That time I was gonna blog

I was hoping to stay on a fairly regular posting schedule. But let's get real for a minute. I can't brain. Like at all. This, my friends, we call wedding brain. I'm 2 days away from getting on a plane and 10 days away from my wedding. Making sure all the last minute items are packed, actually where they are supposed to be, and that every one has everything is taking massive tolls on me.

I need to take a break from trying to think of content on top of everything else. So for now, happy holidays, happy new year, and I'll be back when I'm married!

If I don't lose my mind first....

It's the little things

The fiance likes to bring home treats, or something nice on occasion for no good reason. It's no big secret I love a tasty treat every now and again either. While picking up some things at the Navy Exchange the other day, he decided to pick up some treats. . Said treats being in the form of Reeses.

 

Not just any Reeses either. Have you heard of the 1 pound peanut butter cups? Oh, these are no myth. They sat on my table for like a week! While I appreciate the sentiment, no way was I eating this.

 

Luckily for me, the guys on base are not so picky. So he took it to work and it looks like they quartered each cup to eat. My stomach hurts thinking about it.

 

Not to worry though, he totally bought a bag of regular sized cups as well.  Now to stop eating them....  

The things that excite me

So I've been toying with the idea of getting one of those die cut machines for a long, long while now.  I'm talking over a year.  I've watched some friends get some and have a ton of fun creating things.  And I thought to myself: self, you like making things.  Why are you not getting this? 

I went as far as putting it on the registry.  Because, doing that makes absolute sense!  Yes, yes it does.  Right along with my life size raptor that someone will so totally buy me!  (if someone totally buys me that I will love them forever and ever.  He can be found here if you're interested)  Then there was the Black Friday sales.  I will wholeheartedly admit that I think Black Friday is insane and I will never ever be found out there shopping.  I was conned into going twice in my life.  Once with my exes sisters because they said I should experience it once in my life.  The second time was because my friend had a cast on and her husband was deployed.  (hello guaranteed parking spot as she had a handicapped plaque because of it)  And the only reason I got conned into that one was because it was my Girl Scout Good Deed.

I digress.  I love the internet and all that it brings to my fingertips.  As a result, I was able to find a KILLER deal on a Cricut machine.  It wasn't even on Friday either.  It was a Sunday morning.  Technicalities, I know, but so not the point.

This lovely item delivered to my house the night before it was scheduled to.  I am trying really hard to not be intimidated by it.  I love me some technology, and I love me some crafting.  I'm hoping to make some really cool things with this. 

I'm kicking myself so hard that we didn't purchase this sooner, since I've found out that it can be used to address envelopes.  WHAT?  Why did no one tell me this??  I could have had AMAZING designs.  Nooooo, just my crummy writing.  Okay, my writing isn't that bad, but I'm still a little mad.  I'm sure I'll be sharing some of my creations once I get the hang of this thing.

Clearly I can be sucked into crafting with shiny toys.  What's your guilty pleasure?

The looming PCS: thoughts on moving

You know the time is coming, but it always seems to creep up a lot quicker than you realize.  The fiance is up for orders, and we have been waiting for over a month to find out what the dates would be.  We have known this is coming up, and for the most part have known where we are going, but the timing of when everything has to happen has been up in the air.

The range of emotions you go through when PCSing normally span pretty much everything.  You go from upset, to sad, to happy to stressed, to acceptance.  The last time I have actually PCS'd somewhere has been well over 10 years.  So for me, that spectrum was a little smaller.  I have been ready to leave this state for quite a while.  I'm very much a coastal, bigger city type person and have been living in the suburbs for too long for me.  I skipped completely over upset and sad, and have launched straight into happy.

Unfortunately, this means stress is not far behind.  We'll need to sell the house we live in, instead of just moving and the military handling it all. This in itself is going to be an adventure. But we'll handle it, because that's what you do. And the payoff will be glorious. At least that's what I keep telling myself to avoid the freak out.

