Boo!

This weekend was the Cheeze family's annual Pumpkin Carving extravaganza. You see, we love Halloween here at the Cheeze household. And by love, I mean build a coffin, plant a cemetery in your side yard, carve more than two pumpkins each, scare the neighbors kind of love. Bubba is always coming up with new ideas to turn our otherwise tasteful front yard into a den of spooks and goblins. This year it was the coffin. He got almost giddy when he came up with the idea and then maniacal laughter ensued when his creation was finished. BoyBoy has his very own fog machine - and not one of those wimpy ones you can get at the Target - an industrial, movie quality, timer activated, special juice fog machine. Add to all of that a green light bulb in the outdoor spots and folks, you have yourselves a good ole-fashioned fright fest.

Pumpkin Carving extravaganzas are our yearly excuse to pimp our house and (force)(trick) invite the neighbors over for a little carving fun.

Guts were coming out everywhere...

and creative pumpkins were emerging.

Some were spooky:

Others were kooky:

The hit of the evening was the uber-creepy graveyard after dark...

Happy Halloween!!

Foto Friday

Sweet Home Alabama

This past weekend, the Cheeze family went to visit Bubba's oldest daughter, Paudry, at the University of Alabama.  (A little back story - Bubba was married before and had two beautiful daughters, Paudry and Palli.  Their relationship has been one of many ups and downs and side to sides.  Recently, Paudry has reached out to us and we are grateful to be able to be in her life again)  Paudry is a gorgeous, tall, gregarious 20 year-old who, after struggling through her freshman year and taking a year to be back home while her step-dad deployed, has returned to the Crimson Tide and is moving on at full speed.  She invited us to Tuscaloosa to see a football game, meet her friends and roommate and see where she lives and goes to school.  We jumped on a plane and went to Alabama (with a banjo on our knee - ok, I know that is getting old...)

It was a perfect weekend.  She almost knocked Bubba over when she ran to hug him in the parking lot of her apartment.  The look on his face was of pride and joy and will stay in my heart forever.  She bounced up to her apartment and gave us the $2 tour and we met her equally gregarious roommate and their dog, Piper.  She showed us all around Tuscaloosa, where she took classes and worked, partied and played, her sorority house and all the fraternity houses, and all the other parts of college life that make that time so special.  We were struck by how grown up she is and at the same time still the little girl we remember.  Full of promise for the future and funny stories from the past.  She has overcome a lot and is a better person for it.  She may still have some growing to do, but who doesn't?  

And the game...OMG!  I have to preface any talk about the game with the fact that there were 57 people in my high school class and 200 in my college graduating class.  I am a small school girl.  When we walked into that stadium (along with 92,000 other people) I was in awe!  I didn't know that many people liked football!  All dressed in red and chanting "ROOOOOOOLLLLL, TIDE!" at the top of their lungs, they were the most well dressed and well behaved football fans I have ever come across.  Paudry loves football as much as Bubba and I do and it was great to watch them cheer together and talk about plays and players.  The Tide rolled and won the game and Bubba and Paudry won each other's hearts again.  

He was bursting with pride over this weekend.  This is how he has always wanted his relationship to be with his daughters.  He admits that he has not been perfect and could have done more in their lives, but he is ready to look to the future and the promise of better things to come.  And I love him for that.

Foto Friday

Going to Alabama with a banjo, Bubba and BoyBoy on my knee...Melly will be monitoring the blog...party on!

Out of the mouths of babes...

Waitress to BoyBoy:  What would you like, young man?

BoyBoy:  Schooner Burger with fries, hold the tomato and lettuce, please.

Waitress:  There are onions on that, do you want the onions?

BoyBoy:  Onions, yes.

Waitress:  Wow, you really know what you want!  You are like a little man.

BoyBoy:  Yea, I get that a lot.

Failure obviously is an option

I have failed!  After repeating week 3 of the 100 push-ups program and failing the weekly test for the fourth time, I have decided that the only way I will do 100 push-ups is if I am pushing up a glass of wine to my mouth!

This program is supposed to train you in 6 weeks to be able to do 100 consecutive push ups.  I have had to repeat week 3 three times and still can only do 25 consecutively.  My spaghetti arms are revolting!  They want to remain spindly and noodle-like.  They don't want to do 100 push ups unless there is a reward at the end like Mel Gibson...in a kilt.  And since Mel is tied up with all his acting, producing, directing, and writing, and these days he is wearing pants, he has no time for my spaghetti arms.  So, I am conceding defeat.  

You can download a bloggie badge from the 100 push ups site if you are not a quitter like me, so I just made a few alterations and adapted it for my shortcomings...

He's Ready

This past weekend, Bubba and I took BoyBoy to an open house at the school we hope to send him to next year.  This is the same school where I went to middle and high school (back in the dark ages).  It is a private, college prep school with a fantastic reputation and a challenging curriculum.  It was weird for me to be back on those grounds.  I realized that I hadn't set foot on that campus since the day I graduated.  I haven't been back for homecoming or class reunions.  My excuse has been that we have always lived too far away and I knew that someday, I would be back.  

