Avatar: The Last Airbender

I want to start by giving a big shout out to my husband. Today is his 25th birthday!!!! : ) It's a shame that he's on a military training exercise and won't be back for a week. : (  However, I do get to Skype him!

So I'm going to admit something silly. I love the Avatar cartoons. Not that I go out of my way to watch them, but when they're on I'll watch an episode or two. As you probably know they have made the cartoons into a feature film. : ) My in-laws actually were gracious enough to get it for my husband for his birthday today. It came early so we were able to watch it. We absolutely love the movie. And in fact it has inspired me to watch the full series on our Netflix. lol. Who said growing up meant you had to loose all you childhood likes : ))

Ideas.....

So, Jamie has been on his annual training with his unit this week and I'm really excited for him to be coming home soon. But he called me at 7:30 this morning and I just couldn't get my mind back to sleep before getting up for good. While I was laying in bed [before accepting that I needed to get up] I was thinking of what I could do to spruce up my little classroom for church. I'm thinking about a wonderful little fun window curtain, so keep watching for updates on that project.  : )))

UPDATE! I actually got released from that calling and was called to the 2nd counselor in Young Womens. It's been super fun : ) but I did make that poster for them! 

Military Appreciation

Over the past few weeks I've been chit-chatting with an old friend of mine. In catching up with him I found out that he's in the Army as well and is actually deployed overseas right now. It got me to thinking that I'm very grateful for the men and women that serve in the armed forces, my husband included. I'm so grateful for everything that they do and that they put on the line for me. And what they put on the line for all those people that don't notice or realize the sacrifice. So, Thank you, Soldiers. 

Hudini is back!

In the form of my Tabby Cat! Yesterday while I was in Wal-mart I had her in the car with some water and the windows cracked. Apparently she decided that she didn't want to be in the car anymore and squeezed her way out one of the windows. Jamie wasn't with me and I called him first thing balling so hard that he couldn't understand me. Since she was nowhere to be found I took my groceries back home and picked him up so that he could help me look. Once back at Wal-mart we had them check the tapes and they discovered that she ran for the trees on the side of the building. We searched for 30-40 minutes to no avail and decided to give up. :( We came home waited a little while and tried again. To our great astonishment and some help of random people in the parking lot we actually found her! :) Now I can finally say that my cat has a little bit of experience in the "wild." lol, at least 4 hours of experience. :) We're just glad to have her home and safe!

Father's Day Surprise

So, I know that Father's Day was a while ago, but Jamie had requested an awesome present. He didn't give me specifics but he wanted something good. So, I'd thought long and hard and finally came up with this idea.

Jamie had asked for candles, lots of candles in passing. So I figured that I'd give him candles like when people hang candles in outdoor living spaces from trees. But since this is inside I hung them from the ceiling via hooks and fishing line. I found the candle holders for $1, got jewelry wire for $3 and the fishing line for $2. The candles are just little tea light candles that are really inexpensive but they gave a big punch. They look really awesome and the best part is that you can take them down if you like or leave them up to give a nice wonderland effect. Originally I wanted short mason jars but I found these instead. I think  I would prefer the jars as far as the outdoor feel that it brings. There's nothing wrong with these though, Jamie just said, "Wow! It's like out of Harry Potter!" Which is fine because we're total Potter junkies, but that's not quite the mood I wanted. Whatever, as long as it's mystical I guess! All in all, we're pleased with the results : )

Late Night Dinner

Jamie and I are still trying to fit into a routine, especially now that I'm working. The other night I got off work around 5 and Jamie and I were feeling some spaghetti was on the menu and the only request that my husband had was that it be homemade garlic bread. So, of course I was a succor and did that for him. The only thing that was wrong with that was the fact we didn't get to eat dinner until 8 or 9. lol. What can I say, it's good bread. 

Jamie's Grad!

So on the 27th of June I finally got my other half back! It's been really nice to have my honey home :) As I'm sure you can imagine. We had a really great time over the weekend before and it was definitely a long drive home from Missouri. But now that all is said and done, it's been an experience for the better. I'm so proud of my Army Man!

For Jamie

So, as many of you know Jamie will be coming home this coming week!!! And in order to prepare for his arrival I've decided to do a few special treats. I'm taking all of our letters from basic training, putting them into page protectors, and organizing them in a binder by date/topic! I love the idea :) Great for keepsakes!

