You Heard Me

How You Can Help!

2010-10-18T07:25:00.001-06:00

Happy Monday! Sometimes Mondays are just DULL. Right? Well today, you can do something to spice things up. What's that, you ask? Go shopping! My cousin's family is working through the process of adopting a child from China. As you probably know, this is an extremely pricey process. So much money has been provided thus far, and this is the home stretch. Help them meet that goal in the following

First Month Down.

2010-08-31T12:57:00.000-06:00

Today marks the end of August, and with that, the end of my first month of doing Crossfit. So far, I've loved the crap out of it. I can tell I'm strong, and I think my body is loving the challenge of a different workout every day. My weight is down a bit, though that may be due to a whole lot of cereal and not a lot of real meals these past three days. The challenge now is that gym where I

Crossfit, Week 2.

2010-08-12T18:20:00.000-06:00

My latest exercise endeavor is Crossfit. If you're not familiar with Crossfit, it's basically hellacious. With that said, after the work out is over, it is amazing. After just under two weeks, I definitely feel strong, and empowered. The idea is that you are fit and ready to do anything you want—any athletic activity or challenge you face should be doable. I LOVE that idea. I have been

Another Plug for Swagbucks.

2010-08-12T17:22:00.000-06:00

For the next two days you can sign up for Swagbucks and if you use the code BackToSchool and you'll get 70 points just for signing up! Basically, you'll use Swagbucks like you do Google. You'll accumulate points, and get to buy stuff with them. I go for the 5$ Amazon gift card which is a measly peasley 450 points. I can usually accumulate that in about a week. If you sign up through the link I

Product Review: Collapsible Salad Spinner of Wonder!

2010-07-22T08:36:00.000-06:00

So I really like kitchen gadgets, as you may know. I haven't had a salad spinner in years, but since I don't go through all that much salad while Matthew is around, I haven't really needed one. When I started doing the CSA Box this summer, I realized I'd need something to help me dry all those beautiful greens I was getting. So... I purchased a salad spinner at the PX. The one I got happens to

Another Thing.

2010-07-22T08:24:00.000-06:00

So I don't want to harp on ol' swagbucks TOO much, but I wanted to mention something. I get the 5$ Amazon gift cards because they seem to be the "best deal" in terms of how many swagbucks you need to purchase them. You can use as many as you need on a given purchase, so it works out. As of today, I've made $25 worth of Amazon cards! Woot! Thanks to you guys who signed up and are searching and

How to Win Swagbucks.

2010-07-15T07:15:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited to see some of you have signed up for swagbucks! Here are the basic ways you can win: 1- take the daily poll 2- click through the special offers- you don't have to accept any (I never do), but when you do, you are awarded 1 sb 3- download the tool bar, and open it once a day- you'll get 1 sb 4- once you've been a member for 7 days, go to the Trusted Surveys... you don't even have

Swagbucks.

2010-07-14T07:05:00.000-06:00

I've invited some of you to use Swagbucks through e-mails, but I wanted to put a plug for it here. Swagbucks is a search engine that rewards you for searching with points. Those points add up, and you can"buy" things with them through the swagstore. So far, after using the site for about a month, I've won $15 in Amazon gift cards! I spend a total of about 5-10 minutes a day searching on it, and

What I've Been Eating.

2010-06-19T19:13:00.000-06:00

Here are a few things I've been eating (from the first two weeks or so of the deployment): First, this is my most recent vegetable box (I got it a week ago today). Some of the fruits of this have landed in some great meals! Here's a "wedge" salad I made with some fresh blue cheese dressing. Basil Pesto made from the basil from my box.Salmon, salad, and sweet potato with cottage cheese.Artichoke!

My New Appliance: The Bug Catcher.

2010-06-02T19:45:00.000-06:00

On fabulous appliance I have at my house is the Bug Catcher. The tricky thing about it is that often, since bugs go up to lights, it requires Matthew to lift it up so it can reach them. But it always gets those bugs! Witness: Bug Catcher lifted into place: Bug Catcher obtains bug: Bug Catcher gloats in triumph: So glad I bought one!

Memorial Day.

2010-05-31T12:03:00.000-06:00

On the 20th of May, the Brigade cased its colors. This means they place the flags of each battalion and of the brigade in a casing, and then they are taken to where they will be flown next (Afghanistan). This picture is of all the battalions in formation (you can only see two of them, and they are only partial representations of the battalions). The Sergeant Major and the Commander of the

CSA Box #1.

2010-05-31T09:19:00.000-06:00

This year, I'm thrilled to be a part of a Community Supported Agriculture group. I bought a half share, which means I get a full box of vegetables every other week. I picked up my first box on Thursday, and Matthew laughed at me as I giggled with pleasure upon seeing the contents of the box. In the first box I got: 2 heads of iceberg lettuce, 3 heads of romaine lettuce, giant green onions, a

Updating on the Other Blog.

