Step by Step

Well I think it is OK

2012-01-05T20:18:00.000-06:00

I am linking up with Amber and Neely again because, well, it is one of my favorite link ups and it is so much fun!

This week it is OK...

..to be completely annoyed about the frequent power outages in our housing area.

..to not want to fold the 8 baskets of clean clothes and put them away. Laundry is not my favorite thing to do.

..that I am off kilter since coming off the family's break. I have to get back into my routine, but I'm just so blah about it somedays.

..to start back on the Chantix. I'm not declaring me smoke free (especially since whenever I say this and I fall off the smoke free wagon, people make snarky comments about it and it annoys me. Be supportive sheesh. ) I am taking the pills and taking it from there.

..that the pills make me way too lazy to smoke, even if I want to.

..to still be working on my goals for this year.

..to be ~~obsessed~~ in love with my Kindle Fire. I just got my blue cover in the mail today. I was so excited about it! Just waiting on my screen protectors. Smudges bug me.

..that I haven't tackled a lot on my to do list this week.

..that the herd having Monday off confused me as to what day of the week it is. Ha

..to want to make chocolate chip cookies, just so I can eat the dough. Yum

..to spend the rest of the night reading blogs. I love bloggyland

Happy Friday Eve :)

2011 Recap Survey

2012-01-04T21:53:00.001-06:00

Well...Hello There.

Long time no blog.

Two weeks of having Mr. N. and the herd home was wonderful, so my routine was changed and I'm slowly trying to get back into the swing of things. I guess, in hindsight, I shouldn't have changed my routine too much, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunities to snuggle up with Mr. N. after the herd went to bed. He is back to work now, so I am working on finding motivation to get back to my routine.

I am way behind on blogging, but in the spirit of trying to get my groove back (not Stella's) I am going to share my 2011 recap with you via survey. If there's one thing you must know about this girl, she loves herself a good survey. I can't pass them up. This survey I copied from the lovely Jessica at You Are My Color.

Here we go..

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

Moved out of my home state.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't make resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Umm...no. I don't believe so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thank goodness.

5. Did you visit anywhere exciting?

I went to a Ball with Mr. N.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

More time with Mr. N. We have only been living together for a few months. It is great to finally be together in the same home with my family.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

There are 2 days in 2011 that will forever be etched in my mind.

First-March 26th. The day Mr. N. came home from deployment

and

July 16, 2011. The day of our formal wedding/vow renewal.

Those were two AMAZING days.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Surviving deployment and getting our family all under one roof.

9. What was your biggest mistake?

I think it was not telling my family about me moving sooner. I feared they wouldn't be supportive. Clearly this was a mistake on my part, as they have ALWAYS been nothing short of supportive, I don't know why I ever doubted that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No, thankfully.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I think it would be the entertainment center I bought at moving sale. It was $30.00 and it is gorgeous. I was really excited about it too, as I had been looking forever to find one.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

A very special person in my life.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

I'm just not going to share this

14. Where did most of your money go in 2011?

Hands down...Raising the Herd.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Mr. N's homecoming.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Much happier.

ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner I think. I had lost a lot of unnecessary weight due to stress and I have been working at putting it back on. I have put some of it back on, but last time I weighed myself I hadn't gotten back up to my previous weight. So I guess I'm not sure

iii. richer or poorer? The same. This time last year I was working at a law firm, but mostly my job paid for the herd to be in daycare. So I left my employment to stay home with the herd.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Spent more time with my family and friends.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Stressing...clearly, otherwise I would not have lost all of that weight.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

at home with Mr. N and the herd (minus Rae)

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

I was already in love with Mr. N., but I definitely fell in love with him all over again when he came home. There's no greater feeling than that.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

It is always Friends. I did get suckered into Extreme Couponing though.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is an extremely harsh word/feeling/emotion and I try really hard to not hate. I strongly dislike certain people, but not hate.

24. What was the best book you read?

The Hunger Games trilogy LOVED it.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I don't have any new discoveries this year.

26. What did you want and get?

A MacBook and my amazing Mr. N. got it for me for my birthday.

27. What did you want and not get?

Rollerblades. I really want some, but I just haven't done it yet. I am not sure why either.

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

On my birthday I went to a movie with Rae and Bubs (the other 2 were visiting their mom), my brother, my niece, and my mom. My best friend planned a surprise party for me the following night and all my best girlfriends were there. I turned the big 3-0

29. What's one thing that would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If I could have not had to deal with so much stress. It really took a (unhealthy) toll on me.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Well it would be the same as always Cute and Comfy.

31. What kept you sane?

Blogging, reading, my friends and family.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I always sparkly heart Miss Britney Spears

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

I don't pay attention to politics. I know I should, but I don't.

34. Who do you miss the most?

I miss all my friends and family back in Minnesota.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

Miss Lindsey over at Feasibly Happy (not yet IRL, but hopefully one day!) and IRL Miss Griselda. Both of these fabulous ladies are fellow Army Wives :)

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011?

That I am a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. That when things get hard and all I want to do is throw in the towel, I will only fight harder. I am strong and sometimes I need to remind myself of this.

37. What are your new years resolutions for 2012?

I do not have any resolutions, but am doing 12 goals for 2012. That post will be coming soon.

I will return to my regularly scheduled blogging asap :)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T15:30:00.000-06:00

I would like to wish my family and friends back home in Minnesota a very Merry Christmas. I miss you all very much! I hope that you're all having a wonderful Christmas.

I would also like to send my thoughts, prayers, and Christmas wishes out to the men and women in our military who are not able to be home to celebrate with their families this holiday season. Also, to their families, who hold them near and dear to their hearts.

"All Hearts Come Home for the Holidays" God Bless our Military and their families

Also, I would love to wish all of my fabulous readers a very Merry Christmas. I hope that Santa brought you a lot of goodies and that you're enjoying time with your loved ones.

Source: google.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: vivaamore.tumblr.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Wanna know what is Ok?..

2011-12-22T23:51:00.000-06:00

Mr. N. and the herd have been home for the past week, so I've pretty much been MIA here. I definitely want to update what's been going on here in the N household, as well as share our Christmas with you. Realistically though, it probably won't get done until the herd is back at school and Mr. N. is back to work. I love having him home and the herd around, but it leaves little time for blogging. But that's okay.... Speaking of which, I am linking up with Amber and Neely again to share what is okay with me at the moment. Let's get started, shall we?!

HEY! IT'S OK...

..be Obsessed with the anniversary present I got from my amazing Mr. N.

Source: amazon.com via Jenna on Pinterest

..to think he is just that much more amazing for buying it for me.

..that I want to buy an uber cute cover for it.

..to love the fact that I actually got to spend an anniversary with my mister.

..to continue to mentally expand my wish list even though Christmas shopping is all done. Good thing Valentines Day is on the horizon...well kind of ...

..to sleep through Zumba (on accident). I wasn't expecting the herd to actually sleep in this morning. lol

..that missing Zumba meant extra cuddle time with Mr. N.

..to spend 3.5 hours of my day wrapping gifts with (and for) my FRG. It was a lot of fun

.. to not have finished wrapping all of the Christmas gifts.

..that I can NOT wait until the 2nd when Rae comes home

..that I miss her to pieces.

..to be sad that I will not be spending Christmas in Minnesota with my family. This is the first Christmas EVER that I haven't spent with my parents and siblings.

..to not have regrets about my move here

..to be excited to see the herd-1 open their Santa presents in 3 days

..to want Christmas Eve to only be about Mr. N., after all, it is his birthday

..to want to take away Mr. N's Playstation 3

..that I won't because he wouldn't be happy about it. lol

..to have more things that I'm "Ok" with than what I write here

Happy Holidays!

Operation Toy Drop

2011-12-14T08:34:00.002-06:00

Operation Toy Drop is a fundraiser type event hosted by the Army, wherein, a soldier donates a toy and gets a lottery ticket to get on one of the flight manifests for a "fun" jump to receive a pair of foreign wings. Mr. N. was one of the lucky ones who had their number called for the lottery, so the herd and I went out to the drop zone to watch him jump and earn his foreign wings.

The herd and I got out there about an hour before he jumped. There were activities for the kids, although we did miss Santa. The herd each took turns rock climbing up the wall. They also enjoyed some snacks and watched other paratroopers jump. As is the nature of the herd, they started to get impatient waiting for daddy's flight. Finally the wait was over, we heard the planes approaching and we all got pretty excited. Watching the paratroopers fall in the sky is such a beautiful sight.

We waited by the ropes where the paratroopers would come up and drop off their rigs. Mr. N. spotted us and came over to say hi. Now all we had to do was wait for his group to be called for the ceremony so that he could receive his foreign (German) wings.

It was a bit of a wait and the herd was, once again, getting antsy to see him. Finally it was the German group and it turned out to be more chaotic than I thought it would be. Out of nowhere, or at least not that I had noticed, appeared the media and some of the WWE wrestlers. The herd went nuts! They were so excited to see real live wrestlers. They each received a toy wrestler and had their pictures taken with them. This is such an awesome memory for them to have.

I even managed to get a picture of my mister while he got pinned with his German Wings

We are so very proud of him. I am so glad that we got to be a part of a very special day for him. Not only that, but that we got to help create a special memory for the herd and our family.

Besides, there is nothing more attractive then to see Mr. N. freshly after he gets off a jump.

Gosh, he's such a hottie.

Airborne

2011-12-13T20:32:00.000-06:00

This past weekend my husband earned his Foreign wings during a jump for Operation Toy Drop. Here's a video of his jump (he's on the third plane).

I will be posting about our experience and sharing some pictures from our day. For now, please enjoy the video!

Better late than never

2011-12-13T20:06:00.000-06:00

I am so beyond late with my Plenty to be Thankful swap reveal. My apologies.

I was partnered up with the lovely Mily over at Simply Mily. She spoiled me with a lot of goodies! I had such a great time swapping with her. If you would like to see what I got her you can go here.

1. Essential Beauty Lotions in some amazing scents Coconut Lime; Cherry Kiss; Razz Fizz; Vanilla Frosting; Cotton Candy; and Chocomint.

2. Sparkly Lip Gloss

3. Handmade bookmarks (well, at least that's what I use them for)

4. The Essie Summer Collection (Smooth Sailing; Braziliant; Super Bossa Nova; and Meet me at Sunset)

5. A lotion, shower gel, and body spray pack in Citrus Coconut

6. Some cute blank notecards, which I love!

7. Last, but certainly not least, Coffee with Marilyn.

Here's a close up of the bookmarks. How cute are these?!

Again, thank you so much Mily. You did a great job! Happy Holidays :)

How the Glitz Stole Christmas Swap Reveal

2011-12-12T21:14:00.000-06:00

I have been addicted to blog swaps this holiday season. I love having the opportunity to "meet" other bloggers, get to learn a bit about them and, of course, to send and receive fabulous care packages :)

This swap was hosted by the lovely Raven and Lindsey. I was paired up with the fabulous Suzanne over at Already Right Where I Belong. These women are awesome! If you haven't already checked out their blogs yet, then you're definitely missing out. I promise you won't be sorry :)

Now, on to the goodies..

1) A super cute nail file with the quote "Inner beauty is for amateurs". This is perfect for me, especially with the frequency in which I do my nails, I go through files like crazy!

2) Leopard print "Bath Diva" shower cap. It is so cute! It is perfect for baths! Somedays I just want to soak and don't want my hair to get all wet. Problem solved! Besides, you can never go wrong with leopard prints.

3) A polish from the Muppets Collection "Excuse Moi". I love the sparkles and the color. It is gorgeous! I am loving the Muppets Collection.

Thank you so much Suzanne! I loved everything you sent!

And, of course, thank you Raven and Lindsey for hosting such a fabulous swap!

Shop til You Drop

2011-12-09T23:06:00.000-06:00

Source: google.com via Donna on Pinterest

After 4 hours of shopping, that is what I looked like today.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to shop. But 4 hours is an awfully long time, and eventually the "fun" part of it wears off (especially when your last stop is the grocery store, heh)

The upside is Christmas shopping is D-O-N-E. Thank goodness! Oh and I even got Mr. N's birthday gift today too. It wasn't what I had in mind, BUT I know he's going to love it. I'm cool like that ;)

Next up, getting the Christmas decorations up and the presents wrapped. I'm hoping to squeeze in a day of cookie baking in here as well, but it isn't high on my priority list. Still debating on getting holiday cards....decisions decisions.

I can't believe how quickly the holiday season is approaching. It actually feels good to not be rushing around at the last minute to get our Christmas shopping done. This is a first for me. :)

I can't wait for the herd and Mr. N. to open their gifts. That is my favorite part.

Who still has shopping left to do???

Why Yes, It is O-K!

2011-12-08T21:30:00.000-06:00

Surprise, surprise I'm linking up with Amber and Neely to let you know what is A-Ok :)

It is OK...

..to have given Mr. N. his anniversary present early because it arrived early and waiting 2+ weeks to give it to him would not have been ok

..to be thrilled that he loved it (I got him a smartphone). Now he can play Angry Birds on his own phone..ha

..that I haven't done any Christmas shopping for the herd

..that I need to do it like asap, as we will be celebrating this weekend since Rae will be in Minnesota for the Christmas holiday break.

..to be torn about the iPhone. When I was paying our phone bill online I noticed I was available for an upgrade and that I could get an uber awesome discount on the iPhone 4 and/or 4s

..to want the phone something fierce

..to hold off on it, well maybe

..that I forced myself to go to Zumba today. I totally didn't even want to

..that after Zumba I did 20 minutes on the bike while reading my book. I may need to do this more often

..to think that 50 degrees is considered "cold" since it has been in the 70s the past couple of days

..to know that if it was 50 degrees in Minnesota, that would be considered a "hot" day this time of year

..to not have done Christmas cards yet and to not be sure if I am going to at all

..to not have our Christmas tree up yet

..to stand my ground

..to say NO sometimes, I can't always say "yes"

..to have an expensive Christmas wish list. I don't expect any of it (though it would be nice)

..that I have 40+ items on my To-Do list and I know there's more I need to add

..to not know how to make my signature appear in every post without having to copy and paste each time I post. (Someone want to tell an easier way? It'd be appreciated greatly)

..that I have not finished my grocery list, so I can't get my coupons together

..to be sad and/or frustrated with some news received today

..to want to curl up in bed next to Mr. N., but not be able to yet because I'm procrastinating on that dang grocery list.

..to laugh when I want to cry

..to act strong though I feel weak

..to take things one day at a time.

Strong Bond Marriage Retreat

2011-12-06T12:26:00.000-06:00

Marriage is not the fairy tale that Disney has you believing it is. Marriage is made up of hard work, understanding, commitment, communication, and love. Marriage is especially difficult when your spouse is in the service (Military, Police Officers, Firefighters, etc.), because you don't always get to be the priority, well at least it can feel that way at times. The Army understands this. They know how important it is to keep your marriage healthy, that is why they offer these retreats for their married soldiers. They want their soldiers to be focused and nothing makes a soldier lose focus faster than marital/family problems. (This, of course, is based off my/our experience) So a few weeks ago, Mr. N. and I, along with the herd, went to Charlotte for a Strong Bond Marriage Retreat that was hosted by the Army for the weekend.

Mr. N. signed us up for the retreat and I was really excited to go. We were put up in a nice hotel, with free food, and free child care while we attended the retreat. Plus, on Saturday we got 7 hours of free child care for "date night". Parents, not just those with herds, need time to themselves as well so we can, well, regroup.

We arrived at the hotel and were put into a room with 2 beds. We are a big family, but we knew we could make it work. Luckily, the Chaplain was able to get us connecting rooms so that there was enough room for our clan. Awesome! We made the switch and then headed off to dinner before our first session started.

This particular retreat was based on the speakings and book "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage" by Mark Gungor (if you are interested in reading his book, taking one of his seminars, or just curious, go here)
We watched one of his marriage seminars on DVD. He talked about the differences between men and women (i.e. men store their thoughts in boxes and only take one box out at a time, usually their "nothing" box; while women's thoughts are all interconnected by "wires", which is why we have a difficult time thinking about nothing. Trust me, I've tried) It was very enlightening and I learned quite a bit the first night.

