100 Days of Deployment

Deployments... Not the fun-est thing to go through, but they definitely give one time to really get to know ones self. 

This is what 100 days of deployment looks like through my eyes, and my camera. (If you actually read my blog you might recognize most of the pictures. I'm sorry but your just going to have to deal with me going over everything since Ricky left.)

The very first picture is one Ricky took. I really like it. It feels like a good deployment picture.

This is how I've been able to talk to and see my husband for the last 100 days. Still it's better then nothing.

 This is the very first of my projects. It was from mutual but still a project all the same.

 I reorganized the bathrooms, to mix things up and give me something to do.

 I started christmas shopping early.

 I made this to store all of the coins Ricky's gotten, until we can find a better way to put them on display.

 I started and finished this project all within about a week. I was desperate for something to do.

 My poor puppy got sick and I had one of the most challenging weeks of my life, but I know now that without that week I wouldn't have found my strength as an individual.

 More christmas shopping. This is Ricky's.

 I got my most awesome camera. I love it!

 I got a 30% off at Kohl's with my charge card, plus my employee discount so I went a little crazy and got a lot things that I thought Ricky and I would enjoy having and called them Christmas presents. 

 As you can see they are random but totally worth it.

 Well... I guess I could have said no to this one but too late now.

 I got a Christmas tree to help me get in the mood for Christmas.

 I hung out with friends who were kind enough to invite me over for dinner regularly so that I didn't have to cook for one.

 I put my camera to use and took some photos of some friends. (I really enjoyed doing this and am hoping to do more of it. HINT HINT)  :)

 I went home and was greeted by the loving faces of my family. Doesn't he look so excited to see me.

 I spent a lot of time with family, both mine,

 and Ricky's. I really enjoyed getting to know my new little brother in-law. 

 And it was great to spend time with the in-laws in general. Thank you guys for completely making me apart of your family!

 I was lucky enough to be home when my sister in-law had her baby girl. I love babies!

This is Abby. She is absolutely gorgeous and was so awake when I was taking pictures. I loved it!

 I started a new project. I hope it turns out good, but we will see since I don't really know what I'm doing and am just kind of winging it.

And just recently, (Wednesday night) we had a combined activity for mutual where we hoped to teach our youth about etiquette. It actually went over very well. 

So that has pretty much been a fast forward of what I've been doing since Ricky has been deployed. But the best part of reaching 100 days is that I don't have too much longer before he comes home! I can hardly wait!

New Years Resolutions

So I haven't really told anyone about my New Year resolutions. But just so you all I know I do have a few. I didn't think I'd have any but then I started thinking about how I would like to improve and I came up with these...

1. I want to be more like my dad

2. I want to cook more and better

3. I want to keep to my budget and save more money

and 

4. I want to pay off our truck and get out of debt

Most are not to specific, and that's because if I make it specific I might actually have to do something. lol jk. the real reason is because I might need to interpret things differently during the year, so that I can continually work on them. The only real specific one is the last one, and that's cause well both Ricky and I want to get the truck paid off this year and to over all just be debt free like the prophets have encouraged us to. 

Now because I feel like it, and because I'm really enjoying typing right now, I'm going to tell you the background for where I came up with these. :) So if you don't care or don't wanna know, you can stop reading......

NOW!

Starting with the first one, I thought of that one, because of a conversation I had with a few of my siblings. We were talking about my dad, and how much he's still apart of our lives, and just who was the most like him. I'm not going to say who we thought was, I'm just going to say that it wasn't be but seeing dad in this sibling made me want to be more like him too, so that I could have him in my daily life still, even though he's gone. 

Moving on to number two.

I got to spend alot of time with my little brother, who is planning on becoming a chef, and opening his own bakery. So he is almost always making something, and I was definitely spoiled while I was home, so I got a few of his recipes and decided I would try them out and really just expand my cooking skills to include more variety and to get better at cooking in general.

The third one comes from me read a blog written, not really by my friend per-say, cause I've only met her once, but I really enjoy her blog because, well she let's me read it, she updates it regularly, and the whole point of her blog is to help others learn new ways to save money. She's writing about her and her families experiences in trying to make it through vet school without going into debt. It's pretty amazing at how well she is able to do it and just how much she saves in such easy ways. If you want to see it for your self's click here on  The coupon basics to see the site.