2010-05-26T15:15:00.002-06:00

Are you reading the other blog? If not, it's probably because you haven't been invited. All you have to do to be invited is tell me that you want to be. I dare ya! [The other blog is focusing on my "Army life" in particular, and will serve a journal-ish function of this year of deployment. Could be interesting, eh?]

Now Accepting Reservations Chez Claire!

2010-05-21T11:39:00.000-06:00

Come one, come all! Approximately a week from today, I will be here with just a little beasty cat, and decent spare bedroom just WAITING to house visitors. I hope that some of you will come for a visit sometime this year! And, in case you're really thinking about it, and you'd like to go ahead and plan to come (which I highly encourage) here is MY schedule: June: Wide open. July: Open until

New Blog.

2010-05-20T15:16:00.001-06:00

The time is nearing. The new blog is coming. I'll still be here, but I'll be exploring the wide world of military life and, for the next year, deployment on the other one. If you'd like to read along about those things specifically, please e-mail me, or comment, and I'll add you to the blog. It will be protected from general readers.

What Happens in Vegas...

2010-05-20T15:04:00.001-06:00

Ends up on my blog! So Matthew has been on leave, and I've been done with school (though as I write this, we're back to reality, at least on his end). On Friday, May 7th, I graduated. On Saturday, we headed to Vegas. Our trip started out well-- our flight was good, and we were given drink coupons when someone sitting near us found out Matthew would be leaving for Afghanistan in a few weeks. Half

Graduated, and Back on the Grid.

2010-05-16T18:02:00.004-06:00

I have returned!There is so much to update you on, but first...You can see my glowing white skin and large nose in the middlerow close to the bottom of the picture.You can't really tell, but I'm there getting hooded.Me!Me at an angle so you can see el hood!That handsome man I married- woo!And one with the beasty.So... I did it! The program is finished and it ended with so many surprises. I was

Not Much.

2010-03-11T09:22:00.002-07:00

Hi all,I keep wanting to come here and write something brilliant. I really just don't have much to say. This is probably to do with the fact that I'm kind of just here in my own little world, strumming along until school starts back up, not doing much or having much interaction (which, honestly, I'm enjoying). Don't mistake me though, I'm very happy to be on break. I've been able to write a bit,

For a Month.

2010-03-05T20:49:00.002-07:00

Well, it's me and Dutchy here for a month.Matthew is off in Fort Polk, Louisiana doing pre-deployment training this month. He left Sunday morning around 4:00am (well, I dropped him off), and he should be back "no later than" March 26th. So far, so good. The first few days were rough readjusting to living alone... Dutch and I have had many interesting conversations.I'm now officially on Spring

Snow Day!

2010-02-09T16:09:00.006-07:00

Today we had a snow day! Matthew and I both got to stay home! The University was closed and the post actually closed down too.2 weeks ago we had a bigger storm, but it happened over the weekend, so we didn't get to have any days off like so many others (mainly the local school districts. I think since the beginning of 2010 they've had six snow days, and I'm really not kidding about that. And yes,

Week 6.

2010-02-08T20:40:00.002-07:00

This is late, but voila!Last week went mostly as planned I think... it seems like so long ago!Monday: Tonight we had Croque Monsieur sandwiches and wow! So good! I added a little salad with homemade bistro vinaigrette, and a glass of red wine. YUM! CM's are basically glorified ham and cheese, but sooooo good (combining bread, gruyere cheese, bechamel sauce, and ham can only be a good thing).

Blindess, Seeing, Knowing, Identity.

2010-02-01T13:12:00.001-07:00

I am scared of being blind. Today as I walk outside in the snow from my car to the gym, I squint and try to block out some of the brightness of the snow reflecting the sunlight. I left my sunglasses, which I always wear while driving, in the car so I wouldn’t forget them inside. When I enter the gym, it takes me about three

Angry Men.

2010-02-01T08:44:00.003-07:00

I have been thinking about men and anger. Angry men. There is a difference there-- an angry man and a man who gets angry are different.And for the record, I'm not thinking about this because I have any particularly angry men close to me.This semester I have a full-time schedule at school, but I'm actually only taking one class that I show up for. My other six hours are thesis hours, and I get to

Week 5.

2010-01-31T19:18:00.003-07:00

Meals!Last week went mostly as planned, though we didn't end up ordering pizza. Instead, I made ribs, chicken wings, AND potato skins. And yes, we're both planning to work out extra tomorrow. Yipes! Also on Friday I added a blackberry cobbler to our Stout stew and it was a nice cozy ending to our snowy day. Sunday I did pork with some leftover wild rice I had from the chicken and rice casserole,

Cook this Soon!

2010-01-31T10:16:00.006-07:00

I suggest you make this at some point in the near future. This no-kneed bread is simple, satisfying, and lasts for several days. The penne with roasted vegetables and italian sausage is easy to adapt to what you have in your fridge, and the leftovers are great! If you're not interested in the bread, just skip down to the pasta recipe!First, you'll want to take care of the bread since it takes 12-

Pictorial: Food I Been Cookin.

