Attempted Murder

I just wanted to let you know of the "attempted murder" that just occurred...with this woman:

I tried to visit with Jackie Warner only to have her try to kill me.  After 14 min. and some odd secs, I had enough and left.  Granted, the visit was On Demand in my family room...so I didn't have far to go.

Hopefully I'll still be able to walk to the bus stop to get my son.

If I don't answer my phone later, you know who is responsible.

P.S.

I'm sooooooooo out of shape.  Remember the WALK that almost killed me?

Walk

It's a gorgeous day and both kids are in school...so, I decided to push my atrophied self out the door to enjoy the weather and go for a walk with Jax.

I came to the following conclusions:

A) Being sedentary for so long causes both shock and confusion in both my muscles and my dog. It sounded like Bozo the Clown was walking with a dirty prank caller.

B) It's a good idea to make sure that if you are bringing your largest canine with you on a walk that you need to make sure that he has emptied his bowels prior to walking...thereby avoiding the walk of shame back to your house with a giant bag of steamy poo.

C) Stop being so sedentary.

You would figure someone who was a few courses short of obtaining her bachelor's in kinesiology (before I switched to criminology & criminal justice) would be more cognizant of keeping herself moving...but nooooooooooo.  It's usually too hot or too cold or too rainy or just about to rain or the kids need me or the hubby needs me or blah blah blah...

But today, it was just right.

Now, I just have to start convincing my body not to go into shock and to stop rejecting the fresh oxygen being pumped throughout her...

Oy.

Wish me luck!

Ignition Breathalyzer Legislation

I popped over to Blunoz' blog and basically left my own blog post as a "comment" on his post on breathalyzers.  Basically, VA & MD want to pass legislation where it will be mandatory to install breathalyzers in the cars of first time convicted DUI offenders (catch it here in the Washington Post).  The breathalyzers would serve as an ignition interlock devices and hopefully lower the already high recidivism rates (yay, my college degree isn't going unused...hahaha...go figure #1 criminology & criminal justice program in the country and I do squuuuuuuat with it).  I digress...

I've written about my dad and his struggles.  This man influenced my life in so many ways.  My outspokenness, activism, passion for social justice & education, and empathy are traits that are definitely are from him.  Pride as an American, an Asian American (no hyphen biotches), and as a woman of color...definitely from him.  I see these traits coming out in his grandchildren as well.  Obviously, the lack of drinking was indirectly influenced by him.  He was a really good man with a very strong moral character just with an unfortunate "disease" (I put it in quotes since  I believe there's just this huge gray area of it be biological and what not).

Hail & Farewell...finally.

It's been a week and a half since Sean finally got relieved and had his official hail & farewell...this ending our his department head tour and giving him a brief respite before moving into his post-department head/shore tour.  For those non-mil readers...let's start at the beginning...

My awesome partner was the Weapons Officer (WEPS) on the USS Tennessee.  That's a submarine and more specifically, a ballistic missile sub.  To be relieved simply means that the PWEPS (prospective weapons officer) finally took charge and became the WEPS leaving Sean to go on to his next duty station.

The Hail & Farewell (H&F) is a military tradition that is pretty self-explanatory.  It's a celebration to welcome incoming and thank/say goodbye to outgoing individuals of a group...in this case, the wardroom's (aka officers) H&F was to hail the new WEPS & CHOP (supply officer) and say goodbye to the Hubs & old CHOP.

Master P

No, not the rapper...it's my new title for today.  P as in PROCRASTINATION!!  It's nearly 2am or 0200 and I'm now into the last day reviewing scholarships...and doing laundry.  I've been volunteering for the past few years and this year hasn't been up to par...that is, I haven't been up to par.  I've definitely hauled some serious tookus this past week and am reviewing my 123rd application.  Other than my procrastination, I seriously can't complain.  I've read some applications written by some amazing individuals and it's a constant reminder that I live a very good life...very.  Although the pool I've had so far isn't as impressive as past years, I do hope some of my applicants score one of the scholarships.

My little treat and incentive...a Nikon D90.  BUT...that is contingent on me scoring @ least 150 apps.  Totally doable...if I focus.  I've been eyeing this little investment for quite some time and with my little stinkers growing like crazy...I need to capture as many moments as I can.

Anyhoo...I will definitely do a better update soon.  Especially since the biggest news is Sean FINALLY got relieved as the WEPS last Friday.  FINALLY.

More on that with bad photos (another reason why I need a DSLR with a good lens to take better indoor photos)...

What's that tingling sensation?

Oh yeah...that's the residual feelings from holding a hairdryer that shorted on me and caught on fire. Time to get a new one...except I don't really use one...except for last night.

