not where I thought we were going....

So we've been in Newnan a little over a month. LOVING all the family time!! Not to mention the good ole southern home cooked meals. (Yeah the treadmill and I have a major catch up time coming haha)

Coming in to this we thought we'd visit for a while and pretty much move on. However, it doesn't look like that is the way things are going. Caleb has found a decent job here, I've fallen head over heels in love with a house, and Toby is gaga over his new school. So, it looks like this is where we're staying.

Hopefully in the next couple weeks we will be putting in an offer on "my" house! Becoming home owners!! Starting our whole brand new lives as Newnanites! Eek! Just the thought makes me have all kinds of crazy emotions!! Over all though I think we're happy! I know our parents are, they are over joyed to be getting in so much grandparent time =0) (have I mentioned our boys are the only grandkids on both sides)

So on top of everything else I'm thinking about going back to school (yeah I've said it before I know) Knowing we are actually putting roots down somewhere really eases my mind with the whole process though.

*Deep Breaths*

Lets go!! We're gonna jump into 'civilian world' feet first and in the deep end!

*peace & love*

If I make it through this....

Geeze! We have been in lodging for 2 nights now with 2 more to go!! It's really awesome this time around!! The boys have their own beds in a shared room, then Caleb and I have our own bedroom as well. The extra awesome bonus FREE INTERNET!!! YAY!! =0) Lord knows I can't go too long w/o Facebook lol.

Now IF we can clear effin housing!! Our house wasn't clean enough sooo 4+ hours of cleaning and guess what STILL NOT CLEAN ENOUGH!!! WTF! I have seriously been in tears over this stupid house! The ONLY way to get the floors the way they want them is to spend painful hours on your hands and knees SUPER scrubbing! I am not wanting to do it....BUT I may. Still waiting on Caleb to come back w/ the outcome. UGH!! It's frickin crazy!!

Anyway- TJ and I got to meet Wee Man yesterday!!!

It was sweet!! I figure touching Wee Man who has touched Johnny Knoxville is just as good as actually touching Johnny =0)

Anyway- we're just waiting to get to GA now!! I am getting more and more excited by the day!!

Just praying TJ and Opie do well on the plane!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody!!!

peace and love

New Start

So I've been gone for quite some time. I decided to start back up blogging b/c i think some pretty interesting things are about to go down in my life :)

Okay to catch up on whats been going on....

Caleb is being medboarded out of the Army. As of Feb we will no longer be a military family. On Christmas however we will be flying back to the states!! We haven't seen our families in 2.5 years (and more for some) needless to say we are beyond stoked!! We will be temp. staying with my in laws. Until we find work and get on our feet. Which means Toby will get to go to the school that my mom works at! He's pretty excited and I think that helps with the nervousness of starting a new school. I really just can not wait!!

They came and packed all our stuff yesterday. So for the next couple days we're making do in a house with pretty much only the essentials. The Army only pays for 3 days of lodging so we decided to tough it out here til our 3 days get here. Anyway- so we do the Elf on the Shelf thing right. Fred is our Elf he started coming to our house last year and has made a return this year. He will also be traveling with us from here to GA. Yesterday he was in our pantry which was a great place to be b/c the movers were not supposed to go in the pantry (you can't pack food anyway) we also placed our paper goods to use for the next couple days in there too, along with a toaster we were going to use then trash. So right before the movers were done with everything, i walk into the house and see the last open box with the toaster in it! all the sudden it dawns on me that they prob. took Fred too. I go check and sure enough Fred was gone! We ask them about it they find the box, open it and not only is Fred inside but our paper plates, plastic cups, and a ton of FOOD! WTH!! I was super flippin hot! and the food they packed was just random stupid stuff. I seriously am not a fan of movers at all! They also ripped my James Iha picture shrine off the back of my stand up mirror....I had it on the frickin mirror for 10+ years!! UGH!!

Anyway- guess I'll go now that we're all caught up! Have no fear though I will be back in the next few days!!

