...and I'm not just talking about the caramel corn.
Because I made a delicious batch of caramel corn. It's light and fluffy and crispy and buttery and sweet. I'm wondering how the second half ziploc bag is going to make it to Colorado. It will have to be by sheer will power. Anyway, if interested, I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. It's called My Amish Friends Caramel Corn. It calls for 7 quarts of popped corn...and I had no idea how to get exactly 7 quarts. So I popped up two batches of corn using 1/2 cup of unpopped corn each batch. Perfect. Also, we got a non stick roasting pan for chickens and the like. As it turns out, it works great for caramel corn as well.
Anyway, we leave in 2 days! I still have to make more snacks and some shortbread for dad. It looks like today will be a baking day. I'm not complaining as it's cold outside.
I wandered around most of November wondering when it was going to snow in the QCA and enjoying 60 and 70 degree weather. Now I remember Midwest winters....boo. BUT, if we are still considering Alaska, then I best get used to COLD. I can not WAIT until that job list comes out!!
In other ponderings...in all my free time fritting about the house and being a housewife (which will end at the end of the year, I just know it), I have been thinking about kids. In my head, I planned to get preggers about 18 months after we got married to give us lots of newlywed time. Lately, I have been thinking it would be OK if we moved that up a bit. John and I have been talking about what new car to get after my car is paid off (and, honestly, I'm fine with keeping a paid-off car for a while) and timing kidlets with his career (which is always difficult when you have monkey wrenches thrown in your plans from all angles), and I had been thinking sooner would be OK. I wonder if this is a newlywed side effect? "You're married! Go have babies!"
Until the past couple of days when I thought I was pregnant. I had no real basis for these thoughts other than paranoia. And I was interpreting my PMS as early pregnancy symptoms. Although I had weird nausea at night before I went to sleep. Anyway, I was more uneasy and scared than joyous. I'm not sure exactly why or if this is an ingrained response from those years when I was not married and did NOT want to be pregnant. Or if it was just the fact that John and I have not discussed that now is a good time to be not trying to not get pregnant. (Ha! Make sense of that sentence! We're so passive aggressive. I predict we won't "try" to have kids, we'll "not try" to be safe anymore. There is so much pressure once you've declared that you're "trying".)
Anyway, the relief I felt this morning, when it was confirmed that I was NOT pregnant, was just a sign that we have more newlywed time to enjoy. More discussions to have. More monkey wrenches to work out. Before we decide to not try.
In the meantime, I'm going to bake and clean the house. And get a job.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Fa La La La La Laaa, La La La Laaaaaa
10 days until Christmas!
Today I am wrapping presents and shipping gifts. I'm also dumping (OK, "placing") the Christmas cards in the mail. Don't get all excited, they're pretty generic standard picture cards. But they have a wedding pic on them which makes them BE-YOO-TI-FUL! teehee. I'm also pretty sure I'm done shopping.
So, after today, we concentrate on the making-tasty-goodies portion of our holiday season. We have decided to drive to my folks house in Colorado. Essentially, we stopped looking at airfare. This is how I determined we decided to drive. John has been using his time researching living in Alaska instead. From past experience, I would tell you this means that we are NOT moving there. Because whatever John thinks is going to happen, does NOT happen.
But that's just from past experience. The Army is full of surprises.
Back to treats!
I am making:
English Toffee
Graham cracker toffee
Caramel corn (which, using the same basic ingredients of butter and sugar, tastes like toffee...on popcorn)
(do you see a pattern here?)
Shortbread. For my dad. My grandma always makes shortbread for him, but she doesn't bake much anymore. Her balance is not good. If she happens to make him some, I'm sure he will appreciate getting even more.
If I don't screw it up that is.
How can I screw it up though? It's butter, sugar and flour.
(I went out and bought 4 lbs of butter this baking season.)
Almond bark covered pretzels.
And, because I decided we needed chocolate, I'm making PWs life by chocolate cupcakes. They have a kiss in the middle of them. I'm going to put a cherry cordial kiss inside.
My aunt is making snowballs.
If I decide we don't have enough sweets, I may make yet another batch of mint chocolate chip cookies.
They're Christmas-y.
But we really should have enough.
And we'll all be SUPA FAT by the time we return from CO!
Fa La La La La Laaaa, La La La LAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Today I am wrapping presents and shipping gifts. I'm also dumping (OK, "placing") the Christmas cards in the mail. Don't get all excited, they're pretty generic standard picture cards. But they have a wedding pic on them which makes them BE-YOO-TI-FUL! teehee. I'm also pretty sure I'm done shopping.
