I Am My Beloveds

Well yesterday began another long week for my husband and I. He is out in the field all week training for Afghanistan and I am just taking care of things here at home until he gets back at the end of the week. Although I have gotten so much accomplished! And in just one day, I was able to get the spare room totally cleaned out and all of his gear organized which means I was able to get the other things I have been wanting stored finally put away so our living/dining room looks so much bigger and nice and fresh. =) So next on my list is cleaning the bathrooms, re-vacuuming the floors, and maybe some minor redecorating. =)
Anyway I'm sure that wasn't a very exciting update, but that's what is going on right now. We are getting closer to Baby G and my visit back to Illinois to see our family. I am really looking forward to it, but not wishing the time away to get to that point either. Because it's just too much to think that by the time I am back with my husband after our visit we will only be a few short months away from deployment! It sure does have a way of creeping up on us.
But until it does creep up too close and until our visit with family I am busy spending every single spare minute between training with my husband. I want to not only get quality time with him, and our daughter together. But also to help build our marriage even stronger. Deployment sure can have a way of knocking the wind out of your sails when it comes to the strength in marriage sometimes. So I want our bonds, and love, and marriage to be not only as strong as we can make them, but also steadily getting stronger every day. We were able to go to a Marriage Retreat that was set up by the Army for the 2-27 families, it was wonderful. It was a great learning experience for us. And since they provided child care we were able to go out on a date just the two of us. It was wonderful, it was the first time since our daughter was born that we have been able to do that. We enjoyed downtown Wikiki (which was were the retreat was held) walking along the beach at sunset, going through the International Market Place, and just being able to walk and talk and have dinner while just focusing on each other. I think we really needed a night like that. =)
So I guess that's about it at the moment. Those are my goals and plans for the next few months. And as for this week I have getting the house organized, and taking care of G to keep me busy until he is home again.

All bets are in and the winner is...

So we finally got our orders! I add an exclamation point to the end of the sentence because normally it's exciting to find out where we will be living for the next three years. It's like roulette you place your bets and the ball falls where it will. And in our case the ball fell in the exact same spot as it's fallen the past two reenlistments. That's right ladies and gentleman, we are staying in Hawaii... again. But honestly I can't complain too much, it is Hawaii after all. =)
Anyway heres our story, my husband has been stationed here for awhile now, it would have been six years if we hadn't gotten orders for here again. But he likes it here, he likes the island, he likes the unit, he likes who he works with and for. And don't get me wrong, I like it here too and I like that he likes his job. I just hate that it is so far from family with us just having a new baby. And since we both have little brothers still living at home it's just too difficult and expensive to have them fly all the way out here. Anyway that's pretty much the only downside.
So he decided quite a few months ago that he would like to put in an IPCOT to extend his time on the island (since he loves this unit) and I was okay with that too because more then living on a post location we like I want him to like the post he works on. Well just a month ago or so he decided maybe he'd like to change units, for a break from deployments mostly (this upcoming one will be #4, and #2 for both of us). His IPCOT was too far along to stop it, but he really didn't think it would be approved since he had already been here so long. So we weren't too worried about it. Then surprise surprise he gets his orders for Hawaii yesterday! But it's not all bad, we do like it here. And our daughter and I will be spending almost all 12 months of this upcoming deployment with our families in IL anyway so that'll be nice.
And we finally get to get me command sponsored. That's a long messy story but basically we were married 2 days before he deployed and we weren't really able to do what needed to be done with him in Iraq and me in IL (and with me also being new at the Army lingo) and by the time he was home and we were back in HI together he was just shy of a year left on the island so ergo no command sponsorship, and no cola collecting for us. =( But now that we have more time here, we can have me and G command sponsored which just means a little more pay for living expenses. (yay)
Anyway it has been a long busy day with all that paperwork, and unexpected plans for us.
Also another bit of fun news, Baby G is 6 months old as of the 5th! She is 15.4lbs, 26in long and a perfectly happy healthy baby. She is just growing so fast! Every day she seems to know how to do something new. =)
This sure is the life!!

Deployment training, and future plans.

Well here I am going through another week of my husband being at the field. And my days are as backwards as ever! For some reason the Army has decided to start their work weeks on Saturday or Sunday, and send them home on Wednesdays or Thursdays. So we have been feeling a day or two off around here this month. Thankfully it should slow down a little bit next month and there wont be quite so many weeks out at the field... for a little while anyway. But September and October should be the last of our slow months. (at least I hope there slow!) In November I'll be headed home for a visit, and my Darling Husband will be on his way to Sniper school. Then we have the holidays and starting January deployment training will be in full swing!
I can't believe how fast this one is sneaking up on us, it seems like he just got home from the last! But that's the Army for you I suppose they give you about a month then they'll be reminding you every day just how close the next deployment is. At least they do in the Infantry. And as always I am certainly full of mixed feelings. Since our daughter and I will be spending almost all of this 12 month deployment in Illinois with family that makes me happy. Living so far away from then we don't get much of a chance for her to be around them so that part I am looking forward to. But of course my husband having to be gone and in Afghanistan I am NOT at all looking forward to at all! Though I am thankful every day he has gotten this entire 1st year at home to spend with our baby girl. And we have lots of plans on things to do to help her remember and be able to see and hear her daddy every day despite the miles between us.
Anyway Baby G is getting fussy (it's about her bedtime) so I'm going to try and get her to bed now.
This is the life! =)

Home for the Holidays!