 The forth and final resolution I've already kind of explained so I wont say too much about it, except that it's one Ricky and I are sharing and working toward together. Not that he isn't for helping me on the other 3, but this is one he's really adamant about making the 4th one happen. So I know we're going to get that one done! 

Recap of vacation

So it's been a while... I looked at the date today and realized that I haven't blogged since before Christmas, so I figured I should give anyone who reads this an update on how my vacation went.

Well for starters, thing here are good. I'm back in Texas. I was pretty sad to leave everyone back in Idaho, but I was also kind of ready to come home, but now that I'm here, I'm ready to move home closer to Idaho. (if only...) 

Anyways Christmas/my birthday were really good. I got some pretty good things. I got a screwdriver that has the extension that can twist, I don't really know how to describe it, but it's pretty cool, but I got that from the family Christmas party. My mom gave me some piano books, one was some church songs, and the other one was the forgotten carols story and music. Ricky's family got me quite a few things. Most of it was bath stuff but I guess that's what brothers get sister in-laws. :) I also got a sweet watch, an awesome shirt, a hat/glove/scarf set (which I used in the -9 degree weather that I enjoyed most of the time I was there), and I wanna say there was one more thing, but I can't remember for sure. For my birthday Nikki, my sister in-law, got me some of those note paper things that you hang on your fridge. I was running low so I was glad to get those. Troy and his family got me two of those huge candy bars which I ate all of in about 2 days. :) Robert's family, and Grandma gave me birthday money, always a great present! Tammi and Ken got me a sweater. Tony gave me a flag that flew on a mission over seas. Daryl gave me this awesome cook ware stuff, its silicone and is high quality and most of it was his that he has already used and was damaged in some way (most had cuts) but they still work as good as new and I must say I really like them. And finally Ricky sent me flowers. I got a dozen roses! I love it when he does stuff like that, even though he's in another country he still was able to get me something! 

But yeah that was my Christmas and birthday fun. Oh wait my birthday present to myself was a new drivers license because I am officially and adult! Boo Yeah! 

I didn't do much after that, I think I was watching a movie when new years came. I enjoyed the joys of fries sauce while there. Oh how I've missed fry sauce. I'm going to try to make some here so that it tastes just like it does at home.  we'll see how that goes though. I also got to go see some friends that I haven't seen since before I got married. I realized I'm getting older. I got to bake and cook and get closer to two of my families and it was nice. Oh and I almost forgot I got to hold my brand new baby niece! Nikki had her baby while I was there! She is gorgeous! And of course seeing her has brought back all of my baby craziness that I have been suppressing. Oh well... eventually I'll have one of my own. But for now I'm just going to keep on surviving until Ricky gets back. 

Family Christmas Party

Spending time with family is always the best part of Christmas. I was lucky enough to get time off from work to be able to come home for the holidays. Yesterday was the Kent family Christmas party. It was chaotic but still tons of fun. We first went caroling to a few families near the house. After that we all got together to eat and do a gift exchange. It was tons of fun. I got a few good pictures, but it was easier to just enjoy myself. But I'll share what I got.

These first ones are what I got of everyone getting ready to go caroling.

 This is McKinley (I'm not sure that's how you spell her name). She's a little ball of energy and is always entertaining to watch.

 Riley, he's cute and sweet and fun to play with.

 This is Ella. She's actually a very happy baby, but she wasn't liking my camera. I couldn't get her to smile long enough to take a picture.

Almost everyone. It's almost impossible to get everyone into one picture anymore because it's grown so much.

The rest of these are after caroling. I didn't get any of the actual caroling or the five vehicles it took to get us all around. Oh well... 

 I was only in picture, but I figured I should share it, cause I hardly am in my blog. This is me and my brother Andrew. He likes to cuddle. 

 McKinley again, almost every time I took out my camera she wanted a picture.

Hudson was another one to always want his picture taken when I brought my camera out.

 Travis and Cara, his wife, enjoying their meal.

 All the kids eating at the table, along with my mom and Allen, her new husband.

 Alicia, Andrew's wife. She's expecting a new little girl in the next few months.

 Travis and Dillan (also not sure if I spelled his name right either), his baby boy. He's super cute!

 Grandma Kent, still alive and kicking! She didn't realize I was taking a picture and was about to say something.

 Rick, my brother, not really posing, but kind of posing for a picture.

