I get. Yes, I'll miss my family (especially my parents and grandparents) and friends desperately, but I'm already making plans for many

of them to come and visit as soon as we get settled and they can, and I'll only be a plane flight away.

I'm going to be in GERMANY, in EUROPE, for four years. I can see a lot in

four years. Mark's already talking about going skiing in the alps, and all the castles he wants to take

me to see, so as long as he's excited, I think I can manage it.
I really feel like, despite the anxiety and anticipation I feel right now, that the best really has yet to come. Germany is going to be an amazing experience, and one I can't wait to share with you all.

Like I said in my previous post, if you have any PCS stories/tips, please share them! I know 

several of you are doing your first PCS soon, so any tips would be appreciated by many!

-KJ

A new chapter

So, I have some extremely exciting news.

No, it is not a baby, like so many friends thought.

My husband is a member of the 33d combat comm here at Tinker, and they're starting the process of shutting the whole unit down. We have been waiting to see if we would get orders due to the shutdown, or just natural pcs orders for his time on station.

Well, I'm tickled pink to announce that we received orders last night for his time on station.

This spring, we will be moving to Ramstein AB, Germany.

OH MY GOOD GRAVY!

I've never been more than a couple days drive form Oklahoma, much less out of the country, and now, we'll be in beautiful Germany for the next two years! Mark has been there before, two years right after basic, so he's ecstatic to be going back! I'm very anxious, but I'm very excited as well. I've been wanting to go to Europe for a long time, and now I'll be living there.

We will be leaving in April 2013, so probably right after the holidays, I'll have to start getting things together that we want to take right away, and start preparing for TMO to come move our stuff. I've never pcsed before, and like I said, I've never left the country before either, so this will be a very new experience for me, and one that I'm eager to share with all of you! I'll share new details as we get them! If any of you have any pcsing tips, or want to share your experiences overseas, please share!

KJ

Everybody's working for the weekend...

First of all, can I just say that I've NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY FOR THE WEEKEND?!

I'm ready for this week to be well gone! We found out about our car, and we have to replace the engine. So not happy. It's going to be 6700-7800 depending on what engine we get, and we don't qualify for any type of aid since Mark only has a little over a year before his enlistment is up. He's planning on re-enlisting, but he can't re-enlist until he has 12 or fewer months in, and that's not until November. So I'm not sure what we're going to do yet. All I know is if I can't drive myself anywhere soon, I'm going to go crazy.

Anyway, on to more positive things.

This was Mark's last full week of ALS, thank goodness, so he's almost done! Yay! He's doing extremely well, and I couldn't be prouder of him. It's been stressful taking care of all the car details alone, however, so I'll be glad when he's back to work and can help. Plus, he's getting really tired of not having any free time whatsoever, especially with the weather getting nicer.

I'm not sure where a lot of you ladies are, but in Oklahoma, fall is my second favorite season. It's all about football season and pumpkins (I lovelovelove pumpkins) and getting ready for the holidays.  It's still pretty warm here, but the mornings are definitely getting cooler, and I'm seeing more fog in the mornings when I wake up, which I love. 

I'm most looking forward to the holidays, though. From October-December 31st. As you guys know, Mark deployed last year in early November, so we didn't get to celebrate any of our first holidays together, which crushed me. However, not only is he going to be here this year, but we have a beautiful house to decorate! I'M SO EXCITED. I'm crazy crazy crazy about decorating for the holidays, so it's going to be amazing. I know it's just barely September now, but I'm already planning out where I want the tree, what color lights I want outside.. Yeah. I'm THAT person. (but don't worry, I don't listen to Christmas music until I'm on the way to family at Thanksgiving. ;) )

While Mark was deployed, I was so busy taking care of his christmas care packages and decorating and baking with my parents tha tI didn't post up as many tutorials as I wanted, but this year, I will have buckets and buckets of time, so get ready! I'll be making several wreaths as well, both as gifts and to decorate around here with, my mom and I are going to make garlands together like the ones we had when I was little, and lots of baking recipes! I hope you're all getting as excited as I am! 

In the mean time, though, I suppose I have to settle for celebrating Mark's ALS graduation, his birthday, then the ball. sigh. ;) It's going to be a very exciting several months, so keep watching for more!

-KJ

Feels like I've been running a marathon

This week has been chaos.

Not all bad, but definitely chaotic.