So, after today, we concentrate on the making-tasty-goodies portion of our holiday season. We have decided to drive to my folks house in Colorado. Essentially, we stopped looking at airfare. This is how I determined we decided to drive. John has been using his time researching living in Alaska instead. From past experience, I would tell you this means that we are NOT moving there. Because whatever John thinks is going to happen, does NOT happen.
But that's just from past experience. The Army is full of surprises.
Back to treats!
I am making:
English Toffee
Graham cracker toffee
Caramel corn (which, using the same basic ingredients of butter and sugar, tastes like toffee...on popcorn)
(do you see a pattern here?)
Shortbread. For my dad. My grandma always makes shortbread for him, but she doesn't bake much anymore. Her balance is not good. If she happens to make him some, I'm sure he will appreciate getting even more.
If I don't screw it up that is.
How can I screw it up though? It's butter, sugar and flour.
(I went out and bought 4 lbs of butter this baking season.)
Almond bark covered pretzels.
And, because I decided we needed chocolate, I'm making PWs life by chocolate cupcakes. They have a kiss in the middle of them. I'm going to put a cherry cordial kiss inside.
My aunt is making snowballs.
If I decide we don't have enough sweets, I may make yet another batch of mint chocolate chip cookies.
They're Christmas-y.
But we really should have enough.
And we'll all be SUPA FAT by the time we return from CO!
Fa La La La La Laaaa, La La La LAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Options
As it turned out, John wasn't all that ticked.
Apparently he is way more acclimated to the Army and it's shenanigans than I am. Oh well, I will learn.
There was a list of those selected for ILE, and he didn't know many of them. This is encouraging because it really just means they have to take care of an existing backlog and it's not like he didn't get selected because he's a slug. (I reminded him that slugs don't get promoted double below the zone and all that.) It is curious however, because he has been "penciled in" for this program for 3 class start times now. I guess it's all the more evident how much they do not know how many more people need to get in as well.
(I did have a lengthier explanation typed out here about the backlog and why it exists. Then I deleted it because I decided that no one *really* cares anyway.)
The important thing is that he did the math and, provided there are good job openings coming up, he will still finish his objectives at the Major level and be promotable to Lieutenant Colonel in a preferred time frame. (I am SO proud that I spelled "lieutenant" correctly the first time. Not that you could know that I'm telling the truth.)
So we had one of those discussions last night. The one that starts with
"If you could live anywhere in the US, where would you want to live?"
I thought about it a bit, and decided I could be happy a lot of places. My two biggest considerations (for myself) is climate and job market. My knee jerk reaction is always "Colorado", but then I remember that a) I lived there a great number of years and maybe it's time to try a new place and b) the chiropractic laws there kind of....well, suck suck suckity suck.
First and foremost, however, is going to be desirability of the position for John's career. Location is second. He is looking to have a key job somewhere for about 2 years. The locations of these jobs range from Hawaii, Alaska, Seattle area, El Paso, TX, Ft. Hood, Texas, Ft. Carson (CO), Kentucky, Georgia, wayyyy upstate NY (where, as John says, it's "non winter" 4 months of the year), the Carolinas, or even within a program that could put us in another country such as the UK, Australia or Korea. Germany is actually not very likely for what he is looking for.
I'm really really OK with a lot of these options! Hawaii, Alaska, Ft. Hood, TX (preferrably NOT Bliss in El Paso), Ft. Bragg...these are all not bad options.
John also clarified what Branch said. The automated email said he was eligible for PCS soon. Not necessarily deployment. Is deployment still on the table as a possibility? Yes. But less likely that I thought.
Less likely in John's mind anyway. We have no idea what the Army actually has in store.
And we will have no idea about the job openings coming up until January. So I guess it's best not to stress about anything until we know more.
Right? Right.
(HA!)
Apparently he is way more acclimated to the Army and it's shenanigans than I am. Oh well, I will learn.
There was a list of those selected for ILE, and he didn't know many of them. This is encouraging because it really just means they have to take care of an existing backlog and it's not like he didn't get selected because he's a slug. (I reminded him that slugs don't get promoted double below the zone and all that.) It is curious however, because he has been "penciled in" for this program for 3 class start times now. I guess it's all the more evident how much they do not know how many more people need to get in as well.
(I did have a lengthier explanation typed out here about the backlog and why it exists. Then I deleted it because I decided that no one *really* cares anyway.)
