Ask Mrs. K

Every once in a blue moon, I ask my readers if they have any questions for me. Always wondered something about me? Ask and I might just tell you. You can leave the questions in the comment section and I'll get to them soon or you can email me your questions at mrskandcaptainj(at)hotmail(dot)com. These questions, however, came from the fabulous April at Hearts on Guard. She awarded me the Liebster Award and asked the following:

1. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
 A lot. I didn't realize this until our latest move just weeks ago. Goodness, at the shoes! I probably haven't worn half of them since 2008. I have so many dainty, sexy, caa-ute heels but I lived in Alaska for about two years then I was pregnant for about two years and now, well, I'm stayin' home with the babes so I never get to wear my cute shoes.
2. Are you a city person or do you prefer the country?
I'm very much a country mouse. I feel uncomfortable in the city. It's a nice place to visit, but I do not enjoy navigating, driving, walking, or staying in big cities for long periods of time. In my humble opinion, life is better when you can't throw a rock at your neighbor's house and hit it. We'll see, though. I'm enjoying this big city very much thus far. Starbucks on every corner? Hallelujah.
3. Alcoholic beverage of choice?
Well, I'm having wine now and it's pretty tasty so I'm going to stick with that. Any kind is fine ;)
4. What is your worst bad habit?
I just asked Captain J and he said, "You don't say what's on your mind, you make me guess...and I ain't no good at that crap." That's a direct quote.
5. What T.V. show do you wish was real so you could hang out with the characters?
First of all, great question! I wish I watched more t.v. so I had a great answer. Most of the shows I watch are reality t.v. shows. I suppose I'd go with True Blood....as long as I didn't end up dead. I think it would be fun to chill with Lafayette.
6. What is your most epic fail in the kitchen?
I once used the wrong type of flour for cobbler and ended up with fruit floating in butter. A close second would be the cardboard tasting cookies I made one Christmas.
7. What colors did you have at your wedding?
Well, I didn't really have a wedding ceremony. I wore a beautiful, simple dress with feisty red heels and God painted the skies white. It was perfect.

8. What is your favorite smell?
Brownies baking or cookies or Blueberry Cheesecake.
9. Dream location for a wedding?
I never thought about my hypothetical wedding much. I don't enjoy being the center of attention; it makes me uncomfortable. I never really wanted a big to do. When I did think about it though, it was always some place outside.
10. What would you name your son or daughter?
Well, I wouldn't change their names. I like them. But I'd rather not say their names...Just know that Cray K and Baby A have names that most of my family didn't particularly like. One is named after a mountain. The other is a biblical name.
11. What is the first thing you think of when I say....FREE?
'Merica.

The One Where I Answer Your Questions

Welcome to another edition of Ask Mrs. K! I really appreciate you all sending me questions to answer (providing blog material), awards, and overall just keeping it real. The first cluster of questions are courtesy of Alyssa James and the Liebster Blog Nomination (How cute is her family?)  she so graciously bestowed upon me-

1. What's one major life event that you wish you could relive just once? The day I graduated from college was a lovely day. I think I would relive it because it might spark something in me to work toward something again. I felt so proud of myself that day thanks to the love and support from my friends and family. I felt special- like I finally completed something important. That feeling should be experienced every so often just as a reminder of how far one has come and how far one has the potential to go.
2. Who do you consider to be the most influential family member in your life? I was blessed with a big family with very few crazies in it and so many of them make an impact on my every day whether they are aware or not. I've learned so much from a lot of them.
3. If you could only make/eat one meal for an entire week, what would it be? Pasta. Something easy to make and equally delicious to eat.
4. What's your most favorite Pinterest find to date? Impossible question! I use it on the daily. Recipes, crafts, sewing patterns, laughs. How about I share with you my latest project?

