Happy St. Patty's Day, and Welcome Spring

Happy Spring, everyone! I believe that yesterday was the "official" Spring Equinox, although we have been having spring weather here in Columbus for a few weeks now.  With that spring weather has come terrible allergies for me, and I have never had allergies in my life! Luckily, they have seemed to clear up somewhat, so now I can really enjoy the weather.  Which is a good thing, because our calendar has been packed the past couple of weeks!

Before I start, I want to give a word of warning to all iPhone owners: don't download the new operating system until you have BACKED UP EVERYTHING on your iPhone! I rarely install the updates to my iPhone, so I kind of forgot the way you are supposed to do it.  You are supposed to back up everything on your iPhone to iTunes before installing updates.  Apparently, I hadn't done this since the very beginning of October.  Thursday of last week, I downloaded the new operating system, and lost all of my contacts and (worst of all!) pictures since then! That includes the phone # of basically everyone I've met at CAFB. So I am probably going to leave a lot out of this blog since my pictures and iPhone calendar are usually what I  use to remember what the heck happened over the past x number of days.  You know how sometimes your week flies by and by the time you get to the end of it, you don't remember what you did! Anyway, hopefully my experience will save someone else from having the same problem.  Luckily, thanks to my blogging, most of my pictures had already been uploaded to my computer. Also we recently started using this amazing app (would recommend to all) called Cozi which syncs my calendar and Chris', and also saves online so I didn't lose all my appointments. 

Anyway, two Fridays ago when I got back from Birmingham, Jon and Autumn and we had decided to throw a bonfire in the huge open field between our houses for the guys in our class.  We brought both our fire pits out and burned a bunch of wood and did s'mores.  Then someone...okay it was me...had the idea for the guys to take this picture...I think it is pretty funny!

Someone (NOT me) had the idea to burn that huge cardboard box...I was terrified we would light the whole street on fire, but nothing happened.  I guess that's what happens when you give a bunch of guys access to fire.  No matter how old they are, they are going to want to see what happens when you burn this or that.

The next day (Saturday the 10th) Greg and Tammy came into town for a visit.  It was the perfect day for a visit because it was career day again, and all the planes were brought out for us to tour.  I took a bunch of pictures, but unfortunately, I took them with my phone so I don't have them anymore! But Tammy took these and put them on her facebook.  I wish we would have gotten a group picture!




Chris with the C-17.  This is the one he has been leaning toward wanting to fly, but he's still undecided. 




C-17 again.




With the KC-10 (refueler)




In the F-16

 For dinner we went to J. Broussard (we love that place!) and everyone enjoyed their meal there.  We were so exhausted after spending half the day in the sun walking around that we didn't do anything after dinner! The next morning I made breakfast (Goat Cheese and Artichoke Frittatta...yum! Lost my picture though!) and they headed out around lunch.  I spent the afternoon on my cornhole project (more on that later) and Chris had to do some studying.  Later on is when I started having a complete allergy attack which kept me feeling pretty miserable for a few days. 

The rest of my week was spent fighting with allergies while trying to get ready for our St. Patty's day party.  After getting thoroughly medicated, I felt a lot better by Friday and finally cashed in the gift certificate that afternoon for a massage that Chris gave me for Christmas.  I guess my masseuse had the healing touch because I have felt just fine since then!

Chris and I were so pumped about throwing our St. Patty's day party for the class! My idea was to make it a beer tasting where everyone would bring different beers and everyone would taste each other's.  I had cups out with green dye in the bottom so that the beer would turn green.  Chris commented that I put a lot of "work" into decorating, but what he doesn't understand is that is half the fun for me! So here are some pictures of the decor:

Alright, so...starting in the back, there is our bucket full of beer in the living room area. Next to it, I put out a basket full of coozies for people to use. Then there are my Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, actually made with Guinness, whisky, and irish cream (like a real Irish Car Bomb)..they were a huge hit! A pitcher of water, and in front of it an empty plate where I put Beer Battered Fried Pickles (beer battered to match the beer theme, and pickles because they are green!).  To the left of the empty plate was spinach dip (green, again), and then all my little empty cups with green dye at the bottom to make the beer turn green.  The little green bowl next to the beer bucket was for bottle caps.  I also decorated the table with scattered beer bottle caps that I collected a while back to make a "man" table for Chris (still gotta find the time for that little project!) Also, can you see the little food labels? I made those :)

Beer cheese dip...dyed green...see, y'all, it's a theme!  Just love themes!