I hardly recognized the place.  It has grown in leaps and bounds since I graduated.  Where there used to be a small art room, there are now two huge art studios.  The gym where all the basketball games were played was called "The New Gym" when I was there.  Now it is the "Old Gym" and is swamped by the new gym complex.  There is a state of the art culture center with a auditorium that seats over 500, a new library complex with over 10,000 titles and 50 computers, the list goes on and on.  The percentage of graduating students who get into the college of their choice on the first try is 99% and the average amount of scholarships awarded to each graduating class is well over a million dollars. Bubba and I were impressed, to say the least.  

But what I think I was most impressed with was BoyBoy's reaction.  He seemed comfortable there.  He seemed excited to get started with the rest of his education.  He seemed ready for the challenges ahead and eager to move on with his learning.  This is the kid who hates change, with a passion!  There was a moment when I lagged back on the tour and watched him walk through the halls that I once haunted.  He looked so big, so grown up, so capable, so independent.  He's ready...I'm just not sure I am.

My Newest Lurker

My niece is addicted to my blog (Hi, P!).  I think it is great that I appeal to a younger crowd.  She is in the 6th grade and the most totally awesome girl I know.  She is beautiful, creative, athletic, sweet and funny.  I like to think she takes it all after me!  (Sorry, Aunt S.)  

However, now that I know that she is a Wheezer disciple, I am going to have to be more careful about my posts.  No posts about boobs or lady parts.  No cuss words or descriptive analogies (*wink*).  No posts about my college escapades (oh, yea, I don't remember any of those anyway...)  

What can I post about?  Well, definitely farts.  Burping is ok.  iPods, Drake and Josh (whom I have just discovered and may have to start stalking), and Alex Rider - all on the okay list.  Swimming, bicycling, UVa and Redskins football.  

So, look forward to my next few posts...Love you, Girlie!

Mmmmm-Mel

There is a movie that I love.  Some might think that it is a movie that only men love and I can assure you that Bubba loves this one almost more than I do.  Every time I watch this movie, I cry...buckets, crocodile tears, boo-hooing.  If I hear the soundtrack while channel surfing, I have to stop and watch it no matter what I am doing and how long it will take to watch the rest.  It inspires me in life and in love.  It is classic, timeless, and beautiful from beginning to end.  

It is Braveheart

Braveheart has been on our movie channel for the past month and everytime it has been on, (except one - Bubba watched it that time until about 2am) I have watched.  For those who have never seen it, Braveheart is the partly historical, partly mythological story of Sir William Wallace, a Scottish commoner who fights for his country's freedom from English rule at the end of the 13th century.  But more than that, it is a love story.

Wallace starts out the movie as a peaceful, simple living son of a Scottish farmer.  His father and brother are killed by the English.  A young William is inspired by his father's words when he tells him that he can fight - "I know you can fight, but it is our wits that make us men." He falls in love with a local girl and marries her in secret.  When the secret comes out the English Soldiers murder her in order to lure him to fight against them.  And fight he does.  With passion both for his country and his lost love.  This movie is, at times, gory and violent, tender and beautiful, comical and rediculous.  It is, at all times, inspiring.  

Bubba loves me without question and would fight to the end for me and BoyBoy.  He is patriotic and he is loyal.  And I am sure he would look great in a kilt!  I am inspired by that love, that patriotism and that loyalty.  But most of all I am inspired by his courage.  He has fought for his country and lived to tell about it.  He has woken up in the morning and stepped outside to a world that at any time could kill him.  And he continues to do it every day.  His retirement paperwork was approved last week and he will hang up his soldier boots for the last time next summer.  But he will forever be my hero.  I think that is why I love Braveheart so much - he reminds me of my husband. 

Shameless Begging

I need followers!!!  I am following you, won't you please follow me?

Monday Meme

A Monday Meme borrowed from MacDonald Clan

Outside My Window...beautiful sunshine-y day!  I love Fall!
I am thinking...I should go eat lunch
I am thankful for...fun weekends, fun friends, fun family
From the kitchen...the noise of the washer...laundry day!
I am wearing...workout clothes...just for show
I am creating...a mural on BoyBoy's ceiling and wondering how Michelangelo did it without chiropractic intervention
I am going...a tad crazy...every day a little more
I am reading...all my favorite blogs and procrastinating
I am hoping...Bubba's eye doesn't need surgery
I am hearing...birds chirping and HGTV...my two favorite sounds when the boys aren't around
Around the house...the desperate need for someone to corral the dust bunnies.
One of my favorite things...living here
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Bubba out of town for a few days, Science night at BoyBoy's school, Power cut if my thighs can handle it!

We now interrupt this blog for a very important announcement...

GO REDSKINS, BEAT COWBOYS!!!! 

Rest In Peace

Rest in Peace, Blue Eyes

Out of the Mouths of Babes

At lunch today...

Wheez:  BoyBoy, would you like one of my onion rings?

BoyBoy:  Yes, thank you, Mother (as he grabs the largest one on my plate).

Bubba:  BoyBoy, why did you take the biggest one?

BoyBoy:  'Cause that is how I roll!

Torn Between Two Loves

I am torn.  I have a very serious addiction that takes up most evenings in the Wheez household.  I have been looking forward to this new television realty season with heightened anticipation.  And, now I am torn.  

