The Misadventures of Mrs. Duh

2012: January Obsessions!

2012-01-26T13:28:00.000-06:00

Ah, a new years is upon us! Which also means that I have found new items to obsess over! Here is my list of current obsessions:

I discovered this show on Netflix a few weeks ago... and I could not stop watching! I think I watched all three seasons in two days. This is a reality series from the Discovery Channel about expeditions to climb Mount Everest, and it is totally intense. I always assumed climing the highest mountain in the world was hard, but I didn't know about how dangerous and deadly it is! Frost bite, dead bodies, altitude sickness, avalanches... Crazy! If you are looking for something interesting/different to watch one day, I highly recommend this series!

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I'm such a snacker, and my sweet tooth has been out of control since the holidays. I read about snacking on frozen grapes in a fitness magazine, so I decided to give it a whirl. I must say, they are a tasty frozen treat! Take red grapes, rinse them, place them in a tupperware in the freezer and... Voila! A healthy, sweet snack!

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Now that I'm in my 30's and I finally quit breaking out (Hallelujah!), I have been on the hunt for a new skincare routine. I may have found it in Philospohy. Purity Made Simple is a one-step cleanser that removes make-up, cleans skin, and doesn't dry me out. I use it morning and night, and my skin has been looking great! I've also started using their Hope In A Jar moisturizer... and I think I'm in love!

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I had my first H&M experience in my home town last weekend! I'm not usually a "hip" dresser, but I was able to buy a few pieces that I wouldn't normally buy because the prices are very reasonable (I bought 5 shirts, a pair of skinny jeans and a tuxedo jacked for under $150.00). Their clothes are cute, fashionable, and they have a great selection of fun pieces and neutrals. I wish San Antonio had an H&M!

What are your obsessions this month?

Another Wonderful Military Monday!

2012-01-23T12:12:00.001-06:00

This is such a great way to connect with other military spouses and their blogs! Head on over to Semper Wifey and link up!

To Tattoo or Not To Tattoo... That is the Question

2012-01-23T12:03:00.001-06:00

Lately, I've been wrestling with a not-so-serious life question: Should I get another tattoo?

I started getting tattoos fairly early in life. I was barely 18 when I got my first tattoo, and managed to get three more during that year. I also pierced a lot of things on my face and body. I attribute all of this "body modification" to being young and trying to figure out who I really was. Not to mention I wanted to be looked at as "edgy", because tattoos and piercings were not as common in the 1990's as they are now.

Fast forward five years, and it was time to take out all of my facial piercings. I was getting older, and I knew the metal in my face wasn't scoring me any points in the professional world. The tattoos never caused any problems, because they were all strategically placed so normal clothing could cover them. I never wanted to have tattoos that were visible when I was fully clothed in "business casual" wear.

While the tattoos weren't an issue, I began to dislike a couple of them. As a dumb teenager, I did not make the wisest choices when it came to tattoo design. I saw a couple things on the wall of the tattoo shop that looked cool or had some superficial meaning... and then I got them permentantly marked on my flesh. Definitely not a wise idea. I had gotten a tribal tattoo, which is the most cliche' tattoo design of the late 90's. As I got older and learned a little more, I started to dislike the tribal I had put on my right leg... and it's not a good feeling to hate something that you have to stare at for the rest of your life. (Just a quick FYI - Tattoo removal is not an option for me... it's painful, expensive, and leaves you with a tattoo-shaped scar)

Luckily for me, I had a good friend who had just started working as a professional tattoo artist. He knew how much I hated the art on my leg, and sketched up a design to make the tattoo on my leg more bareable. After six years, I decided to add some more to my leg... and I was so pleased! My friend took a tattoo I hated, and turned it into a piece I feel very proud of. Here is what my leg tattoo looks like today:

Today, I am having the same old problem with another tattoo of mine. I have a smallish one on the back of my left shoulder that has been bothering me for some time. It was my first tattoo, and it was supposed to have "so much meaning" to me when I first got it. Now, it is just a small little blob on my shoulder that I hate having to explain to people. It is a celtic rune that is often mistaken for a music note or the symbol for "Pi". As a person who prides myself on the few good tattoos I managed to get (once I wised up about the process), it's so embarrassing to have such a crappy tattoo on my shoulder!

I am back in my hometown for a few weeks, and my amazing tattoo artist is just around the corner... and I am toying with the idea of getting another cover-up job, sort of like the one I have on my leg. I'd love to get a beautiful piece of art work done, and I can finally hide the last bit of my tattooed shame. Although, I must say I have my reservations about getting another tattoo.

I'm thirty years old now, and I am far from that "edgy" girl I used to think that I was. I've gone from the beer-drinking, school-skipping, loud, crazy girl to laid-back, a-few-drinks-on-the-weekends, graduate-school-attending, suburban-dwelling military spouse. Can I really pull off a larger, more intricate tattoo? Am I going to look like I'm trying too hard?

I've put in a call to my friend, the tattoo artist. I've done my research and I think I've figured out a good design that I would like to cover up my old tattoo. Hopefully, he can come up with a sketch that will strike my fancy... but even if he does, I can't help but wonder if it is too little (or I guess, too much) too late?

Brrrrrrrr! It's Cold Outside!

2012-01-17T13:21:00.000-06:00

It's winter time in Salt Lake City... and I'm freezing!

I'm back home for a few weeks, and I'm surprised at how hard it is to adjust to the cold weather! I believe I have become "Warm Weather Wussified". No matter what I do, I cannot warm up. I'm sleeping in long sleeved pajamas and wearing socks to bed... which is something I never do. I've got an extra comforter on the bed at night and I'm drinking hot coffee like it's going out of style.

I've only been in Texas for a little over two years, but I guess my body forgot what winter feels like. San Antonio is a beautiful 70 degrees today. While I loathe the hot summers, I have enjoyed the spring-like winter weather. In South Texas, you can wear sandals, tank tops and shorts almost all year. Coats, gloves, and hats are rarely needed. When I pulled my winter coat out from the back of my closet for my trip back home, it had dust on it!

I'm also noticing some other winter-related problems that were never an issue when I was a Utah girl... dry (itchy) skin, staticky hair, and I'm constantly being shocked by metal objects. Mr. Duh used to complain about these things all the time when we lived here, but I never noticed. It's funny what a change of climate can do!

Mr. Duh should be getting orders in a year or so, and I'm praying to be stationed somewhere with four distinct seasons (or Hawaii). While my winter visit is making me a little uncomfortable, I can't handle any more blistering hot summers! I guess I'll have to go with the flow and wait to see Air Force sends us....

How about you? Are you a warm-weather or four-seasons kind of person?

Military Monday Blog Hop!

2012-01-16T16:02:00.000-06:00

The blog hop is back! It's such a great way to get connected with other awesome mil-blogs! Head on over to Semper Wifey and link up!

25 Questions for a Military Spouse!

2012-01-11T12:34:00.002-06:00

I saw this cute mil-spouse quiz over at Tales from a Sailor's Soul Mate (she's got a great mil-spouse blog), and I couldn't help but take it myself! I love learning about my fellow military spouses, especially because our journeys are all so unique. I hope you'll take the quiz, too! Enjoy!

1. How did you and your spouse meet?

We met randomly on the internet. Mr. Duh was stationed in South Korea at the time, and got onto a dating website to check out the local girls near Hill AFB (the next place he was going to be stationed). I had an old profile on this dating site, and he decided to send me a "wink". when I saw how cute he was and that he was supposedly loca, I "winked" back. We winked back and forth for awhile, and realized that we were both too cheap to pay for the dating site, so we had to way to speak.

A few months later, he located me on MySpace (yes, I know... we're old), because I had the same picture on my profile as on the dating site. We started e-mailing back and forth as friends. He still had ten months left in South Korea, so we just decided to chat as friends. He was hilarious and so sweet. After six months of corresponding, we decided that we'd like to date when he was stationed at Hill AFB (which is just outside my hometown). We were pretty much in love by the time we met in person at the Salt Lake City Airport... and the rest is history!

2. How old were you when you two met?

I had just turned 24 when we finally met in person, and he was 30.

3. How long have you been together?

We have been together almost 7 years.

4. Where are you and your spouse originally from?

I am from Salt Lake City, Utah... born and raised. Mr. Duh is an Air Force brat, but spent most of his childhood in Hawaii and Florida.

5. How did you feel about him joining the military?

He had already been Active Duty for 5 years when we had met. The military came with the package. I always assumed that would be a lot easier than if he had joined after we got together.

6. Where did your spouse go to basic training?

He was in the Marine Reserves prior to becoming Active Duty Air Force. So, he went to Marine Basic at Paris Island, South Carolina.

7. Has your spouse ever been deployed?

Yes. He has been to the Middle East five times so far. I have been with him through two deployments.

8. Ever been to his promotion ceremony?

I just went to my first one two weeks ago! My Airman just made Technical Sgt!

9. How long have you been a military wife?

I have been married to the military for four years now.

10. Did you marry him before or after he joined?

After. He already had many years of service in when we met.

11. How did your husband propose?

He was recently home from deployment and wanted to take me out for a night on the town. He got a beautiful hotel room for the night, made reservations for a nice dinner, then we were going to meet up with friends for cocktails. During dinner he was acting a little strange, but I didn't think much of it. While we were eating, a couple at the table next to us got engaged! I commented on how sweet that was, and Mr. Duh got a little quieter during dinner. After the meal was over, I went back to the hotel to change into some jeans to go out for the night.

As I was changing, I turned around and Mr. Duh was down on his knee with a ring in his hand! He asked me to marry him! I was COMPLETELY surprised! I had no idea he was planning on proposing. I screamed, covered my eyes, laughed for a minute, and said "Yes!" I proceeded to giggle for the next two days. Afterwards, we went to meet with friends, and I realized Mr. Duh had planned a little impromptu engagement party. Everyone knew we were getting engaged, except me! We popped champagne and celebrated all night. It was such a wonderful way to get engaged.

(He had planned on proposing in the restaurant, but felt that the other couple "stole his thunder.")

12. Where did you get married?

We were married in my hometown, Salt Lake City. We were married in a church, and had a huge reception at a place called "The 23rd Floor". It's a reception center on the 23rd floor of one of Salt Lake's tallest buildings.

13. How old were you when you got married?

I was 26 and Mr. Duh was 32.

14. Did he wear his uniform on your wedding day?

He actually wore a tuxedo. Mr. Duh doesn't like being in his uniform any longer than he is required to.

15. Where are you and your spouse currently stationed?

We are at Lackland AFB, TX. Mr. Duh is working at Air Force Basic Training as a Military Training Instructor (aka Drill Sergeant).

16. Do you live on base?

No. We did for a little while after we got here, and now we rent a home off base. I wasn't a fan of living on base.

17. How long were you married when you had to go through your first separation?

We were married six months when he deployed.

18. What is your favorite base so far?

I've only been to two, Lackland AFB, TX and Hill AFB, Utah. Naturally, I'm partial to my home state.

19. Do you think your spouse looks good in his uniform?

Oh, goodness! Yes he does! Mr. Duh was made to wear a uniform! Obviously, all military wives have to love their man in uniform...

20. Do you think military life is more advanced then civilian life?

Advanced? That isn't a word I would use to describe it. More unique? Definitely. More difficult? Sometimes. More complicated? Usually.

21. Do you like the benefits you receive as a military spouse?

Absolutely! The free health care and dental are great! As military families, I think we forget how much insurance, copays and deductibles can cost! Mr. Duh and I always joke that he could have proposed to me with a Tricare Insurance card! I'm also getting two Master's degrees on Mr. Duh's GI Bill. The opportunity to travel is also a great benefit. Military life isn't always easy, but I think the positives outweight the negaties most of the time.

22. Do you have a lot of military wife friends?

Not a lot, but I have three or four military wives that I consider close friends. It's nice to know people who can understand the demands of military life. I love my civilian friends, but sometimes they don't get the lifestyle and demands.

23. What is the hardest part of the military life?

So far, the moving is the hardest for me. Leaving my hometown (everything and everyone I knew) at 28 was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Now, I'm making friends and getting a life set up in San Antonio, and I'll have to leave soon. Not being able to put down roots and constantly saying "Goodbye" is always going to be a challenge for me.

24. Do you own military wife stuff?

Not really. I have one military wife t-shirt that I wear to bed sometimes. If I saw something cute, I wouldn't be opposed to getting more "military wife" stuff.

25. Do you support your spouse as a member of the military?

I support him whole heartedly. I know that he is at his best when I am behind him, helping and encouraging him. Some days, I have to grin and bear it... but I admire and appreciate all that my husband sacrifices for this country. Supporting him makes me feel like I "serve" in my own way.

Military Monday Feautre: Handling with Grace

2012-01-09T10:59:00.000-06:00

I was featured on one of my favorite blogs today! Jamie at Handling With Grace does a Military Monday feature which highlights spouses from different duty stations. It's an excellent idea, because it allows mil-spouses to discuss their current duty stations and the good/bad/ugly that goes along with it! Head over to Handling With Grace to check out a great mil-spouse blog and see my take on Lackland AFB and San Antonio, TX!

Healthy Recipe Installment: Barley Sausage Skillet

2012-01-04T16:35:00.000-06:00

I usually cook healthy recipes, but I'm feeling especially vigilant about it because of the New Year. I've also been in kind of a cooking rut, and I have promised Mr. Duh that I would try at least two new recipes a month. Mr. Duh puts up with my low-fat, low-cal cooking, but he has a hard time eating the same things over and over again. I can't say I blame him!

This is another great recipe from the folks at Cooking Light. I was a little nervous about this recipe, because I haven't ever cooked with barley before. I was surprised at how easy and flavorful it was! It also re-heated beautifully, so I was able to eat it for lunch as well. We eat so much brown rice at my house... it was nice to try something new!

Here's the recipe:

(Madeira is a slightly sweet Portuguese fortified wine. Substitute sherry or fruity white wine, if necessary)
YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 cup quick-cooking barley

Cooking spray

-8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage

-1 teaspoon olive oil

-1 cup chopped onion

-1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

-1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms

-2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

-2 tablespoons Madeira wine

-1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

-1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation -

Place broth in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Add barley to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Transfer to a bowl. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Return sausage to pan. Stir in Madeira; sauté 2 minutes. Add barley; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in basil and black pepper.