5. What's your dream car? It would be awesome to have an old school corvette one day.
6. What bill do you dread paying the most? AT&T, I guess. Our bill is always absolutely ridiculous.
7. Do you remember your first cell phone? Describe. Yes, I think it was one of those little Nokia ones that had all the different personalizations like colorful covers and buttons you could switch out. I think I soon switched the boring color it came with to pink and turquoise.
8.What is one "must have" in your dream home? A big, huge bathtub with hot water that won't turn cold when it's filled to the brim! Our bath tub here is lame. It's normal sized, but we have what my family likes to call an "Al Gore Water System"- water trickles out and doesn't stay hot enough for long. Not cool.
9. What is your favorite blog that does NOT qualify for the Liebster Award? Oh, I don't know. Most of my favorite blogs have less followers because those are the people who respond to comments and keep up with me, too. I blog to connect with others- not to make a ton of money- although that would be nice!
10. Name your biggest guilty pleasure. Chocolate.
11. What are the top three things on your bucket list? Publish my book. Travel the world. Appreciate life.

Brit nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. I was instructed to list 7 Random Facts about moi! I'll try to make them interesting, but no promises:

1. I was on the tennis team in HS.
2. I can talk like Marvin the Martian.
3. I never thought I'd consider this a compliment (which I heard yesterday): "Your belly is so pretty. No stretch marks!"
4. More than anything else right now, I want a shower. Alone. No small children crawling over to visit. I don't ask for much.
5. I first started blogging on MySpace.
6. (See number two) I originally spelled martian this way- "marshan" Ha.
7. Kid is yelling, must go tend to him.

Because I've received these awards before, I'm not going to tag people again. If you'd like this award for yourself, please do accept this nomination!
If you have any questions for me, feel free to leave them as a comment and I'll get to them eventually. Thanks for reading. Bye for now. And happy, happy weekend!

You've got questions, I've got answers...

Howdy, partners. I'm a little la-la-loopsy today. My mind is jumbled and my freshly mopped floor is stinky. You see, I'm elbow deep in the middle of trying to switch Baby K from formula to milk and he hates it. HATES IT. What little milk I can get him to take, he ends up spitting back out on the floor. This is why I don't mop! It was so lovely just yesterday and now NOW it's back to square one. This is why I'm coming at you with a post that doesn't require much thought or formatting or whatever! It's that time that I take all of your questions you've asked me recently and answer them as honestly as I possibly can. If you've got a question for a later post, feel free to leave it in the comments section or email it to me. I enjoy doing these from time to time. 

The following questions are from an Anonymous commenter:

1. What will you be naming the baby? Well, it's not a huge secret, but I'm not really ready to share on my blog yet. I just think about when my boys are older and their peers have access to the Internet- will I embarrass them by talking about them here? I try not to use names here, but sometimes it just spills over and I suppose that's okay, too. Send me an email and I'll tell ya! ;) If not, here are some hints: It's a biblical name that starts with an A.
2. How old were you when you started blogging? I started blogging periodically in college. It was only on my Myspace account, though.
3. How is your pregnancy going? It is going well. It's strange how much faster this one has gone compared to when I was pregnant with Baby K!
4. Who is your best friend? I've got a couple. I'm a lucky gal.
5. When are you due? December 7th- Pearl Harbor Day! That was actually the first thing I thought of when I was told. Weird or not?
6. What is your middle name? This sort of goes back to the first question so I'll be vague. Many people think my middle name is Sue. It's actually not, but it's really close!

*Thanks for the great questions, Anonymous! If you want to email me, I'll send you names and such :)

I was nominated for the Liebster Award again by two lovely bloggers: Mrs. Duh and Ramblings of a Southern Bell. Here are the questions they asked:

1. What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a social worker, then a pharmacist, then a professional student. I don't recall having childhood dreams of jobs because I never wanted to grow up! Once I realized it was inevitable, the jobs mentioned were on my radar. For the record, I don't want any of these things anymore!
2. It's movie night, what movie genre are you out to see? I suppose it depends on who I'm with. I love a good scary movie, but most of my pals will not go with me to see any of those.
3. What is your go-to recipe when you have people over for dinner? Umm, maybe husband can chime in here. He likes to entertain and cook more than I do. He's always trying something new when people come over, though. Lately, we've experimented with Cajun food when company is over, taking advantage of the local spices and such!
4. What website do you frequent the most? Probably facebook.
5. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football
6. How about your favorite sport to play? Basketball or tennis
7. What book do you recommend? A Discovery of Witches
8. What do you love most about your hometown? It's small and homey! It makes you all warm inside.
9. If you could give $100,000 to any charity, which would you choose and why? I'm not sure. I'd likely choose one that benefits children, though.
10. What is the origin and meaning of your first name? Supposedly, my name means "alert"--ha! It comes from a phonetic form of initials.
11. What chore do you hate doing? The dunk and swish. You cloth diapering folks know what I'm talkin' about! Gross.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. What is your favorite childhood toy? Do you still have it? Oh, I don't know. I had a talking Bubba doll. Remember those? I think it's still in my parent's attic somewhere.
2. What was your favorite cartoon as a kid? I don't think I liked cartoons much. I was the Road Runner for Halloween one year so we'll go with that one!
3. Would you ever be brave enough to eat a banana, peanut butter, and mayo sandwich? (sounds gross...but I swear it isn't. If you're from the South, you've had one! lol) Umm? I'm from the south little lady, but I have not had this concoction. I'd be brave, though if money was involved.
4. What was your favorite activity as a kid? I liked to read, ride my horse, do gymnastics
5. Letters or email? I like letters, but I use email more often for convenience.
6. What is your favorite scent? Oh, my! I found the yummiest Scentsy scent the other day that I've been warming all over our house. It's Sweet Pea and Vanilla. Love it!
7. Camping or The Ritz? Both have their places in my life! But I do love a good ole camping trip.
8. Did you have a nickname as a kid? What was it? Nothing that stuck.
9. What one item from your life do you wish you still had? I used to have a pretty penny saved up in my bank account as a child. I wish that was still around!
10. Do you watch reality t.v.? Yes, I can't help myself. I watch many of those types of shows.
11. What is your favorite sound? Baby K's sweet giggle

Thanks, again for all the questions y'all. If you want to answer these questions, too then I choose you for the Liebster Award!

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Current giveaway: The Juppy Review and Giveaway

Ask Mrs. K

Now that the coffee is flowing through my veins, I think I'm ready to face the real world. Reality is the blog world, right? If not...I may not have any friends. Humor me.

As of late, I've been rackin' up the awards in the bloggy land. I had better get to crackin' on these questions I've been asked...

I received the Liebster Award again from two more of my favorite bloggers: Confessions of a PinAholic and Life as Mrs. They asked me the following:

What's your favorite vacation destination?

Give me a white sand beach that's not too crowded and I'm happy.

How do you take your coffee?

From a Keurig or a Starbucks, thank you very much. Oh, peasant coffee? I need lots and lots of sugar and cream.

What's your favorite quote?

As you can probably see, I'm not good with deciding favorites (see answer number one), but in light of the annoying political season of attacks, I'll share this one that is definitely one of my favorites:

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~Aristotle

Why did you start blogging?

I picked up my life and moved to Alaska. I wanted a way to update family back home on how I was doing.

What's your favorite link-up to participate in?

Oh, I don't know. I like a lot of them, but I don't plan my blogging schedule around any of them really. Lately, I've enjoyed surfing the links added to The Pinterest Project!

What was your favorite tv show to watch growing up?

Saved by the Bell is up there. I watched it every morning while getting ready for school.

Do you hover when using public restrooms?

Absolutely. What would mammy say?

What's something you would do alone that you wouldn't normally do in front of others?

Sing.

Have you/would you ever have any kind of plastic surgery done?

No, I haven't and at this point I would never do it. I like to avoid pain if at all possible and I don't dislike anything on my body enough to go through it. That being said, if something happened and I needed plastic surgery? I would do it.

Are you a morning or a night person?

Hmm. Tough. It seems like I'm always cranky these days! ;)

What feature do you get the most compliments on?

When I was single, I got complimented on my eyes a lot. They're brown (like my dad!), but I've been told they don't lie. Now, since I usually am only complimented by my dear husband, he rarely mentions my eyes! 

What kind of car do you drive?

BMW, baby.

What's your next tattoo you want to get?

I don't have any and I don't really want any. I have commitment issues.

What's your favorite thing to do during the holidays?

I like to walk around my mom's house, looking at all her beautifully decorated trees and rooms while catching up with her and the rest of my fam. Oh, stop. Don't make me homesick.

Where's your favorite place to vacation?

I like to mix it up. It's nice to try out new places and not always go to the same spot. That being said, I loved visiting Siesta Key, FL every year of my life.

Who do you want to see in concert next?