Saturday was the second session of the retreat and we all got complimentary copies of Mr. Gungor's books. Oh my word I was so excited about this! I love reading and getting new books. Not to mention, that Mr. N. and I "won" another (read: different) book for having the most children at the retreat. Thank you Herd :) I'm about half way through the book at this time, but so far I am enjoying it and learning quite a bit. Yay for reading.

Moving along...

Saturday night was our date night. However, I spent the first 2 hours of it at Urgent Care. Talk about a bummer. However, we did go out and have a nice dinner with our friends who were also at the retreat. After dinner we went back to the hotel and walked around Charlotte for a little bit before we had to return and pick the herd up from child care. It was a nice evening. We don't get a lot of alone time, but we also don't get a lot of time for spending with our friends (sans herd) so it was nice to have that opportunity.

The herd was loving the child care room. They played games, had snacks, did arts and crafts, watched movies. They didn't want to leave when we picked them up and were always excited to go back. They're too cute sometimes.

Sunday was the final day of the retreat and it was a wrap up session. We talked about what we learned. What I learned/took away from the retreat is that sometimes it is ok to "take", that Mr. N. really does have a "nothing" box, that more often than not you need to ask more than once if you would like him to get something done, that if I want something I need to ask for it, among a few other things. Upon leaving the retreat, I felt closer to Mr. N. It was a great experience and I loved that I got to share it with him.

While there will be many ups and downs in our lives and our marriage, as long as we are committed to our marriage and able to communicate to the best of our abilities, we can get through anything. Deployments are a reality for us and it makes it that much more important for us to be able to have good communication skills so that we can stay connected despite the distance.

For all of you MilSpouses out there who are reading this, if you haven't gone to a marriage retreat, I highly recommend it. It was amazing and I am so glad that we got the opportunity to go. I am hoping that this is something that we will get a chance to participate in again.

Dear Santa...

2011-12-05T20:30:00.000-06:00

I think I have done a pretty darn good job of remaining on your "Nice" list this year.

I wouldn't be upset to find ~~all~~ a few of these under my Christmas tree this year.

1) A new handbag

Source: miumiu.com via Jenna on Pinterest

2) A white iPhone

Source: apple.com via Jenna on Pinterest

3) A LaMer wrap watch (either of these, or both, will do)

Source: lamercollections.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: shopbop.com via Jenna on Pinterest

4) The Naked Palette

Source: sephora.com via Jenna on Pinterest

5) A Cannon DSLR camera and bag

Source: bestbuy.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: jototes.com via Jenna on Pinterest

6) An Ipad 2 with a cute case/cover

Source: google.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: jesslc.com via Jenna on Pinterest

7) Brown boots

Source: polyvore.com via Jenna on Pinterest

8) Label Maker

Source: amazon.com via Jenna on Pinterest

I promise to leave out plenty of milk and cookies for you, as well as carrots for your reindeers.

19 more sleeps until Christmas!

Nail Polish Swap Revealed

2011-12-05T15:36:00.000-06:00

It is no secret that I am a nail polish ~~hoarder~~ addict. So, of course, I had to participate in the Nail Polish Swap hosted by the fabulous Tara and Celia.

I was paired up with the lovely Christy over at Sunshine & Pickles. She's so sweet and her blog is adorable, so you should definitely stop over there and check it out.

As for the swap, she spoiled me with 11 bottles of nail polish! She did a great job. She did not get me any bottles that I already have. I have similar colors, but not the same. I am sure it was no easy task, as I have 100+ bottles of polish in my collection.

Now for the goodies...

Her sweet note and wrapping job

The polishes...

I am currently wearing "Secret Admirer" with "All About You" on my thumbs.

Thank you Christy! I love all my new polishes!

Its ok !

2011-12-01T23:02:00.000-06:00

ITS OK...

That I am behind on many a things, especially my blog posts, from being out of town for 5 days

To not let it overwhelm me and take on one task at a time

To have Christmas shopping finished for all my little Minnesota sweethearts on Thanksgiving night

That I still need to put together a list for the herd so that I can get their Christmas shopping done next week.

That my mom "stole" my gift idea for Mr. N's Christmas gift. No worries mom, I have a new idea, but I'm not sharing this one :)

To have already ordered his anniversary gift and be uber excited that I got an email today that it has shipped already. Hopefully I can hold off until the 21st to give it to him. *fingers crossed*

That I also need to buy him a birthday gift. December =lots o' gifts for Mr. N.

To be uber excited for Rae's birthday party on Saturday.

That I met with a Financial Planner and now feel more confident that I will be able to figure out how to put together a budget. It was a very informative meeting.

That I want to get back into school soon. I miss it.

To be enjoying the warmer climate here in the South. I am sure it is definitely colder up in Minnesota.

To want to "do it all", but realize that the only way to achieve that is by accomplishing one thing at a time

That I want to spend a day curled up in bed reading books

To be sad that all my swaps are done (minus the posting of them, which I will get to next week), but I am loving all the goodies that I've received.

That I love this link up and sometimes it is the only I post all week.

What November 24th means to me...

2011-11-24T22:13:00.000-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAN!!!

Nine years ago we welcomed you into this world.

You are an amazing girl and I am so proud to be your mom.

You are smart, funny, beautiful, sassy, crafty, kind hearted, loving, generous, thoughtful, and an all around joy. My life would not be the same without you. Your smile warms my heart. Your laugh makes me smile. You are growing up so fast and before I know it you will be an adult. (*yikes*)

I will treasure the moments while you're still young. These moments won't last forever because one day (hopefully not TOO soon) you won't find me nearly as cool as you think I am now.

I love you with all that I am. No matter how old you get, you will ALWAYS be my baby girl.

I love you forever & for all infinity.

101 Things Blog Swap Reveal

2011-11-22T17:43:00.000-06:00

I participated in the 101 Things Blog Swap hosted by Holly over at Perfectly Imperfect. The purpose of this swap was to help your partner check off some of their items off of their 101 list.

I was partnered with the fabulously wonderful Lindsey over at Feasibly Happy. She is amazing! Lindsey and I were able to relate so well to each other. We are both Army Wives and step moms. I absolutely adore her! She is so sweet and thoughtful. I am thankful to be able to call her a friend.

Lindsey, like myself, went a bit overboard with our packages. But you know what? That's okay! As MilSpouses we have sent many care packages to our husbands, so I'm not sure that we don't know how to NOT over do it. lol

Now, for the best part, the goodies!

The contents of the box after I took them out. (BTW Linds, the cats had a field day with the packing peanuts..lol)

Cookie/Bar Recipes and the cutest Recipe/Tips Organizer. Love this! I cannot wait to bake!!

Books. Another thing that we have in common is our love for books. I have not read any of these books that she sent and I can't wait to start reading them. I have been flipping through the 511 Things that Only Women Understand. It is awesome

How to/Pattern books for Knitting and Crocheting

Tons of fun scrapbooking paper and stickers for me to play with. I loooove scrapbooking. It is one of my most favorite things to do. Now I am even more excited about working on them.

A delicious smelling Pumpkin Spice Candle and an uber cute clipboard. Funny story actually, Mr. N. had asked me yesterday morning if I had a clipboard, which I didn't, until the mail came! lol

I loved everything I got!

Thank you Lindsey! You're the best!!!

Just Add Color Swap Goodies Reveal

2011-11-22T08:39:00.000-06:00

I participated in the scarf and nail polish swap hosted by the gorgeous Jessica at You are my Color and Ashlee at On the Front Porch Looking In

I was partnered with the wonderful Taylor of Tea with Mrs. Kee. We had a bit of difficulty with her getting her package, but I am happy to report that she finally received it! It was crazy! The post office said they thought it was being returned to me, but then she received it. I don't know what happened, I'm just thrilled that she received it.

What did she send me?! Well, let me show you

Two Butter London nail polishes. I actually didn't own any of this brand, but I loved it! These colors are a great addition to my collection.

The scarf is gorgeous! It is super long, soft, cute, and comfy! It will definitely help keep me warm when I go up to Minnesota this week.

Thank you Jessica and Ashlee for hosting such a fun swap!

&

Thank you Taylor for the fabulous gifts! I loved them all!

Its Ok....

2011-11-17T23:25:00.000-06:00

Once again I am linking up with Amber and Neely to share the things that I find to be ok this week.

HEY, IT'S OK....

...to have Charmed on my DVR

...to DVR all of my shows so I can watch them in peace and quiet...added bonus, I can fast forward the commercials.

...to have a rough couple of days and still not have bounced back yet

...to cry

...to not have done the grocery shopping yet.

...that I haven't been in the mood to do any "real" posts, as I have been in a "mood" of sorts.

...that I'm anxious for the holidays to be over with.

...to feel like I'm never able to catch up because there is always something more that needs to be done.

...to not have made it to Zumba at all this week. Well, its not really ok, but I will be back there next week dancing my booty off.

...to be a very proud momma, as every one of my lil herdlings received awards from their teachers. I am going to hang up their awards in the front room where their school pictures are.

...that because of the herd's awesomeness, I get a bumper sticker that says "I'm a Proud Parent of a Terrific Student". I may need to tweak that with permanent marker to make it plural.

...to be bummed that I found out my swap partners package has yet to make it to her. I find it to be upsetting. I will have to talk to the Post Office tomorrow. Otherwise, I will go shopping again and send her a new one. Gosh I feel awful about this.

...to be excited about going to Charolette this weekend for the Strong Bond Retreat.

...that I'm not terribly excited about the 3 hour car ride with the herd. Well, they are good travelers, so I can't complain too much. I Mr. N. will have to hook the DVD player back up. That should keep them entertained.

Well, that is all for now. I will be back Sunday or Monday to fill you in on our weekend. And, of course, to reveal the wonderful package I got from Taylor over at Tea with Mrs. Kee. *fingers crossed* her package arrives ASAP.

I'm THANKFUL for YouTube and other internet fun

2011-11-15T21:02:00.000-06:00

I am definitely thankful for the internet and its ability to entertain me when necessary. I don't stroll around YouTube very often, unless I am directed there by someone else. Mr. N., on the other hand, he ~~sparkly hearts~~ thinks YouTube is pretty sweet. He YouTubes video funnies and/or sports. Lots and lots of sports.
My favorite places to go on the internet are:
1) Social Networking Sites

Source: facebook.com via Scott on Pinterest

Facebook-a great way to keep connected with friends and family

Source: google.com via Ann on Pinterest

Blogger...but of course! I love my blog. It is a work in progress. But reality is, I am too. I am proud of my blog. That's what is important to me. I am, however, extremely THANKFUL for those who follow my blog. It makes me smile.

Source: google.com via Ann on Pinterest

Twitter. I am honestly surprised by this one. I didn't really get the point of having a Twitter account. But I am totally hooked. I don't update mine all that often, but I check it ~~a 100 times~~ here and there. I am slowly started to get the hang of it. I will get better on my tweeting. If you want to follow me you are more than welcome to! @JTubesoxTattoos

2) My Most Frequented Sites

I check these sites on a regular basis

Pinterest This website is just flat out addicting. I could pin things all day and all night.

People.com I love me some celebrity gossip!

DamnYouAutoCorrect If you're ever having a bad day, or in a crabby butt mood, you MUST visit this site. You will laugh your a$$ off. True story

PostSecrets I LOVE this site. I have read all of the books. I can relate to some of the secrets. Some of the secrets make me laugh, some make me cry, and some break my heart for the secret holders pain. It is an amazing site. One day ~~when~~ if I get an iPhone, I will be downloading the post secret app.

And there you have it. My list o internet fun!

I'm THANKFUL for my Guilty Pleasures

2011-11-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

Reality Television

I love, love, love me some Reality Television. I do not watch Big Brothers, Survivor, or shows of that sort. I prefer shows that follow a person/family like..

Dirty Soap

Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com via Molly on Pinterest

The Hills

Source: Uploaded by user via Charlene on Pinterest

Keeping Up with The Kardashians

Source: Uploaded by user via Ashley on Pinterest

These are my favs.

Nail Polish

Source: google.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

Source: dollarstorecrafts.com via Alyson on Pinterest

Source: steffels.blogspot.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: sandraespinetblog.com via Sharon on Pinterest

I would classify myself as being OCD about my nail polish. I have seen on other blogs that I am not the only one who obsessively changes my polish. Smudged polish bothers me, but chips are entirely unacceptable in my book. If it chips it MUST be changed. Actually, they're chipped right now and its driving me crazy. I sliced a finger on Friday and it burns when I wash my hands, do the dishes, sooo...I'm a bit weary of how much pain nail polish remover would cause me. I'm guessing I will power through, I really dislike chipped polish. I'm just saying...

Source: weheartit.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Reading Materials

I love to read.

Magazines

Source: weheartit.com via Yvonne on Pinterest

Books

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

And Blogs of Course!

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Ellen on Pinterest

Tattoos

I love to get inked. There are at least 5 tattoos that I still want to get. Every time I get one, I add another tattoo to my wish list.

Source: Uploaded by user via Katelyn on Pinterest

Source: fyeahtattoos.com via Bresae on Pinterest

Last, and certainly not least, my most favorite guiltiest pleasure

Source: bohemiancyborg.tumblr.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Hands down the best show to ever air on tv. No matter what kind of day I am having, this show will make me laugh until my sides hurt.

What guilty pleasures are YOU thankful for?!

Its Ok Thursday

2011-11-10T20:58:00.000-06:00

Once again I am linking up with Neely and Amber to let you all know what Is OK for me this week.
ITS OK....
...to feel like poo and still suck it up and go to Zumba because I love it so much.
...to be exhausted afterwards because, well, I probably should've stayed in bed.
...to want to sign up for every blog swap that I come across.
...to not sign up for every blog swap.
...to be totally excited that my first blog swap package came today! Post coming stat
...to be entirely annoyed at the run around I'm receiving from one of my student loan lenders. They messed it up, they need to fix it. End of Story.
...that I have no desire to do anything more tonight. Dishes can wait until morning. It won't hurt anyone.
...to have a million and one things that I need to do, but not have the slightest clue how, or where, to begin.
...to have a realistic wish list for Christmas and a not so realistic wish list.
...to be excited for the Strong Bond Marriage Retreat that we will be going on next weekend.
...that I am loving North Carolina
...that because I do love North Carolina, doesn't mean I love Minnesota any less.
...to feel bittersweet when I read on Facebook that there was falling snow in Minnesota and it was 68 here. Granted it got chillier and rained come afternoon, but still....
...to want to do a lot at once, but know that I can't.
...to figure somethings out as I go. Plans are great, but they're all subject to change.
...that I feel overwhelmed at times, but I realize that it is self inflicted. I need to work on tackling one or two things at a time, not 12 things at once.
...to be inspired and want to do something about my inspiration.
...to remember to take it one day at a time. I mean that's not really how I roll, I am always thinking farther out than I should. Worrying about things that I cannot control. I need to work on this.
...to be totally stoked to have Mr. N. home for the next 4 days! Gotta love 4 day weekends. : )
...to acknowledge that regardless of one's branch of service, or their rank, all our U.S. Service members work towards one common goal...to keep our country safe. When loved ones are deployed, on assignment, or gone for an extended period of time, spouses, children, and family all experience the same fears, worries, and immense sense of pride. So, on that note, I would like to wish the Marine Corp a Happy 236th Birthday.

What's been going on

2011-11-09T08:41:00.000-06:00

I've been a bit MIA lately. My bad. So I suppose I should catch you up on what's been going on over here at the N house.

Friday night I came down with the stomach flu. *sad face* The herd, one by one, took turns with the flu, so it was only a matter of time before I caught it. I hate being sick. I am probably the worlds most annoying sick person EVER. I get really whiney. True story.

Thankfully it was only the 24 hour bug. But once my stomach started feeling better, late afternoon on Saturday, BAM I get hit with a migraine. It was a lose/lose for this girl.

Due to daylight savings, we were all up pretty early on Sunday, but we were well rested. The herd spent most of the day playing outside with their friends. Mr. N. went and hung out with some friends and watched some football. Nothing big and exciting to write home about. Ya know?!