Nutritional Information -

Amount per serving

Calories: 337

Calories from fat: 22%

Fat: 8.1g

Saturated fat: 3.7g

Monounsaturated fat: 2.6g

Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g

Protein: 17.6g

Carbohydrate: 49.1g

Fiber: 9.6g

We've Come a Long Way, Ladies!

2012-01-03T16:41:00.000-06:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get in touch with my inner feminist, and I found an article today that makes my inner-feminist jump for joy!

The Huffington Post just put out an article highlighting the "50 Best Moments for Women in 2011", and I was happy to see the strides that women all over the world made this year. From the documentary Miss Representation (a MUST-SEE as far as I'm concerned) to the first female Episcopalian bishop to women getting the vote in Saudi Arabia to birth control with no copays, you can read and see videos about our gender's greatest accomplishments this year.

Here is the link to the article: 50 Best Moments...

Way to go, Huffington Post! I hope you enjoy it!

What was your favorite moment for women this year?

Good Riddance, 2011... Hello, 2012!!

2012-01-02T17:07:00.002-06:00

Ah, my first blog post of 2012! I was able to get a lot of blogging done in 2011, and I hope I can keep up the trend this year as well!

I was certainly glad to say goodbye to 2011. It was one of the hardest years of my life thus far. Here are a few reasons why:

-Mr. Duh's job took a serious toll on him personally and on our marriage (Thankfully, we took measures to re-connect and get back on to common ground)
-I quit my job at MegaCorp to take on a work-from-home venture
-My dog, Ozzie, injured his leg and needed expensive surgery followed by a lengthy recovery
-One of the hottest and driest summers on record in Texas, and nothing makes me more miserable than extreme heat

And that's just to name a few... I am happy to say that the year ended on a good note, but I sure wasn't sad to see 2011 go!

We rang in the New Year with friends this year. Our dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. MC decided to throw a Masquerade party at their home and they spared no expense! Excellent food, decorations, a keg of beer, and jell-o shots made the celebration! We got all dressed up, put on some masks, and partied the night away! I am blessed that for the fourth year in a row I was able to kiss my husband at midnight. For a military wife, that's a very lucky streak.

I'm not sure about other military spouses, but almost every time there is a party with my husband's co-workers they end up attempting to injure each other in the most ridiculous ways. New Year's was the night of the air-soft gun. Every Airman in the place ended up being shot with the little pellet gun (and had the welts to prove it) while we wives shook our heads in disapproval. Boys will be boys, I guess... I'm just glad no one lost an eye.

I love the hope that always comes with a New Year. It always feels like a clean slate for me, and I'm ready to start this year off on the right foot! Here's to hoping! I wish you all a wonderful, fun , and peaceful 2012!

Here are a few pictures from our New Year's Celebration:

The Duh's!

The Masked Marauders!

A small Portion of the New Year's Spread!

They were proud of their matching welts...

Is it obvious that we had been drinking?

And the Blog Award Goes to...

2011-12-30T13:47:00.000-06:00

Me! The award is:

What does the Liebster Blog Award mean? It means:

The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

I was given a blog award by Our Little Fam. She has a great military spouse blog that I follow, and you should follow her too! Thanks to her for this lovely award!

I'm supposed to pass this award along to five other blogs that I follow, so here they are in no particular order:

-Megilon at Churchy & Her Sailor
-Tales from a Sailor's Soul Mate
-Cassie at A Princess and Her Soldier
-Jes at Bleu Dress and Dress Blues
-Adventures in Italia

These are all excellent Mil-Spouse blogs! If you aren't following them, I suggest giving them a look-see!

The Obligatory New Years Resolution Post

2011-12-29T17:47:00.000-06:00

Ah, New Years Resolutions... I am rarely successful at keeping them! Even though I'm not very good at keeping resolutions, it just doesn't feel like a New Year until I have made some and announced them to the world!

I only made a couple resolutions last year, and I did well on most of them... except the losing 10 pounds (of course). So, this year, I'm leaving the "lose 10 pounds" resolution off the list! Maybe next year I can say I did well on all my resolutions! Here are my 2012 New Year's Resolutions:

Run a 5K - I'm a great gym goer, but running has always beaten me! I've never been able to master the art of running, and it's so frustrating! Mr. Duh has promised to sign us up for a 5K, and I'll just have to get out there and do it! I'm hoping I'll be able to run the entire thing with the help of our new treadmill and Couch to 5K.

Get Back to Church - Since moving to Texas, I have stopped going to church. It's not because I don't like it, but I haven't been able to find one that suits me (although I must admit I haven't been looking very hard). It's hard to find a church in the Bible Belt that fits my highly liberal beliefs. I do know that when I am a part of a church and working on my relationship with God, I am more joyful and at peace with life than I am otherwise.

Avoid Gossip - I really hate to admit it, but I am easily sucked into gossip and the happenings in the lives of others. Being involved in that type of conversation is not productive and usually hurtful. I'm done with it! I am committing myself to only positive and edifying conversations in 2012!

Get In Touch with my Inner-Feminist - I watched a documentarty on the OWN Network a couple months ago called "Miss Representation", and it lit the feminist fire inside of me! I am beginning to see all the ways that the meda tries to keep women down and put us into a man-made, hyper-sexualized, gender-steroetyped box. Between fashion magazines, reality shows, and the entertainment media, we rarely have the opportunity to see strong, smart, educated female leaders... where I am going with this is that I am going to give up watching TV shows, movies, and reading magazines that blatantly portray women as catty, bitchy, stupid, or sex objects. I don't want my future daughters to grow up in a world where their only role models are the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Snookie.

How about you? What are your Resolutions?

December Obsessions!

2011-12-28T11:44:00.000-06:00

Well, the month (and the year) is almost over! I can't believe how fast this year went by!

This is my last obsessions post of 2011! Hopefully, next year will bring all new awesome items that I can get obsessed about! Here are my obsessions for the month of December:

Clementine Oranges are one of my favorite things about the Christmas Season! I buy one bag a week and eat at least four of these little oranges every day. They make the best snack!

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This is one of my favorite TV shows of all time! I watched it when it was on HBO, and I've started re-watching all of the seasons. I'm as in love with this show as I ever was. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't seen it!

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I love this Lorac Cream Eyeshadow Palette. I am not very good when it comes to putting on eyeshadow, but these little cream sticks make it so easy! I love the six pearlescent colors, too! Excellent product that is a new staple in my makeup case.

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I recently joined Twitter, and I'm kind of enjoying it! I like being able to keep up on news, politics, and my favorite people.

What are your obsessions this month??

A Pre- Christmas Visitor!

2011-12-22T11:31:00.000-06:00

Last week, my best friend flew to San Antonio for a visit! I love this girl more than words can express! When she's here, it almost makes me feel like I'm back home. If we could only take out best friends with us when we PCS!

The first time she was in town, I was still fairly new here. I wasn't as familiar with San Antonio and all that it has to offer, but this year was different! We went to some of my favorite restaurants and bars, went shopping, country dancing, and visited San Antonio's most popular mexican and BBQ restaurants! I had a blast, and I can wait until my BFF visits again next year!

Here are some pictures from our Texas Adventures:

Luckily, I am heading back home to Utah for a few weeks in January, so I'll get to see my bestie very soon! Mr. Duh and I are also heading to Florida tomorrow to stay with my In-Laws for Christmas! I hope you all have a Happy Holiday season!

Celebrating Successes and Next Steps!

2011-12-14T13:06:00.000-06:00

My grades came in for the fourth semester of my Master's program... 4.0!!! Needless to say, I'm over the moon about my GPA and I can't believe I've managed to maintain a 4.0 through all four semesters! I never got a 4.0 while getting my Bachelor's degree, and never imagined I could get it during graduate school... so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself!

I'm currently doing a dual Master's program. I'll be getting my Masters in Organizational Leadership and Masters in Business Administration , and I have just completed the Leadership portion of the dual program. Leadership is very interesting, but it's mostly all theory with little practical application. The MBA side is going to be a whole new story, and I have to admit that I'm feeling nervous.

Next semester, I start with what's called "MBA Bootcamp". My Bachelors is in Forensic Investigation, and I didn't take a single business course for that degree. This bootcamp is a way for the University to catch me up on all those business degree basics I missed out on, such as Economics, Finance, and Accounting. So, I have to self study all of these business subjects for a semester to get ready for all the real MBA classes. I'm not very business-minded, and I hope I can make the cut!

The fact that I'm even in graduate school still fascinates me. I remember what a struggle it was to get my Bachelor's degree, and how it felt like I would never get there. It took me ten years to get my degree, and I never thought I'd achieve anything beyond that. Now, I'm on track to have two Master's degree's by the time I'm 32! I can't help but smile when I think about that! In terms of education, I am exceeding the expectations that everyone (including myself) had for me. What a great feeling!

Well, wish me luck as I move into this Business program... I know I'm going to need it!

Squadron Christmas Party

2011-12-12T13:24:00.000-06:00

For one reason or another, I have only managed to make it to two of Mr. Duh's squadron Christmas parties. This weekend was the second one that I have attended, and I must admit... we had a fun time! It was raining all day and night, but we didn't let that get us down. We started the night off drinking champagne with friends and eventually made out way to the party. The food and drinks were good, and the squadron even put together some fun games for us to play. It was the best out of the two Air Force christmas parties I have been to, and I hope there are many more to come!

I love getting dressed up, and as adults we have so few chances to do so! I bought a brand new dress, that looked very festive to me. It was from the Jessica Simpson Collection (not a fan of her music, but love her clothes and shoes), and I think it was the first time I've worn velvet since the early 1990's. Here are a couple pictures of the Duh's all dressed up:

All I Want For Christmas...

2011-12-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

I am feeling very blessed this Christmas, because there aren't very many things that I feel like I want or need. Mr. Duh and I have been pretty generous with ourselves this year (caribbean cruise, elliptical trainer, new rugs, PS3, etc.). So, we have decided that we aren't going to get each other very many presents this Christmas. We are going to try to spend less than $100 on each other, which isn't much in comparison with Christmases past.

Although we aren't having big Christmas, there are a few things I'd really love to have... So, I figured I'd share what's on my short Christmas list this year. Here's what I'd like to find under the tree:

-Dirt Devil

- New running shoes

- Dutch Oven

-Comfy PJ's

What's on your Christmas List this year?

Military Monday Blog Hopping

2011-12-05T10:05:00.001-06:00

I have really enjoyed participating in the Blog-hop! It has been a great way to find more awesome mil-spouse blogs! Head on over to Semper Wifey and link up!

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In # 65

2011-12-02T09:17:00.001-06:00

The fill-in is here! Head on over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!

1.If I could be on any reality TV show, I'd want to be on is a toss up between Dancing with the Stars and The Biggest Loser. (I'm not a star and I'm not obese, but I'd love to learn how to professionally dance or have a personal trainer teach me to workout and be healthier).

2.This past Thanksgiving was my 4th Wedding Anniversary! Due to it being on Thanksgiving Day, we are celebrating next weekend.

3.I'm looking forward to December because we are spending Christmas with my in-laws in Florida.

4.One thing I'd like to accomplish this month is pass the written comprehensive exam for my Masters Degree.

5.To me, winter is something I miss very much. I don't completely love the snow, but nothing beats snow for Christmas. Texas is missing out!

Rockin' the HotPants

2011-11-30T15:29:00.001-06:00

I bought a Groupon a few weeks ago for Zaggora Hot Pants. They are a pair of black shorts that supposedly increase your perspiration and help you to lose inches around your lower half . They are supposed to help reduce the appearance of cellulite, too (I can definitely use help in that area). I know it sounds a little hokey, but they were only $27.00... so I figured I'd give them a try.

I'm normally not one to believe in "quick fixes" when it comes to improving my body. I try to eat right, work out 5-6 days a week, and don't drink too much. Unfortunately, my sedentary job and aging metabolism are catching up with me. These Hot Pants are supposed to be worn while you work out, so maybe I'll get an extra boost!

The Hot Pants just arrived in the mail today, so I had to put them on! They are made of this thick, neoprene-ish material (kind of like wearing a beer koozie) and they definitely are warming up my hips and thights. I am nowhere as thin as the woman in the picture, so the shorts make me look a little bulky. They also have a super high waist, so I feel like I'm rocking some serious granny-panties. Mr. Duh will love seeing me in these... Did I mention the rubbery smell? I have the essence of a tire store.

In spite of all these oddities, I'm going to give them a try. Zaggora says you'll lose two jeans size in two weeks if you wear them consistently. I'm taking the Hot Pants Challenge... and I'll let you know how it goes!

Military Monday Blog Hop!

2011-11-28T12:30:00.000-06:00

It's that time! Head over to Semper Wifey and link up!

Netflix... How I love thee!

2011-11-28T12:28:00.000-06:00

Mr. Duh and I had a fun, but semi-expensive Thanksgiving weekend. We spent Thanksgiving at a friend's house, and it was a lovely day. While in our turkey-induced haze, our friends let us mess around their Wii which so happened to have Netflix on it. After about 10 minutes of scanning through the movies and TV shows, I was sold!

I hate to admit it, but I'm one of those people that watches a lot of TV. I know it's not exactly cool to love TV... but what can I say? I love it. I watch a ton of History Channel, NatGeo, A&E, Military Channel, and lots of cable drama shows (Dexter, Walking Dead, True Blood, etc.). I have wanted to find a way to scale down my cable, because the cost of cable is just too high. We spend about $170/month on our cable and internet, which is a lot to pay as far as I'm concerned. So when I heard you can stream Netflix for only $8.00 AND I can get almost all my favorite shows on there, I knew I had to get it to my house ASAP!

I decided to brave the crowds and go Black Friday shopping at midnight... which is something I have never done. It was an eye-opening experience! I waited outside Best Buy in a line that was almost 3/4 of a mile long. Once I was in the store, it was total insanity! There were people everywhere, running around,some carrying 3-4 TV's and all other kinds of merchandise. I managed to snag a PlayStation 3, and headed for the checkout line. Checking out was the real downer, because I waited 90 minutes to checkout. I got the game system for a good price (I think, I really don't know anything about game systems), so I hoped it was worth it.