Also, I did a project in our room that I know he'll love! I can't say anything quite yet in case he decides to read my blog. So the only thing I'm saying is think 'outdoor spaces'! I love it. He keeps asking me for hints and I tell him the most obsolete thing that I can so that he doesn't figure it out :) I know, I'm crafty. 

We got our little Tabby cat spayed and declawed on her front paws. She's a little mad and a lot sore, but I think that it'll be worth it and she will bounce back soon enough!

Last but not least....I got a webcam and we set up Skype so that we can video call each other. I know that he comes home soon, but I figured that once he's home we can still use it for talking to other people. It works really well so far!

Summer Fun

The thing I love about summer is that there is always an endless plethora of activities to do. Today I went to a Hello Kitty birthday party for a 4-year-old. The cake was totally my second decorated cake ever. The cake looks really good and I got tons of compliments :)) Go me! 

I also had the opportunity already this summer to go to Girls Camp with my sister's girls from church.  :) It was definitely a fun time. Here are some of the pics!

Jamie gets to come back for keeps in 8 more days!!! Yay, after 5 months of him being gone I finally get him back. That is the best part of my day. Now I just have to get the house in shape! :) It'll be great to have him back

long time coming!

I've been soo busy since I got home from my extended trip to the family! I can't believe that it's already passed my birthday but it is. Jamie's only got 6 more weeks of AIT and then I get to keep him! I'm now 21 and I've been working on crafts for Girls Camp like there's no tomorrow. : )

Jamie and his brothers in front of the type of helicopter that his dad used to jump out of!

 Jamie in his platoon formation :) Not the best pics, but they'll have to do.

                                                                               

Jamie got to meet the  commanding Sgt over Fort Jackson and the man who was the Chief of Staff (I believe). He loved this!

Jamie and his Dad by the same helicopter. : )

For a Jamie Update....He's doing great. He passed his first AIT pt test with a 240. His run was the best out of everything. It's usually the worst out of everything so I'm really proud of how much he's accomplished. His Basic Training Graduation was a blast and he got Soldier of the Cycle for his company! He's definitely ready to come home to me, or at least have me with him : )

I got a new job at Fashion Bug!!! Yay, I'm super excited and I can't wait to start. It seems like I'm going to enjoy everyone. I'm definitely excited : ) All in all, we're doing pretty good!

Catching up again...

Man, I seem to be really bad at posting : ) Not like anyone else might be that way...lol. 

So, Jamie graduates from basic training on the 14th of April. He is doing super awesome and won the Best in Cycle award! : ))) I'm so proud of him that I could shout it from the mountain tops! All that he has left is Victory Forge, a 5 day excursion were the units are in a simulation of Afghanistan and they have to hold a fort. He told me a little about it and it's actually quite intense. I'll definitely be praying for him this week! : ) Only a week or so to go!

As far as my weight loss.... : /  It's not the best working plan when you're traveling for the month that you're supposed to be working on it. : ) lol. I'll be working on my crunches like crazy this next week. You think I'll get nice abs by then? lol : ) Probably not, but it's a start. 

Now for the really fun part! I'll be going to girls camp with my old ward in Florida! Yes, I'm so excited! I've got many ideas to make it super fun and hopefully something to inspire the girls : ). Really looking forward to it. 

Our life is looking up, I'm just glad that the Lord is pleased with what we're doing. Our married life so far has been a lot of waiting and struggles, as I'm sure many other couples could say the same. Right now things are starting to pan out. I'm so grateful for the many people who have helped us stay true and faithful. It's not always easy, but it definitely is worth it. I think the best advice I've received up to this point is to look for the Lord's hand in your everyday life. You'll be surprised at what you can find.   

Exercise Progress!

I'm a day late in posting this for ya'll, but I've got the progress of my week all ready! I'm down to 206 lbs! Woo-hoo, go me for six pounds in a week! Not to mention the fact that I'm on my trip to see the family for the month : ) So, if I can loose weight and still eat my Mom's cooking than anybody could! If you want a few tips for on how I lost weight read the next paragraph, if not then you can skip it and go on to the trip : )

1. I listened to my belly not my mouth. Sometimes my mouth feels like it wants to eat more food, but if I listen to my belly, I'm full a lot faster than I would think. So, I eat whatever I want, I just listen to my belly to tell me when I'm full.
2. Even if I don't get the chance to exercise, I try to stay active. When you are up and around doing things it might not register as exercise, but you still burn calories, and you also won't be as tempted to reach for that snack or that extra meal. : )
3. Read or find a hobby to occupy your time. I read in a study that even reading a book burns more calories than watching TV, it doesn't burn as much as gardening or mowing the lawn, but it's something. The more active your hobby is the faster you burn calories and the easier it is to pass the time.
4. Hang out with friends, even if you hang out with family, that counts. It's the support you get from the people who are close to you that will give you strength to do well in this process. I've noticed that even though I'm not "exercising" like I used to back home, I get more support and see the same type of results. It's nice to be around people you like and who care about you!

