tickles my fancy?

Day 6: whatever tickles your fancy...what does that even mean!?

anyhoo, tomorrow is friday- thank God. It has been a HELL of a week and I will be happy to see it go. Just one more of these and joey will be home (thank God again!).

its been a long time since I've had such an awful week- I'm sure most of it is because joeys gone and i was sick the first half. (went to the doc, no answers so far)

The house is unbelievably lonely, quiet. BORING. Ive been using Netflix quite a bit more than usual! (just got done watching Julie/Julia and LOVE it)
I havent been cooking, seems no point in just cooking for one.

No major plans this weekend (surprised?). Friday..work, and then nothing. Saturday I'll probably see my mom and Brandy for a bit, then? nothing.

Except maybe hanging out with Neen and I sure hope so- I enjoyed our night last weekend; sitting on the porch drinking and smoking and talking about life. Pretty sure we sat out there for 4 hours. and it was so nice- just like the old days.


Its funny, my Dad used to always tell me that when I got older I would realize who my true friends are. And he was right- I'm realizing it more and more. Sometimes its hard, hurtful, sad. But thats life right?
In the midst of a bad day, vicky showed up with some scrum starbucks-- whatta gal huh? on top of staying with me Monday night so I wasnt TOO lonely!




Thank God for friends, they enrich your life so much- and I know I didn't even realize it until recently.

enough rambling and tickling my fancy ;) Off to find another movie.

stay tuned! below is a recipe Aunt Mary used at the beach for cookies and I fell in LOVE. tomorrow Im thinking about going to buy all the ingredients and making em :) DELICIOUS! Try out the recipe and let me know what you think :)



Neiman Marcus Cookies

(Recipe may be halved): 2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
5 cups oatmeal
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet..Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies...


*cheers!*

sick day

Day 5: Favorite Quote...

"I will be with you always to the end of the world" - Matthew 28:20




joey and i got these when i stayed with him in germany, in 2008- right before he left for his second tour in iraq. its such a powerful bible verse, and means so many different things to me. maybe people dont agree with me having it tattooed on my wrist, or tattoos in general- but thats ok. i love looking at it everyday throughout the day, and it always makes me smile :)


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i called in sick today from work- feeling like a big bag of poo! i feel better now but this morning was no fun. i felt bad because vicky spent the night last night- she left before i even woke up! ha, but shes a good friend and understands.
i finally got a phone call from joey today, that lasted all of 3 minutes :( his phone was dying, and he had a bad connection- but i heard ' i love you' clearly so thats all that matters.
im feeling so lonely. and 10 more days of this? i feel like its going to crawl by.

one pick me up i got yesterday was perfect timing:



mail is so fun anyways- but even more so when it comes just at the right time! Mere sent this to me, and it was exactly what i needed. she wrote me such a sweet letter to go along with this super cute frame she got me (shes an army wife too, can ya tell?!)-- and it made me teary. itd been such a long day, i was worn out from waking up so early, and drained- missing joey bad (on day 1 ha...)- and it just brightened my day. mere is a friend i treasure, and wish we could hang out! shes been awesome throughout this journey (army) with joey-and we have so much in common.

thanks the Lord for such good friends :)

now? Netflixin' it all by my lonesome, and trying to decide if I even want to cook for myself. *sigh* hoping to hear from hubs soon...

*cheers!*

lonely...im so lonely...

yup. me = lonely. but first comes my Day 4: Favorite Book...

My favorite book of the moment is hands down: "Eat,Pray, Love"



and a description from amazon....

"A celebrated writer's irresistible, candid, and eloquent account of her pursuit of worldly pleasure, spiritual devotion, and what she really wanted out of life Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want-a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be. To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world-all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way-unexpectedly. An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society's ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change."


I'm borrowing this book from my friend Vicky, well...Ive BEEN borrowing this book from her since June-ha! Its definitely one that you cant put down..but thanks to busy life I have to! So its taking me a bit to get through it, when usually I'd probably have it read in a couple days. Its very inspiring, it makes me want to jump on a plane to Italy and experience all the things she is describing! Right now I'm on her tales of India, but will be finishing it soon and moving on to Indonesia. I really want to finish it before the movie comes out in a couple weeks. I LOVE that they have Julia Roberts playing the author, she is one of my all time favorite actresses :)

I would def. reccomend this book- in a second. if you're reading this... GO GET IT!