Why, you ask?  (or maybe you don't care but I am going to tell you anyway)  I have variety!  OMG, the variety!  385 channels!  One even devoted entirely to reality TV!  In Germany, we had 5 American channels and the reality TV was nicely spaced so that I had no conflicts.  I could watch Biggest Loser on Monday, American Idol on Tuesday and Wednesday, Amazing Race on Thursday and Survivor on Friday.  My addictive life was fulfilled.  Now, I can watch reality TV 24/7!  Doesn't the cable company know that I have a family to feed and carpets to vacuum?  I might OD!

But, still I am torn...with all that variety comes another potential addiction.  Bubblegum, brainless, angst-ridden, over-the-top, silly addiction.  I am talking about 90210 and Greek.  Do you watch these shows?  I am able to relive all the terror of high school and total drunken oblivion of college in two hours on Tuesday nights.  Bubba is also on the path to addiction.  He won't admit it to any other testosterone filled adult but he is just as excited when Tuesday night rolls around.  He loves the keg parties and fast cars, I love the sorority bitchiness and dating drama.  

But what am I to do?  Dancing with the Stars and Biggest Loser -Families are both on during the same time slot.  The Wheeze household has not stepped entirely into the 21st century as we do not have DVR or TiVo nor do we have a VCR that is hooked up correctly.  What's a girl with an addiction to do?

T-minus

T-minus 6 days and counting until the Redskins meet the Cowboys (at Texas Stadium) for the first time this year.  Bubba is already beating the drums around here...getting fired up for the big game.  I am my usual quiet self about it...I have learned my lesson from years of losing at the hands of those pesky Cowboys.  I keep my mouth shut and then, when the miracle does happen and my beloved 'Skins prevail, then I can rub it in his face for a good long while...at least until the next time they meet and the 'Skins turn back into pumpkins who can't play football.  

This year might be interesting.  The Redskins are 2-1...not a bad start and they are a better team than they have been in years.  The Cowboys are 3-0...a great start to be sure but it took them a while to get their game on against the Packers and they looked terrible against the Eagles on Monday night last week.  We might have ourselves a game this time.  

My only hope is that Jessica Simpson is in the stands in her pink Romo jersey and that is enough...   

ZZZzzzzzz...or lack thereof

My dog is snoring...and I am jealous. I would love to be able to drop off without a care in the world. I mean really, what cares does she have? Which squirrel should I chase today? Should I lick myself or the floor? What toy am I going to disembowel tonight? These are not life altering decisions. Well, maybe the squirrel question could have life altering consequences. But, what I wouldn't give for an hour of careless, dreamless, doggie-snoring, sleep. I have a bit on my mind these days - a new house, new mortgage, new school for BoyBoy, new pedicurist, these are all concerns that haunt my sleep. I have nightly dreams, nay nightmares about these things plus a myriad of others that are too embarrassing to post here. I have sometimes resorted to better sleeping through pharmaceuticals - okay, who am I kidding, every night I pop a few from my bedside pharmacy and occasionally, it works. I exercise, go to bed at the same time every night and don't take naps - why can't I stay asleep all night? Help me!

Foto(s) Friday

A House Divided...

Just Askin'

Is it possible to go into the commissary/grocery store for milk and NOT come out with $50 worth of groceries?

It might be war...

I haven't decided whether to wage war on the squirrels in the backyard yet or not.  We have two pecan (pronounced pee-can - I am from the South) trees in our backyard and several hundred industrious squirrels (I promise...I have counted).  They are not at all concerned about the four-legged, squirrel crazed,  furry lightening bolt that tends to come flying out of the side porch.  Yes, they will scurry up the nearest pee-can tree but only far enough that she can't reach them by jumping.  And, boy can she jump...witnessWhen she is not in the back yard it is like a squirrel dance party.  They are lying around, picking up pee-cans and sitting on their cute little butts, nibbling like they own the place.  When Lightening McMelly roars into the backyard, they run up the nearest tree and chuck pee-cans at her head.  They have no respect.  

Now normally, they wouldn't bother me.  I do think they are a bit cute and it is funny how they torment Melly with all the evilness of a two year-old little sister.  But, they are ruining my backyard!  I can't walk across the yard without shoes on and since I am from the South, barefoot is my preferred footwear for the summer.  All those half-eaten, half-chewed pee-cans littering the ground and my sweet little feets are hurtin'.

My mom has graciously offered to loan me her squirrel trap.  See, I come from a long line of anti-squirrel card holding party members.  She personally wages war every Spring with her traps and takes them to the local park to release them.  Yes, she is a pacifist warmonger.  I believe that the squirrels, in their infinite, conniving intelligence know the way back to Mom's house and she has caught the same 3 squirrels over and over.  Since she refuses to spray paint their tails pink, we will never know.  

I do know that there is one squirrel who will not be returning to my back yard...he took a detour that he shouldn't have taken and now has been doing his best bat impression for the last week.

He even survived Hurricane Hanna up there so maybe he is on to something.  Now, if I could only get his buddies to take the same detour...

The Name Game

Saw this one over at jill jill bo bill (http://jilljillbobill.blogspot.com/).  You must do this. It is funny.