OK, now on to the really fun stuff about my trip so far : ) I've already gotten to see some of our cousins, my in-laws, and of course my parents and little sister. It's been really good to have someone to chit chat with even though I still do the same stuff that I would have done at home. Actually, that's not true, I think I spend less money when I'm here with my family : ) I'm not as tempted to run to the store for something. : ) And it's a whole new place to get to talk about Jamie. Most of the people here know him, but they don't know how he's been doing. It's fun to talk to people who really enjoy hearing his progress because they've been there and the know Jamie. They love to hear the little side comments that he makes in his letters and the different things he tells me.
Lat night I got to spend some time with one of our cousins and her family. Her son absolutely LOVES Jamie and thereby he loves me because I'm Jamie's wife. : ) He's so funny, but I love the look that he gets on his face when he does something and I tell him that Jamie loves this or Jamie does that. He absolutely loves to be related to Jamie and it's super sweet to see that he is looked up to. What more can a woman want from the man that'll be the father of her children and be the head of her home : ) It was a super fun and good night last night.

My Exercise Plan

Ha! You probably thought that you wouldn't hear about this until Friday, but I've decided to switch things up. I will now blog on Tuesdays because I got my scale yesterday and a wicked awesome letter from my husband that made me want to get out and move it! 

So with out further ado, my starting weight for this challenge is 212. Yuck! It's definitely not a good weight, but it's not as bad as I feared it would be : ). At least I've got that going for me! And while I'd love to take my weight loss pills to help, I just don't think I'm going to be able to. Not until I've had a check up anyways. I've been having some interesting symptoms and I want to get them checked out first. Always think healthy, don't let yourself get hurt because you want it to badly. This is all about me wanting to be a healthier person, so I don't think I'll risk those right now. Now for pictures of me? Well, I don't really have a full body before [who'd take it for me?] so this will have to do for now. A wonderful picture of my husband and me : ) Not the best picture to see my weight, but this will do for now.

On to brighter things! I am thrilled to be going to visit our family. It'll be a very nice long month for me down there and I can't wait until Friday to be there. Now all I have to do here is clean everything before I leave and make it look nice and neat. Oh yeah, I also have to pack. So, with that in mind I need to do my exercise so that I can get on with the day! Have fun everyone!

A Healthy New Year...

Well, at least a healthier 5 months. : ) 

I'm not pregnant right now, and usually I would sulk about it, but this time I decided that I'm going to pick myself up and try to actually loose weight. I'm going to start today. I'm actually waiting for my scale that I ordered on Walmart.com, but I just can't wait any longer.

Let me give you the back story. I absolutely love my husband, but ever since we got married I've been eating my own cooking ; ) And let me tell you, I'm one Heck of a cook. So ever since we've been married, I've started to slowly pack on the pounds. Well, I am now the heaviest I've been in my life because I don't have the Jex-genes and I stay skinny most of my life. I've become the stay-at-home wife, who really wants to be the stay-at-home mom, you know. So, because I no longer lead that busier lifestyle (I love my lifestyle, but it's not busy--that's a fact) I've put on a lot of belly weight that I just don't want. 

Starting today I'm going to change that fact! I'm going to take control of my life and of my health. Now obviously I don't know my weight at the present because I haven't gotten my scale in yet. I figure that before I start blogging about my weight, I should give myself a few extra days, and that's what I am doing. I'm giving myself cushion time to get down just a touch before I start really blogging about this. But this is my goal, to own up to what I'm doing with my body and get it smokin' hot by the time that my hubby comes back with a smokin' hot bod of his own. : ) 