I don't feel like going into complete detail on what all's happened, but long story short, my phone vanished, we still haven't gotten to the car to the garage (Mark keeps getting released too late to make it there), and I had to change dresses for the ball. The last one isn't a big deal, but at the same time, it is. I'm just so thankful it's the WEEKEND.

I'm ready for Mark to be out of ALS too. I realize that, as a military spouse, there are always certain things that I'm always going to have to do alone, but trying to juggle car repairs without a phone by myself is just too much, haha. I'll be glad when he's graduated. I had to find a dress for his graduation as well, but thankfully my mom brought down all my formal dresses from home last week when they visited, so I have the perfect dress. It's a little longer than knee length, black (classic LBD anyone?), with a cream band just below the bust. Super classic and it's one of my favorite dresses. The dress I'm now wearing to the ball is the same one I wore last year, which is just fine with me, since it's probably one of the most beautiful dresses I have. I'll add a picture of both dresses, I'd love to get y'alls input. :) let me know what you think, and if you have any questions about ALS or graduation attire. :)

This is the dress for ALS graduation. It's a semi-formal event, but I'm going more towards the formal side. You should always reflect positively on your husband, especially at events like this. :)

This is the dress I wore to the ball last year, and I'll be wearing it again this year! It's very, very flowy, almost  ethereal in style. Mark loves this dress, and I aim to please. :)

Let me know what y'all think about the dresses, and if you have any questions!

-KJ

So much to be thankful for

As a lot of you know, this last month has been absolute chaos. Our car threw a rod, my husband started ALS, so I've had to be taking care of everything myself, and with a few other things, it's been just crazy. We're hopefully getting the car fixed in the next week or so, and then hopefully things will start to slow down.

On to some better news. I'm very happy to say my husband made Staff Sgt! I'm so proud of him! A couple of our friends, Daniel and Jeff, made it as well, so a shout out to both of them and a congrats! We have a group of friends over at the moment to celebrate with Mark, and my parents took us out to eat earlier today, it's just been a really relaxing day, which was much needed.

Also, i got my dress for the ball today! My sweet momma brought it to me along with some other dresses for Mark's ALS graduation, Christmas party, etc, and it's gorgeous! I'm going to try and lose a little more weight before then, but I love it! I'm just so at ease for the first time in almost a month. I'm so thankful for such an amazing support system that I have, with the friends we have here at Tinker, from my hometown, and our amazing families.
I keep forgetting to, but I'm going to try and post up before pictures when I go to the gym Monday. I'm going to try and do pictures an dmeasurments weekly and what I'm doing. I tarted the thirty day shred with a friend last week, along with the blogilates workouts I'm already doing for the 90 day challenge, so we'll see if I get the results I want. I'm pretty excited to get this dress to fit perfectly, so I can't wait to share the journey with you guys!

-KJ

Goodbye, July!

I can't believe July is already over! Feels like it just started! With the end of July comes the beginning of my favorite and busiest time of year: fall. I know it doesn't start for a while still on the calendar, but August = school = fall to me. Always has!

August in particular will be hectic! My hubby finds out whether he made Staff Sergeant or not. I have the utmost confidence in him! He also starts ALS,or Airman Leadership School, later this week, so we'll both be pretty busy!

Along with that business, a friend from college and I decided to do a weight loss program together starting August 1, though im really starting today. It's the 90 Day Challenge from Blogilates. She gives you everything you need, fan entire meal plan, and workout schedule. The meal plan is extremely strict, so I decided I'm going to alter it slightly because I've come to a decision. I don't want to get to my next goal weight by using all meal replacements or crazy strict diets. I want to be able to have a realistic meal plan that I can follow all the time, not just for 90 days. I'll do her meal plan for probably the first half, then gradually add back in whole grains, more fruits, things like that.I'll wait to post the before pictures until she actually starts too, but I can't wait to see the results we achieve! And this is perfect timing! I was wanting to try and get at least part of my goal before the Air Force Ball in September, and I'm positive that I will with this plan! The best part is, you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it or expensive products because you're just eating clean foods. Don't get me wrong, I love my It Works protein shake, but I know some of you are moms, and I know he start of school is always a tighter time of year for the budget.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

-KJ

Another Day, another workout, another TDY

Monday.

It just SOUNDS unpleasant. I've never been a fan of Mondays. Especially not this one, where I had to wake up unbelievably early to drop hubs off at the squadron for his TDY. Hated being up early, and haaaattteeee it when he leaves. It is part of the life, however, so I'll just push on as always.