You might not know this- but I'm totally not cool at all. I don't listen to new music anymore unless it's Christian music. I usually keep the Christian station on most of the time so I'd probably say one of those huge concerts with lots of artists there. I can already die happy in the concert department because I saw the Eagles play a few years ago. So awesome. I guess I should add Jimmy Buffett to the list, though. Then, life would be totally complete.

(*If you have a question for moi, shoot me an email or leave a comment and I'll surely answer it next time I am having an "I'm not sure what to blog about" day. Thanks for reading, y'all. )

One last thing, Scentsy is 10% off for the month of August! I've compiled a list of the bars that are being discontinued, too. Stock up now if your favorite is on the list! To order, go here or ask me and I'll help you place an order.

Much love,

Thanks for the award, girls! 

If YOU want this award, I tag you! Just answer the above questions and pass it along.

Just Because It's Friday

Unfortunately, I just got back from Walmart with yet another box of Gobstoppers. I hate those blasted bins that beckon candy lovers like me. But, oh well, it helps paint the picture of how pathetic I am today. I'm not wearing makeup. I've somehow stuffed my enormous 20 Week belly bump into a size 6 pair of shorts. I haven't showered. I've barely eaten. 

And I miss my husband like crazy. As much as I like to think the Army has helped me to become more independent, I'm not sure that it's true. This mom is counting down the days until January when we can part ways with the military and (hopefully) likewise unpredictable work schedules. It might be nice to know exactly when my husband has to work, but right now that concept is completely foreign to us. His work schedule changes every day. This rotation has been okay, but I'm more than ready for it to be over. For those of you who are new 'round these parts, Captain J is in the field every two weeks. Crap gets old. Quick. Sometimes he gets to come home late at night, sometimes he spends the night out in the field. No matter- he works long hours and rarely gets to see little K- which is why I'm sad J won't be able to join us at the beach this weekend.

K Baby and I are leaving in the morning to go to the Mississippi coast to meet my dad, step-mom, and 3 of my brothers/sisters. I'm excited to go even if it is just for a short period of time. They haven't seen Baby K since he was 4 months old! Our last visit with them was at Christmas. Seeing loved ones once a year is really, really lame y'all. I'm glad we can at least squeeze in two visits.

Let's see...there's more going on in my little world, too:

*Yesterday, I saw the end of the laundry pile. It was a miracle from on high. Photo for the blog, of course-

The lovely Mrs. Nix from Local at Last gave me an award! I'd really, really like to thank the academy....oh, wait. Wrong dream. Anyway, she offered up 11 Questions that I'm supposed to answer. Ready made blog material? I'll take it!

1. What is your biggest fear and where does it come from?

I'm deathly afraid of birds. My fear is getting more manageable as time passes but it comes from a deep rooted memory that I think I'll never shake. I had many run-ins with the evil creatures as a young tyke. One day, I was actually pooped on by a bird twice in a 24 hour span. That's neither here nor there, though. The real problem I have with birds evolved due to a certain chicken. I was staying with a friend and her family had free roam chickens on their property. Most would scatter when I got close so I developed a sort of confidence (I use this term very lightly) around them. Well, big mistake. A chicken had gotten stuck in the barn/shed thingy and when we leisurely opened the doors the creature flew out. It passed two of my friends and turned in a 90 degree angle towards me where it continued flapping its wings (on my head!) and scarring me for life.

2. If you had to live in another country or state for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Tennesse- home sweet home to me

3. When you were young, how did you picture the way your life would turn out? Is it accurate?

I didn't picture this, but you know what? This is so much better.

4.When was the last time you told someone you loved them and meant it from the bottom of your heart?

About 30 minutes ago. I tell Baby K all the time. I'm sure he's going to become really annoyed with my habit when I call him every five minutes when he's 33.

5. This question was about souvenirs. I don't really collect any.

6. All time favorite photo of yourself? I don't really have one. Sorry. Please substitute the below photos as close calls.

7. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Dressing up for Halloween! And don't tell me Halloween isn't a holiday...that makes Mrs. K very angry.

Where's Waldo and Curious George Halloween 2011

Cindy Lou Who

KISS

I take it pretty seriously.