2010-01-31T09:31:00.006-07:00

For the New Year I made Matthew a chocolate pie.If you like chocolate pie, this is a pretty darn satisfying recipe, and it is muy easy too.Butter and sugar:Add melted chocolate:Add eggs:Pour into crust:Topped with some whipped cream and chocolate curls.That little feller turned out real nice. Check out the recipe here.Another thing I've tried out a few times lately is no-kneed bread. I got an

Week 4.

2010-01-24T20:06:00.002-07:00

Monday: Roasted vegetable and sausage over wheat penne*. No-kneed bread. Carmelized bananas and tangy-sweet cream sauce*.Tuesday: Bible study! Someone else gets to feed us :)Wednesday: Chicken and wild rice casserole with green beans on the side (and salad for me).Thursday: Another Battalion sponsored evening-- at least we think! If this changes I'll update.Friday: Beef and Stout Stew (basically

Mrs. Teter.

2010-01-18T10:10:00.002-07:00

Last semester was my first semester as an instructor at a college level (or, really any level aside from 3 and 4 year old children's church help). It was certainly a learning experience. I feel like I'm still trying to figure out how to implement what I learned last semester into this one.I'm not sure I can actually name all of the things I learned-- this seems so silly because, duh, don't you

Week 3.

2010-01-18T10:03:00.002-07:00

Well here is the menu for this week, about which I'm less than excited, but at least there is a plan.Monday: Ribeye Steaks, spinach, potato.Tuesday: OCF: Lasagna, salad, etc.Wednesday: My only night (!!!) of classes this semester, so Matthew will only be throwing things together once a week (or dishing up crock-pot sludge, as it may be). Wednesday he is making ham and a few sides of his choice...

What's for Dinner.

2010-01-10T19:35:00.002-07:00

In an effort to be inspired by you all and to keep myself accountable and excited about planning meals, I'm going to post what I've got planned for dinner each week on my blog.I started last week and it went really well! So here is last week's menu (items with stars indicate new recipes):Monday: Leftovers from the Sunday before :)Tuesday: Orange and red pepper glazed shrimp with rice*Wednesday:

Ahh, Le Weekend.

2010-01-09T16:10:00.001-07:00

I just have to say, I am loving not being in school right now. And I'm loving that Matt got off around 2 yesterday, and we've had a GREAT weekend!

Our Christmas.

2010-01-02T13:11:00.011-07:00

This year we had our "Christmas morning" on the weekend before we went to Utah so that we could have some time together, a special meal, and exchange our gifts for each other at home.Our tree! Notice how the ornaments stop about 2/3 of the way down the tree. As Dutch pulled them off we just replaced them higher up. He has pretty much hammered out cheapie little fake tree, but it still works well

Canning!

2010-01-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

One thing I experimented with this fall was Apple Butter canning. I did one round of it with reasonable success and meant to can some more for Christmas presents, but it didn't happen due to my rather crazy schedule!But I do have proof of my first canning adventure:I tried it on my sour cream pancakes (right pancake), and it was fantastic!

Grandpa Teter's 90th!

2010-01-01T14:52:00.012-07:00

On the 28th we headed to Russellville, Arkansas to celebrate Matthew's Grandfather's 90th birthday! We got to Arkansas just about 7 hours after we left Clarksville-- it was so nice to travel that journey in our new car!On the first day we visited the Teter farm, formerly Matthew's Uncle Jerry's farm, now his cousin (Jerry's son) Brian runs it.Below are Aunt Dianna, the oldest of the Teter

Recap of our Fall for your perusal.

2010-01-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

The big 2-5 was this year! It was great to celebrate my birthday with Matthew this year!He spoiled me :)Lots of cooking items, including these fabulous little mini cast iron pans.Hooray! A French rolling pin!Aristocats with my little beasty aristocat.Dutch is a good little helper.HOORAY! My first stainless steel pan! 10 inch french skillet.We had a great low key birthday this year. We did dinner

Resolutions.

2010-01-01T10:31:00.002-07:00

Pictures from the last 4 months are forthcoming.For now, here are my New Year's resolutions for all to see and ask me about through the year. No really, do it!1) Journal! I started my first journal in 2nd grade and didn't miss more than a week until I graduated college. After college, and just before marriage, I stopped, and haven't really written in a journal since, which makes me SO sad! So I'm

End of the Semester!

2009-12-17T19:08:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone!I fully intend to ACTUALLY resurface here, and I'm so excited! I feel like I have so much to tell you about, but really, read the post I just did about the comps exam, and you'll know where I've been the last... well, the last 6 months at LEAST.Let me just say, I am so relieved to have that test behind me! I decided to give it a go a semester early in hopes of taking pressure off

Pass.

