Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Hubband Update



An update, in the form of a picture! Here is our boy in full protective gear and camoflauge, standing by one of the base ambulances. :-)

Sunday, November 27, 2005


Here is the whole gang who was visiting over Thanksgiving! We spent Sabbath at Deception Pass State Park. This shot was taken by Dad's digi timer (can you see the blurrrrr that he made getting in place before it went off?) down on North Beach. We found a lot of great rocks, including some good quality Agates! Then...we went home for Flamboyant Flank Steak, steamed broccoli, and pumpkin "dump" cake. YUM!

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Sympathetic Self

I have decided that I am a big sap. That is the only explanation... Im reading Jan Karon's Mitford series and so far have cried at least once in each of the 2 most recent books I read. I watched CSI this week, as usual, and had a good hard cry at the end. So where is all this coming from? According to my sisters, its always been around. I mean, I get choked up by commercials sometimes, so what's new about it now? they ask. I think the biggest thing is that I notice it now myself. I can't watch ads for certain tv shows, I read about things that are normal, happy, things and I end up sobbing. People tell me that its because of my stress and the separation from Andrew, or that Im just over tired (when I sleep upwards of 9 hours every night?!), or don't take enough time for myself (when I spend more time on "fun" things than housekeeping?), but I think not. I think Im just having a sympathetic pregnancy, experiencing what my sisters are experiencing.

Before anyone gets excited I am NOT PREGNANT, but my 3 closest girlfriends are (including both my sisters), as is my cousin, one of my husband's best friends from highschool, and another girlfriend (my boss's wife...and my ex-coworker...), AND both my sister-in-laws sister-in-law and one of my friends just gave birth within the last few weeks. I have experienced weird, morning sickness-like nausea attacks, weight gain, and fatigue. But Im luckier than most, cause when my "pregnancy" is over, I'll have 6 new babies to hold and cuddle and coo over...

Thursday, November 17, 2005

The Mustache: Photographic Proof



Proof of the MUSTACHE has been received. I actually really like this picture of him, although the mustache makes me giggle. I dont know why, he is quite handsome and all, but I just see it and start snickering. hehe. He's so CUTE. Like a mustachioed teddy bear. :-) Seriously though, just look at those EYES! >sigh< >flutter<

:-) He's doing well, being kept busy but not in a scary/sad way. What I can tell you is much depleted, as he is in a secure area. Just happy that he is safe, and God is caring for him. He shares his container barrack/tent with another guy, has found a few of his friends from corps school stationed in the same location, loves the food, and discovered that the local chaplain is SDA! All-in-all, he's doing well. :-)

And we now have photographic proof that although he always said he would never grow just a mustache... he has one. :-)

Hot digitty, I love that man!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Sibling Revelry

Siblings are great, I had an older sister for 12 years, and then I met my "twin" and got another sister (who is only 5 days older, so she can't lord it over me... much).

I know my older sister truly enjoyed having a little sis to teach and play with.... I could spell encyclopedia at age 2 and was quite content to go along with any scheme she might concoct. This included airplane rides when we were supposed to be sleeping (that one ended with me getting a dreadfully bloody nose when I sailed over her head into the headboard... again, age 2.), scaring ourselves silly over the "bloody mary" myth when we saw red lights reflected in her mirror (smoke detector test light), and having spelling bees where she tried time and again to remind me that we lived in Hooker County not Hookey Counter (I spelled by memory, not through knowledge until she taught me to read the following year). We also built a treehouse, a fort on top of the container garage in Tanzania, dug a cave in a gully, hunted up buried treasure, taught ourselves to walk barefoot on any terrain and to ride our bikes with no hands. We had competitions to see who could walk the tree branches without falling or holding on (more points the higher you were and the more twisted the branch), and with the arrival of Ashley we would do road trips, have read-a-thons where we did nothign for hours but sit and read books (confused our parents no end... why did we want to be together so much if we were just going to READ), film our own music videos (hilarious footage still available somewhere in Nicole's basement), lip sync, play dress up and Academy, and attempt to teach ourselves to knit (diastrous scarves still available in SOMEONE's garage).