8. Your plane crashes into the ocean and you're now stranded on a desert island- what do you do?

Pray. Work on my tan. Frantically try to remember all those nifty tricks I learned on survival shows.

9. Who's your celebrity man-crush?

I'm partial to Tay Diggs or Grey's Anatomy Guy #1 or Grey's Anatomy Guy #2. Oh, I don't know...

10. Who's your celebrity girl-crush?

Meg Ryan is still my fav.

11. Why do you blog?

I blog to keep me sane. I blog because of my need to share. But most of all, I enjoy being connected to people from all over. I've made many real life friends and online bloggy pals through blogging and it has been awesome.

Thanks, again for the award, Mrs. Nix! 

Do you want this award, too? I tag you! The only catch is you have to have under 200 followers. 

I'm linking up here today:

I love.

While I attempt to come back down from that cloud labeled "nine" that was our trip to Savannah, I thought I'd grace all you love birds with an update on this St. Valentine's Day. Our weekend get-away was fabulous. Perfect. Splendid. I'll tell you all about it at a later date because I don't have time to write a post that would do it justice.

For now, I'm going to link up with Jenn for another edition of (Mil)ing It Over. Todays topic? Love, of course!



I've always loved Valentine's Day. It didn't matter if I had a boyfriend of not. It's just fun to show love and receive love from all those special people in life. My parents were those who went all out on such holidays- A card, some candy, just a simple gesture to let me know they were thinking of me. I remember one year, in fifth grade,  I was hoping that I was one of those lucky students who got a balloon sent to the office with their name on it. Walking by the office, I could see it was sprinkled with reds and pinks, flowers, and countless balloons. Then, I saw it! I was face to face with a life-sized Mickey Mouse balloon. He had arms and legs and was at my eye level! I thought that whoever got that was the luckiest girl/boy in the world. The time came for students to pick up what was waiting for them in the front office. My name was called! I felt so blessed as I walked down the hallway. I walked in and the secretary handed me the hand of Mickey Mouse- that balloon was mine!

I know this all sounds so cheesy, but isn't that an integral part of Valentine's Day? I was so happy to get that gift from my dad. Of course, it isn't about the gifts that my parents showered me with. It just felt good to know they care about me and wanted me to be happy. Now, to this day, I can't recall a Valentine's Day when my dad failed to call me and ask me to be his Valentine.

V-Day is about telling all those people in your life that you love em! And I love that we have a day to celebrate that. All those bah-humbugs are missing out! Just because there's a day set aside for us to remind our loved ones what they mean to us, doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it the rest of the year, as well. There's no need to rain on the parades of those of us who do get downright obnoxious with our pinks and reds this time of year.

With all that said, Mom(and Joe), Dad (and Julie)- I love you bunches. Thank you for all the things you've done over the years to make me feel loved and special. :)

I also love my friends, my family, my Jesus, my husband, my dogs, my little baby growing inside, and so many other things-

Like.... blog awards! The other day, I got two of them in one day so I was pretty pumped! One is from Nina, a lady I envy from a far. This girl has got it all together! She lives in Anchorage, Alaska and stays busy working on a degree in Psychology, keeping physically fit, and exploring God's green earth with her hubby. If you enjoy reading about outdoor fun in Alaska then check her out here: Adventures of a Lifetime

I received the Versatile Blogger award from her, but because I've already received it once or twice I'm going to skip all the rules. I still love getting blog awards so thank you very much, Nina!

The other one I landed was from the lovely, Lydia!



She is a newlywed Navy Wife so go over to her page and congratulate her! Thank you so much for the award, dear! As for the rules, I must share 7 things about myself-

1. I organized a gigantic box of greeting cards today.

2. I love the feeling ghost stories gives me.

3. Chocolate is a major food group in my world.

4. I come from a blended family, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

5. I love to scare my husband.

6. My 2nd trimester rocks thus far!

7. I just got a lovely bouquet of roses from Captain J that made my heart melt.



Now, I'm supposed to pass it on. I choose (drumroll please...)

Consider the Lillies.

Thanks for checking in with me on this beautiful, Georgia day. I hope you have all had a really swell day.

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

More from the South...