Your real name: Bev

Your Gansta name (1st three letters of your real name plus izzle, favorite ice cream & Fav type of shoe): Bevizzle Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Nike  - I am definitely the shizzlemanizzle

Your Native American name (fav color, fav animal): Purple Puppy Dog - the pacifist in the tribe

Your NASCAR name (1st names of grandfathers): George Elvin - rode the short bus to the track

Stripper Name (Fav perfume/scent, fav candy): Verbena Peanut Butter Cup - Like a delicate little flower

Soap Opera name (middle name, street you live on): Elaine Westover - The ball bustin' tough girl with the tender side

Star Wars name (1st 3 letters of last name, 1st 2 letters of first name): Clabe - Jedi Babe

TV Weather/Anchor name (5th grade teacher's last name, major city that starts with same letter):  Lake Lynchburg -  Its going to be a beautiful day in the heartland!

Spy name (fav season, fav flower): Autumn Sunflower - She will blind you with her beauty

Cartoon name (Fav fruit, article of clothing you are wearing now): Strawberry Sweatclothes - The "other" Power Puff Girl

Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, fav tree): Sausage McMuffin Dogwood - only 1/2 hippie

Super Hero name (2nd fav color, fav drink): Yellow BudLight - too afraid to do anything heroic so I just sit at home and drink

Witness protection name (parent's middle names): Page Elwood - who?...exactly.

Goth name (black, name of one of your pets): Black Daisy  - Can curse in twelve languages

Movie Star name (1st pet's name, 1st street name): Daisy Quarterfield - Currently "dating" Joe Jonas

Iraqi name (2nd letter of first name, 3rd letter of mom's maiden name, 3rd letter of dad's name, 1st letter of a sibling's first name, last letter of mom's first name): Elwsn - Owner of local goat deli  

Rock Star name (first pet, current car): Daisy Explorer - Lead singer of Daisy and the Explorers

Okay. Now, join in and have a chuckle...thanks, jill for the content!

Foto Friday

Still in love...

Never Forget...

Fun Test of the Week

What Your Little Black Dress Says About You

You are elegant, classy, and sophisticated. You know how to turn heads when you enter a room... and then keep people interested with your witty banter. Your style is classic, tailored, and flawless. You don't fall for silly fashion trends. If you were a shoe, you would be: Classic black pumps

The Little Black Dress Test

Things I miss about Germany

1.  My friends - Fearsome Foursome where are we now?  Florida, Germany, Belgium and Virginia makes having girls' night out a bigger challenge.

2.  The speed limit (or lack thereof) - I am so not used to watching my speed on the highway that I know that it is just nanoseconds before I will see those flashing blue lights in my rear view.

3.  H&M - Loves, loves, loves that store and the closest thing is Old Navy which is great but not as fashion forward as H&M.  The closest one is 3 hours away...boohoo.

4.  Anonymity - I am running into old high school friends here!  Yikes!  There is a reason I haven't been back for a reunion in, like...EVER!  

5.  The weather - OK, I complained about it in  previous posts but when faced with Tropical Storm Hanna, massive humidity, and thunderstorms with regularity and add to that the incessant mosquito's that have infested my backyard, I'll take the cooler summers of my beloved Deutschland.

Just Askin'

Why is the day after a hurricane always sooooo beautiful?

My Redskins

Another year of NFL football starts tonight. I love the beginning of a new season . . . so full of hope and promise. Every team has the chance to make the Superbowl. Even my Redskins. My Redskins, who haven't been a to a Superbowl since 1992. I believe in them. I am not a fair weather fan. I have cheered them on through good years and bad. Yes, I cuss at them on a regular basis but I still cheer for them to win no matter how bad they play. I have been a fan since I was born. I had a Billy Kilmer jersey that I wore completely out when I was 6 years old. I bleed burgundy. My hopes for this year are big, as they are every year, but this year I may be pleasantly surprised.

I did throw a wrench in the works when I married a Cowboys fan. People still asked how our fledgling relationship made it past that first football season. I believe I owe that to the pure fact that, for the last as long as I can remember, when the Redskins are playing good, the Cowboys are having an off season and vice versa. You can count on the Redskins and Cowboys for a great game every time they meet. Sadly, the Cowboys are leading the series, but who's cares about stats like that (Bubba)? My Bubba once wore a Cowboys jersey to a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Redskins . . . he bleeds silver and blue. We make it work, though and I secretly root for the Boys when they are playing anyone but the Redskins and I think Bubba does the same, though he will never admit it to me. I also should be nominated for the most understanding wife of all time since our only child is named after a Cowboys quarterback.

Mostly, I just love football. I love the smell in the air during football season, the cheer of the crowd, the tailgate parties, and the way it feels when your team makes a big play. Here's to a truckload of big plays this year . . . Redskins, I am watching and I expect big things! Hasn't it been long enough?

Kicking it up a notch

School has started and Bubba is out of town. It is time to review my workout routine. Since it has been nonexistent since we moved into the house, it ought to be a quick review...

Back in Germany, I had a pretty good routine. I would drop BoyBoy off at school and go to the gym 3-4 days a week for strength training and cardio. I was pretty dedicated and the results were great. I had a plan and I was sticking to it. I always slack off of any exercise routine when we move strictly because of the logistics - one car, summer/no school, eating out often, visiting family and friends - not a lot of time to workout. Now that school is back in it is time to kick it up a notch.