Along the way, we learned how to relate to each other and the world, we learned to balance not just on a tree branch but on the sticky road of life, with all its ups and downs, and we learned that while there will always be someone who lets you down, there is also always a sister... who may hurt or disappoint you on occasion, but will never stop loving or supporting you, no matter what.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Mustaches and Mario Bros

I got another phone call last night! The Hubband TR Exodus has finally occurred, so his address will be changing. Also, a note to the family.... please use the navy-wide email address now, instead of the air group one. :-)

In other husband news... he's growing a mustache! I have requested photographic proof because he vows it will NOT HAPPEN STATESIDE! EVER! He said it just "seems to go with the camis(camoflauge)". I think he just didn't want to shave if possible. :-)

Overall, I had a great evening. Queenie and her Hub-Unit came over with pizza and we had pizza, soda, leftover halloween candy, and a 6 hour match-up on Mario Party 6. I actually came close to winning once! CLOSE! hehe. By 1 am we were all giggly, had sore eyes, and although we had planned to go for ice cream and come back to race Mario Karts we all agreed that it was time for bed. Then... I got my insomnia again and was up until 330. gar.

Friday, November 11, 2005

I ate too much

What a feast! I have found a new recipe to put in my favorites...its a beef roast that is absolutely DEEVINE! I had Queenie and her Hub-Unit over tonight to celebrate the forthcoming addition to their family and the fact that said Hub-Unit has a long weekend (He gets VETERANS DAY! I WANT VETERANS DAY!). The meal that cause me such over fullness was as follows:

2 beef chuck roasts rubbed with a mixture of allspice, salt, and pepper and then placed on a bed of onion and garlic and covered with more of the same. A tinfoil tent was placed over the top, and the meat was roasted to perfection. We also took some Fennel, Potatoes, and Carrots and marinated them in a touch of white truffle oil mixed with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper, then popped them into the roasting pan with the meat when the beef was about 85% done. For dessert...a pumpkin pie brulee. Yes my friends... that is a pumpkin pie with all its whipped goodness that is topped not by whipped cream but a crunchy layer of carmelized sugar. Add a cup of hot french roast with a holiday appropriate creamer (your choice of eggnog, gingerbread, or peppermint mocha) and you have three adults who are just rolling themselves around town and not planning to eat again for at least 3 days. :-)

The day overall was a blast, too. Queenie and I took the afternoon after I got off work and headed into town where a few of the shops were doing an openhouse. We sampled goodies, drank mulled cider, sniffed enough candles to put a candlemaker to shame, and picked up a couple Christmas presents/ideas along the way. Came back to the house and worked on dinner together, then hollered insults at each other across the couch while playing Mario Party 5 on the Nintendo Game Cube. Let me just say for posterity that I have absolutely NO skill at the little joystick thingy, but I have incredible skill and speed when it just comes to hitting a button as fast and hard as possible. hehe.

In other news... I received word today that Andy will be offline for a few days as some transitions in location are made. Email me for deets...He also said he is shipping home the new rug (w00t!), a couple boxes of gifts he has picked up for the holidays, and all the things he won't be needing for the rest of cruise (ie, summer uniforms cause you know, its WINTER). We also got the Christmas cards in so the Christmas letter must be drafted and sent out shortly.

Oh! and GOOD NEWS! Murray (my future cousin-in-law) finally got his appointment with the proper people and may actually be able to STAY here after his wedding, instead of being shipped back across the water until such time as the red tape might be obliterated. AMEN! PRAISE! WWHHHEEEEEE!

Ok, as you might be noticing, Im a bit hyper. I know it must be the coffee because my mind is going a mile a minute and my eyes are blinky and shutty and yawny. So many projects to begin.. must... get... sleeeeeppppp.

So, with those words. Im off to toss and turn in bed with my eyes shut and my brain somewhere in January or February while the rest of me lags along here in lowly November.