Kitchen drink set-up...with a little St. Patty's dish for the bottle caps.

Guacamole and pigs-n-blankets with...you guessed it..green-dyed mustard. 

Casey brought this yummy Buffalo Chicken Dip (and I had also made little food labels for stuff people brought)

Outside (patio) mini-setup

I can't believe I didn't take a picture of this sign that I made hung up in front of our hutch! Luckily, I took a picture with my phone (on Friday, after I updated my iPhone) to send to Autumn so just imagine it on the hutch by the kitchen table! It says "Everyone is Irish on March 17"

I also forgot to take a picture of this once I got it to the house, but I made it too...and you can imagine it hanging over the lamp shade in our entry-way. It says "Happy St. Patrick's Day! Eat, Drink, and Be Irish!"

Also, we asked everyone to dress for the St. Patty's day theme, and a lot of people went all out! Here are some pics:

I was completely obsessed with Casey and Eli's hilarious shirts...with each other's faces on leprechaun bodies!

Jon and Autumn brought homemade ice cream...mint chocolate chip, yum!

Nancy is the only girl in the class and she is lots of fun!

Me and Casey at our pilot partner, The Princess, later on.

Sometime over the last month or so, Chris and I decided that we really needed a cornhole board so that we could bring it to tailgates and have it at outdoor parties like this one.  Neither of us have any carpentry experience, but I got a great deal on this set (beanbags included) from the Alabama Cornhole Association while I was working in Birmingham.  They are actually used cornhole boards from their tournaments so they are the exact right size and I could paint them in an Auburn-theme.  Can't wait to bring these babies to Auburn this fall! I am pretty proud to say I painted them!

I made a couple of new discoveries on CAFB this week.  First of all...I can't believe we have been living here 8 months and didn't know there was a lake on the base! And a really pretty one, at that! We are definitely going to bring a picnic basket out here sometime this weekend. Autumn, Casey, and I brought our dogs out on Sunday afternoon and let them chase the ball in the water.  I couldn't believe how far Mason swam out to get the ball! Maybe he is finally getting over his fear of the water, or maybe he just couldn't stand the other dogs to be out there without him!

Also, this would have been nice to know when I was training for the half marathon: Columbus has a 10.7 mile "perimeter road" that goes around the base.  Casey (who is training for the full Air Force marathon in Ohio later this year) and I ran it and discovered several things while we were one it, such as a horse stable and a paint ball course. 

Last night, the class had dinner at our "Pilot Partner" in town, which is a business in town that "sponsors" your class by offering discounts and just helping you get acclimated to the local culture.  Our pilot partner is...surprise! The Princess (the most popular bar in town that has also has a restaurant).  We now get 50% off 3 nights a week there and 25% off 3 other nights a week.  At the dinner, they had a raffle and Chris won this amazing T-shirt:

"Only the Strong Survive"...haha! I don't know about a picture of two roosters fighting...

As you can see, Chris' mustache is getting quite impressive.  We still have 10 days to go in "mustache March" and I definitely think he could stand to win some kind of award. I don't believe I actually covered the tradition of Mustache March in my last post, so here is a brief history, and the "rule" as outlined in the instructional email Chris forwarded me from the Lt. Colonel in charge of the students (I guess he forwarded it to me so that I would believe that this actually existed):

U.S. Air Force ace Robin Olds became celebrated for a flowing handlebar
mustache he grew while commanding the 8th Tactical fighter Wing Wolfpack
during the Vietnam War, and when forced to shave it by his superior, the
source of an Air Force tradition known as "Mustache March."

The first rule of mustache march is...

Let's get things straight from the beginning:  Mustache March is not a
contest. It's a reminder of our rich Air Force heritage...For a month!
If there's a contest to be had, then I recommend the following:

1. All registered participants must be clean-shaven on March 1st, unless
they are competing in the pre-existing condition class.

2. Until March 15th, the leadership above the squadron level is 'likely' to
allow "minor" deviations from the AFIs with regard to (sts) width of the
'stache...after that, get it trimmed (sts).

3. Registered participants who shave off their mustache prior to judging are
disqualified. I recommend a Disqualification Fine of $20 to be added to our
donation to charity.

