New Year, New Life

 Wow. 2013 approached very rapidly! Christmas was just perfect, my mother and brother flew in for 10 days and we got to spend lots of time with them, it was nice to have a full house for the holidays. 

We find out the gender of baby #2 in a few weeks, and I am so excited to find out what we're having. I want a girl for myself, but at the same time I want a boy so that Bryan can have his sidekick.  I can't wait to start decorating! I've decided to do a Calvin & Hobbes Travel the World themed nursery if it is a boy and I have a lilac colored nursery theme chosen if it is a girl.  Either one has to do with travel, since we have very unique world map themed furniture in that room that I'd like to keep.

On a more somber note, tonight while I was giving Angel a bath I couldn't stop thinking about how much older she is getting and how sad it is that her time on this earth is drawing short. I cried for quite some time (maybe that's the pregnancy hormones).  It is hard to imagine that over 12 years ago a small, furry little puppy rolled out of the back of an animal control truck and into my arms.  She has brought so much joy and laughter into my life and I am so grateful she is mine.  She has shown me the true meaning of unconditional love, I hope she has felt loved in my home. She's had Max to love her rotten also, they are the best of friends and love each other dearly. For now I will try to keep that at the back of my mind and just enjoy the time she has left. She is sleeping soundly just a few feet away from me, just the way she always has.  Dogs really are man's best friend.

Angel as a puppy, one week after I brought her home from the pound.

Angel & Max - best friends

Baby Gizmo & Sunny Bump

Bryan and I recently found out we are expecting again!  I've been searching through the pages of Amazon.com looking for that perfect double stroller (and also stalking people's strollers at the zoo and mall haha) and I think I found them - the Britax B-Ready for every day and the Mia Moda Compagno for zoo trips and anywhere Annika wants to be able to get up and down.  Well, today I found out that Baby Gizmo (www.babygizmo.com) and Sunny Bump (www.sunnybump.com) through Baby Gizmo's Christmas giveaways are giving away a $500 gift card to Amazon.com!!! I am SOO excited.  Go check each of them out, they are both AWESOME sites for expectant and current parents!

Sweet Home California

Well, we made it! It was a huge mess getting here, between coordinating our home goods and everything else, it's a wonder I didn't go crazy through the whole process. 

We now live in Chula Vista, CA just South of San Diego.  We definitely love it here.  The day the movers were packing up our truck it was 107 degrees in Illinois.  When we got here it was 74.  Score!! 

I've been slowly, but surely getting our house organized throughout this move-in process.  I was able to keep my old job, which is great because it provides me with income, but it has made unpacking a little challenging with a 2-year old. 

Annika has really enjoyed helping us unpack!!

She is in the big helper stage, which has been pretty cool, I must say.  I love that she wants to help us do things, she will make a fine big sister one day. 

































I'll have to post pictures of our new home.  I am having so much fun decorating! It is all coming together slowly, but surely. 

Pin Me Up

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to be a model for a local pinup photographer. That's right, me! She contacted me and asked if I would model for a shoot. Needless to say I was flattered and thrilled! I am so pleased with the end result, I clean up well if I say so myself! Check her out!

www.dapper-dames.com

This stroller is droool-worthy!!

Today Baby Gizmo (www.babygizmo.com) is giving away a stellar Cybex stroller that I basically would like to drool over!! Could really use this bad boy! They are doing a fabulous youtube giveaway contest.  Check it out!!

http://blog.babygizmo.com/2012/04/baby-gizmo-youtube-giveaway-extravaganza-day-22-cybex-ruby/comment-page-7/#comment-202597

Never Forget Where You Come From

My closest and dearest friend moved to New York City in 2007 (wow, I cannot believe it has been that long) and tonight on the phone we were reminissing about South Louisiana and the culture that exists in that area.  It took me leaving to appreciate the culture and way of life there, but that being said - I don't have a desire to move back. Visiting is fine, but I don't want to go back.