Might I mention it's also been 10 plus years since I've been fully submerged in military life as well.  A few things have changed since then. Oh yeah, also, been a long, long while since living in base housing. I feel like a total newbie again.

Guess it's time to do some research ....

Oh, the holidays

So Thanksgiving has come and gone and that was......different. Have you ever been some place, repeatedly, yet still feel like you never really belonged there? That about describes my relationship with the boy's aunts. You think after 14 years of in knowing them, 11 years of attending holidays-and contributing in some way, that I would feel more welcome.

Nope.

Quite the opposite. I have always felt on the outside of this family. And of course, with it looming that we will be moving to another state, it's upped the awkward level a bit. I do strive to be better than I was, I suppose. Seriously though, I'm basically down to one aunt who will speak to me, their father, and the uncle who married in. And the kids, of course, but even then only the oldest of them treat me normal.

Have I mentioned these are my exes siblings? Yeah. You want a good awkward level, I got one for you.

All I know is thoughts of next year got me through the day. I am so excited to be able to do things our way. To be able to have people over who will actually eat what I make, and not complain that it's not processed or pre-made. I've already started compiling recipes, and it's going to be great.

Now... I just have to make it semi-sanely through the next 30 days. California and wedding, here we come!

The Final Pieces Coming Together

While packing up the boxes to ship ahead of us to Cali, I have this sinking feeling that something is being forgotten.  I've packed up the flowers, bouquet cake topper and garter.  I've gone over lists and double checked them.  Yet, I still feel like there was something in those lists that were forgotten.  This may be something that I wind up feeling up until it's all over, and I'll either remember what it was or realize that I was going insane.

I'm probably going insane.

This week is Thanksgiving.  It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds as I haven't spoken to the boy's aunt since his birthday in August.  I really would like to avoid all drama and move on with life, being able to just enjoy the holidays as the holidays, but that isn't going to happen.  At least not this year.

Or I'll be incredibly wrong and it won't be as bad as I'm prepping myself for.  Though the news of us moving went pretty much exactly as I expected it would.  One can hope that this doesn't get dragged out up until we actually do leave.  I feel like we should be enjoying these lasts that are happening here, so we can embark on what will be a life of firsts for us.  These should be the events that are laying down the foundations of the ability and want to connect going forward.  Whether that be through Skype calls, FaceTime, VideoChat, or something that will keep us all connected.  With the internet at our fingertips, thinking that a simple move is the end all be all is just sad and closed minded.

Families and traditions evolve and to think that they will be the same forever is unreasonable.  There is so much to help keep family together, it just takes the want and the effort to actually do so.

Christmas Shopping

In the midst of all the wedding planning, I still have Christmas shopping to do. Part of me feels like most people would understand if I don't buy presents, while the other part of me know that some will still be passed if I don't.

The easiest to shop for, of course, is the boy. And let's face it, being he is my only child, I may or may not enjoy shopping get for him anyway. So there's that. Not to mention he shares my nerdiness, so I'm able to share in the enjoyment when he does get thing I like. He's dangerously close to absolutely beating me in Mario Kart. I don't know whether to be sad or proud.

Being in Cali, there's my Cali people I need to purchase for. Online shopping to the rescue! However, me being me, I'm finding the sites I want to purchase for are not ones that offer gift wrapping. What? Yeah. So this will be interesting while I'm in my bffs parents house trying to wrap their presents.

Oh but then there's the fun part. Everyone here who we will job be seeing for Christmas for the first time in 11 years. I'm planning on having their presents all wrapped and ready to go. Most may be gift cards.  Most of them won't mind. Heck, I love getting gift cards because then I get to buy random things I don't want to spend my money on! (autocorrect says spend my kidney on either, which is also true) I'm certain there will be a couple who will totally judge me for it though.

So here's my question for you. For those who are planning huge events around holidays, do you still expect them to spend copious amounts in gifts, or is sharing in their celebration enough?