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*sigh* joey left today. WELL he left saturday morning so we had this big goodbye and i cried like a baby as always, and then he got to come home that night-and last night (AWESOME!)-- so we got to do the big tearful goodbye again this morning. i know what youre thinking: we did a 15 month deployment PLUS some and this is just two weeks,right?
well yeah BUT- in the past year the longest we've been away from eachother is a night or two (thanks army..) so this sucks! im so used to him being with me- while he was deployed i was used to him being gone, when he was in germany same thing. AND ive never stayed in the house alone before. so its very lonely. the bed has NEVER felt more empty. two long weeks. LONG LONG weeks. thanks alot army.
im just gonna try to keep myself busy. gah i feel like he's deployed again! flashbacks or something lol, i swear army wives have a form of PTSD! ;)

anyhoo. Vickys coming over tonight and spending the night so thatll be fun. pizza movies,games,ect. sounds like a plan!

thats all for now!

cheers!

favorite tv show? (of the moment at least)-- is def. True Blood. hands down! if you havent seen it, please do ME a favor and start from season 1! I didnt think it would be my type of show but I LOVE it, I got joey into it too! thats for sure what we're doin every Sunday at 9pm :)



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wow. it is HOT. this GA summer is a brutal one for sure!

Not much new with us...oh right...except...i got a car!!
we went to the acura dealership and traded the explorer in for this:


so excited!! its a 2004 acura tsx and im in love! one of the things to check off our pre-baby list was getting a 4door family car, but i think i came out pretty well with such a nice/cute car :) i LOVE driving it, and im so lucky we got such a great deal on such a great car!

other than that there really isnt anything new. we're getting ready for joeys 2wk Reserve time...sucks. im really not looking forward to it :( we're going to spend the day together tomorrow when i get off work.

off to eat some dinner! :)

ch ch ch ch ch CHERRY BOMB!

So much for blogging everyday eh?

On to Day 2! Favorite movie? This is another hard one, I'm big into movies/music so getting me to choose my favorite is tough.

Hmm...



The Runaways

Instead of picking my all-time favorite movie (impossible task) I'll pick my favorite for the moment :) I just watched this last night and loved it.


Review by: /">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1017451/


"The Runaways is a biopic about the first all-girl rock band from the 70's with Cherie Currie as the lead singer and Joan Jett as the second voice and guitarist. The movie is directed by Floria Sigismondi, who is mostly known for directing music videos. Floria also adapted the screenplay for this film from Cherie Currie's autobiographical book Neon Angel: The Cherrie Currie Story. What makes this an interesting movie is that Joan Jett actually produced this film so we have both views from the main stars of The Runaways that paved the way for other female rock bands in the future. I really enjoyed this biopic and found it one of the most entertaining films of the year so far thanks to a good screenplay and some great performances from the entire cast. The music in the film is also great and Dakota Fanning surprised me with her good vocals. I was not familiar with The Runaways before watching this movie, but I did recognize some of their songs. Cherie Currie might have received all the praise during those early years, but who later rose to fame was Joan Jett, and anyone familiar with the rock industry has heard of her. This is the story of the band she first played for before reaching true fame with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Whether you enjoy rock music or you don't the movie still is worth your time because it has some great performances and is really well produced, and I guarantee you that by the end of the film you will want to read more about their story.

From a very young age Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) had a dream of one day making history by forming the first all-girl rock band. Rock and roll was her life and it was a way to get away from all her troubles back home (which aren't developed in this movie). One day she runs into the legendary music producer, Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) who is seduced by her idea and introduces her to drummer Sandy West (Stella Maeve) so that they can start playing together. All the band really needs now according to Kim is a hot lead singer and they find in Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) the perfect one because of her David Bowie and Bridget Bardot look. Or as Fowley puts it: ¨I like your style. A little Bowie, a little Bardot, and a look on your face that says I could kick the sh&t out of a truck driver.¨ Since the film is based on Currie's autobiography we do get some background about her family. She basically lives alone with her teenage sister, Marie (Riley Keough) because their mom has left with another man to Indonesia and their dad is an alcoholic. Cherie finds the perfect opportunity to pursue her dreams and joins the band. The movie begins exploring the early years of The Runaways and their rise to fame, along with some of the issues the band faced from arguments to drug addiction. Of course there are a lot of things that are left out in a two hour movie and the film doesn't delve too much into the character's past, but it works nonetheless as a biopic about the band.

Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart prove that they can act in more serious and independent roles and don't have to rely on their star power or act only in blockbuster movies. They give really good performances in this film and are a major reason why this movie was so successful. It would not be fair to ignore Michael Shannon in this film, because his role as Kim Fowley was excellent. It was a supporting role, but he shines in every scene and is also a major reason why this movie worked so well. Yes, the movie does have its flaws because there isn't enough time to delve in the characters past nor perhaps the real struggles that the band faced, but it is a great movie that will leave you wanting to learn more about their story. The Runaways has a pretty realistic and raw feeling to it and I think Floria Sigismondi did a great job as a first time full length director in this film and with the screenplay as well. I think this is a movie worth seeing whether you are a fan of rock or not. It reminded me a lot of Sam Raimi's Control (a biopic about the 80's band Joy Division) which a lot of people haven't seen either. "



I really enjoyed the movie- Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning both played roles that arent their norm, and it was cool to see them do it! I'm a fan of biographies/true stories though, always have been. Especially when its about rock n roll ;)
I would definitley reccommend this movie- its only about an hour 45min long, and worth the time! Some may disagree but hey its my blog and my opinion ;)

Cheers!

