Bye Bye 09!

I look back and think "man this year has flown" and boy am I glad this year is over. I have never had a year go by that has been so bad that I just couldn't wait to put it in the past....2009 is that year for me. This has literally been the worst year of my life and I only hope that 2010 and all the years that follow bring me joy and happiness. So with that being said I thought I would share a few of my New Year resolutions with you guys.....

* Get in the gym more regularly
* Try to not cuss as much
* Work on myself

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, a day late everyone! I had a wonderful day yesterday with Tee. We were both off work and we spent the whole day being lazy and eating a lot of cafeteria food. LOL! We stayed up so late on Christmas eve that we opened our presents from each other in the VERY early hours of Christmas morning...around 1 a.m. I didn't get any pictures because we were at a Christmas party earlier that night and my battery went dead :( That is ok because I still have the memories of it and that is the best thing. Thank you Tee for a wonderful Christmas even though it was in Iraq. I love you with all my heart. Also thanks to all my friends and family who sent their love and wishes to us on the special day.

Favorite TV Shows

Ok so being in Iraq you are limited. You don't really have a life and activities are limited. After working 12 hours a day I watch TV a couple of hours and then I have to go to bed to be able to do it the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and well...you get the point. Also my office is sort of spread out so most of the time my section of the office is only me so I play movies and TV shows on my computer for noise and of course my entertainment. Anyways I have always watched Brother's & Sisters since it first came out but I got busy with a real life back home and sort of quit watching. Now that I stumbled across it again I have seasons 2 and 3 on DVD and I bought season 4 off itunes. This way as soon as a new episode comes out I can watch it and keep up. Boy, I am addicted! I love it. I hate when the episode ends because I know I have to wait a whole WEEK for some new drama. The same goes for Gossip Girl. Yeah, I know it is a teenager show but it is so good and they are in college now so maybe that isn't so bad. These kids really get themselves into some messes and so do the adults. I can't get enough. I consider it my generation's soap opera. LOL Well just thought I would fill everyone in on my EXCITING life in Iraq!!! LOL

Jet Set into the Sunset

Well people, I am in desperate need of a vacation so instead of waiting until February or March like I originally planned I am jumping ship and taking one in a month. I had to really jump on planning because I wanted to go somewhere really relaxing like a beach and just chill. I would be going by myself so decided on Phuket, Thailand it is in-expensive and a beautiful place. Everyone pitched a fit about me going by myself (TEE, MOM, ROBBI but I know it was with very good intentions of love and worry) so I had to scrounge to find someone to go with me. Everyone is either working and can't get away on such short notice or in school and can't get away. Luckily Mia is in school but was able to sneak away for two weeks with me. We will meet in Dubai on the 7th of January and fly to Bangkok, Thailand and catch a connection to the beautiful island of Phuket until the 23rd. I am in serious need of some girl time, sun, and total stress free, relaxation to ease my mind. Not only do I need to ease my mind I need someone to keep my mind busy with girl talk and activity and I am glad Mia is going to get to go with me. I know we will have a great time. By the way the picture is of Mai-Khoa Beach which is where our hotel sits!!!!

The Amazing Race

OK so I guess I am all about movies and TV today....I have been watching The Amazing Race since the very first season and if I am correct I believe that was like 10 years ago. Anyways since the very first time I ever watched it I was HOOKED! I love to travel and I am competitive so it seems perfect. I have always said that one day I WILL be on that show, I guess you can say that The Amazing Race is on my bucket list LOL! I have never applied or anything but tonight I am watching the finale and I just hope the team I am rooting for wins. Go Meghan and Sheyne!