The next day, Mr. Duh and I got everything set up and began our Netflix journey. I must say, I was in complete Nerd Heaven! Documentaries and history programs and independent films, Oh my! After a weekend with Netflix, I am now convinced I can live with a lot less cable channels. Netflix will allow me to watch the things I want to watch, and I won't have to surf through 700 channels of crap to find something interesting to watch.

I think that the Duh Family has finally moved into the 21st Century! Here's to many years of cheaper cable bills and good TV watching!

Being Thankful

2011-11-23T14:29:00.000-06:00

This is a phrase I have seen on a couple blogs (Mrs. Alana's Miscellany has a great post) and on Facebook today:

What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you had thanked God for today?

That question really puts things in perspective...I would have woken up with my husband, and that's it. Don't you think we all should stop to admire and be thankful for all the great things we have in our lives? We get so busy and caught up with the difficult part of our lives and the things that aren't going so smoothly; we can so easliy overlook all of the wonderful things... I am so guilty of this.

Today, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are the top ten things I am thankful for:

-Mr. Duh, hands down! He is a wonderful husband, friend, provider, Airman and puppy-dad.
-My family and friends... where would I be without them?
-My doggies, Ozzie and Floyd. I can't even express how much joy and love they bring to my life.
-My mother (who is also my boss). She rescued me from a job I disliked and went out on a limb to allow me to work from home in San Antonio.
-Mr. Duh's GI Bill. I couldn't get a Master's degree without it!
-My body/my health. I'm so happy I have a healthy body that allows me to lead a full life.
-My mind. I am blessed with a desire to learn and a healthy intellect.
-My home and all the belongings in it. Mr. Duh and I are not even close to rich, but we live in a nice home and have beautiful/comfortable things to fill it with.
-A little money in the bank. In tough times like these, I'm so thankful we have no car payments, no debt, and enough money to pay the bills.
-The United States Air Force. While they don't always make life easy, I am so blessed that they give my husband a stable job and good benefits.

...and that's just to name a few. I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you most thankful for?

Military Wife Problems

2011-11-22T13:09:00.000-06:00

Here's a little spin off of the phenomenon of "White Girl Problems". I was complaining about something to Mr. Duh the other day, and all I could think to myself was... Military Wife Problems. Sure, our lives as Military Spouses come with some serious isses, but there are also those strange/funny problems that are unique to us. So, here are a few examples from my life or the lives of other Military Wives I know:

"We are PCS'ing four months before I am set to finish school... Now where am I supposed to finish this Master's Degree?"

      Military Wife Problems.

"Honey, what's the dress code for this promotion ceremony/dinner/Christmas party?"

     Military Wife Problems.

"Congress can't agree on raising the debt ceiling. It looks like we may not get paid this month."

     Military Wife Problems.

"We're moving to Minot, North Dakota? In December?"

     Military Wife Problems.

"I haven't had sex with my husband in six months."

     Military Wife Problems.

"Of course I don't mind giving birth to my first child alone in Europe while my husband is deployed. No big deal."

      Military Wife Problems.

"I can't remember all of my addresses from the last five years. I hope they don't really need that for my job application."

      Military Wife Problems.

"We are living in T.L.F. for the first part of our CONUS P.C.S. I hope we can find a place that fits our B.A.H., so we can get settled in and call T.M.O. to deliver our stuff."

     Military Wife Problems.

"It looks like we won't be celebrating Christmas until February."

      Military Wife Problems.

"Honey, don't kill the dog. He didn't mean to pee on your dress blues."

      Military Wife Problems.

Please share your "Military Wife Problems"!! I'm sure you all have some great ones!

Excellent and Easy Healthy Recipe: Tex-Mex Pork

2011-11-21T13:03:00.002-06:00

Mr. Duh and I made this last week, and we were both in agreement that this is one of the best recipes that I have found in a long time. It's incredibly simple, quick and healthy! This is courtesy of Cooking Light, and I'll be using this recipe again and again!

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup pork mixture, 1/2 cup rice, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and 3 tablespoons avocado)

Tex-Mex Pork

Ingredients:

-1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

-3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-1 1/2 cups refrigerated fresh salsa

-1/4 cup water

-2 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

-1/4 cup light sour cream

-3/4 cup cubed avocado

Preparation:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add salsa and 1/4 cup water to pan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve pork mixture over rice; top with sour cream and avocado.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving -

Calories: 322

Fat: 8.3g

Saturated fat: 2.4g

Monounsaturated fat: 4.2g

Polyunsaturated fat: 1g

Protein: 27g

Carbohydrate: 28.9g

Fiber: 2.3g

November Obsessions!

2011-11-16T15:20:00.002-06:00

Ah, November... you're such a tease!! I'm so ready for the holidays this year (strange for me), and I can't wait for the month to be over! In the meantime, I'll post about what I'm loving this month... maybe it will make Thanksgiving get here a little quicker. Here are my obsessions for this month:

Nike Training Club App - This is the best workout app I've ever seen. It's like having a personal trainer at your house! The "Focused" workouts are my favorite. Another great thing about this app: It's FREE! If you like to workout at home (although it would be fine for the gym, too), I highly recommend downloading it!

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Starbucks Holiday Flavored Lattes - Thanks to Starbucks, it really is the most wonderful time of the year! Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread, Peppermint Mocha... Oh, how I love thee!

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Shutterfly Photo Christmas Cards - Mr. Duh and I have always been too lazy to send out Christmas cards. This year, I decided that should change. Thanks to Shutterfly, I was able to easily put together adorable photo Christmas cards that I'll be proud to send out.

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YSL Touche Eclat - Thanks to my age and the ever-growing dark circles under my eyes, I'm always looking for a great highlighter that will perk up my eyes and face. YSL's Touche Eclat is the best one I've found. It mixes in well with concealer, and is great for highlighting cheeks, brow bones, etc. It's kind of pricey, but a little bit of this stuff goes a long way. Totally worth the money!

10 Day "You" Challenge: One Photo (of yourself)

2011-11-15T11:04:00.000-06:00

One Photo

It's the last day of the challenge, and I'm proud of myself for actually keeping up with it! Here's a photo of me one one of the best days of my whole life (the day I graduated from college with my Bachelor's degree):

10 Day "You" Challenge: Two Songs

2011-11-14T12:12:00.001-06:00

Two Songs

Okay... this is really hard to pick just two!!

1. Come Rain or Come Shine by Ray Charles

This song was sung duing our wedding ceremony, and I believe it perfectly sums up the way we view our marriage... "Days may be cloudy or sunny; we're in or we're out of the money. Yeah, I'm with you always. I'm with you rain or shine." This song brings tears to my eyes every single time I hear it.

2. September by Earth, Wind, and Fire

This one of my most favorite songs of all time. How can you not feel happy and full of life when listening to this song? Earth, Wind and Fire is one of the best (I think their music is played in heaven), and this song is the best of the best. Not to mention, almost everyone close to me says whenever they hear this song they think of me.

Mil-Spouse Veterans Day Fill-In!

2011-11-11T09:36:00.000-06:00

What better day to do a Mil-Spouse Fill-In than Veteran's Day! This day holds a special place in my heart, as the wife of an active-duty Airman, daughter of a Vietnam and Gulf War veteran, and the friend of so many amazing service members. Wife of a Sailor has some great questions to match the day. I can't wait to see everyone's responses!

1.Freedom is one of the most beautiful gifts God has given us.

2.Veterans are celebrated officially today, but should really be celebrated every day!

3.This country is so much more than our politicians and our media tell us it is.

4.Veterans Day means remembering the sacrifices of those who offered their lives, health, time, and mental well-being to serve and protect this country. Please thank them for all they have done and continue to do for us.

5.A hero is someone who puts the rights, safety and well-being of others before their own.

10 Day "You" Challenge: Day 8

2011-11-10T12:52:00.000-06:00

Three Films

1. The Thing (1982) -

2. The Graduate -

3. It's A Wonderful Life -

10 Day "You" Challenge: Day 7

2011-11-09T11:41:00.001-06:00

Four Books

(It was so hard to pick only four books!)

1. The Bible - The only book I would ever really need...

2. His Needs, Her Needs - An excellent book on marriage. Mr. Duh and I read this in pre-marital counseling and we still use its principles today.

3. The Feminine Mystique - As a woman, no book makes me feel more blessed about how far we have come.

4. The Shack - Hard hitting. It really made me re-examine my idea of who God is and what life is all about.

10 Day "You Challenge: Day 6

2011-11-08T12:24:00.000-06:00

Five Foods

1. Indian Cuisine (especially Curry)

2. French Fries

3. Sushi

4. Tiramisu

5. A Salad from Cafe Rio (it's a Utah chain of Mexican Food... so delicious!)

10 Day "You" Challenge: Day 5

2011-11-07T10:05:00.000-06:00

I'm back! I took a break for the weekend, but I'm back on the Ten Day Challenge this week! Today is:

Six Places

1. Salt Lake City - I love, love, LOVE my hometown... I've got to give it to Brigham Young who said, "This Is The Place"!

2. San Francisco - If I had enough money, this is the U.S. city I'd most love to live in!

3. Washington D.C. - I'm a complete nerd for American History. I should definitely visit here one day.

4. Paris - Who could say no to a visit to Paris??

5. Jerusalem - My faith and the History Nerd in me couldn't ask for a more amazing destination...

6. San Antonio, Texas - Is this my favorite place? No. Do I recommend it as a destination for anyone? Not really. San Antonio deserves mention because it is my first PCS location, and the only place I've lived other than my hometown. Moving to San Antonio has taught me more about myself that I ever thought I'd learn.

10 Day "You" Challenge: Day 4

2011-11-04T16:51:00.000-05:00

Seven Wants

1. A New(er) Car - I love my car, but I'm ready for something newer, bigger, and something with a few more bells and whistles.

2. Get My Two Master Degrees - I know that will happen, but I'd prefer to be done right now, instead of 18 months from now.

3. Go Back Home - I am perpetually homesick! I can't wait until Mr. Duh retires and we can finally return to life behind the Zion Curtain... I miss you, Utah!

4. To Lose 10 Pounds - I've got 10 extra pounds that are refusing to go away!

5. To Run a Marathon - Running and I just don't seem to get along. One day, I would love to conquer my running issues and complete a marathon with Mr. Duh

6. To Feel Rady to Have Children - I know they say you're never really ready to be a parent, but I'd love to quit feeling so scared about parenthood.

7. To Live Happily Ever After - Who doesn't want that??

The 10 Day "You" Challenge: Day 3

2011-11-03T15:16:00.000-05:00

Eight Fears

(Okay, looking at this list makes me feel a little neurotic... I'm not completely phobia ridden, I promise!)

1. Snakes - Have you ever read the Book of Genesis? That shows me that snakes have been untrustworthy since day one!

2. Death - Yep, I like life and don't really want to die any time soon.

3. Going broke - The thought of not being able to pay my bills is a scary one. Luckily, Mr. Duh and I are gainfully employed... but this day in age, you never know what could happen!

4. Plane Crash - Isn't everyone just a little afraid of being in a plane crash?

5. Fire - I have disliked fire since I was a young kid... I couldn't light a match or a lighter until I was in high school.

6. Children - I don't have any kids, so children scare me a little... especially children ages 1-5 years old. I don't understand them, and I constantly worry they are going to freak out, hurt themselves, etc.

7. Hurting Someone's Feelings - I know it can't be avoided sometimes, but I can't stant the thought of making someone feel bad. I try to avoid it if I can.

8. Disappointing Those I Love - I never want to fail those who have put their faith in me... I think that's the biggest fear of all.

10 Day Challenge: Day 2

2011-11-02T15:16:00.001-05:00

Nine Loves

1. My husband, Mr. Duh. He is my rock, my best friend, my hero, and the love of my life. While life isn't always easy, I'm sure glad he's in it with me.

2. My dear doggies, Ozzie and Floyd. They bring so much joy and cuteness to my life.

3. I love my friends! Back home and on my military misadventures, I have been so blessed to make some amazing friends. I don't know what I'd do without them!

4. I am a giant history nerd. I love reading books and watching shows about all kinds history. American, European, Ancient, Modern, Asian, Women... you name it, I love hearing about the history of it!

5. The Mountains. How I miss seeing the beautiful Wasatch Mountains every day! I grew up in one of the most scenic cities in America, and the flat Texas landscape does not even compare!

6. I have an intellectual crush on Jon Stewart. I think he is one of the few trustworthy people left in the media... which is sad because he's a comedian. I love him for pointing out all the ridiculousness on both sides of the political spectrum and the extreme stupidity of the mainstream media.

7. My dearest Dos XX, how do I love thee?? I've never been a huge beer drinker... until I moved to Texas and discovered Dos XX dressed with salt and lime. Mmmm mmmm mmmm...

8. Autumn is definitely one of my loves. I love the crispness of the air, the smells, the colors, and all the great holidays that come that time of year (along with my birthday and wedding anniversary). Nothing beats the beauty of a fall day.

9. The sun is great and all, but I love a rainy day! I should probably live in the Northwest, because I prefer more rain and clouds than sun.

Ten Day You Challenge... Here we go!

2011-11-01T17:17:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about doing this little meme for awhile, and I figured that this would be a great time to get it started! I hope you enjoy it, and will maybe do one yourself!

The first day is: Ten Secrets... anyone who knows me would say that I am an open book, and rarely keep secrets about myself. So, this may be more like Ten Facts about me.

