Time for a really big update...

“Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" ~Swedish Proverb

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." ~Winston Churchhill

I am striving to live my life by those quotes.  I have them written down in several locations to remind myself of it when I tend to become negative with the cirucumstances thrown our way.    That is my goal for the New Year! 

Can you believe how 2010 has FLOWN by?  So many wondeful things have happened this year. 
Brief re-cap:

• We moved to Tampa in March (Though I might not always see that as a positive...lol)
• We've spent a ton of time with friends and family
• We've made new friends.  Some that have become family almost overnight, it seems.
• We moved into a beautiful home and finally finished decorating, lol.
• Cason learned to crawl, walk, run (kind of) and he talks up a STORM.
• Cason had an amazing almost one party(Hubby was here for that!), actual birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Though his Daddy was not able to be here for the majority of them, he saw all of the events through pictures and on Christmas he was able to watch Cason open his gifts on webcam.  It was truly a blessing.  Not only did Cason recieve a ton of gifts but it was the fact that everyone cares about him so much that made it that special. 

It has really been a busy year.  Next year is even more so.  We are patiently awaiting Hubby's return and are planning a wonderful family vacation.  I will be in school, Taekwondo and thanks to Linds, the gym full time.  I have many goals set for this coming year. 
I hope everyone has had a terrific Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
God Bless and God Speed for those deployed.

For those with a deployed spouse/signifigant other.

I know this entire season is hard having a deployed spouse or boyfriend. It seems like everything is based on couples and entire families. I find myself getting sad at the drop of a hat. Watching families shop for gifts together, holding hands while looking at Christmas lights, making dinner together, it is all rather depressing. Even when you have wonderful friends and families who are gracious enough to have you for the festivities, there is still something missing.



But, remember this: We are truly blessed. We have strong, kind, amazing, hard working men who are willing to give up their time with their families so that others may have it. They sacrifice for people they do not know and will never meet. When you feel alone think of that welcome home hug and kiss, the overwhelming sense of joy that we will feel, that first night back in their arms. Think of the look in their eyes knowing that you have supported them through their career, the ups and the downs the hard aspects and the ones that came easily. Think of your kids seeing their Daddy for the first time in ages. How thrilled they will be. Think of how he is their hero in all aspects .



Also, don't forget your friends and family. Those who understand where you are, why you feel the way you do, even those that don’t and just make the attempt to grasp the situation. Thank them for their ongoing support during this trying time and total emotional rollercoaster called a deployment. Remember, they are a shoulder to lean on. Utilize that.



For those who don't understand, for the ones who compare this to a weeklong business trip, for those who think that we are just being "downers" when we are upset or missing them, remember this: they do not understand. It is not their fault; they just have not and most likely, will not, experience this life style. Having patience during those conversations is hard. But pride yourself on keeping your cool. Remember we all cope differently.



I wish you all a Merry Christmas. I pray that all of our men are safe, warm, well fed and will come home soon. I love you all. Thank you for everything you do for me and my family.



~Alyie

Bad Blogger!!

I have been such a bad blogger.  I find myself getting behind on here so much!! So, lets play catch-up!!
Mike has left for training and will be deploying from there.  It was the hardest day of my life to watch my husband say "see you later" to our son.  I guess that I am still used to it (as much as one can be)...but, having Cason miss his Daddy is what gets me.  I know that time will fly and we will be back together again.  I just have to occupy my time until then.  We found out yesterday we will be able to see him before he leaves.  It requires an 8 hour drive and about $800 in hotel costs.  But, it will be worth every mile and penny. 
So far, my darling FL bestie, A day in the life of a Marine Corps wife..., has been keeping Cason and I busy.  We have practically moved into their house, well at least at dinner time.  She is an amazing cook. 
Last Monday, I was super proud of myself.  Went to the gym 2 times.  Went to the Fit Stops class and then to Zumba later that night.  In between, Cason and I went to her house for dinner.  Had a terrific meal.  She made orange chicken.  Well, on the way home from Zumba she and I both started getting stomach cramps...by the time we got back to her place we were ALL sick and getting worse by the moment.  She felt terrible, blaming herself for the food being bad.  Turns out...it wasn't the food.  It was a nasty virus that got to us all that quickly!! After 2 trips to the ER, several bags of fluids, and nausea meds I was feeling a bit better.  We all survived!!  Although, looking back, I really don't think that we believed we would make it.  Yes, it was THAT bad.  LOL!
Mike and I have made the decision to move on base.  After worrying about who would take Cason during an emergency with our closest friends leaving for JAPAN...we figured it would be the best for us.  I pray this is the right decision. 
It will be a little while before we actually move.  But, we will be saving a bit of money by moving there.  Not to mention be able to participate in more activities, meet others easier and feel a bit safer. 
I know that in our lifestyle, the military one, we find ourselves in some rather annoying situations.  We get upset, rant, vent, cry and pout.  But, one of the best things about this lifestyle is that when we meet friends they become family.  Maybe its because we are all so far from home.  Maybe it's because they just fit in...but saying goodbye is a part of this life aswell.  I am dreading the day I have to say goodbye to my FL bestie.  I know they are super stoked about moving to Oki, I just wish I could go with them.  :-)
Well, thats all for now.  I will post some pics tomorrow.  Goodnight all!