I'm about to go do Pilates. As y'all know, I'm a big fan of Pop Pilates. If you haven't heard if them before, search on YouTube. They're an amazing workout. The shorter ones are great to do throughout the day if you don't have a lot of time, but I adore the longer ones. I have a goal in mind, ands good timeframe to achieve it, so we'll see if I actually can!

Something I wanted to mention. I went for a jog the other day after work, and saw something funny; this woman was 'running', but stopped literally every few feet to fix her hair and adjust her top.

1. Always wear something you don't have to fiddle with while you're working out.

2. If you're thinking about your hair, your not focusing in your workout/form, and could more easily trip and fall. Which she almost did.
And besides..

Quick review/update

Sorry it's been so long since I've written a post! Things have been kind of cwazy! We've been busy unpacking, hubby tested for SSgt, and he's fixing to leave in a TDY right before ALS! And to top it all off, I got a job at te flower shop here on base! Those of you who know me know how much I adore flowers, and I'm very excited to have the opportunity to learn to do arrangements! I've been working out some where I can, but this week starts back into the grind. I'll be attending Zumba again, and hopefully getting plenty of walking and running in as well!

As y'all know, summers in Oklahoma are miserable. It's hot and windy, or hot with no wind, windy and humid.. It just goes on, and when you're a woman who wears makeup, forget it. It melts off your face after maybe an hour or two. It's frustrating, and after living here for almost 21 years now, I accepted that I would never be able to wear foundation in the summer, and that I was destined to look blotchy forever.

Wrong-o.

Garnier released a product right before hubs came home from the sand box, called Garnier Skin Renew Miracle skin perfector B.B. cream. I thought I'd give it a try.

Oh my lanta.
I am addicted. It works just like a cream foundation, but it's not heavy or cakey, it covers up all my redness and blemishes, and it does miracles for under eye shadows! This is all I wear. No foundation, no powder, just this, eyeliner, and mascara. I'll post up a before and after picture tomorrow, but it's amazing, and it's a huge time saver! It's all steps in one: moisturizer, SPF, foundation, everything. And a little goes a long way so it's very cost effective, especially at $6! It comes in light/medium or dark, and I use the light/medium one. If you're still searching for something like his, especially for summer, though I'll be using this ALL year, I highly recommend it!

I'll do another post tomorrow with the picture, and also with what my workout tomorrow consists of! Please keep emailing and commenting if you have anything you want me to discuss!

-KJ

New house, new life!

So, I know in my last post before we moved I said that I was extremely excited.

Boy, was that an understatement. This may be dramatic, but I feel like we're ten times better off here. I'll post up a few pictures tonight of the new house, and I'll get one tomorrow of the exterior. It's perfect, and we're getting our washer and drier tomorrow, so double yay!

Another thing I mentioned in my last blog was how excited I was about trying the Zumba class here on base. Well, last week, I went to my first one with my friend Tawney, and I LOVED IT! Probably one of the best workouts I've ever done (not to mention the AC broke so we were sweating double!) but I definitely felt it the next day, and I love that. I will definitely be going back! I think I'll add swimming to my routine as well, and once I get my home gym/office set up, I can do my Pilates and yoga at home if I can't make it to a class. I'm excited to see what results I can get from the Zumba class. Next Monday(the week after the 4th of July,after things calm down a little), I will be posting up a new before picture. Which is scary, but I really want to see how I change throughout the classes and all the other things I'll be doing! I'll keep you all posted!

Here are the promised pictures! Have a good evening!

The Big Move!

So this will probably be the only post I do this week, it's going to be really busy for me. We're signing for the house on Thursday, so I have to get started on re-packing for the move. I'm so beyond excited, but man, I'm  going to be exhausted after we get moved in. Thankfully, some of his friends from his squadron are going to help us move this time, so hopefully we'll get it done in a day.

One of the things I'm looking forward to most when we move on base is the fact that I'll be able to use the gym every day. I can now, but it's a pain to deal with gate traffic and everything for a workout. Really looking forward to trying the Zumba class, and there's a lap pool as well, so I can get back into swimming, which is my all-time favorite workout. (No wonder I was a lifeguard for forever!)

It's going to be great after we get moved, and since we'll have so much room, I'll actually be able to have a home gym. Can't wait to set it up and show it to you guys!

