Stay-At-Home Mom Style Remix: Cheater-Pants

Please don't hate me, but I'm cheating today. I was looking through past outfits to make sure I didn't repeat any for the 30 x 30, and realized I have eleven outfits that use only items in my remix. I was having trouble coming up with new ones because of this, so I figured I'd do a roundup of those outfits to close out this silly challenge. Honestly, I was getting a little sick of seeing these clothes, and maybe you were too. Also, I really want to show you my new stuff. So I cheat, and call it a day (and the end of the 30x30 remix).

Here are the original posts:

21. http://whyidodeclaire.blogspot.com/2013/08/guest-post-fairy-wings-make-good-soup.html (Guest post for Laura!)

22. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/08/stay-at-home-mom-style-closet-amnesia.html

23. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/09/stay-at-home-mom-style-things-you-learn.html 

24. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/09/stay-at-home-mom-style-dressed-up-tee.html 

25. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/10/stay-at-home-mom-style-card-again.html 

26. & 31. http://mynewfavoriteoutfit.blogspot.com/2013/08/sponsor-spotlight-fairy-wings-make-good.html (Guest post for Ginny!)

27. & 28. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/09/one-piece-many-ways-flannel-shirt.html

29. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/09/stay-at-home-mom-style-blue.html

30. http://fairywingsmakegoodsoup.blogspot.com/2013/09/stay-at-home-mom-style-farmerpicnic-chic.html

In other news in the FWMGS household... we got E back from her dad last Thursday, just in time for trick-or-treating! It's been an adjustment getting back into our normal routine (more so  than I expected), which means I haven't been taking outfit photos lately (another reason for my cheater-pants roundup). I promise I'll get my blogging act together again soon. 

Also, my husband's work trip is back on, apparently. He'll be leaving this weekend for a couple weeks (so thankful that he'll be back in time for Thanksgiving!), which means that our schedule has been pretty hectic trying to prepare for that as well. I know I know, excuses excuses, I just wanted to let you know where my head is at and what's going on in our family lately. I mostly enjoy being a military wife, but the off-again on-again of this trip has thrown me for a loop!

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back with an outfit with some of my new stuff!

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Over-Sharing on the Internet and Other Ramblings

I don't have a recipe for you today #sorrynotsorry so I'm just going to ramble at you for a bit instead. 

I couldn't go to the commissary yesterday because of the furlough, and since all of the other grocery stores here are pretty pricey, I kept my shopping to a minimum (part of the reason I have no recipe to share today). Thankfully, our friend who is leaving soon left us all of his perishable items so we should be good on meals for awhile. 

On the furlough: remember when I recently mentioned that my husband would soon be leaving for work-related reasons for a bit? That might not happen now because of funding. Which I'm okay with (I'm a little selfish when it comes to my husband) but I feel bad for him because I know he was kind of looking forward to it. But since we don't know for sure, we're functioning under the assumption that he will still be going, which has sent our normal routine into a bit of a tailspin. I know that life always comes with uncertainties, but I feel like the military has caused an unnecessary amount of uncertainty in our lives. I know that this is far from the worst thing caused by the furlough, and even though it is relevant to how I'm feeling right now, I know that I'm just complaining so I'll stop before it goes any further. Moving on.

The main thought that inspired this post is this. How much information is too much? When it comes to the internet, and blogging specifically, it seems like there is a fine line to dance along in regards to too much vs. not enough information. It's generally accepted that sharing your address and other very personal information is not a good idea. You know, common sense things. But how much personal background information is necessary for the context of a post? There have been times that it's been frustrating to not say certain things about my husband and his job, but that's the nature of the beast when your husband is in the military. Even in real life, that kind of information is kept pretty confidential. When it comes to what he does, or where he goes, and when he goes there, and what he's doing, I only divulge the amount of information necessary to give you the context for what's going on. In fact, I may not even know all of that information myself from time to time. 

But when it comes to other things (like names), just because I could post those things, doesn't mean I should. I keep my husband's name, and other military members' names (such as our friend, and my daughter's dad) private because, even though it wouldn't be incredibly difficult for someone dedicated enough to figure out their names, it helps me sleep at night. And it's out of respect for their privacy in general. As for my daughter's name, I keep it private because one day she will be able to have an opinion on what is and isn't posted online about her, and even though I don't post about her all the time here, and I don't post embarrassing stories about her, I still don't attach her name to this blog out of respect for her privacy. All of these things are simply personal preference after reflection on my unique situation before even starting this blog. 

I will always try to share enough information with you so that you understand what's going on, but (hopefully) not enough to put my family in danger or step on someone's toes in regards to what is said about them on the internet. Will I always succeed? No. But I want you to know that that is my intention. I hope you understand.

September 26th Is Mesothelioma Awareness Day

As you know, my husband and many of my friends are military or past-military. Whenever information is brought to my attention that I feel is important to the military community, I always pass it along. When Emily Walsh (the Community Outreach Director for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance) shared this information about mesothelioma, and how it affects veterans, I knew I had to share it. Please read, and pass this along to anyone you think could benefit!

Mesothelioma -- a long word you may have heard on a commercial or two, but do you know what it means? This rare and deadly cancer is sadly lacking awareness. In honor of Mesothelioma Awareness Day this September 26, read on for the top 8 things you don’t know about this cancer, but should. Then share them. The key to saving lives starts with education.

1. Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is invisible to the naked eye. Once inhaled, these fibers may infect the protective lining of the lungs, abdominal cavity, or cardiac cavity.

2. No amount of exposure is safe. Just exposing yourself once could put you at risk for developing the disease later on in life. If you were exposed today, you may not be aware until 2043, as the average latency period is about 30 – 40 years.

3. Asbestos was once used in more than 3,000 consumer products. These include household items, some of which may still be in use. Some of these even include hair dryers, crock pots, and cigarette filters.

4. It can be found in many older homes, schools, factories, and commercial buildings. Homes built prior to the 1970’s, along with a myriad of public buildings still could potentially contain asbestos because of the materials used in the original construction.

5. Asbestos exposure is still the LEADING CAUSE of occupational cancer in the US. Even after 30 years since the United States government issued stern warnings about the continued use of asbestos, many workers who were once exposed are now at risk of developing the disease.

6. United States Veterans are at the greatest risk. For many years, asbestos was used across all branches of the military. Many veterans and shipyard workers were exposed to high levels of asbestos from several different applications. US Navy veterans who served during World War II and the Korean Conflict unfortunately have the highest incidences of asbestos related disease, including mesothelioma.

7. Asbestos is still not banned in the US. Federal law requires the newly manufactured products contain no more than 1% asbestos. Although its use is regulated, roughly 30 million pounds are still being used each year.

8. Mesothelioma can be caused by secondary exposure. Family members of those who were directly affected by on-the-job asbestos exposure may also at risk of developing mesothelioma.

Want to do something to help this Mesothelioma Awareness Day? Our friend and 7 year survivor, Heather Von St. James, needs your help. Check out her campaign and share her message to help educate and save lives. Be a voice for the victims.

The Man Behind the Blog

the only picture I ended up taking on date night... oops

This past weekend, J and I had a date night to celebrate our collective birthdays (his being this past Saturday, mine being Wednesday) and take advantage of the opportunity to have a date night, period. It's been at least four months since the last time we were able to go out, so we greatly enjoyed the few hours to ourselves. We ate a delicious dinner, then went to a movie ("The World's End"-- highly recommended if you liked "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz").

I don't think I've properly introduced you guys to J yet. He is my husband, my best friend, my soul mate, my number one fan and biggest supporter. He listens to me ramble about the blog and blogging in general, is willing to take my photos when need be, and supports my dream of opening a bakery one day. I'm proud of the service he has given to his country, and also grateful for everything he has done for this family. I don't know what I'd do without him. He is the yin to my yang, and is the only one who can help me see reason when I go a little, hmm... crazy. And he puts up with me. That's a full time job. He's my hero. 

I'm glad you had a happy birthday, baby, and look forward to celebrating many, many more together. I love you.

30 before 30

This post was inspired by a conversation I had last week with Whitney from Along The Lines Of Style. She talked about how easy it is to write a to-do list for that day, but when it comes with a long-term goal list... it's really hard. I think it's because with to-do lists, the goal is to check those things off, and if you don't, you have the next day. But with a long-term goal list... it's a scary thought, committing to checking those things off within a certain time period. And if you don't... when do you do them? The next five years? Before you die? And then you start thinking about what you want to accomplish before you die and it all turns to hell. At least that's how it is for me.

So after that conversation, it got me thinking. And I decided to sit myself down and commit to 30 things I want to accomplish before I turn 30. Since my 26th birthday is next month, that gives me just over 4 years to accomplish this list. Here it is:

1. Buy a house. I'm really looking forward to house shopping with J once we get back to Nebraska.

2. Renovate said house. I've gotten pretty good at decorating a temporary home, but I want to be able to paint walls and do renovations and make additions... all that jazz.

3. Have more children. There are days, hard days with E, that I can't imagine having more. But most days, I imagine the other theoretical children I could have and it hurts me inside that I don't have them yet. And I want to have children with my husband. I already know that he's a good step-dad, and that he will be a great dad. But I want to see him hold a newborn with that wide-eyed look of wonder on his face.

4. Go to culinary school. J and I have made a deal, that once he makes a certain rank, we'll have the extra money for me to be able to attend culinary school. This day will hopefully be very soon after we move back to Nebraska, but we'll see.

5. Open a bakery. This is what I want to do with said culinary degree. I want to open my own bakery. Whether it succeeds or fails, in the long term, is not really the point. (Though it would be really super if it succeeds.) I just want to teach my daughter (and subsequent kids) that it's okay to chase your dreams. If it succeeds, don't let it go to your head. If it fails, don't let it get to your heart.

6. Go on a honeymoon. J and I haven't had ours yet. We got married right before moving to California, so hopefully once we get back to Nebraska and things settle down again, we'll be able to take a week or two for an adventure just for us.

7. Read every book on my reading list. I have an extensive reading list, guys. Hopefully in four years I can at least read everything on it now, if not what I add between now and then.

8. Invest in a DSLR camera. I want to learn photography, at least the basics. I want to entrust myself with the care and use of a nice camera. I want to take better pictures of my daughter's life for her to remember it by. I want to take better pictures for the blog. I think this would be a good investment for numerous reasons.

9. Run a half marathon. I'm not going for the full marathon because again, committing to that is intimidating. But considering I've run a 10k at this point, 4 years is long enough to train for 13.1 miles. Right?

10. Get fit. I'm not going to weigh (haha, get it?) myself down with a specific number of pounds that I want to lose before I'm 30, due to the wanting to have more kids thing. That would make it really difficult to keep up with. So I just want to be in shape at 30. That's a decent goal, right?

11.  Get a second dog. Our dog right now, a corgi, has severe only dog syndrome. I really want to get him a buddy, but J and I agreed that that has to wait until we're back in Nebraska. (It seems like a lot of things have to wait until we're back in Nebraska.)

12. Learn a new subject. I'm not talking of the "learn a new thing every day" variety. I mean I want to have a working knowledge of something that I have little to no current knowledge on right now. Photography doesn't count, and culinary doesn't count, because those are both covered in other points.

13. Learn about wine pairings. I guess this could fall under the "learn a new subject" point, but whatever, I'll push myself to learn something else. I love wine, and I love food. I would love to learn about wine as it relates to food.

14. Build up a nest egg. This one is boring, but essential. I don't know what the bottom dollar amount is at this point in time that I'd like to have before 30, but having enough saved away for when some disaster happens with the house mentioned above, and for the kids' college fund, would be amazing.

15. Pay back my parents. My parents have supported me a lot LOT through the last few years, between dropping out of college and getting a divorce. I would love to show some appreciation and personal growth by being able to pay them back the money they gave me and never expected to see back.

16. Start a family recipe book. There are a lot of my own family's recipes that have been lost due to not being properly recorded. I want to have a recipe book ready to give my daughter(s)/son(s) when they get married so that they can make their husbands/wives the same meals I made for them growing up, and they can have a little taste of home while embarking on their own new adventures.

17. Teach my kids how to cook. I'm already doing this with E. She's my little sous chef. She can identify at least 10 different ingredients and probably knows how to make pizza dough on her own by now. I want to teach all of my children at least the basics of cooking, from the earliest age when they are able to help, and also how to experiment in the kitchen. (E sometimes recommends things to add to recipes that actually end up working, and I think that's awesome.)

18. Have a perfectly curated closet. There's probably no such thing, but considering how far I've come in the last year, I bet in another four I can have something at least pretty darn close. I always want to be a well-dressed mom.

19. Grow the blog. I want to still be blogging when I'm 30, as much a benefit as it has been to me after only a couple months. I also would like to see it grow to be more than it is now.

20. Find a new hobby my husband and I can share. J and I currently share one hobby (possibly more on that later) that isn't watching TV together after E goes to bed, but I would like to cultivate more. If not a hobby, at least some sort of ritual or routine that we do together. I don't ever want there to be absolutely no aspect of our lives that we share. He's my best friend, and I never want to lose that.

21. Go on a family road trip. The "road trip" out here doesn't count. The "road trip" back won't, either. I mean a true road trip with my family where we can stop at whatever touristy site we want to, and it doesn't matter how long it takes to get to our destination because there is no true destination.

22. Go to Boston in the fall. Maybe this one is a bit cliche, but I've only been to any part of New England once in my life, and I've heard Boston in the fall was beautiful, and it was in that Veggie Tales song, so it belongs on this list.

23. Read a biography. I know earlier I said read every book on my reading list, but currently there are no biographies on my reading list. It's a genre I've never really gotten into much, and I'd like to read more. Recommendations welcome.

24. Learn how to sew (again). I learned the basics of sewing from home ec and from my great grandmother, but it's been at least a decade since the last time I sewed anything. I would like to learn so that I can make basic household things such as curtains, and how to alter my own clothes and those of my children. Maybe even make clothes for myself and my children, but we'll see.

25. Go camping as a family. I'd love to go camping with J and E, once she's a little older and before we have any more kids (because camping with babies is a no-go for me).

26. Teach E how to fish. I'd like to do this with all my kids, obviously, but by the time I'm 30, E will be the only one old enough. I myself caught a catfish when I was 2 or 3 (I can't remember exactly), and I learned how to fillet by the time I was 9, so I'd like to teach my daughter the same thing.

27. Have a star named after me (and E, and all of my kids). I know this is a thing that you can pay for, but I love stars. Astronomy was one of my favorite subjects in college. To this day, I find comfort in gazing up at the stars (I write as the Perseids meteor shower is at its peak). It would be cool to have one named after me, and all of my kids. Like in The Lion King, once I'm gone, all of my kids will know that I'm still up there looking down on them.

28. Sing karaoke. This is something I've always wanted to do, secretly. I need to just freaking do it (not so secretly)

29. Plant a tree on our property. This is something I've always wanted to do (I've planted trees for volunteer work before, but never my own tree). I would prefer to do it on the property of the house we buy, again because then it will be something for our children to remember us by.

30. This final one is not something I'm willing to write online, but I know what it is. (You hear that, future me? You know what I'm talking about.)

This list was really hard to write, but now that I have, I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to accomplish this list in four years. Even if I don't, I'm sure I'll have plenty of adventures to look back on. 

Guest Post: Finding Your Post-Military Job

Today we have a guest post from the wonderful Emma of Smile As It Happens. This article is geared towards military personnel who have separated and are looking for jobs in the civilian market. I have a lot of friends for whom this would have come in handy, and probably a lot more for whom this will be good knowledge in the future. I know some of you aren't military, but if you know anyone who is and might find this helpful, feel free to share this with them!

Take it away, Emma.  

Finding Your Post-Military Job

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Every transition in life comes with its own set of challenges and those transitioning from the military to civilian life will find several challenges along the way. While one of those challenges is finding a job in the private sector, this may not be as difficult as you might expect. Several myths exist that make job searching seem more daunting than it really is.

Myth #1: As a civilian, I won’t be able to do work similar to what I did in the military.

Truth: Many of the skills you honed during your military career translate well to jobs in the private sector. Take the time to learn about civilian employment that will utilize your strengths by using the Skills Translator at Military.com. Here, you can plug in information about your military career including service branch, pay grade and job position, and the Skills Translator will help you learn about civilian jobs that have similar characteristics and requirements.

Myth #2: The application process is always difficult and time consuming.

Truth: Of course, you can’t expect to land the perfect job without putting in a little effort, but today’s employers understand the importance of attracting top talent by making it easy to apply for open positions. Many top companies now utilize mobile recruiting services, like JIBE, that allow applicants to upload a prepared résumé directly to the employer.

Myth #3: The types of jobs available to military veterans are limited and difficult to find.

Truth: Programs such as the 100,000 Jobs Mission have been created to make it easy for veterans to locate civilian employment. This organization consists of top companies in the US that work together to provide information on current open positions in a wide range of fields. The program is dedicated to ensuring that transitioning service members lead successful lives after their military service.

Myth #4: During difficult financial times, you have to take any job you can get.

Truth: Taking a job for which you are overqualified can actually set you back professionally. Rather than sending out applications for every job opening you find, focus on applying to jobs that require your personal expertise and training. Don’t be afraid to turn down a job that isn’t a good fit as you search for the right position.

No one can completely minimize the anxiety that can come with a life change such as leaving military service for civilian life. However, by debunking some myths about job seeking, you will find yourself empowered to be successful in the days ahead.

Emma is a mid 20-something year old with a passion for life, love, fitness, and helping others. She loves to be active and get involved in as many sport and community activities as possible. Emma is currently studying to become a Career & Life Coach, and loves to network with people from around the world! Check out Emma’s blog at http://smileasithappens.blogspot.com/!

Our Temporary Home: Part 1- Tips

Introducing a new series: Our Temporary Home! I will be sharing tips on how to make your home feel more home-y and some cheap and easy ways to decorate your space, no matter how temporary.

They say that home is where the heart is, but one of the biggest realities of military life is that you will have to move at least a few times in your career, which can be hard on your heart. The biggest source of melancholy for me once we moved out here was not feeling at home in our new house, let alone our new state. Once I got out of the mindset that the house was only temporary, and started making our house into a home, though, our new state didn't scare me as much. Maybe this is because I knew I had a place I could go back to that felt safe and cozy.

Throughout this series, I will be sharing some tips that I have learned along the way to help make your space feel like home, no matter where it is. This article will be useful to just about anyone who has that "this is only temporary" syndrome, military and civilian alike. 

Color Stories

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My biggest tip for decorating your home, making it feel home-y, and being able to easily translate from one house to the next, is color stories. Keeping a similar color story in certain areas of your home means that everything will work in your next home, no matter how much you have to rearrange it to fit the new floor plan.

Curtains and Decor

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Since painting isn't really a viable option in most temporary residences, this is the best way to bring color and personality into your home. A home doesn't feel complete and lived in until you put up curtains and wall art, in my opinion. Nothing says "temporary" like construction grade blinds and bare walls. For the last couple of homes, putting these things up was the last thing I did because it's such a giant pain. Once they were up, though, I breathed a huge sigh of contentment that the place finally felt lived in.

Putting these "finishing touches" up as soon as possible will help your home feel lived in sooner, and you'll be able to enjoy them longer.

Cheap or Free

One thing I have done in my last few homes is save wine bottles and use them in my decor. I mostly use them in my kitchen area, because my kitchen is somewhat wine-themed, but they have made appearances in the living room as well. This is a free option (well, other than the cost of the wine that you were going to drink anyway) and you can just get rid of them before moving to your next home, eliminating extra packing and extra weight.