As promised, I have more photos to share with you today. I also was gifted an award by the lovely Lydia_Isabelle over at Reality Check. She gave me the Versatile Award! You may recall that I received this award awhile back but it has a fresh new look so I'm going to post it again and link to my previous post so that you can see my answers to the questions/rules that accompany this award. Thanks again, Ms. Navy Wife to be :)

You can find 7 facts about me by visiting my early post here. Buttttttt.....I would like to pass this award on to some notewory versatile bloggers that I've never gifted it to. The rules say to pass it on to 15, but as you may know- I'm a rule breaker so that's just not how I roll ;) I'm going to give it to the following bloggers:

-Mowenackie (She's a fellow milspouse who writes intelligently and from the heart. She currently has a contest/race going on to see who the 400th commenter will be and I'm really hoping it's me! But you all should go try to win, too.)

-Hilary at Pennies From Heaven (She's a cute-as-a-button Kentucky fan who blogs about her life as a military spouse, spirituality, cooking, and life in the north country among other things. Go check her out!)

I'd also like to re-gift to Mrs. S (who I see has already received the other version) who definitely has a lot of awards already, but only because she is so great at what she does! She writes about everything under the sun from the perspective of the Air Force wife. If you love military family blogs, you'll enjoy hers!

Okay and now let's continue down the path of pictures from my trip to Tennessee last month...

If you missed that post, you can check it out now: Week 2 Recap

The following photos are just some of my favs- I don't think I blogged about these, but I still wanted to share:

Niece and Nephew on the boat, O Be Joyful

Acting silly with the siblings

That's all for today! I have some good photos of the hike I took with my dad and step-mom but I'm going to compile those into a slideshow for you to enjoy. I'm going to pry myself away from facebook, wordpress, and other social networking sites so that I can do some research on what I'm going to do with the rest of my life (I am taking suggestions, though! ha). Wish me luck!

Caution: Do not read if "weak stomach" describes you

Welp, it's almost go time and I'm pretty unprepared. The good news is that we found a house sitter so we won't have that to worry about in our absence. The bad news is that I have yet to pack fully. I think my husband's habit of waiting until the last minute has rubbed off on me. I'll get there, though and it will all come together.

The bad news just keeps piling up. Let me just let you in on how my day went-

I brought Holly and Drifter inside while I cleaned the house so that they could spend some time with me (I'm so fun, ya know?). Then we went for a nice little walk around the neighborhood, only to find out that the mail hadn't been picked up since Thursday. In case you didn't know, I have the worst luck with the postal service. In the tan colored box with the red flag standing at attention is a bunch of bills that will no doubt be late this month. Anyway, when we arrived at the cabin again, I poured some water into their bowls because they seemed parched. Well, the little scoundrels chugged it, each wanting to down it before the other could. Throwing up ensued.

I put them both outside so I could re-clean my floors. There was only an hour in between then and the time we all had to leave for their vet appointments. How much trouble could they possibly get into? Never ask that question.

I walked outside to load them up into the truck and they had pooed all over the entry way to their cage. To let you know how grody it was, I will say that this particular bowel movement shouldn't be confused with a solid. It was definitely of the liquid persuasion. I was running late so I had no time to clean it off before I got them out of there so I maneuvered around the mess as best I could while I hooked them into their leash. Just as I thought we were free of the mess, Drifter backs up into it and starts moving his evil paws so as to splatter it all over my jeans and shoes. It was at that moment that I realized. I cannot wait to get home!

I'll be dog free.

Of course, I'm also thrilled to see everyone. I'll be traveling tomorrow. I don't know how much you'll hear from me over the next month, but I do plan on posting when I get the chance. I want to ask you for your prayers and good vibes for Captain J. He will likely be under a lot of stress and physical challenges during the next month so we're hoping he is able to handle it well. I'm worried about him going from this mild climate of 50ish degrees to temps of 90 degrees and above. Yuck! He's strong, though and I know he'll be fine.

I'll leave you with another thing that made this rainy day a bit brighter...a new award! Thanks to Lydia_Isabelle for this sweet thought-

 

You should go check out her page- Reality Check. I love reading her blog. She's a beautiful person inside and out and really seems to have a good head on her shoulders...ya know, as best I can tell from my side of the world! :) Now, onto those pesky rules:

I'm supposed to list 3 things I love about myself-

1. My eyes- They're the one thing I got from my dear ole dad. I have brown eyes that often give me away. I can't seem to lie because they always betray me! My eyes are also a conversation starter because I can do this weird thing (usually inadvertantly) that makes them go all "wonky" as Mama M. would say.