You see, my son somehow peed in his sleep...in my bed...facing down. So, after discovering this upon waking him up...and in between finding the Nature's Miracle that we keep on hand for our pups...my other son...the canine one...decided to drop a huge deuce in our family room. This was discovered after I dump a 1/4 gallon on the pee spot on my mattress and set a Vornado up on high and jacked up the heat on the second floor to dry the mattress to dry the mattress, hopefully, in time for bed that evening.

But...around 7:30pm (or 1930 for you military peeps)...the bed was still damp. Mr. Muscles needs to get up just a few hours past midnight for work so there is no way that this bed'll be dry in time. So, Braniac here gets the quasi-brilliant idea of aiming a hair dryer at the miserable spot. I. Am. Nothing. Short. Of. A. Genius. Actually, it was a good idea...had the dryer not shorted right when I turned it on and started sparking and smoking AND not turn off when I switch it to off leaving me trying to figure out quickly if I risk electrocution by trying to unplug it AND knowing that it obviously needs to be unplugged to leave this house before it burns it down. I unplug it and hand it to Mr. Muscles who is taking out the trash.

8pm...my hand is tingling as is my scalp. Why? Oh yeah...I guess I did electrocute myself...mildly...capping an end to my day that I could do nothing else but laugh at.

Happy 8th Anniversary!!

Happy Anniversary...to me...oh, and my extremely amazing hubby who has put up with me for all these years! ;o) I can't believe it was 8 years ago that we were freezing our tookuses off at the USNA chapel...waiting for the show to go on because our wedding time was double-booked (two couples who scheduled the chapel prior to us had the same last name...one couple canceled and another couple was scheduled in the same time slot as the couple that DID NOT cancel). Still, everything came off without a hitch and the day I had been planning for and that had almost not happened (there was a possibility of Sean going on his 6-month deployment earlier because of 9/11)...happened.

I still can't believe that I'm here...8 years later...2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 houses, and 2 cars later....a stay-at-home mom/military wife. I remember before graduating college, my advisor told me that she didn't think I'd fit in. She was right...and wrong. I don't completely fit in. I'm not a gung-ho military wife. I'm a woman of color...married to a submarine officer...which in a community that is really lacking in diversity. I'm a social justice advocate. I am not a homemaker. I'm liberal. The real thing...I've always been fiercely INDEPENDENT and never imagined that I would be "dependent" on someone else. Like her, I had this preconceived notion that these military wives were completely dependent on their spouses, may not have attended college, and a whole other slew of stereotypes.

But...we were also wrong. In my 8 years...I've met women of all different walks of life. All of whom, are amazing women. I never realized the type of strength and INDEPENDENCE that it takes to be a military spouse...often a single married military spouse. That strength is physical, mental, and emotional. With subs, you can expect to not hear your partner's voice for extended periods of time...if at all if he is on a boomer. Email is sporadic...if it works. Length of time varies...although I'd take the boomer life any day over the hellish fast-attack life. Still, it was both types of life (boomer & fast-attack) that prepared me to be the military wife I am now. The women I've known range from the seasoned and optimistic ('cause a a military spouse life is NOT the life that you can afford to be a pessimist) to the virgin and plaintive (shoot, it can be a pretty difficult life to adjust to)...still...all these women become the type of women able to handle what life throws at her when he husband is gone, to be the mother and father to her children, and to be overall...amazing.

I never knew that in that spring of 1987 and walking the grounds of the USNA on our 4th grade field trip and fantasizing one day that I would marry a midshipmen in that beautiful chapel that 14.5 years later that would become a reality. I never knew that I would be a stay-at-home anything. I never knew that the life I live now as a military spouse and stay-at-home parent would be this rewarding. I never even imagined living this kind of life.

I wouldn't have it any other way...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

I. Suck.

First off...Happy Holidays!

Second....I. Suck.

Yesterday...oops, check that since it is already passed midnight now...the day BEFORE yesterday we take our beloved puppies in to get bathed. They came back several different shades lighter than when we took them in. They were THAT dirty. Anyhoo...we let our old lady sleep in our room for once and guess what...I got very little sleep. My poor baby Remi snores like my grandfather who, unfortunately, you can hear snoring even if you stood outside the house. He is THAT loud...and so is my girl. Add a sick hubby to the mix who is adding his own acoustics of snoring and throat-clearing in his sleep...and it's a veritable orchestra in our room...one that has vaulted ceilings so the sounds are just echoing everywhere.

I actually needed a bit of rest for once. I had to gear up for today...whoops...yesterday since Sean was going to stand duty and I had a butt-load of baking to do...not to mention all the gazillion loads of laundry and packing for the next 10 days for the fam. All needing to be done and ready to go by the time my wonderful hubby arrives in the morning so we can get on the road to The Fam ASAP. Oh yeah...did I mention gifts?

