OMG, that was a long trip. Traveling with 14 month old twins and two dogs (one of which does not travel well at all!), 7 states in three days. The boys did fairly well but I'm still debating if I should list the dogs on eBay. Our furniture arrives tomorrow and we can finally feel at home after two weeks of being a refugee. Our house is awesome! (pictures to follow) The town is the cutest, prettiest town I've ever seen (again, pictures to follow). We landed this great house and the owner who lives in another state wants us to update it for him, for which he will pay for the materials and out labor. Seriously, it's like all that time in Purgatory...I mean Texas, has paid off. I've already decided that if Jamie has to change duty stations again, I'm not going. Just joking...kinda.
Okay so here is an added feature to my blog. I will blog about the home renovations. And really, who doesn't like a before and after shot? I've already painted 95% of the boy's room. I went with a soft sage green which turned out very nice. However, it now has to stand up top a hideous sea foam green carpet. The carpet will be coming up and wood laminate going down. But for right now it is quite the green room. Wait until you all see the bathrooms...that will be a great before and after pic. How am I going to do all this with 2 toddlers and my husband away for four months??? Well, I'm going to try to do a lot on my own. Perhaps during naps and after the go to bed for the night. But my very handy mother I'm sure will come for a visit during the four month period. I may need help with laying the tile since I'd never done it before and I am scared to put that first one down and that first one, "the keystone" is what the rest of the room is based off of. Scary.
Okay, that is all for now.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
indoor camping
All of our stuff is gone and on its way to North Carolina! All that is left here is me, my husband, the boys and two dogs. We have a little TV propped up on a cooler and we are sleeping on air mattresses. We have four more nights on a self deflating air mattress and waking up with back pains. The boys are fairing as well as can be expected. They have free reign of the house but seem to still be getting into things even though there isn't all that much to get into. There was some Uhaul drama but my very handy husband is fixing that as I type. All in all we are surviving. I wish we were in the van driving already. Careful what I wish for,right? By day two and a half of being on the road I may be making a blog entry for someone to come put me out of my misery. I promise to stop being so negative once we are settled in NC. Promise, promise, promise.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Veggie Curry Stir Fry
Wanted to share a stir fry recipe with y'all. Although I must warn you that I don't really measure anything when I cook.
Cooked brown rice. I prepared one cup uncooked rice with two cups water, so whatever that gives you in the end.
One bag of any type of frozen stir fry you like. I prefer the broccoli stir fry bags. I used the asparagus stir fry mix, which is fine but I find some of the stalks to be pithy. Now I know to add fresh asparagus if I so choose.
1 tbsp minced garlic. Soy sauce, yellow curry, red pepper flakes-all to taste *note, I add a lot of red pepper and curry, I want to sweat half way thru my serving. My soy sauce stay somewhat lighter because my husband doesn't like it as salty as I do. I splash my serving with some before consumption.
Throw veggies in a big skillet over med heat with some EVOO add several splashes of soy sauce, the garlic, red pepper and curry powder. Cover and let veggies heat thru.
Once the veggies are heated thru and the skillet is hot, I push all the veggies to the sides making a hole and I crack 2 eggs and lightly scramble them in the middle of all the veggies. The egg is of course optional, but I like it in there.
Add cooked brown rice and season with the curry, soy sauce, and red pepper to suit your taste.
Dish up and (hopefully) enjoy!
This is one of those dinners that multiplies in front of you as you keep adding things. So you will have about 4 generous servings. It is seriously awesome as left overs. Sitting in the fridge overnight really marries all the flavors.
Cooked brown rice. I prepared one cup uncooked rice with two cups water, so whatever that gives you in the end.
One bag of any type of frozen stir fry you like. I prefer the broccoli stir fry bags. I used the asparagus stir fry mix, which is fine but I find some of the stalks to be pithy. Now I know to add fresh asparagus if I so choose.
1 tbsp minced garlic. Soy sauce, yellow curry, red pepper flakes-all to taste *note, I add a lot of red pepper and curry, I want to sweat half way thru my serving. My soy sauce stay somewhat lighter because my husband doesn't like it as salty as I do. I splash my serving with some before consumption.
Throw veggies in a big skillet over med heat with some EVOO add several splashes of soy sauce, the garlic, red pepper and curry powder. Cover and let veggies heat thru.