I was getting bored with my cardio/weights routine and had been surfing the web for some new ideas to spark my interest. I thought of training for a 5k but then realized my strong hatred for running would make that unpleasant and sticking to it would be impossible. Then I ran across the website http://hundredpushups.com/index.html. I have never been a strong upper body person but this website lays it out in a simple format and I have decided to accept the challenge. I took the initial test today which was a bit humbling to say the least but I am not in the absolute lowest category so I have that going for me. I will follow the program and hopefully sharing with the blog-sphere will keep me on track. I am still going to go to the gym 2-3 days a week for weights and cardio and do this on the other days. I like that I can do it anywhere and in the privacy of my own home so that no one else can see my spaghetti arms trembling through the last set.

I will keep you posted on my progress...wish me luck!

Foto Friday

One year ago...my how he has grown

Last Weekend of Summer

BoyBoy starts school on Tuesday. Last night was back to school night where kids and families get to go check out their classrooms, meet their teacher, and be bombarded with PTA stuff. I am always nervous for BoyBoy when he starts the new school year and especially nervous when he is changing schools. Will he make friends? Will he get lost going to the bathroom? Will he like his PE teacher? At his last school, he was president of the student council and when he walked through the halls, kindergardeners were awestruck, reduced to whispering and pointing. He was the BMOC. Now, he is back to being the new kid and I hate that for him. I know that he will be fine because he has his father's outgoing personality which serves him well in this military life. I don't think I would have fared as well if my father had been in the military. He will make friends and enjoy this year and then we have to go through it all over again next year for middle school. At least some of the kids will be moving to the same school with him and, the best part, he will be in the same school as his cousins.

So, what do we do to celebrate this last weekend of summer and new beginning? We will probably go ride roller coasters, eat seafood, and overall just relax and enjoy the weekend. We have spent most of the weekends this summer working on the new house and yard. We need to take a break from that and reflect on our journey this summer. Bumps in the road have been there but have been mild. The glories of living near my family are multiplying every day. We have been given our space when we need it and smothered with family when we don't and it has been great. Have I mentioned that it just feels right?

Happy school year to everyone! May you bring home A's and B's, new friends and old. May your days be filled with learning and growing and not too much homework!

New Look

I've been messing around with the look of the Cheeze... what do you think?

Happy Anniversary!

On this day, forty seven years ago, a somewhat geeky young engineer married a beautiful, skinny girl of only 19. They said "I do" in a small un-air conditioned church in a small town in Virginia. They began their life, as most couples do, with one of them still in school and through those first years, built on the strong foundation of love and a small double bed. Their home was quaint and kept warm by a wood stove. The first Thanksgiving of their marriage, their turkey was put on the hearth to defrost and in the morning, one side was cooked and the other was still frozen. It didn't matter. They loved each other and that was all that mattered. Now almost 50 years, two daughters, and three grandchildren later they still hold hands and write each other love notes. They are an inspiration to us all to enjoy the good times, persevere through the difficult times and love each other every day.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Foto Friday

Invisible Fence + Backyard Rabbits = Doggie Bling Bling

Just askin'

When you get a new car, how come there are suddenly one million of those cars on the road?

Settling In

Okay, so we have been in our house for a little over a month. The first week was taken up with painting and refinishing floors. Our stuff arrived the second week. So that leaves us with two weeks of unpacking and rearranging. Bubba said last night that he was finally able to sit down on the sofa and feel like he could relax. There weren't any boxes begging to be unpacked, no pictures needing to be hung; the furniture was where it needed to be and there is only one room that has "junk" in it that still needs to be put away. This move is almost complete! Of course, there are still a thousand things we want to do and we have to keep reminding ourselves that we have the rest of our lives to get them done. We have to break out of the military mindset of "get it done now because you might not be living here in a year." Easier said than done.

I know that we are starting to feel like this is home because we had a period of time on Sunday that we fell into our old routine of each of us on our computers in three different rooms. The boys were playing a head-to-head match of some world domination game and I was catching up on my blog reading and internet surfing. Life was back to normal. We have had so much "together time" in the last few weeks it was nice to get into our own space for a time and chill. I think that I am slowly getting into my routine and in two weeks when school starts I think I will be totally there.

Ahhh~

Happy Olympics Day!

I am soooo excited for the Olympics to start! I don't know whether it is the pomp and circumstance, the lump in my throat every time the National Anthem is played, or the secret envy of all those athletically inclined humans. I was althletically challenged as a child - too long legs, back surgery, and asthma (that wasn't diagnosed until I was an adult). I was a mess when it came to the President's Physical Fitness Test. So, every four years I get to live vicariously through the mighty Olympians. I will watch from opening ceremonies to closing, every medal stand, each swimming heat. This time I am also intrigued by the location. Beijing is such a mystery to the western world and I can't wait to see NBC's coverage of China.

Let the Games begin!!!

It just feels right...

There is always a period of adjustment whenever you move...getting to know the area, meeting new people, finding the fastest route to Target. I usually enjoy this time because it is a time of relative anonymity. No one knows you yet and everything is strange and new and exciting. The longer we live this military life the less I have enjoyed those "getting to know you" times. If I couldn't remember General Whachamajigger's wife's name, I worked hard to come up with some catchy word association so that the next time I saw her I remembered her name rhymed with salmonella...Carmella? And that is what it became - work. It was hard work. The older my brain became and the more filled with names from previous places the harder it was to remember the names I should have remembered. Bubba was always great about introducing again..."You remember Mrs. Salmonella Whachamajigger, don't you, Wheezer?" I am always thankful for name tapes on uniforms, but they (and usually Bubba) aren't there when I run into someone at the commissary or the PX or, Heaven forbid under the dryer at the beauty salon. My old and feeble brain was tired of remembering all that stuff....