No, I did not. Why should I? The forward-thinking type A individual I am has devised the perfect plan the past few years of ordering my gifts and shipping them to my mom's house...where I stay up real late and wrap to my heart's content. I *heart* you Amazon Prime.

So...the kids were pretty good, baking was smooth sailing, laundry was smooth sailing, and I still was a pretty good single parent today. It was precisely at 1953...or 7:53pm for you civilians that my life...ok, less drama...my DAY took a turn for the worse. The doorbell rings. WTF? Really? Almost 8pm. I peek outside and there is a figure dressed in dark clothes standing at the end of my driveway. Crap. Really? Ok...my two crazy but CLEAN dogs are with me at the doorway. I see a box in front of my door, a truck circling around our cul-de-sac, and quickly surmise that this dude standing at the end of my driveway is a UPS dude.

What? Almost everyone knows we're going to be in DC...not here. It is addressed to me.

Hmmmmmm....

Oh...well what do you know? It's a portion of the huge order I put in on Tuesday...the order that was the most stressful since I needed to make sure that all and everyone were accounted for since with my Wednesday being insanely hellish...I wasn't about to add shopping to my list. No siree Bob...I don't think so.

Funny...why are these gifts being sent here and not to my mom's?

Oh yeah...because I'm an idiot.

In my stress-induced haze of procrastination, being sole-planner/caretaker of this fam, and again...sole planner...I neglected to double-check my order and see that I sent it to myself at my MOM'S address and not MINE.

Why? Because I suck.

So, no instead of getting on the road ASAP in the morning...we now will have to wait for this damn package to arrive...hopefully not close to 8pm like tonight..oops...LAST NIGHT. What's more...UPS actually was supposed to deliver it TODAY...crap...YESTERDAY but had to reschedule it to tomorrow...oops, TODAY (12/24).

I hate me. I really, really hate me right now.

Somehow moving my whole family up halfway up the East Coast by myself during the holidays...even managing to make HOMEMADE presents during a move and while my hubby was out to sea seemed a LOT less stressful.

However...a glimmer of positivity in all this mess...besides the 4 cakes and 3 different types of cookies I made in one day...I did manage to take holiday photos for a holiday card that will not make it out again...keeping up with the yearly tradition I have upheld since we last left here in 2006. So, after moves to CT and FL and now back here...at least I kept up with the tradition of taking the freakin' photo. Except...we couldn't take it in front of our lake since with all the rain we've been having it's a bit soggy back there...not to mention the dog poop that we still have yet to pick up!

I managed to screw up this year's photo by looking a little plasticky...so, enjoy one of the outtakes where I don't have a crazy fake smile on my face!

Oh yeah...like my Amazon order, I'm not rechecking this...so I look forward to my hubby pointing out all of my typos and grammatical errors! ;o)

Happy Holidays, Everyone! Please stay safe and enjoy the time you have with your loved ones this season. We're so thankful that we actually get to spend the holidays together and it makes all these petty problems just that...petty and insignificant.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, & Happy Hanukkah!

We're coming, Talia...as soon as the Man in Brown (or Men in Brown...and def men since it's only males who do our route so far) comes...we're coming.

My. Ovaries. Hurt.

My ovaries hurt. They do. They have that certain achiness whenever I think how big my kids have gotten and how little my niece is. I long for those moments of holding a baby and smelling their sweet scent. I miss being pregnant and not having to worry about muffin top or sucking my stomach in. I. Miss. Boobs. Yes, after breastfeeding both kids for a cumulative 24 months...they managed to perform a successful lipo...in my boobs. I barely had any to begin with and I was secure with that. But now...nada. What you see is 100% Victoria's Secret.

Then again, I don't miss sleeping for 2-3 hour stints. Scratch that...with Kaia, it was 30 MINUTE stints. My darling daughter, to this day, still does not sleep very long NOR does she need a lot of sleep to function....and not get grouchy. She's very much like me. I don't miss diaper changes, rigid schedules, and constant feedings.

What I'd miss is being able to really spend quality time with my kids right now. They are so much fun and I cannot even begin to fathom adding another to the mix and being a complete mommy to them. Then again, Jaron starts school next year and then I'd feel like "what is the use of being at home?" Except for the fact that VA kindergarten is only freakin' 3 hours from the time he gets on the bus to the time he gets off the bus.

Then again, I look how nurturing my kids are with their baby cousin. They love her so much and call her their baby sister...not out of want for another sibling, but because they look at her as if she were their sister. I know my kids would be thrilled with another sibling...especially when the topic comes up regularly and they ask for twins. A boy and a girl. Order up!