Once the veggies are heated thru and the skillet is hot, I push all the veggies to the sides making a hole and I crack 2 eggs and lightly scramble them in the middle of all the veggies. The egg is of course optional, but I like it in there.
Add cooked brown rice and season with the curry, soy sauce, and red pepper to suit your taste.
Dish up and (hopefully) enjoy!
This is one of those dinners that multiplies in front of you as you keep adding things. So you will have about 4 generous servings. It is seriously awesome as left overs. Sitting in the fridge overnight really marries all the flavors.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Ah, the military move
If you will notice tothe right it says that my location is "soon to be Fort Bragg area, NC". Well, that apparently is going to be a lot sooner than we thought. We finally got our orders yesterday. Then the hubby texts me and says that the movers may be coming next week (15 Feb). Seriously? I'm trying not to freak out. Afterall I really don't have to touch a thing. Very nice burly government contracted movers come into our home and pack up everything in one day, come back the next day and load it on the truck and wave as they make their way to our next home.
Since my husband will only be in the Ft Bragg area for a little while before he flies back to Texas for school I'm thinking I will need to prep for packing that way when the other very nice burly government contracted movers show up in NC to unpack, it will be a more organized process. My type A personality is totally up for the challenge and foaming at the mouth to organize. However, my stick to routine mommy personality is hiding in a corner in the fetal position when I think about the boys during this entire process. The packing day will be hectic. Maybe the boys and I can go to the park or a bar or something while Jamie supervises the movers. Cleaning day, will be awesome because the boys will have free reign of the house and can't get into anything since there will be nothing left to get into. And let's face it, those of you who know me know I live to clean stuff.
Then there is the almost 22 hour drive across the country to consider. I hate hotels, they gross me out. With the boys it will take us all three days we are authorized, whereas if it were just Jamie and I, we'd be done in a day and a half.
Oh PS-we don't have a house in NC yet. No big deal. So anyway all projects I had planned for the next several weeks have come to a screeching halt. I will be sure to document the move, post pics and complain about the seemingly ever shrinking space of the van as the trip goes on.
Gotta keep my eyes on the prize, right? Getting out of Texas! What am I doing blogging, I need to get my arse in gear! More later...
Since my husband will only be in the Ft Bragg area for a little while before he flies back to Texas for school I'm thinking I will need to prep for packing that way when the other very nice burly government contracted movers show up in NC to unpack, it will be a more organized process. My type A personality is totally up for the challenge and foaming at the mouth to organize. However, my stick to routine mommy personality is hiding in a corner in the fetal position when I think about the boys during this entire process. The packing day will be hectic. Maybe the boys and I can go to the park or a bar or something while Jamie supervises the movers. Cleaning day, will be awesome because the boys will have free reign of the house and can't get into anything since there will be nothing left to get into. And let's face it, those of you who know me know I live to clean stuff.
Then there is the almost 22 hour drive across the country to consider. I hate hotels, they gross me out. With the boys it will take us all three days we are authorized, whereas if it were just Jamie and I, we'd be done in a day and a half.
Oh PS-we don't have a house in NC yet. No big deal. So anyway all projects I had planned for the next several weeks have come to a screeching halt. I will be sure to document the move, post pics and complain about the seemingly ever shrinking space of the van as the trip goes on.
Gotta keep my eyes on the prize, right? Getting out of Texas! What am I doing blogging, I need to get my arse in gear! More later...
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Southern Convert?
Okay so almost everyone was hit by this gigantic winter storm that rolled through this past week. Even Northern Texas got about 5 inches. What sucks is that being in Texas, they don't think they need plows or salt because, hey it's Texas. What people don't know is that we get ice more often than snow. So why my rant today? Because I was just calculating my running mileage for the week and it summed up to a dismal 12 measly miles. Of course I couldn't leave the house for four days and I do not have a tread mill. Anyway, that got me thinking about the future and where we will settle down once my darling husband retires from the military. PS-it's only 5 years away.