The week before "See Ya Later"

The week before you say "see you later" to your husband is the most anxiety filled week of the entire deployment process.  Time goes by abnormally quickly, leaving us to scramble to complete the pre-deployment check list and have some quality family time.  I can't believe they will not allow anyone deploying to take leave before they go.  Not only that, but they have to out process on their OWN time.  The result of that is fifteen hour days at minimum. 
I am still wondering if I am making the right decision by staying here in Fl rather than returning to Ga.  I just beleive in creating as much stability for Cason as I can in this absolutley unstable lifestyle.  Although, being close to my family and having the added help would be great.  I just hope and pray that I am making the right decision for us.  Sometimes, saving a few thousand dollars isnt worth what leads to the savings...make sense?
Cason is doing well.  His allergies are bad at the moment but baby zyrtec seems to be helping a bit.  I am trying to keep him in his room as much as I can.  I find him in the bed with us sometimes.  I think that Mike feels guilty that he can't spend time with him and brings him in there to cuddle and sleep close to him.  I can't get upset because I feel bad for him.  He is spending every moment he can with him, playing as much as he can.  It is really sweet...heartbreaking at the same time. 
On a good note...I am super stoked Glee and House are on!!

Truly Blessed...

One of the things that we have always wanted to do on Cason's first birthday was have him baptized.  Well, with Michael leaving we didn't want to do it and not have him there for that special occasion.  The church we attended in Ga allowed us to come back up and welcomed us with open arms.  They held a beautiful ceremony for all of our friends and family to attend.  After they had a delicious dinner.  It was a great day in all.  Cason looked absolutely adorble in his baptism outfit. 

Although his God parents couldn't attend, we know they would have loved the ceremony.

Loving this blog.

You will too...trust me.



Check it out!! NOW!

Like sands in an hour glass...

I have no idea why the title was stuck in my head.  I HATE "Days of Our Lives."  LOL!!


We had Cason's birthday party early and it was terrific!!! It really looked like a toy store exploded in my house!! I want to thank everyone who came and made it so special.  I know it was totally unconventional, but thank you all for helping, showing and making it all happen!

Cason is crawling, standing on his own and in the beginning stages of walking!! I can NOT believe how fast he is growing. He babbles all the time and picks new vocabulary up so quickly!! I think that he already has a bit of only child syndrome, lol.

We are having his baptism this Sunday in Georgia.  I am thrilled that Michael will be able to attend that aswell. 
I am working on making his winter wardrobe.  If we go to Norway then we will need a LOT more than what is required in FL!!  We will cross that bridge when it comes time. 

We have completed the office to play room transformation.  I am super happy with the results.  We laid down padded flooring, got a ton of cute storage containers and odds and ends.  BUT, the best thing of all...
(drum roll please) is that the toys are out of my living room!!!! 