There are also some great DIYs on Pinterest using wine bottles.

my kitchen

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I also have quite a few things on the walls and around the house that either E or I made (more on that in a future post!).

our bedroom dresser

Flexible Furniture

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Another key component is having furniture that is flexible. A couch and a loveseat is a lot easier to arrange from space to space than a sectional. Instead of an entertainment center, get a small TV stand and a couple of bookcases in the same finish. If nothing is oversized, oddly shaped, or only works one way, it's easier to fit everything into your next floor plan. This also helps reduce weight and the physical difficulty of moving your furniture!

Also, don't buy furniture that might only work in the home you're currently in.

Love Everything

This is a bit of a no-brainer, but I can't stress it enough -- make sure you love everything you bring into your home. Don't feel the need to bring in stuff you don't really like, just for the sake of filling a specific space. If you love everything in your home then it will be easier to move it from location to location. In all likelihood you'll have less junk, and it will also help make your space feel more like yours because you surround yourself with things that bring you comfort.


 So there you have it! Everything I've learned so far about being able to easily move from location to location and still feel at home. Next time, I will share 3 DIY canvas projects that I have completed for our space and will be able to move with us from house to house!

Stay-At-Home Mom Style: Neutral Zone

cardigan/ Old Navy (thrifted) | shirt and bag/ Target | pants/ Post Exchange | sandals/ Payless

These are my new cargo capris I bought at the same time as my blue skinnies. As I was putting this outfit together, I slowly realized I was using every neutral in the book: black, white, grey, metallic, and olive. Everything except brown, except my bag is brown, so when I went to the store (which is where I wore this), I even had that covered. I don't really know what else to say about this, so I'm opening the floor to you guys: does this "every neutral under the sun all together in one outfit" thing work? I can't decide.

In other news, there are some exciting things to come here on Fairy Wings Make Good Soup! I did some "blogstorming" the other night and I've realized that I want to do more here than share what our weekends look like, recipes, and outfits. I want to share more aspects of my life, more informational posts to help people who may be facing the same challenges as I am. Don't worry, the recipes, Weekend Recaps, and Stay-At-Home Mom Style posts aren't going anywhere, they just may happen less often as I introduce new features and figure out exactly what I want to talk about in this space. I hope you'll stay along for the ride!

Weekend Recap

Because J had to work the night shift Saturday night, our whole schedule was a bit thrown off this weekend. We didn't really do much other than go to the playground on Saturday, so I'm just going to share with you a few photos I snapped over the weekend. (By the way, I totally forgot to snap a photo of our pizza on Friday, but a) it was just regular ol' pepperoni and b) I was so hungry by the time it was done that I just shoved it into my face without a second thought. Hopefully I'll have another pizza for you next week!)

Friday:

 

was a gorgeous day.

 

Especially for a run.

 

Even though it was a couple nights early, I tried to get a picture of the "super moon" Friday night. Which turned out to be good, because I couldn't even see the moon Saturday or Sunday nights due to it being so darn cloudy here. 

Saturday:

 We played tag...

And red light green light. :)

Sunday was a miserable day. The weather was miserable, we were miserable because of the weather and because of our messed-up sleep schedules... Just miserable. So I didn't take a picture of one single thing.

Something occurred to me Saturday night, though. California is nice, it's great... but it kind of feels like a vacation that won't end. And I just want to go home. It feels like our life is completely on hold while we're out here. We want to have more babies, buy a house, get a second dog, but all of those things have to wait until we get back to Nebraska (or we would at least prefer them to, anyway). 

And then, being home with E all day, every day, for the next few months until her dad returns from deployment, with no family out here to lend a hand, and no close friends that we can ask to watch her... I'm about to lose it. I feel so guilty saying that, because I know there are many mothers that would give anything to be able to spend as much time with their kids as I do with mine (and I am really grateful for it), but I can't just smile and pretend like everything is fine when it's not.

So instead of continuing to complain about it and feel sorry for myself, I'm going to try to come up with solutions to these issues. There are some things I just can't do anything about, but that doesn't mean I can't do anything about any of it. So today, I am taking E to the child development center to inquire about enrolling her in the part-day preschool program they offer a couple days a week. She wouldn't be going to daycare full-time (which would be ridiculous, there's no need for her to go full-time), but she would be exposed to the same kids over and over on a bi-weekly basis and hopefully be able to make friends. Plus I would be able to get a few hours to myself to clean or run errands or work out or *gasp* go shopping without constantly refilling juice cups or answering a million questions. If the price is reasonable, I have a feeling this one change could make all the difference and will make the next few months much more bearable. 