Mr. N. had a 4 day weekend and the herd only had a 3 day weekend. So Monday he and I got to hang out herd free. It was kind of nice. It has been awhile since it has been just the two of us. We made breakfast and I helped him study for his JumpMaster test that he has on Thursday. *Fingers tightly crossed* that he passes so that he gets into JumpMaster school. He even got motivated to clean up his Man Cave. He's pretty excited about it. Now all I he needs is a desk and some more manly stuff in their I guess. lol

Yesterday I completed Number 16 on my Fall Bucket list by attending my first ever Zumba class. I had so much fun. I haven't danced my butt off like that in years. It felt good! I struggled with a few of the dances because, obviously, it was my first class, but I caught on pretty quickly. Thanks to all those years of dancing :) I'm not terribly sore today. There is another class tomorrow and I am totally going to it. Dancing makes me happy.

I have a bunch of phone calls to make and a LOT of laundry to fold. Don't be jealous ;)

It's Ok, Well...mostly

2011-11-03T22:24:00.000-05:00

It is Thursday so, of course, that means I am linking up with Amber and Neely!

IT'S OK...

...to watch reruns of Charmed (while multitasking, of course) and be sad that it is no longer on the air. I forgot how much I loved that show.

...to DVR Ellen and watch it after everyone else is asleep. Because I would miss most of the show if I even attempted to watch it while the herd is awake.

...to be obsessed with The Happiness Project. I am loving this book!

...to be inspired by The Happiness Project and want to apply some of it to my own life. Who doesn't want to be happier?!

...to participate in 4 blog swaps. I am so excited for each and every one of them.

...to become frustrated after spending an hour trying to create my own blog design and for the code to not work.

...to just give up on it for now. I will attempt it again later.

...to be totally excited to go check out the Zumba class on Tuesday.

...that the table I am working at is covered with papers and coupons and I am just going to leave it like this. I dislike clutter, but if I clean it up I may not get it done until later. I need to get it done like now.

...to be thrilled that my new bloggy friend (Hi Lindsey) sent me some GRE study cards. She is so sweet and thoughtful. I am totally stoked that we are swap partners. She is awesomeness!

...to change out my purse for the second time in 2 weeks. I was bored with it.

...to contemplate changing it out next week.

...that I can't always have/buy new purses. I need to learn to just utilize what I have.

...that Rae's birthday is this month and I'm in total denial that she is turning 9. Oh my word. This is her last year in single digits. My baby is growing up so fast.

...to want to be an Extreme Couponer, but realize that it takes a LOT of discipline and to get to that level. I do not have that discipline as of yet. I'm still learning the ropes. Any savings is good in my book!

...to ask for help sometimes.

...to keep a positive attitude even when things are difficult.

...that Mr. N. is asleep on the couch instead of being awake and hanging out with me. He had a long day. Besides, he's awfully cute when he is asleep.

It is NOT Ok...

...that my internet is wonky. I am getting so frustrated with it. Internet works on Mr. N.'s computer, but mine is hit or miss. Ugh

*whew* I'm feeling Ok about a lot of things this week and it was nice to share them all with you.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thursday!

Fall Bucket List #4-Complete

2011-11-02T22:56:00.002-05:00

#4 Create a blog button for both of my blogs.

Woo hoo! This was quite the victory for me. However, I do have to give credit where credit is due. So I would like to thank the gorgeous Melina over at Only a Flight Away for her blog button tutorial! If she had not posted that, there's a chance I may not have figured it out so quickly!

My button is on my sidebar so if you want to grab one and post it on your blog, I wouldn't complain!

In other news...

It was an eventful day here at the N house. I had an FRG meeting that I had to be to at 6:00 p.m. so I figured I would have the herds homework done, them started on their showers, and them fed by the time Mr. N. came home so I could get to the meeting. Of course, that is not what happened in the least.

I'm not going to say who, but a member of the herd got into a fight with a closet door and lost. A trip to the ER trumped the rest of my plans for the day. Mr. N. met us at the ER and sat with the herd so I could go home and get ready for the meeting. I tried to stay as long as possible, but one of us had to be at this meeting and I really wanted to go, as I wanted to meet some of the spouses of the men he works with.

I drove home, got stuck in traffic, got changed in record time. I drive back to post and get selected for a random inspection. Of course this would happen when I'm running late. I couldn't find the papers they wanted (I had Mr. N's car) and, of course, it ended up being the first paper I gave them. *smacks head* I proceed to get lost and drove by the building like 3 times before I noticed it. Tired, crabby, and hungry I finally made it.

I walked into the meeting received the papers they handed out. They talked for 5 minutes and the meeting was dismissed. Was I ever bummed that I miss it! However, I did get the chance to talk to a couple of the wives, met some of the soldiers Mr. N. works with, and even exchanged numbers with another wife! Yay for making new friends! :)

I called Mr. N. and he was just leaving the hospital. Our herdling ended up getting their eyebrow glued and will be just fine! Thank goodness!

Since we all got home super late, we had dinner together and after showers the herd and Mr. N. went to bed. So I spent a long while trying to figure out how to upload our professional wedding photos onto my computer and Facebook. I thought it was never going to end!

I will share these with you all another time. I am ready for bed myself. *BIG yawns*

Hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday!

Halloween Fun with the Herd

2011-11-01T22:54:00.000-05:00

I am so thankful that my internet is cooperating at the moment so that I can post about the Halloween adventures of the herd.

Our first adventure was on Saturday when the herd and I went to a Halloween type festival thing with one of my friends and her adorable kids. It was a free event with a hay pile maze, bouncy houses, "train" ride, food, cotton candy, pumpkins, information stands, and, of course, candy! It was a bit chilly outside so I had the herd bundle up before we left, all but one stayed bundled up the entire time. I love watching them have a good time and they were well behaved! That was the best part! lol

The second adventure of the herd came on Halloween itself.

I have to admit, when I woke up yesterday morning and it was cold and rainy I was kind of bummed! I spent half the day trying to wish away the rain, as I wanted to be able to take them around the neighborhood and, possibly, meet some of their friends.

The herd came home from school extremely excited about going trick or treating. They did their homework while cooked a batch of chili (which was delish..btw). While we were eating dinner Mr. N. came home early so he was able to come trick or treating with us as well! It was really exciting that he got to be a part of the experience as well.

I got the girls ready and he helped the boys. I had a lot of fun getting the girls ready. I love doing their hair and makeup. Unfortunately it was raining out, so I knew their hair and makeup probably wouldn't stay, but they looked adorable in the pictures.

How cute is our herd?!

There were a lot of kids out this Halloween. Apparently not even a little bit of rain can get in the way of kids and their candy! lol

Rae and I went back to the house early to pass out the candy that we had bought. I had purchased 5 bags of candy and within 20 minutes it was gone! I couldn't believe it! Next year I will have to make sure to buy more! Once our candy was gone, Rae and I went back out and hit up a few more houses. It was a lot of fun.

As always, I checked their candy to make sure it was all sealed. Mr. N., on the other hand, was going through and searching for candy that he wanted to eat. I thought that sounded like more fun, so I may or may not have done that after making sure that the candy had our "seal of approval".

Overall, our first Halloween all together as a family down here in North Carolina was a success! Next year, however, I am going to make sure that we adults are dressed up too!

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween

Up, Down, & a Random Kitten

2011-10-26T00:44:00.001-05:00

Today turned out to be one long day. *sighs*

After I dropped the herd off at school this morning I headed straight to post, as there were a number of things that I needed to get done. In 4 hours I accomplished..

It took 3 tries, but I finally got my car decals! *happy dance*
I went to the medical clinic to try and clear up some confusion about shot records. I'm still confused and I am hoping that it gets cleared up here soon and no additional shots are required.
I filled out our medical packets and request for medical records
I went to enroll the herd with Youth Services. However, I did not have all the documentation they required. So I left with 4 applications and a lot of pamphlets.
I finally got out to the Education Services Center and talked to 6 reps from 6 colleges/universities down here about the programs they offer. There are two different programs that I am interested in, the first is the Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate and the second is a Masters in Social Work and/or Counseling. However, I do not meet the requirements for the Masters program until I take the GRE. So that will be added onto my to-do list.

I was soo tired by the time I was done on post, but no time for naps as by the time I got home I only had 45 minutes left before I had to pick the herd up from school. I would have to say that this was the turning point in my day. I started to feel really icky and I just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep. Heh, like that is possible with the herd at home.

The herd was difficult today, as they were all very disinterested in doing their school work, and more interested in annoying one another. While this can be very annoying, even frustrating, at times, they fight like siblings. The bond the herd has with another is growing stronger each day. They really do love each and always have each others backs. If, and when, they pair off, it is rarely brother/sister vs. brother/sister, it is girls vs. boys. I think that them each having a sibling their own age plays into that.

After the herd was down for the night, I was looking forward to some quiet relaxing time. I should have been able to have that, but then I checked the bank account and it ruined my night.

Apparently one of my student loan lenders made a rather large withdrawal from my account today with notifying me. In all fairness, I did know that my loans would be coming out of deferment at some point, as I am currently not enrolled in any classes. However, I received no notifications as to when the deferment ended, nor how much I had to pay. The amount that they took far exceeded any monthly payment I made to them prior to my loans going back into deferment. I am not a happy girl about this. It has screwed up our finances for the rest of the month, to say the least. I don't have the slightest clue what I am going to do. I guess the first step is to call the lender tomorrow, as well as contacting my other lenders so the situation doesn't get any worse.

We have an overnight guest tonight as well. It is a small black and white kitten that has apparently taken a liking to our front door. It was whining and crying at my door. I went outside and it tried to get it. I'm sure Ginger and Miley would not have been thrilled about that. This kitten has a collar, but no tag. I don't know where or who it belongs to. I left the kitten outside thinking that it would just go home or go play somewhere else. Nope, the minute I opened the door it was all about trying to get into the house. I posted on FB to see if anyone was missing their kitten, but it is kind of late so I doubt anyone will see it until morning. So as of now, the kitten is in Miley's carrier, underneath a hoodie because I got tired of hearing Ginger hissing at it, in the downstairs basement. I couldn't leave the poor thing outside by itself, its getting really cold out at night. Knowing my luck though, the darn thing probably has fleas and that will not make me nor Mr. N. happy. Great...now I'm getting itchy just thinking about it. Pfft

Tomorrow my goal is to stay home and get some housework, laundry, and unpacking done. Let's hope I can get that situation resolved and have no more bumps in the road for the rest of the week. *fingers crossed*

Here's to a positive attitude!

Recapping my weekend through Miscellany Monday

2011-10-24T21:28:00.001-05:00

{One} Blog Love

I wanted to take a moment to say "Hello" to my new followers! I'm so happy to have you here! Welcome!

For those of you who have been following for awhile, I love having you here as well, and truly appreciate the presence of you all. *Virtual Hugs*

{Two} Sister/Sister

H.P. came up for a visit on Friday night. I was sooo excited to see her! I was also excited for her to come and see our new house. I was unpacking like a crazy lady all week trying to get it done before she got here. Sadly, I did not. But I put a huge dent in the unpacking so I'm hopeful it won't be too much longer.

Back to my sister, she got here about 9-ish and was wondering where her welcoming committee was. The herd were all upstairs playing and apparently did not hear her knock on the door. I told her she should go and scare the herd. So we snuck her upstairs, she flung the door open hollering "What are you doing?!" Martina let out a startled scream, while the others just sat there looking a bit confused. The confusion didn't last long, however, as they swarmed her with hugs. They gave her a tour and talked a mile a minute trying to catch her up on all she's missed in the past month. It was so sweet. I love having her so close by.

{3} Fall Bucket List Task #6-Completed
Corn mazes & Pumpkins

On Saturday H.P., Mr. N. and I took the Herd a nearby pumpkin patch/corn maze. They had a blast! We went into the small corn maze (the large one was 5+ miles and I knew the herd wouldn't last in there) and they were running a muck trying to find all of the clues to see which animals stole the Farmers Apple Pie. We got a little bit lost a couple times, but managed to find all of the clues and make it out of the maze.

Yay for us!

After we put together the clues and figured out "who dunnit" we headed over to the pumpkin patch to find the herd their pumpkins. But first, we had to stop for a photo op

Even H.P. and I wanted in on the photo fun. Mr. N. said that it is hard to tell which one of is which. I think its obvious, don't you?

The Herd was all over the patch trying to find their perfect pumpkins.

They each found the pumpkin that they wanted.

The herd wanted to go on the tractor ride, but we didn't have any tickets. There was some pouting, so we decided it was probably a good time to head back to the house. Besides, I had a homemade chicken pot pie and cupcakes to make/bake for dinner.

{Four} Iron Chef, Here I come!

Since we moved into our house, I have been planning our meals 2 weeks at a time. I find that it is so much easier to make dinner when I know what I will be making. Otherwise, too much time is wasted with I don't know what to make. What should we eat? What are you hungry for? When you're feeding a family of six, not everyone is going to agree on what we should have for dinner. I have a menu that hangs on our fridge stating what what we will be having for dinner for the week. It is a bit of a daunting task, as I make sure that there are 14 days worth of different meals. No repeats during the 2 week. If the kids don't eat one of the meals, then I know not to put it on the menu again.

As I stated above, I made a homemade chicken pot pie on Saturday for the first time ever. Well, I actually made 2 because I know the herd loves to eat. It turned out fabulously! Only 1/2 of a pie was left. I will definitely need to put that on the menu again in the near future. I'm really fine tuning my cooking skills and trying new recipes and I am loving it. I love sitting down at the end of every day and enjoying a home cooked meal with my family. :)

{Five} Mom, does my pumpkin look scary?

H.P. left Saturday night, so she missed out on the pumpkin carving/painting that the Herd did on Sunday. They were so focused on their pumpkins. Bubs painted his "scary"; Nicky carved out the top and then painted his; Martina had a white pumpkin that she painted and carved; and Rae carved her pumpkin and then painted it orange. Just to be clear, her pumpkin was already orange, she just didn't feel that it was orange enough for her. Aww..kids :)

I did go out and get the herd their Halloween costumes this weekend. I am so excited for Halloween to get here and help them get all dressed up!

Stay tuned to find out what they are.....

Happy Monday!

It's Ok Thursday

2011-10-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

I am linking up with Amber and Neely again to share with you what is Okay with me this week.

Really...It is Ok...

...that my house isn't entirely unpacked yet. I am so close to being done with the unpacking. Then comes the fun part, decorating!

...that I joined the PTA at the herds school.

...to want to get involved with Army life and the herds education

...to participate in the above to meet new people and get to know my fellow MilSpouses

...to have weekly lunch dates with the first good friend I've made down here.

...to miss my friends back home

...to be Pen Pals with my sister

...to be 3 letters behind because she just keeps writing them. lol

...to be addicted to Erin Condren products. They are seriously ah-maz-ing!

...to be excited to share my purchases with you all soon!

...to buy a new blender because it was under $20.00 and mine was broken :(

...to have jumped on the Klout wagon, but not have the slightest clue as to how to use it.

...to be uber excited that my H.P. is coming to visit tomorrow! We are going to the corn maze/pumpkin patch on Sunday.

...to not be entirely sure that I have found my "voice" on my blog. I think I over think what I post about to the point that I can't formulate a sentence. I will be working on that.

...to feel that my blog is worth the effort and I will keep at it.

...to already have a Christmas wish list on Pinterest.

...to not have any idea what the herd is going to be for Halloween.

...to be overwhelmed and frustrated with certain situations. It is not ok to let it consume.

...it is okay to sometimes just let it go, take one day at a time, and remember to breathe.

I am hopeful that I can get my bad blogger butt in gear, like ASAP!

My Weekend in Minnesota (Part 2)

2011-10-20T09:30:00.000-05:00

Ok, I am back with part 2 of my trip to Minnesota. If you want to read about the first part of my trip (or mostly my niece Sweet Pea), you can read that here

After spending some wonderful quality time with my Sweet Pea, my brother and I went up to one of my favorite restaurants back home (DeMori's, home of the best banana pepper pizza I have ever eaten). My girls Chrissy, Chrissi (and her boyfriend Bob), and Caitlin met us up there for some cocktails.