*peace love and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!*

i'm BACK!!

So after my e-mail and blog were seriously screwed up I've gotten it all worked out and am BACK!

Sadly not a lot has happened to write about!

Toby finished school and his summer enrichment program and is now home for the next month YAY!! We totally blew our tire out on the (pos) car. While putting on the spare we discovered a shit ton of other problems =0( So now we're driving as little as possible and waiting til Aug 9th when we will be getting a different car!! We've already purchased the car but the people are not PCSing until then so we have to wait! I'm super excited though because it is a small car!!

Caleb has started working over nights and I am NOT a fan!! We did this moo poo before he joined the Army and i thought I never saw him b/c he worked third shift and i worked first.... turns out you just don't see people who work over night even if you're sitting your bum on the couch all day long!! The only plus is that he gets a nice chunk of days off!

Anyhoo- thats about all thats new this way.

hope all is well wherever you may be!!

*peace &love*

what a day...

Today I must have had a big sign on my head that said....*Friendly...please talk to me!*

After dropping Caleb off at 8, the boys and i went to Burger King for breakfast. Theres this guy here I see all the time and I swear if I didn't know better I'd say he was...um....well... idk super trashy like old construction worker guy. Anyway- He decided to give me all these parenting tips for the climate here. Like I should be feeding my 2 year old bell peppers to keep all his neutrons in balance...okay?!?! He told me he was a stay at home dad. He did say his mom always said; it's easy to walk in and mirco manage but if you haven't been in it all day you have no clue. I did agree w/ that!

Okay fast forward to 930 ish, TJ and i had dropped Toby at summer school and decided to goof off in the PX. This poor girl came up to me and started asking me about EVERYTHING she had in her buggy! she was like 8 months pregnant and the poor girl was overwhelmed to say the least..... she had about 4 jumbo tubes of A&D, a couple of desitin and a few butt paste to top it off! Thinking she would need all of them! I told her what i knew but wasn;t sure I was much help....until she thanked and hugged me!

It was refreshing though because most of the time people walk around all angry faced and it just drives me NUTS!

Anyhoo- gotta get off and go get Caleb! Going to a Shrine sale in the am....it's like a flea market at a shrine! Should be interesting!!

*peace & love*

...a night OUT!

So Caleb and I FINALLY had a night out after 2 years of being w/ the boys 24/7.

I dropped the boys off at The Pasions, who live just a couple houses over, at 6. We took off for the train station immediately! It was super crappy weather, but we walked anyway! We rode the train to Machida (only 2 stops away). We walked around, went into a music store and looked around. Then we went into TGI Fridays.. Caleb had a long island ice tea and i had a pina colada. But because thats the "spot" in Machida and certain people hang there we left. Not to mention our drinks were 12something a piece! We walked around, went into an awesome hat shop goofed off trying on hats and what not. I got a new pair of sun glasses! Then we went in the arcade played the crane machines and the slot machines for a bit. Ended up in a biker themed bar, ordered a couple of their random special drinks, took a shot and had a couple of jager-bombs. We left there and headed home. When we left the train station Caleb went into a store and came out with roses!! So we walked in the pouring rain from the train station, but we didn't mind. We picked the boys up a little past 10.

We missed them so very much, but it was sooo refreashing to get out!! Today was awesome too! I know that had a lot to do with 1) the boys sleeping in til 9! and 2) our time spent out and alone last night! We didn't do to much today but play outside with the boys!

Welp that about sums

*peace and love!*

Take the money and run...7 years in progress...

Okay so this blog is a day early but tomorrow will be busy so today it is =0)

So if you don't know Caleb and my "song" is "Take the Money and Run" by the Steve Miller Band, if you've never heard it you should def. look it up and listen. We totally planned on living out that song...and 7 years ago it seemed pretty fitting. We still joke about it but just with 2 kids in tow. No doubt though anytime that song comes on we both look at each other and smile....we will always be Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue at heart =0)

By now if you haven't guessed June 16th is our 7 year anniversary, and no he's not sending me and the boys to Maine for the summer!! (and Marilyn Monroe is def. not moving in upstairs haha) I realized the other day that sooo much has changed in 7 years. We've both grown, together thank goodness. We've made 2 beautiful boys together! We've traveled across the globe! We've loved, we've fought, we've always made up.... we've laughed, cried, hugged and kissed. The usual stuff right =0)!