4. Participants will be subjected to a minimum of 2 photographs (before and
after) during the course of Mustache March for documentation/humiliation
purposes...and additional photographs are encouraged. It is highly
recommended that all participants get their 'before' pictures taken
willingly as you've practically all got smart phones in your pockets...as
for the "after" photos, those will be done at the to-be-organized squadron
function at the end of March. Those pics will certainly be used for "humor"
(read humiliation) purposes. Future squadron roll calls deserve some humor!

5. Here are the award categories:

Best of Show
The name basically sums it up. This award is reserved for the most
spectacular specimen produced over the course of the month.
This is utterly subjective to the judge's personal opinion(s).

Most Disturbing
When you look at this mustache, if will frighten you. We will warn others
about the sight of this mustache.

Most Fitting
Sometimes the stars align and a man and his mustache become something...
more, with a mustache.
This award is given to the mustache that makes a man greater than the sum of
his otherwise wholly inadequate parts.

Dirt-lip Award
The little follicles that couldn't...The recipient of this award can only
take solace in the fact that this is all for charity.

Preexisting Condition Class Award
This is an wholly separate class reserved for the few, proud men who choose
to wear a mustache every day of their glorious lives. Members of this class
are not required to shave their existing mustaches on March 1st. There is
only one award for this class, and members of this class are not eligible
for any other award categories.

Judging
All remaining participants must attend the March 30th judging ceremony. I
recognize that the 30th is not the last day of March, but it IS a Friday.
More details will follow regarding the squadron function to take place on
that date.

Other Mustache Categories that could be judged in an "Instant Justice"
fashion:

Wyatt Earp
Fu Man Chu
Janet Reno
Magnum PI
Free Candy in the Van
Dictator
Stalin
Groucho Marx
Warren Harding

As I have said before, I think Chris stands to win the "Free Candy in the Van" award.  We shall see...

Chris has been busy studying for his tests and doing a lot of simulations lately.  Yesterday, he did a simulation where he practiced several emergency procedures, including being ejected from the plane.  Let's hope that's the closest to a real ejection he will ever get! He has passed all of his tests so far, and hasn't even come close to failing any of them.  He got fitted for his "G-suit" this week too, which has all of these pockets that fill with air when he pulls G's while flying.   Some of my lady friends may not know this, because I didn't know it...but when you are flying, and you are accelerating very quickly or doing different maneuvers, the weight/pressure on your body may be several times that of a normal "g" (or the regular gravitational pull of the earth), which can cause you to black out or lose consciousness.  There are different methods you can use to keep from blacking out, like flexing certain muscles to keep the blood from pooling in the lower body, etc (you don't want the blood to flow away from your brain!).  The G-suit has pockets of air that inflate around your legs when the g-forces cause a certain amount of pressure to keep  the blood from flowing to the lower body. I doubt my explanation makes much sense, but that's the general idea.

Tomorrow some ladies and I are going to Starkville to do their downtown wine trail (all the stores are giving 25% off! yay!).  Friday, our friends Jaime and Jordan are having his  (i.e. their) assignment night, where they will find out what plane he is getting and where they will be stationed, so we are going to that, then to a BBQ at Casey & Eli's house. Saturday is half ruined because we have to do our taxes...yuck! But maybe if we get it done early, we can salvage the second half of the day! The Pilgrimage starts next week, so I have that to look forward to as well!

Thanks for reading this week...wow, our social life has really gotten crazy since Chris started training, but we are enjoying every minute of it.  For the time being, Chris has been able to budget his time really well and still has time to do most anything, but that will change when his 12 hours days begin.  We are making the most of it while we can.  His first flight in the T-6 is in 1 week from Friday!! Here he is with it on Career Day:

Thanks for reading!

My First Half Marathon, Meeting Newt, and Other Happenings...

Hello, all!

Wow, where do I BEGIN with the last week? I guess I'll go in sequential order, starting with last Friday.  I was working in Columbus, so I headed to work early knowing that I hoped to get an early start to New Orleans for my race and also that I would be fitted for my pilgrimage dress over my lunch break...I know that I have mentioned this "pilgrimage" thing, which may sound a little weird, but let me enlighten you.

Some really interesting trivia about Columbus: during the Civil War, when the northern army came though the south, Columbus was one of the few towns that provided medical help to both southern and northern soldiers.  As a bit of a "thank you" gift, Sherman decided not to burn down everyone's homes (how kind of him, haha).  Therefore, Columbus has one of the largest (in fact, I've heard many people say the largest) collection of Antebellum homes in the country.  They truly are fantastic.