10. I can name all of the U.S. Presidents in a row, and I can also tell you at least one fact about each of them. I've had that information memorized since I was 8 years old.
9. I was engaged when I was 18, but I broke it off. That was one of the hardest and smartest things I have ever done.
8. I donate money monthly to one candidate's presidential campaign (... but I'm not saying which one).
7. I battled an eating disorder in my early twenties.
6. I have an unhealthy obsession with Yankee Candles.
5. I have never (and still don't) believe in the idea of "soul mates".
4. I hate the freckles on my face (especially the ones on my upper lip that create a freckle mustache), but like the ones on the rest of my body.
3. Napping is my favorite past time. I could sleep my life away if someone would let me.
2. I'm not a hugger, and I'm self-conscious about it. I didn't grow up in a huggy/snuggly kind of home. I hate when people point out that I don't give good hugs.
1. I much prefer talk radio to music stations. I listen to NPR or Podcasts about 90% of the time.

I'll see you tomorrow for the next installment!

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-in #63

2011-10-28T10:11:00.000-05:00

It's Friday again... which means that it's Fill-In time! I can't wait to see everyone's answers! Thanks to Wife of a Sailor for keeping the Fill-In going! You can head over to her page to link up!

1.The best part of October was having my dad and step-mother visit. They get here today, and they will be the first visitors to San Antonio from my side of the family.

2.The worst part of October was my doggie, Ozzie, having surgery. I was a nervous wreck and it was a rough recovery .

3.For Halloween, I'll be taking my family to go see the Riverwalk, and possibly handing out some candy.

4. I hope that in November Mr. Duh and I can really celebrate our anniversary (11/24/07). Due to Mr. Duh's career, we missed the last two wedding anniversaries.

5.Wifey has posted MilSpouse Secret Santa. I believe I will be participating. It sounds like fun!

The Franken-Duh's!

2011-10-24T10:40:00.002-05:00

We went to Mr. Duh's squadron Halloween party on Saturday, and it was a great time! The Chief invited us out to her country home, where they had an awesome spread of food, a margarita machine, and other goodies! Mr. Duh and I contributed by bringing our Beer-Pong table, and a lot of the guys played beer pong until late in the evening. You've gotta love Halloween parties!

I had been working on my costume for a few weeks. I decided to be the Bride of Frankenstein, because she's a classic horror character and I've always thought that would be a fun costume. Mr. Duh decided the day of the party that he wanted to switch from his original costume and go as Frankenstein instead. I spent the day going to several costume stores to get the makeup and headpiece, then ventured to the Goodwill for the clothes. After slicing up the clothes with some scissors, I had pieced together a pretty good Frankenstein costume! It wasn't the greatest, but not bad for only a few hours of preparation.

I was so glad that Mr. Duh changed his mind, because Frankenstein's Monster and his Bride was the best! It will be hard to top ourselves next year!

Mil-Spouse Fill-In #62

2011-10-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

I can't believe there have been 62 fill-ins! I love the fill-ins and reading what my fellow military spouses have to say!

1. I want to be REALLY financially comfortable. Mr. Duh and I are pretty blessed in that area, but I hate worrying about money at all. I would love to learn how to budget well and cut down my money stress.

2. I have had a couple of difficult years, but things are definitely starting to look up.

3. I wish for true equality for women in this world.

4. I hope I can succeed in my MBA program. I do not have a background in business, so I'm a little nervous about the business courses I'll have to take.

5. I wonder if I'll ever feel comfortable in my own skin.

One of our Halloween traditions...

2011-10-18T10:38:00.003-05:00

I grew up in a home that didn't have many holiday traditions, so we have been trying to create some of our own. Every year since we've been married, Mr. Duh and I have one night where we watch horror shows and carve pumpkins. It may not be too exciting, but we always enjoy it!

Here are our pumpkins!

(Mr. Duh did the great Jack Skellington pumpkin. He's definitely the more talented / creative member of the family!)

What are some of your Halloween traditions?

10 Day Challenge

2011-10-16T22:28:00.000-05:00

I saw this on another Air Force Wife blog, and I was intrigued! The last time I did one of these challenges, I was a complete slacker. I think it took me two months to finish a 30 day thing...

Stay Tuned!

Mil-Spouse Weekly Round-Up!

2011-10-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

I love the Round-Up, because it's such a great way to find other military Spouse Bloggers! Head on over to Iron and Sunshine to link up!!

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In!

2011-10-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad the fill-in is back!!

1.A word that always makes me laugh is happenstance. I love that word! I really need to work that word into my vocabulary.

2.If you looked in my refrigerator right now, the oldest thin you'd find would be salad dressings. Mr. Duh and I are salad dressing fanatics. We have about 9 different flavors of dressings in the fridge, and I probably don't check the expiration dates as much as I should...

3.If I were written about in the newspaper today, on the front page, the headline say Woman Starts Long Quest to Figure Out Who She Really Is.

4.The last movie I saw (in the theatre) was Contagion. It was pretty good!

5.The best thing that happened to me in the last few weeks was that I started working from home. So far, it has been a great experience.

Here Comes Halloween... what to wear?

2011-10-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

Halloween is so different for me now than it used to be! I used to live Halloween for 3 months of the year, thanks to working for/managing a Haunted Attraction for 14 years. I never got to decorate my house, see trick-or-treaters, or attend costume parties. Last year was my first Halloween season away from the haunted house, and I was a little emotional about being away from my haunted house family... so I was in a little bit of Halloween denial.

This year, I'm feeling a lot better about having a "regular" Halloween. Mr. Duh and I are decorating our house and yard this week. We are also attending a big squadron Halloween Costume Party, but the party is creating a dilemma... what should I be for Halloween?

Due to spending years working for one of the best haunted attractions in the nation, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to Halloween costumes. If I ever wanted to dress up, I had talented makeup artists, theatrical quality costumes, scary contact lenses, and all other kinds of things at my disposal. So, going to the Halloween Express for costume hunting is a little underwhelming.

Mr. Duh and I are thinking about doing a couples costume, but (of course) we can't agree on what we want to be. So, I may have to go it alone. I refuse to wear "sexy" Halloween costumes, because they are not anywhere near authentic. If I'm going to be a witch, I'm going to be a real witch... not Playboy's version of one. I also don't want to be anything offensive (there could be children at this party), like a contestant in a wet t-shirt contest (unfortunately, this costume exists). So, I'm going to list a couple of my ideas, and maybe you could help me choose a good costume!

Couples Costume Ideas:

-Austin Powers and Dr. Evil
-Harry and Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber
-Zombie Prom King and Prom Queen (Mr. Duh loves zombies)
-Morticia Addams and Uncle Fester

Lone Costume Ideas:

-Lucy from I Love Lucy
-Carrie (covered in pig's blood) from the movie Carrie
-Cruella Deville
-The Wicked Witch of the West

Anyone want to help me choose a costume???

October Obsessions!

2011-10-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

Here are the things I'm loving this month:

I was turned onto this shampoo by my hairstylist, and I love it! I have hair that gets pretty oily at the roots, but it's dry at the ends. This shampoo is formulated for hair just like mine... and it works! If you've got weird hair like mine, I recommend giving this shampoo a chance!

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I never watched Friends when it was on TV in the late '90's and ealy 2000's. I just couldn't get into it. A little while ago, a friend loaned me some of the seasons of Friends and I got hooked! I'm in the process of buying all the seasons on DVD, and I only watch them when I'm working out in our little home gym. The show is hilarious and makes the time on the elliptical fly by!

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I know I already talked about this earlier in the week, but I'm enjoying working from home. I am actually more productive at home than I am in the office. It's also been great since my doggie, Ozzie, had surgery this week. It's important that I can keep an eye on him, and he just sits next to me while I'm working.

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My house has been completely devoid of living plants. I grew up in a silk plant home, and I have never dared to have any living plants. A good friend of mine has a home full of beautiful living plants, and I think it gives the home such a good feel. So, Mr. Duh and I are branching out and have started buying some plants for the house. I just hope I can keep them alive!

How do people with kids do it?

2011-10-05T08:52:00.000-05:00

That's a picture of our doggie, Ozzie. He is my baby, my first born fur-child, and he is having surgery today.

While we were away on our cruise, Ozzie ruptured a ligament in his back leg. He's been limping around the house for a few weeks, and after a couple doctors visits we realized this was an injury that wasn't going to heal on it's own. While surgery is one of the last things I wanted, Ozzie doesn't have much quality of life with a hurt back leg.

So, we decided to have the surgery... but now I'm a nervous wreck. The surgery is fairly routine, but there are always complications to worry about. The vet handed me a paper to sign this morning with a list of about 50 different things that can go wrong., which didn't help my nerves. I handed Ozzie off to the vet, and cried as I walked away.

I know what some of you must be thinking, "Come on, it's only a dog." True, Ozzie is a dog, and not a human child... but for those of us with no kids, our dogs are our kids. I love them with all my heart and cannot fathom the idea of anything bad happening to them. Hopefully, Ozzie's surgery will go smoothly, and we'll have him home before the end of the day.

This also got me thinking about all my friends with kids... how do you do it when your kids are hurt or sick? If I'm this upset about a dog, I can only imagine how it feels with a child!

The Home Office

2011-10-03T12:24:00.001-05:00

I officially started working from home last week, and this is a picture of my little home office. I brought all my computer equipment with me on the drive back from Utah, my Ikea office furniture was delivered and Mr. Duh assembled, and our IT guy flew in to help me set up the computer and connections. The office is in the upstairs of the house, and I have my little work station set up in the corner. For the most part, it's a pretty awesome workspace.

Since is the only room upstairs, I'm basically cut-off from the rest of the house. It helps me to concentrate and stay distraction-free, which is good because Mr. Duh is home a lot during the day and I can't hear him shuffling around... hearing him would make me want to head downstairs to spend time with him.

There are still some process and technical glitches that need to be worked out, which is expected since I'm working 1300 miles away from the main office. Hopefully, everything will get smoothed out over time and I can be a sucessful work-from-home employee!

Here is what I like most about working from home:

-If I wake up at 8am, I can be to work by 8:10am.
-I never, ever have to battle with rush-hour traffic! I could have up to a 45 minute commute when I worked at Megacorp... I've just added an hour and a half to my day!
-Saving on the gas money! I was spending up to $200/month in gas
-I can make all my lunches at home in my own kitchen, which equals saving more $$$!
-I can do chores on my breaks and lunch.

So, I have to ask all the ladies: Would you ever consider working from home?

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In #60

2011-09-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

I apologize for my lack of blogging in the past couple weeks. I have finally returned from Utah, and I've been in the process of setting up my at-home office... and it has been quite a process. I'm happy to participate in the Fill-In today, and there are more updates to come!

1.I always feel like I'm 30 years old, but in reality, I'm 30 years old... I can't help it. I really feel as old as I am.

2.I wish my family understood better when I tell them how important it is for them to come visit me and call me every once in awhile. I've lived here for two years, and I haven't had a visit from my parents or siblings. It's a little disheartening when your family doesn't bother to visit.

3.If you saw me when I am going out on the weekends, you'd think I was a total girly-girl, but if you saw me when I go to the gym, you'd think I was a tomboy through-and-through. It's old t-shirts and sweatpants for me!

4.I feel like I'm in a totally different universe when I go back home. Utah and Texas are completely different places!

5.In honor of this being MFF #60... 60 months ago (exactly 5 years ago, so September 30, 2006) I lived in my home state of Utah and my life was totally different because I was dating Mr. Duh, he had just deployed, and I wasn't even sure if our relationship was going to last through the deployment... we were in kind of a bad place.

Our Caribbean Cruise

2011-09-20T11:56:00.000-05:00

Mr. Duh and I had an awesome time on our Caribbean cruise! The cruise ship is like a floating Vegas casino, and we sure lived it up. I ate too much, drank too much, took lots of naps, and spent a lot of time with my hubby. It was a great way to spend my 30th Birthday!

My two favorite parts of the cruise were snorkeling in Jamaica and visiting the Mayan Ruins at Tulum in Mexico. I think this cruise gave me a little bit of the travel bug! I haven't travelled much in my life, and now I am itching to become a world traveler! Mr. Duh and I are already planning a trip to Southeast Asia in a little over a year.

Here are a few pictures from the cruise:

Mil-Spouse Fill-In!

2011-09-16T10:53:00.000-05:00

Hooray for Friday! I missed the last couple of fill-in's due to my vacation, and I'm glad I'm back for this week's installment! Cruise updates to come...

Right now, our weather is mild and beautiful (as fall in Utah tends to be), but what I'd really like is to not go back to the heat of south Texas next week.

I like to let my hair down and go drinking and dancing with my ladies (I can't dance without drinks).

Mommy Rambles made a post about heroes... my hero is my husband, because no matter what life gives him he stays positive, strong, and full of integrity.

It's a weird combination, but I swear ketchup and mayonnaise are a perfect pair! It is the absolute beswt sauce for french fries. In Utah, we call it Fry Sauce. Restaurants make their own and you can even buy it in bottles from the grocery store. YUMMY!

Some may see the glass half empty and others may see it half full, but I will enjoy every sip no matter what.

Friday Fill-In!

2011-09-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

It's Mil-Spouse Fill-In Time! I'm enjoying meeting a lot of new Mil-Spouse bloggers, and hearing all of their great responses!

My plans for this weekend include going on a cruise with Mr. Duh, but what I'd really like to do is ... nothing other that what's already planned!

I consider the Labor Day holiday to be the perfect weekend to celebrate my birthday, since my birthday is right after Labor Day.

My favorite meal for cookouts is BBQ Ribs, corn on the cob and coleslaw, but my hips, thighs, and butt wouldn't agree.

So far, my favorite part of summer has been spending the summer in my hometown with my bestest friends in the world!

When it comes to deployments, my philosophy is pretty relaxed. Deployments suck, but "It's just another day, another deployment." I try to enjoy my alone time as much as I can, and dream about how glorious homecoming will be.

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In!

2011-08-26T09:07:00.000-05:00

Here's another installment of the Fill-In! I love reading about my fellow Mil-Spouses, and can't wait to see what everyone has to say this week!

1. The first thing I think of when I get up in the morning is WHERE IS THE COFFEE???

2. Lately, I’ve been craving sushi because it's everywhere in Salt Lake City... and I know when I get back to San Antonio, I have a lot less opportunities to eat sushi.

3. Whenever anyone says the word "Platypus", it reminds me of my childhood because I had a stuffed platypus that went with me EVERYWHERE until I was about 7 or 8 years old.