I've been thinking about moving back to the Chicago land area. I loved growing up where I did. It was a small town feel but I could hop on the train and be downtown Chicago in 45 mins and access world class museums and shows and different events. I loved that. I want that for my kids. Also, My brother and soon to be sister in law are in that area. My kids could grow up with their hypothetical kids and have the grandparents around. Not to mention the more diverse job market for the hubby. So those things are really important to me for my family. However, the winters... I know I survived them growing up and never thought twice about it when it would snow from November to March. But living in the South for the last several years has spoiled me. I love that we only have like two weeks of winter. Sure I don't have a white Christmas, but I get tulips in the beginning of March. I can open my windows and air out the winter ick from the house in February even. And most of all, and selfishly, I can run outside for about 10 months out of the year. So I think it comes down to this; Either I convince my entire family to move below the Mason Dixon Line, or I just buy a treadmill and take up more winter activities. Maybe Curling?
***Note-I will probably post something mid July saying how much I hate the heat and every point I just made about the tulips and airing out the house will be squashed by sticking to chairs and huge bugs.
I've been thinking about moving back to the Chicago land area. I loved growing up where I did. It was a small town feel but I could hop on the train and be downtown Chicago in 45 mins and access world class museums and shows and different events. I loved that. I want that for my kids. Also, My brother and soon to be sister in law are in that area. My kids could grow up with their hypothetical kids and have the grandparents around. Not to mention the more diverse job market for the hubby. So those things are really important to me for my family. However, the winters... I know I survived them growing up and never thought twice about it when it would snow from November to March. But living in the South for the last several years has spoiled me. I love that we only have like two weeks of winter. Sure I don't have a white Christmas, but I get tulips in the beginning of March. I can open my windows and air out the winter ick from the house in February even. And most of all, and selfishly, I can run outside for about 10 months out of the year. So I think it comes down to this; Either I convince my entire family to move below the Mason Dixon Line, or I just buy a treadmill and take up more winter activities. Maybe Curling?
***Note-I will probably post something mid July saying how much I hate the heat and every point I just made about the tulips and airing out the house will be squashed by sticking to chairs and huge bugs.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Intro
Okay as of today my husband and I are awaiting orders to move to North Carolina. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to move. We are past the point of it being an inconvenience and we are in the "this is just ridiculous" phase. Being "just a spouse" has taken some getting used to. I served ten + years in the Army and now I am a stay at home mom. So now what? I have so many aspirations. I want to dream up some great complicated storyline, wake up and jot it all down and be the next Stephanie Meyer. But until then, I will have to make due with loving my family and trying to do what's best for them. Now that my twin boys are over a year and I have a good routine down I feel like I can start doing other stuff. I've made all their baby food, which I loved doing. Not only did we save money, but I knew exactly what was going into their little bellies. So I am super excited about moving from Northern Texas (blech) to NC. I've scoped out the area via Google and I have found many roadside stands offering organic produce and eggs. My goal is to buy local, buy what's in season, and make the most out of it. Those of you who know my parents know that if the apocolypse hits, we should just head to Robin's house. If we hunker down there we won't only survive, we'd thrive and get drunk on homemade wine! My goal is to do what she does but on a much smaller scale. Who needs 20 tomato plants??? Not this girl!
Jamie (my hubby) and I are going to try our hand at home brewing when we get settled in NC and I will try my hand at canning and whatever other projects tickle my fancy.
The other little road you can follow me on is my marathon training. I wanted to run the Chicago Marathon in 2010, but it was only 10 months postpartum for me and decided I should probably let my body heal. So 2011 it is! Running is my grip, however weak, on reality. Without it I feel like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. The marathon training I will be following is and 18 week plan. Using backwards planning, I really have to get serious about it April 10th. I love running races, the kookier the better! So there will be those as well.
Oh yeah, once we move, Jamie returns to Texas almost immediately to go through a school for four months. I will need pick me ups and tough love giving me a swift kick in the ass to stay motivated. I rely on all of you for that!
Jamie (my hubby) and I are going to try our hand at home brewing when we get settled in NC and I will try my hand at canning and whatever other projects tickle my fancy.
The other little road you can follow me on is my marathon training. I wanted to run the Chicago Marathon in 2010, but it was only 10 months postpartum for me and decided I should probably let my body heal. So 2011 it is! Running is my grip, however weak, on reality. Without it I feel like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. The marathon training I will be following is and 18 week plan. Using backwards planning, I really have to get serious about it April 10th. I love running races, the kookier the better! So there will be those as well.
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