So once a year, for two weeks in the Spring (in this case, the last week of March and the first week of April), Columbus hosts the Spring Pilgrimage, where the historic homes are open for visitors and tours.  Many of these homes, if not most, are lived in by people or occupied by bed & breakfasts.  Some of them are open as event venues.  To add to the authenticity of the event, volunteers...such as myself and many of the other women on base...dress up in old-south type dresses, complete with hoop skirts, and give tours.  Oh, I am just so excited...you know this is right up my alley! It's going to be just like Scarlett O' Hara in my favorite book, Gone With the Wind...except no corset...

If anyone is interested in coming, let me know! Here is some more information...there are some other fun things going on during the week, too.
http://www.columbus-ms.info/visitors/spring-pilgrimage/pilgrimage-2012.aspx

So Friday night I began my journey to New Orleans (hearby referred to as "Nola").  It was only about a 4 hour trip the way there, but I had the pedal to the metal the whole time because I was running from some baaaad weather.  Luckily, I got there safely and met Hannah and Sara.  Hannah ran with me in the race, but Sara just came to spectate and hang out.  Here are some pictures from the weekend...

The first couple of days we did some sight-seeing since the race wasn't until Sunday.  Here is a statue in a public park that pays tribute to Hurricane Katrina. 

Hand grenades are a staple on Bourbon St.!

It was nice to have some girl-time.

While we were sight-seeing, we saw some beautiful things...such as this cathedral...

And we saw some not so beautiful things, like New Orleans restrooms.  Can anyone tell me WHY there are two toilets next to eachother?? I mean, I know women are known for going to the restroom in groups, but I feel like STALLS would have been a nice addition!!!!

The race was a COMPLETE blast! I finished the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 4 minutes, which was about 11 minutes better than my goal time (about an average of 9:30 per mile).  It was so fun, because since it was a "Rock N' Roll Marathon", there were local bands set up at every mile marker and a big concert at the end.  20,000 people ran in the race. I got a medal and a T-shirt for running. I am definitely going to be doing another 1/2 Marathon.  I don't know if I will ever make it up to a full, 26.2 mile marathon...that's not really in my goals right now.  I guess if I ever get bored with 13 miles (doubtful), I might consider it.  Meanwhile, I am wanting to do another Rock N' Roll marathon in Savannah this November, so if anyone wants to join me, let me know!

"Before" picture...when I signed up for the race, I didn't know I'd be waking up at 5:30 am on a Sunday in order to report to the start line at 6:30 so I could be running 13 miles at 7!! But as it turned out, that's exactly what we signed up for.

"After" picture...so glad to have finished!!

Surprise! Race participants got free "baby" (8 oz) beers...beer is actually a good choice to drink after running.  A lot of marathons give their runners beer after the race because beer is predominately made up of water and carbohydrates, both of which are necessary to recover after a long run.  Also, the sugar, salt, and bubbles allow your body to absorb the water more quickly than just drinking water.  A little running trivia for 'ya!

We stayed in Nola for a couple of days extra just to hang out and have some fun.  The only thing I would have changed would be for Chris to have been able to come with me.  I know he would have had fun in Nola, but his schedule just won't allow for him to take weekend trips, at least not for the moment until he gets used to his new schedule.  Also, he definitely wouldn't have been able to take the day off on Monday like the rest of us did.  At least we know that Nola is close enough to go back to together.  Chris says he has absolutely no interest in running 1/2 marathons (can you imagine that? haha)...but maybe next time he can at least come cheer me on!

When I got back on Monday, I was really looking forward to spending some time with Chris, knowing that I would be coming back to Birmingham to work on Wednesday.  Instead of cooking, we decided to try out a Japanese/sushi place that we found in Columbus that we had somehow never been to before.  We got a great deal on this monstrosity (not to mention a 10% military discount!):

YUM!! I think it goes without saying that we will be BACK at Little Tokyo! We have an UMI Japanese Steakhouse moving to Columbus that is supposed to open any day now.  There was one in Starkville when I used to work there, so I know it is going to be very good, and it has been voted "Best Sushi in Mississippi" (take that however you see fit).  However, it's a good bit pricier than Little Tokyo, so I'm glad we found a place where we can get our sushi fix affordably!

Tuesday was the wives social, and we played Bunco.  I'd never played before, but I'm glad I learned how because I know lots of people who play it.  I didn't win anything, but I still had a great time! Chris went over to Jon's while Autumn and I were at the social and worked on their beer, which hopefully will be ready by our St. Patty's Day party.