2009-12-17T19:01:00.003-07:00

8th century anglo-saxon literature, right up to Adrienne Rich's postmodern poetry (thats uhh... a few hundred years)this time span broken into three periods (8cent-1780, 1780-1900, 1900-present).all major political, social, ideological, historical, religious movements affecting literature and vice versa in these years.273 specific texts (poetry, short stories, novellas, novels).Knowledge of form,

So... yeah.

2009-11-16T18:51:00.003-07:00

SO this is really not going to give you much information other than to say I do still exist.I am, somehow, managing my first teaching job, my toughest semester of classes, and preparing to take my comprehensive exam on December 5th that determines whether I get my degree or not. Oh, and I'm still human, having fun, periodically relaxing, and even threw my first baby shower this past weekend!The

Catching Up.

2009-09-25T08:40:00.008-06:00

On Labor Day weekend, Matthew and I had a "staycation" here in Clarksville.One of the things we've wanted to do is go visit the Jefferson Davis memorial-- clearly something you'd only encounter in the South!On our way out, we rode behind this Mennonite buggy for a while.We arrived at the memorial to find it resembling, alarmingly, another very familiar memorial:That is located in Kentucky. That's

Food, etc.

2009-08-29T15:02:00.003-06:00

Homemade blueberry pie with Vodka crust (the vodka evaporates, but helps the crust roll out more easily without creating a gummy or tough crust).The bacon and leek part of my bacon and leek tart- I forgot to take a picture of the tart!A GLORIOUS Raspberry Buttermilk cake- this was SO delicious!Strawberry scones.They cooked up much bigger than I thought, but Matthew and I both loved these! They

Broken Lizzard.

2009-08-29T11:27:00.006-06:00

We had a great weekend in Nashville this past weekend. Our Anniversary celebration was 2 nights in the Gaylord Opryland hotel. The first night we ate at an Irish pub and listened to some great live music. On Saturday we shopped for work clothes for me, and had a great time together. That night we took the shuttle in to downtown Nashville to go to a comedy show with the Macs. It was Broken Lizzard

Week of the Eagles.

2009-08-29T10:06:00.007-06:00

Every other year when the 101st Airborne Division is at home, they celebrate the Week of the Eagles. This week is full of really awesome events, including homecoming celebrations for Veterans of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and OIF and OEF. They do a Division review (where ALL the units of the whole Division are surveyed by the commanding general, General Campbell (oddly enough :))),

Matthew's Birthday in review.

2009-08-29T09:53:00.004-06:00

Trying to catch up with my blog before school begins! Here are a few pictures from Matthew's birthday (he worked that day).Yellow cake with chocolate frosting, of course.Dutch was pretty interested in the cupcake.Our friends dropped this gift off in the afternoon on his birthday. Dutch had been sniffing it, climbing it, biting it ALL day. He couldn't WAIT to get whatever was in that bag OUT so he

Air Assault.

2009-08-27T12:51:00.000-06:00

So this is an old post, but I never published it! He graduated in July, so it has been a while, but still exciting!Matthew has officially graduated from Air Assault School!You may wonder what that is... so click the link below to see a short video that shows ONE of the things they do (fast-roping out of a helicopter). You can slide it to 1:20 and get to the action sooner. http://www.youtube.com/

Happy Anniversary!!!

2009-08-11T07:09:00.004-06:00

Happy Anniversary to us!It has been a great two years!And not much has changed!Well, of course it has. SO much has happened in these two years! We are loving married, each other, and learning more about how to be loving and unselfish spouses.The journey continues!

This Guy.

2009-08-06T13:01:00.004-06:00

Today, on his birthday, I'd like to say that my husband is the cream of the crop.Where to begin? He is easily one of the kindest people I know. He has more integrity in his little finger than most men have in their entire lives (no but for reals, this is a man of REAL integrity here). He is honest. He is stubborn. He can be quiet, but he can be obnoxiously loud and boisterous when surrounded by

Review: Around the World in 80 Dates.

2009-07-30T16:06:00.002-06:00

My latest review for the NavPress Blogger Review program!Christa Ann BanisterAround the World in 80 Dates: Confessions of a Christian Serial DaterChrista Ann Banister’s Around the World in 80 Dates is an enjoyable approach to Christian dating. While the subject of a late-twenty-something trying to find her Godly match and fumbling her way through first dates may sound trite, Banister has a casual

The Garden!

2009-07-10T18:17:00.005-06:00

As you know (or maybe you don't?), we're avid gardeners. We don't have a TON of space, but what we did to our back yard this year, with the help of my dearest father, is FABULOUS!Check it out! :::I planted heirloom tomatoes, and wow, I cannot WAIT for these boys to ripen!We bought a little patio set, and it has made it SO pleasant!We have planted strawberries, raspberries, blueberries,

The New Car!