4. The happiest word I know is peace, but peace with yourself and the world can be so hard to attain.

5. My spouse may hate it, but I absolutely love Baked Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The Cheetos and the red finger tips that come with them are here to stay. Deal with it, Honey.

Cruising

2011-08-22T16:52:00.000-05:00

In just 13 days, Mr. Duh and I will be going on our Caribbean cruise! It's my first cruise ever... and I'm so excited!!

The main reason for our vacation is my 30th Birthday. As you may have read on this blog, I'm a little upset about the big 3-0. I didn't want to have a regular birthday that day. I felt like I needed something special to take my mind off the fact that I'll be 30, and a cruise seemed like the perfect way to do it.

The other reason for this little vacation is that Mr. Duh and I have not taken a real vacation (by "real" I mean longer than a 3-day weekend and not visiting family or sleeping in someone's guest room) since our honeymoon almost 4 years ago. MTI Life has also taken a toll on our marriage, and we need a little time to have fun together. It feels like we haven't had fun and taken time to enjoy each other's company in a long time. This couldn't come at a better time!

We are taking a 7-day cruise from Galveston, Texas. The ship docks in three caribbean destinations. We have a couple of excursions planned, like hiking to some historical sites, visiting Margaritaville, catamaran sailing and snorkeling. Since this is my first cruise, I'm trying to experience as much as I can.

I'm a little nervous, though. I've never been on a cruise, and it seems like there is a lot to it. Getting on the ship, what you can/can't bring, where you should/shouldn't go, etc. Hopefully, it won't be too confusing.

Have any of you been on a cruise before? Do you have any advice for a first-time cruiser?

Mil-Spouse Fill-In!

2011-08-19T10:46:00.001-05:00

I love participating in the Fill-In! It's a great way to get to know other Mil-Spouses, and to find other Mil-Spouse blogs! Thanks to Wife of a Sailor for keeping the Fill-In going!

1. My spouse and I rarely agree on music and the names of our future children, but always agree that laughing makes everything better.

2. If I could use one word to sum up the way I feel right now, it would be lost. I don't know if it's my impending 30th birthday, the stresses of being an MTI Wife, my recent job change or what... but lately I feel like I'm on the brink of an Existential Crisis.

3. One of the things my spouse does that grosses me out is this weird hacking-snorting-coughing thing he does frequently in his sleep...it makes me a little ill.

4. My readers may think I'm crazy for doing this, but I really love to move. While I don't exactly love long-distance PCS-ing, I love moving into a different house and being able to rearrange things.

5. Frankly, my dear, I don't want to turn 30 in less than three weeks! Can't I be 29 forever?

No Wonder Ballerinas Are So Skinny!

2011-08-17T12:29:00.001-05:00

Per usual, I am trying to get in better shape. I've been a fairly regular gym goer for the last ten years, but I must admit I have let myself slip a little. Since our PCS to Texas, I have put on about 10-12 pounds. This means I weigh the most I have ever weighed in my whole life! I'm also getting ready to go on a cruise and can't stand the thought of myself in a bikini in my current state. Something had to be done...

My best friend decided she wanted to try a new workout called X-tend Barre. It's is supposed to be like Pilates infused with a little ballet. I'm always down to try a new workout, so we decided to sign up for one class. When I got to the studio, I was expecting a good (but not too intense) workout... Man, was I in for a surprise!

X-tend Barre works every muscle in your body, and I was feeling muscles I didn't even know I had. There is also a major cardio element to it. To my surprise, I was sweating as much as I do in Spinning class. The ballet moves made me feel a little silly, but they sure kicked my butt!!

So, I decided to sign up for a one month pass. I'm trying to go three times a week, and hopefully I can tone up a little before my 30th Birthday Caribbean Cruise! If you are looking for an intense workout, look into X-tend Barre. It may look like ballet, but its definitely not your average dance class!

Healthy Recipe Installment: The Orange and Gold

2011-08-17T12:14:00.000-05:00

This is another awesome recipe from The Abs Diet. I love, love, love this recipe!! I have made this once a week for the last month. I highly recommend it!

Serves: Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Total: 16 minutes

Ingredients:

-2 2/3 tablespoons peanut oil
-1/3 tablespoons red pepper flakes
-8 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces or strips
-1 1/3 cups matchstick carrots
-1 1/3 cups chopped celery
-4 green onion, sliced
-1/2 cups chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
-1/4 cups hoisin sauce

Directions

1. Combine oil and pepper flakes in a medium-hot skillet.
2. Add chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve over brown rice.

Mr. Duh is a weirdo...

2011-08-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

It's true. My husband is a little strange. I've never met anyone quite like him.

I've always been really good at figuring people out, especially men. I think men are pretty uncomplicated, and extremely easy to understand... except for Mr. Duh. He is an enigma, and he always keeps me on my toes. I have a hard time determining why he does what he does most of the time. He is laid back, but very uptight all at the same time. He's a total goofball, but also a very serious person. I don't understand how his mind works. I think that is a big part of my attraction to him... he is a mystery that I can't wait to solve.

One thing our house never lacks is laughter. He is such a crazy funny guy. Here are a few examples of my husband's hilarious weirdness:

While talking with my pregnant friend and her husband about the newest addition to their family:

Mr. Duh: So, what are you naming the baby?
Friend: We are naming him Tate.
Mr. Duh: You are naming him Tank. That's awesome!
Friend: No, not Tank. Tate.
Mr. Duh: Oh, well that's okay too. Tank is such an awesome name, though. I mean, Tate will be good at sports, but Tank will dominate! I think you should reconsider.

Before we were married, Mr. Duh was moving into his new apartment. I came over to find he only had forks and spoons in the kitchen, and there were no butter knives to be found:

Me: Why didn't you buy any butter knives?
Mr. Duh: Butter knives are for p*ssies. If I'm going to use a knife, I'm going to use a real knife.
Me: What if you need to butter toast or something?
Mr. Duh: That's what spray butter was invented for.

We once went to a party for a friend who had recently made Technical Sergeant in the Air Force. For some reason, Mr. Duh decided to make himself into a beer bong robot. He made a costume (this was in June, not anywhere near Halloween) out of boxes, tin foil, and a beer bong. He proceeded to walk around the party and offer beer bongs to everyone.

Ah, my loving husband. We may have our ups and downs, but at least I'll never stop laughing.

August Obsessions!

2011-08-08T23:40:00.002-05:00

As everyone knows, I'm always looking for a delicious and healthy snack. I found a tasty snack in Popchips! They are healthy, and come in a great variety of flavors. And 120 calories a serving? Yes, please!!

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Since I'm on a short break from grad school, I decided to do a little fun reading. I stumbled upon this book a little while ago, and I'm hooked! The author has some very interesting information on how the female brain works and develops, and I feel like I'm learning a lot about myself and womankind. I especially enjoyed the section on how little girls' brains work... that's information I'm storing away in case I ever have a daughter! I highly recommend this book!

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Ah, debt ceiling, stock market crash, recession, Tea Party... these terms have been terrible music to my ears lately! I have been watching the news obsessively, and find myself frequently up on a soapbox. While politics aren't exactly an obsession I enjoy, I just can't seem to help myself...

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I guess the 80's are back, because I'm loving frozen yogurt! Red Mango is the best! Unfortunately, I haven't seen a Red Mango in Texas, but I'll be enjoying it in Utah while I'm here. Summer just isn't summer without a frosty treat every now and again. Acai Berry yogurt with berries and Captain Crunch is my personal favorite!

Home? What's that?

2011-08-08T15:40:00.001-05:00

Home has so many meanings to me these days. "Home is where your husband is..." or "Home is where you make it..." or "Home is where your heart is..." If you follow some of these coffee-mug style sayings as a Military wife, home can be so many different places.

I'm back in my hometown of Salt Lake City for a couple months, and it just doesn't feel the same. My family is here, many of my friends are here... but it doesn't feel quite like home. When I talk to people here about San Antonio, I say, "Back home..." And that surprises me, because I never through I'd call Texas "Home". Of course, while I'm in Texas, I always call Utah "home".

I guess at the moment, I feel Home-less. I don't feel completely at home anywhere right now. Of course, Mr. Duh is always where my heart is... but pieces of me are always with my friends, my family, my hometown. I guess that is something I'll have to get used to. As a military wife, I'll always be leaving pieces of myself behind, and taking pieces of the places and people I meet with me when I go.

For all my fellow Military Wives out there, where is your "back home"?

It's Friday!

2011-08-05T11:53:00.000-05:00

It's Mil-Spouse fill-in time! This week, we are filling in the blanks of some famous quotes. Thanks again to Wife of a Sailor for keeping it going!

1.Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and ___________________.

His wife will be cooking his fish for a lifetime!

2.It is amazing what you can accomplish if ___________________.

You quit procrastinating!

3.If you can't stand the heat ___________________.

Don't let the Military move you to south Texas!

4.What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to ___________________.

This M.T.I. tour of duty. Everything before it and everything after seem easy in comparison.

5.Well behaved women seldom__________________________.

Get anything they really want. : )

Mil Spouse Fill-In

2011-07-29T12:57:00.000-05:00

It's Friday, so you know what that means! It's Fill-In time!

1. Facebook or Twitter?

I've never used Twitter. I'm not sure if anyone wants to hear that many updates about my boring life. I do love Facebook, though!

2. Hard tacos or soft tacos?

It depends on my mood, but normally I'll go with the soft shell tacos. San Antonio is the home of the "Breakfast Taco", and nothing beats a Chorizo and Egg taco in the morning!

3. Gardening or crafting?

Honestly, neither. I am HORRIBLE at crafts, and I've never gardened a day in my life! I've been burned by a hot glue gun too many times.... I have a feeling I'd like gardening more.

4. Fruit or Veggies?

Both are awesome, and I know I don't eat enough of either. I think also depends on my mood. Most days I try to load up on veggies, but some days a girl just wants a piece of fruit!

5. Motorcycle or bicycle?

Definitely bicycle! My dad has been riding motorcycles since I was little, but I've never liked them, I flat out refuse to get on a motorcycle now. I had a friend killed on a motorcycle in 2004, and I swore I'd never get near a motorcycle ever again in my life.

Baby Fever

2011-07-27T12:49:00.000-05:00

Lately, I know so may people who are having babies. Some of my friends are having their second, third, or even fourth child. Just this week, three of my friends have had babies. I have to admit, it makes me feel a little weird. Why? Well, I'm married, almost 30, have no children, and I'm not sure how I feel about having them.

A lot of women I know are talking about "Baby Fever." They are itching to have a baby! My mom has been telling me about baby fever for years, and has told me that I'll get it one day too... but I'm not too sure about that. It's a little isolating when you are one of the few women around not dying to have a child.

I'm feeling a little resentful these days. I don't want to be 30 years old. I'm upset that because I'm 30, this invisible "clock" has started ticking. As a woman, you should try to have kids before 35, because of all the risks... life is telling me that I better get moving on this whole baby thing soon, otherwise I may just be too old. I'd love to have another ten years to live MY life, but the "clock" won't let me do it. Did I mention that children terrify me?

Now, it's not that I don't ever want to have kids. I always knew I'd have a family one day, with maybe one or two kids. I just wish I had that "Baby Fever" to help me move along into the arena of motherhood. I wish Baby Fever was contagious...

Putting things in perspective...

2011-07-23T17:49:00.002-05:00

I'll admit it, I spend a lot of time complaining on this blog. I complain about being the wife of an M.T.I. I found this woman's story through A Creed and a Psalm, and it really put things in perspective for me today. Here is the story of her sacrifice:

The Dudley Family: Three Knocks at the Door

This woman's husband was killed in action on July 7th, 2011... only a few weeks ago. He was only two weeks away from returning home from his 6th deployment. Through her blog, she shares the story of being notified of her husband's death and the days that followed. I have not stopped crying since reading her story. She has lived every military wife's worst nightmare. She is a strong woman, and I appreciate her sharing her story. God bless her, her family, and her husband. They made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

No matter how hard it is being a T.I.'s wife, I know my husband is coming home at night. I'm definitely counting my blessings today.

Mil-Spouse Fill-In Time

2011-07-22T09:39:00.001-05:00

How I love the Fill-In! Thanks to Wife of a Sailor for keeping it going!

Here it goes!

1. Do you eat raw cookie dough?

I LOVE raw cookie dough! But I try to stay away from cookies as much as I can, so I don't get to eat it very often. Honestly, I think I like the cookie dough more than the cookies themselves.

2. When you get online for the first time of the day… what site do you immediately head to?

Usually, my e-mail comes first. Then I hit Facebook to check on all my people.

3. What was your favorite pet as a child and why?

My mom never allowed any pets in our house, so I was a petless child. My father had a couple of cats, and they were pretty cute. I only saw them every other weekend when I saw my Dad, so they never felt like MY pets. I didn't get my first dog until I was 26.

4. If you had a snail that could magically grant wishes, what would you name it?

That is a very interesting question... I think I'd name him Clarence.

5. How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?

I think that depends on the person... but for me, I'm pretty impatient. I usually bite into it after a few minutes.

Mr. Duh's Flight Graduation

2011-07-10T18:30:00.002-05:00

Here is a clip from Mr. Duh's last flight graduation. He had a great group of female Airmen, and they achieved Warrior Flight ( a pretty big deal for an M.T.I.). While M.T.I. life and I don't get along very well at times, I am always so proud of Mr. Duh! Graduation is one of my favorite parts of the job!

You can see his flight right around 1:53 in the video, and they are announced as Warrior flight a few second later. Enjoy!

Mil-Spouse Weekly Round-Up

2011-07-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

I love the round-up! It's such an awesome way to discover other great mil-spouse blogs!

Thanks to Mowenackie for hosting!

Mil-Spouse Fill-In!

2011-07-08T15:13:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I participated in the Fill-In, but it's one of my favorite weekly blog activities! So, here it goes...

1. Does your Significant Other read your blog? Why is this a good or a bad thing? submitted by Mrs. Alana's Miscellany

He does, from time to time! I think it's a good thing.

