Military Spouse Blog Hop

This is my first Blog Hop. So bear with me people. I'm just happy I figured out how to get that image above copied! Okay I may not be super Blog Savvy yet (I'm pretty new to the blog world) but I am military wife savvy, heck I've been doing that for almost 7 years now. Ridding the Roller Coaster is hosting a blog hop for all military spouses and girlfriends. I thought it was a great idea so I hoped (no pun intended) right on that bandwagon. According to the rules I am suppose to make today's post a short bio about myself. So for those of you who already know this stuff, I apologize. And before I forget ya'll should should check out her page if your would like to see a whole list of military spouse bloggers. I'm placing her button right below... look at me in all my high tech glory! ha, I know pretty sad!



So, onto business. My name is Jessica and I have been married to my high school sweetheart and hero since 2003. My husband has been in the United Stated Marine Corps for a little over 7 years now. We have been through three deployments, 3 PCS's, and we have endured many many many days apart. Comes with the territory! :) We have two absolutely amazing little girls. Big Sissy is 5 and Monkey is 18 months. They challenge and bless us on a daily basis. I couldn't imagine life any different and yet I long for consistency, something the Marine Corps isn't well known for ;). Times have been rough and tough. Lately our family has a lot of illness and death. But I refuse to let that change me. I know that no matter what, I am blessed. Hence my title. I'm just like any other military spouse. I am taking this life day by day and leaning on the Lord. I can't wait to get to know more of you. I hope you all are having a great Friday!
Until next time, Jessica
Semper. Simply. Blessed.

simply goofy

Well, today I got a little bit embarrassed when I ran into an old friend and I looked like a HOT MESS. And then I felt stupid... really? I normally don't take myself very seriously. Case in point #1...

(This my friends is what I call cardio!)
If I can act like that in public just to get a smile out of my girls, then WHY in the world would I care what someone I haven't seen in 10 years thinks about my sweaty gym clothes and make-up free face. I'm a mom, I don't have time (or the lack of sense) to put make-up on to go to the gym. That's okay. I'm goofy not high maintenance. Case in point #2...

(And this my friends is what I call fashion via Big Sissy!)
Anywho, I guess I'm just reminding myself of who I really am and why life is too short to care what people think (even if they do give you the up and down stare!)

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for cooking. I love to cook. It makes me happy. Now, don't get me wrong, cooking while children are shouting at you and a little one is pulling on your pant leg (to the point of actually pantsing you!) can be a touch annoying. Oh and when a little one is yanking out all your pots and pans and Tupperware causing an obstacle course in the kitchen it can even get a wee bit dangerous! BUT, when I have a moment to just cook, simply step into that kitchen and start to create something delicious... then I am at peace. It's an outlet for me. And I feel like when I control what is going into my families mouth, I can control a portion of our health. Simple science in my mind. No need for all that frozen food with all of its preservatives. ***However, I am not saying we do not have frozen foods! I am human people, :). We do have frozen vegtables for when the fridge crisper is empty and other quick fixes. But when at all possible, when the Lord allows the time, I will make it from scratch. Last night I made a red velvet cake that was DELICIOUS! And today was rainy so I made a chili, it was the best batch I've made to date (and I have made a ton of chili). Yummy. Watching my kids devour a meal that I know is full of fresh ingredients and tons of protein makes me smile. Today I am thankful for cooking.

I might just be insane...

It all started on Thursday... My friends called me up and asked if I could watch her two kiddos on Friday night. She plays bunco once a month and her husband was going to be gone all weekend because he had drill. I said not a problem, her kids are amazing. I'm talking "yes ma'am"s and "yes sir"s and super smart little things! So I had no problem taking them for the night. I even offered to keep them over night since she wouldn't be picking them up till after bedtime. I figured it just made sense to let them sleep and give her a night all alone. Like any sane woman she took me right up on that offer. :) In return... wait for it... she offered to take my two boogers on Saturday night! She even offered to keep them over night, but I decided that with Monkey having her sinus infection we would at least go pick her up. But Big Sissy was able to stay over and boy did she think she was HOT STUFF! She felt like such a big girl (yes this was her first ever slumber party). They made their own pizzas and Big Sissy told me all about her mushrooms and peperoni combination. :) The best part was that J and I had an amazing time. We went to dinner and then to a movie. I know, nothing too outrageous! But we haven't been out just the two of us since the Marine Corps Ball back in November, so yes, we were stoked! We had a lovely time and although I just might be insane for wanting to go pick up Monkey after our date it was hands down a well worth it babysitting trade!