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures after we get unpacked. Have a great week everyone!
-KJ

Wraps, pie crusts, Thunder, oh my!

So before I start, I have something very important that needs to be said:

THUNDER UP!

Whew, glad I got that off my chest. But no, seriously. I hope y'all watch the game tonight, and you best be rooting for the Thunder!

This Sunday is Father's Day, as I'm sure you guys know, but my family is having a big get-together tomorrow at my parents' house. I could not, for the life of me, decide what to get my dad for Father's Day, and I'm a daddy's girl, so it was a big deal. I had the brilliant idea Monday to make him his favorite pie in the whole world: pecan! It just so happens to be Mark's favorite pie as well (that thing about girls marrying men just like their dads? true.), so I'm making pie today! The crust is in the fridge chilling right now, so I thought I'd share my recipe with you! I was going to use my mom's recipe, but I don't have a mixer currently, and it would have been really hard to do. So here's mine!

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/4 ice water

Directions:
         In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill overnight, or at least 4 hours.

That's it! It's one of the easiest recipes, especially if you don't have a mixer!  You can add a little sugar, if you want a sweeter crust (I added just a pinch), or if you're making a savory pie, keep the salt the same, or add just a little more if you want to. I'm going to make the filling while dinner's cookie, so I'll post a picture Saturday of the final products!

Speaking of products..

I'm sure by now most of you have heard of It Works products, the wraps and supplements that are all natural, etc. And most, if not all of you, probably have serious doubts about the products, whether they actually work, if they're worth the money, etc.Well, here's my opinion:

Oh. My. Goodness. I did a wrap on each leg yesterday evening, left them on for about 3 hours (NCIS marathon, it was distracting), and so far, I've lost about 5 inches on each thigh. and I couldn't be more thrilled! I've used wraps before on my stomach and hate minor results, but they were still results! Their supplements are just as impressive, and since they're all natural, they're not harsh on your body like most are. They have a lot of different products, so if you're interested, I would look them up online, or check on facebook to find a distributor.

That's all I've got for now, I gotta go get dinner started so it can be done before the game tonight!

-KJ

I've got a feeling.. (woohooooo)

Do you ever have those mornings where you wake up, and you just KNOW that it's going to be a good day?

That's my day today. I had a great nights sleep, my husband and I made breakfast together this morning, it's just one of those really good days.. :)

I'm about to go do a Pop Pilates video, then get ready for tonight! We're going to see a movie with a couple other people from Mark's squadron, I'm pretty excited. I'm four days back into seriously working out, and I was really sore yesterday, but it was that good sore, the kind you work for and brag about. I feel like I've been guzzling so much water lately, but I definitely feel better after upping my water intake. If you're going to a movie or out to dinner, why not skip the soda and get water instead? Your body will thank you! Even the smallest change can make a big difference, in how you look AND feel! And trust me, being and feeling healthy is so much more satisfying than just being skinny. :)

Have a great afternoon!

On to bigger and better things!

So I'm very excited to announce that we are FINALLY getting a house on base! Yay! It's a little frustrating in regards to timing, because we literally just moved in here a few weeks ago, but.. I don't mind at all! We have to pay a fee to break our lease here, but it's not too bad, and definitely worth it. We're going to be doubling our living space, our puppy with have a yard, and my husband's commute will be about two minutes long! Yay! It's three bedrooms, so we'll have an office, and the other room will be the guest room, and I will probably use it as my home gym a lot of the time as well. I can't describe how excited I am about moving in! 

I also wanted to announce that, after we move in and I check out the gym on base, I will be able to work out a lot longer and lot more freely, as Genesis (our puppy) will be able to be outside a lot instead of in the kitchen or his crate, so there will be more fitness updates here, which I'm excited about. My new goal that I've set is to try to lose another 20 pounds by September, when my husband and I are going on a trip. He's doing a Tough Mudder in Maryland with his dad, then we're going to Ocean City for a few days, then off to Ohio for the USAF marathon! Very excited, and definitely something to push me into really kicking it back into gear. I'm doing good with drinking at least 70 oz. of water a day, which seems like a lot to some, but you'd be surprised just how much you need! If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated, so keep a water bottle with you, and when it's empty, fill it up! Cheaper than buying several throughout the day!

Something I wanted to mention, I've had a few of you share your concerns that what you're doing may not be enough to get the results you want. Here's my perspective on it.