2. What is one item in your house that holds the most sentimental value and why? submitted by The Albrecht Squad

I'm not a super sentimental person, but there are a couple items that mean a lot to me. I also have an amazing quilt that was made for me by my friends at the haunted house that I worked for. Leaving the haunted house after 13 years was so hard, and the quilt has a notes and letters from my cast and coworkers sewn on to it. It is one of the greatests gifts I have ever received. My wedding dress is another very sentimental item.

3. When it comes to water fun in the summer do you prefer the beach, the pool, a lake, or the sprinklers? submitted by The Turvo Times

I'm all about the lake!! My friends and I had annual trips to Bear Lake in Utah... such good times.

4. What is the one special thing that you do for yourself to get you through the first week of a deployment/separation? submitted by A Creed and a Psalm

I schedule a girls weekend with my best friends. Pedicure, dinner, movies, wine and a sleepover. Without my ladies, deployments would be so much harder.

5. What is your biggest guilty pleasure website? submitted by Christine's Little Blog

Hmmm... I don't really have any. I'm a complete Facebook addict, and I love searching Amazon.com.... but none of my websites are "guilty" pleasures.

Recipe Time!

2011-07-05T00:27:00.000-05:00

Healthy Recipe: Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage

This is another gem from Cooking Light Magazine. Mr. Duh and I love to do Italian food on Sunday nights, and this is one of my favorites. It comes in at under 450 calories, and makes great leftovers!

Ingredients:

-1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
-1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links
-1 cup chopped onion
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 tablespoon tomato paste
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
-1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
-Cooking spray
-1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
-1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
3. Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble.
4. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. 5. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil.
7. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers.
8. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

-Serves 8

Packing...

2011-07-04T12:56:00.000-05:00

I'm leaving for Utah on Wednesday morning, and it feels kind of weird. I'm used to my husband packing up and going away for months at a time... but this time I'm the one that's going away. Strange.

I'm only going to be gone for 2-3 months, so I don't have to much to take with me. Clothes, workout DVD's, cookbooks, school books, a couple photos of Mr. Duh, and my laptop. I can easily get away with only taking two suitcases.

It's a 24 hour drive back home, so I downloaded a couple audiobooks to keep me entertained on the long trek home. Being the nerd that I am, I'll be listening to The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman (a World War I novel) and 1776 by David McCullough. I love me some history!

Once I'm back in Salt Lake, I'll only have a day or two to settle in before it's time to get to work for the family business. Hopefully, I'll be a fast learner and start helping them as much as I can.

For now, I'm packing, cleaning, and getting myself ready to hit the road...

June Obsessions!

2011-06-26T13:02:00.002-05:00

Mr. Duh and I bought one of these last month, and I have been loving it! I was a big purchase (around $1000), but it fits perfectly in our workout room and has a lot of great workouts!! I absolutely love having an elliptical in my house! If you are ever thinking about buying a not-so-high end elliptical, I definitely recommend this one.

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I have been enjoying Morning Star Farms products for awhile now, but these were a recent discovery. They don't taste vegan or soy at all! Actually, they don't even taste like health food. I have been eating them for lunch on a wheat bun with light mayo and pickles... Delicious!

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Okay, I'll admit it... Yankee Candles are always an obession, but I recently discovered this awesome scent. I usually prefer the fruit/food smells like Vanilla Birthday Cake and Pumpkin Spice, but this candle may have converted me. It smells just like towels that are fresh out of the dryer, how can you not love that??

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I have never been one to take good care of my fingernails. I usually just clip and file them a little, and I never wear nail polish. I dislike acrylic nails, because I don't like to have my nails very long either. Last week, some friends and I decided to try Gel Nails... and I love them! They don't involve any fake nails, just a shellac-type stuff that goes over your real nails. The nails are harder and perfectly polishes, and I didn't need to add any length to my nails. The biggest bonus is that it doesn't do any damage to your nails like acrylic nails do. I may have to keep up with the gel nails...

Ch-ch-changes!

2011-06-24T15:35:00.001-05:00

Well, there are some changes on the horizon for Mrs. Duh!

This week, I put in my two-weeks notice at MegaCorp. After working for them for almost a year and a half (the longest 16 months of my life), I am throwing in the towel. An opportunity arose for me to return to Utah for a few months and help with my family's struggling business, so I went for it. Not only am I glad that I can help out my family in this tough time, but I really need to get back home for awhile. Ever since this tour started, I feel like I'm losing touch with who I am... and maybe going home will help me remember.

Once I get back to Texas in the Fall, I'll be working remotely from home for my family. I'm pretty excited to start working from home, but I hope I can keep my motivation up. I've never been a good self-directed worker, and home has a lot of distractions. I'm willing to give it my all, and hopefully it will work out for the best.

While I didn't enjoy much of my time at MegaCorp, I would like to say thank you to the company for all it has done for me. Here's why:

-I have met some absolutely wonderful people there (a few of whom I know I'll be friends with for life).
-MegaCorp also inspired me to get a Master's Degree, due to their paid tuition for employees. While I'll be using other payment methods for this next year, I'm so thankful for the push the company gave me to get back into school.
-MegaCorp pushed me to work harder, better and faster than I ever thought I could. I used to think I was plagued with a poor work ethic, until I started working there. It made me realize that I am a hard worker, and any company is lucky to have me on their team.

Now that this chapter of my San Antonio life is closing, I'm excited to see what the next chapter has in store...

Side Note:

We found out yesterday that Mr. Duh made Tech Sgt.!! I'm so proud of him! He's such an asset to the Air Force, and he earned this new stripe. Way to go, Honey!

Miscellany Monday

2011-05-30T15:38:00.002-05:00

I've seen the Miscellany Monday posts for some time over at http://talesfromasailorssoulmate.blogspot.com, a great military wife blog. So, I decided to give it a try! I'm always full of random ramblings, so this could be a good thing for me.

one. Memorial Monday

As a military wife, Memorial Day has such a deep and real meaning. I'm not only the wife of an Airman, but I am also the daughter and step-daughter of two veterans. My father served honorably in the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. My step-mother also served honorably in Desert Storm. My husband has served five tours in the Middle East since 2002. While my family has sacrificed a lot, we have never had to make the ultimate sacrifice. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who have lost a service member in times of war. My thoughts and prayers also to those who have sacrificed their mental and physical health for our country. Thank you to our military for all of your sacrifices, and for standing up for our freedoms and American way of life.

two. Sleep Tight

The bed Mr. Duh and I have shared has been getting a little old. He brought his King-sized mattress into our relationship, and it has just passed its eighth year of service. As the hill in the middle of our mattress grew larger, and the valleys we slept in grew wider, I decided this weekend that I couldn't take it anymore! Not to mention all of those "Replace in 8" commercials I was seeing that talk about how your mattress doubles in weight after eight years, thanks to skin cells, sweat and dustmites (Bleck)... So I bit the bullet and bought a new mattress this weekend. It's a Simmons Beautyrest, and the mattress model is called "Roosevelt". I must admit, its been nothing but sweet dreams for the past few days.

three. Hot Time in the Old Town

San Antonio can get so hot... and I hate the heat. Utah has hot summers, but it ain't got nothin' on San Antone. It's 100 degrees out today, and its not even June! I'll be hibernating all summer. I'll be inside all day and night, with the exception of going from the car into work/school/stores/etc. While its great to live somewhere without winter, I think I'd rather trade the hot summers for winter.

four. The Hangover II

I'm so excited for this movie! Mr. Duh and I are heading out in a couple hours to see it. The Hangover spawned so many one liners that I frequently use in conversation and text messages ("Yeah, it's on the corner of Get a Map and F**k Off"). It will be hard to top the awesomeness of the first Hangover, but I'm excited to watch the attempt!

five. Beer Pong

I have been playing beer pong for over ten years, and I still manage to be the worst beer pong player I know. I has a BBQ last night, and my friends all decided to play a few rounds. I got completely schooled by someone who had never played before! How can I be so bad at beer pong after all these years? Maybe I should switch to a drinking game for the non-athletically inclined...

May Obsessions!

2011-05-24T22:27:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the start of my hardest semester yet... blogging has fallen to the wayside. I have decided to take my nose out of the books for a few minutes and post a blog with my favorite things this month!

I was on the hunt for some more workout videos, since Mr. Duh and I are working on turning one of our rooms into a home gym. I stumbled upon this on Amazon.com one night, and decided to order it... and its a great little workout video! They designed workouts based on body type - Curvy, Athletic, or Lean. There are cardio and strength training workouts. They are hardcore, but not too long that they get overwhelming. For $6.99, this was a darn good buy!

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As most of you know, I try to eat healthy. Unfortunately, I'm big also on snacking. I decided to give these a whirl, because I love me some chips. For only 110 calories for 26 chips, this is a snack that I can't feel guilty about.

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I've been wearing Bare Minerals on and off for years. My "almost-30" skin has been going through transition lately. I was looking for something that would do the job, but isn't too medicated. I ran across this stuff and Sephora and it was a great buy. It doesn't dry me out and makes my skin look rather radiant.

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I know, I know... why Jessica Simpson? Sure, her music is kind of mediocre. Sure, she's a little crazy. But you know what? Jessica Simpson makes some friggin' nice clothes, purses and shoes! I bought a few of her shirts and a purse this month, and I love them! Keep them comin', Jess!

Healthy Recipe Installment: Hot Headed Chicken

2011-05-03T18:49:00.001-05:00

This is one of my favorite weeknight recipes! It's tasty, healthy, and super fast to make! What makes it so fast is the pre-cooked chicken (you can get it from the lunch meat aisle in the grocery store), then I use microwaveable brown rice. I can usually get this whipped up in under 15 minutes. I got this recipe out of the Abs Diet Cookbook, which is full of great low-calorie recipes. Enjoy!

Hot Headed Chicken

Ingredients:

2/3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cups diced onion
2/3 cups diced red pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Sri-racha hot sauce to taste
3 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
3 cups diced precooked chicken

Directions
1. Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until onion softens. Add egg,stirring frequently. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes more until egg scrambles. Add soy sauce, hot sauce, rice, and chicken. Stir and cook about 3 minutes more, until dish is well blended and evenly heated. Serves 4.

Nutritional Facts per serving:

CALORIES 373.6 CAL

FAT 8.3 G

SATURATED FAT 1.4 G

PROTEIN 27.2 G

When Anxiety Attacks...

2011-05-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

I spent many years being a pretty relaxed person. Sure, I would worry about things, but never to the point where it would interrupt my daily life. I felt confident about who I was and where I was. Lately, that has all changed...

I had an anxiety attack last Wednesday morning. It was the fourth one I've had in the last year, and it was scary. I felt shaky, upset, and completely out of control. I never used to be like this.

I don't want this blog to be a giant negative-fest, but I can't help but mention these attacks. Ever since leaving home, life has not been the same. I think I have reached a breaking point.

I miss home so much. I miss the beauty of Salt Lake, my friends, my family, and the full and satisfying life I made for myself over 28 years. My life in San Antonio has its good points, but its less than ideal. Being married to an MTI is very difficult. While our marriage is strong, the job puts so much strain on the relationship. I have a job that I cannot stand, school is stressful, and I don't like this city.

I know that being a military wife is hard, and I know I "chose" this life when I married into the military... but these days its just too much for me.
Hopefully, I'll be able to get to the root of this issue. This whole panic attack thing really has no place in my life.

My April Obsessions

2011-04-14T09:55:00.008-05:00

I was skeptical of these at first, as it is pretty tough to top a good ol' Oreo. I was pleasantly surprised! I have had two as a snack every night for the last two weeks! I highly recommend!

I have also been skeptical of everything organic, but I decided to give this a try... and I'm definitely obsessed! While I haven't been much of a milk drinker in my past, I really enjoy having a small glass of this every day. Did I mention it goes really well with the Golden Oreos?

I was using a different detangler before, and it was making my hair small a little weird and made my roots very weighted down. I also recently lightened my hair, and it definitely did a some damage. The first day I used this my hair felt healthier, smelled great, and was so easy to style! This product has made me a believer!

I love, love, love the smell of this lotion! Putting it on every day is such a treat!

I've had P90X for awhile, and this is the first time I have really been able to follow the program on it's schedule. After a couple weeks, I'm already seeing some improvement! Way to go, P90X!

The Finals Countdown

2011-04-10T16:29:00.003-05:00

It's days like today when I begin questioning why I decided to pursue a post-graduate degree.

I have spent my entire weekend up to my nostrils in scholary articles and my Research Methods text. Sure, sure... I probably could have started writing my paper weeks ago. I could have not waited until the last week of the semester to start studying for my exam. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

I was never a very good student. I'm not dumb or anything, but procrastination is definitely written into my DNA. It took me ten years to complete my Bachelors degree, and it took that long because I hate to buckle down and get things done.
Some days I can't believe I actually decided to get a Master's Degree. After 10 years of school, I probably should have taken a little break.

I'm going to school on my employer's dime, so there is a much different motivation than there was before. I like going to school for free, and don't feel like having to payback the tuition if I fail... so here I sit, struggling with my research paper.

For the most part, school isn't that bad. I like to learn. The classes also have a social aspect, which is nice for a military wife who needs to meet people. Somedays, I just don't want to do schoolwork. Do you know what I mean?

How do you (or did you) keep yourself motivated in school? Any tips for the struggling graduate student?

Weekly Round-Up!

2011-04-08T08:47:00.001-05:00

Mil-Spouse Survey!

2011-04-07T10:41:00.006-05:00

How I love a good survey! I found it on a great mil-spouse blog, http://heatherashleydz.blogspot.com/. thanks to her for sharing!

1. How long have you been a military wife? 4 years in November.

2. What branch of service is your husband? Air Force.

3. Active/Reserve? We are an Active Duty family.

4. What is his job? Currently, he is a Military Training Instructor (a.k.a. Drill Sgt.).

5. How many deployments have you gone through? I have been through two, but Mr. Duh has had five total.

6. Camo or Dress uniforms on your man? I love me some dress blues! Add in the Drill Sgt. Hat? Woohoo!! I love it!

7. What do you like about being a military wife? I love that my husband is a part of something so important. And I feel like through supporting him, I'm doing something important too!