 One of the gifts came in a big box and of course all the young kids flocked to it and wanted to play in it. I just had to get a picture. The kids from left to right are Cynthia (once again with the spelling), McKinley, Saylor, (below her is Nick) then Ella, Riley, and finally Dillan.

 After all the presents were open and the party was beginning to wind down. I was once again trying to get everyone in the picture, and once again failing.

Troy, my brother, always good for some sort of crazy face to make you smile. 

I'm excited to be home for Christmas. The only thing that would make this better was if Ricky was here with me. I miss you and love you Ricky!

Christmas tree

This year I wont be home, in Texas, for Christmas. I'm going home to Idaho to be with family. But even though I wont be here I still wanted to put up a Christmas tree, to help me get in the Christmas spirit, since it isn't snowing here, or even coming close to being cold enough to snow here.

I know that it looks kind of goofy from this picture, but I was playing around with my editing stuff, and well, I like it. I still feel like we could use more ornaments, but those will come with the years. 

Things and happenings...

So life has finally gotten back to semi-normal. It's still crazy as ever but I no longer feel stressed out about it. 

I had a pretty good Thanksgiving. I spent it with some friends and their family. Unfortunately I forgot my camera so I didn't get any pictures. I also made it through Black Friday. Surprisingly it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Sure it was constantly busy but I did miss the 2:30 am rush. I was one of the lucky ones chosen to come from 5am - 5pm. But 12 hour shifts still makes for a long day. Luckily I didn't have to be on the registers the whole time either! That really helped. (I don't like being on registers but I'm just so good at it, they can't really keep me off them.)

Anyways I'm still trying to recover from Black Friday, since I haven't had a day off yet, but one is coming, just not fast enough.

In other news, Ricky is doing really good. He's missing home and family, especially with the holidays coming. He is still working hard and has gotten Airman of his squadron and Airman of the month. And because he got those he has been put into a group that they will choose Airman for the base! He's excited and is hoping that he gets it. I am too.

In completely random news, I got a letter from Santa saying that since Ricky and I don't have kids we have to buy our own Christmas presents this year but still say they are from him. It's kind of lame, but I got the list and I know what we're getting for Christmas! I've even been able to get most of it already. I actually only have a few more things to get. :)

Sorry for no pictures, but they will come. I promise. 

Oh one more thing... 22 more days till I get to go home!!!!

Parvo, not fun

This last week has been crazy. I know I probably say that every time I blog, but they all seem to be so crazy, and hectic and stressful. This last week was especially so because Chester, my puppy, got the parvovirus. For those who don't know what that is, it is basically a flu virus that usually only affects young puppies and can really harm, or even kill them (usually from dehydration or secondary infection). Like only 20% of dogs actually make it through this disease. I had to call in to work and get the week off because I couldn't afford the $700 plus it would have taken to get Chester admitted into the vet's care. I barely had enough money to get his medications. Luckily I have some friends here on base that had just gone through this with their 3 puppies, so they were able to help me know what to do and actually gave me some supplies that I didn't get, that turned out to be the saving grace from me and Chester.

Chester at the vet. He was just starting to come down with parvo. 

This was what I got from the vet, well most of it is from the vet. the pepto I bought. This is what is left over, I had another syringe and some pedia lite that I had to inject into Chester in order to keep him hydrated. I wont go into more detail about that just know I had to do it every 1-2 hours throughout this week (and no I didn't get alot of sleep). 

 Chester from earlier this week. He actually doesn't look to bad. I didn't get any pictures of when He was really down, but just know that he looked 10 times worse then this.

 This was taken yesterday I think. He was finally starting to feel better, but I think you can see that he lost a lot of weight.

 Today, He's finally eating and drinking on his own! 

 You can kind of see just how skinny he looks now, but in all honesty he's not that bad. Now I just need to get some more fat on him.

 So this week with all the stress and time off I had, I decided to escape reality by reading the series that I bought earlier this year. I really liked theses books. So much so that I am actually finished with all of them. :)

 Finally, I just wanted to show off a bit and say that I got my Christmas/Birthday present early this year. I'm really excited to start using it. No more fuzzy pictures from my phone.

I am really glad to have made it through this last week, and still be sane! It was so stressful dealing with sick things, but I did get a small insight into how to deal with sick children. Surprisingly I still want kids.

Now I just have to make it through black Friday, and I'll be golden! Life should get alot less crazy after that. I hope...