2. My conscience- It keeps me in check. If I've done something even remotely wrong, I know about it really quick because there's this nagging, gnawing pain that makes me realize I've wronged someone. I hate that feeling, but I'm glad it's there so that I can make things right when I need to.

3. My husband- What?? That counts! We're joined at the hip now that we're hitched, right? I love that I waited to find the best man for me (or waited on God to send him my way) so that there was no question when he came along that that is who I would marry. I love our life together up here in Alaska. Best of all, I love how he makes me want to be a better person.

The other rule is to post a picture that I love. How bout this one? It's fitting-

And now to pass it on...I never give it to as many people as I'm supposed to so that it's more special so I'm going to give it to just one. This little lady blogs at ACUs and ABCs and I think her blog is simply adorable! That's it! Oh, wait...I want to give it to Jenn, too because she's like my other bloggy half. Jenn and I (and a few other military significant others) have an exciting announcement to make in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Love,

You're goin' places, baby!

Remember the fabulous J. Ashley over at Be Real Be Happy? Well, she gave me a blog award and I'm pretty pumped about it. Thanks, girl!

The rules of this award are:

1. Describe where I think I'll be in 10 years.


2. Pass the fun along to 10 other bloggers.

In ten years, I'll be 34 years young. That seems like such a long time away, but I know it will go by fast. Just the other day, I met a couple from London, England who I eagerly talked to about their neck of the woods. I went to the United Kingdom not too long ago (or so I thought) so it was fun hearing about their lives there and remembering some of the places I visited while I was there. I was having trouble remembering specific names of places when I realized--that trip was ten years ago. TEN! It felt strange to realize that much time has passed by already. Life goes by so fast, doesn't it?

I may get long-winded on this. I'll try not to, though.

Where will I be in ten? I have always found this question difficult to answer. Maybe that comes with age, though. Young people usually see so many possibilities that it's hard to fathom one, clear path- at least that was my experience. Now, I feel slightly more settled.

I see myself living happily with Captain J somewhere in the south--close to family. We also have a family of our own. There's a couple of kids running around outside, playing with Drifter. My house is nice and clean and I just sat down with a glass of wine outside with J while he throws some steaks on the grill. Maybe I'm enjoying some downtime because I finally have a job that I enjoy and I put my whole heart into it. Maybe I'm only working part time at a job that I love while I juggle being a mom and housewife at home. I see us settled--with the military no longer dictating where we'll live or how much time I get to see my husband.

That all sounds pretty great! But honestly, I'm not sure where I'll be in ten years. I'm enjoying the ride and trusting in God's plans for me, not my own. Life always works out better for me when I realize He's in control and knows what He's doing!

I'd like to pass this award on to some of my favorite military bloggers because obviously--They're going places. Being a part of the military or marrying into the military will definitely create a lifestyle of relocating here and there, but even more than that--these women stand by their men and are faithful and happy partners for them, too. These women are so strong and that really goes along way. Here's to you, ladies!

1. Shannon @ An Army Wife's Alaskan Adventures

2. Whitney @ Everything Happens for a Reason

3. d.a.r @ Just Another Day in {our midwest} paradise

4. Dani @ The Last Frontier aka North Pole, Alaska

5. Jessica @ The (Mis)Adventures of An Army Wife

6. Jenn @ Chances I'm Taking

In true Mrs. K fashion- I'm going to stop at 6.

The Cap'n and I are headed for a lil camping trip and some King Salmon fishin'! Do you think I can reel one of those in? I've got my doubts. I'm sure we'll have a good time, though. When I return, I'll tell you all about it. Peace out girl/boy scout!

(I also have some posts scheduled to automatically publish while I'm gone. Check back in tomorrow to read about our ziplining adventures!)

Love,

"I love your blog!"