HOWEVER I've realized he's changed me a bit.....in 7 years, I've become a Yankees fan (I know don't tell my southern lovin family!!) I've gotten rid of my fear of motorcycles! I've embraced the fact that I am a girl...and the only one in the house so I totally LOVE it!! I've realized I can love someone whole-heartedly and do so everyday all day!!

To sum up a blog that could go on all day... I still love my husband, I'm still his #1 fan and always will be!! I can't believe it's been 7 years but I'm more than ready for 7 more! Who knows maybe one day we'll make it Old El Paso!!

Bulging disc and tears.....

Okay so finally got some answers to my back pain. Apparently I have bulging disc! With instructions to do the cobra pose (from yoga) every 3-4 hours and go back on the 28th hopefully I will get some relief....oh and the pain pills don't hurt either =0P

How ever if you've never been to physical therapy, it is weird and a bit creepy. I had to bend over some 40 odd times in front of this dude, who of course was watching. I know it's his job but it's still unsettling!

Now on to the tears..... Today June 9th I left TJ with a friend of mine so I could go to my appointment. He has never stayed with anyone other than Caleb (except for when he was 2 weeks old and that was w/ my mom for an hour)

So I'm all nervous like he's gonna cry or be a brat.....but did he NO!! He didn't even care that I left him there! I was so sad =0( I mean don't get me wrong I was glad he was good for Jen, but come on!!

**6 days til Tobe's summer!!!****

Anyway- hope all is well out there!

*peace & love*

The little things....

Nothing can make you appreciate home like living in a different country so today I would like to pay respects to "the little things" I truly miss about America......

• Vertical traffic lights....yep they are horizontal here and quite strange
• My kind of fast food..in most cases availible 24/7...the places on post here close at 9pm =0(
• Being able to go to town and read signs
• finding clothes that would fit a real person not a toddler
• having more than one radio station and 8 tv channels
• being in the same or near same time zone as loved ones
• Wal-Mart....never thought I'd say that!

It's not all bad though so I thought I'd even it out with some things that rock my stripey socks

• FASHION it's sooo amazing here you are constantly amazed by peoples clothing and no one cares whatever goes
• Coffee....hot ones in cans out of vending machines, cold ones from corner stores, coffee shops all so super YUMMY!!
• The 100 yen store...like our dollar store but way more awesome!!
• You can get almost anything with some sort of cartoon picture on it ( I recently got a pot holder trivet thingy with a piggy on it saying cooking time!)
• and of course SAKE =0)

Hope everyone is awesome!!

*peace & love*

Births~the 2nd edition

So today is Travis' 2nd birthday so I thought I'd blog his story like i did Toby =0)

So the birth of my second baby wasn't so much of a shock.... he was a planned induction. One week early because I had (supposedly) gestational diabetes. So at 7 am I was to be at the hospital to get the devils juice a.k.a potocin. We show up and the people had no idea we were supposed to be there....thank you army hospitals =0P. They decided to let me stay anyway and around 9am they started the d.j. I was seriously standing on my head waiting for TJ to come! By noon my crazy mother had found the number to the hospital and called my room to see why we hadn't called her yet....see where I get it! By that time I was finally starting to feel some contractions nothing serious but I got the genius idea to get an epidural thinking it would speed up the whole process. First off the dumb ass epidural guy thought my tattoos were more interesting than his job...he jabbed me countless times, apparently hitting bone, which feels like an electrical jolt going through your spine...NOT NICE! After who knows how many attempts and me almost calling it off he finally got it. Did it speed things up....NO it put me back at square 1...UGH!