It was sooo good to see them! I had missed them muchos! Surprisingly, Minnesota was pretty darn warm (think 80s in October, but that's Minnesota weather for you), so my girls and I hung out on the patio and enjoyed some cocktails and catching up. It was a long week for most of us and we were pretty tired. I wanted to call it an early night. However, my brother was playing pool and hanging out with some of his buddies that he had run into up there, so it wasn't as early as my old self would have liked. Haha I actually think that it had more to do with the fact that I had been up since 5:30 a.m (4:30 a.m. Minnesota time..ugh). That's early! I had a wonderful time hanging out with my girls!

Saturday

I woke up early on Saturday morning to meet my cousin Shell to get my hair done. I had to borrow my parents car so that I could get to my appointment. Well, I ended up being late because I got lost. Usually I would be driving my car that has my GPS with the address in it, but since I didn't I tried to do it by memory. I guess I didn't do such a great job. Thankfully my sister was able to get me there, after missing my turn by a whole City. *smacks head*

I finally made it to the salon and my sister and nephews were there as well. My boys are sooo cute! I love them. Dane was getting her hair did for her college graduation the next day! She even got a purple feather in her hair. It looks uber cute with her blonde highlights.

Then it was my turn. Yay! Shell darkened my hair up and cut my bangs shorter. I love it. She is the best at what she does and I refuse to have anyone else do anything to my hair. Why settle for less than the best?

After leaving the salon, my sister followed me back to our rents house so that I could borrow her car to go and visit my best friend and her boys for the night. I made a pit stop at Ulta to pick up some Nixon for my hair. I also scored some fabulous nail polish with Ulta's sale of buy 2/$6.00 and I bought the Pink Shatter polish, part of the proceeds goes towards breast cancer.

Of course after the shopping I was starving so I had to go to Noodles & Co. I don't know if there is one down here in North Carolina, but I was craving it. I got the Wisconsin Macaroni and Cheese bowl, tomato and cucumber salad, and flat bread. It was delicious! I stuffed myself silly and was then very sleepy. I took a 3 hour nap. Ahhh...I love naps.

After my delightful nap, I got ready and headed up to Mel's house. I was in a hurry to get up there because I wanted to see Bear & Bugsy before they went to bed. Luckily they were still awake when I got there. How precious and perfect are these two lil guys?!

Mel, Andy, and I went out to one of the local bar/restaurants in their area. It was a lot of fun. Drinks, dancing, talking, and laughing. I had a blast. It is nice to get out and let loose every once in a while. I love Mel. She is the best!

SUNDAY

After my fun filled night out, I had to hurry back down to the Cities in the morning to return my sister her car and get ready for her graduation. Dane is officially a college graduate! Well, with her Bachelors Degree. She started her Masters Program 2 days after her graduation ceremony.

It was a nice ceremony and I loved getting to spend time with my boys. They're so dang cute and funny and I love them to pieces!

They always keep me entertained!

After Dane's graduation ceremony, we went to dinner at Sunsets. I, of course, was late. Those who know me IRL aren't surprised by this at all. However, I had a stop to make on my way there and we just got to talking and so that made me late.

It was a great meal. The food was delicious and the company was amazing. I am so proud of Dane for all of her accomplishments. She is amazing.

After dinner I needed a nap! I went back to my rents house to lay down with the intentions of sleeping for an hour or two. Guess I was more tired than I thought. I laid down at 5:00 p.m. and didn't wake up until 7:00 a.m. the next morning. I felt good. Sometimes our bodies just need to be rejuvenated. Mine definitely did.

MONDAY

This is the day we headed back home. My parents picked up R and brought her back to their house so they could take us to the airport. R really liked our first plane. It was one of the big planes that have the tv's on the backs of the headrests. Her and I played Bejeweled and then she watched the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie.

We landed a bit late in Atlanta and our next gate was on the other side of the airport, go figure. R and I were running from one gate to the next. We finally find our gate and she's hungry. We got some hot dogs, fries, and chicken sandwiches to take onto the plane.

Finally we made it home! R and I wait, and wait, and wait, and wait for my luggage to get off of the plane. Turns out my luggage was still in Atlanta. *sigh* We spent another hour standing in line (apparently a lot of luggage didn't make it on the flight) to give them my info so they could deliver it when it arrived.
R was so funny about my luggage not being there. "Mom, they better find your luggage, you have like $50.00 in makeup in there." lol

It was good to be home. I missed the rest of the herd and, of course, Mr. N.

And now you have it, my whirlwind weekend trip to Minnesota.

No worries Minnesota, I will be seeing you next month!

Fall Bucket List #10-Complete

2011-10-18T08:18:00.000-05:00

I love being able to cross things off my lists. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I mean, really, who doesn't like to feel accomplished?!

On Sunday I made Homemade Taco Pizza for dinner. It was delish! The herd, Mr. N., and I ate it all up! It was such a hit with them that I cannot wait to make it again.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef
Packet of taco seasoning
Green olives
Ragu pizza sauce
Ortega Mild Taco Sauce
Great Value Pizza Dough Mix
Lettuce
Tomato
Mozzarella Cheese
Cheddar Cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 475
2. Mix the dough with water and oil, set aside and let rise for about 5 minutes
3. Cook the ground beef until browned, drain grease, add taco seasoning to beef.
4. Use a rolling pin, and some flour, to flatten the dough onto a greased pan
5. Bake the dough for 5 minutes
6. In a small bowl, mix the pizza sauce and taco sauce together.
7. After removing the dough from the oven, spread the sauce onto the crust (to your liking), add hamburger meat, sliced green olives, and shredded mozzarella
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown
9. Finally top with lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded cheddar on top
10. Enjoy!

It turned out ah-maz-ing!

I love homemade pizza. Yumm

Destination Minnesota (Part 1)

2011-10-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

I've been uber busy since my plane landed back here in North Carolina Monday night and haven't been able to quite get back into my blogging groove since then. I've been meaning to post this all week long, but with the herd alternating days of getting sick (2 sick Wednesday; 1 sick today and a migraine of my own) my Minnesota weekend recap was temporarily placed on the back burner. However, it is Friday night, the Mister and the herd are asleep and I am not going to bed until I write about the first part of my trip. lol

Lets start by rewinding to last Friday...

R and I were going to Minnesota, just the two of us, for her to see her dad and I had some things I needed to tend to back there. We had an early morning flight. Like 7:30 a.m. *insert giant yawn* The alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. and R and I were out the door by 6:00 a.m.

The airport we flew out of was smaller than the one I'm used to flying out of. But I didn't mind terribly, as it was near impossible to get lost in it. The line to go through Security was massive, but it went quickly. Rae chatted happily the entire time. She is typically not much of a morning person, but she was excited for our trip and it was totally adorbs.

We had a layover in Atlanta, which delayed for an hour. We had pizza and hot dogs for breakfast. The terminal we were in did not have much to offer for breakfast food. She devoured her hot dog and french fries. My lil girl is definitely a good eater.

We finally boarded our flight and it was 2 hours until we landed in good ol Minnesota. The last 10-15 minutes of the flight were difficult, as R's ears were plugged and popping and really bothering her. Poor thing. We had to get her some ear plugs for the trip back home.

My brother and Sweet Pea came and picked me up at the airport (R was picked up by her dad). I was sooo excited to see my Sweet Pea. I mean, really, who wouldn't be excited to see her gorgeous face?

We headed back to my brothers house (which used to be my house when I lived in Minnesota). To be honest, it was a bit weird to be in my old house, as it no longer looks like the house I lived in. My brother did a fabulous job with it. It is definitely his and Sweet Pea's house now.

As always, I snapped a million pictures of Sweet Pea and enjoyed every moment I had with her. She is at such a fun age. My favorite memories of my time with her are:

1) She can identify her body parts :)

2) Her "Oh, am I busted" face.

3) When she decided that my suitcase would be a great place to cuddle up and relax on.

4) When she got her lil hands on my brothers hat and she posed while cheesing.

Oh.My.Word. I cannot get enough of her cuteness! Of course there were tons of hugs and kisses that weren't caught on film, but trust me, her hugs are the bestest!

I had a wonderful time with my Sweet Pea. I love that little girl with all my heart.

Now don't forget to come back for Part II to find out what I did and see pictures of my fabulous friends and family

Dear Sixteen Year Old Me...

2011-10-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

I am not a blog trendsetter (though that would be totally cool), but I do love to be inspired by what I read on other blogs. I came across this "letter" to my 16 year old self on the blogs of Jax of The Roaring Twenties (Mine that is) and Meredith at A Work in Progress .

I love the concept of if I could go back in time and tell my younger self something, what would I tell me?

Well, lets find out, shall we?

Dear Sixteen Year Old Mrs. N.,

I know you are at a time in your life where you believe that the world revolves around you. Trust me, it does not. It is a difficult concept for you to understand, but you will learn it when you are 21. What else do you need to know? Let me share with you...

*driving is a privilege not a right. You could maybe complain less to your parents when they always have the car. It is their car. You don't pay for it. Besides, they will over accommodate your selfishness to always wanting to use their car. Don't be a brat.

*Don't, don't, don't, DON'T pick up that cigarette. Just don't do it. It is a nasty habit and something you will struggle with for a long time. You will use it as a crutch when you're stressed. Someday you will beat it entirely and never ever think about it ever again. if you never picked it up, you would not have to wait for that day....

*Skip less school and actually use your potential. You have a great amount of potential. In fact, you utilize it later on in life in getting your Associates Degree, your Bachelors Degree, and your first year of Graduate school. Be thankful that once you get to the higher education, they don't care to see your high school transcripts. You don't want them to either, it is embarrassing.

*Look around you, 3 of the people that you are hanging out with today will still be your best friends in the future. Cherish them. Hug them every chance you get. Tell them you love them. You will have ups, downs, laugh, and cry pretty darn hard. But they will stand by you always.

*Boys. Well, where do I even begin with this? One boy in particular will break your heart not once, but twice in your lifetime. Good thing the older you is smart and knows that there's a better person out there waiting for you. You will find him. And he's amazing.

*Ok, sorry, back to the Boys. They get in the way of friendship at this age. Well, I guess it could be any age, but you need to mature to see that your girlfriends will be there for you always. When you're 19, you will lose one of your best friends over a stupid boy. It will be painful, but it is how it goes. No worries, in 5 years, you will reconnect and your friendship will be renewed. This time it is only better. She will be one of your bridesmaids. The morale of this story, don't let guys get in between you and your girlfriends. If they do, then they are not the right guy for you.

*Your parents are really smart. You will discover this. They imposed a bunch of "ridiculous" rules on you while growing up and you hated that. However, they have 4 college graduates and you and your sisters will all get into graduate school. Clearly mom and dad know whats up.

*Dad. You and him will bump heads for another 5 years. You are not an easy teenager and he's tired of your smart mouth. Don't blame him, you're awfully sassy. I would be tired of me too. No matter how you feel about dad today, he is the best daddy in the whole wide world. He will be the only man in your life who will never let you down. He will always be there to love and support you, even if he ~~hates~~ ~~despises~~ doesn't care for some of your choices. Yes, he may roll his eyes, be annoyed or even mad at you for whatever it is you did/need, but he will help you. Dad loves you and your siblings. You're just a stubborn teenager who won't see that until you grow up. One day your daddy will be your friend. Trust me, it will be nice.

*Mom. She will be your biggest fan and supporter through the good times and the bad. No matter how poorly at times you will treat her. She doesn't deserve your sassiness, your smart mouth, or know-it all attitude. So chill out and shut your mouth. Treat your mother with respect and kindness. Tell her you love her. Give her lots of hugs. When you slip and fall, she will be there to pick you up. When your heart breaks, she will be there to help you pick up the pieces. She will make you laugh. She will listen to your stories without judging. She will always stand up for you, even if you don't deserve it. You will realize none of this until you become a mother yourself. You will strive to become a mom like her. She is the best.

*You will be a mom when you're 21. It will be scary, but you will give birth to the most beautiful girl in the world. She will change the way you look at the world. You will earn your Associates degree as a Paralegal after she is born. She is what will motivate you to do well in school and to make something of yourself.

*Three years later she will become a big sister to the most perfect baby brother. He will be born during your second year of your bachelors program. You will graduate with your bachelors in Psychology while working part time, and raising a toddler and a newborn. You will be pretty damn proud of yourself for this accomplishment.

*At 16 you want to be a lawyer. That is your goal. You will discovery in your late 20s that your passion is to work with military families as a therapist.

*You will get accepted to the first graduate school you apply to. Yay you!

*You will travel to Germany to meet a man you met online. (One of your decisions that your dad was far less than thrilled about..lol) This man will become your husband.

*You will have your heartbroken and you will break your own heart, but never give up on love. You will find it. The love you will find will make it clear why it never worked out with others. It will be worth all of those tears you once cried. I promise.

*You will become an Army wife. You will have had some experience with an ex and 2 best friends. It doesn't get easier to have your loved ones so far away, but you do it. You will survive deployments. You will find a strength in you that you didn't know you had. You are strong. However, you will know that you don't have to be strong all of the time. It is okay to be weak, have a pity party (or 12) and hike up your pants, wipe your tears, and keep marching on.

*While at 24 you decided that you would not birth anymore children, you remain open to dating people with children. When you find your husband, he will have 2 children of his own. You will become a stepmom.

*You know dad's minivan that you drive? Yeah, one day you will own very own minivan. It will definitely be cuter than the one dad drove. Surprisingly, when you have a herd, it is not nearly as embarrassing to drive.

*Don't pierce your bellybutton with an ear piercing gun. It will leave a not so cute scar.

*Eyebrow waxing is a must.

*I know you want a tattoo, the rents say "not til you're 18". You wait (good job you!) They will be painful, but you will get a lot of them.

*Nose piercings looks good on you. You don't realize it til your mid 20s. What a shame.

*Live well, Laugh often, and Love always

No Such Thing as a Perfect Man...But he's Perfect for Me

2011-10-05T14:09:00.000-05:00

Source: cstarrrs.tumblr.com via LaManda on Pinterest

My darling Mr. N. I love you so much.

Fall Bucket List

2011-10-04T21:36:00.000-05:00

Late spring, early summer, I saw a lot of people posting their "Summer Bucket List". I thought that it was a neat idea, but the thought was a fleeting one. Recently I was reading one of my favorite blogs by the fabulous Whitney over at Everything Happens for a Reason and she had posted her "Fall Bucket List".

I like to make lists and set goals for myself. So I am going to jump on the bandwagon and share my Fall Bucket List with you all. I will blog about my progress as I make it. I spent an hour last night coming up with what I would like to accomplish this fall. My end date for my fall bucket list is December 21, 2011 (which is also the 2nd wedding anniversary of Mr. N. and I..yay), as that is officially the last day of Fall.

Source: atfirstblush.onsugar.com via Jenna on Pinterest

In no particular order...

Get our house set up;
Read 15 books;
Find an accredited LADC Program and enroll;
Create a blog button for both my blogs;
Create a blog design for each of my blogs;
Go to the Pumpkin Patch with my family;
Get a family picture for our Christmas/Holiday card;
Get a majority of my Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving;
Find patio furniture for our house;
Make taco pizza from scratch;
Visit my sister in South Carolina;
Visit my friend Natalie in Virginia;
Start going back to the gym on a weekly basis;
Cut back (and eventually out) caffeine;
Buy rollerblades;
Take Zumba classes;
Reevaluate my 101 in 1001 days and break it down into 31 in 31;
Start on one of my scrapbooks;
Update my family portion of my blog;
Inventory my shot glasses;
Bake Christmas cookies; and
Volunteer at the Herds school.

*Note to self* Take pictures of the tasks as I complete them!

Miscellany Monday

2011-10-03T22:31:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I have linked up with Carissa over at Lowercase Letters.

Today I am participating in Miscellany Monday in an attempt to get you all caught up to speed with what's been going on around here lately.

{One}

You may have noticed that I have changed the name of my blog. Gone are the days of the N family "Surviving the Distance", so I came to the conclusion that I needed a more fitting title. After ~~obsessing~~ thinking it over, Step By Step seemed to be a perfect fit for my blog. I am excited about it and can't wait to share our journey/adventures with you all.

{Two}

For the past two weeks my life has been consisting of mounds of boxes. Unpacking is an excruciatingly tedious task. Some days I feel like it is never going to end and other days I'm like "wow look at all this progress." Once the unpacking is done, the laundry is put away, and the pictures are hung, I will share this beauty of a home we have with you all.