I think it's just the type of person I am. I totally stress out because I think of every single possibility and outcome of my actions...upcoming moves, upcoming deployments/patrols/underways, planning large events, which schools to pick, what activities we'll do, etc. etc. etc. And you know what...they're always turned out fine and I have always been able to handle them.

Do I want to upset the balance of 2s in our life? 2 of us, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 vehicles, 2 houses...

I stress because I feel that time is ticking and the kids are getting older and the age gap between them and a 3rd gets bigger by the day. I mourn the loss of my kids as I think of both of them going off to college...one after the other. Yes, I DO think that far ahead. I long for a 3rd...but I love being able to be a "full-time" aunt to Talia. But, I think we're not complete without a third...which is weird since I never wanted an odd amount of children...but 4 of definitely a big fat NO...heeeellllllll no. Then watch, we'll have a third and I'll long for a playmate close to his/her age. Hahaha.

But it's weird...I long for a third. I miss being a mommy to an infant. Being the granddaughter of a woman who had 9 children...I'm going to keep my Mirena up until the last second...we are pretty blessed to be able to think about getting pregnant and *poof* we're knocked up.

Ahhhhh...this battle in my head continues. Until then...my itch will be satisfied whenever we are with The Fam and I get to be with my favorite spiky-headed, mohawked little niece!

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

PAYLESS 50% Off Entire Purchase Discount!!!!!!!!!

Want to score a 50% discount @ Payless Shoes? Shoot...I do!! I was searching for hints for the Old Navy Weekly Ad and found that you could get a 50% off your entire purchase @ Payless Shoes.

Let's preface this. I used to work at Abercrombie & Fitch during college right in the beginning where it blew up and became uber-popular and college campuses around the US started looking like A&F threw up all over it. I would never, EVER shop @ the Gap (although my sister worked there, employees were treated better, paid better, scored better discounts, etc.), American Eagle (who eventually got sued for imitating A&F's looks), Old Navy, and hell-to-the-nizzo to Aeropostale. Who would've thought my apparel snobbery would trickle over to cosmetics when I started working for the LVMH-owned Sephora. HAHAHAHA. Fast forward to the future (and present)...I now shop almost all with the exception of AE & Aeropostale...it's all about baby steps.

Anyhoo...I'm all about taking my mom's attitude of shoes for my kids...to an extent. I do still buy them nice shoes, if it's worth it and esp. if it's a bargain. BUT, they are kids and kids feet grow ridiculously fast...so Payless it is (although not as cheap anymore).

So, I tried this and it worked...text "oprahshow" to 242424 and receive a 50% off your total purchase from Payless Shoes. It's good only until close of business 10/30/09.

Happy shopping!

Tagged

Alrighty...so my wacky friend and fellow wardroom wife Kelly has tagged me in this fun little game. Thanks, Kelly...;o) I'll entertain her and play since I need a break from transcribing an old term paper from grad school that I apparently did not SAVE onto my hard drive. Nice.

First, here are the rules of the game:
1. Link to the person that tagged you. DONE
2. Mention the rules. DOING
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself. ABOUT TO.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave them a comment so they know they've been tagged.

My 6 Boring facts:

1. Food is my passion. I love cooking and eating just about the same. It's probably why I have a separate food blog. My appetite is quite huge as I have been ask which of my stomachs I store different courses in. It's also an expensive addiction, since besides eating out (which has definitely been curbed since we've been down here), I have WAY TOO MANY kitchen gadgets. Could I use more? You're damn right I could!! ;o)

2. I am very loyal and protective...kinda like Jax, my German Shepherd. ;o)

3. I used to be pretty athletic. Back in the day, at school, the gym teachers would sometimes separate the kids into groups on athletic ability. Two other girls and I usually were placed with the boys. Now...I rely on my jock BFF Hilary to explain sports stuff to me and live vicariously through others who get exercise. ;o) Oh yeah, did I mention I was getting certified to be a personal trainer in college?

4. I never wanted to be a stay-at-home parent and now realize that I am very, VERY blessed to have this job. Going to grad school and having an assistantship while pregos and when Kaia was 1 was hard...but almost like vacation when I was there. Weird, huh? Probably not too much of a vacay since I started having contractions 5 months into the pregnancy and had a common cold for 12 weeks. Hehehehe. Anyway, from working as a manager in Abercrombie & Sephora to Director of Programs at a nat'l civil rights group to being a mom...dirty diapers, fights, and teaching my kids about life absolutely does not compare. I won't lie though...I sometimes miss working outside the home as well as the extra income!!

5. Stupidity really irks me. I know people can't help it, but I really get annoyed with stupidity. It ain't cute either.

6. I have an uncanny ability of remembering odd facts about things/people.

I'm tagging (and apologize to):

Ellyn
Giles
Linda
Neel (after the wedding & honeymoon, of course!)
Sopheak
Neha and/or Kart