This past Saturday I gave a presentation for my Public Speaking class and I gave them a crash course in a signature South Louisiana dish, Jambalaya.  My recipe was passed down to me from my Dad and is a Cajun dish.  I particularly like this dish because it just relies on the purity of the ingredients, no added broth, etc. And it isn't watery like a lot of jambalaya recipes.  Here it is:

CAJUN JAMBALAYA

1 – Green Bell Pepper
2 – Cloves Garlic
1 – Stalk Celery
1 – Sweet Onion
1 – Tablespoon Butter
2 – pounds chicken
2 – Pounds Sausage
3 – Cups Rice
3 ½ - Tbsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
3 ½ - Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
Tony Cachere’s, Black Pepper & Salt
¼ - Cup Green Onions

Directions:

- Chop up bell pepper, garlic, celery and onionwith butter, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and sausage. Cook through.
- Add rice and 4 cups water. Stir.
- Add Louisiana Hot Sauce & Worcestershire. Add Pepper & Salt to taste. Stir.
- Cook until done (about 45 minutes – 1 hour), green onions when there is approximately 20 minutes remaining.
**Cook Covered!**

Hello, SoCal...

Three years ago when my husband brought me to this armpit Midwest state I made him *promise* to bring me back to Virginia. Gosh darnit, he tried. Half the reason I probably haven't liked it here is because I came here with the mentality that it was gonna be cow pasture America (not that it isn't).  But, in reality it does have a lot to offer.  Housing is affordable, lots of safe communities to raise a family, simple pleasures.  Not. For. Me.  I've always been a city girl.  Particularly, an East coast gal.  I love it.  I loved Virginia.  I loved the history.  Colonial America and all of its beauty was captivating to me.  When I met my husband my plan was to stay in Virginia two more years and then high tail it to Northern California and bask in the perfect Sonoma County wine country.  If heaven had a place on Earth, it would be there for me.   Well obviously all of that went out the window.  I came to IL/MO and this has been home.  I have settled into every day life, working, school, family, etc.   I have been bored for three years and for a while there when we first arrived, dare I say resentful.  Thank God I have a truly wonderful guy by my side.  He is everything I am not.  Unconditional, affectionate, grounded, passionate, capable of expressing his thoughts in actions and words.  I am more of a firecracker. He is the ying to my yang, it works. 

Anyway, so it came time for him to pick orders... Choices: Ship in Japan, Ship in PoDunk, Bahrain, Bahrain, Bahrain.  Ugh.  So he elected to go to Bahrain for a year because it was his best option.  Then he elected to apply for a job in Virginia that he is qualified for.  So he set it up so we would end up in Virginia.  I was excited.  Thrilled even.  I hadn't had enough of Virginia and wanted to go back. PERFECT!  Well then Big Navy decided that's not where they wanted him to go, they suggested he apply for this other job in NC instead.  Meanwhile, if that fell through his orders to Bahrain were locked.  Ok. I can deal with that. 

Today I got a call from my husband at work that someone at HIS command decided they didn't want him to go to NC. So they denied the package. And then at that point Big Navy decided they didn't need him in Bahrain anymore, they needed him on a ship... in San Diego.  WHAT!?  Now, I have never been to San Diego.  I adore everything about northern California, but have never been to the southern part.  I was shocked.  I was scared for him.  I knew he did not want to go to a ship, and I didn't think we could even get to San Diego since technically we are considered East Coast sailors.  Whatever.  So the ship just got commissioned two years ago and it is a hybrid so the Navy is sending it all across creation.  That means they deploy - a lot. They are out now and have been since September.  I think they go out 6-9 months a year. We will manage. 

On the upside, we get to live near the beach! Annika will be a California girl.  We can go to the beach daily, and I hear the weather is just about perfect all year round.  I have begun to purge our household items since we will have to downsize when we move.  Exciting things happening!