Source: swiss-miss.com via Jenna on Pinterest

{Three}

Being a step mom has become a part of my identity over the past couple of years. It is something that I struggle with at times, but also something that I am very proud of. Unfortunately, I do not know many other step moms and so I don't really have any one who understands the struggles of being a blended family. I have a handful of books that I found at Half Price books about blended families that I will be reading (once they are unearthed from my mound of boxes that is). Well I was reading the tabloids the other day and I came across an article about LeAnne Rimes which referenced a step mom magazine. Of course, I had to check this out. Sure enough there is an online publication for Step Moms. I am so excited about my newest discovery. If you want to check it out, you can do so here

{Four}

I am totally stoked that I have finally figured out how to make a signature for my blog! *fist pump* It is a bit generic, but I think it is a good start. The only issue that I am having is I don't know how to beautify it, or how to get it on all my new posts without having to cut/paste my code. Any pointers, I'm all ears.

{Five}

I will be heading back to Minnesota for the weekend in 4 days. I am excited to see my niece, my boys, my family, and friends. I'm getting my hair did by my fabulous cousin, I will be able to attend my sisters college graduation, and lots of fun times. Cannot forget to pack my camera!

{Six}

Saturday night we had our first guests in our home. I met them through Mr. N. and I adore them! We had so much fun. Some adult beverages were had, lots of chatting, laughing, Friends trivia, and more laughter. I am looking forward to getting to know the other wives around here. I can only hope that they are as nice and fun as the other wives I've met (both here and at Campbell).

Well, it is late and I have a ton of stuff to do tomorrow.

Happy Monday!

Catching up!!

2011-10-02T19:14:00.000-05:00

It has been Cra-zay busy around here this past week. However, today was kind of chill and I finally had the time to sit and mess around with my computer. And, I am happy to say, that I have finally figured out how to upload pictures on my Mac. Also, a quick shout out to the gorgeous Whitney over at Everything Happens for a Reason for giving me some pointers on how to figure it out! Thanks girl! Holla! lol

So tonight I am sharing pictures from our Temporary Home aka the Hotel we lived in for 2 weeks.

It looks fabulous, does it not?! lol It wasn't terrible. However, it was a bit too cozy for a family of six and two cats. We were literally tripping over each other. So glad to be in our home now! I am loving it. No worries, there will be a post sharing pictures of our home once we are finally unpacked.

You may remember last month that I mentioned that we were going to watch Mr. N. on his first jump? If not, you can read it here

I had promised pictures and I am here to deliver. Obviously it is impossible to know which one is my husband, so I am not going to pretend I do know. This is one day that the Herd and I will never forget. I had so much pride for my husband as he jumped that day. I was even more thrilled to know that he landed safely. The herd and I may have to attend another jump one of these days. It was pretty cool and the pictures turned out awesome! Here are a few for your viewing pleasure :)

(When he got home from his jump. So handsome he is)

Well that was fun!

Happy Sunday :)

XOXO,

MRS. N.

Time to Unwind

2011-09-23T18:45:00.000-05:00

T.G.I.F.!

It has been a long week and I am thrilled that it is finally the weekend. This week has consisted of

* 3 trips to the doctor to get the girls their shots (trip 1 was an epic fail; trip 2 was a partial fail; trip 3=success!)

* Hours upon hours of unpacking

* At least 6 bruises from trying to navigate through the boxes. Ouch

* Mr. N. made points and will be pinned on the 1st! I am so excited and proud of him!

* Math Curriculum night up at the herds school.

* Hours of reading and homework with the herd.

* 2 phone calls to Time Warner to fix our dang internet.

Needless to say this has been a long week!

Tonight Mr. N. and I are having our version of "date night". This will consist of

Playing this

(Via)

Watching this

(Via)

All while sipping on these

(Via)

We will be having these tasty frozen treats in Strawberry and Mango. However, not until the herd goes to bed.

1 hour and 15 minutes until date night can start!

Woo Hoo!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday night.

Happy Friday!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Its Ok Thursday

2011-09-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

It has been a long day and I am so excited to finally get some quiet time so that I can catch up on blogs. And, more importantly, participate in Amber and Neely's uber awesome link par-tay!

It's Ok...

...to be overwhelmed by the never-ending unpacking process that is taking place at the N family house this week.

...to be entirely ticked off that I accidentally smacked my ankle off the bed frame and threw a mini fit.

...to feel entirely accomplished that we have made so much progress with the house.

...to be So.Stinkin.Proud of my Mr. N. for making points this month. He is going to be pinned with his new rank next month! I can't wait!

...to be honored that he wants me to attend the ceremony and "pin" (well I guess velcro) his new rank onto him.

...that the first thought that went through my head when he was talking to me about it was "Omg..what am I going to wear?!"

...to not have a "to-do" list this week because I can't concentrate with all the unpacking that needs to be done.

...to not blog all week, except for today.

...that I've been racking my brain as to what I would like to rename my blog too. I have some ideas, but none that I love just yet.

...that I have not found the time, nor had the energy, to try and figure out how to upload my pictures. I have received some advice and I am appreciative of it. However, I have not had the time to do so. I can't wait to get them up.

...to be uber excited for "date night" with my mister tomorrow. Strawberry Daiquiris and a "You Don't Know Jack" marathon on his PS3. I LOVE that game.

...to spend all day making a mental list of all the things I wanted to add to my "Its Ok" list, but now that I'm sitting at the computer, I'm at a lost.

..to not finish my list and to go catch some zzz's. I definitely need them. Maybe next week I will write them down so I can remember what I wanted to say. Then again, maybe I will just wing it!

Happy Thursday!

XOXO,

MRS. N.

"Its Ok" this Thursday

2011-09-15T20:32:00.002-05:00

Hello lovelies! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week. Things are look bright here for us in the ever warm state of North Carolina. Mr. N. and I signed for our house today and we couldn't be more excited. I absolutely am in love with our new home. We did our walk through today and received our keys. Our household goods won't be available to us until Saturday morning, so we still have a few more nights left at the hotel. I can't wait to finally be sleeping in our bed. This pull out couch just ain't cutting it for this lady. Besides, I think I am getting too old to spend so many nights on a pull out. Just saying..

Tomorrow we will be spending a good portion of our day at the new house, as we await the arrival of our new kitchen table, washer, and dryer. Well they aren't exactly new, per se, but they are new to us. We got them through Rent-A-Center. I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. They had what we needed, for the right price, and they have worked with other families that live in our housing area, so they were able to show me exactly what would and would not work in our home. The kitchen table I am a tad bit weary of how it will look in our breakfast nook, but I was told if I didn't like it they had another table that I could swap it out for. So yay!

I have yet to be able to figure out how to get my pictures out of IPhoto and uploaded to where I want them to be. I am determined to figure that out and as soon as I do, I have so many pictures to share with you all. I have my Erin Condren planner, the herds first day of school, pictures of Mr. N's jump last weekend, our digs at the hotel and, of course, our house! I am sure it will take me a bit to figure it all out, but once I do, I will be a woman on a mission. I am beyond ecstatic.

In other news, today I am linking up with Amber and Neely to share with you all what is "Ok" for me this week.

Its Ok:

...that having to drive 25 mph on post and in the residential areas down here to be painfully slow. Why can't I drive 30 like I could back home? Well, I suppose I could, but only if I want a speeding ticket.

...to spend way too much time surfing the web this week.

...to be absolutely addicted to checking my Twitter updates, though I haven't tweeted much lately myself.

...to be uber excited every time I check something off my to-do list. I have put quite the dent in that this week.

...to be excited that our mail will start to be forwarded to our new address as of tomorrow. I love getting mail, even though I'm sure it probably isn't much more than final bills for my old house.

...to seriously consider starting an "Angry Birds Anonymous" club for my husband. Even though he looks adorable while playing and concentrating so hard, but dang I want my phone back! lol

...to be excited that next week I will be able to go and talk to the Education Center about getting enrolled in some classes. I would really like to earn my LADC Certificate since my Masters Degree is on hold.

...to enjoy the company of the Housekeeping lady that comes by our room everyday. I haven't met many people down here yet. That will surely change in the upcoming weeks.

...excited about going to visit my family and friends next month back home. I have some things to attend to.

...to be undecided which of my books I want to read next. They all look so good, I cannot decide which one to read.

...that I survived an entire weekend of football last weekend and kind of be excited to watch it with Mr. N. this weekend. Even though I haven't the slightest clue as to what is going on. I'm learning...kind of...

...that I have not posted a lot lately. I will be getting better about this.

...that I want to go online and shop for bathroom accessories.

...to be beyond excited about being able to finally open our wedding gifts and put them to use. I don't even remember all that we got. I do know that I can't wait to use it.

...to be excited about unpacking and settling into our home.

...to not have figured out the whole uploading of the pictures thing yet. I'm determined to figure that out.

...to be jealous of all the cool accents everyone here has. I want one too!

If you haven't linked up with Neely and Amber yet, you should. I promise you will not be sorry.

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Mac Attack

2011-09-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

I am becoming seriously frustrated with my MacBook Pro. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely in love with my computer. However, I don't have the slightest clue how to use it. I could definitely use some tips and/or advice. Something. Anything. Ugh.

I have two posts that I want to do, but am unable to figure out how to upload my pictures into blogger. On top of that, I can't even upload them to Facebook. I know that they're on the computer because they show up in my IPhoto icon. I just don't know what to do with them. Oh, and one more thing, I don't know how to edit my pictures to include text. I had just figured out how to do that with my Toshiba (and was pretty stinkin proud of myself for figuring it out) when I got my beloved Mac for my birthday. Go figure. I am technologically impaired.

Someone help me please!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Remembering September 11th...10 years later.

2011-09-11T20:24:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since that heartbreakingly horrific attack on our country.

Ten years ago, I was 20. I was working for a catering company (where we catered on boats) at the time and was actually at work when the first plane hit. I came out of the galley and found the boat crew all huddled together around a little television. They asked if I knew what had happened, I didn't. They said that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in New York. It was crazy. That is something you see in the movies, not something you experience in real life. Moments after they informed us, the second plane crashed into the other Tower. It was very surreal.

Today this affects me, as I am an Army wife. My husband is fighting this war for me, our family, and for YOU. I am proud of my husband and his service.

So today, on the 10 year anniversary of the day that has forever changed our Nation, I am asking you to:

*Take a moment of silence today to reflect on those who have been affected by this tragedy.

*Remember those who lost their lives that day and the families they left behind.

*Remember the Fallen.

*Remember the families of the Fallen.

*Remember the members of the U.S. Military, both past and present, who are still fighting this fight for us 10 years later.

*Remember the families of the service members who make sacrifices so that their loved one can protect us and our freedom.

*Take the time to tell your family that you love them.

The emotions of this day, ten years later, is still as raw as the day it happened.

Never Forget. Always Remember.

Source: google.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: mynewslinx.blogspot.com via Jenna on Pinterest

God Bless the U.S.A.

XOXO,

MRS. N.

What I've been up to

2011-09-09T21:39:00.002-05:00

I am sitting here chillaxin in the hotel room while Mr. N. and the herd are all sound asleep. Mr. N. has to be up uber early tomorrow morning for work. Bummer that he has to work on Saturday, but it comes with the territory. Actually, he will be doing his first jump tomorrow and the herd and I will be going to watch. I am nervou about it, but it is something that he loves to do and I support him, so the least I could do is go watch and cheer him on. Either one of two things will happen 1) it will calm my fears of his plane jumps; or 2) make them worse. I guess we will see what tomorrow brings.

Source: google.com via Jenna on Pinterest

This week has flown by for the most part. Not too much excitement going on here, but we are about 10 days away from finally moving into our house and I am just so excited about it. I lay in bed (err.. on our super fab pull out couch) and think about how I want to set up the house, how I can't wait to decorate it, how I'm going to decorate it, etc. We are all anxious to move in and get out of this hotel.

This past week Mr. N. has been busy at his first week of work. The herd and I have gotten down a pretty good routine for school and, for the most part, it works.

A typical day for us consists of the following:

5:00 a.m. The misters alarm goes off (dang is that ever early)

5:30 a.m. Mr. N. leaves for work and I toss and turn (sometimes even fall back asleep) until my alarm goes off

7:00 a.m. Alarm goes off, I search for it...Snooze button ha

7:05 a.m. Alarm goes off, Snooze

7:10 a.m. Ok, no more snoozing here, so out of bed I get.

7:11 a.m. Poke at the herd while flipping on the lights and (as cheerfully as I can muster at this awful hour) a Gooood Morning!!! Time to get up (*side note* I understand that 7:00 a.m. is actually not that early. However, my body is still on Central time)

7:15 a.m. I get the herd their breakfast and gather their schools clothes (if they aren't already laid out from the night before)

7:30-7:45 a.m. The herd finishes breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth and hair, put on their shoes and grab their backpacks (Insert a ~~number~~ few reminders to leave the cats alone and finish getting ready for school)

7:50 a.m. The herd is loaded into the van and we are headed to school.

8:05(ish) a.m. I drop them off at school and head back to the hotel to tackle my to-do list.

8:30 a.m. Mr. N. is usually here when I get back from dropping them off, as he is done with PT and is getting ready for his work day. (Btw he looks adorbs in his uniform. Uploading my new pictures is on my to-do list for next week)

9:00(ish) a.m. Mr. N. leaves for work and I stare blankly at the hotel while figuring out what I should do next.

9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. I can be found cleaning the hotel room, running errands, making phone calls, feeding the cats, doing dishes, and/or well I guess that's really all I do at this point.

11:30-12:30 p.m. Mr. N. may come back for lunch and I will make us lunch and we relax (play on the internet...haha) and chat

12:30-2:10 p.m. Tackle more items on my to-do list, add to my to-do list, or read (depending on how much I accomplished in the morning)

2:15 p.m. I head over to the school to get in line to pick up the herd. There is always an uber long line of parents waiting, so I read my book, or check out fb/twitter on my phone.

2:50-3:05 p.m. (depending on how long it takes) I get the herd and we drive back to the hotel.

3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m. Homework time (some days take longer than others, helping 4 kids with their homework is a process)

4:45 p.m. make dinner

5:00 p.m. (ish) Eat dinner (Some days Mr. N. is home to eat with us, but sometimes he gets here later)

6:00 p.m. The herd starts their bedtime routines (Sometimes we don't start until 6:30 p.m. but that's only if its not shower night)

7:00 p.m. The herd gets hugged, kissed, and tucked in for the night.

They are usually all asleep by 7:30 p.m. so it is quiet time! Yay! Mr. N. usually takes control of the remote, while I read blogs, books, or pin the night away.

11:00 p.m. Bed time!

I don't think that the routine will change much, if at all, when we move into our house. Well, my to-do list will probably get longer as I will have to tackle our new place one room at a time.

Overall, we have settled into a comfortable routine that works for us and that we are happy with. I love having our family together as a whole. It is a wonderful feeling.

Ok, I have a few more things to do before I hit the hay for the night. I need to make sure that my camera is charged for Mr. N's jump tomorrow. Hopefully I can get some good pictures so that I can share them with you all.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Friday night.

XOXO,

MRS. N.

It is Ok...to be a day late

2011-09-02T10:17:00.000-05:00

After 4 days of driving, we arrived in North Carolina on Monday night. The herd, Mr. N., and I were absolutely exhausted from all the car travel. It was a long trip, but we all survived. Some of us barely. Well, actually, that would be me. Our second day of driving I pulled a neck muscle something fierce and I have not been able to get full usage out of my neck since. Wow, it has been a week since I did that and I can't believe how sore I still am. Anyway, it made for uber long days in the car.

Mr. N. drove the herd and the two cats, as I had no mobility in my head so I couldn't keep an eye on them in the backseat. I'm not sure how he kept his sanity with the new kitten pooping in its carrier, N getting car sick all over himself twice, and whiney, tired kids. Bless his heart.

We are currently staying at an extended stay hotel, as our belongings won't be here for another 2 weeks, and that is when we can move into our house. The herd started school yesterday, Mr. N. is currently back at work, so I am sitting in the hotel room waiting for the laundry to get done, trying to get as many things off my to-do list as possible, all while listening the cats have a smack down. Fun times.

