Constant Beginnings

Oh my goodness. I have a new blog love that I have to share. Seriously. Check out this blog--http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/. Jessica and Lisa--this means YOU! I know you'll do it ;) Anyway, this chick is amazing and makes it look so easy (complete with video tutorials). She gives me a bad, bad case of hair envy. I just chopped mine off again after a very long summer of growing. I was thrilled at first, but now that I've seen the options on this blog, I must admit I am feeling a bit sick in the stomach. I've never been one to really care much about make-up or really anything beauty related, but she lit a fire inside. I'm now wasting my life watching tutorials on how to apply eye shadow and lipstick. Who knew the skills involved to acheive such gorgeousness! Anyway, watch out world, I will be a master. I may have had my last haircut in a while, although I suppose thesmallthingsblog doesn't resolve my "fat face" issue. Hmmm. Maybe there is a trick to th...

1. DO NOT GET A DOG. 2. Round Worms in Dogs are utterly disgusting (and quite a good diet initiator--you hardly ate for 3 days because of the visual image alone) 3. Crying and constant movement at night makes for sleep deprived and consequently, crabby, stressed, and  intolerant parents. 4. Waking up at 4:00 to take the dog outside is painful. 5. Listening to the dog vomit then lick up his own vomit during the night is enough to make your stomach churn. 6. When you ask yourself, "how bad can it be," know that it can ALWAYS be worse. 7. DO NOT GET A DOG. 8. Stay off facebook. 9. Sometimes it is okay to say NO. 10. Sometimes it is OKAY to be SELFISH. 11. DO NOT GET A DOG. Here's the lowdown... Chris was out on the patio outside our dining room, grilling burgers while the dogs and children froliced. He popped his head inside only to inform me that the "dogs had gotten into some pasta somewhere," but he can't remember when we've had pasta. (See-...

Thanks for the lovely comments to my last, down and depressing post. You are all too sweet. I thought disabling comments would somehow prevent you all from emailing/messaging me ;) Thank you. Here's the latest. Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to shop. I LOVE to shop online. Since moving overseas, this LOVE has become somewhat of an issue. It is like an addiction ;) There is nothing like going to the post office, opening my box and seeing that beautiful slip of white paper which indicates I have a box waiting for me. CHRISTMAS all year round! It is glorious! Amazon.com, Old Navy, Carter's, Target, NY & C and Loft. Mmmm. They make me melt. There is some good shopping here too, but the exchange rate sucks and they've got nothing on my little Korean closets filled with lovely Pradas, LV, Coachee, and Hermes. I miss them so. Consequently, online shopping will have to do. I placed an order to Loft.com on Oct. 5th. An hour later, I got a 60% discount code. In the past I ...

I am fairly certain every person who has miscarried goes through what I am experiencing. Bitterness. Everyone around me is pregnant. I hate it. Of course, I am happy for them--don't get me wrong. I sincerely am. April, this means you! I am totally happy for you. Case in point--we go to a get together a my new BFF's house 2 weeks ago. One of the girls there is definitely pregnant, consequently, the entire conversation encompassed babies, pregnancy, delivery, blah, blah, blah. 2. Claire's teacher is pregnant. I really like her. I think she is a great person and is trying very hard to enforce the idea that we are a "school family." It aligns with the kindergarten standards of community, etc. She sends weekly emails with updates on her pregnancy (nothing descriptive and very appropriate), but this time an ultrasound was attached because they just found out they are having a boy! Make me barf! 3. There is a saying around Germany that you either leave here with a coo...

We had planned on heading to the Gartenshau last weekend, which is, from what I am told, a very neat park complete with pumpkin displays in an Underwater theme. I am working on my photography skills, so thought this would be a great opportunity for some pics of our kids. Sadly, it rained, so I opted for an in home photo shoot instead. Here are my most prized, most cherished possessions ;)  They melt my heart and fill me with pride. I love them so very, very much.

When Chris went to Octoberfest, the girls and I amused ourselves with fun at home. The girls love to dress up. They put on heels (or "knockin shoes" as Mya lovingly refers to them), princess dresses, tiaras, necklaces, etc. Landstuhl was having a village festival where their shops were open on Sunday. Being we had nothing better to do, we ventured out for a little shopping excursion. Both Claire and Mya picked out a small something. Claire chose makeup and Mya chose a small winnie the pooh. Little did I know how skillsed they would be in their makeup application! I think we may have future beauty queens ;) Both Claire and Mya were very proud of themselves. I could do nothing except tell them how beautiful they looked. The Turkish man at our favorite little Doner restaurant must have agreed. He looked and smiled and looked and smiled again, then said, "beautiful." Claire beamed. This is what childhood is all about. Makeup courtesy of Mya. Mak...