2009-07-10T17:58:00.003-06:00

Woohoo!After realizing that having one car would be extremely challenging for us come fall when I'm on campus at APSU 4 days a week and Matthew is working full days, we decided it was time to man up, and buy another car.Trust me, this came with hours and hours and months and months (actually years) of discussion. I'll say initially thought of another car was much to my dismay. I loved not having

Slickety Slickety Slack.

2009-07-09T07:12:00.002-06:00

Well hello.I come to you a penitent blogger, knowing that I have been inconsistent. And yet, I suppose it shows that I've been doing other things, maybe, and so I guess you can take solace in that.We've come off of block leave at the end of June. That time was FABULOUS. We had three 4-day weekends, and Matthew didn't work past noon at any point. It was so nice to have that, and GREAT that we

Denouement.

2009-06-10T13:13:00.006-06:00

I realized that I never posted pictures of el scar, and now you have seen... well you have seen it all through the Disney World pics! So here are the pictures so far.The night before surgery. One last look at the boys from the outside:I'd like to post a few directly post surgery because it shows a few sweet friends who dropped by. Beware, this is a post-op picture...just a heads up. The picture

The 700 Club.

2009-06-08T16:10:00.001-06:00

Not THAT 700 Club, the this-is-my-700th-blog-post-club!Happy 700th blog post day, blog!Thanks for reading!

The Skinny.

2009-06-08T15:55:00.003-06:00

Thanks to Laura, I get free books from Navpress, read them, write a review of them on my blog and two other websites, and then get another free book! Here is the first book I received and just read a few days ago. This is a teen book, and was a fun dip into teenlit.Skinny by Laura L. Smith is a sweet look at the issue of teen eating disorders. The story establishes all the predicable (and real)

She's Kind of a Big Deal.

2009-06-04T07:23:00.003-06:00

So, I feel a little gushy this morning... forgive me in advance.My Melissa friend has always been extremely skilled at finding, appreciating, and creating visual brilliance. Whether this manifested itself in her fabulous wardrobe, her love of fashion and interior design, the way she decorates, her signature, or even her earliest blogs (yes folks, I guarantee you Melissa has been blogging longer

Disney World!!!

2009-06-01T18:49:00.026-06:00

And... we're back!Here we are! We arrived early Monday morning, Disney took care of our checked bags, and so we headed straight to the parks! Here we are at the shuttle stop.We headed right to Disney's Hollywood Studios to the Star Toursride. We walked right on, no lines! Matthew got a picture of C3PO:On the way in to the ride we saw this little show- it turns out we were thereduring "Star Wars

Elton and Billy.

2009-06-01T15:37:00.010-06:00

So on May 16 I had the privilege of seeing Elton John and Billy Joel. It just so happened that my friend Lauren, who invited me, knows someone who works on Billy's tour. So... we ended up with 2nd row center tickets. Pretty sweet. Forgive me, my pictures aren't great because of the lighting. But you'll get the gist.The pianos.The overweight, middle-aged rock stars.Aw, friends.Elton's eye candy,

We're Going to DisneyWorld!

2009-05-24T19:35:00.002-06:00

Just a quick note to say Matthew and I depart tomorrow morning at 4:00am to head to Disneyworld for 5 nights! We'll be back Saturday afternoon, and are So excited for some time away!This will be our first non-family-visiting trip (ie: vacation) since our honeymoon- we're excited!!!If you call, text, e-mail, IM, or facebook me (or him), I am THRILLED to say I won't answer! Well, text, yes, but

Pathology Report.

2009-05-18T08:41:00.001-06:00

I DO NOT HAVE CANCER!That is the GREAT news of my day (week, year, life thus far),and I hope it brightens your day too.Thank you Lord!

So Check Me Out!

2009-05-15T08:56:00.002-06:00

Me pre-surgery. This crazy gown plus in to a machine and then it heats and cools you- weird!My sweet parents with me.Me and Da.Me and my sweet Matthew. I think he really loved the cap.I was so nervous before! It was such a relief to wake up a few hours later and have the actual surgery over, and face the unknown post-surgical reality.More pics soon.

On the Flipside.

2009-05-11T09:09:00.002-06:00

I made it!I mean, really, we didn't actually doubt that I would MAKE it through surgery, but here I am.I thought I'd let you all know- though most of you keep track of me in other ways, it seemed only fair.The surgery went well, and the great news is they only had to take out half the thyroid. The cysts are being tested to make sure they were totally benign, and we'll know all those results later

First Line of Defense.

2009-04-29T12:42:00.002-06:00

So, I got a sunburn on April 17.Not a bad one, but you know, red, tender all that. On my shoulders, neck, a bit on my forearms.I am publicly declaring this will be the one and only sunburn I get this season. Yep, the only one.See, the thing is, on the whole I'm pretty strictly anti-cancer. I've known two great people who have died of skin cancer, and both Matthew's parents and mine have had large

Book Buffet.