Wednesday, I came to Birmingham to work and got a surprise invitation to volunteer with some fellow former AU College Republican members for the rally being held for Newt Gingrich supporters in Birmingham.  Without getting too political with all of you, I just want to say that I was undecided about who I would be voting for in the Republican primary, but now I'm going to follow what my head was telling me all along, and that is to vote for Newt, who I believe represents the kind of attitude toward foreign policy and the government's role in the economy that I hope (and pray) our next president has.  I will support whichever Republican candidate wins the primary, but I hope that any of you who are reading this realize how important this election is.  If you don't concern yourself with politics much, then just vote in honor of me...I have always had my political opinions, but being a military wife and and working woman have made me realize how important it is to have a strong leader.  So no matter who you vote for, just make sure you VOTE, and at least educate yourself enough on the issues that you know who will best represent what YOU believe in.

Okay done with my sermon!

ANYWAY, I don't care who you are voting for...a political rally is something everyone really must attend at some point in their lives.  It's so cool to see a presidential candidate (or governor, mayor, whatever) in person, hear their ideas straight from their mouths, and witness politics in action.  And no matter who you vote for, you have to admit...meeting someone who could potentially be the next president is pretty awesome! No matter what you think of them, you have to have respect for someone who doesn't just talk about what they wish would happen in America...they actually set out to try and be the next president! I don't think I would ever have the nerve to do that!
So that's what we got to do...we got to meet Newt, AND have our pictures made with him and his wife, Callista! SO cool!

Heather Whitestone introduced Newt...she is just amazing! For those of you who aren't familiar with her, she was Miss Alabama in 1994, and she won Miss America! Oh, and by the way...she's deaf.  It's so incredible what she has overcome.  She met her husband while working on a campaign for Newt back in the 90's.  



Speaking at the rally.




Me with Newt and his wife, Callista.



Auburn ladies with Newt: Me, Rebecca, and Meredith

Auburn girls again with Callista

For those of you who don't already know this, Chris can't talk negatively about the president or really get into politics since he is in the military.  So don't take any of this as his words.   I think we all know that I personally will not be voting for Barack Obama in the next election, because I believe his policies have weakened America's ability to defend itself, obviously a concern of mine.  There are a lot of other reasons, too.  But to be clear, these are MY opinions, and Chris' opinions are for him to know, and he alone!

We have more excitement ahead for the weekend...Friday night, Autumn and I are putting together a bonfire for the guys' class, so hopefully the weather will be nice.  Saturday, Greg and Tammy are coming to visit (staying til Sunday), and it's Career Day again.  Remember a few months ago when I posted about the last Career Day where we were able to take pictures in all the planes? That is coming up again Saturday, so it should be interesting for Tammy and Greg to get to see the planes in person, I know it is for me.

Chris has been continuing to work hard in the academic phase of his training.  Last week, he had his "Systems 1" test, and today he has his "Systems 2" test.  He has been passing all of his tests so far without a problem, so I am really proud and know he will keep up the good work.  He's had two simulations so far which consist of going over what the cockpit layout looks like and it's basic functions.  Right now he is in what I call the "dinky" simulator, which has no visual effects.  The simulators he will eventually use are really cool (and very, VERY expensive) training tools that basically look and feel...well...for lack of a better word, they simulate the flying experience pretty realistically.  Over the next couple of days he will move on from learning the basic functions of the plane inside the simulator to actually starting and taking off the plane. 

The month of March has so much in store for us, and I can't wait to keep you all updated on what is going on.  Thanks for reading!!

The Single Life (Not really, but kind of...)

It's been quite a while since I've blogged...what can I say? Life seems less eventful without hubby here, yet I seem to be much more busy from doing everything on my own! I guess I've been a little spoiled by going from college, where I had fewer responsibilities, to immediately being able to share my responsibilities with Chris (such as having Chris proofread this blog, which will probably be filled with errors this week!).  Chris has been gone for three weeks now, and if anything, this time apart has reminded me that I'm actually a pretty independent girl...a girl who likes to get things done and who doesn't like to be bored.   So, as soon as Chris left, I jumped right in to filling my schedule with activities and entertainment so that I wouldn't be sitting around the house, lonely and bored.  And I think I've been pretty successful thus far.