Home Alone

Yesterday I took a holiday and relaxed in my room. I slept in, of course, cleaned up my room, read, and watched TV. The family channel on our cable network played Christmas movies all day after lunch. I know that there are a few movies out there that just have to be watched each year to make your holiday or special occasion feel complete. Now that it is cold, we have put up the tree, wrapped presents and are in full Christmas spirit it is only fitting that I watch "the movie of my season". The movie that I always have to watch during the Christmas holiday is Home Alone. I have no clue why but it just really makes it feel like Christmas time. I know this is really weird but what can I say I'm weird. Needless to say I was alone in my room watching Home Alone. Even weirder was that before I knew it was even coming on I thought to myself I need to have my Mom send that over so I can watch it, but now she doesn't have to I have had my fix. What is your "movie of the season"?

P.S. I also love White Christmas. I remember the first time I ever watched it. It was at my Mom and Mike's house during one summer. My Mom and I watched it together :)! Good times.

Don't Just Wish

Don't just wish for something and wait for it to happen...Pray for something, believe in it with all your heart, then you and God MAKE it happen! A wish is gone in one gusty breath but a prayer is always there.

Lights, Ornaments, & Christmas Trees

If you know me then you know I am a total weirdo and get great joy out of the smallest and simplest things in life. One of these joys is Christmas time and the hassle of putting up all the decorations, lights on the house, and cooking tons of holiday goodies. This year I won't be home to make the holiday goodies or put lights up on the house but I did put up the tree. I couldn't wait another minute after Thanksgiving to get a little holiday cheer so Thanksgiving night Tee and I put up the tree. Well actually, I put of the tree and Tee hung our stockings (socks) with care on the book shelf. LOL Hey when you are in a war zone you make do sooo.... check out our pictures below. Tonight I have to go home and wrap presents, another great but simple joy!!!
Tee hanging our socks with care.I am fixing all the branches and getting ready to install the decorations.TAAAA DDDAAAAA!!!!

#1 God's Love

Without his love none of my other blessings would be possible. I thank him daily for helping me through tough times and keeping me strong.

I also recognize a pattern in most people's blessings....a lot of us have the same line of thinking. LOL

Happy Thanksgiving- I was away from my computer on the actual day.

#2 Tee

I am most grateful and thankful that God sent me someone to love that is so amazing. I thank him daily for sending me the greatest man in the world to be my best friend and partner. (I may be a bit biased) I have grown so much in the past 2 years and a lot,...well most, of it has to do with Tee, the love of my life. Even though it is so cliche to say he is truly my better half and makes me a better person. I am thankful to have him in my life. I love you baBe you are my SUPER TEE! :)

#3 Family

Something else that I am thankful for is family. I remember as I grew up my grandma would always tell me to not turn my back on my family because in the end they are the only ones who will ALWAYS be there and the ones you can ALWAYS count on. As I grow older and go through a lot of "live and learn" times in my life I see now that what I used to roll my eyes at I close my eyes and thank God.....and that is my family. No matter what happens I can always count on them and I always know that they support me. I am thankful for the family that I have had since birth and all the family I have acquired over my young life.

#4 Friends

My number 4 item that I give thanks to is friends. I have a few very close friends that would probably fall under family but either way I love all my friends. Sometimes there are things that friends can do that family can't. I don't know an example right off the bat but all I do know is that I am so lucky to have so many great friends. Along with my family, my friends are my safety net and are always there to help me when I need it and they are there helping me when I think I don't need them too. :) I am truly blessed and am grateful for such companionship.

#5 Chances

Well I noticed that a few bloggers were doing the top 10 things they were thankful for and so on so I decided since we have 5 days until Thanksgiving that I should hop on that wagon. (it is a good wagon to be on :)) So....

#5
I am thankful for chances. Hopefully on really important things or even non-important things you don't need too many chances but as I know, very well, no one is perfect and sometimes people need second, third, fourth, etc....chances. I am thankful that people acknowledge other's imperfections and are patient and loving enough to help us succeed and become better at whatever we are getting another chance at.

Twi-Hard

Unless you have been living in a hole over the past couple of years you are sure to have heard about the TWILIGHT SAGA. After months of Rachael pestering all of us to read the books because they were to die for, I finally gave in and bought them on my Kindle. I read them all in about 2 months I think. The Twilight movie was out already but I had heard that is wasn't as good as the book. I wanted to finish reading the book before I watched the movie so I could really see the difference (if there was any). I haven't ever been much of a reader but now I really am. I am usually the person who has seen the movie but never read the book. This occasion was different and in a GREAT way. The books are the BEST EVER and the movies in my opinion will never do the book justice but I am a TWI-HARD fan, book and movie. After I saw the movie I couldn't wait for all the new movies to keep coming. Now that the countdown is almost over for NEW MOON to hit theaters I had to get all worked up. I am right in the middle of "The Lost Symbol" or I would be re-reading the saga, instead I have been watching Twilight, getting my hands on every magazine that has to do with it and all over the Internet keeping up with all the Robert/Kristen gossip and all that goes with it so....................back to my original post-

I was on the Internet looking for the books in PDF format to download to my work computer so I could read them at my desk in between task. In the process I found a link that said download all 5 Twilight books...I thought when did another one come out without me knowing so I started frantically researching this unknown fact. I got my answer on the Stephanie Meyers website. You can click here to read the post and at the end you can download a partial manuscript to a 5th installment which is called Midnight Sun. It is Edwards version of what happened as the first 4 are from Bella's point of view. Either way I downloaded it and read it all at work on Sunday. We were really slow and I couldn't put it down. I can not wait for the Iraqi shops to get a copy of "New Moon" and I am sure all of you are going to see it in the movies so eat some popcorn and drink a coke for me. Let me know how it is. I am sure it will be bloody brilliant! (the pun was totally intended) LOL

Burr!

It is officially fall/winter in Iraq. This morning around 1 a.m. I woke up FREEZING so I thought it was because I had my AC on and it was cool outside so I turned it off thinking now I will sleep more comfortably....WRONG it wasn't only the AC it was down right cold this morning. I was too lazy to get up and turn my heater on because seeing it is the first time to turn it on in a long time it would have that burning smell to it and I wouldn't sleep any better that way. SOOOO I just huddled up in my bed and tried not to move. I was enjoying the cooler temperatures and I am sure that I will a bit better now that I am going to start running my heater. That being said being away from home and the comforts of home that most take for granted makes all these little changes wish you were home. For example, as I walked to work in my long sleeve shirt and jacket :) this morning and couldn't help but notice my mind wondering to past cold times like keeping a fire in our fire place constantly. In our house in Mt. Pleasant the fire place really did its job and if we kept a fire going we wouldn't even have to run the central heat because the fire place heated the ENTIRE house. Tee and I would make pallets by the fire and watch movies and cuddle. Those are really good memories to think back on especially when those resources aren't available to you currently. I know that working overseas is going to make my life a lot easier later on so it is worth it but I really can not wait to get back to the real world.

This is in March of 2008 at Toledo Bend at the Louisiana Oilman's Fishing Tournament. It was literally in the 40s and FREEZING. Tee had just gotten back from an afternoon of fishing with his Daddy and was numb all over. Good times.

The Nana Diaries

Check out my mom's blog The Nana Diaries. I see a Pulitzer blog in the making! LOL ;)

FINALLY...Julie & Julia

FINALLY... I have been waiting months for our Iraqi shops to get in the movie Julie & Julia. I bugged the poor man twice a week for so long that eventually I would walk in and he would see me and just shake his head NO! LOL He even promised me that WHEN he did get the movie in that I would get it for free. After watching it the night before last, I can tell you it was wwweeeeellllll worth the wait. I love to cook and lately I have REALLY been missing my kitchen and all that goes with it. After watching the movie I am now so inspired to do a Julie/Julia type project myself. I don't so much need or want to blog about it but I would love to cook my way through a certain cookbook in a set time limit. I might blog every once in a while about a recipe if it really catches my taste buds by surprise or I might blog just updating but it would more than likely NOT be an every day every recipe type deal. I think it would be a great experience trying new and challenging recipes and it would be fun. I would probably gain around 50 lbs! LOL I haven't had a lot of French cuisine that I know of so I don't really think that Julia Child's cookbook is one I would like to do right off the bat. I would prefer Paula Dean or Rachael Ray. They are more my type. I do love trying new things but I want some comforting things that are spun a different way with some totally new techniques and ideas thrown in to mix things up. I would also like to cook from a chef that I am more familiar with because after the project is through I will be more prone to re-cook some, if not all, of the recipes I conquered. Needless to say I loved the movie and if you haven't seen it I HIGHLY recommend it, especially if you are 20 something Betty Homemaker type LOL or just a Betty Homemaker type at any age!!!!

Bon appetit
Megan

"Give all to love; obey thy heart."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

When in Iraq don't....

First see the don'ts...then see the becauses

When in Iraq...

Don't
1. watch Brothers and Sisters
2. subscribe to a cooking magazine
3. watch the movie Julie & Julia
4. text your friends and family constantly to find out the happenings of their day

Because
1. the whole show is about family, cooking, chaos, and home. This isn't good when you are 8,000 miles away from your chaotic family and home. Nora, the mom, reminds me so much of my mom. She is totally consumed with her household, kids, and grand kids and is always in the middle of all their problems whether she wants to be or not. :) Plus all the brothers and sisters makes me miss my own siblings even though most of the time I could just kill them.
2. you get great ideas for recipes but you are constantly tortured because you can't cook any of them!!!! I guess this is my own fault but at least when I get home I am going to have plenty of recipes to try out...about 2 years worth. LOL
3. this movie has now inspired me to do my own Julie/Julia project. I want to find a cookbook that fits me and my style of cooking and try the whole cook a recipe a day for so many months or whatever thing. So if anyone has any good cookbooks that has an ample amount of recipes shoot me the name. I don't want anything Martha Stewart-y I am more of a Paula Dean or Rachael Ray type cook so keep that in mind ;) for Christmas time.
4. then you really start to be even MORE homesick and you are jealous of their overly normal lives. I mean just the idea of running annoying errands like going to the bank, grocery store, and dry cleaners sounds so exciting to me. LOL Which I get great joy from the simplest of things to begin with but it is just the point of not having access to those types of things.

Happy Halloween

GO LONGHORNS!!!

Being from Texas loving football is a must but college football is my favorite. All I have heard for the past 2 weeks from Tee is the UT vs OU game today. Finally the day has come! Hook em!

Craving...

I just got to thinking that I haven't had any good Chinese food in ages. I love Chinese food and I especially love eating Chinese takeout with my girls. It is just fattening and heavy and goes good with chick flicks and staying up late. I have to recommend my favorite takeout, Pei Wei. They only have Pei Wei in really populated places so I only get to enjoy their greatness when I go to Denton to visit Piper or some place like that. Piper always makes fun of me because I always order a lot of food. I don't eat all of it but I always take it back home with me for left overs. I mean, I have to because I rarely get to eat there. Anyways I just wanted to share that tid bit because I am really craving some good Chinese food, so if any of you have a Pei Wei near indulge and eat some for me. LOL

Fabulous Friday

End of Summer

I just can't seem to steer clear of great recipes but I really need to try since it only makes me miss home that much more. Anyways, as summer comes to a close and it starts to cool off a bit you can try some of these grilled vegetables recipes. They are a perfect pair with a steak or other hearty dishes to kick off fall. They also give me a few new ideas that I could use to spice up other meals later on. My mom, Lara, and I were talking, while I was home, how you run out of things to cook. I know that sometimes everyone gets in a rut where you have the same menu so hopefully this will help you change it up a bit. I have to get to work and homework now so enjoy and eat a serving for me.

Slumber Party

While I was home, my girlfriends came over to my mom's and we had a slumber party. It was an adult slumber party with myself, Heather, Piper, Rachael, Lara and my mom but we did some of our little girl things. I cooked chicken scampi, which if I don't say so myself turned out better than Olive Garden's. I got the recipe a while back but had never made it and decided there was no better time than then. I cooked and we all drank wine and talked about anything and everything.

This picture is one that was taken as we were trying to uncork a bottle of wine. All my mom had was one of the cork screw things and it was so hard to pull out. Heather had to hold the bottle as I struggled with the cork. We finally were able to get it out.

After dinner we had to make the Piper & Megan chocolate cake. This is a cake that Piper and I have been making since like the 3rd grade. We got the recipe off the back of the Hershey's coca and have made it for the past 13 years. I am sure this will be a lasting tradition with Piper until we die. Piper isn't a very good cook so we made a deal with her.... she had to mix and make the entire cake by herself but WE had to read her the instructions as she went along. Heather read and I supervised Piper's progress.

She surprised me on her increasing kitchen knowledge and of course the cake turned out perfect and delicious. After eating our cake we moved on to pedicures and watching "our" movie...The Sweetest Thing. Heather headed home to Matt and Athen around one a.m. and the rest of us went to bed. Piper, Rachael, and I slept in my brother's bed and I bet we didn't fall asleep until 3:30. We were talking, reminiscing and giggling forever. It was so much fun to get together with my girlfriends and I know that we are so close that things like this won't be a rare thing even after we are all settled in our adult lives.

Fall

I changed my blog background today to something a bit more fall-ish and it got me thinking about seasons. My favorite season used to be summer and I hated winter but now as I grow older so does my appreciation for other seasons. I still hate winter for the most part. I mean it is a nice change from the hot but if it stays cold too long I don't like it. Texas winters are perfect not too long not too short just right. You can build a fire, cuddle with your hubby, and make those hearty recipes. Now, my favorite would have to be a tie between summer and fall. If I absolutely had to pick one it would be summer. Summer is just great; it is hot, you get to have all sorts of outdoor fun that includes water and it is a relaxing, happy time. Fall is well appreciated because you finally start to get a break from the blistering heat that Iraq and Texas bring. The trees start to lose their leaves and it becomes cool enough to cuddle with your honey with a light blanket. Fall is also the perfect camping weather. Last is spring and it is OK. The only really great thing about spring is that it means winter is over and summer is well on its way. I guess this post really has no real purpose just my thoughts. Have a good Wednesday.

Missing my Kitchen

Ok, finding all these food blogs was great because when I get back home Tee and I will benefit greatly from them.....but until then they are just torture and yahoo has joined in the tortorous ranks. I found these recipes this morning while checking the news and hot topics. I would love to try all of them except the mushroom burger but that is only because I'm not a big mushroom fan but it still sounds great. Hopefully some of you can spice up your regular menu with some of these recipes.

Bed & Bath Makeover

While I was home I went to Colby and Lara's house and their bedroom needed a makeover BIG time! It wasn't bad but they have a rent house and it was just white everywhere. I started out just saying we were going to remake the bathroom. They have the cutest shower curtain and wanted to paint the walls the same color blue as in the curtain but since it is a rent house we had to stay neutral. On the day I went to get fitted for my new retainer in Longview Lara came with us to "ride" along. I got my retainer and told my Mom and Lara I needed to go by Hobby Lobby to get some things. When we got out of the car we broke the news to Lara that I was going to redo the bathroom and paint the bedroom. She hates taking any gift or anything like that but it was my treat and they deserve it. So we entered Hobby Lobby and I got the buggy. As soon as I turned around I found the best vase for the bathroom and we headed off to put together the perfect flower arrangement. After we got the flowers we started skimming the isles for the perfect wall pieces. Everybody knows that everything Hobby Lobby has you wish you could find a place to put it. I mean it is the best store in the world, how could I stop with just the bathroom? Wwwweeelllll... I didn't! We started skimming more and soon we had enough wall pieces and materials for the bathroom and bedroom. We found the cutest lamp but I had to switch the shades. By the time we were done with the walls I found myself by the fabric and had talked Lara into a headboard. Their bed doesn't have a head or foot board but hey that is an easy fix. We decided to do the bedroom in a brown with deep red accents. We found the perfect fabric: classy, country and just divine. We had the lady cut what we needed along with padding to go along. We drifted up to the check out and it was a fight to get it paid for without Lara cramming her credit card at the cashier but I got it done. We loaded up our findings and headed for Target to get bedding. I mean if we were going to go we were going all out. Target was a HUGE let down so we resorted to JC Penny's. Lara has got to be the most indecisive person when it comes to little things. We looked at so many bedding options and we all finally decided on a rich, chocolaty brown comforter with lighter brown sheets that matched. We found the cutest decorative pillows that would accent our headboard fabric perfect. We checked out and then headed home. Over the next few days Mom and I made our Lowe's trip to get the materials we needed for painting. On Saturday---Makeover day---- we got started around 10 a.m. We painted everything and Mom textured the bathroom to cover up the hideous border that was up. After we finished doing that we headed to Lowe's to pick up our plywood and a ceiling fan. We got back and finished up. As Mom and Lara put the finishing touches on the paint job I made the headboard. We finished totally....ceiling fan up, furniture in place, paint done and picture frames up (with no pictures) at 1 a.m. We were exhausted but sssssssoooooooo proud of our job well done. See the before, during and after pictures below.

Bathroom Before

Bathroom During

Bathroom After

Bedroom Before

Bedroom During

Bedroom After

Back in the sandbox

I arrived back in the sandbox on Sunday from a nice time in Texas. I was home for 21 days and it was not long enough at all. It was really hard to come back to Iraq this time. I am ready to go back home for good and settle back down and start my regular life again. It will still be a while before we can do that but as long as we can visit it helps. I really enjoyed visiting my family and friends and just relaxing. I didn't do much of anything at all. I don't even think I left MV more than like 3 times. LOL!!! My life is exciting right???? I did pull a Martha Stewart on Colby and Lara's bed and bath and I will post the pictures as soon as I get my package in the mail. I had to mail a tub over with supplies and it has my camera cords in it. I can't wait for everyone to see the transformation. They really liked it and I loved doing it for them. It looked so cozy we were finished I wanted to stay in there bed! Well fixing to go to bed but I hope everyone has a great Saturday afternoon.

Blessings

Blessings are something that some people only think about during the holidays but they are always happening and they are always around us. I just wanted to bring that up because a lot of the time we get so wrapped up in our own lives we take little or big things that are sort of out of the big picture for granted.... like all the blessings in our lives. I just wanted to take a minute to name a few of the blessings in my life and remind us all that no matter what is going on we are blessed in so many ways.

I am blessed with an awesome family and group of friends. I have the man of my dreams and know the power of love. I have a job that allows me so many opportunities and I am healthy. I have many more blessings in my life but I am most blessed to have blessings in general. What are your blessings?

Megan

New Blogs

This morning at work it has been a little slow or I have been a little lazy.....I don't really know which. HaHa! Anyways, I ventured out and found some really cute blogs with great ideas, recipes, and helpful tid bits of info. I added Krista Kooks, Bakerella, A Year of Slow Cooking, Sassy Chefs, and The Novice Chef to my page to follow and for you all to follow as well. I love cooking and I love to find things that are out of my norm to try. These sites look like something I would use and since a lot of my friends are or are becoming domesticated I thought I would share.

(click on the blog titles to take you there and you can check them out yourself)

Enjoy, Megan

Somewhere In Texas

Well the time has come for me to return to the Lone Star State once again. It isn't permanent though so don't get all excited on me but I will be home for a whopping 21 days!!! I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing and a lot of sun tanning and relaxing. I am looking forward to seeing my Mom, the rest of my family, and my awesome friends. I can't believe that it has been almost 9 months since I have been home or seen my people. I leave on Friday hopefully but we have are in a really bad dust storm right now. I pray that it clears by tomorrow and doesn't delay any of the flights. If I don't get out Friday then I will for sure be leaving on a jet plane on Saturday and I will be in Dallas on Sunday. I can't wait to see everyone. See y'all soon.

(oh and thanks Colby, I stole that pic from your blog)

XOXO, Meggie

The Fixer Upper

OK, I don't know about y'all but sometimes there is a book, movie, or something like that you come across that stirs something inside of you. Let me see I'm not explaining myself well....OK do you ever read or see a movie that motivates you? I have been reading a lot lately and I stumbled across a book called The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. I read the description of the book at Amazon.com and soon decided that it might be a decent book. I then proceeded to purchase the book and read it on my Kindle. Anyways, it was slow at the beginning but the more you read it the more engrossed you become. A girl loses her job in D.C and has to resort to going to Georgia and refurbish an old home for her father. Long story short I have always wanted to flip houses. I love decorating and not just the material interior decorating like picture frames, pillows, and accessories but in depth decorating like painting, rearranging, and totally giving a room or house a makeover and making it my own. This book was a great read and really made me want to reach my dream of owning a few small old houses that I can refurbish, make my own, and rent or sell later on. It isn't too long and is an easy but relaxing read. I was continuously wondering what the house was going to look like when all finished. Of course it will be a while before I can start on making the dream come true but it was nice having it brought to life by this book. It also reminded me of being at home. The setting is a small town in Georgia and they use all the same language and phrases that we use. So if you would like to read a little book about transforming an old house and a young woman's romantic and personal life pick up this book. I promise you won't regret it.

8 Things

I was tagged by NaShae to do the 8 things so....

8 Things I am looking forward to doing:

1. Getting out of Iraq

2. Seeing my Mom

3. Relaxing

4. Visiting with my family and friends

5. Cooking

6. Eating homemade food

7. Taking a long hot bath

8. Not working

8 Things I wish I could do:

1. Have nap time everyday

2. Be worry free

3. Stay in shape without working at it

4. See my family and close friends more often

5. Travel the world

6. Finish school

7. Start my own business

8. Get the early bird to Dubai so I can lounge on the beach

8 Things that I did yesterday:

1. Got up late for work

2. Emailed my Mom

3. Ate noodles for breakfast

4. Read Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

5. Watched Harry Potter

6. Took my laundry to be done

7. Worked 12 hours

8. Updated my blog

8 Shows that I like:

1. CSI: Miami

2. Dirty Sexy Money

3. Tori & Dean

4. Top Chef

5. 30 Minute Meals

6. Bones

7. Brothers & Sisters

8. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

8 Friends that I am tagging:

1. Piper

2. Rachael

3. NaShae

4. Rhonda

5. Kylie

6.Britni

7. Heather

8. Kim

Tee's 32nd Birthday!!!!!

On June 21, 2009 my wonderful husband turned.....drum roll please..... 32! We had a little cookout birthday party at the pavilion on his compound. It was really nice celebrating Tee becoming an old man LOL. I am just playing babe you are forever young. (He hates getting older.) I love you with all my heart.

Way Belated Happy Father's Day

I know it is late but hey these last few post are better late than never. I just wanted to tell my Dad and step dad, Mike, Happy Father's Day. I am not only lucky to have one good dad but I am lucky enough to have TWO GREAT Dad's in my life. Thanks for all your support. I love you both so much.

Bad Blogger

I have been a bad blogger lately. I have been absent from the blogging community for almost three months now, so much has been going on in my life and I need to catch up on what I have missed out on and also what has been happening in my journey. So................stay tuned I have to post for Father's Day, my wonderful husband's brithday, my vacation, 8 things, and getting ready to go home to Texas.

Happy Birthday Shae!

Happy Birthday to my friend NaShae. The big 22. I hope you have a great b-day girl. Miss you and love you tons.

Happy Mother's Day- early

Since I am going to be in Munich on Mother's Day I am posting it now.

I have the best Mom in the world. Mom, you are always behind me no matter what and you are there giving me support and advice. I love you so much and I can't wait to be home to see you. I love you more than anything and appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for me. I love you and miss you so much.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well I will be absent for about 2 1/2 weeks due to my wonderful trip with my husband to Germany and Austria. I leave tomorrow so I will talk to everyone soon. I promise to take lots of pics.

Pray

I never do this but I think now is a good of time as any....I am going through some things in my life that are weighing heavy on my heart and would like everyone to just keep me in your prayers.

Have a good rest of the week and a great weekend.

CONGRATULATIONS LARA!

WHOO HOO! Congrats Lara for getting into nursing school. We are so proud of you.

My Wordle

Wordle- I stole this from Shae and I think it is so neat. This is my Wordle and it is pretty much anything and everything that is me that I could think of right off hand. It includes some of my favorite things, things I miss from home, and just general things about me. I encourage everyone to do AT LEAST one Wordle. You are able to print them and everything so it would make a neat cheap "thinking of you" gift to one of your friends, husband, wife, mom, anyone. Enjoy and have a FABULOUS weekend.

Fabulous Friday

Have a great weekend!

Hugs & Kisses, Meg

AC/DC

In Iraq there isn't much to look forward to but everyone looks forward to 2:30 in the afternoon because that is when the mail list comes out. Yesterday I was lucky enough to be on the list, which indicated I had mail. I race to the post office to find I have TWO packages. One is a movie set that I ordered from Amazon about the Earth and the oceans it is awesome. We started watching it last night and it is going to be a great program that is very informative. The other package was from home and it contained something very precious.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our AC/DC tickets have arrived again! We ordered them once before for a concert in March but we had to cancel our trip due to Tee getting a great new job. This time it is on we have everything bought, payed for, and reserved. The time is winding down but not fast enough, but it won't be long before we are on our plane to Munich. Along with our AWESOME AC/DC tickets my dress that had to be altered came too. This dress is for the opera that we will hopefully get to attend in Vienna. Well, I must get on with my morning but I just had to share the exciting news. Hope everyone has a GGGGRRREAT Tuesday and remember tomorrow taxes are due! YAY

Picnicking

Today has been a beautiful spring day not too hot or cold with a nice breeze. Tee was really late picking me up for lunch so by the time he picked me up all of the DFAC (dining facilities) were closed. We went to one that has a 24 hour sandwich bar and got us each a to-go plate. Instead of eating in the vehicle or back at our offices we picnicked at Z Lake. The red dot is approximately the spot where we picnicked. All around the lake are little pavilions that anyone can use and this time of year they are a great relaxing spot. As we were eating, visiting and looking out over the water I saw something in the water and come to find out it was a bunch of fish. Now some of these fish were pretty big and then there were some smaller ones too. They were just swarming the area so we starting throwing in pieces of bread for them. Before it was all said and done we had thrown in 3 bags of chips for them. It was very nice to do something that we do so often at home and enjoy so much. If fishing was allowed on Z Lake we would have torn some little fishy mouths up.


Some background information on Z Lake

Z Lake is a man made lake that was created by digging dirt to construct the round, tear drop looking ant mound in the above picture. That is what we call signal hill and it houses all sorts of transmitters and antennas for the base. The lake has around 8 cement blocks spread out evenly over it and it is rumored that Saddam would chain his traitors, enemies, or whoever out there surrounded by water and let them bake in the Iraqi sun. I can vouch that it is extremely hot out here during the summer months and that would be the worst sort of punishment. I don't even get chained out there and I get tortured by it since swimming, boating, fishing or any other water sport is not allowed.

Happy Easter

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13