A Whatsup Willmans Wednesday on a Monday!

Whats up with those Willmans?! I've been writing this post for two weeks hoping to get some pictures in here so it isn't so jam packed with just all those words down there ... yikes.

Work is good. I've been bouncing around so much that I've really gotten to know a LOT of the kids at our center. It seems that I'm usually in a handful of the same rooms so that's kind of nice. I have been in an infant room every few days for a lot of last week and I've gotten to know their schedule and how things work ... it's not my favorite but I don't feel so overwhelmed or lost by any means. 8 infants under age 1 is no joke. They'll kick your butt even if they're sweet! It's an assembly line in those rooms! Phew!

We have gotten out our fall decor and I love it. I love the shelves Jeff made me ... they make our whole first floor feel more like a home. I've also officially been obsessed with Yankee Candle products for more than a year now. They just had a $10 off no minimum purchase coupon and I went nuts with that thing. I got a wax warmer for dirt cheap, and a TON of easy melt cups for free at the PX and Bed Bath and Beyond of course. We don't have a Yankee Candle here but they'll take the coupons, score! I love having the house smell great .. especially the fall smells. (Obsessed with the apple one right now!!)

I've started volunteering with the USO and I'm loving it. They always have a reason to bake something and I love baking. I've made birthday cakes for Marines in the barracks at school here and Halloween cookies for a Halloween party they were hosting for the kiddos. I've also been working the USO at our airport and I am really loving that too. Giving back is such a great feeling and I feel like what I'm doing makes a difference to someone. If I wasn't at the airport, those Marines would be sitting on the benches at the airport and without snacks. I know how nice it has been for us while we were traveling to stop at a USO.

A few weekends ago, my friend Nicole gave me some free tickets to the NASCAR race in Charlotte ... it was a BEAUTIFUL day. We had a blast. It was my first NASCAR race and Jeff Gordon's last race in Charlotte. It was such a fun time, but I always say ... Jeff and I could have the best time in the most boring of places, anyways!

Recently I put myself out there and met some girls in our neighborhood. I'm so happy I did because I met my friend Mae. Shes so sweet, would do anything for you and is super fun. She also has a pup a little younger than Duke so we meet up at the dog park and hang out while we let the dogs wear themselves out. It's perfect really :) Sadie is a little smaller than Duke, but now that they know each other she really holds her own!

Jeff and I spent the week before Halloween making our costumes. This year we were Wyldstyle and Emmet from The Lego Movie ... It was a long week, but we had SUCH a fun time handing out candy at our house in those costumes, I can't even explain! The kids were SO excited and they knew exactly who we were, so we must have done a good job! :) After we finished handing out candy (Approx 150 kids!!!) we headed to a Halloween party with all the guys Jeff works with, which was a blast too.

Last Wednesday, I started back on Weight Watchers. It's what I know. It makes sense to me .. and it's been what I've been successful with in the past ... so I'm back. I've also started "C25K" which is the couch to 5k program. It's eight weeks and it is interval training that helps you end up running! Yesterday I finished day three of week one. I've been really focusing on my breathing and I think that's helping me. Jeff running with me is helping me too. Just knowing hes running next to me is so much more motivating than just running by myself. I like that it's something productive we can do together too. I've got to do SOMETHING .. I'm glad I've finally snapped back into reality. So, I'll hopefully update on this. Today is my first day of week two, so I'll be running and walking longer intervals. HOPEFULLY in 8 or so weeks I'll be able to run a 5k (haha that just sounds ridiculous to me ... hopefully I can stick with it!)

This past weekend we attended our second Marine Corps ball ... we had a great time. We traveled just under two hours away and got a hotel room for the night. When we got into town we got all dolled up and headed over for a delicious chicken and steak dinner, along with a nigh of tradition ... and of course drinking :) You know how Marine's get down.

Now begins our countdown to the happiest place on Earth! Jeff hasn't seen his family in eleven months, so it will be awesome to see him reunited with his momma :) We can't wait. We LOVE Disney and we haven't been back since we got engaged there in 2012!

In case you forgot :) 

I was just thinking about this yesterday, check it out:

November 2012 - Engaged - Disney World, Florida
November 2013 - Jeff was at USMC Bootcamp - Parris Island, SC - I was working 4 part time jobs.
November 2014 - We lived in Twentynine Palms, CA - I had just gotten one part time job.
November 2015 - We live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina - I have an almost full time job.

Funny what can happen all in just a few years, huh?

I want to write.

I want to write but I don't have a lot to write about, so we will see where this leads us.

Lately I've been getting into a better cleaning routine and I'm much happier with the way that our house is being kept up. I actually chose a cluttered place in our house every day last week and organized and went through it (closets, under sinks, in junk drawers ... ) Who wants to read about that? No one. It's not fun or exciting.

I have been at my job now since August 31st and I really like it. It's not what I was expecting and honestly I'm a bit disappointed that I don't have the same class room every day, but I'm trying to look on the bright side of things. I am meeting lots of new people that work there. I'm meeting a lot of kids and seeing a lot of classrooms. I'm working in all age groups .. so hopefully someone see's that I'm good at all ages and thinks I'm valuable eventually. Mostly good news?

Jeff and I are on a weird schedule. Usually I get home just after 5:30 from work (Because I work like 6 mins away!! woo hoo!) and he heads to the gym. Sometimes I like it. I like coming home and having a little time before he gets home. I can just hang out on the couch or start dinner ... but other days I hate coming home to an empty house (even if Duke is here). There seems to be no rhyme or reason to how I'm going to feel each day, so I try not to make him feel bad he has to work out.

Something kind of fun we've been doing is watching all sorts of super hero movies together. I've officially seen all three Batman movies, all three Iron Man, and one Captain America movie. We are making our way to The Avengers. I know these aren't super hero movies but we also watched all eight Harry Potter movies too. (Don't worry, I'm talking over quite a few weeks ... although, not as many as you'd think) We've been digging the series movies lately... and I've liked seeing them all in a row, and all movies I've wanted to see.

Duke is done with his doggy classes. I don't think we will be signing up for another one - but he did really well in this one, since I had pretty much already taught him everything. We went to the dog park yesterday in the evening for like an hour and a half and he was so good. He played and wasn't too rough with anyone's smaller dogs ... He isn't aggressive at all but he just wants the other dogs to play with him so bad, and they don't always have the same idea. He still think's he weighs 20 lbs too ... He has no idea how big he is. Anyways, he had a blast. Not exciting .. but this is my life.

Here's something a little interesting, but more sad than anything. The other night we had a terrible accident outside our housing area. A man crashed his car into a tree and the firemen who work at the firehouse down the street from my house responded. They got him safely out of the car and into the ambulance ... Jeff and I were so taken back watching them work that I wanted to bake them cookies, just so that they knew someone appreciated them and all they do. This past Sunday I baked them chocolate chip cookies while Jeff and his buddy watched the Lions game. I think the guy in the accident is going to be okay. The news always reports the tragedy and doesn't tend to post a follow up story on how they're doing.

I applied and interviewed with our local Jacksonville USO last week. I want to volunteer with them in some of my spare time. I always said that I would have wanted to volunteer with them at the airport in Palm Springs if we had been closer. Now, we have one in our town and they host a lot of local events. I'm not sure where I'll start with them, but I do know ... I'll be baking a lot of Christmas cookies this year, and I won't have to eat them all ;)

Well, that's where I'm at these days. Maybe something new and exciting will happen soon!

Mom's Visit

My mom came to visit us the last week in August - her last week of summer and my week in between summer camp and starting my new job! It was so great to have that week off to spend with her. 

We did so many fun things, I hope I don't forget any. We went and did so many things that have been on my wish list to do around here too! Thanks for giving me the push to do them, Mom! 

The first AWESOME thing we did was drive to Beaufort, NC (about an hour or so) and took a 15 minute ferry ride to Shackelford Banks. It was a beautiful island where you can find wild horses, seashells and a whole lot of beautiful beach. 

After walking around and being kind of disappointed, we found them!!! Check them out! 

Incredible right?

We went to visit the sick and recovering turtles at The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue Center and learned a lot about them ... it was such a cool and different place to see:

We spent a day at the beach in Topsail:

We drove to Willmington, NC to see their historical downtown area:

The Battleship North Carolina

A fun spices shop

Of course we got ice cream! 

Duke was neutered while mom was in town ... sorry buddy. Sweet cone though ;) 

We had a crab legs night!!! 

I even broke them apart myself! 

We tried Kettle Diner, Marina Cafe and The Spouter Inn .. all restaurants that I hadn't been to yet! YUM.
Mom went to her first change of command ceremony, had her first Krispy Kreme donut  ... as well as her first Cheerwine! Welcome to North Carolina, Ma!

It was hard to let her leave .... and for me to go back to work! :)

Lists of Late

I like reading back on my blog, to see things that were going on, things that I liked or didn't like so Erin's list looked perfect for me to modify for myself to look back on in the future:

Currently ....

Reading - Bridge to Haven by Francine Rivers. Honestly, I haven't been reading lately and I JUST started this one. My cousin recommended it to my mom + mom and I share a Kindle account = now I've started it + happy me because it's free!

Playing - Boom Beach. It's a game Jeff and I downloaded weeks ago and I can't stop playing. You have your own base, troops, resources and you attack others and win stuff. It doesn't sound like something I'd ever be into but I can't stop. Must. Acquire. More. Resources.

Watching - Astraunt Wives Club & Pretty Little Liars on real TV and Friends on Netflix. AWC has me totally sucked in, I'm loving it. PLL is super annoying but I can't stop now. I'm also loving watching Friends on Netflix because I haven't seen them all, DEF not in order and it's mindless  TV :)

Trying - To pay off the little bit of debt we have now that I finally have a job and can contribute to our family! I'm a budget + numbers nerd so this is making me very happy)

Cooking - A little more simply starting this week. Jeff is being good, I haven't been of course .. but I've been cooking dinner in a little more of a "simple" style. Meat + veggies = dinner. We've also been grilling a TON lately! Yum!

Drinking - Water + Mio ... I can't get enough Strawberry Watermelon. Seriously, it'll change your life.

Texting - Everyone I know. At this exact moment, Jeff. Texting makes keeping up with friends thousands of miles away so much easier.

Pinning - A Christmas wish list & budgeting stuff.

Going -

• To be transferring to a CDC at the end of summer camp
• To pick my momma up at the airport to visit us in a few short weeks! 
• To be working with Duke since his second doggy session has started
• To work at 6 am, which I'm loving. This means I'm off work earlier and don't have to close! 

Thinking - Of getting a better "balance" in my life. Our marriage, Duke, cooking, cleaning, laundry, relaxing, getting enough sleep, doing things for ME, things for JEFF, errands, budgeting, keeping in touch with our friends and family, going to the commissary with a big ole list ... I need to and have been working on being better about getting my priorities straight and my life a little more balanced.

Loving -

• My husband, always.
• That Jeff doesn't have duty for a MONTH! What the what???
• That Duke is asleep at my feet.
• That my mom is coming to visit!
• ... Cool whip + mini chocolate chips  (we pretend it's ice cream)

Hating -

• That I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.
• That my dad can't come visit.
• That money isn't in an endless supply.
• That TIME isn't in an endless supply.

Enjoying - The last few weeks of summer camp. I don't want to speak too soon, but things have settled down a bit and I'm enjoying my time with the kids. I'm trying to be more intentional about having one on one conversations with them .. You never know how much kids are actually listened to these days with everyone's crazy schedules ... And they're really responding to the attention. 

We also had one of my favorite weekends in Jacksonville, yet this past weekend. We drove down to the 45th Annual Sneadsferry Shrimp Festival Saturday! We saw some camels and crafts there, yummy shrimp-a-too dinners, great music and it was nice to do something local around here. We drove through Topsail Isalnd so Jeff could see it, too. We even had a Batman marathon each night... Turns out he's awesome!

Then, Sunday we took ️Duke to the beach! He was SO good and stayed right with us, you could tell he was loving every minute. He LOVES to swim in the ocean, play in the waves and dig in the sand.

May, June and July 2015

Hey there! So this year is literally FLYING by. I cant believe it.

In May we headed to Raleigh for the first time, for the Brad Paisley concert. I found CHEAP tickets on Groupon that we just couldn't pass up. We had WAY WAY too much fun, and I do mean that. Brad was incredible. My husband is awesome. The wine was flowing. It was SO great. A trip we'll never forget.

At the end of May we celebrated Memorial Day aboard the USS North Carolina checking out the ship and then fireworks later that night on Atlantic Beach.

I mentioned in my last post that I went on a job interview for a job I really wanted ... Well, the good news is: I got it! It's one more reason why I haven't posted much. I've been getting anywhere between thirty and forty hours per week - so things have been very different around here! I'll say that it has been VERY nice to contribute to my family. It's so hard as a military wife to get a new job, whenever and wherever you are next ... while every other military spouse in the same town is going through the same thing.

Right before I started by job in June, Jeff and I went on a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas! On the way we stayed one night in Parris Island and saw our friend Gilissen and his (now) wife for dinner. It was so nice to see them and finally meet her!

Our cruise was incredible .. and aside from two weekends in San Diego, our first real vacation alone together. We enjoyed every minute of it. We soaked up the sunshine, snorkled (Jeff's first time! Thank God the rain held off!), had a few tropical cocktails, made some new friends, saw every show, ate lots of new foods and gambled a little bit.

On our way home from our cruise, we stopped off in Jacksonville, Florida to see the Melanges! Amanda, Kurt and the kiddos met us for breakfast as we got off the ship and headed home. It's so much fun having friends everywhere!

Duke has made a new friend: Georgio, the pup next door. They had been working together to dig a hole under the fence so Georgio could come play and go as he pleased, it was hilarious.

I started my new job ... I didn't mention what it was: It is a "program technician" AKA teacher AKA summer camp counselor on base! It's going well. I wouldn't want to stay there forever ... but it's been a great stepping stone in with MCCS on base.

In July we celebrated the 4th of July, obviously! We had a BBQ and saw a free concert on base (and fire works of course!!)

Just 2 funny shots of Duke, because ... why not?

Pretty much all of July Jeff had duty once a week. His unit got back and then he had it every three days. I won't miss those days. He was gone for twenty four hours and then he would spend the whole next day recovering. The next day he had a normal day and the day after that it would all start over again.

Mid July we cashed in my birthday present from March - TIM MCGRAW TICKETS ... Lord. We had SO much fun, my husband is incredible. A weekend one night trip into Raleigh to see Tim - check out how close these seats were:

I've done some landscaping and tending to our garden - I love it, but the dang gutters over flow and flood our entire flower bed (killing everything)

An addiction:

Duke's first birthday was July 27th! The poor guy also got his first ear infection on the same day.

... at least he got ice cream?