My doctor though kept reassuring me we would have a baby THAT day. So they upped my d.j. constantly. Then at about idk 5ish.... they start freakin out b/c everytime I have a contraction TJ heart stops. The nurses were HORRIBLE and bc they were freakin out so was I. I thought a c-section was def. in my future. They kept insisting I wear this oxygen mask...I didn't really see why. Oh well....then my doc. came in and said everything was fine he just had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck...FINE?!?! Does that sound fine to you? Anywoo- finally at about 7pm he's ready, I push twice, I guess Caleb was able to see him do a spin and he was out! With his arm up above his head keeping the cord from completely strangling him!

He weighed in at 6lbs and 9oz and was 18inches long. another BEAUTIFUL baby!

Now he's a crazy toddler and I couldn't be happier =0)

*peace & love*

Wont hold US down

So maybe i was antsy last week.....for a good reason. Possibly in touch w/ my psychic side haha

Since last Wed. things have gone all crazy.

Still waiting on the final out come. I just wanna say they wont break us we can not be conquered.

I will always stand behind, beside, and if needed in front of my husband. We truly believe all we need is love. We got a shit ton of that. In the words of Caleb...they can't eat us.

I know this is not making any sense but in time i will reveal what all this is about.....

I wanna ask everyone out there to keep us in your thoughts, i don't know which way yet so lets just hope for what is best.......

GA i may see you in all your glory before you know it

*peace and love*

these walls maybe about to close in on me!

Geeze! I am soooo super antsy! I don't want to stay in this house but theres not a lot to do this week so here I am BORED! I think I'm channeling Toby and I know it's almost summer haha!

Anyway- lets see whats been going on.... last Friday I went to Bunco at the community club here on post, apparently it's a Army wife thing. whatever! I'm not vet. but I've been an Army wife for almost 5 years and have I ever played Bunco before Friday......NO, do I even know how to play bunco-NO!! But because it was free and a few girls here had asked me to go I did. Oh and did I mention 4 $100 prizes would be given!?!? It was easy to catch on and with a few $3 Heinekens in me I actually had a good time. I won the loser prize (I lost 16 outta 24 games!) However so did 3 other people so I only walked away w/ $25, but hey it's better than nothing!!

I also received my very first school made mothers day gift from Tobe, he made me 2 cards and a flower pot w/ some sorta seeds in it. They were super awesome! I LOVE them!!! The mystery flowers are starting to sprout so hopefully soon we'll see what they are! Mothers Day was uneventful but NICE! Caleb let me sleep in and then b/c there was nothing else on I let him watch UFC and I napped! Perfect gift of laziness, I couldn't be happier!

My baby will be 2 on the 30th! i can NOT believe it! My not so baby, will be ending his Kindergarten year on june 16th! They seriously no matter what anyone says grow up too FAST!!! I'm hoping to have an excellent summer w/ my boys this year though!!

Anyhoo- hope all of you are well!!

**peace & love!!**

Cinco De Mayo Throw back

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!
On this day 7 years ago I was at B-52s on Virginia Ave in ATL drinking $2 tequila shots with my then boyfriend =0) Also I should throw in I was using my room-mates i.d. b/c I was not 21 (bad Brandi). Before hand I had made my man a dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes and something else i can't remember haha The first time i had ever made a man dinner though....I'm sure thats what sealed the deal...my 5 min microwaviable tyson chicken =0P
Later on we made a trip to the best drunk food place ever...WAFFLE HOUSE! Damn I miss the states.
7 years later I'm still celebrating Cinco De Mayo by playing Call of Duty =0) (It's a work night)
I couldn't be happier..... also I'm still making him dinner...most nights
*peace and love*