8. Do you live on base? Not anymore. We did once... and probably won't do it again! Right now, we live in a very nice neighborhood that is about 10 minutes from the base.

9. What is your favorite base so far? Well, I've only been to two so far. One was Hill AFB, Utah , which was about 20 minutes from my hometown. The other is Lackland AFB, Texas. Take a wild guess at which one I like more!

10. What is the hardest part of the military life? Being away from family and friends, the long hours, the deployments...

11. Do you go to the grocery store or Commissary? Usually, the commissiary. I think they've got the best deals. Although I avoid it when I don't feel like dealing with crowds.

12. Do you work or stay at home? I work full time as a Claims Adjuster, and I'm getting my Master's degree. Mr. Duh works over 80 hours a week, 7 days a week these days, so I'm thankful for my job. It keeps me busy.

13. Do you have a lot of military wife friends? I have a few here, and hardly any back home. It's nice to have a mix of military and civilian friends. I love my military wife friends, its nice to have friends who really understand what you are going through.

14. Do you prefer Walmart or the BX/PX/NEX/MCX? Neither! I prefer Target. I do love that the BX sells Yankee Candles, though...

15. How did your husband propose? Mr. Duh and I decided to spend a night downtown. We had plans to go out for a very nice dinner, drinks with friends, then stay at a nice hotel which has a lot of memories for us. Mr. Duh was going to propose during dinner, but another couple got engaged while we were sitting there. So, he decided not to propoose there. We went up to the room to change for the bar. I turned around to adjust the temperature in the room, and when I turned back around he was on his knee with a ring. The best part about it is that I was completely surprised! I had no idea he was going to propose!

16. Did you marry him after he joined or before? After. Mr. Duh had been in the USAF for 5 years when we got married.

17. How long have you been together? We became exclusive in September 2005.

18. Any kids? Not at this time, but we have two beautiful fur-children.

19. Any kids yet to come? Possibly.

20. Is your husband one of those "I am soldier hear me HOOAH" kind of guys? Mr. Duh is definitely a military man, through and through. He takes his duty and commitment very seriously, especially now that he is training others to be Airmen. But he doesn't bring work home with him, and doesn't spend a lot of time talking about work when he is at home. I think he has a good balance.

21. Have you ever done combatives with your husband? I don't think so, but we drink a lot... so who knows.

22. How many bases have you lived at? This is my second base... and I can't wait to leave!!

23. If you could change one thing about the military? I really miss my hometown, my friends, and my family. I would it if I could move back there and we could stay there for the rest of his career. The moving has been rough.

24. Do you like military balls? I've never been.

25. Where does your family live? My family is mainly concentrated in Salt Lake City, Utah. My in-laws are in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.

26. What do you do for a job? I work as an Auto Claims adjuster for a large auto insurance company (I refer to it as Megacorp).

27. Have you ever gotten in a fight with an NCO's wife? Nope. I'm not a fighter.

28. Name one thing you do when your husband is gone. I eat healthier, fall asleep with the TV on and pee with the bathroom door open.

29. Do you think other wives do that too? I would imagine that some do!

Alpha to Zulu!

2011-04-04T19:33:00.002-05:00

Describe military life? Geez... that is pretty difficult! But my wonderful blog friend at Riding the Rollercoaster has thrown down the challenge! So, here it goes...

Military Life from Alpha to Zulu

ALPHA
America, Afghanistan, Amazing, Adapting, Air Force

BRAVO
Base, BAH, BDU's, Basic Military Training

CHARLIE
Contact, Confusion, Courage, Camo, Command Voice, Community

DELTA
Drill Sgt., Deployments, Dinners, Disappointment, Dreams

ECHO
Eating Alone, Excellence, Enlisted

FOXTROT
FUBAR, Flexible, Flutter Kicks

GOLF
Graveyards, Gone, GI Bill, Going Aways

HOTEL
High and tight, Homecomings, Home

INDIA
Iraq, Irony, ID's

JULIET
Jets, Jodies

KILO
Key Spouse

LIMA
Leave, Love, Logistics

MIKE
Military brats, Moving, Marching, Medals

NOVEMBER
NCO, National security

OSCAR
Objective, Obstacle, Orders

PAPA
PCS, Perseverance, Prayer, Parade, Promotion, Push-ups

QUEBEC
Questions

ROMEO
Rank, Revilie, Retirement

SIERRA
Sergeant, Salute, Skype, Stripe, Strength, Sponsor's Social

TANGO
Tricare, Trainees, Taps, Tears, Test, TSP

UNIFORM
Uniforms, Unity, USAA

VICTOR
Veterans, Volun-told

WHISKEY
War, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

X-RAY
XO

YANKEE
Yellow ribbons, Yikes

ZULU
(Time) Zones

Mil-Spouse Fill-In!

2011-04-01T09:55:00.004-05:00

1. What romance movie scene reminds you of your s/o or spouse and the LOVE you share? submitted by Simply Sunshine and Daisy's

Honestly, Mr. Duh and I are not very romantic people. So, it's difficult to choose a romantic scene because we are such goofballs! We might be a little bit "When Harry and Sally", a little bit "Just Married", and maybe a little "Officer and a Gentleman".

2. If you were allowed to deploy with your husband to a war zone would you and why? submitted by I & J

Hell to the no! I love Mr. Duh a whole lot, but they don't need people like me in a war zone. I let him handle the military stuff, and I handle the homefront.

3. Have you ever done anything (intentionally, or unintentionally) to embarrass your spouse/significant other in front of his military cohorts? submitted by Marrying the Navy

No. He does a pretty good job of that on his own. : )

4. What is your most irrational fear? submitted by Eights on the Move

I am a person with many phobias. I fear death, snakes, bees, flying... but my weirdest phobia is of wooden spoons. It's not really a fear as much as it is an intense dislike. I hate, hate, HATE wooden spoons. They are not allowed anywhere near me.

5. If you could only live in one kind of climate for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? submitted by Many Waters

I'd love a climate like San Francisco's. Not too hot, not too cold. It stays in the area of 55-75 degrees, which would be perfect. Although Hawaii's wouldn't be too bad either...

I'm Famous - America Haunts Nightmare on 13th

2011-03-22T17:22:00.001-05:00

It looks like someone got around to posting the video from America Haunts on YouTube! I was so excited when our haunted house was featured on the Travel Channel! It was definitely my 15 minutes of fame!

Another Healthy Recipe Installment

2011-03-21T15:24:00.004-05:00

This one is one of Mr. Duh's faves! It's a recipe I found on Cooking Light, and it's delicious!! did I mention that it reheats beautifully?

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Nutritional Information
Calories:354 (36% from fat)
Fat:14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:18.9g
Carbohydrate:36.3g
Fiber:2.5g
Cholesterol:58mg
Iron:1.7mg
Sodium:620mg
Calcium:179mg

An M.T.I.'s Wife...

2011-03-19T09:44:00.001-05:00

It has been an interesting couple of years so far. Being married to a Military Training Instructor is not the easiest thing in the world. As with most jobs in the military, we admire our husbands for the hard work they do and the sacrifices they make. T.I.'s (Drill Sergeants to the lay people) work so hard and sacrifice so much... and so do their wives and kids.

Mr. Duh first mentioned that he was thinking about this job back in 2006. This was almost two years before we were married, and even then I knew he'd be perfect for the job. I think it's a combination of his personality, work ethic, Marine Corps training, and general hardcore-ness he has about him. He is the antithesis of a quitter. He's never sick, never gives up, and can push through pain better than anyone I know. And he loves the military. He takes so much pride in his duty and everything related to the military down to the crease in his pants and the shine of his boots.

A couple deployments and a wedding later, the Training Instructor thing came up again. The Air Force was increasing the length of Basic Training and they were having a big push for T.I.'s, so Mr. Duh brought it up to me again. We had just come off a 6 month deployment, and the thought a four year tour with no possibility of deployment was sounding like a pretty good deal to me. Mr. Duh had to jump through a number of hoops, and we both had to go through psychological evaluations to make sure we could handle the stresses of the job.

No matter how many times we heard about the long hours and stress involved with being a T.I., nothing can ever prepare you for how it is actually going to be. It's hard to imagine what 20 straight 18-hour days are like until you see your husband going through it. You can't imagine how it will affect your marriage until you are going through it. You can't imagine how the job will change your husband until you are going through it.

Mr. Duh has no life outside of his job. On his days off, he's usually running errands or resting. He hasn't had the chance to make too many friends due to his schedule, and they guys he is friends with are working the same hellish hours that he is. He has been living in San Antonio for almost two years, and doesn't know anything about the city. If its not in between home and work, he probably hasn't seen it. When we finally PCS out of here, he'll probably not remember much about San Antonio.

The nature of the job itself also changes things. My husband spends all day telling people what to do. Drill Sergeants are never, ever wrong. That's part of their job. When someone does something wrong, they are encouraged to fly off the handle. They live on the defensive. And when someone has to live that mentality day in and day out, its hard for them to not bring it home. Mr. Duh doesn't go crazy Drill Sgt. on me at home, but we don't work through problems like we used to. It's hard to tell him when he has done something wrong without him getting very defensive. I try to keep things in perspective, but its hard sometimes.

In the two years that Mr. Duh has been here, there have been a lot of T.I.'s that have had to tap out. Marriages for some T.I's are on the rocks. Their personal lives are basically non-existant. I wish I could truly impart to people how difficult it is to be a Military Training Instructor, and being the wife of one is not easy either. Just like most T.I. families, we are counting down the days until this tour is over. I want my husband back. The only thing that makes this tour bearable is knowing how great he is at his job.

God Bless the wives of Drill Sergeants everywhere!

Fill-In!

2011-03-18T08:28:00.008-05:00

1. What are some of your ideas for staying connected with family...you know, those people we moved thousands of miles away from? submitted by Live it. Love it (or not).
I'm pretty basic when it comes to keeping in touch. I have my blog to keep people updated, and Facebook to stay updated. My mom, dad, and best friend get weekly phone calls.

2. What's the most romantic gift you have GIVEN? submitted by Painting My Canvas
We are pretty practical in the Duh house when giving gifts. Mr. Duh usually gets workout equipment or electronics as presents. When he PCS'ed to Lackland, I had to stay behind in Salt Lake City for six months. I came to San Antonio for a visit, and met him at the airport wearing a hot dress and some very sexy lingerie underneath. I don't know if that can be classified as "romantic", but he sure appreciated it.

3. Would you encourage your child, if they came to you and wanted to join the military? submitted by Perfectly Imperfect
I would, although I'd also encourage them to get a college degree first and join as an officer. We are an enlisted family, which is absolutely great... but I think it's good to have the degree first just in case the military isn't something my child would want to do until retirement. I believe the military has a lot of great benefits, which I believe outweigh the negatives. If my child was really interested, I'd make sure they had all the facts and get behind them 100% on their decision.

4. What is your least favorite bill to pay and why? submitted by A Little of This, A Little of That
Um... all of them. If I have to choose, my least favorite is my credit card bill. It has the highest interest of all my bills (altough not that high), and it always seems to have the most frivolous things on it. I wish I would have had the money before I made the purchase, then I wouldn't be paying that stupid bill.

5. What is the proudest moment you've had as a military spouse? submitted by Our Okinawa Life
For me personally, this first PCS is an ongoing proud moment. I'm always hitting small milestones. For example, I haven't cried about missing home for almost six months. I've got a life here, and I'm making more of a life here every day. One year ago, I had no idea how I'd ever feel at home. Today, I am learning to love my life here.

As for being proud of Mr. Duh, it was the first time I saw him march his Warrior Flight down the Bomb Run at Basic Military Training graduation. I absolutely love seeing his flights graduate. Every flight requires so much hard work and sacrifice on his part, and I know how much he cares about them. Graduations are my favorite.

The Military Spouse Fill-In is courtesy of Wife of a Sailor at http://wifeofasailor.com/.

Jumping on the Recipe bandwagon...

2011-02-27T19:11:00.004-06:00

I know a lot of people already post recipes online, and I'm not trying to morph into a foodie or anything. I have realized recently that I do a lot of weeknight healthy cooking, and I have some pretty good healthy recipes to share. I don't follow any particular diet, but I try to focus on recipes with lower calories and lower fat.

I get my recipes from a variety of healthy cookbooks and magazines. Since some of my buddies have been asking me to share, I figured I'd start posting a healthy recipe every week or so. So, here's my first one:

Taco Pasta Salad -

Ingredients:

-4 portions Tri-Color Rotini Pasta
-1 lb. extra lean ground beef
-1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
-1/2 c. water
-1 small onion, diced
-1 green pepper, diced
-1/4 c. salsa
-1/4 c. fat free sour cream
-Reduced fat cheddar cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, cook onion and ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until beef is no longer pink.
3. Add water, taco seasoning, and bell pepper to the cooked ground beef. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
4. While beef is simmering, combine sour cream and salsa in a small bowl.
5. Separate pasta into 4 bowls. Top with a portion of ground beef mixture. Sprinkle each with cheese, and top with a dollop of sour cream-salsa mixture. Serve and enjoy!!

Back in the Saddle - Mil-Spouse Fill In!

2011-02-25T07:59:00.003-06:00

1. Aside from no deployments, what is one thing you would want to make the MilSpouse life “perfect”? submitted by Oh How Delightful

If my best friends could come with me on every PCS! My least favorite thing about military life is the fact that you have to leave your friends. Not only did I have to leave my friends back home, but I'll soon have to leave the awesome friends I have made at this base.

2. Just how many peppers did Peter Piper pick? submitted by Married into Army

89.

3. If you could have any career in the world with nothing holding you back, what would you do? submitted by It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To

Is being independently wealthy a career? Aside from that, I'd love to be an astronomer. Space and the stars fascinate me!

4. Do you have a service oriented tattoo and if so what is it. If you don’t what would you get? submitted by The Squid’s Accomplice

I have a tattoo of an anchor on my stomach, does that count? I definitely didn't intend to have a Navy-style tattoo. I got that tattoo when I was 18, which was eight years before I married into the Air Force.