If you don't feel like you're getting results, switch it up. If all you do is jog, add some sprinting in, run up hills, anything to change it up. If you want to try something new, if you're getting bored, go for a swim, or ride a bike! ANYTHING is better than doing nothing! In my opinion, as long as you're really, really trying and working, there's NO SUCH THING as a bad workout! Like everyone's been saying lately, it doesn't matter how slow you're going, you're still lapping everyone on the couch.

I took Genesis for a long walk earlier, and I did pilates, but I'm still feeling energetic, so I'm going back for round two! 

Have a beautiful, healthy day!

-KJ

And the Thunder rolls...

R&R is officially over.

Which means vacation is officially over.

No more sleeping in, no more eating whatever I want ( even in moderation), no more just lounging around.

It's summer, we have plans, and they involve lakes and beaches and watermarks. Those things involve me in a swimsuit.

Now, as I said, I'm not striving to achieve THE perfect body. I'm going for MY perfect body, what I think will be healthy, and beautiful. Because being healthy is MUCH more beautiful than being just 'skinny'.

Now, Mark is off to PT, which means I'm off to do Pilates and Yoga.

P.s. Thunder beat the Spurs.

Day One

Today's workout will be very tough. I got very little sleep last night due to our little puppy, so I know my workout is going to kill me later. I'm going to do 45 minutes in the elliptical, as the treadmill here at the fitness center here broke, and after my nap that I'm about to take, I'm going to do some serious Pilates. After I worked out yesterday, I felt so amazing, I'm definitely looking forward to getting back into my workouts. I'm going grocery shopping this afternoon, can't wait to get all my healthy goodies! I'll post up my grocery list and a picture of my goodies later!

I had an email asking what my favorite post workout snack/food/drink is, and I gotta say, I love just plain old Gatorade diluted with water, and a cliff protein bar. Nothing fancy, just enough to keep me full until I get my next real meal. Keep sending in your questions!

A little thing called hope

I love R&R.

Like a lot.

It's been a little over a week since my husband returned home from his deployment, and even though we've been busy moving and with our new puppy, I feel like things are finally back to normal. And with that comes my return to being devoted to my fitness and health. I've been doing a lot of soul searching and thinking. As you know, I've tried a lot of different methods, products, plans, etc. and I've come to this conclusion:

I do not want to have the perfect beach body. I do not want to look airbrushed, or photoshopped, or fake. So with my new train of thought, I've come up with the following new goals:

Drink nothing but water.
Eat healthy.
Work out, zero excuses.
Most importantly, feel good.

It doesn't matter if I'm 145 or 165. If I don't feel good about myself, I'm going to work hard to change it. The last few weeks before Mark came home, I felt insecure, self conscious.. I wasn't comfortable in my skin. That, to me, is unacceptable. I'm going to love who I am.

Those of you who are trying to keep me down, step back. When the world whispers give up, hope whispers to try it one more time.

The Wait is FINALLY over! (almost)

So, I'm absolutely tickled pink to announce that this is my final blog post before my sweet husband gets home!

OH MY GOODNESS!

You have no idea how long I've been waiting to say that. I'm so glad I have my first deployment almost under my belt. This has been the most trying, emotionally and physically exhausting thing of my life. I'm so thankful Mark is going to be home, I've missed him to pieces! We have a lot to do the first few days he's back, but the first afternoon, it's all about us.We're going to dinner at this amazing restaurant, then going to see a movie. I'm so excited to just start to get back to our  normal.

Don't worry, don't worry, I will be sure to post up pictures, but it will be a few days before I get to it! Keep sending in the emails, I'll respond to them when we get moved in to our new place.

Have a beautiful evening, ladies, and I'll see you when I see you.

P.S.

Something you want to see me write about? Comment and suggest!

The final countdown begins!

I'M SO EXCITED...

AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT!

No, seriously. I'm excited. I'm down to single. digit. days. to my husband being home.

SINGLE DIGITS.

OH.EM.GEE.

I have a BEAUTIFUL hotel room reserved, we have dinner reservations, and all I need now is him! And I'm close to having that! Obviously, I'll be MIA for his R&R (two weeks without facebook or a cellphone, anyone?), but once we're back into a somewhat regular schedule (There's a PCS in our nearish future), I'll be posting up daily about my 90 day eating challenge from Blogilates! We're also starting p90X after he takes his Staff Sergeant test (any positive prayers and thoughts in his direction would be GREATLY appreciated!) so we can both get ready for vacation this fall! Going to Maryland so he can do the tough mudder, then to the beach for the rest of the week (including his birthday<3), then doing the USAF 5k that Saturday in Ohio, then it's off to VIVAAAAAA Las Vegas for my 21st birthday! How exciting!