We only have a few weeks before "d" day.  Not looking forward to it, yet at the stage where the anxiety and stress of it all makes us both want it to hurry and get here so we can get it over with! We are trying to get everything done with the house so when he goes I won't have to worry about that. 
He is spending a lot of time with Cason and making sure that he tucks him in as much as possible.  I think the fear of Cason forgetting him is effecting him.  He said that is his biggest worry.  I reassure him and tell him that he has been here for the entirety of Cason's life and that he will not forget him in that amount of time.  Plus, we have the webcam, dvds and pictures all over the place.  I told him that he will want to change his name from Daddy when he gets home :-)

School is coming along.   Can't believe I have come so far!!
I am seriously considering working as a PTA while I get my PhD.  That way I can contribute financially and also I feel so lazy.  I don't seem to have the motivation that I used to anymore.  Maybe having a job will rectify that situation. 

Stealing this from Lindsey (Making a habit of this)

Mil Spouse Friday Fill In




Ive decided to participate in the Mil Spouse Friday Fill In. Hopefully my readers will get to know me a little better!









1. Do you set goals for yourself during deployment?

I have to.  By setting goals for myself I focus on something other than half of my heart is gone.  I will make a list in the beginning of the deployment and cross off items as I go along (I have mentioned before I am a list maker.)  That way I can keep up with what I accomplished.


2. What would you say to someone dating a military guy or gal?

This is a hard life.  For some its harder than others.  There are some couples that can prosper in this life and there are others that do not.  Make sure you look deep into your relationship before committing to a life long decision.



3. If you have children, how do you prepare them to move to a new place?

We moved when my son was only 5 months old.  He, of course, did not comprehend any of it.  But, we did get a box with all of his fav toys so he would have something familiar in the chaos.  I will re answer this next year when we pcs again.


4. Name one hobby that gets you through alone time.

I have always been a "go, go, go" type of deployment survivor.  I used to travel, go to school full time and work full time.  I would do anything to keep my mind from wandering. 
Now, that I have my son, I have been trying to answer this question.  I know I will be at the gym a lot.  I know that I will be in school still.  Normal play group kind of things.  I am also thinking about picking back up the Violin.


5. What's the one food you don't ever get tired of?

Humm...I think there are too many to answer.  I do know that when my hubs is gone I cook meals with mushrooms and other ingredients that he hates :-)

Stole from Lindsey :-)

Not quite tired so I figured I would copy this from Lindsey! 



A- My AIR CONDITIONER is set on: 74...it is perfect in here!!




B- My BEDROOM theme is: No real theme...just neutral stuff.


C- The CAR in the driveway is: Hubby has a Honda civic SI and I have a Honda CR-V



D- My DESK looks: invisable...we need to get a new one for the office!!


E- The EXACT time I wake up daily is: 8:00



F- The FIRST thing I wash in the shower is: My hair. 



G- My GARAGE is filled with: Do I really have to answer this?  Some stuff from our move and about 4 HUGE bins filled with furniture and books from one of my Grandparent's houses in Sweden.  I really need to nip that in the butt...



H- My HOUSE is: in the process of being decorated :-)



I- If you peeked INSIDE my bedroom you'd see: My bed, comforter set, night stand, bay window, and 2 dressers. My room is super clean !!!



J- My favorite JUICE is: OJ



K- The best part of my KITCHEN is: my bar! I love that its so long!



L- The LAST person who visited my home was: a FIOS solicitor...ummm yeah we already have it dude...



M- The last piece of MAIL for me was: A letter from Tricare thanking me for renewing my policy. 



N- My NEIGHBORS think I'm: quiet.



O- If you OPENED my fridge you'd see: Milk, eggs, juice, water pitcher, fruits, veggies, sandwich stuff, meat, condiments...



P- My last house PARTY was: a bbq really.  Lindsey, Mike, Dionte and Amber and 6 kiddos!! It was a blast!!!



Q- A QUICK meal I like to fix is: Spegetti or "Fend for yourself night"



R- My favorite ROOM of the house is: Cason's room.  I always keep it in perfect condition.  I can't stand there to be anything out of place in there!  Or my kitchen.



S- The SHAMPOO brand I use: Pert Plus or Biologe



T- My largest TELEVISION is: In the living room.  We only have 2 in the house...and it will stay that way.  LOL!



U- UNDER my bed you will find: My pomeranian, Gizmo.  He will prob bark at you to leave him alone.