It is all different here. We are back in my hometown, in a home two blocks from my sister's home. BoyBoy has walked over to her house a million times (and I am NOT exaggerating) since we moved in here. This past weekend we were collapsed on the sofa after a long day of hanging blinds, unpacking boxes, moving furniture and all that other stuff when there was a rap on the window. BoyBoy said, "It's Cousie! Wait, its Cousie, Aunt S, & Uncle C!, Wait, it's everybody!!!" They had ridden their bikes with their neighbors to get ice cream and stopped by on the way home. How cool is that? How many times in this military life do we get to live that close to our relatives? (Whether we want to or not is another post for another day) As we all sat around our living room talking over the kids, I looked over to see my sister with her hand on the pregnant belly of her neighbor, my nephew talking about sports with Bubba and BoyBoy and my niece talking about the camp that she is going to this week. A warm glow came over me. This is why we are here. This is why we moved all those other times. This is why Germany the second time was so worth it. We deserve this and it just feels right.

Foto Friday

...a few days late!

Where's Wheezer?

cough. . .cough. . .

pant. . .pant. . .

moving. . .in. . .

too. . .tired. . .to. . .blog. . .

will. . .be. . .back. . .soon!

Addiction

I have an addiction. It is a guilty, terrible, all consuming addiction. I developed it in earnest while Bubba was deployed and I had no one to keep my urges in check. Add to that the fact that I was living in Germany at the time and I had very little to distract me from my addiction and I had myself a recipe for disaster. I don't know if I am ready to admit that I have a problem and seek counseling. I mean, who am I really hurting? You see, my addiction is Reality Television.

You name it, I have watched it. The Amazing Race, American Idol, America's Got Talent, America's Next Top Model, The Apprentice, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Beauty and the Geek, The Biggest Loser, Celebrity Circus, Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Makeover (especially Home Edition), Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Last Comic Standing, Project Runway, The Real World, So You Think You Can Dance, Survivor, Top Chef...I've seen them all. I have opinions about most of them. Do I think Deanna chose the right guy when she chose Jesse? Absolutely! Do I think that Parvati deserved to win Survivor: Fans vs Favorites? Yes!Should David Archuletta have won American Idol? Probably (although I was rooting for David Cook - I think the AI Machine will kill his career) Do I want to see Amber and Rob in yet another reality show? Well...maybe not. Do I despise Amarossa? Definitely!

Unlike many of my other addictions, I am not ashamed of this one. I make plans based on what is on and whether I can set the VCR (yes, VCR - I haven't stepped into the 21st century and gone TiVo). In Germany, reality TV was all I had. It was what kept me going during the time that Bubba was away. It gave me something to look forward to during those long months. It was always there for me. If I missed something, I had my other addiction (the internet) to back me up and let me in on the secrets, lies, showdowns and showoffs that I had missed. I could lose myself in the cattiness, craziness and confusion that reigned on my shows. Some, when faced with a long deployment will lose themselves in a hobby, some will throw themselves into their career, some will drown themselves in the bottom of a bottle of hair color. Others will make less healthy choices...not me. I choose to sit on the sofa with a friend...Tyra will tell it like it is, Jeff Probst will state the obvious, Phil Keogan will look good no matter what continent he is standing on - these things I could count on. I love my reality TV!

Our cable gets hooked up this week! I may need an intervention!

Just askin'

How come the time leading up to a PCS seems to fly by in a nanosecond and the time waiting for your stuff to arrive crawls by at a glacier's pace?

Foto Friday

New Home, New Haircut!

Is it time yet?

DISCLAIMER: Mom and Dad, I love you and words could never express how grateful Bubba and I are that you open your home to us every time we move. You do so unselfishly and without hesitation and we can rest easy knowing that we always have a place to lay our heads when the military makes us homeless for a time. This post has nothing to do with you...it is all me.

I NEED TO MOVE IN!!!! I NEED MY STUFF!!!! I NEED MY ROUTINE!!!!

Whew, I feel better. I have reached the wall - you know the one; about a month after you move and your stuff is still a few weeks away, you are living in a hotel, with relatives, or in a TLA, you only have one car and your spouse has already gone back to work. I have no boxes to unpack, no curtains to hang, and nothing to do. BoyBoy is done with camp and we have a week until swim lessons start. I feel so discombobulated that I am ready to scream!

I can't find anything because we are living in one room in my parents house. If I set something down to put away later (I know, I know - just put it away, buttttt...), when I go back to find it, it has moved. In my house, I am the one who does the moving. I know where I move it to. I am not used to someone cleaning up after me.

I want to help my mom with the chores but she won't take my help. I know how I feel when she visits my house - I don't want her to lift a finger. And, she likes to do things for us. We had to come to a meeting of the minds because we felt a bit like freeloaders and Bubba hates that. She has agreed to let us do stuff around the house but she still needs prodding.

We also have to share space with two people who are used to their own space. They had a routine before we got here and we disrupted it. We try to be as undisruptive as possible but when you bring 2 adults, a child, and a psycho, squirrel crazed dog disruption happens. My dad likes his remote, my mom likes her solitaire. We had to be schooled in who's barcalounger was who's and which toilet is the most flush-challenged. Which towels are the "good" towels and which ones are we supposed to use.