I got an award from Jenn over at Chances I'm Taking! Thanks, a lot Jenn. I love your blog, too but since I can't re-gift, I'll pass it along to some other of my favorite bloggers, but that is to come a little later. First off, we've got some business to get down to. With this award, I must list ten things I love (in no particular order)--

1. My military life I was so glad to have Captain J home for this Memorial Day. Even though the weekend didn't go quite as planned, I'm thankful beyond belief that he was stateside this year. As we close up the month of the military families today, I'd just like to say--thanks. Thanks to those who serve. Thanks to the families who stick by those service men and women. I'm proud to be an army wife and I feel incredibly lucky to be born in the best country in the world!

2. Wonderful Friends New and old-I'm so glad you're in my life! For those of you this week who listened to me complain and brought me Diet Dews- You're the bomb! For those of you who made me laugh from miles away...thank you! To my new "couple" friend- I'm so glad I met you. For my bloggy friends for checking in on me and reaching out, you rock!

3. The fact that I caught a fish this weekend Umm..yeah...Not only did I catch a fish, I outfished 3 guys! I caught 3 fish which was the record for the day. Beat that, boys! Ha!

 

 

4. Technology Skype and video capable cell phones make me happy every week. I get to see my family from many miles away and it helps me tremendously.

5. My sweet puppy Drifter was so happy this weekend. He got to play with his buddies quite a bit! He's a much more pleasant pet when he's fully exercised and socialized.



6. Spiced Chai Tea Cheers me up every time.

7. An empty hamper and laundry basket Unfortunately, our closet is what is actually empty. Zut alor!

8.We don't have to move This was the BEST news I heard all weekend. I was getting really frustrated with Captain J the situation. I was driving him nuts, I'm sure. He said it would all work out and I guess it has! The owners decided not to sell the house. Woo hoo!

9. Chocolate 'Nuff said.

10. Air conditioning Man, I miss that.

Alrighty, now that those are taken care of- Let's pass it along, shall we?

Drumroll please.....

I present this award to-

Ashley @ Be Real Be Happy

Mom @ Kimbodarlin's Blog

Mrs. Dear @ Lovin', Huntin', and Fishin'

Amanda @ Where the Boat Leaves From

I was supposed to pass this along to ten people, but in normal Mrs. K fashion...I decided four was good. It' s more special that way, right? There are tons of blogs I love, but these are worth a look at it. These ladies are fabulous!

I promise to write more this week. I know I've been MIA lately. Blame it on the gorgeous weather!

Versatile Award

I have lots to share with you! First of all, I got a blog award! Not just any ole blog award--my very first one. I'm pretty pumped about it. The lovely lady over at In the Military and on the Move gave it to me so go show her blog some love and tell her Mrs. K sent ya! The award comes with a set of rules. One, of which, says to share "seven things about yourself."

1. My least favorite chore is pulling weeds.

2. I'm allergic to sulfa.

3. I love weird socks.

4. My carpet that I'm currently laying on smells like vanilla.

5. I call my best friend Meaghan, my LP (life partner).

6. I collected beanie babies as a tyke young adolescent.

7. All the clothes I'm wearing right now are Captain J's.

Pretty random, ehh?

Anywho, the other rules say to pass the award on to 15 bloggers. 15? Eeeekkkk! I think it will be more meaningful and special if I just pass it on to a handful of bloggers. The award is 'The Versatile Blogger' and the following are people I think fit that title well--

1. Carissa writes often of her love for ketchup and John Cusack. She's a very funny and interesting blogger. She also has some pretty entertaining vlogs. Check out her latest video blog here.

2. Jenn blogs about her upcoming wedding to her man in uniform. She also has positive, uplifting posts that often brighten my day. Occasionally she shares her experiences in exercising more and learning to enjoy the physical milestones she hits. Go check her out.

3. Tabitha always seems to have something positive to say, too. Her blog contains her workout and diet regiments along with more of her day to day experiences. She has a really cool bucket list type deal on her page and she just completed her latest "Sing Karaoke" found here.

I think 3 is a good number :) Thanks again to Mrs. M at In the Military and on the Move for my first award!

In other fun news--

A new bloggy friend recently compiled several military family pictures into a short video. Yours truly along with Captain J can be found in it if you look closely. I thought she chose the perfect song to use in the video. Gotta love Jack Johnson! Anyway, here's Mrs. Gambizzle's tribute to our service members and their families. You can check her out at Life as a Sailor's Girl.

Talk Blog with you soon!

Love,