The weather has finally taken a turn and it is beginning to feel much more like fall. I guess that has sparked a little seasonal spirit within! I am jumping straight toward Christmas. I just placed an order for my Advent Calendar that I have been eyeing for two years. We began the tradition last year of doing one family activity each day of December. Now we'll have the official calendar to hold the evening's delights. I can't wait. I've even begun making the gift lists. Pretty good for a die hard procrastinator! The biggest challenge is accomplishing gift buying without the knowledge of my budget minded husband. He tries to be a snoop and know what he is getting. I am pretty good at surprising him or at least getting him things he didn't even know he wanted :) I am just not so good at keeping secrets. Consequently, he often knows his gifts before Christmas. Perhaps I'll hold out this year. I do love Christmas!

I have this impulsive side. Not sure where I got it. I am definitely not ADHD, although a few situations may indicate otherwise. I was checking out my facebook stuff the other day. I am a member of a few different groups involving our base, one being about pet adoption. Chris and I go back and forth all the time about getting a dog. We loved having a dog. I just didn't quite like the shedding and throw in the fact that we'd be toting that poor thing around the world, it just didn't seem so fair. We have to hold ourselves back and listen to our voice of reason repeatedly. One of us generally plays the role of the sanity. However, a poor, lowly airman needed a place for her 2 dogs while she went home to the States for a month! Perfect opportunity to get our doggie fix and probably remind ourselves that our lifestyle is not condusive for a pet at this point. Ha. The two dogs arrived yesterday. The kids are beyond THRILLED! Mya claimed her dog (the little, jack russel terrier--...

I used to laugh when my sister shared her family schedule with me. The idea of having kindergarteners in extra curriculars was comical. Now I am living the nightmare myself. I try to simplify my life when possible. I do my best to purge the unnecessary (my husband and I tend to disagree on what exactly is "unnecessary," but I win those battles) and keep a pretty basic schedule each week (by "basic," I mean, routine, boring). We generally don't schedule alot for the weekends, but do whatever floats our boat. Here I am, looking at my schedule for October and WHAM! We haven't a free weekend the entire month. It is insane. 2 birthday parties the same day, a visit to the Gartenshau with friends, a lunch/musical with my new BFF (that's what I tell her, but I think she may think I am crazy ;), family pictures and there we are--into Novermber. Seriously. Our weekday schedule is just as bad. We are gone all day, then run to ballet or swimming Monday through Thurs...

Claire's class met at Sunshine Farms, which is a working farm as well as a pumpkin patch. First we had a tour of the farm where the kids saw and pet cows, calves, horses, sheep, pigs and chickens. Mya loves animals. (An aside--she was to bring a picture of her favorite animal yesterday for show and share. When we asked her what her favorite animal was, she consistently responded, "A big baby." What in the world?! :) That girl makes us laugh!) We then hopped aboard a trailer of sorts and rode on down to the pumpkin patch where the kiddos each chose their perfect pumpkin. I love Germany. One of our favorite things in Massachusetts was taking Claire and Mya though she was quite little, to the apple orchards and pumpkin patch each fall to pick the produce. We are able to have those same experiences here. It is lovely. We have an apple tree in our backyard. I think it grows Macintosh apples, so we picked some last week and I made homemade applesauce. THis weekend, we are going...

Upon our arrival to Germany, we discovered Doners. They are the most delicious things EVER! I used to get them in a pita type shell until I found the Doner Plate, which is even better. I think Doner Kabobs are actually from Turkey, but we had never had one until we arrived in Germany. We did eat at a Turkish kabob place in Korea, but we didn't eat a Doner. Anyway, they are delish! Thankfully, there is doner place down the road from our house ;) The other thing I am loving is my new demijohn. It is handblown glass from France that was once used to hold wine. It is beautiful. I chose the green colored glass and I am seriously considering going back for another. I love it that much!

I've been visiting our Military Treatment Facility (MTF or hobby shop as Chris refers to it) weekly since my miscarriage. I absolutely hate it. Not the hospital though I have several issues that I'd love to rip someone a new one for, but rather seeing desert camoflauge. Crazy I know. It started on visit number one when we were in the ER waiting room. 2 young soldiers who couldn't have been older than 20, were evacuated from the desert and brought to our MTF for treatment. They had pills in their hand, looked healthy on the outside, but obviously damaged on the inside. They talked of going home and their eagerness to get out of this place. It breaks my heart. These boys were younger than my husband, yet it could have easily been my husband. That is what I think every time I see someone in desert uniforms walking through those halls. That could be my husband. That could be my babies' daddy. Ugh. It is so hard to wrap my head around. This visit is was the doctors, nurses a...