North Carolina is beautiful and so far we are loving it. Yesterday Mr. N. and I convinced the cleaners to let us take a sneak peek into our new home. It is gorgeous. I love it! There is so much space and I cannot wait to get our stuff here and finally be completely settled.

So while I wait for the last two loads of laundry to dry, here is what is "Ok" for me this week.

Its Ok...

...to desperately want it to be Saturday so that I can finally have my Erin Condren planner in hand. I had it mailed to my old house, but we ended up leaving earlier than I had anticipated so my parents mailed it to me. I'm getting anxious!

...to only know how to get to Wal-Mart and Cici's Pizza.

...to be intimidated by the size of post. It feels like I am never going to find my way around.

...to be happy to wake up to my misters face every morning.

...to miss everyone back home.

...to feel like this still isn't real. After all, we are living in a hotel, it feels like a weird vacation.

...to wish that the cats would get along.

...to want a new name for my blog, as Mr. N. and I are no longer long distance.

...to want to take a nap.

...to take a mini break from Facebook, Twitter, and my blog while I catch my bearings.

...to love the fact that my mister bought me a MacBook Pro for my birthday and be entirely clueless how to work it, other than getting on the internet.

...that a phone call from my Sweet Pea yesterday made.my.day! Even though all she said was "hi" over and over again.

...that I am beyond excited to see Half Pint tonight! I have missed her face!

...to enjoy some me time while the herd is at school and the mister is at work. I can multitask :)

...that I am not used to the time difference yet. It is only one hour. The alarm may say 7:00 a.m., but my body says no way jose, we are still on central time.

...to be excited about starting our new adventure.

...that I am counting down the days until I get to visit my family back in Minnesota. I miss them.

...that I posted this on Friday instead of Thursday.

Happy Friday!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

New Journey

2011-08-24T14:40:00.000-05:00

Well it is that time. We are PCSing tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly time has gone by already. My house is a disaster zone. Who knew we had so much stuff?! I mean I should have known, but I didn't realize until it was time to go through it.

This past week has been pretty busy with spending time with family, friends, and sorting through mounds of toys, clothes, and other miscellaneous items we have accumulated. It has been a bit overwhelming, but I'm making do.

I am ready to start this new journey with my family intact but, at the same time, I am saddened by the fact that I am leaving the only place I've ever lived and the people who mean the most to me in this whole.wide.world. I am going to miss you all terribly. I will be back to visit. Promise.

Tomorrow morning my fam will be here to say their "see ya laters" and I'm dreading it. I have been on an emotional rollercoaster these past couple of weeks. However, I am so grateful for all of their love and support. Without a doubt, I have THE BEST friends and family EVER!

Friday we will be picking up the other half of the herd and I cannot wait. I have been missing them something fierce since they left mid-July to spend time with their mom. R and B are so excited to see their brother and sister. It will be wonderful to have our family reunited.

For now, I have to go haul some more boxes to the garage and get ready to go to dinner with Mel and her family. I cannot wait to see her boys. They are so freaking adorable! Bugsy better be ready for all aunties smooches! lol

I will be MIA from blogging until we reach our final destination and get settled. I will update my Twitter the best I can, so feel free to follow and see how it is going.

I can't wait to share our new adventure with you all.

Hugs & Love

xoxo,
Mrs. N.

It's Ok...

2011-08-19T00:53:00.000-05:00

I am linking up with Amber and Neely this week for their fantabulous linky party.

Want to know what I think is ok for me this week? Well keep reading!

IT'S OK....

...that I am not quite finished with my wedding thank yous yet. They will be mailed out before we leave next week.

...that I am uber excited to receive my Erin Condren life planner.

...that I am a bit sad that due to the change in our moving date, I probably won't get it until the movers bring our stuff to North Carolina next month.

...that I am full of mixed emotions about this move.

...that I am excited to start on this new journey in life with my mister and the herd in tow.

...that I am am saddened that in order to do so I will be leaving my friends and family here in Minnesota.

...that I will forever and always be a Minnesotan. After all, I have spent 30 fabulous years here.

...that I am not allowing myself to dwell on the impending sadness I will feel next Thursday when we leave.

...that I allow myself to get lost in books for hours on end at night.

...that I will miss graduate school. I am proud of myself for successfully completing my first year. I know that when the time is right I will be back to complete my Masters.

...that while I don't have to do any of the packing (thanks to the Army..yay!), I feel like I should be doing something. So I need to purge clothes, toys, etc. It's ok that I haven't done that yet.

...that I have made my to-do list and I haven't done a single thing on it....yet

...that B and I took a nap today and it was fab-u-lous!

...that I spent my day with my Sweet Pea and couldn't stop smiling. She is so darn cute! She now says "cheese" when you take her picture. I couldn't get enough of her cuteness!

It is not ok that I think I am getting an end of summer cold! Boo for feeling under the weather.

What is okay with you this week?

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Partied like its my birthday

2011-08-19T00:26:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I celebrated my 30th year. I was never worried about turning 30, still not, I don't feel different. I feel that I am in a good place in my life and things are falling into place the way they were meant to be.

This was the first birthday I have spent in a long time without my siblings. It was weird. The herd and I went to see Smurfs with my mom, my brother and Sweet Pea in the afternoon. I talked to HP on Skype. I talked to my sister Dane. I had dinner with my parents, kids, and my nephews where I joked that it was similar to my 1st birthday when I didn't have any siblings yet to celebrate with. We are grown up and living our own lives. However, it is nice to have so many amazing memories to keep near and ear to my heart as I get ready for our move across the country.

Saturday I went to meet my bestest friend of 16 years, Mel, for our birthday dinner (I would like to note for her benefit that I am 17 days older so she is not 30...yet). My sister Dane watched my kids for me so I could go to dinner with Mel. As always, I was late. I had a mini meltdown while writing in her birthday card. I was sad. Okay, I still am. I am going to miss her terribly when we move in a couple of weeks. Ok..ok..back on topic.

I arrive at the restaurant that she had suggested. She met me outside and when we got to the door she opens it and says "Don't hate me". Huh? what?! "SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

There were my bestest/closest friends waiting for me. And my sister?! Wait...who's watching my kids? My parents, of course! Everyone was in on the surprise birthday/going away party. I felt so loved. I have the best and most amazing friends and family.

The night consisted of ~~many~~ some shots, dinner, fabulous gifts (massive earrings that I love, picture frame, book, key chain, and a gorgeous gray bag...loved them all!), major frosting consumption and cake annihilation (even had my friend smash my face into the cake once everyone was done eating it), multiple time outs for me for getting lippy (thanks Nate! lol), tons of pictures, great conversation, laughter, and memories that I will not forget any time soon.

Some highlights of the night in photos

(That's me!)

(You see a bike locked to a pole, we see a photo op! Me and Chrissi)

(My bestie Chrissy and I)

(After I had Chrissy smash my face in the cake)

(My 30 glasses are super fly)

(My bestest friend Mel who arranged it all)

(Me and Steph, she gave me the fab earrings I'm wearing)

(Me and my fav cousin and close friend Michelle)

(Me and my sis Dane)

(Toni, Caitlin, and I)

(My lil brother and me, before he put me in Time Out..heh)

I am so blessed to have such amazing people in my life. I am going to miss you all terribly when we move. You are all so near and dear to my heart and I love you all.

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Back to School

2011-08-11T00:13:00.001-05:00

I can't believe how fast the summer is flying by. In only a few short (but it may feel long, pending the herds behavior heh) weeks the Herd will be going (back) to school. They are growing up so fast!

Source: 4shared.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: iheartnaptime.net via Jenna on Pinterest

I am super excited to go school shopping, it has always been one of my favorite parts of the school year. I love buying new supplies, backpacks, lunch boxes, clothes. So much fun!

Source: poppiesatplay.blogspot.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: comingsoon.angrybirds.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: poketo.com via Jenna on Pinterest

Source: paperglitter.blogspot.com via Jenna on Pinterest

I am looking forward to all of their artwork, school activities, field trips, packing lunches, homework (even though they're probably not haha), concerts, sporting events, etc.

I will be one busy mom, but that's okay. They're worth it!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Wedding Recap-Reception

2011-08-01T23:45:00.001-05:00

I know I am a bit late with posting this, but better late than never!

I wrote previously about our wedding ceremony, you can read that here

Once the ceremony and pictures were done, it was time to get our party on!

Our Grand Entrance was to the Fox Sports Theme Remix. Our wedding party had a lot of fun with our entrance.

After the wedding party was all introduced, Mr. N., the herd (yes this is how they were actually announced) and I walked in. The warm welcome of cheers, applause, and love we received was heartwarming!

After we got to the head table, my besties and I snuck away to fix dress and to get rid of the veil. I had four bustles and they had to be done underneath, it was a bit of a process. We still had plenty of time to take bathroom photos.

After my dress was taken care of, we went back upstairs so that my uncle could say a prayer before we ate. Our dinner was buffet style and consisted of Caesar salad (which was phenomenal!), bread sticks, cheesy potatoes, vegetable medley, New York strip sirloin, and turkey. The food was delish!

We chose to have cupcakes instead of cake (although my mom did purchase an anniversary cake for cutting, but we cut cupcakes instead). The cupcakes were made by Buttercream and oh man were they amazing! We had a lot of compliments on the cupcakes. Yum!

After dinner is when the speeches were given. My dad started out by thanking everyone for coming, asking us to celebrate our service members, and our veterans. It was a great speech. The best part was at the end when he introduced my Matron of Honor, Mel, by saying "Mel is going to speak now, it is probably going to be a bunch of inside jokes that only her and Jenna will understand. So you can sit here and listen, or go to the bar." LOL Some peoples daddys!

Mel gave a very beautiful and heartfelt speech (while also telling Mr. N. that if he ever hurt me, she would hurt him lol). She has been my bestest friend for the longest time and I was so honored to have her standing by my side on our wedding day.

Mr. N.'s oldest brother, who was the best man, gave a very nice speech about Mr. N. and how proud he is of him, and us. He did an amazing job and we were blessed to have him there at his brothers side.

Now that all of the formalities were done, it was time to get our dance on. However, my brother had to bring Sweet Pea back to her mom's house, so I had the DJ hold off on the wedding party dances until his return. I am so glad that Sweet Pea was able to be there for our wedding. She was way too cute in her pretty dress!

While waiting for my brother to return, we mingled with our guests. We are truly so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.

Upon my brothers return we got the party started (though he was secretly hoping we did the wedding party dance while he was gone..heh wrong!lol)

Mr. N. and I danced to "Johnny and June" by Heidi Newfield for our first dance. This is our song and it was perfect. He sang to me while we danced. It felt like we were the only people in the room. It was very memorable.

The highlight of the evening (well definitely the most talked about part) was my father/daughter dance. My daddy came out onto the dance floor to meet me and as soon as he got out there Billy Idol's Mony Mony came playing over the speakers. Everyone was cheering us on as we tore up the dance floor. Apparently we were pretty in sync, as a few people asked if we had practiced, We had not. I got all my fly moves from my dad. I must admit I was pretty impressed with my dad, I had never seen him be such a dancing machine. It was definitely a very memorable dance and I am so honored that I got to share the dance floor with my amazing daddy!

Mr. N. and his mom danced to Mama by Boys II Men.

Then came the Wedding Party dance. The whole wedding party was trying to get out of this dance, as I was making them do the ever popular Chicken Dance. haha The girls had teach Mr. N. the dance before the wedding because he didn't know it. It was so much fun but very chaotic on the dance floor.

The Bouquet toss, which was to Beyonce's Single Ladies. My bestie Chrissy caught it!

The Garter Toss.

Man was this ever entertaining. I told the DJ that I did not want it to be easy for my husband. Mr. N. was blindfolded and then had to crawl between the Groomsmen all while the smacked his backside, before he reached me. HB had to hold his hands because he had to get it with his teeth. He was such a trooper! My brother in law David caught it!

Some other highlights from our night

Our wedding day was one of the best days of my life. I am so grateful to everyone who came and shared in our day and helped make it so wonderful.

A special thank you to my mom for all of her hard work in putting together our amazing reception together. I have the best parents ever!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Study break and my 200th Post!

2011-07-31T19:42:00.000-05:00

I am currently working on my reaction paper for my psychopathology class, but it is exhausting me. I need a non school related break to get my juices flowing again.

I came across this fun survey at Courtney's Organized Chaos. It is the perfect distraction, especially since I love to do surveys.

1. If you could be given ANY gift what would it be?

It would be to always see the bright side of things, that silver lining. I do my best to live my life without regrets and to not focus on the negative. However, I am far from perfect and there are days where I feel like the world is tumbling down on top of me and I wish I could look past the negative and see the positive in it. Sooner or later I will, but not until someone else points it out to me. I wish I could discover this on my own sometimes.

2. What was the last film that really moved/disturbed/thrilled you and why?

I don't recall the name of it (though I assume it is on my class syllabi), but we watched a film in class last week about people who struggle with substance dependence and substance abuse. I was disturbed by the emergency room footage (this was all real life). A man, not much younger than myself, had been high on marijuana and got into a car accident. They showed the ER staff trying in vain to save this man's life, ultimately they could not. It broke my heart. I was also moved by this film, as drug and alcohol dependence is no laughing matter and to see some of their stories, hear their struggles. It take a lot of strength and a lot of tough love for these families to get through these obstacles.

3. What is your favorite TV show of all time--if you've seen them all, can watch it over and over and quote lines from it?

Friends, hands down. I own all 10 seasons. I could watch them all day everyday. I love that show. I have yet to find another show I love as much as this one.

4. What's your favorite way to wake up and what's the first thing you do?

My favorite way to wake up is next to Mr. N. and with no alarm clock. However, Mr. N. is not here and the herd, well the half that is here, are like alarm clocks with no snooze button! I think the first thing I do every morning is check my phone for any texts and/or emails. Nothing terribly exciting.

5. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?

I love my name. I wouldn't ever change it! The only name change I've done is my last name when I got married. I plan to keep this name (first, middle, and last) forever. :)

6. What's the worst/most embarrassing CD/album you've ever owned and do you still have it?

I can't think of any embarrassing CDs that I own. I still have a majority of my cd collection still. I have been too lazy to add it on to my Itouch. It was all on my old Ipod and when I got a new computer and synced it, it all disappeared. Ugh! So now I just buy songs on Itunes.

7. What would be your dream vehicle?

I honestly never thought that I would ever own a minivan. But now that I do, I absolutely love it! The next car that we get will be another minivan. The one we currently have is darn near fully loaded, the only thing it is missing is the built in DVD players, but I bought a portable one with 2 screens that will work just fine.

Once the herd is grown and I no longer have a use for a minivan, I want a bright red sassy convertible. It has to be a manual and it has to be cute. Those are my only requirements haha

8. What characteristics do you dislike in yourself?

I dislike that I have a hard time saying No because I tend to overextend myself, which leads to unnecessary stress. I dislike that I always put things off until the last minute, even though I have every intention of doing it in advance. I dislike the self doubt that creeps up on me sometimes, it is frustrating.

9. Your favorite items of clothing and why?

Lately my favorite clothing choices have consisted of sundresses. I can't get enough of them! Oh and tubesox. Can't live without those ;)

10. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would it be and who would it be with?

I would go to Spain with Mr. N. I have always wanted to go to there and I plan to do it someday, although probably not until the herd moves out.
11. What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?

When I was younger I wanted to be a nurse or a teacher. I don't do well with bodily fluids so that is not an option. Up until last year I wanted to be an attorney. Now I want to be a Marriage & Family Therapist and one day that will be my career.

12. What's the next planned event you're looking forward to in your life?

Well the next thing up for the N family is the PCS move to North Carolina. That will be happening here in a few short weeks. While I know it will be quite the adjustment initially, I am looking forward to our family finally all being under one roof!

13. What were you doing before you started this?

Watching tv and texting JenJen

14. What was your favorite toy as a child...And now?

When I was younger I loved Barbies. They were definitely my favorite toy.

Now it would be my phone, ipod, camera, or computer....well all of them are my favorite! I no longer recall how to function without all of this technology. Sad, but true.

15. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?

At my wedding. I had so much fun that day. Definitely one of the best days ever! (sidenote: I am totally aware that I still have to post on our reception. I'm working on it, but slowly).

16. What is stashed under your bed/mattress?

Bins of arts and crafts. I am most definitely going to need to go through those before we move. The less clutter, the better :)
17. What did you dream about last night?

I don't remember. All I know is that I am having a hard time sleeping, either my dreams are waking me up or I'm just restless.

18. What are you really afraid of?

Losing my loved ones and heights.

I cannot believe that I have reached 200 posts *fist pump* I love blogging and I get a lot of joy out of it, it is my escape yet it is my reality. I love my followers and am truly appreciative to each and every one of you. Thank you for taking the time to read about my life.

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Planner Success

2011-07-29T23:40:00.002-05:00

I have been searching high and low for the perfect planner for my family and the upcoming school year. I typically carry two planners. One planner is a month-to-month calendar that I carry in purse for scheduling appointments. The second is the planner I use for school, which is monthly and weekly calendar. This is my favorite planner, this is where I keep track of appointments, readings for class, and when assignments are due, etc. I prefer to keep it in my backpack with my school books. I am trying to become more organized and it is essential to keep things organized especially with the move coming up.

I have seen some DIY family organizers that have really inspired me. I would love to create my own to meet my families specific needs. However, now is not the best time to start a project, especially since we are merely weeks away from our PCS. So that project will have to wait.

I took 1/2 the herd with me to Boarders today on our way to the beach. Since Boarders is going out of business, everything is on sale. So I scored myself a "Mom's Plan-it" calendar for 20%! I love sales!

Here it is in all its glory!

I haven't written in it yet, but I can't wait to start. It starts on August 1st so I will be able to start filling it up next week!

Happy Friday!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Congratulations....

2011-07-28T21:20:00.000-05:00

To My Darling Mr. N who became promotable today! I am so proud of you and your accomplishments!

You are amazing and I love you so much!

XOXO,

MRS. N.

Miscellany Monday-Family Edition

2011-07-26T01:39:00.000-05:00

As I posted yesterday, my sister moved to South Carolina, so this made for a lot of family time this past week. I love spending this quality time with them. I truly have the best family ever!

1) H.P.'s car was in the shop on Friday, so my dad asked me to bring her to our brothers house so that she could see Sweet Pea before she left. Sweet Pea is getting so big! She just started walking and it is way too cute! We hung out there for a couple hours and, of course, I took many pictures because Sweet Pea is just so darn cute and very photogenic!

(I bought her that pony!)

(Auntie your turn to blow bubbles)

2) After our visit with Sweet Pea, we had a Bon Voyage family dinner. It was a lot of fun. It reminded me of Friday night pizza nights growing up. We (my sibs and I) were sitting in front of the t.v. (the kids had to eat at the table) while my dad controlled what shows we were watched, just like when we were kids. We indulged on some delicious pepperoni and green pepper pizza and cupcakes left over my wedding last weekend. We talked, we laughed, and had a fabulous time. These are the kind of memories that will last a lifetime.

(My parents, siblings, and I)

My sister has safely arrived at her destination in South Carolina. I am so glad that she made it safe and sound. Next month, it will be my turn to move. I am a bundle of emotions and I can only imagine that it will be continue to be this way until that time. I am so thankful that I will have my husband, our herd, and my H.P. for support.

Happy Monday!

xoxo

Mrs. N.

Safe Travels Lil Sis!

2011-07-25T00:06:00.000-05:00

Today my beautiful baby sister is starting on her new adventure in life. She is driving cross country to South Carolina to start her teaching career. I am so very proud of her and I miss her terribly already! She is one of my best friends. Her and I share some weird sort of connection (i.e. we usually show up at family functions in similar outfits without planning ahead..)

(I am the shorter one heh)

Half Pint and I are 7 years apart, yet the older we get the more alike we become (both in personality and appearance). She is awesome and I love her greatly!

While I am currently having to miss her here in Minnesota, it won't be for long. You see the N family is PCSing to North Carolina and H.P. and I will only be about 2 hours apart. We will definitely have to maximize sisterly bonding (especially in the warmer weather as her apartment complex has a pool...sweet!)

I am so proud of my H.P. I know she is going to make a phenomenal teacher and she will be an inspiration, not only to her students but to her peers and colleagues.

I hope your travels are safe and I can't wait to see you! I love you!!!!

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Wedding Recap-Ceremony

2011-07-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

Mr N and I formally renewed our vows last Saturday (July 16th) and it was beautiful!

Mr. N and two of his groomsmen got into town early Friday morning after driving all night from Tennessee to Minnesota. They were so tired! Once the herd woke up nobody was going to get any sleep!

My Jen Jen also came into town for our wedding. My sister Dane came over and the three of us headed to the nail salon to meet with the rest of my bridesmaids and get our nails done. My lil girls (R&M) were originally going to come with us and get their nails done, but they got a better offer, swimming with Grandma and Papa at the hotel. Kids and their priorities lol

The weather was muggy but rainy, so we held the rehearsal inside at our wedding venue. Afterwards we headed to one of my favorite restaurants for pizza, salads, drinks and gifted our wedding party with their gifts. Our bridesmaids received horizon colored earrings and bracelets, lotions and body spray from Bath & Body Works, and a picture frame with a picture of us in it. Our groomsmen received engraved glass beer mugs. Our parents each received a picture frame and we will gift them with a picture once we get our professional pictures back.

After the rehearsal dinner was over, Mr.N had a mini bachelor party with his groomsmen. I dropped them off and picked them up. This made for a long night for me. I am glad that he had fun with his buddies though, he deserved it.

Finally the big day arrived. I wasn't nervous until we finally got to the hotel where we would be getting our hair and make up done. It was so much fun hanging out with my girlfriends and getting pampered and chatting. My nerves were definitely getting to me the closer it got to our ceremony. Once my hair and makeup was done I felt like a princess. I felt so beautiful!

After we were all ready we loaded up in our cars and drove (across the parking lot haha) to the venue. This is where my nerves kicked into high gear. We waited around for what felt like an eternity. I so badly wanted to sneak upstairs and see my mister looking all handsome in his uniform. I was able to see my lil guys looking all handsome in their tuxes.

When it was time to line up, I had to hide in the bathroom so Mr. N. didn't see me. My dad knocked on the door to let me know I was in the clear and could come out. He told me I looked gorgeous. My daddy is so sweet! It was time. Deep breathes here we go!

Our ceremony consisted of the Corintheans reading, renewal of our wedding vows, lighting of a unity candle, inspirational reading, vows to our children, and a family sand ceremony. After the children returned to our seats we said prayer and we had our kiss and were formally introduced as Mr. and Mrs. N.!Our recessional song was Forever and For Always by Shania Twain, which is a song that Mr. N. dedicated to me a long time ago.

I have posted some more pictures under the "Our July Wedding" tab, or you can click here

I can't wait to get our professional pictures back, which I will most definitely share my favorites on here.

Next up will be Wedding Recap-Reception.

xoxo

Mrs. N.

The Ball

2011-07-21T22:39:00.001-05:00

I know I have been MIA lately, but I have been so busy with the Ball and our wedding! Now that they are both done, I am slowly starting to catch up on things.

Here is the recap:

Mr. N. and I got a really late start on our road trip back down to Tennessee. We literally drove all night long! When we arrived at his house his alarm was going off for him to go to work. I had to pick up my friend Katie from the airport and so I was hardly able to fall asleep as I was paranoid I would oversleep and be late picking her up.

So on very little sleep I headed down to Nashville to pick her up from the airport. I was so excited to see her, as I hadn't seen her in forever! We headed up to post to go swimming until the guys got done working. As we arrived on post I discovered that my ID had expired. I didn't know that it had. Whoops! The man at the gate was very nice about it, but he punched a hole in it and that kinda bummed me out. I went to the DEERS office to renew it, but it was a lost cause because it was so busy there!

Katie's boyfriend picked here up by the pool and I putzed around waiting for Mr. N. to get done working. We ended up going swimming and it was fun. They had 3 waterslides, so Mr. N., HB, and I would race down them. I lost once and I even had a headstart!

We tried another waterpark but they closed down because of the rain and 5 minutes before they were going to reopen the park it thundered so we would have to wait for another 30 minutes. We headed to AppleBee's to kill sometime. After dinner it was raining, the waterpark was a bust, so we headed back to the house. Tried and sunburnt we called it an early nighht.

Thursday morning HB and Mr. N. made us breakfast and we bummed around the house. I went and picked up some beer and hard lemonade so we just hung out and drank a few and the guys played online poker. A couple of my girlfriends were over and we got ready together. The guys got a fancied up in their uniforms.

The Ball was a lot of fun. It was a formal event, but we still had fun. The food was delicious and the drinks were flowing. After the formality of it all was done, the DJ started and Mr. N. and I shook our groove thangs on the dance floor.

The next morning I had to leave to come back home to the herd. My darling Mr. N. had misplaced his wallet and phone and we spent so much time looking for it by the time we got to the airport my plane had already boarded so I wasn't able to get on. The next flight wasn't until 7:30ish that night so Mr. N. picked me up and took me to Cici's for lunch. Yummmmm!

I really enjoyed my time with my mister. It was nice to have some us time, even though I missed the herd terribly!

I am hoping to get to our wedding post here soon, make sure to check back for that! Until then, here are some pictures from our road trip and the Ball for your enjoyment!

(Road tripping)

(Hanging at the pool)

(Me and Katie at the Ball)

(Me & Mr. N.)

(My favorite picture)

(The Guys)

(The Ladies)

(Mr. N. & I at Cici's)

XOXO,
MRS. N.

Can't Sleep....

2011-07-05T03:04:00.000-05:00

Mr. N. is snoozing away on the couch. The herd is sleeping safe and sound. Yet here I am sitting on the balcony in the middle of the night unable to sleep. I am feeling stressed and anxious, but not tired. Ugh!

Mr. N. and I are leaving in the morning to head down to Tennesee for some much needed quality time and, of course, the Ball that I have been eagerly anticipating for the last month or so. It is going to be a long drive and yet I am not tired. There is so much to do here before we leave and it is a tad bit overwhelming. Everything is coming down on me at once and I'm stressing hardcore. Though on the surface I am sure I don't appear too different, but inside I am stressing hardcore. As excited as I am for the Ball, our wedding, the move, I am so ready for it to all be over with so that we can finally be together as a family. I love my family and appreciate our time together.

Well, my bags are packed, bills are paid, fridge is stocked for my return, now all I need to do is go curl up with my darling Mr. N. and force myself to sleep.

I don't know that I will have much of a chance to post while I am away. But, rest assured, I will be back at the end of the week to blog about our first Fourth of July as a family and about the Ball.

I hope everyone had a fantabulous and safe Fourth!

Have a great week!

xoxo
Mrs. N.

Beach Bums

2011-06-30T23:58:00.000-05:00

Thankfully today was much better than yesterday. After M's appointment this morning, the herd and I made our way to the beach. It was hot, muggy, and a swim in the lake was very refreshing.

It is days like these I am grateful that I am a stay-at-home mom, as I got to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach with my herd. Even Sweet Pea came out to play! No matter how tough it is to raise the herd, they are worth it. I love them all so much.

Mr. N. will be home in 2 days! Woo hoo! Jen Jen will be here tomorrow! It is going to be a fabulous weekend!

xoxo
Mrs. N.

No Good Very Bad Day

2011-06-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

(Via)

Have you ever read this book? It was one of my dad's favorite books and it became one of mine while growing up.

I am having one of "those" days.

The herd woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. This made for a really long day. Ugh! Fights, temper tantrums, tattling, sassiness, whining...yeah, they covered all of their bases today.

The house is a mess. Mess stresses me out. They haven't been very good about helping me clean up. I get it, I was a kid once too. I didn't want to do it either, it wasn't fun. Who am I kidding? It still isn't fun, but it is what needs to be done. Somedays I feel like I should just do it all myself and save myself the headache of listening to the fits and whining about having to pick up their own stuff. On the other hand, that isn't teaching them to be responsible. *sighs*

To top off my no good, very bad day, I got a phone call regarding M's appointment tomorrow. In the 10 months that her and N have been living here, this is the first time that I've had any issues with medical appointments. As a stepmom, I have no legal rights to Mr. N's children, nor he with mine. Since I am currently their primary caregiver I should have some sort of say. I mean I did, but only while Mr. N. was deployed. Now that he is state side, I have none. I think that Order should have been written up differently, as he doesn't live in the same state as the herd and I. So I am hopeful that either a) Mr. N. gets ahold of them tomorrow, or vice versa, so they can get his permission for me to take her to this appointment; or b) they accept my POA. I will not be a happy camper if I drive all the way to her appointment and she can't be seen for it. *fingers crossed*

On a happier note, my Jen Jen is coming into town tomorrow night with her girls! It is only going to be a sleepover, as she is passing through on her way to a different destination. I haven't seen her since Labor Day weekend and I am uber excited to see her!

Here's hoping tomorrow is a much better day!

xoxo
Mrs. N.

FourEight Eighteen

2011-06-29T00:14:00.001-05:00

Four more days until Mr. N comes home for the holiday weekend. I am uber excited to see his handsome face and the herd cannot wait to see their Daddy! Family time and fireworks=fabulous weekend! I get to make the ride back down to Tennessee with him (read: i drive while he plays Angry Birds on my phone..lol)

Eight more days until the Ball! Wooooo hoooo!!! I am so excited to spend some herd-free time with Mr. N. and to hang out with my fabulous ladies. I can't wait to get a little bit of a break. However, I am sure I will be missing my herd something fierce. This is the first time I've been away from all of them at the same time in 10 months! Well sometimes they all sleepover at my sisters, but I bring them there and I pick them up, so usually the only part of the day I am missing is bedtime and breakfast the next morning.

Back to being excited...

I have to figure out what to do with my hair. I bought a headband that I may or may not use. I still need to get my nails done and a pedi. That is all that is left on my "to-do" list for out of town. Mr. N. bought my ticket back home so that is taken care of.

Here are my accessories for the ball:

1) Rose colored clutch with some faux bling on it;
2) Black and diamondesque drop earrings; and
3) Silver sandals that I already owned and compliment the clutch.

(Accessories)

(close up of the clutch)

Eighteen days until our Formal Wedding! Holy-cow! Where has the time gone?! Most everything is done and in place, well at least all of the big tasks. There are plenty of little things left to do and I am trying to not stress about them. It isn't so bad right now and I'm hoping I don't end up freaking out! I am so excited to renew vows with Mr. N. and share our love with family and friends.

July is going to be a busy month for the N family. So many exciting things are on the horizon!

XOXO
MRS. N.

Weekend Recap

2011-06-27T00:47:00.001-05:00

What a fabulous weekend this was. I got a lot accomplished and still managed to have fun with the herd. Those are the best kinda weekends.

Saturday was my second bridal shower and it was a lot of fun! My girls came with me and they enjoyed presents and cake themselves. I received some fabulous gifts and I can't wait to use them. However, under the stairs they will remain until our move at the end of summer. Some of the goodies I got were:

New Queen bedset (comforter, decorative pillows, and sheets)
Luggage
Spice rack (which I am so excited about!)
Tons of picture frames and wall art with my favorite sayings.
A clock
Blender
Cookbook
etc.

That is just a partial list. I am so grateful and blessed to have such an amazing and generous family. I love them!

After the shower I went dress and shoe shopping with 2 of my bridesmaids and my MOH. It wasn't a complete success, but we made progress. The girls now all have their shoes and only 2 of them still need dresses. All in all it was a successful day.

Today I took the flock (my herd+nephew=flock) to the city carnival. They had oh so much fun! I ended up having to go on a couple of rides because not all of them were tall enough to go on without adult supervision. M loves rides! She went on a couple by herself, she's fearless. After we did rides for an hour, we ate. The kids all had tacos, ice cream and lemonade. They were so good at the carnival!

(M on the ride by herself. She's wearing orange)

After the carnival we went to the beach where they swam and played water tag. I watched from the beach, but probably ingested about as much sand as they did! I guess that's what happens when they shake off their towels right next to you. Ehh...oh well.