I miss my stuff. I have unpacked it in my head at the new house twelve hundred times and it hasn't even arrived in country yet. I need mental stimulation beyond "Guiding Light" and "The Bachelorette". I need to get off my duff and begin our new life in this town and start finding my place. I need to move in...

Bonus Foto Friday

Foto Friday

Happy 4th!

Geek Alert!!!

BoyBoy is in summer camp this week. Not just any summer camp - not my BoyBoy. Not football camp, soccer camp, swim camp or even Cub Scout camp. No, BoyBoy is attending Internal Drive Tech camp. That's right...Tech camp. But not just your ordinary computer camp, this camp is amazing! His course of study is Web Design and Flash Animation. He is learning how to create a website with original flash animation drawings and other details that I am not smart enough to understand. He is in computer geek heaven! Now, some might think that we are doing a disservice to BoyBoy by sending him to a summer camp that requires him to sit in front of a computer all day and not enjoy this wonderful, hot, humid insect-infected weather that we have been having, but this is not your ordinary computer camp. They go outside every day to play non-computer games - capture the flag, kickball, soccer, etc. They take walks to the historical part of town (the camp is at the College of William & Mary in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg) and they all are starring in the Video Editing campers' movie production. There will be a gaming tournament with the high scorer from each campsite across the nation competing for all the marbles. At the end of the week there is a showcase of all the campers projects for the parents to see. It has been great! He is floating on Cloud 9.0! Already he has asked to go again next year and next time he wants to sleep-away! I totally see his future summer job as a counsellor for one of these camps. He is, sorry I have to say it, a happy camper!

Foto Friday

the crazy cousins

Marathon Day

Whew! Yesterday was a marathon family fun day.

During PCS season, after living without a schedule and our stuff for a while, we get bored...bored, bored, bored. Bubba didn't have to go to work since the person he is replacing won't be back from TDY until Monday. So, we decided to get out of the house. The weather was beautiful, but HOT so that limited our choices. We had gone to the Mariner's Museum here in Newport News last week and noticed that they had paddle boats. They were cute - two pirate ships, a gondola, a Loch Ness monster, and the African Queen. We grabbed Nannie (my mom, who we are staying with) and went. We took the two pirate ships - complete with Jolly Roger flags and off we went. It was wonderful! We saw many, many turtles sunning themselves on logs. We saw a beautiful blue heron, who took off right in front of us. A pair of osprey were flying overhead fishing for their lunch. BoyBoy had a map of the lake and made sure we didn't venture outside the boundaries. Nannie instigated an epic naval battle when she stripped a gum tree of its gumballs and fired a warning shot across BoyBoy and Bubba's bow. A splash fight kept us all cool. We moored our galleons and went to pillage the cafe for drinks and cookies.

We weren't finished yet! Bubba and I are always challenging BoyBoy to step outside his comfort zone. He is cautious almost to a fault. Doesn't like to take unnecessary chances. He might have fun! So, we donned our swimsuits and headed to Water Country, U.S.A. We climbed the stairs to the first slide and after learning the ropes from the three boys in line in front of us, we chose our slide. BoyBoy chose the green one, I chose pink (of course!) and Bubba followed BoyBoy down the green one. At the bottom, BoyBoy was hooked. We slid on every slide in the place (except one - it was in total darkness - even I have my limits) and closed the place down. We might have to get season passes. It was a great time! BoyBoy can't stop talking about it....he dreamt about it last night.

I love days like this...I love being back in the states!

Just askin'

Is it time for the kids to go back to school, yet?

My Little Girl is in Love

Melly has a boyfriend. She has fallen head-over-paws in love with my sister's Golden Retriever, Jake. We introduced them two weeks ago and, after a lesson for Jake in who is the true queen, they both fell in love. It is silly, really. We had them together for a week at the beach and it was just the bonding experience they needed. They greeted each other every morning with a slobbery kiss and a game of tag around the coffee table. Some light wrestling after breakfast followed by tandem napping went into the daily rotation. Evening walks on the beach cemented their bond. They both had serious depression when we came back and they were separated for the first time. It was so bad that my sister had to come and pick Melly up for a play date the next day.

Jake is absolutely the ying to Melly's yang. He completes her. Where she is neurotic and a spaz, he is laid back and a big lug. Where she is small and compact, he is huge and lanky. His paws are bigger than her head and yet he allows her to believe that she is bigger than he is. When they are together, she is permanently attached to his neck. He will flop over on the floor and let her gnaw on his fluffy neck for what seems like hours. Where she is faster than a speeding bullet, he takes more of a stop and smell the roses approach. When we take the two of them on walks, he waits for her to use the bathroom and even averts his eyes in respect for her privacy. It almost looks like he is the doting spouse, holding her purse while she powders her nose. All you have to do is say his name and she is headed for the door with a glance over her shoulder to make sure we are following with the car keys. They seem to be a match made in heaven. My little girl is in love. I just hope he doesn't break her heart for that trampy poodle down the street.