V- The last time I VACUUMED was: Today.  Daily chores.



W- Looking out my WINDOW I see: Front: I see a pond, back I see the yard and grill.



X- I wish I had X-TRA: Motivation...it's something I have been lacking for a while.  Slowly getting it back.


Y- My YARD is: Crappy.  We are having it re-sodded.  Someone did not know the type of sod to use in FL aparently. 



Z- ZZZZZZZ My bedtime is: Whenever Cason is asleep, house is cleaned and I am done with homework.

New Look!

It's about time that I updated this thing!!!  So, new look, updated pics and all!! 

Someone's grief is someone's relief.

As sad as it is, that statement is true.
My spouse group and I welcomed home a Fallen Hero today. He was only 23 years old. He had been married for 10 months and had a new little girl that he never got to meet. He made the ultimate sacrifice. Today, his family rode through base, looking through the limo window at all of the people there to support them.
As we watched the police motorcycles, hearse and limos go by we raised our hands to our hearts, the service members saluted. Honoring him, them and their sacrifice. I couldn't help but thinking that I am grateful that Michael was standing next to me safely. Then, I felt an enormous amount of guilt for thinking that. I know that at one point his spouse had thought the same thing.
I found myself thinking about how much I take for granted, how much I should be thankful for, and how good my life really is.
I have my handsome husband, who is at home and in bed with me. I have my perfect son, who makes me smile everyday, is healthy and thriving and I have a terrific support network. My friends from home and family and the friends I have made here.
Tonight as we lay down to go to sleep, in our comfortable beds, with our loved ones safe in our arms, please take a moment to be thankful for it all.

Long overdue update!

I seem to forget to update this thing so much!! So I decided to re-arrange my favorite list. I placed this right next to the Silent Branch in order to make more use of it :-)
We are now in week 3 of living in Tampa. We are really loving the house, the friends that we have made and the area. I have seen Gwen 2 times already so I am doing good with that aspect. Dad even came down with her this last time.
I have gotten involved with the spouses group here. They seem to be a great group of girls. As in everything, I have my favs :-)
I have started back training in Tkd. I am thrilled to be getting myself back into competition shape. I am looking forward to getting rid of all this weight. I have also began the Couch to 5k program. I am really excited about that as well. I think that it will help build my stamina and get me into better shape. I have decided to record my workouts on here. Maybe it will help with my accountability. I will start that tomorrow.
Cason is doing great. He is now 4 months and 13 days old. He is 16 lbs and 26 inches long. He can roll from his back to his tummy. Backwards, huh? Haha. He has started to "scoot" across the floor on his tummy. Its really cute and he's getting some distance. I just worry about carpet burn, haha.
Michael is doing good. He isnt too fond of the unit here. I think it is just a big change from Moody.
Well thats my update, I will begin tomorrow with my recording of the workouts and such.

New page in my life...

Wow, it has been forever since I have updated this. Lots to update you all on!!!
Cason is now 3 months old!!! He weighs about 12 lbs and is 24.5 inches long. He is such a terrific baby. He sleeps all night and usually wakes with a smile and giggles. Everyday with him is a blessing. His eyes are starting to change. They were blue and now they are almost my color, hazel. I am kinda excited about it, haha.
We are right at 3 weeks away from our PCS. We are moving to Tampa, Fl. I am thrilled. We have a house set up down there. It is really nice and a bit bigger than the one here. We are looking into buying it after living there for about 6 months or so. We want to make sure that Mike is happy with his job and we like the area. He is testing tech Feb 12th. I am super nervous for him! I know he will do great and I will be proud of him either way.

I have started a workout routine to kick these baby pounds. I can't stand looking at myself in the mirror. I have never had a weight problem and I know I can lose the weight as long as I can stay motivated. My goal is to drop 40 lbs. I am also hitting the tanning bed. That is just to relax...haha and not look so pale and freckly.
I can't wait to get to Tampa and start on a new chapter of our lives. Its really exciting. At the same time, I am going to miss my family and friends here and in Tifton.
I am going to end this with a few quotes that I fell in love with:
"Obstacles are the things a person sees when he take his eyes off of his goal"
"The only real failure is the failure to try"
"What is not started today is never finished tomorrow"