While at dinner I took this photo of J.


And I was so excited when he said, "hey let me get one of you for a change." So...
J took this photo of me.


MEN! :) Gotta love em'!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my girls! <3 I know, I know, not unique or different. But today I couldn't stop looking at those faces and thinking, "Thank you Lord!"

Wondering Wednesday

OH DO I WONDER!

I'm glad that I finally remembered on a Wednesday to list my wonderings. Sometimes my house gets a bit crazy by Wednesday and I forget. So here are my recent wonderings...

*People on 'hover rounds' or any other electronic chair thingy. They drive them to the store! Do they ever worry that they will run out of charge or gas or whatever they run on miles from home? There is one guy who I see riding ALL OVER town, what kind of a battery does his have? Because I might need to trade in the massive SUV and get me one (with gas prices the way they are)!

*WOMEN who apply their mascara while they drive! On my way to taking Big Sissy to school this a.m. the lady driving in front of me was all over the road! She almost hit a parked car! All because she was applying mascara, really? Come on now people, if there are laws against phones and driving there should be a law against primping and driving!

*Dog walkers that allow their dogs to poop on lawns and then walk away. Get some baggies people and pick up the poo please. I wonder why you don't feel guilty enough to bother picking it up. Don't you know someones kid is going to step in that? eww.

*Lastly, I wonder why no one else laughed when I saw a two year old little boy pee in the middle of the playground today. Gross, I understand, but still hilarious! :)

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week!

go go go

Today has been a busy, busy day. It went a little like this; 8 a.m. soccer game, gym, bank, mall, lunch, naps, sanding, lots of sanding, primer, home depot, lowes, primer, grilling, baths, stories, AND BED (for the girls). Whew! That was exhausting just to type. I am pretty sure that I will be taking some ibuprofen and hopping in bed fairly soon! J and I are sanding and painting our kitchen cabinets and it is A LOT of work. We have A TON of cabinets, well it seems like a ton, I think when J counted them he said 32 cabinets and 15 drawers. Maybe we bit off more than we can chew. But I don't care because I know they are going to look amazing and I am stoked that we finally agreed on hardware and hinges. It's been a good and productive day.
OH and a little off subject, but Big sissy scored 5 goals this morning, even though it was FREEZING and only four of them showed up (which meant that they all played almost the entire game.) She is such a trooper, she makes me one proud momma! :)

Photo shy Princess

Even though Big sissy has been avoiding the camera like the plague... I have been able to catch a few pictures of her adorable little face. Sometimes she forgets that she "doesn't like to take pictures" anymore. :) And when she forgets, I am there ready and willing to snap away! I was feeling a bit bad about not putting any pictures of her up last time, so I thought I better get my act together and search out a good one. (This night, she had taken all of her stuff out of her Easter basket and was carrying around just her chocolate bunny... waiting until we said she could have the ears)... and this my friends is the moment I said she may!

kisses...

Our little Monkey LOVES to get kisses AND she loves to take pictures. She laughs and smiles from ear to ear whenever a camera is around or someone makes a smooch sound.



BUT our Big Sissy is in a strange new phase in which she wipes off our kisses on occasion AND runs from the camera! What has happened? Am I in an alternate universe? My eldest is normally a serious ham! But for about the past month, it's been like pulling teeth to get a good picture out of her (one in which she is actually smiling... heck I would even take her front side with no smile if she wasn't hiding her face!)

So the result is this, I have about 3 million cute pictures of monkey and about 3 cute pictures of big sissy. I guess We will survive and some day (hopefully sooner than later) big sissy will get her inner supermodel back!