The important thing is that he did the math and, provided there are good job openings coming up, he will still finish his objectives at the Major level and be promotable to Lieutenant Colonel in a preferred time frame. (I am SO proud that I spelled "lieutenant" correctly the first time. Not that you could know that I'm telling the truth.)
So we had one of those discussions last night. The one that starts with
"If you could live anywhere in the US, where would you want to live?"
I thought about it a bit, and decided I could be happy a lot of places. My two biggest considerations (for myself) is climate and job market. My knee jerk reaction is always "Colorado", but then I remember that a) I lived there a great number of years and maybe it's time to try a new place and b) the chiropractic laws there kind of....well, suck suck suckity suck.
First and foremost, however, is going to be desirability of the position for John's career. Location is second. He is looking to have a key job somewhere for about 2 years. The locations of these jobs range from Hawaii, Alaska, Seattle area, El Paso, TX, Ft. Hood, Texas, Ft. Carson (CO), Kentucky, Georgia, wayyyy upstate NY (where, as John says, it's "non winter" 4 months of the year), the Carolinas, or even within a program that could put us in another country such as the UK, Australia or Korea. Germany is actually not very likely for what he is looking for.
I'm really really OK with a lot of these options! Hawaii, Alaska, Ft. Hood, TX (preferrably NOT Bliss in El Paso), Ft. Bragg...these are all not bad options.
John also clarified what Branch said. The automated email said he was eligible for PCS soon. Not necessarily deployment. Is deployment still on the table as a possibility? Yes. But less likely that I thought.
Less likely in John's mind anyway. We have no idea what the Army actually has in store.
And we will have no idea about the job openings coming up until January. So I guess it's best not to stress about anything until we know more.
Right? Right.
(HA!)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Ah, Army. You always know how to piss me off.
Again. A minor setback.
I think.
As it stands right now, John has not been selected for ILE. (the reason we would move to Kansas.) There are just too many applicants. Now, this happened to our neighbor last year (they tried to delay him twice) and they are there now, doing the coursework, and getting it done. They had to get a GO involved, as well as jump through numerous hoops. (ie, they pulled some strings.)
I don't know if now is the time to do that or if now if the time to let it go and see what else there is to do.
John said he will be looking at his assignment options when they come up in January.
* yay *
So, I could be staying in the lovely quad cities for a bit longer. Or we could be moving.
Of course, Branch let him know that he is eligible for deployment again come March, I think. So not only is this an option, it's a heavy possibility.
* yay *
I should be used to this, but I'm still ticked. I haven't actually talked to John yet. I imagine he is more ticked than I am, so I've decided it's the time to do my best to put on a supportive front and not act like as if this is a betrayal of sorts. Since it's not his fault.
Lesson relearned: Every time John thinks he has a plan mapped out for himself, the Army shoves him in a different direction. It's not always bad. But I'm just along for the ride.
I think.
As it stands right now, John has not been selected for ILE. (the reason we would move to Kansas.) There are just too many applicants. Now, this happened to our neighbor last year (they tried to delay him twice) and they are there now, doing the coursework, and getting it done. They had to get a GO involved, as well as jump through numerous hoops. (ie, they pulled some strings.)
I don't know if now is the time to do that or if now if the time to let it go and see what else there is to do.
John said he will be looking at his assignment options when they come up in January.
* yay *
So, I could be staying in the lovely quad cities for a bit longer. Or we could be moving.
Of course, Branch let him know that he is eligible for deployment again come March, I think. So not only is this an option, it's a heavy possibility.
* yay *
I should be used to this, but I'm still ticked. I haven't actually talked to John yet. I imagine he is more ticked than I am, so I've decided it's the time to do my best to put on a supportive front and not act like as if this is a betrayal of sorts. Since it's not his fault.
Lesson relearned: Every time John thinks he has a plan mapped out for himself, the Army shoves him in a different direction. It's not always bad. But I'm just along for the ride.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Cookies
I like holiday baking. I like finding new things and can't wait to make them. I'm definitely more of a baker than a cooker, although cooking is growing on me now that I'm doing more of it.
I figured John had a bit of a sweet tooth, so I wouldn't have to eat ALL of my creations myself.
Because that just leads to bigger clothes in the long run.
And that can get expensive.
And now I've come to find out, with ALL the possibilities for cookies and baked desserts out there, John's absolute favorite is....
Chocolate chip cookies.
This is the one thing that he will eat more than a couple of and save me the ultimate pain of having to eat or throw away what I have created.
So simple! So boring! Chocolate chip cookies!
Gah!
I figured John had a bit of a sweet tooth, so I wouldn't have to eat ALL of my creations myself.