We finished the day with french toast for dinner and Mario Brothers on the Wii. These are my favorite type of weekends. We have a busy week coming up so it was nice to have some fun without being on a time crunch.

What did you do this weekend?!

xoxo
Mrs. N.

Not only Cinderella goes to a Ball

2011-06-24T01:18:00.000-05:00

I am so totally stoked to go to Mr. N.'s ball in a couple of weeks! My parents are THE BEST! They are going to take the herd so that I can drive back with Mr. N. after his visit home and stay for a few days. I think I am most excited for that, as we have had little to no alone time since we got married. I guess that is what happens when you live long distance and you have a herd.

I can hardly wait to get down to Tennesee and see all my lovely ladies! I miss them tons and we are going to have so much fun. My battle buddy is flying down for the Ball so I am going to pick her up at the airport and spend some girl time with her while the guys are at work. It is going to rock!

I love my dress. I sent a picture to Mr. N. and he said I look hot *blushes* He's a man of many words.

I don't know what jewelry I am going to wear with it. I may need to go get some new earrings and definitely need a fancy clutch, as I don't have one. I think I will get a silver-ish clutch so that I can use it for my wedding the weekend after the Ball. I plan on wearing some silver sandals I already own with it. As for my hair, I haven't the slightest clue what I am going to do with it. I don't really want to pay $50.00 to get my hair done. Maybe I will just practice some different updos on myself before then, or have my cousin show me how to do something fun?!

Here's a picture of me in my dress, so if you have some suggestions as to accessories or hair styles, I am all ears.

XOXO,
MRS. N.

WWTK

2011-06-23T13:04:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, it is not Wednesday anymore, but I still want to link up in all of the fun, so here I am!

If you would like to join in on the fun, and I highly recommend that you do, you can link up with Impulsive Addict, Mamarazzi, Seriously Shawn, and Janette.

This weeks questions are....(insert dramatic drum roll)

.....
....
....
....

{1} What is the best or worst pick up line you have ever been given?

I read one in a magazine that I thought was great (because I can't think of any off hand that I've gotten), but it goes like this.

How much does a Panda weigh?

Confused look...ummm...I don't know.

Enough to break the ice. Hi I'm *insert name*

Haha it makes me laugh

{2} What is your most and least favorite day of the week?

Now that I am not working all of the days blend together and seem to be all the same. But, since I'm not a party pooper (or try not to be) I will say Wednesday is my favorite and Sunday is my least favorite.

{3} How many hours of sleep do you require each night?

I would love to get 8+ hours a night, but I don't. I can function off of 5 or 6 hours a night. I can function off even less than that, but I will be crabby. Ha

{4} Is there a song that takes you back in time? What song is it & what's the memory attached?

Whenever I hear a TuPac song it brings me back to high school. It reminds me of my bestest friend Mel. Her and I used to put excerpts of the songs onto our pagers (yep that's how cool we were) so that we could learn the words. Once both of us had learned the words, we would each put another part of the song on there until we learned the entire song. Haha good times! Better memories.

{5} What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

My biggest guilty pleasure would probably be the tabloids. I love them! I buy and read them weekly.

XOXO
MRS. N.

Miscellany Monday...on Tuesday..whoops!

2011-06-21T14:01:00.001-05:00

[One]

Saturday I had my first bridal shower and it was very nice. I got a lot of really nice stuff for our kitchen. My favorite gift of the day was the family cookbook that my aunts put together for me. They include the favorite recipes of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I love how they all contributed to it and that makes it all the more special. I am truly blessed with an amazing family.

[Two]

My godson Bear had his dance recital Saturday night. He was the cutest thing ever! He rocked the stage and I was so proud of him! I also got to cuddle with his baby brother (who I have nicknamed my Boyfriend Bugsy because he is oh so cute!) during the show. I love those boys!

[Three]

I am making a lot of headway on our wedding plans finally! I got the girls their dresses and accessories, the boys have been fitted for their tuxes. I got my accessories, shoes, and undergarments done. The bridesmaids gifts are done. I have an appointment on Friday with a photographer, as well as at the venue for our Rehearsal Dinner. Meeting with my Uncle tomorrow about officiating. I have to get that song list turned into the DJ asap! I am feeling productive and I love that my to-do list is downsizing.

[Four]

I am trying to find the same motivation to get on top of all of the school stuff that I need to take care. I am hopeful that after I meet with my advisors I will have a clearer picture of what and how I can proceed.

[Five]

I finally got my new blog up and running! While it is still a work in progress, I am pretty excited about it. It is called Tubesox & Tattoos. Feel free to head on over and check it out.

While I had every intention of posting this on Monday, but I had to get a paper done for school, priorities..ya know?!

XOXO

MRS. N.

Coupons Galore!

2011-06-19T19:59:00.001-05:00

I love coupons! It is seriously my newest addiction. So much fun! I am nowhere near Extreme Couponer status, but that is my goal. I read a book on how to coupon and now I have a better understanding on how it works, so I can't wait to try it out!

Since today is Sunday I went out and bought 6 newspapers and collected the coupons out of them. Woo hoo! So much fun! This is what my stack of coupon looks like that I will be sorting through as soon as the Herd goes to bed :)

I am super excited to go through the coupons and organize them in my binder. I have a 3-ring binder with tabs and Trader card sheets where I store the coupons. I also ordered this really awesome coupon holder/divider. It is a black and white pattern with a hot pink velcro strap that allows for you to velcro it to the cart. The best part?! It is purse sized so I can be sheek and organized and it all fits inside my purse!

Mr. N. and I are pretty excited about our mini stock pile. I thought I would share our collection with you. Again, it is not very big yet but it is definitely nice to have. The herd loves the Powerade so that is what is most refilled in our stock pile. I think it is about time for a refill. Hopefully there are some good coupons in this weeks paper!

Isn't it cute! We have paper towels, laundry detergent, kleenex, pasta noodles, canned fruits and vegetables, hamburger helper, dishsoap, ketchup, scrubbing pads, deodarant, and body wash. We also have a bunch of extra toothbrushes and 3 bottles of Excederin that we have stashed in a closet so that the herd doesn't get into it. I think that is a good start! We won't have to buy any of those items before our move at the end of summer. I absolutely love it!

Does anyone have any couponing advice? Pictures of their stockpiles? I would love to see them!

XOXO
MRS. N.

Happy Fathers Day!

2011-06-19T09:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Fathers Day to all of the wonderful daddies out there today. Also, Happy Fathers Day to the single mom's who have dual roles because they're doing it alone and love their children so much that they make all of the sacrifices.

Happy Fathers Day to My Daddy!!!

Happy Fathers Day Mr. N.

Happy Fathers Day to my brother and his Princess (My Sweet Pea!)

All of you are amazing fathers and I (and your children) are blessed to have you in our lives. I love you all very much!

XOXO
MRS. N.

Do you know what time it is?

2011-06-17T23:01:00.002-05:00

Why it is time to confess of course! No time to waste, so lets get to it!

I confess that I have this strange fascination with handwriting. Most days I love my handwriting and, if I don't, I will rewrite it until I am satisfied. Strange, yes? I also like to admire other peoples handwriting too.

I confess that I got bored with my blog font so I am trying a new one. I am not entirely sold on it yet I don't think. So apologies in advance if the font keeps changing.

I confess that I had a lot of fun at the beach today with the herd.

I confess that since having kids, going to the beach is not nearly as relaxing as it used to be. There is 4x as much stuff to carry (heaven forbid they carry their own towels and pails..lol). Before I even have time to put stuff down they are already racing towards the water. I brought a book with to read. We were at the beach for about 2 hours. It took me that long to read one chapter, as I could only read a paragrah or so before I was needed by a member of the herd.

I confess that I really want to paint my nails but am too darn lazy to get my tush off the couch and do it.

I confess that I don't know what a weekend is anymore. After Wednesday I lose track of which day of the week it is. Monday-Wednesday are our busiest days.

I confess that I am obsessed with coupons lately. I have a super cute mini-stock pile downstairs and I love it! I cannot wait until I become better at saving money with shopping. So far I am pretty darn proud of myself.

I confess that I am excited to get the Sunday papers and see what fun coupons are in there.

I confess that Extreme Couponing is one of my favorite shows.

I confess that I have a paper due on Monday and I need to write it still.

I confess that I miss Mr. N. uberly much. I can't wait to see him in 2 more weeks. Yay!

I confess that it appears that we figured out a way for me to go to Mr. N's Battallian Ball next month. Woo hoo! Now I just need to find a dress! I'm excited!

XOXO

MRS. N.

It is time to fill in the blanks!

2011-06-17T21:16:00.001-05:00

1. The last movie I saw was Tangled. The herd and I rented it On Demand. I love that movie.

2. I want to cuddle with my mister. Couple more weeks and I will be able to. Yay

3. Surprises are really not my thing. I don't care to be surprised. So they are a no-go for me. Although I do enjoy being a part of someone else's surprise. Those are fun

4. The best accessory is your smile

5. My favorite warm drink is I actually don't have one.

6. My favorite cold drink is currently it is NOS

7. Currently loving the fact that it is bed time. Going to call my mister here shortly, paint my nails, and veg out to some Criminal Minds. Ahh...that's the life!

XOXO
MRS. N.

Who Let the Herd Out?!

2011-06-17T00:06:00.000-05:00

The Herd is definitely enjoying their summer vacation. I, on the other hand, am already pooped out. I have so much to do with our wedding coming up next month, Mr. N's ball, school, the herd, and our move at the end of summer. Whew! That is a lot of stuff to do in what seems like a very short amount of time.

I made some progress on the wedding front today, thankfully. I think my Matron of Honor and mom are going to smack me upside my head if I don't get my a$$ in gear here soon, so I am trying to get what I can done when and where I can. Today, while I fed the herd their lunch, I scheduled an appointment for the girls to be fitted for their dresses on Monday and I have been emailing a photographer. We are trying to find a time to get together and meet. I am hopeful that this one works out so I can cross that off my to do list.

Speaking of to-do lists, I really need to sit down and make one. I definitely think it is going to be necessary with all of the things that I have coming up. Organization is going to be key for this all to go smoothly.

My gorgeous niece Sweet Pea was with my brother today so the Herd and I went to visit and we headed to the park. It has rained the last couple of days but today it was hot and sunny! The herd found the only puddles within a 5 block radius and, of course, played in it. You are probably thinking to yourself (as were the other parents at the park, heh) who let those kids out of the house?! Haha well I did. They had fun and that's what matters. By the time we left the park they were all wet and muddy. How do you clean a muddy herd? Why you turn on the sprinkler and let them run through it, of course!

Here are some pictures of our day for you to enjoy.

(Sweet Pea)

(The Girls playing in the puddles)

(B and his "castle")

(N and his castle)

(Effective way to clean muddy children)

Hope everyone else had a fabulous day!

XOXO
MRS. N.

We Want to Know Wednesday!

2011-06-15T12:56:00.001-05:00

It has been an uber long time since I participated in this, as you may know by now Mr. N. was home on leave and I usually blog after the kids go to bed, but since he was home I cuddled with him while he drained the batteries on my phone and ipod with his Angry Birds addiction. I really think I may need to find him an Angry Birds Anonymous club or something. I didn't intentionally get him hooked on it, but he is. It was really cute.

Moving along....

So he's back at work and I am trying to play catch up in the bloggy world. So, of course, I had to join back up with Seriously Shawn, Mamarazzi, Impulsive Addict and Janette for this weeks edition of what they would like to know! Come join in on the fun!

1.} You have been asked to give a 10 minute speech to teenage girls. What is it about?

I would talk to girls about loving themselves for who they are and embracing their bodies. It was in my teens when I started becoming self conscious about my body. As hard as I have tried to embrace it, I have a distorted view of what I actually look like. I know I am not fat, but when I look in the mirror that's what I see. I would hate to have my girls go through that. I think it is important to embrace it. I know I wish I had known that earlier.

Oh and I would throw in some tid bits about not smoking. Yes I am sure they would not listen, I certainly didn't, but that is honestly the one thing I wish I had never picked up.

2.} Do you have a pet? Tell us about them. No pets? Why?

Yes I have the most adorable cat named Ginger Louise. Well she goes by Ginger, but she's Ginger Louise when she is naughty! Haha. I adopted her from the Human Society when she was 10 weeks old and she is now 3. I love this cat to pieces. She is seriously the best cat ever. She makes friends with everyone/everything. She doesn't bite, scratch, and I've never heard her hiss. She has the quietest meow it is cute. She has the most beautiful markings. An interesting fact about her is that she doesn't have any adult cat teeth. The Vet did an x-ray at one of her appointments and she didn't have any growing in. She has already lost 3 teeth. I'm not sure what to do. Do they make dentures for cats?

3.} What is the biggest inconvenience about the place you're currently living?

The two biggest inconveniences about where I'm living are:

1) We are 12.5 hours from Mr. N.; and
2) we live in a neighborhood with mostly elderly people who don't particularly care for kids. They are constant complaints about the herd being loud and playing outside. They're kids. It is nice out. Deal with it.

4.} What do you think is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Marrying Mr. N. and making our family whole.

5.} What are the THREE "nevers" of your life? {things you would never do or have never done}.

Well 3 things I have never done (and have no intention of doing) are:

1) Bungee Jumping;
2) Skydiving; and
3) Eating Sushi.

Woo that was fun! So glad to be back in on the fun!

Happy Wednesday :)

xoxo
MRS. N.

Miscellany Monday

2011-06-13T23:04:00.000-05:00

*One*

Mr. N. left yesterday and I'm bumming. I miss him so much already. While we didn't do anything extravagent while he was home on leave, we got to spend quality time together as a family and that makes me happy. I love that man to pieces!

*Two*

I went and got a pedi last week and I usually just do a bright fun color, this time I change it up a little bit. Polka dots! How cute is that? (Not my toes because feet are gross, but my pedi looks amazing!)

*Three*

Today was the last day of one of my classes. I had so much fun in that class! I absolutely love Grad School. I can't wait to start my career. I am not sure how this PCS is going to affect my schooling, but I'm setting up a meeting with my advisors to figure out my next step.

*Four*

Our wedding is quickly approaching and I'm feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things I still have left to do. I know it will all be worth it in the end.

*Five*

After my blogging hiatus due to Mr. N being home, it feels good to be back in bloggyland.

Happy Monday Everyone :)

XOXO

MRS. N.

Step by Step

Well I think it is OK

2011 Recap Survey

Merry Christmas

Wanna know what is Ok?..

Operation Toy Drop

Airborne

Better late than never

How the Glitz Stole Christmas Swap Reveal

Shop til You Drop

Why Yes, It is O-K!

Strong Bond Marriage Retreat

Dear Santa...

Nail Polish Swap Revealed

Its ok !

What November 24th means to me...

101 Things Blog Swap Reveal

Just Add Color Swap Goodies Reveal

Its Ok....

I'm THANKFUL for YouTube and other internet fun

I'm THANKFUL for my Guilty Pleasures

Its Ok Thursday

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It's Ok, Well...mostly

Fall Bucket List #4-Complete

Halloween Fun with the Herd

Up, Down, & a Random Kitten

Recapping my weekend through Miscellany Monday

It's Ok Thursday

My Weekend in Minnesota (Part 2)

Fall Bucket List #10-Complete

Destination Minnesota (Part 1)

Dear Sixteen Year Old Me...

No Such Thing as a Perfect Man...But he's Perfect for Me

Fall Bucket List

Miscellany Monday

Catching up!!

Time to Unwind

Its Ok Thursday

"Its Ok" this Thursday

Mac Attack

Remembering September 11th...10 years later.

What I've been up to

It is Ok...to be a day late

New Journey

It's Ok...

Partied like its my birthday

Back to School

Wedding Recap-Reception

Study break and my 200th Post!

Planner Success

Congratulations....

Miscellany Monday-Family Edition

Safe Travels Lil Sis!

Wedding Recap-Ceremony

The Ball

Can't Sleep....

Beach Bums

No Good Very Bad Day

Four*Eight* Eighteen

Weekend Recap

Not only Cinderella goes to a Ball

WWTK

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Coupons Galore!

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We Want to Know Wednesday!

Miscellany Monday

FourEight Eighteen