So my husband should be home from the range tomorrow. I will be really happy once this month is over. Not that their training will slow down at all but at least next month he wont be out at the range quite as often in September.
But on the upside I do finally have my dates, and plane ticket to Illinois! I'll be going mid November! I am so excited to finally get back for a visit and for our families to meet our daughter. So far my mom is the only one who has since she flew out here when she was born.
Unfortunately my husband wont be coming with us because he will be in Sniper School, but hopefully if things work out well he will be coming up to IL to spend Christmas with us. This will be the first time in over a year that I have been back to see our families. And even though I am so going to miss my husband like crazy I am looking forward to some time with my parents and brothers. And for Baby G to meet her grandparents and uncles. I am glad that our families live all within about 45 minutes of each other. It will make getting enough time with everyone allot easier.
I'm going to have to find out what I am going to do about clothes though. I don't have any warm clothes here except a couple of sweatshirts and there really isn't any place to buy them either. I must say I am happy to be going back for a visit but I wish it didn't have to be in the dead of winter. =) At least I'll have an excuse to buy some new jeans and boots!
I do hope it snows for Christmas though so that G can see some snow. We don't get to much of that here in Hawaii. =)
And hopefully her first plane ride goes smoothly as well, I'm not looking forward to doing it on my own so some helpful stewardesses would be great too.
Well I better get off here and finish getting the house cleaned up before Baby G wakes up from her afternoon nap.

Just a short up-date.

I know it has been so long long since I have really up-dated. And to be honest no one may have noticed so I suppose that's alright. I have just been so busy with life. Training for my husband for his up coming deployment to Afghanistan has really set in so he has been gone on and off for days at a time which leaves me not only missing him but taking care of everything on my own here at home. Including our baby girl who just turned 5 months old this month. And she hasn't been taking her daddy being gone very well either, she hardly sleeps, and I can't seem to get her to bed earlier then 1 in the morning on the days he is gone.
I'm just glad I have so many good friends here, and enough things to do at home, with our daughter, and the FRG to keep me busy.
To be honest I am pretty nervous about this deployment. I mean he has had them in the past, and was gone for one just two days after we were married. But they have been Iraq, and Afghanistan just sounds a lot more scary to me... So for now I'm just doing what I have to and not give it too much thought. Instead when I think about this up-coming deployment I just think about all the things that Baby G and I are going to do for him. Our plans for care packages, and pictures I'll help G color, and things we'll send him for the holidays.
Anyway I'll try to keep up on this more, eventually things will slow down... maybe. =)

Sugar & Spice Boutique

I just wanted to let everyone, and anyone who is interested that I have just started a home business. It is called Sugar & Spice Boutique and I make and design headbands and hairbows for infant and toddler/child girls.
I have a facebook page set up for it, and there is a button on the side bar if you are interested in looking into what I have avaliable for sale.
I can ship them anywhere in the states. And for those of you who live in Oahu Hawaii I do have pick-up available so you can by-pass the shipping fee.

Here is a copy of the information note I have posted on my site.

Hello everyone, and welcome to Sugar & Spice Boutique! I am brand new at this so there are still a few kinks to work out, but I think i have a pretty good start so far. Over the next couple of weeks i will be making more bows and adding more pictures. So if you don't see anything that catches your eye now check back again often because I'll be adding lots.
Also if you have any ideas for custom bows, or designs I haven't thought of yet please feel free to send me a message. I'd love the input!

All of my headbands and bows are handmade by me. I have quite a few different ribbons, headbands, and embellishments and am always adding more. If there is something I don't carry let me know and I will try and find it for you. Also if you already have a particular ribbon your in love with I can have you send it to me and I will style a bow from that.
The embellishments are optional and you can always add more or less to each headband. I haven't set prices on adding them yet but we'll work it out as we go along according to which ones, and how many you choose. These are sewn or hot-glued onto the head-bands depending on the placement and style. I have made quite a few for my daughter and haven't had any problems with them coming off at all.

I can do two basic bows right now, and that is the simple 4 loop bow like the Pretty Princess Bow, and the more intricate muti-loop bow like the American Baby Bow. But I'll be playing around with trying new ones as well and will post pictures as there completed. These I can do in different sizes, just let me know how large or small you'd like them.

As of now I have set the prices for the bows I have completed in the "Completed Hair-bow & Head-bands" picture file. Though the shipping hasn't been added yet. The embellishments that are already on the bows are included in the price. If you'd like me to add more I will charge according to which ones and how many you choose. I am not sure on the shipping rates yet I plan on finding out and posting them by this weekend. I live in Ewa Beach HI and for those of you willing to pick up your completed Bows I will waive the shipping fee of course!

I hope everyone finds something they like! Please feel free to leave me comments, feedback, and ideas. I'd love to hear them! If you have any questions or would like to place an order just send me a message! I am working on setting up pay-pal for purchases and for those of you picking them up directly from me cash or check is fine.

Thank you!
-Hannah



Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday