He Was Home for Christmas!!

That's right, Tyler made it home for Christmas!! He arrived home from Peru on Wednesday, December 22 ... just in time to celebrate Christmas with me and Bella. When a soldier is traveling on a commercial flight for R&R or coming home from a deployment, their spouse and children can go back to the gate to welcome them home. I, obviously, took advantage of this opportunity and went to the gate to welcome him right off the plane!

When I arrived in the terminal there was NO.ONE. in sight. Although it was nice that we would have a somewhat private reunion, I wanted someone to take pictures. Just before the plane arrived at the gate, the airline staff arrived to meet the flight. I asked a wheelchair lady to take pictures of our homecoming. She was very excited to take pictures for me ... I was grateful.

Practicing with my camera; I'm just a wee bit excited!

 He's here!

 At last .. he's home.

 There are no words.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!!

Sorry it's a bit blurry, but you guessed right ... that says -6* F!! I got back to Alaska and back to reality very quickly!! We have experienced sub-zero temperatures everyday this week. Bella and I walked last night, but it was short and fast because my face just couldn't take the chill in the air!

Thank you, Shutterfly!!

Those who know me, know that I love a good promotion and/or coupon. I just ordered my Christmas cards from Shutterfly with three different promotions .. see below for my savings!

Original price: $160.66

I used the following promotions:

• 50 free cards because of my shutterfly blog post
• Free Shipping (use SHIP25) 
• All cards are 30% off for the next few days 

That said I only spent $32.97, which means I saved $127.69. Use shutterfly now to order your Christmas cards!! Who doesn't like a good deal and one more thing crossed off the Chirstmas to-do list before the end of November. Thank you, shutterfly, for your quality products and good deals this season! 

It's (Almost) That Time of Year Again!

I'm really quite unsure how this year has managed to fly by, but it is quickly drawing to a close!! People who know me well, know that I think of small, small details way in advance. One of those details was our 2010 Christmas card prior to Tyler's departure in July of this year. Yes, I spent the last week of his time at home, asking for a family photo for our Christmas card. Some call me organized, others call me crazy, but it's how I roll. We managed (I think) to get a decent photo, and I am excited to send out our third, wow .. third(!), Christmas card in a few weeks.

Thank goodness I held off on ordering because Shutterfly is having an amazing deal for those who want to promote their good work. I've looked through their collection, and they have something for everyone this year! If you are a blogger you can promote their new cards on your blog and receive 50 free cards .. what a smoking deal! I love a good deal, a good coupon, and a good Christmas card ... why not combine all three?

For my blogging friends, click here to sign up for this great deal! If you want to tell your friends about this great deal, you can share on Twitter or Facebook the following message: Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly at this link .

Dig in and find something wonderful to share holiday cheer this year! Have fun, and thanks Shutterfly!

A Bit Dirty!

Don't get me wrong, Alaska is a very beautiful place, but things are a bit dirty right now. We have had the most bizarre winter thus far, it snows then melts, then freezes at night and repeats. This rather unusual pattern makes for wet, slushy roads during the day ... which leads to a very, very dirty car!! I have contemplated washing the car, had every intention of doing it yesterday and then today, but thank goodness I didn't because it rained both days and created a bigger mess.

This blog is to show the wonderful, beautiful things around me, but today I had to show you a bit of a mess.


My car: 

Bella's Birthday!

Bella turned two last week!! She has had a pretty sweet life thus far, and this week most certainly was nothing less than fabulous. On Monday night her best friend, Boone, came over for an extended sleepover while his Mommy was in the hospital having her first baby, Congrats, J&A! Boone and Bella have the most wonderful time together, and it worked out for me that they tire each other out and sleep well!! We took several walks this week, and I even just let them run outside of our small fence at night when it was too dark to walk. On Wednesday morning, Bella's actual birthday, they were given raw eggs (one a piece) as a special treat. Raw eggs are supposed to help dogs' coats ... Bella loves them!! 

Tyler and Bella, the day we got her.

  
Bella and me at home in Missouri.

Bella and Boone on her birthday. Don't judge my nose-printed door; it is nearly impossible to keep it clean with two pups around.

The Snow is Finally Flying!

We have had small snow showers recently, but the temperatures have been above freezing throughout the day, so the snow melts. Unfortunately, this creates a slippery situation because the melted slush refreezes at night. Today, after a brief morning snow, meltage and rain, and now a more significant snow shower, I believe the snow is here to stay. Throughout the day we have had various forms of precipitation, but I think temperatures have cooled off just enough to make snow and now it is here and sticking!!  

This morning before leaving for a meeting at 9:30. You cannot really see the snow, but you can see how little light we have.

The snow is flying!

Snow, snow, snow! The pictures aren't the best, but you can see the snow!

Neighborhood Pet

My neighborhood has had lots of activity the past few weeks. Yes, children are playing, families are getting in "just one more" bike ride or walk before the big snow falls, but we have some pretty big visitors this fall. MOOSE are everywhere! We have a Mom and baby, a young male and an older male that routinely peruse the neighborhood. They are out during the day, late at night, all the time. I have LOVED seeing these big creatures so much this fall, but they are beginning to get a little too comfortable with their surroundings.

Exhibit A: I was pulling out of my garage and heading out of the neighborhood when this guy was literally IN THE NEIGHBOR'S fence. I saw him jump the fence. Everyone says that moose can jump and that they can swim, but until you see it for yourself, you'd never guess it.

This family had left their gate open, so the moose walked right in.

Here he is again, moving on to finer things. 

And one last picture that really shows off his rack. He was huge!! What a fun Monday surprise!

Happy Halloween!

This weekend was full of Halloween fun. I came to terms with the fact that dressing up in college was much more fun, probably because it is much more fun to get ready as a group and help each other with costumes along the way. I also wrestled with the idea of being Christian and celebrating Halloween. There were many facebook posts to the extent of, "It's hard to have convictions and have to lay them aside" or "For a family who doesn't observe Halloween, I sure am ready for it to be over." I see Halloween as a day to dress up, be silly and give kids candy. I do not think it is a day that Christians have to set aside their beliefs or values in order to participate. Although dressing up has become one of my not-so-favorite things to do, I think that for many it is still fun.

Trunk-or-Treat at church.

  
The three girl youth leaders.

  
Our youth leader with a saw to carve a 106-lb pumpkin.

  
The 106-lb pumpkin that was carved.

Face-lift!

I have been toying with the idea of getting rid of our old blog and moving to something new for a while now. I just got tired of the whole feel of the old one and wanted something new. The time has come to chauffeur in the new ... I had fun changing things around a bit and giving the space a completely different feel.

My inspiration came from the song Tyler and I danced to for our First Dance at our wedding, "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. There are too many wonderful, beautiful, positive things in this world to harp on the negative and down-trodden. Don't get me wrong, I complain, too, but I just want to display wonder. Wonder through the eyes of a child, wonder in the beauty around us, wonder in the mundane moments that sometimes get lost in chaos.

This picture was taken early this summer at Eklutna Lake here in Alaska. Tyler laughs at me because I still get lost in the awe and wonder of the mountains that line the highway and that reveal themselves at random moments. He laughs because we've lived here for nearly two years and I still get excited to see them. I posted the picture as the header to remind us to see beauty, to see wonder and to allow ourselves to get lost in the awe of wonderful things.

Let me know what you think of the face-lift!!

Cleaning the Oven

I really despise cleaning my oven .. YUCK!! So, tonight I thought I'd try the self-cleaning feature that just so happens to be there. I'm still not sure how well it worked, we are still in progress, but let me tell you ... my house WREAKS!! I made a cake this afternoon, I had candles lit, my house smelled so warm and now it smells horrible. It is really a bad way to end such a beautiful day!

Do you have any secrets for this not-so-fun task? If so, feel free to share!

Give-A-Ways

Many of you know that I have started a new venture with two friends and fellow Army Wives, Martha and Kate. This week on our blog we started doing give-a-ways. Please hop on over to read about our experiences and others in the coming weeks. To enter the drawing for the give-a-way, all you need to do is leave a comment or become a follower over at our blog; tell us what you think or what you want to know!

Firefly Lane

Oh my. Katie, my sister, gave me this book when I was home this summer. I had heard good things about it, but I had yet to pick it up and dive in. Sunday night I picked up the book and trekked upstairs to read and go to bed. I opened the book and quickly couldn't turn the pages fast enough!!

I finished the book last night, and I highly recommend the book!! If you choose to venture into this book about love, friendship and the ups and downs of being a family, keep the tissues close by as you near the end. Tears streamed down my face for the final chapters last night, but it was such a wonderful story.

If you've read it, let me know what you think!

Facebook.

Everyone knows the logo and the hype about facebook, but I have so struggled with this stupid "networking tool" for the last few months. The idea is to stay in touch with friends, but at what point are you just another friend to message, poke or write on their wall. If you have something to say or you really want to know how I'm doing ... call me, email me, I promise I'll respond.

My greatest struggle is status updates. AAGGHH, they really drive me crazy. People feel that they need to put everything on their status updates. Where they are, what they are doing and who they're doing it with. The world does not need to know where you are at every moment, I'm sorry, we are just not that important. And secondly, what if a status update hurts someones feelings? Sometimes the bluntness of what you're doing every moment with whomever you're doing it with can be hurtful ... why, go there?

I know this seems like a bit of a rant, and I'm sorry, but this whole situation has been driving me crazy lately. I do not mean this to hurt anyone's feelings, please know this is strictly my opinion.

Happy Friday, friends!

God Winks

At Wake Forest I was blessed with the most wonderful friends. Although I do not do a super job of communicating with all of them regularly, I still think of them often and love them for how they helped me become who I am today. 

One of those girlfriends, Jennifer Cole, whom I still adore but have not been too good at contacting lately, was my walking buddy and Tuesday night dinner friend throughout my tenure at Wake. She used to ask, "How has God winked at you today?" She simply wanted to know how I saw God that day. 

Today I thought of her after an afternoon of really missing my husband and best friend and an afternoon of knowing that my WFU best friends were together. I let Bella out only to find this: 

The sky was striped with pink and orange before finally setting a few minutes later. It's moments like this that I have noticed more in Alaska then ever before; I'm not sure if Alaska is just that much more beautiful or if I just have a greater sense of appreciation for things of beauty these days. 

God always reveals himself just when we need him. Although he's always there, sometimes it seems to be a bit more apparent than others. Tonight I am getting ready to settle into bed a bit more upbeat, a bit more thankful for friends, this afternoon and for the way God continuously shows me that I am not alone in this journey.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Care Packages Aren't Only for Those Away!

I got a surprise in the mail this week, and it completely made my week! Although my mom regularly sends me fun pick-me-ups, that always make me smile, this surprise was from Tyler!! He ordered a postage label online, got a flat rate box from the Post Office at the embassy and sent a sweet surprise my way.

When I got the box, I loved that he had written on the customs card. When you ship something internationally, even if it is to an APO/DPO, you have to have a customs form on the package describing the weight, contents, sender and recipient.

There is the customs label with his signature ... oh how I've come to love that chicken scratch!

Below are the contents of my surprise, halfway package: a postcard, a letter, toboggan, mug and scarf. Tyler is a very thoughtful person, especially when it comes to gifts. He knows how much I love scarfs, and it just so happens that baby alpaca, the luxury in Peru, is so, so soft!! Handwritten letters always warm my heart. And who in Alaska can't use another tobaggan?!

Although I do not get to travel the world as much as Tyler has gotten to recently, I do appreciate his thoughtfulness in the gifts that he brings home! I get to treasure the luxuries of foreign countries in the things and pictures he acquires along the way. Many of his gifts have stories and experiences behind them that I hope to cherish for years to come.

Thanks for my surprise, babe; happy halfway!

Time is Moving Quickly!!

Friday marked the beginning of a new month!! Another month flipped in the calendar, another few weeks to scratch off as complete in this deployment and one less first of the month standing between now and Tyler's return. Although it seems like the current speed of time would be the most wonderful thing ever, it is honestly a bit bittersweet.

There are so many things I want to have finished/checked off before Tyler's return, and as time dwindles down it only seems to be speeding up. And, if you know anything about me, you know that I think entirely too far into the future. I am working on enjoying the here and now, but sometimes that is much easier said then done for me. That said, I am looking at January, February and March; time that Tyler will most likely be home and I am already praying that time will slow down for those months. I pray that we can soak up that time together, for we do not know when we'll be apart again.

One thing we have learned, but not yet fully mastered, in our short time in the Army and as a married couple, is that we must take full advantage of our time together. I am looking forward to Saturday morning waffles and ACC basketball, a Sunday morning Starbucks and church-ride companion, the alarm going off for PT and my husband walking through the door for dinner again. I look forward to walking Bella, going out to dinner and watching NCIS on Tuesdays before bed together. All of these things that seem mundane, normal and ordinary have become parts of our life that I crave when apart.

But for now, we will continue to grow and enjoy our time apart, pray for safety, happiness and a safe return in a few short months and keep chipping away at my beloved "to-do" list!

Happy Monday, friends!

Snow!

Yes, you read that correctly .. snow! Sunday it snowed here in Alaska. When I called to tell my parents, Daddy informed me that Mama was at the lake ... in the sun!! I promptly told him that he could have kept that to himself! Although snow means the promise of winter, and Tyler coming home, I'm not quite sure I'm ready. Two very important points I keep reminding myself of are that: first, snow brightens things up and secondly, snow warms up cool winter days. I know that seems strange, but there is something about the snow as insulation, that makes the winter cold a bit more bearable.

Snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Happy Wednesday dear friends!

New Venture Part II

As mentioned a few weeks ago, I have begun a new venture with two great friends. We are creating a book about what it means and feels like to be an Army wife. The three of us have such different Army backgrounds and experiences, but our combined knowledge and passion for the service is driving this venture.

To begin our writing venture, we started a blog. Last week we introduced ourselves individually, and then finished the week with a post about how we are became friends. I have already posted for tomorrow morning, so hop on over and check it out! New blog to bookmark.

Be sure to leave a note that you visited!

Game Day!

Football season is in full swing ... week three has kicked off, and Wake has it's first (and probably only) televised game in Alaska tonight! Needless to say, the Van Zandt household is pretty excited to see our favorite team play live tonight, and at a decent hour, too!

College football runs through our blood. We love the sport, the tailgating, the rivalries and the passion that the players have for their game. Unless you are raised to know and understand the excitement, rivalries and history of this beloved season, it may seem a little crazy at times! College football is not something that you just "pick up" and begin liking, it is something that you are raised with, an annual season that many count down for.

You see, football, in the South particularly, is not just a game ... it is an event. We plan our weekends around kickoff. Our outfits show our true school spirit, and the tailgates always have good food and ice cold drinks complete with huggers (koozies) adorned with your favorite mascot, saying or team. My how I miss this part of the Fall season, but don't worry, we celebrate and relish in what games we do get to watch up here!

Go Deacs!!

Fall

Over the past few years I have come to love fall more and more. Fall means pumpkins, cooler temperatures, changing leaves, the start of the holiday season and football. Unfortunately, fall is a very short season in Alaska, but it has one unique characteristic ... darkness begins again. Although Alaskan falls do not bring football, red and orange leaves or pumpkin patches, the fall brings about sunsets, darkness and yellow leaves to walk through in brisk, cool temperatures. I do appreciate the short fall season here, and I look forward to the smell of pumpkin, crisp mornings and a decent sunrise and sunset ... at least for a few weeks!

And just because I can .... I chose to include pictures of my rose bushes! One of my rose bushes is still blooming! I have learned to prune every few weeks to have continuous blooms. I know it is silly, and not very "fally," but just because I can ... here are a few pictures of my blooming roses!

September 11

September 11, 2001 is a day that many of us will never forget. I began thinking about it tonight as I was washing my face and just slowing down for the night. I thought about what my life was like on September 10, 2001, and I couldn't remember. September 10 was a Monday, and I'm sure it was super hot. I was a sophomore in high school and I'm willing to bet that I just went through the Monday routine of life. And then ... it was Tuesday, September 11 and as I was walking into my safe, normal routine of a high school day my world was beginning to turn upside down.

My pre-calculus teacher was offering extra credit if your parent came to class, so, my dad was coming to school. I remember walking down the math hall and he was chatting it up with the teachers about what was happening in New York. We turned on the TVs, and that was class for the remainder of the day. This particular Tuesday was an early release day so Mom picked me up at 1 and we were glued to the news after getting home.

I sit and think of what that day meant for the people of New York, DC and Pennsylvania, but then I thought about what that day meant for me. You see, I didn't know that there was a boy two hours down the road that would one day become my husband. I didn't know that that particular boy become more passionate about his country and our freedom on that day. I didn't know that I would one day be serving alongside him to defend this nation that we love.

So many lives changed on that day, whether we knew it then or not. I am grateful for the men and women who served on 9/11, grateful for the unity and grace in our country on that day and those immediately after, grateful for those men and women who serve humbly day-in and day-out to protect our normal, everyday routine.

Please take a moment to say a prayer for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, those who were killed on that day and their sweet families who are left behind.

God Bless America

Running

My all-time favorite tennis shoe!

Running has not always been my thing, and I wouldn't really say its "My thing" quite yet. I ran one season of Cross Country to get in shape for soccer, and during other off seasons I would begin running and then quickly find something else. Well, in an effort to lose a few pounds before Tyler gets home and to get my heart healthy, I have started running again. First of all ... I can run a lot farther than I anticipated being able to run. Secondly, I have actually enjoyed it. (I can't believe I verbalized that, but I do!)

Bella and I have run 3x a week for the past two weeks. We trek along different paths and sidewalks, always with earphones in and a leashed Bella two steps ahead of me. I was a bit nervous about how she would do at a slightly, very slightly!, new pace, but she is doing quite well.

I know that I'm only two weeks into it, but I have enjoyed it. Help encourage me or tell me of your latest and greatest efforts and how you're doing! I'd love to cheer for you!

An Exciting New Project!

As many of you know, I have made some wonderful friends along the short Army journey that Tyler and I have shared. Together we have met some pretty extraordinary people who all have adventures and stories to tell. Now, I am going on a new adventure with two "Army Wife" friends, please read below:

Dear Friends,

We have an idea- and we need your help!

Recently, as my husband and I entered the crossroads of deciding whether or not he should stay in the Army now that his obligations are coming to an end, I have been surprised by the number of people that ask the question "Well you want him to get out right??" I suppose I should be more clear by saying it is not the question itself, but the presumptive tone in which it is constantly delivered. And even though we have to worry about deployments and uncertainties, it bothers me that people assume our life in the Army is all bad. Consequently, several emails about this topic to my good friends and fellow Army Wives, Ginna and Martha, led to this idea:

We want to compile a collection of essays about being an Army Wife and hopefully create a book about our experiences. Right now, we are simply asking if you are interested in contributing. We would accept traditional essays, poems, letters or anything you feel shares your experience or a specific moment of your life as an Army Wife. We are also hoping for a chapter on "Homecoming" which would only be pictures of that event, because as we all know, words cannot do that moment justice! So if writing is not your thing, perhaps that is a way you could contribute. Even if you choose to share of the frustrations or sadness, the overall tone of the book is to be positive (think a type of Chicken Noodle Soup for the Army Wife's Soul if you will...).

So what to do now?

If you are interested, please email us back. At that point, we will send out a more specific letter about the process and the parameters for submissions. Also, please forward this to anyone you think might be interested. Submissions can come from anyone who was an Army Wife (or a wife in the Army!) at any time, it is not limited to active duty.

We sincerely hope you are inspired by this idea and want to share your story. As women in all different stages in our lives as Army Wives, we feel incredibly connected to each other through that experience. And we have realized it is not only important to be there for one another, but to show the world that the life of an Army Wife is full of love, pride, community and service.

We can be contacted at armywivesbook@gmail.com and we look forward to hearing from you.

Blessings,
Kate Larrabee, Ginna Van Zandt and Martha Metzler

I hope that if you know anyone who falls in the category of an 'Army Wife', you will pass this along to them. Or just leave a comment to let me know that as a civilian, you would be interested in what we have to share! Thanks for your support!

I Love...

Freshly washed and dried bath mats!! They are so plush and wonderful under your feet when you get out of the shower ... they're my favorite!

A small slice of heaven on earth.

Guilt

We have one week down .. whew!! Tyler seems to be doing well, and I am staying busy at home. Someone sent me a text message on Friday night asking how I was and if I needed anything. I was quite thankful that this person thought of me and then sent a kind message back. After pushing the send button, I stopped for a second and felt guilty for saying, "I'm okay." I miss Tyler, but for the most part I'm okay. I feel so bad saying that because it makes it seem like I don't need or want him to be here.

I told him about this and he was wonderful about it. Saying that he needs me to "be okay," and that being okay is not a sign of not wanting, needing or loving him, it is just a sign that I can take care of myself when I need to. A girlfriend that I was telling all of this to simply said, "What a blessing and answer to prayer. God has taken you in and with his grace made you okay."

Although I am okay now, I know there will be times when I'm sad or when I just don't think I can handle one more lawn mowing or snow shoveling or picking up poop (yes, gross!) or a Friday night movie with just Bella, but I have to. I can be sad, but then I have to "be okay" for me and for Tyler.

My Birthday!

YAY for birthdays! Although this was a month ago .. yikes, a month went quickly, I thought it would be fun to share my birthday celebration! I had such a fun day .. hanging out with Mama, Daddy and Tyler, and then celebrating with friends that night!!

Cupcakes with fun candles and decorations! Next year I'll need a box of candles, plus some!

Mama and me after opening a few presents! Thanks for coming Mama and Daddy .. best present ever!

Daddy helping with the cupcakes. This was the first year ever that I didn't have to share Daddy with the farm! Dear farm .. I love you, and I love celebrating in your presence, but I had my parents all day to myself!! So fun!

Everyone pitched in!

Yay for birthdays!

So glad we could celebrate together!

Fun friends .. Amanda and Heather.

More fun friends .. Kate, Katrina, me and Amanda.

Splinter!

I have never been too keen on splinters! Apparently my Mama is the best splinter-getter-outter known to our friends because they would come over when they got a splinter so she could meticulously take it out. I've never had to get one out until last weekend. Bella got this big splinter on her left hip/shoulder just above her leg. Fortunately, it did not pierce her muscle, it just slid right down along her skin. Tyler and I decided to take it out ourselves instead of going to the vet. We got a pair of pliers and some peroxide and tried it. Bella sat so nicely as if she was saying, "Just get this annoying thing out of me!!" She did really well, and here are the pictures of the splinter. YAY for an easy first splinter getting out experience! :)

Doesn't look so big, does it?!

Big 'ol splinter!

See You Soon!

Tyler left today for Peru. I usually wait until he comes home to share that he's traveled, but this time I didn't. We have had an incredible six weeks of "I'm leaving, I'm not leaving yet, I'm leaving ..." Finally we got orders, but that was after a week of leave around town with my parents, two short days of work and then a spur-of-the-moment trip to North Carolina. Our last week went particularly fast, but we have had the most fun this summer.

Today was full of ups and downs, but the hardest part is over. I went to get a late lunch/early dinner because , yes Tyler ... I know I have to eat, and the man at the restaurant asked how I was doing. I mentioned that I could be better and that T had left this morning and his response was, "I just don't think I could live without someone that I love that much." Although his comment was so well intentioned, I pondered it while I ate part of my meal. I had the opportunity to choose, I could live without my best friend forever because he will sometimes be away due to Army jobs, or I could marry him and have a lifetime of adventures with periods of time where we are apart. I know it seems strange, but I chose to be with him regardless of our small hiatuses away from each other, he is my best friend and I miss him already.

So with that .. best friend: live it up down South, enjoy your new experiences, meet new people, work hard, play harder, eat well, laugh often and get home safely! I will see you soon, best friend!

Tyler and I celebrating Fourth of July in North Carolina.

It's official, and the most fun day ever!!

Thanks for choosing me; there is no other place I'd rather be than by your side.

Meet the Newest "Member" of our Family

Okay ... so we don't have a real new member of our family, but I got your attention!! We have this cute little guy named "Helmet the Turtle" ... isn't he precious?! His shell is a Army helmet from WWII and his legs are drill bits for some big Army machine. My Mom sent us this little guy and we just think he's too cute!

The artist found a surplus of Army helmets and was reminded of his grandfather's quote: "War starts up quickly, but peace comes slowly over time," hence a turtle that moves slow.

Thanks, Mom!