After Chris' grandfather's funeral, which was really very lovely and, of course, quite sad, I returned to Columbus to host three of my very best girlfriends, Hannah, Sara, and Lauren, at our home for the weekend.  I was so excited that they were willing to make the trip to my not-so-glamorous town just to see me and keep me company on Chris' and my first weekend apart.  We had as much fun as expected...actually, probably more.  I was a little worried about whether they would get bored in Columbus, but I should have known better...I think the four of us could entertain ourselves if we were stuck in a cardboard box...or jail, but luckily it hasn't come to that (yet!). 

Getting ready to head out onto the town :)

Taking the girls on a tour of the base

Mason is so excited to cuddle his aunties!!

We basically spent most of our weekend at the house, with field trips out to give them a tour of the base and to go to dinner/downtown on the second night they were in town.  When they left Sunday, I was pretty sad to be alone in the house, but luckily, my favorite show Desperate Housewives was back on TV for the first time in a month...so that helped ease my sorrows!

I took the next Friday off and spent the weekend in Atlanta visiting my friend, Tori, and her boyfriend, Bennett.  I hadn't seen Tori since football season, and even then our visits were short.  Tori lived with me in college...we are just about the same size all over, and sometimes I miss having access to her closet almost as much as I miss her! We went out to a really cool restaurant/brewery that Friday night that I know Chris would love. Saturday morning, Tori had to work, so I took Mason on his very first trip to a dog park.  This dog park was super cute...it doubles as a coffee shop/restaurant/bar/dessert shop and is called "Coffee Unleashed".  At first I felt weird being there all alone with Mason and all these other people who seemed to be there in groups.  Then I realized a little something about "Dog Park Culture"...dog people bond with each other.  At dog parks, apparently.  At first, I stood over to the side while Mason (literally) kept jumping into my arms and shaking because he was so overwhelmed with all the dogs running around.  Eventually, I decided that I would make him walk around the park once, and if he still didn't warm up, that we would leave.  Before I knew it, Mason was running around the park with all his new dog friends, and I was chatting away with all my new human friends.  By the time we left, my boots were dirty, Mason was muddy (and stinky), and he did not want to leave!

This was a spitz  mix that I thought looked just like a giant Mason (except not as cute, of course)

Mason had another adventure once we got back.  The Sweetwater factory is one of my favorite places to go in Atlanta...for $10 (the price recently went up) you get to keep a Sweetwater glass, sample their beers, and hang out in a really cool tasting room/veranda-type setup.  When we got there, it was like an Auburn reunion with all the people I recognized from college.  It really is a popular place for people our age to go on a Saturday afternoon.   Added bonus...dogs are allowed! I've heard Atlanta is one of the most dog-friendly cities (small dogs are even allowed in Lenox mall).  Mason was feeling very sociable by the time we got to Sweetwater, probably because of his successful debut at the dog park, and I wound up holding him because he kept running up to other dogs, getting people tangled up in his leash on the way. 

Luckily Mason's tongue wasn't long enough to reach the beer, because he isn't 21 yet in dog years!

After Sweetwater, Tori and I (sans Mason) went to the mall...you know I can't pass up an opportunity for a little shopping when I go to Atlanta.  We were planning on going out, but we were quite honestly pooped after the days' events, and wound up staying in and going to bed early. Sometimes I look at myself and think, wow...at some point or another, you really did start acting older!

Continuing my constant stream of entertainment, my mom met me in Birmingham on my way home from Atlanta and went back to Columbus with me.  Monday was MLK day, so we did some shopping in Tupelo and went out to eat.    It was nice having some company, especially since I had a whole day off.  She stayed through Wednesday.

And then I was alone.

So, for almost a week, it has been entirely up to me to entertain myself! No worries...I think I've done quite well.  Autumn and I have been doing some cooking for each other and keeping up with my many television shows that I have become addicted to since graduating college and having actual time on my hands to be a "real" American, i.e. couch potato.  I've been keeping up with my training, too, and ran 10 miles last week, so I guess I'm not a total couch potato.  I decorated for winter and am working on getting everything perfect for Valentines day.  Autumn and I visited a coffee shop in Columbus Friday night and listened to a local musician...the coffee shop allowed you to bring your dogs so we brought Dubs and Mason. And, not that I need any new addictions since I already have TV, running, and blogging...but I discovered the most fantastic thing EVER last week....Pinterest!