2009-04-29T12:39:00.002-06:00

Today is my last day of finals. So far I have felt very good about the tests and papers I've submitted. Tonight I'll turn in one last essay, and take on test and write one final essay. Sigh.What does this mean though, really? Well... it means I can shelf old William Wordsworth, John Keats, Berthold Brecht, Rolf Hochhuth, Percy and Mary Shelley...and so many others. Oh, and MLA Handbook, natch.And

Debbie Downer!

2009-04-22T10:15:00.004-06:00

Ok folks, I just posted the two posts, and in thinking about the first, I think I need to rewind.Here is a list of all the GREAT things happening, and the reasons I'm thankful for both school, and el surgerisco.1- SPRING!2- I like to learn3- I like books4- I like having intellectual conversations about totally minute and ultimately unimportant things5- school contains the above three items.6-I'm

The Evolution of a Name.

2009-04-22T08:20:00.000-06:00

Dutch.Dutchy.Dutchady.Dutchadoodle.DoodleDutch.Doodle.Doo.Boo.Boodle.Booz.Boozler.Bamboozler.Bamboozlist.--Dutch.Dutchy.Dutchycat.Dutchkitty.skittycat.skittle.skittlest.skids.--Dutch.Dutchy.Dutchadee.Diddy.Diddle.Dids.

One More Week.

2009-04-22T08:18:00.002-06:00

Well folks, One more week of school.ONE WEEK.One week.I have to say, in the last week the whole semester has caught up with me. I am really quite exhausted with the whole school thing. Summer really couldn't come at a better time.I think the semester will finish well. I'm trying to remember that all I can expect from myself is my best. I feel like I've run out of gas, but I still have to make it

The Last Few Months...

2009-04-13T10:34:00.011-06:00

It has been a long while since I've downloaded the pictures from my camera to the computer. Here are the fruits of this most recent labor:This is where we find Dutch most days-- looking out at the birds that flock to his bird feeder (conveniently placed within his view). He chatters at them a lot. We love the mix of birds that come! Cardinals, blue birds, black birds, doves, quail, etc!This was

Spring Awakening.

2009-03-25T09:34:00.004-06:00

I never was really a fan of Spring.No really, I had myself convinced that I really didn't enjoy it. Fall was first-- natch, since my birthday resides squarely in the middle. It also contains my favorite colors, foods, and the beginning of school. Duh.Winter comes next because, hello snow! And Christmas is wonderful, Christmas break is handy, New Year's is neat, and I really actually love

Update.

2009-03-10T07:18:00.003-06:00

Yes, as usual, a significant break in my blog (lack of) consistency.But, I will try to catch you up this week while I'm on Spring Break, and then ideally keep up with it going forward!I liked what whitney did on her blog with a little listy update, so here I go.1) Last week was a LONG week for me AND Matthew. Mine included grading about 80 English 1020 papers, handing in midterms, going to a 5

Fashion Consult.

2009-02-21T18:39:00.003-07:00

So our Battalion formal is this coming Thursday night. I have a dress! But I am lost otherwise.The dress is a floor length dark silver color. It has sparkly/beaded straps that go up from about the top of my arms and cross in back just at the top of my neck and reconnect. The back under that is all open and then the dress comes in just above my waist again. I don't know if that helps, but there

My Mom and Dad's Blog!

2009-02-15T14:01:00.002-07:00

Hi all!Most of you, if you're lucky, know my fabulous and hilarious parents. They are so wonderful and insightful, and as of late they have been having some major adventures around this crazy world.Now they have a blog!Check it out, comment, and support their efforts! This is a big step for them, so here's to them!Welcome to the blogging world Ma and Da!http://ellysian.blogspot.com/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHITNEY!

2009-02-02T08:36:00.001-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTAH!I hope that this is a great day, a great week, and the beginning of a great Month for you! And hey, why not, a GREAT beginning to the next year of your fabulous life!LOVE YOU!

Plan to Visit!

2009-02-02T08:33:00.002-07:00

Alright folks, the days are going by and we're now in to February! CRAZY!What that means is that you need to start making plans to visit us! We'd love to visit you, but for the forseeable future Matthew won't have leave to....leave. SO... come see US!Southwest is having the "Yes you Can" sale, and I just checked, you can get here and back from SLC for 200 bucks! HELLO!Anyway..... just planting

Resolutions.

2009-01-30T08:34:00.003-07:00

So, I always give myself time to think of my resolutions. Often this results in never making them, or waiting until some benchmark (last year it was "when we get to maryland" and then "when we get to Kentucky" and then "when matt leaves" and then "when school starts"). In an effort to avoid putting these off any further, I am putting them out to the public so you can ask me/bug me/remind me about

The Beginning.

2009-01-20T12:20:00.003-07:00

Well it has been a busy first few weeks of the year. To catch you up:Michael and Joanna Miller visited! It was so great to see you guys!I've been baking and cooking like whoa. That all ends today....well not ENDS, but diminishes, since I'm back to work and school as of today.To prove my from scratchiness, see below:Parker House Rolls! (What? That doesn't LOOK like a PH roll? WELL.... I am

The Year in Review.