30 days of random rambling....

ready? set?...GO!

30 Days of ME
Day 1: Your favorite song
Day 2: Your favorite movie
Day 3: Your favorite television program
Day 4: Your favorite book
Day 5: Your favorite quote
Day 6: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 7: A photo that makes you happy
Day 8: A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9: A photo you took
Day 10: A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11: A photo of you taken recently
Day 12: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13: A fictional book
Day 14: A non-fictional book
Day 15: A fanfic
Day 16: A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17: An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19: A talent of yours
Day 20: A hobby of yours
Day 21: A recipe
Day 22: A website
Day 23: A YouTube video
Day 24: Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25: Your day, in great detail
Day 26: Your week, in great detail
Day 27: This month, in great detail
Day 28: This year, in great detail
Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30: Whatever tickles your fancy


Day 1- my favorite song? This is hard, I absolutley love music- different songs mean different things to me. I would say the first one to pop in mind (no..not me and joeys song "hey there delilah"!) would have to be 'Come Home' by OneRepublic. This was on repeat while he was deployed (among others) and was just the perfect way to describe how I felt and what I was going through.

here are the lyrics:

[Verse 1]
Hello world
Hope you're listening
Forgive me if I’m young
For speaking out of turn
There’s someone I’ve been missing
I think that they could be
The better half of me
They’re in the wrong place trying to make it right
But I’m tired of justifying
So i say you’ll..

[Chorus]
Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all i see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
So come home
Oh

[Verse 2]
I get lost in the beauty
Of everything i see
The world ain’t as half as bad
As they paint it to be
If all the sons
If all the daughters
Stopped to take it in
Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin
It might start now..Yeahh
Well maybe I’m just dreaming out loud
Until then

[Chorus]
Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all i see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home
Oh

[Interlude]
Everything i can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why i need you here
Everything i can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why i need you here
So hear this now

[Chorus]
Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all i see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home
Come home

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Weight Watchers

i've finally gotten back in to my WW routine since vacation! woo!

Anyone who is thinking about doing it should- yes yes ive only lost 3 ibs in my first month but vacation kinda got in the way! when i was on track, i lost 2 ibs every week. just happened to gain one back while i was on vaca! but excited to weigh myself this weekend :) im doing weight watchers online, and lovin it. i have access all the time-computer OR iphone (they have the coolest app)-- and totally worth the low low price of 50 bucks for 3 months. and its not a DIET. its a life style! its taught me portion control, and the points system is so cool. i can look at something and go 'oh thats tomato? those are zero points!' its gotten IN my head, so i dont feel like im dieting, just for once im actually paying attention to what im eating! my goal is to lose about 30-35 ibs!

they have a ton of great recipes on their site- i made this one the other night and joey and i both loved it!

Spicy Black Bean Soup
POINTS: 3
INSTRUCTIONS

1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 medium onion(s), finely chopped
4 medium garlic clove(s), minced
45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel Tomatoes
11 oz canned yellow corn, drained



Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.


Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.


Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.


Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving.



mine looks diff from the picture but thats because i added tomatoe and green bell pepper to mine (0 points!)-- i was a little nervous, ive never really 'made' a soup before, but it turned out great. joey loved it too! so more and more im jumping on WW to see what i can find to make for dinner-it is AWESOME.

im trying really hard to be positive about it, and not beat myself up. you wouldve thought my world had ended when i gained a pound on vaca! i was really upset, but when i put it in perspective- NO its not something to celebrate, BUT it couldve also been ALOT worse! i can also tell im getting better with portion control and my stomach has shrank. all good things. i have a bad habit of comparing myself to other people-so when i hear other girls on WW have lost 7Ibs in 2 weeks...im jealous and wonder 'why cant i do that!?'. patience...i dont have it lol. i want to be skinny kelly again! granted i know 30 ibs isnt a ton in the grand scheme of things, and my doctor claims im healthy and i dont NEED to lose weight...but screw that noise i wanna be confident again!

one of my top two reasons for doing WW is babies. i wanna have babies! if i had it my way it would be right now! BUT theres things we need to do first, and i know we're not ready yet. plus we're only a year and a half into our marriage so i do want some more alone time. ANYWAY, i want to get in the best shape i can- integrate excercise into my daily routine, so that when i DO get pregnant i can continue excercising throughout my pregnancy (without harming me or baby)- AND so maybe afterwards it wont be AS hard to get off the baby weight!

and of course my other reason is just...me :) i wanna be that confident sexy happy girl again!.

so cheers! on i go to my weight watchers journey!