Because that just leads to bigger clothes in the long run.
And that can get expensive.
And now I've come to find out, with ALL the possibilities for cookies and baked desserts out there, John's absolute favorite is....
Chocolate chip cookies.
This is the one thing that he will eat more than a couple of and save me the ultimate pain of having to eat or throw away what I have created.
So simple! So boring! Chocolate chip cookies!
Gah!
Other small details
I almost forgot to mention one of the best parts about my South Dakota getaway. Being a hunting family, John's aunt and uncle have 2 (very well trained and behaved) black labs. Being in a conservative, retired military family, they have the craziest names I can imagine for black labs. (But, I suppose they also go with the hunting theme.)
Recon and Gitmo.
I swear I'm not making this up.
Recon is older and they think at one time in the not so distant past, she was kicked by a deer because her back legs aren't as strong as they used to be and have actually completely failed her at one time or another. She does sit a bit weird too...like she doesn't like pressure on her low back. So she's more of a pet now even though you even mention the word "bird" she gets so excited she starts turning circles so fast you can barely make out heads or tails of her. At one time Cathy (cousin) offered her to us. I'm actually surprised we don't have her now. ("Heeeeere Recon Recon Recon!" I can't really imagine myself saying that...but I would still take this dog as she was the sweetest pup ever.)
I even tried to adjust her as I felt 2 pretty major subluxations that could be affecting the innervation to her hind legs. It was hard though as she didn't know what I was doing and would shy away from sustained pressure. I also didn't bring my activator as I had no idea I would use it. I got something to move, but it didn't fully remove the subluxation. I hope she's at least more comfortable.
Gitmo was a puppy who was just learning to hunt 3 years ago the last time John went hunting with his family. Now she's full grown, but still smaller than Recon. She actually got to go with the boys hunting as she was strong and could handle all the walking.
Matt (cousin) also brought his chocolate lab puppy, 4 month old Oakley. She was so cute, but SO very much a puppy and not completely trained. She was also completely wearing out Gitmo.
I really can't wait until John and I are more settled and can adopt a puppy too! This might be a while.
I'm also fired for not getting ANY pictures of these sweet dogs!
Recon and Gitmo.
I swear I'm not making this up.
Recon is older and they think at one time in the not so distant past, she was kicked by a deer because her back legs aren't as strong as they used to be and have actually completely failed her at one time or another. She does sit a bit weird too...like she doesn't like pressure on her low back. So she's more of a pet now even though you even mention the word "bird" she gets so excited she starts turning circles so fast you can barely make out heads or tails of her. At one time Cathy (cousin) offered her to us. I'm actually surprised we don't have her now. ("Heeeeere Recon Recon Recon!" I can't really imagine myself saying that...but I would still take this dog as she was the sweetest pup ever.)
I even tried to adjust her as I felt 2 pretty major subluxations that could be affecting the innervation to her hind legs. It was hard though as she didn't know what I was doing and would shy away from sustained pressure. I also didn't bring my activator as I had no idea I would use it. I got something to move, but it didn't fully remove the subluxation. I hope she's at least more comfortable.
Gitmo was a puppy who was just learning to hunt 3 years ago the last time John went hunting with his family. Now she's full grown, but still smaller than Recon. She actually got to go with the boys hunting as she was strong and could handle all the walking.
Matt (cousin) also brought his chocolate lab puppy, 4 month old Oakley. She was so cute, but SO very much a puppy and not completely trained. She was also completely wearing out Gitmo.
I really can't wait until John and I are more settled and can adopt a puppy too! This might be a while.
I'm also fired for not getting ANY pictures of these sweet dogs!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Christmas season again
I can hardly believe it. This time of year makes me all nostalgic, and this year is no exception. My first year as a married woman. Our first Christmas tree. The first time decorating our house. The list goes on and on.
Well, I finally got the tree from storage. (A task that took me three attempts.) John has never seen this tree put up. He bought it on sale at an after Christmas sale in 2003. Then he was either out of town or deployed so he hasn't used it. Ever. It's never been out of the box. He thought it was a small to moderate sized tree. Well, I got to put it together.
The sucker is 7 1/2 feet tall. It barely fits in our freakin house. Oh, and since it has been moved a half dozen times and never opened, there were several lights that were broken leaving sections of the pre-lit tree dark. Which means I had to find them and replace them in order to have the tree fully lit. I thought this project would take a couple of hours and it took all day.
Oh well.
It was worth it.
A lot of my ornaments have never seen a tree either. I have been collecting them, waiting for a time to have my very own tree. It was fate, I tell you.