2009-01-09T08:34:00.003-07:00

2008 in Review:Woke up on January 1, 2008 somewhere in Ohio-- on our way to Maryland.Lived in a Hotel for the month of January.Lived on Aberdeen Proving Grounds in North East Maryland in a mold-infested apartment.Baked my first baguette.Hosted a SuperBowl party, enjoyed the game. Ate Chili.Met really great people.Visited relatives on both sides of our family in Virginia. Saw Battlefields. Saw

Happy New Year.

2009-01-03T20:26:00.005-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!Happy New Year everyone!This is us on New Year's eve. We had a great dinner with friends and then came home and managed to stay awake until midnight. We are both looking forward to 2009 and are so thrilled for what we know it holds for us, and the surprises that are inevitably in store. We are so excited to see what happens this year!We'd like to welcome Michael Blue Fosmark to

Christmassy.

2009-01-02T08:30:00.017-07:00

Well! Here is a big dump of Christmas pictures.... I am doing this in a fast and less than thorough way so that it happens NOW rather than... in May after my semester ends :)First, here is our house with the lights that Matthew put up!Not too shabby for our first go at it!On the 20th we headed to SLC. We got a lot of great time with the Teter family the first few days because the Miller

Merry Christmas.

2008-12-19T20:18:00.005-07:00

Here, before we head out to Utah tomorrow, are a few pictures from our Christmassy house! I'll post the outside, complete with fantastic white lights, next time I download pictures! Thank you to my sweet husband for climbing on our roof to hang them!Here is our little tree. TEAR, our first Christmas tree! We've never had our own place to decorate before this year since last year we were in

Food.

2008-12-19T19:42:00.003-07:00

So, since Matthew has been home, and since I have been finished with school, I've been cooking quite a bit (and Matthew has been VERY helpful).This was our Stout pot pie--- beefey, Guinnessey, delicious!Above is the "T" on the top, and below is the inside of the pie.Matthew found a cheesey potato soup, so we whipped it up! Topped with bacon and scallions, and accompanied by a loaf of homemade

Staci = Awesome.

2008-12-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Well friends, I just have to say, this post should have come weeks ago.Staci sent me a hand-painted oil painting of a wine glass and wine bottle that is now happily hanging in our kitchen.I had been asking Staci to paint us something for our dorm room walls from the beginning of our NYU adventure together in 2003. I'm SO thrilled to have an original Wolfson on my wall now!I have to say folks,

December!

2008-12-15T15:23:00.003-07:00

Hello all,So I just posted the Thanksgiving post and thought I'd give you a quick little update since that business is a few weeks old.We are REALLY enjoying being home together! So far Matthew's work has been really laid back since everyone one went on block leave December 5. We don't have enough leave to take the whole month off so Matthew has been working, but most of the days have been going

Thanksgiving.

2008-12-09T16:18:00.009-07:00

Well friends, better late than never on our Thanksgiving meal.First, here is Matthew's first post-deployment beer:The fridge was well-stocked for him.Here is Matthew taking the Dutchy out for a little walk.And wrestling with the beasty.A better picture of the first beer.Even though Matthew was really pretty sick, he still had an appetite, so we did the full Thanksgiving meal. It was so fun! Here

WELCOME HOME!!!!

2008-11-22T07:41:00.009-07:00

HE IS HOME!Let me tell you, it is a great thing!Currently he is "reintegration" which is a 7 day process that every soldier goes through when they come home. They do medical check ups, emotional/psychological, they do lots of briefings, and it is 7 days consecutively (except we will get Thanksgiving day off) so that there is a week's worth of accountability to make sure they aren't drinking too

THIS Week!

2008-11-17T07:01:00.001-07:00

WOW!This week my Husband comes home!!!I can't wait!I REALLY can't focus... that whole homework business... not happening like it should. I'm trying to stay focused, but it is haaaarrrrd!But the great news is that soon Matthew will be in transit, and on his way back! I'll let you know when he gets it here!

Awesomeness.

2008-11-13T06:49:00.002-07:00

So last Friday I had a day of awesomeness.It started out with Life cereal, and so of course you know you're setting yourself up for a great day when you start it with Life.I then went and hit around a racquetball with my friend Jen, and though I had a few pretty horrible whiffs, over all it was great.THEN I went to Zumba. If you haven't heard of Zumba google it up-- it is a group fitness class

Parental Perspective on the Election.

2008-11-06T07:53:00.003-07:00

Hey all,My parents (via my mom) sent this e-mail last night in regard to the election. As you may know, my mom was in county Government for 8 years in the Republican party, and has supported McCain during the election season. I appreciated very much their perspective, and it reinforced my love for my country, and my family! I thought I'd publish it on here because it is great to see her

Matthew' Brigade in the News!