My plan of attack is to weigh in every Friday no matter where I am whether I'm traveling or I'm at home, I will weigh in after my week of exercise and such. Now since I have a limited time till I get to see him again, I was looking up weight-loss boost secrets, and of course the acai berry supplement has come up. Keep in mind that I don't do this irrationally and I studied it quite a lot. Lots and lots of research brought me to the conclusion that this is what I want to do. There are many ways to do this, one suggested taking a healthy acai supplement in conjunction with coffee. I don't drink coffee. It's a religious thing and I don't think that I would feel comfortable even doing it for weight loss, because who'd say that it would stop there. So, I figured that I needed the Lord on my side in this battle and I decided to go with a colon cleansing pill instead. Not just any pill, a well tested and researched pill. I will start that tomorrow. For today I'm going to start my exercise program to get my body used to doing this. You decide what you can do. Don't hurt yourself or make  yourself healthy by doing unhealthy techniques. 

OK, the gauntlet has been tossed and my challenge starts today! Wish me luck and check back in next week to see how I did this week. : )

The Power of Knowledge

I totally started following a new blog, at least new to me, and they have tons of super cute helpful ideas. This is the blog, and they recently found an AMAZING website that makes custom creations. They take any text that you want and make it into any shape that you want. It's fabulous! I got the idea of doing my blog from her, but I couldn't resist I wanted to see what I made ; ) Anyways, here's my blog creation.

If you couldn't tell already the website is www.tagxedo.com, and the biggest plus of all is that it's free! Wow, how awesome! So go check it out and russel up some creations of your own : )

My Military Man

On Tuesday last week I got the wonderful duty of dropping Jamie off for Basic Training. It was hard, I admit, but I know that this is a good thing. I am so proud of my man! He got to call me on Friday and tell me that he's made it out of receiving and onto basic training. I am so proud of him and I know that he's doing a great job.

Now all I have to do is wait for his first letter so I know the address. :)

How To Spice Things Up...

So, Jamie's last day home before he leaves for basic is this Monday. He told me that he wants me to plan a special "Last Day" to do with him. He won't answer any questions about what he wants or wishes for his last day. I thought about going bowling with him. I even found this great place in Flemingsburg that is decent for a bowling alley! In fact, I went today with a family from church. It's not too expensive, I think the biggest thing would be the gas to get there. So, if I were to try to somewhat save money, I was thinking that we could try to go swimming up at the college. I'd love to go to a YMCA, but Morehead doesn't have one. I wonder, who do you have to talk to in order to get a YMCA? Anyways... anyone have any ideas??? Past that, I'm just in the dark as to what to do! I really want to plan something really awesome, because he always does that for me. Leave me a comment if you have any ideas!

A long time coming

Wow, I can't believe that it's been so long since I last updated my blog! So much has happened that I hardly know where to start. Let's see...

Our anniversary went well, and for our anniversary present we moved into a new apartment! We love it! It's been great trying to get all settled and organizing all of our stuff in our new place. And it was super fun to get our first Christmas tree! It looked super cute in the corner there and we even had Christmas lights framing the widow in the front of the apartment. We had a fun Christmas Eve dinner with a family in the ward and we eventually came home to have a nice simple Christmas. But I think that the best part of our Christmas would have to be the visit that we had from Jamie's family. Jamie's Mom and brother came up from Alabama. It was actually really fun because we had snow on the ground and the boys went sledding. The best part was where they went sledding. There's a huge lake on campus that's called Eagle Lake, and right next to the lake is a giant hill that's super steep. I even got some video's and pictures of them sledding! They had tons of fun. 

 After the sledding was all over we got some great pictures of Jamie in his uniform with the family. We're glad that we got these photos before Jamie leaves for basic training in Feb. In fact, we'll have the wonderful opportunity to see both of his parents this weekend. If everything goes according to plan then Jamie's parents will be coming up late on Friday night and spending some time with us at the temple before going home. 

We even got a great photo of our cute little family before he leaves. 

Now, for something a little happier! Some of our friends at church are going to be having a baby! We are so happy for them. They've been married for a couple of years, and they're just the sweetest couple. They will be having a baby boy in March and they had their first baby shower the other day. Now for Christmas, right before I found out that they were having a shower, I made them a Socktopus. It's a super cute pattern that I found online and I couldn't wait to try out the pattern and to try out my new double-pointed needles. : )

The best part is even though they don't have a name picked out yet, I was still able to personalize it for them. I put a great big A for their last name on one of the socks and even put their last name around the bottom of the octopus.

Well, for now I think that's enough for this blog. Hope everyone is having a great day and hope they enjoyed the quick catch up!