And then I had a hot cocoa spiked with peppermint mocha kahlua.
Well, I finally got the tree from storage. (A task that took me three attempts.) John has never seen this tree put up. He bought it on sale at an after Christmas sale in 2003. Then he was either out of town or deployed so he hasn't used it. Ever. It's never been out of the box. He thought it was a small to moderate sized tree. Well, I got to put it together.
The sucker is 7 1/2 feet tall. It barely fits in our freakin house. Oh, and since it has been moved a half dozen times and never opened, there were several lights that were broken leaving sections of the pre-lit tree dark. Which means I had to find them and replace them in order to have the tree fully lit. I thought this project would take a couple of hours and it took all day.
Oh well.
It was worth it.
A lot of my ornaments have never seen a tree either. I have been collecting them, waiting for a time to have my very own tree. It was fate, I tell you.
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| A gift from Sarah. 2004. |
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| I have no idea where I got this. But I love it. |
 |
| I have no idea where I got this either!! But it works well. |
 |
| I also just like the simple glass ornaments. |
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| The tree topper that came with our tree. It's sparkly, so I automatically like it. |
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| Another fave. I also have a green one and blue one. |
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| Ta-daaaaahhhhhhhhh. |
In-laws and wild turkeys
I met John's family at the wedding. Most of them, anyway. But I didn't know them. It was a "hi, nice to meet you" event and then I was swooshed to the next table and eventually to the cake table to proceed with the evening. So, last week was my first chance to really talk to them and get to know them. And also have them get to know me! Luckily for me, they are great, hospitable, laid back, down to earth people. These are the aunts, uncles and cousins I am talking about...as I do sort of know his parents already.
John's aunt and uncle live outside of Hot Springs, SD. It's a quiet town and their house is kind of a middle of nowhere place. It's very close to touristy things, so I did a lot of sightseeing with John's aunts while he was out hunting. And I did finally learn important knit stitches. It was a productive week.
Plus, I saw all kinds of animals. Buffalo, wild turkeys, mountain goats, big horn sheep, and elk to name a few. Then there are John's cousins...which I can see us becoming close to. They are close in age to us and have similar values. Plus they are easy to make laugh, and really, that's all it takes to be my friend. :)
I did take issue with one thing, however. Pat and Doris gave us 4 lbs of venison hamburger as well as venison steaks. I have tried venison before, at a restaurant, and it was fairly tasty. (although I like elk better.) Doris said the hamburger is good in spaghetti or chili.
She lied.
Or maybe she really likes it, but I will have you know that I do not! I tried to make it and took a taste and shuddered. John also gave it a big thumbs down. Too game-y. I should have known when I was cooking it and the smell made me want to vomit. We went out on Tuesday night. Lord help me when I try to cook the pheasant John brought back.
John's aunt and uncle live outside of Hot Springs, SD. It's a quiet town and their house is kind of a middle of nowhere place. It's very close to touristy things, so I did a lot of sightseeing with John's aunts while he was out hunting. And I did finally learn important knit stitches. It was a productive week.
 |
| And this is what I worked on in down times. I ripped it out 3 times, so don't let me fool you, I had to practice a bit to get it looking right. The yarn is variegated so it automatically makes stripes without switching out colors. Anyhow...cool, no? |
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| My 2nd attempt. Not quite right. I had found a way to add 19 extra stitches. |
 |
| The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. Apparently this was once a sinkhole that filled up with warm ground water and trapped tons of mammoths inside thousands of years ago. |
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| This is Pat and Doris's view out the front door. With wild turkeys. But that is as close as they would let me get. |
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| Buffalo on the side of the road in Wind Cave National Park. Lickin his top lip. And possibly snot from his nose. I didn't get that close...I was in a car and had zoom. |
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| Unfinished Crazy Horse |
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| Mountain goat near Mt. Rushmore |
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| Doris and Charlene (to the bottom right) at Mt. Rushmore. Being so chilly it was dead there. It was so nice to not have crowds! |
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| Hello Gentlemen. |
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| We had lunch at this place in Hill City. It was decorated SO cutely for Christmas and had awesome Bavarian food to boot. Om nom nom. |
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| Thanksgiving day, John gets tasked to carve the 24 lb. turkey! |
She lied.
Or maybe she really likes it, but I will have you know that I do not! I tried to make it and took a taste and shuddered. John also gave it a big thumbs down. Too game-y. I should have known when I was cooking it and the smell made me want to vomit. We went out on Tuesday night. Lord help me when I try to cook the pheasant John brought back.
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