Foto Friday

Wow, that was fast

Okay, we had dug in for the long haul with this home search thing and, after looking at umpteen houses on the first day, we thought we were in for the really, really, really long haul. We had been told the housing market was saturated and it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. However, sellers must have given up and decided not to try too hard. We walked into one house and there were breakfast dishes on the counter with soggy rice krispies in the bowl! The mom's bra was on the floor in the bathroom! There was a box of feminine hygiene products on the counter in the KITCHEN?!?!? Now, call me crazy, but if the market is saturated and you want your house to stand out from the rest, this is not the way to go about it, for sure! We were deflated by what we saw.

So, when we set out on the second day, our hopes were not high. But...on the last house of the morning, with grumbling tummies because it was well past lunch, Bubba and I walked into our new house. It was so cute and us that we were immediately taken by its spunk. We were both grinning by the time we went up the stairs and when we got to the top of the stairs we were hooked. A tiny reading nook, adorable bedrooms, and a secret hideaway for Boyboy...we were goners. An offer was made and accepted and in 30 days, we will be homeowners.

We are soooo excited and can't wait for the joys and trials of home ownership! Photos to come.

Home

Today, we begin the process of finding our final home. Not just our next home, but our final home. A bit of a daunting task, if you ask me. We are making a decision that will affect the rest of our lives. We are staying here forever...Bubba will retire in the next year or so and so we want to find THE house. The one we have been waiting 16 years to find. The one that we have built in our minds from the many houses we have lived in. The kitchen from California, the bathroom from Virginia, the backyard from Germany are a must. The laundry room in Kansas, the driveway in Virginia, the plumbing in Germany are a no-go. We have already joked that we can't build our own home because it would cost us a bazillion dollars to put all the must and no-gos into it. So, we start looking...wish us luck.

My Sister

Do you ever get the feeling that the only way to communicate with your family is through confrontation? I had such a conversation with my sister last night and realized that the best conversing we do is at the beach under the slight influence of some type of Anheuser Busch product. She and I are at the best of times the best of friends and at the worst of times our own worst enemies. I have looked up to my sister since the day I was born and it has taken me 39 years to realize that she is human just like me. We had a conversation last night that can only be described as cathartic. She is the Cancer survivor, larger than life, can do no wrong older sister. I have always lived in her shadow, wanting to be more like her, and struggling with my identity in our family. Last night, we solved all of that. She showed me that she is as vulnerable as I am and that she needs my support as much as I desired hers. We realized that as sisters we are in this together. We are lucky to have each other to navigate this life together. We can talk about our parents and how they drive us crazy and we are the only ones who understand what we are talking about. We realized that the sisterly bond is what makes us stronger. Our Husbands try to understand and support us but don't get the reason why we give each other so much slack. She is, at the same time, my hero, my inspiration, my straw that breaks my back, and my favorite soul. I am so glad to have her. I am sad that Boyboy will not have a sibling to commiserate with. She, whether she knows it or not, has shown me how to be strong, independent, and compassionate in the most dire of circumstances. I love my sister...she is the bomb.

Foto Friday

Auf Weidersehn, Deutschland!

On the Move

Tomorrow, we leave Germany for the last time. I have mixed feelings about it and definitely know that I will miss this country that I have come to love.

We have had a rocky relationship, Germany and me. The first time we were here, I did not adapt well. Cold rainy summers, even colder grayer winters, very long summer days (which were ok until you tried to put a toddler to bed at 7pm and the sun was in his eyes), and very short winter days all put me on the fast track for pharmaceutical intervention. What also didn't help was the lack of family contact. I love my family and was used to being able to pick up the phone and call when ever I felt like it and I couldn't do that without figuring out the time difference first which usually turned out that they were asleep or at work. My sister was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma while we were here the first time. I felt so helpless when I talked to my mom and heard about her treatments and what they were doing to the larger-than-life sister that I had always thought was invincible. Fortunately, she beat the cancer because she fights harder and makes it look easier than anyone I will ever know. Oh, and let's not forget September 11th and the beginning of the War on Terror...so, needless to say, I was very ready to leave Germany the first time.

Fast-forward two years and we're told that Bubba will take command in ... say it with me ... Germany! While I was proud of Bubba and excited for him to take this responsibility, I did not want to go back to Germany. However, from the first day we were here, it has been different. The weather is still gloomy and the distance is still there but I think I am a better person for the trials that happened the first time. Everything fell into place this time - from friends for Boyboy, to friends for us, fulfilling volunteer opportunities for me, an opportunity to go back to school and further a hobby into what I hope will be a career, things have been better. And, I admit, there are things about Germany that are sooooo much better than the USA that I didn't appreciate until we left the first time. The things we will miss most we took for granted the first time and now we know to savor them . We will miss sitting in an outdoor cafe drinking great German beer, enjoying the weather (on those odd days that it is not raining), eating hearty food and relaxing with friends. We will miss traveling and the ease of European trains and highways. Need French wine for your dinner with friends? Head over to France and pick it up...it is only 45 minutes away. Want to ski this weekend? Grab your gear and go to Switzerland....only 4 hours away. Can't do that in the USA. But most of all, we will miss our friends. We have made some of the best friends in our Army career and hopefully, if the stars are aligned, we will be together in the same place again.

So, this time is bittersweet. I am ready to leave but sad to go. C'est la vie militaire!

Redonkulous Cuteness!

Check this site out but make sure you have an insulin shot handy because it is the sweetest thing I think I have ever seen...

http://www.dailypuppy.com/

If you love puppies as much as I do, you must go to this site immediately!