Winter table setting.  My mom also brought me some cute silver "snowflake" chargers.  Stay tuned for pictures of my Valentines decor. 

People have been telling me about Pinterest, a website where you make virtual "inspiration" boards, for a while, but for some reason it seemed really confusing to me and I didn't ever feel like trying it out.  I don't know why I thought that, because it really isn't confusing.  In fact, Pinterest has become my new "happy" place.  In ways it's like Facebook, but the only things shared on there are ideas with accompanying pictures.  It has really helped me get my creative juices flowing...especially when it comes to the awesome DIY ideas I have found on it! I'm not going to share any of them until I actually get them completed, because some might sound a little weird.  Thanks to Pinterest, I am in a "decorating on a dime" stage, because I have seen so many ideas on how to take every day objects found in thrift stores, antique stores, or even that I may already find around my house, and turning them into unique and beautiful decor! More to come...now that Chris is going to be in pilot training he will be very busy over the next year or so. Time for me to get some hobbies!

Tonight, I decided to host a girls night.  I am pretty excited because I haven't even met half the girls coming and this is a great chance for me to meet some new girls from the base! I am on the welcome committee for the student spouses club, so one of the girls coming is someone I have only met over the phone, when I called her yesterday to welcome her to Columbus.  Two of the girls are friends of Autumns' that I haven't met yet. I will be sure to take some pictures to post.  I'm making Blue Cheese guacamole...I hope it turns out well.  It sounds promising.  I found the recipe on Pinterest!

Enough about me (actually, MORE than enough).  Many of you would probably rather hear about Chris' adventures in Colorado at IFS.  Unfortunately, I feel like I have barely talked to Chris! He has been so busy with academics and 12 hour days, and has really needed his rest too much to talk to me on the phone for hours every night.  I did get to talk to him for quite a while on Saturday and get updated.  His flights have been going really well, and he got called out during one of his classes for having the best call signs (i.e. pilot language).  He's been trying to take some double turns (flying twice in one day), so if all goes well, he should be home around the beginning of next week.  He was actually supposed to have a double turn today, but the weather caused it to be cancelled. Actually, it seems they have been pretty lucky overall with the Colorado winter weather, and haven't experienced that many delays.  He's been spending his weekends in Colorado Springs vising some of his old stomping grounds.  He also decided to "surprise" me by growing a heinous mustache, which I believe he finally got too embarrassed to wear in public, so he sent me a picture of it with a message saying that he had decided to shave it.  I am very glad, because that is NOT the kind of surprise I like to get!  It made him look a little creepy, like someone you wouldn't want to walk by if they were sitting in one of those big vans with no windows.  We are hoping that this week he will do his solo flight, at which point it's time to wrap things up and get ready to come home.  Fingers crossed! Mason and I miss him!

One thing I have learned this month (and these are purely observations from my perspective) is that while living alone isn't the worst thing in the world, it really takes a lot of the joy out of every day life not having that special someone there to share it with---the good, and the bad.  I haven't found my time with Chris being gone being depressing, necessarily.  Like I said, I'm a pretty independent girl.   But coming home to an empty house after working all day just isn't as nice as coming home to the one you love.  Mason can listen to me talk, but he can't talk back...and having a dog alone can be a bit of a handful (especially one that's used to so much attention). Cooking for one isn't as rewarding as cooking for two. And let me tell you, when my to-do list has everything from taking out the trash to spraying for bugs to cleaning the dishes, and I've got it all to myself...things can look really bleak! Yes, I can be independent, and I'm glad to be reassured of that, because as a military wife, there will be times when I have to be.  But I love good company, which is one of the many reasons I fell in love with Chris.  He can talk to me about anything, and he enjoys experiencing the world with me, whether it be a new recipe I'm making or trying a new dish, like escargot, at a fancy restaurant; whether we are traveling to California or Jamaica or just watching the travel channel and talking about places we want to go. Sure, I could travel or try new things on my own...but it's just more fun with my hubby by my side! I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes when he gets home and having a welcome home dinner with some other couples in his class, as well as a romantic dinner for just the two of us...I'm breaking out all the fancy wedding gifts like fine china, crystal, and silver and we are going to celebrate! Because my man is officially on the road to being a pilot..woohoo! ;)

xoxo, Amanda

P.S. Our wedding announcement is online if anyone wants to check it out... you can find it at http://www2.oanow.com/lifestyles/2012/jan/18/wilson-beck-ar-3068895/