5. Imagine a block of time has opened up in your busy day for you to take a class in anything you like. What subject would you choose? submitted by To The Nth

Well, I'm already in a Masters program... so honestly, I can't handle any more classes! I would love to take a Pilates Reformer class. That would be nice.

A Quick Update...

2011-02-23T12:36:00.002-06:00

Life has been a little nuts lately, so I apologize for my lack of blogging.

I wanted to give a quick update, and hopefully I can return to regular blogging soon.

Today is my last day in the Total Loss Department at MegaCorp. Praise the Lord! While my next position won't be too much different, I am sooooooo welcoming a few weeks off the phone. Plus, a few of my favorite MegaCorp pals were promoted with me. so, I get to enjoy their company during training.

School has been kicking my butt all over the place. Research Methods/Statistics is much worse at the graduate level. I'm definitely not feeling a 4.0 this semester.

Mr. Duh is working like crazy, but that's pretty normal. He gave me some of the best Valentine's gifts, and he's been such a great help around the house lately. I just can't imagine life without him!

I hope all of you are having a great start to the year! So, tell me... what's new in your life right now?

Mrs. Duh Meets "The Mudder"

2011-01-31T21:25:00.005-06:00

The Tough Mudder was last Saturday, and wow... it was definitely an experience.

We arrived around 10am, after a two hour drive. I was feeling positive, in spite of the weeks of panicking about the event. There were a lot of people there, dressed in all kinds of crazy costumes. There were smurfs, ballerinas, many men in nothing but speedos and thongs, ninja turtles, etc. We were definitely one of the more "boring" teams.

The race started off on a large dirt bike track. This posed a major issue for me, as I'm not really a runner. So, when you add about 100 small and steep hills into the mix, there was no way I'd be able to do much running. I did my best walking some and jogging some.

The first obstacle was a low crawl in a mud pit, where you had to stay low enough to avoid the barbed wire overhead. That was followed by a deep mud pit full of water and ice. Those were both pretty fun! While it was cold and icky, I thought getting muddy was awesome!

We continued along the tracks, crawled under nets , then climbed mud hills and slid down on our butts. We then started heading out into nature, where luckily the ground leveled out. Unfortuneately, the trails got narrower and rockier. I think I rolled each of my ankles about 10 times! By Mile 3 of 10, my body was already extremely tired. I had an internal panic attack at the thought of 7 more miles after what I had already been through, but I kept truckin' and kept smiling.

We walk/jogged through another 4 miles of trails and mud pits, climbed walls and hay bales, crawled through tiny little wooden tubes. Once we came out of the wilderness, and back to the dirt bike track, we hit the smoke shack. It was a small barn that was pitch black and filled with smoke. The surprise was a 10 foot slide into a mud pit then required a ten foot climb up a slippery mud hill to get out. I ended up hurting my leg on the slide down... and that's where I started to struggle.

Although my leg and ankles were hurting, I pressed on. Mr. Duh was still doing great and not in any pain (except for the shooting pains in his man-parts... Damn that freezing cold water). That's when we came to my least favorite part of the Mudder, the 50 Yard Swim.

Now I'm not the worlds greatest swimmer, but I swim just fine. So, I decided to jump in the giant pond for the long swim. I figured it would be difficult since I was fatigued and fully clothed, but I didn't expect this. I jumped in, and the water was around 45 degrees. I started swimming, and the cold water completely took my breath away. Unfortunatly, I couldn't touch the bottom... so swimming was my only option. I was swimming as hard as I could, but was out of breath and not moving very far. For the first time in my life, I thought I might actually drown. Apparently, I wasn't alone, because a lot of people seemed to be struggling. About 20 feet from the shore, I knew I couldn't swim anymore. Thankfully, Mr. Duh (my hero), grabbed me and swam to shore.

After that, I had to skip the next couple obstacles. I was a little freaked out, having a difficult time catching my breath, and I was frozen! Mr. Duh did the next couple obstacles as I cheered him on. We continued on and finished the last two obstacles together. I had been unable to jog the last two miles, but promised I'd jog the last leg to the finish line.

Mr. Duh and I jogged the last bit, and crossed the finish line holding hands. I was so glad to be done... I almost cried. But Tough Mudders don't cry, so I grabbed my piece of mylar and chugged my Dos Equis. I had mud in my teeth, ears, underwear, etc. We finished the ten mile course in 3 hours 45 minutes.

Mr. Duh was the absolute best teammate on the planet. As most of you know, he is in much better shape than I am. He is also a really great runner. While so many teams passed us up, he stayed by my side and walked with me when I needed to walk. He always helped me in and out of the mud pits. He never pushed me to do something I knew I couldn't do, constantly told me he was proud of me, and kept me smiling the whole time. I absolutely could not have made it to the finish line without him. I think my love for him multiplied a hundred times after this experience.

It was Mr. Duh's plan for us to take a challenge head-on, help each other every step of the way, and complete it together. He told me it would make us closer... and he was right.

I've spent the last few days limping around like a 90 year old woman. Every muscle in my body hurts, I'm sunburned, bruised, and my feet are blistered. It was definitely the hardest thing I have ever done, but I'm glad I did it. Will I ever do it again? Hmmm...

(More photos to come!)

The Silver Lining...

2011-01-24T21:18:00.003-06:00

If you have read this blog at all over the last year, you may know that I have a job that I dont exactly love. My job is extremely fast paced and horribly stressful. Did I mention I work in a glorified call center? I am frequently being yelled at, and have to apologize multiple times a day for things that aren't my fault. I literally have to force myself to go to work most days.

Today, though, there was a silver lining! Megacorp announced our annual bonus today, and its 18.4%!!!! That is almost two months pay! I am so excited! I'm so thankful today that I work for such a financially sound company that rewards its employees so well.

Mr. Duh and I are going to be responsible and pay off my car with the bonus cash, and put some money towards paying off our new furniture. Not fun, I know. But at least that will be one less bill to pay.

I also got a promotion a few weeks ago. I'll be moving to a different department, but unfortunately the work will be just about the same as what I do now. I'm hoping there will be some decrease in the stress level, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that.

After today, I'm glad to see that this cloud has a silver lining.

The Daily Grind

2011-01-19T17:20:00.000-06:00

What has Mr. Duh gotten me into?

2011-01-09T13:24:00.004-06:00

I arrived home from work the other day, and Mr. Duh said he had a surprise for me. Hoping it was flowers, a nice dinner, or possibly a clean house, I was kind of excited to find out what it was. He then proceeds to tell me that he has signed us up for the Tough Mudder Race in Austin, Texas. Needless to say, I was not so thrilled.

For those of you who are not aware of what the Tough Mudder is, here's a link:

It's a ten-mile obstacle course where you crawl through mud, climb walls, run through fire, get shocked, etc., etc. Not only does he tell me that he has spent $340.00 signing us up, but it's in three weeks.

Three Weeks??? You've got to be kidding me! I'm in the worst shape I've been in since high school, battling a sinus infection, and have had absolutely no time to prepare! Unlike my Drill Sgt. husband, who is basically paid to work out and stay in shape, I am paid to sit on my butt for 8 hours a day.

Mr. Duh keeps telling me that it's not about the how fast we finish or how good we are at it, but that we take on a challenge together and complete it together. I guess I can understand his way of thinking, but I'm still completely terrified to do the Tough Mudder.

So, I'm spending the next three weeks trying to exercise and prepare for this race. There is a lot of cardio and P90X in my future. I'm hoping that I can get into a place mentally where I can see myself doing this race without fear of crying or spraining something.

The race is January 29th. I hope you can all say a little prayer that I make it through!

Looking Backwards and Forwards!

2011-01-02T09:51:00.003-06:00

My oh my! What a year 2010 turned out to be! It was by far the weirdest, most challenging, and most eye-opening year of my life (so far). Since it is the start of a new year, I want to spend a little time reflecting.

I arrived in Texas a few days before Christmas 2009. Thanks to Mr. Duh's job, he was asleep by 9pm on New Years Eve last year. I rang in 2010 by myself, watching Julie & Julia, and crying because I missed home so much. I had a job by February, and was blessed to make a couple of good friends. I tried to get to know the city, be social, and make as much of a life for myself as I could. By August, I was back in school. I got my first 4.0 this year! Adjusting to life without the haunted house was horribly difficult, but I made it through the sadness. Unfortunately, Mr. Duh wasn't involved in many activities this year, due to his job. While he is usually tired or busy, I'm thankful that he's asleep in our bed every night, and not in a bunker in the desert.

We had a lovely Christmas! Mama Duh came to stay with us over the holidays, and spoiled us rotten. It was nice to have family in town for Christmas. Christmas Day was spent with Mr. Duh, his mother, and some of our good friends and their kids. We had dinner, drank wine, chatted, laughed, and just enjoyed each others company. It really made me realize how far I have come in a year. While my life may never be as full as it was in Utah, I am so thankful for the friends I have made, and the nice life we have here.

Unlike last year, this New Years was spent in the company of friends. Mr. Duh was even able to join in the festivities! We spent the first day of 2011 recovering from our hangovers and laughing about the night before. I rang in 2010 feeling lost, and the beginning of 2011 has left me feeling blessed and hopeful.

I am a person who makes New Years Resolutions, although I never have much success in keeping them. I have made some for 2011, and I am hopeful that I can keep them!

My 2011 Resolutions:

Lose 10lbs. - I know this is such a generic one, but I'd love to lose the ten pounds I have gained since moving here. I've started calorie counting, and plan on hitting the gym harder than I have in a long time.

Walk My Dogs - Thanks to the demanding schedules of the Duh Family, our poor little doggies are often left in the house. While we play with them a lot, the frequency of their walks has greatly decreased. I plan on getting them out almost every day of the week for walks.

Complain Less - I spent a lot of 2010 complaining about my life, Mr. Duh's job, my job, Texas, etc. That doesn't help my mindset or situation at all. So, I'm going to work on speaking less negatively.

Be More Organized - I have to blame my exhausting job for the current state of my home. While it may look okay on the surface, inside the closets and drawers are a huge mess!! I plan on making sure everything has its place in 2011.

Well, I can't wait to see what 2011 brings for me and all of you!! Here's to hoping!

Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?

2010-12-27T20:06:00.002-06:00

Hmmmm... I have a lot of good things going for me right now. As much as I loathe it most days, I'd probably say my job. I make decent money, I'm gaining good experience, and there are so many fringe benefits. Hopefully, I won't have to do my exact job for too much longer (the call center environment is killing me), but it's a good stepping stone.

Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

2010-12-13T17:40:00.002-06:00

While some days I feel like giving up on my job, school, Texas, etc., I have never seriously thought about giving up on life.

My family has endured a number of suicides and suicide attempts, including the death of my oldest brother when I was 13 years old. When you have seen up-close what suicides do to families, I don't know how anyone could ever consider it. It causes so much grief and pain, and its so unneccessary and preventable.

I think life is such a gift, and no pain in life is worth ending it all. I am a firm believer that God will never give me anything I cannot handle, and I'm blessed enough to have wonderful support from friends and family when things are difficult.

Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

2010-12-07T21:48:00.002-06:00

I really do love life. In spite of all the complaints, rough patches, and tears... life is absolutely beautiful. The happiness and the pain make it into one amazaing ride.

I believe the reason I am still here is a combination of destiny and chance. I belive that I am still here because God wants to be, but I also believe I am here because I have been lucky enough to avoid serious injury or illness.

Honestly, I'm not sure why I am still here, but I am so grateful that I have been able to stay this long.

Day 22 - Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs.

2010-12-06T20:15:00.002-06:00

I'll choose the obvious, and I'll dedicate a playlist to Mr. Duh.

Going the Distance - Cake
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns and Roses
Du Hast - Rammstein
My Love - Lionel Richie
Two Tickets to Paradise - Eddie Money
Have You Ever Seen The Rain? - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Africa - Toto
Like a G6 - Far East Movement

Mr. Duh is an enigma. I've never quite been able to figure him out. This playlist is a mix of some songs he likes, some that reflect our relationship, and others that go along with some funny moments.

For example, Africa is a song DH fell in love with while partying when he was stationed in South Korea. If Africa came on while he was intoxicated, he would end up taking his shirt off and dance all around the bar. That cracks me up! Who would party to Africa by Toto? Mr. Duh is hilarious, and quite random.

One down, five to go...

2010-12-03T20:28:00.003-06:00

AS of tomorrow, I will have completed my first semester of my Master's program. It's been difficult, but a lot easier than I had anticipated.

I'm getting my Master's in Organizational Leadership from Our Lady of the Lake University (it's in the picture above). It's a good school with a great program for working people. I go to school for a full day every other Saturday. It's made much better by having one of my good friends in the program with me.

I'm a little disappointed, because I procrastinated a lot! I had promised myself that I would remedy the slackerness from my Bachelor degree days... but I guess old habits die hard. I should actually be studying for my finals right now.

I still can't believe that I may actually have a Mater's Degree! Who'd a thunk it?

Since school will be out of session for a few weeks, I'll finally finish the Meme I started in September...

For now, back studying for finals!!

Stressed? Why, Yes I am...

2010-11-20T10:35:00.003-06:00

If you put a head set on this cartoon, and dropped it in an insurance claims call center, you would have a perfect image of me this week. Mrs. Duh had a rough, rough week.

I cried at work three times on Tuesday. Three times!! Once on an extremely bad day is barely acceptable... but three?

I am up to my eyeballs in work stress, school stress, and life stress. I'm good at my job, and I am learning that in order to be good at my job and keep the workload under control I have to be stressed to the gills. I'm starting to wonder if it is even worth it anymore. Some days, I find myself dreaming about a job making sandwiches or folding clothes in a retail shop. Sure, the money would be awful... but is a bigger paycheck worth my sanity and well-being??

I'm also approaching the end of the semester deadline at school. I have four papers, a group presentation, and an oral comprehensive exam due in the next two weeks. After a long day in the claims department, I can't even fathom cracking a book or opening my laptop to write a paper.

To top it all off, I haven't seen Mr. Duh for more than a few hours over the past 3 weeks. He's my rock, but he's crazy busy and just as stressed as I am.

I'm at a point where something has got to give. I either need to find some alternatives or a prescription for valium...