Sorry to unload on you all like that, but this is a safe space and I know how hard it is to admit when something is wrong, especially as mothers.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend, and have many wonderful things to look forward to this week!

A Day In The Life: Photo-An-Hour Challenge

I thought it would be fun to show you what my daily life looks like, so I took a photo-an-hour challenge. I tried not to focus too much on the quality of the photos and just take one every hour, on the hour, so... the quality isn't great. But it was a lot of fun! Enjoy!

7 am: I wake up to this face. 

8 am: Breakfast. Coffee non-optional.

9 am: Reading my blog roll aka my morning newspaper.

And since there are so many photos... you can continue reading after the cut... :)

The Lonely Housewife: Why I Blog

I have had this post in the back of my mind since starting this blog, but I just now feel ready to share this with you. 

When we found out in October of last year that J would be coming out here in January/February for job-related training, we were only dating. We were serious, hell we were living together, but the subject of marriage had never been broached (although we had both been secretly thinking about it). One night we were talking about the ramifications of his year-long stint in California and what that meant for our lives and our relationship, and he said something along the lines of, "I can't help but think that this would be a lot easier if we were married." 

I breathed a mental sigh of relief, as I had been thinking the same thing, but did not want to be the first one to bring it up. Once we agreed that was our best plan, he called my father to ask for my hand (d'aww), proposed in November, then we were married in December.

our reception

We also agreed that it would be better if I didn't work while we were out here: it meant that I could take all of the household duties onto my plate so that he didn't have extra stressors on top of his already-stressful training, it would actually be cheaper than putting E in a daycare, and a myriad of other reasons.

Coming to California with him came with a lot of pros:

• we got married (duh), let alone were able to stay together
• living somewhere besides the Midwest for a little while was something that's been on my bucket list ever since deciding to attend an in-state college, and Monterey is a great place to do that
• E went from being two time zones away from her dad to being three and a half hours away from him
• I get to be a stay-at-home mom again

It also came with one pretty big con: it meant moving half a country away from all of our family and friends.

J has a few friends that are also out here for the same reason he is. Two of which I already knew, one of which I became friends with since we moved out here-- none of which are married or have children. I have no mom friends. I have no one (of the adult variety) to talk to during the day unless you count the checkout people on the days I go to the store.

Which, for an extrovert, is slightly maddening. I'm lonely, I'll admit it. Even though E and I have done our very best to take advantage of this opportunity (and we are), I'm still lonely. I have tried to make mom friends with the other women living in the military community, but military wives are very clique-y (that's not to say I'm judging them for it, there are some restrictions on who can hang out with whom in the military community). I'm pretty much limited to the wives of those that are in the same career field and pay grade as my husband, and I haven't met one yet.

So, I started a blog. I've been wanting to start one since we got out here, as a sort of online scrapbook of our time out here. But I didn't think I had the time to devote to it until I realized how much time I spent online already doing basically nothing. 

And so FWMGS was born. I told myself at first that it was just a hobby, something to do after E and J had already gone to bed that wasn't just mindless web surfing and watching reruns of Chopped and What Not To Wear.

I have slowly come to realize, however, that my true intention (subconscious at the time) was a way for me to redefine my identity, as Kim, and not as one or all of the hats I wear. To renew my excitement in the things I am interested in, and to push myself to explore them further, to better myself, so that I can be better for those around me. 

these two <3

I also realized that it was a way to find a community. To write as military wife and stay-at-home mom who likes to cook and put together outfits, and hope to find other like-minded individuals. To build online relationships in place of wasting my time making temporary friends out here, just until they leave and move on to the next base, or we do. This little blog of mine is (fingers crossed) my ticket off of Lonely Island, and I feel like I'm already off to a pretty good start.

So if you like what you see here: please, won't you be my neighbor?