Also, I've gotten several emails asking if I could explain what OPSEC is. Operational SEcurity is probably one of the more important things you should know was a military spouse, especially while he/she is deployed, or anywhere away from home. Basically, you should NEVER EVER post up specific dates, countdowns (i.e. I have 25 days left until Billy Bob comes home), or locations! If you still have questions, feel free to comment or send me more emails, and check out this site, it does a great job of explaining it!
http://www.capmembers.com/emergency_services/operations_support/operational-security-opsec/

Okay, I really have to get off and do some yoga to calm my self down (butterflies are killing me!) but tell me: what did you wear to your first homecoming?

-KJ

Crazy Train is now boarding!

Whew! What a crazy crazy week! I've been monitoring state testing up at my old high school, packing to move back down to the city, then just trying to survive the rest of this deployment! So happy that it's almost over!

I feel so drained this morning, but I still managed to get up and get my butt out to run! I'm so excited to move down to our new place! We have a fitness center in the complex, I'll have a ton of room for my old dance barre (I'm planning on getting back into dance shape!) and, since we have a deck, I'll be able to do my Pilates and yoga OUTSIDE! :) so excited! Mark and I are writing up our grocery list as well so we can get our stuff as soon as I get the kitchen cleaned up how I want it, and I'll be starting the 90 day eating challenge from Blogilates! Very ready to get our lives back on track after he gets home!


I gotta run some errands, so have a beautiful day y'all!

I've been getting a lot of questions about what has inspired me to keep working out and getting healthy, even when I don't always see the results I want as soon as I want them. My friend tori asked the same question in the fitness group we are in. My answer?     If you put in what you've always put in, you'll get what you've always gotten.  I'm putting more into, investing more time and energy into myself for a better tomorrow because I want to be able to run around with my kids and grand kids. 

I had such a crazy day! Went to OKC, took care of the title for Mark's new motorcycle, (pictures coming soon!) then went on a pre-homecoming shopping spree! :) A little girl time with my best friend, Nat, was MUCH needed. So, onto today's topic: confidence. Today, as I was shopping at Victoria's Secret, I realized something that my husband, best friend, and family have been trying to tell me for the last few..well, forever: I am REALLY good looking! As some of you who know me and have been following my old blog for a while know, I've been on a weight loss journey. Today as I looked in the mirror at the store, I finally saw just how far I've come, and for the first time EVER, I strutted out of that store, head held high, because for the first time in a long time, I felt beautiful, unstoppable, confident. And ladies, let me tell ya; that's a great feeling, one that I hope you all feel constantly, because y'all are BEAUTIFUL, inside and out.

 So before I show y'all my hubby's bike, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson

 Okay, now before I go, I have to show you guys the bike.  We got a great deal on it, and I can't tell y'all how happy it makes me to see how excited my husband is about his new toy! :)

I LOVE IT! 

The blue wasn't my favorite at first, but I love it so much now! I can't wait until Mark gets home to ride it! :)

Alright ladies, I'm going to go watch Confessions of a Shopaholic, and relax! Have a beautiful evening!

Quick facial mask recipe

Hey ladies, I'm fixing to get off for the night because it's about time for my husband to get on Skype, but wanted to share a recipe for a peel off facial mask my mom came up with. It's super simple, and while there are a lot of variations that I'll share later on with green tea and such, this is the quickest and simplest. It's a teaspoon of plain gelatin, mixed with a teaspoon of milk. You mix it, then microwave it until its thick like an egg yolk, then apply it. It's AMAZING. I'm fixing to make my own :) have a beautiful night ladies!

Let me start by saying that I'M SO EXCITED to be on this new site! Big shout out to my dear friend Tori for suggesting it! I hope those of you who have followed me so far will continue to do so as I continue my little adventures and share more tips and tricks with you! I have been and will be VERY busy in the nest few weeks preparing for my hubby's homecoming after so many months apart! I finally re-started the 30 day shred this morning after slacking off this weekend, and I definitely feel the burn! Just like on the old site, I'll be sharing recipes, crafts, and tips for you other military spouses! Please continue to send in questions and requests!