W00t!

Saturday, November 05, 2005

The ticker!

Check it out folks! We got a new homecoming date, and the ticker has been changed accordingly. It felt GREAT to see such a big drop! Means we're nearly halfway there...yippee!

Friday, November 04, 2005

Orders (my preciousssss)

We finally have our new orders! And they are.... to stay exactly where we are! hehe. I had to laugh at the irony of being told 3 weeks ago that we couldn't extend with our squad as we had requested and must find new orders and a new location ASAP! NEW! NOW! After looking everything over and putting in 2 requests, we were denied for both of them and placed ... with our current squad. hehe. Ah well, at least we are now STABLE and know such minor facts of life like where we will be living next month... :-)

Its been an interesting week for me (I know Ive been dreadful about posting ever since the summer traveling began, but I can't help it. Im posting at least weekly, count it a blessing, my dear readers!). What with work, and the orders dance, and trying to keep my house clean, and helping a friend who's marriage is falling apart, and finding out about the wedding of a buddy being set up (congrats matt and lydia, if you're reading this!)... oh, and that WONDERFUL, AMAZING, HURRAH factor this week? Andy was in Dubai, on land, for 2 full days. I got 2 phone calls and 3 long sessions on instant messenger, complete with voice and webcam! WHEEEEEEE! Made my MONTH I can assure you! He also bought us a beautiful, hand woven persian silk rug while he was there. I can't wait until it gets here!

Also on the fun side, I went to Doom the other night and loved it! I dont care what the critics say, its a fun movie. Especially if you play RPGs. The 1st person shooter sequence was like controlling the game yourself. It was awesome. Didn't hurt that the hero reminded me an awful lot of my handsome hubby. :-) Thursday night I went to Queenie's and was treated to a delish dinner of beef stew, green bean salad, and Autumn Cake. yum!

I was planning to drive down to Portland tomorrow and spend an evening of games with my mother-in-law before heading to Nessa's bridal shower on Sunday, but the weather is so nasty I had to cancel. The road reports are calling for extreme caution all weekend, saying to stay in if you dont have to drive. We're to have high winds, fog, rain... all of the icky nastiness usually arriving in JANUARY in the form of snow. Ah well, it'll be snowing in the mountains! They are predicting up to 30 inches this weekend in the cascades. THIRTY! The skiers are leaping for joy. Its said to be predicted as the best ski season in like 18 years. I just hope we get some snow on the island... Queenie told me they got 6 inches here in one storm a couple winters ago. Im crossing my fingers!

The Thanksgiving menu is almost completely planned. It looks like most of my guests will be arriving on Wednesday and staying until Sunday (hurrah!), so I had a good time planning out some fun meals. Queenie and her Hub-Unit are planning to join us on Sabbath for dinner (Queenie is going to help out so we can make her yummy steak roulade, and I'm using gluten to make a veggie version as well for all the non-carnivores who will be here!), and Saturday night we'll all put up the tree. I thought it would be nice to have the family help me, since Andy won't be here for it this year. I realized this afternoon that it is our first Christmas separated in 4 years... 3 out of 4 isn't bad, I suppose... especially when you realize we had only been dating a month at our first christmas! 'Course, when you factor in that we had known each other for 9 years before that... hehe.

Goodness, I got blabby, didn't I? Wow! Well, my fire is dying down, and the Brandenburg concerto is nearing its conclusion, so I'll sign off and let you rest your eyes. I'll try to post something more than an update tomorrow! You know... a post that contains actual analytical thought... then again, maybe not!

Good night!

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

New Boyd's Nest Blog!

Hey all! Had to tell you about a new blog posted by my family... We're starting a whole Boyd's Nest family here! You all have seen my link to Genus Pooleyaticus (my sister-in-law) and now my Mom-in-law has started one! W00t! Go C-Mom! Her addy is http://momsboydnest.blogspot.com

Check it out!

Also... another new link... I started contributing to a satire site called Eat the Rich. Addy is http://longpiggy.blogspot.com.