2008-11-06T06:57:00.001-07:00

Hey all!Click HERE or HERE or HERE to see an article (it is short!) about Matthew's brigade coming home early! WOO!Just a little over two weeks-ish now! :)

Don't Wear Mascara If You Don't Wanna Cry.

2008-10-28T20:07:00.002-06:00

It seems to be a reality, a truth, an inevitability. If I wear mascara, and while applying it occurs to me that if I cry it'll be a pain, and then reassure myself that I won't cry.... I WILL cry.Nothing, absolutely nothing legitimate caused my tears today- including PMS. No reason. I mean, yes, it looks like Frank and Vinney are going under the knife (translation: thyroid cyst to be removed at

It Has Been A While.

2008-10-28T19:35:00.003-06:00

So Melissa tagged me in a little thinger, and since I haven't done one in... a year or more, here I am, doing it!The Rules:1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.2. Share 7 random and / or weird facts about yourself.3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment

Colorady.

2008-10-26T17:04:00.017-06:00

This last weekend I went to Colorado. My friend Chanel was kind enough to take me to the airport so I wouldn't have to leave my car there. I arrived there on Thursday at noon (and my plane was actually 30 minutes EARLY). Once I made it to the hotel we all went to Cafe Rialto for lunch (and it was delicious!).Me and Kimmy!Ma and Da!Jay and Jayson!My delicious fennel and roasted red pepper haddock

Happy Birthday From Iraq!

2008-10-21T07:05:00.006-06:00

Well my sweet husband chatted with me most the day yesterday online, and I also got to talk on the phone with him for about an hour! It was amazing!He had the dudes in his platoon send their birthday wishes, and I loved it! It is so fun that I have heard about these guys, and now I get to see them! I've got to try to learn their names before they all get back next month! (I LOVE that-- next month

24.

2008-10-20T20:17:00.001-06:00

Well folks, I made it! I'm officially 24!Today has been good, and thank you to all of you who have passed on your birthday wishes!Hooray me, I was born!I'm going to head to bed and hopefully get a full night's sleep, but I'll fill you in with more details soon. Thanks to my inlaws, parents, whitney, carly, leslie, heather, melissa, all you well-wishers and especially matthew for making today a

The Big News.

2008-10-14T07:00:00.002-06:00

Well folks!The date has moved up!We don't know for sure when, but Matthew will be coming home early! Sometime in late November/early December.I am so thrilled- we are no more than 8 weeks out, and potentially just over a month. INSANE!So I have started doing all those things I said I was going to do before he gets home like touch up my painting mistakes, hang our diplomas in the office, etc. It

This Little Piggy.

2008-10-13T19:45:00.008-06:00

Here are a few pictures of the little Dutch.Many of them are taken to show you that he is, more and more, not so little!Whenever I do anything at my sink, Dutch curls up in Matthew's sink... Love, you're going to have some competition!He likes to climb, and get high... and get the blinds, of course.Caught again!I don't know why this won't turn, but here is Dutch in one of Matthew' earlier

OCTOBER!

2008-10-02T10:07:00.002-06:00

HAPPY OCTOBER!You may or may not know that I have a deep and life-long love for the month of October.October, I think, likes me quite a bit too :)Odds are, October likes YOU too.Currently, October is beckoning me outside to play in the lovely cold weather that is so perfectly Fallish and lovely. YET my brain must reject this kind offer, and stay inside and read a Marxist criticism of Hamlet.

Another Week.

2008-09-22T06:29:00.002-06:00

Well Hello All!First, I'd like to say Happy late birthdays on here to Melissa and Allison! Yay for September birthdays!Last week I had a big presentation in my Literary Criticism class and I was SO super nervous about it. We were not only being graded on the content of our presentation, but on our dress, presentation style, and how many verbal pauses we had. Fortunately, it went REALLY! I am so

Big Girl Shoes.

2008-09-11T07:56:00.002-06:00

You make me stand tallYou add some inchesI like you a lotexcept where it pinchesYou help me seem leanermy pant hems are cleanerMy legs look much longermy ab muscles get strongerI feel put togetherwhen you grace my feetFlats don't do it, either(but they don't make me bleet)So cheers to you, high heelsyou sure are swellThough I got a blisterOn this I won't dwellAnd so until next timeI'll keep this

All is Well!

2008-09-07T15:35:00.003-06:00

Hey all,I realized that I really haven't updated on school, or on that class I taught!School is good. Life has been busy! I have found it pretty tricky to get myself back into non-procrastinating self-discipline mode. I do like the classes for the most part, and I am really happy with my professors, on the whole.The class I got to "teach" last week was really fun. Of course my hands got all

One... or Two.

2008-09-07T12:26:00.002-06:00

So a few weeks back I went to the eye doc, and some of you have heard how horrible the experience.In the end, it turns out the contact prescription he gave me was not right either, but that is beside the point.Anyway, basically it was bad because I felt very uncomfortable for several reasons and I won't go in to them. But today when Matt and I talked I told him about it, and after a bit of