Catching up

So I haven't blogged in 12 years....between Caleb being on leave and spring break...who would really want to sit and do this?!?! haha
So whats going on?? Spring Break was okay it rained ( as usual) 90% of the time so bleh... we did get to go to a cookout one day at a neighbors, which was nice, until TJ busted his lip and bled on their rug! Oh well he's healing fine and is quite the trooper! Then it was back to school for Toby... ick BUT he got his report card and it still rocking out this school thing =0)
We had a death in my family....and where did it leave me SUPER homesick....
I even randomly called my dad to tell him I love and miss him, and w/o going into a huge story it's pretty safe to say thats the first time something like that has happened =0)
Caleb and I also had a huge blow out... leaving us talking about some changes we need to make. So I'm make amends, and fixing things I should've taken care of a long time ago....and couldn't feel better about it =0) All in all we're just fine still in love and still besties just growing a bit and sometime that calls for changes and or arguements haha
I just planted my 15 FREE flowers from self help! One of my fave. perks of Camp Zama, even though last year the free ones didn't make it...maybe they'll turn out better this time.
Caleb shoulder seems to have relapsed they gave him a steriod shot today and now we just play the waiting game hoping he does NOT have to have surgery again.......\
Blah okay so im sure all my thoughts were jumbled and I hope all of you are well
*peace & Love*

Geeze...I've waited THIS long....

So I waited almost 10 years to go back to school, now that the ball is in motion what am I left doing......WAITING!!!!
ARG! I had to apply for a military spouse grant thingy and federal grant so I can get some moola to go and now I sit here blowing up both websites.
I know it's been the weekend but my goodness people don't they know I (accidentally) waited til last min. and technically my classes started TODAY!
The good news is I have until Friday to actually e-mail the teachers and be a part of the classes. Just means I'll have to play catch up.
JOY
Anyhoo- we had a nice weekend, it was BEAUTIFUL out!! We did the church thing again and I went all 3 steps next door to a baby shower. Toby got a ton of "awards" for his AWANA vest! (YAY!!)
Now if the money gods will smile upon me......life will be GREAT!
Not to mention next weekend will be a long one for Caleb and Spring Break/ Leave is only a few weeks away!!! =0)
*peace & Love*

In your FACE placement test!

So I go to sign up for my classes thinking it was just that simple....pick a couple classes done. NOPE! The classes i pick English Comp and College Algebra require placement test....WHAT THE WHAT!?!?
So i chose to do the English one yesterday, i had to essay about two poems bleh... I passed okay e-z p-z right. So that leaves Math for today.... my nerves were in super over-drive...I suck at math, not to mention I've known a few ppl who took it and bombed! I did not want to be told I needed like jr. high math! I had to remind myself all morning I wouldn't cry if they said i was a retard haha.
So i go in a little past nine, i have an hour to take the test... it took me half the time. There was 32 questions in all you had to get 26 right to be accepted into College Algebra...I got 28 right!!!!!!
**GO ME HAPPY DANCE HAPPY DANCE!!!***
Okay so I wanted to brag but w/e
peace and love

just a quick happenings....

So Tobys birthday was a success. We went to a movie Friday and had a bowling party Sunday. I think the kids had an awesome time!!
TJ has been sick for like a week.... we took him to the doc b/c he had a fever that just wouldn't really come down. The doc said he was just getting over a cold or something. The weekend passes and he's still sick w/ fever and pretty much a lifeless little boy. So back to the doc we go, turns out he had a touch of pneumonia! They gave him some antibiotics, which seemed to help almost instantly! He's still not 100% but doing MUCH better! It's sucked that he's been sick but I am eating up all the snuggle time he wants!
I have to go register for my classes this week...so that should be exciting =0)
Other than stuff w/ the boys not a lot has been going on. Caleb is taking leave while Toby is on spring break next month and we are all so very looking forward to that!
Anyhoo- gotta go make our meatless hotdogs!
peace and love

births

Everyones story is special. Not a single one is boring. Moms will tell them over and over again even after their children are grown. I personally LOVE them!
So on the 6th birthday of our oldest... I thought I'd share THE story of how Toby came to be.
So one night, maybe it was day Caleb and I.....hahaha NO NO NO just kidding NOT THAT part!!!
Okay so around 10:30am I woke up (struggling to get out of a waterbed) and realize I have *gasp* peed the bed!!! WTF! After carefully evaluating the situation i come to terms that this is not urine BUT indeed amneotic fluid! OH SNAP! So I wake Caleb and tell him he prob. shouldn't go into work that day. I'm fully aware that this is big but I am REFUSING to go to the doc...or even call. I'm 100% sure it's not time yet, plus I'm in no pain so hmph clearly not in labor. So Caleb does the unthinkable and calls our mothers! They of course say I need to call the doctor so, I do. He tells me to get to the hospital. So I shower and we leave. still not taking my bag because they are clearly not keeping me! We get there, the examine me and guess what my "water" is in fact leaking sooo they're keeping me ugh. The put me on potocin(a.k.a devils juice). This was laughable for quite sometime. It got increasingly more painful and after about 7 hours of contractions and no baby coming, I did something I swore I wouldn't and got the epidural. This makes my blood pressure drop and I shiver like crazy! They give me some meds to even out my b.p. and it's smooth sailing til about midnight. Thats when the doc comes in and says it's time to push!!! WHAT?!?! REALLY?!?! Not entirely sure I'm ready for this but know it's unavoidable, i push (which is actually hard work!).... 49 some odd mins later (12:51am to be exact) Toby William Romick made his way into our world! He had a head full of the most gorgeous hair, all 10 fingers and toes! He was the most beautiful thing i had ever laid eyes on =0)
He was 7lbs 15.90z (yep .1oz away from an 8 pounder) 19 inches long and love in the cutest package i had ever seen!
I remember this day so vividly and know i always will, It's hard to believe he's already 6 =0( But I can't complain about the amazing little boy he's turned into!
We are surprising him by taking him to the movies tonight & having a small cake & letting him open our gift. Sunday he is having a party w/ his school friends!
So I'm off to decorate a cake!
Peace and Love to all!!

goin veggie day 1.....

So day one of vegetarianism went awesome! I started my day with some organic granola cereal, had a light salad for lunch and made vegetarian lasagna for dinner. The boys LOVED the lasagna!!! Adding up all my meals I hit around 700 calories. i did have a frappuccino~the bottled kind~ which added 200 calories more. I figure thats not a huge deal and everyone deserves to treat themselves right?!?! I swear it maybe in my head but the scales already seem to love me =0)! Caleb and i have decided to treat ourselves every now and them with some sort of meat... he says he needs a steak every now and then =0). I know sunday we will have pizza at Toby's party. Maybe I'll just have cheese. Anyway- so far so good toady. Yes my poptart monster still has his regular p.t. breakfast =0) Tonight I'm making either skillet veg. nachos or veg. chili haven't quite decided yet!
Please continue to wish us well!
*peace and Love*

damn you band-wagon

Okay so I totally didn't expect it but it's happened. Caleb and i gave in last night and watched Food Inc. I didn't think what I saw would affect me but guess what it DID!
So as a family we've decided to go (mainly) vegetarian. We had already cut out almost all beef from our diet a couple years ago, by only using ground turkey. Which will prob. still be used when we have a meat attack.
I've spent today searching for veg. recipes and found quite a few that sound YUMMY and i think my family can eat too! The best part is the calories of each meal is 400 or less for dinner!! We've also decided not to eat out. Not like we have tons of great choices here anyway.
I'm super optimistic about this choice and can't wait to get to the store to buy all the things for our new meal plan!
So wish us luck!!
Not about food....
Today I had to take Opie and katai to the vet for shots and to get Opie micro-chipped. So with Travis in tow, we load up the dogs and go to the vet. amazingly it went AWESOME!!! The dogs were saints and TJ was well behaved! Opie however is not a fan of the leash so I had to carry his all of 10lbs butt. Not a big deal since I do it anyway =0) Okay so i may spoil him a bit.... BUT he lets me hold him like an infant while i watch t.v. so he deserves it =0)
Anyway- hope all is well where you are!!
*peace & love*