...make a snowman.

I crocheted the body on this little guy while I was waiting for our car to be fixed. I didn't use a pattern. I just based it from the little experience I have making the pumpkin and elephant. I finished him up when I got home. I love his little yarn carrot nose! I think he looks rather festive sitting in the tree.

Happy Holidays!

...tag Lucy.

What brought on this face? Was it the camera flash? Was it because James stuck a produce sticker on her back?

Either way, Lucy was tagged!

So, I've decided to answer a few of the questions I was tagged with as Lucy:

1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?
Tina and James are my pets. They are my pack family. I even let them watch TV while I lay on them.

2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
Any dream where I am kicking and making muffled barking sounds has got to be a good one to come true.

3. What is the one thing most hated by you?
Baths!

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Sniff it. Then, ignore it.

5. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
Playtime!

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
You stopped petting me. Pet me some more!

7. What is your bedtime routine?
I know this well! First, I go outside. Then, I run upstairs to my kennel. When I'm inside, I get a treat.

8. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?
'No time for all that when there are lizards to chase!

12. What’s your fear?
If I'm in, it's that I've missed out on what's going on outside. If I'm out, it's that I've missed out on what's going on inside.

15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Run outside to see what I've missed.

19. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
Crisco!!!

...be tagged to answer silly questions.

In case you can't tell from my picture, I'm doing this my way (in blue). I don't think even Cari expected me to do this the regular way?! Just remember, you tagged me. ;)

Rule #1: People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
Tina's Rule #1: I may choose to answer however they like. My blog is public and composed of fluff stuff. So, don't expect any profound thoughts in my answers!
Rule #2: Tag 4 people to do this quiz and they cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people.
Tina's Rule #2: It's all good. Consider yourself tagged if you want to do this for a blog post. If you don't, that's okay too.
________________________
1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?
Lucy is a member of our family. That said, she doesn't sleep in our bed or get people food (unless she sneaks some scraps that fell on the floor).
2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
Yes. I'm taking this question literally. Once I dreamed everything in shades of brown. I think it would be interesting to live one day like that.
3. What is the one thing most hated by you?
Lima beans. They are the worst! Remember, this blog is a place for fluff. I suppose there are worse things, but limas came to mind first.
4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
A billion?! My hubby and I have a standing joke for whenever we see a lottery bill board. We could save the state millions because we would be happy with $100,000...$50,000...okay, $5,000. What a deal!
5. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
I'll change my clothes sometimes. Strange, huh?! For me, changing my outfit can be like starting a whole new day. If only it were that easy to restart some days!
6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Dude! I gotta be honest and go with being loved. You can love and love and love. But if it doesn't love you back, you may not be fair to yourself by hanging on. So, maybe you gotta love yourself first. This may be a "chicken or the egg" question.
7. What is your bedtime routine?
Routine?! I'm an artist.
8. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?
I met him with no notion that we would end up together. I thought he was 18 at the time, so he wasn't even on my radar!
9. If you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?
God. I mean, how does He do it?!
10. What kinds of books do you read?
I read real books. I mean that I read from paper instead of an e-reader.
11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
Hummm. I guess I would need to borrow Hermione's time turner thingy first. Then, go forward ten years...too literal yet?!
12. What’s your fear?
That there is no one left reading this post.
13. Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?
I would...if they could make a spaceship that eliminated motion sickness. If not, would it really matter what I ate?!
14. Would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
Poor (as long as it's with James).
15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Try to remember my dream if I was dreaming.
16. If you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?
I've learned that I can't change him.
17. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
I've already picked a new one. My parents named me Christina.
18. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
I'd like to think so. However, I would give myself time to do so.
19. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
If it was physically possible: yellow mangoes.

...catch Lucy's new routine.

She has been doing this for a few weeks now, but we finally caught Lucy's new routine on camera. First, she has learned how to lie down on a stairs without falling off.


Then, she will sun bathe in the sun from the window...


...until she gets too hot!

Silly puppy!

...choose jelly, whole, or stars.

It's the age old question of serving whole cranberry sauce or cranberry jelly for Thanksgiving. I decided to serve both with a third option this year. We had some kids at our gathering, so I broke out a star cookie cutter. Yep. At our house, we had jelly, whole, or star cranberry sauce. Which would you choose?


I believe the star cranberry sauce might just become a tradition at our house. We did go traditional on the turkey. Here's a shot of it right out of the oven.

Happy Holidays!

...sit in the sun.

Lucy loves to find a patch of sun to curl up in...even if it's on the stairs!

...translate.

James had duty this Veterans Day weekend. Before I brought him his dinner (chow), he instructed (briefed) me on how to deliver it.

This is what he said: Just come bang on the hatch at 1800.

This is what I repeated back: So, I'll come knock on the door at 6 o'clock.

I think it annoys him when I use civilian speak back even though I understand the military speak. I just don't want him to get lost in the military world. Not everyone understands what he means. After all, Marines use nautical terms even when they are very much on land (for example: hatch). It can all get a bit confusing to those not living the military life.

By the way, my hubby is not out of regulation in this pic. I Photoshopped out the rank insignia on purpose. "Loose lips sink ships."

...earn my sticker!

Who says I'm too old for gold stars? I get excited about earning my "I voted" sticker come election time. My husband's "temporary" assignment in the DC area had me mailing in my ballots. Now that he has a "permanent" duty station, I get to walk into a polling station. The best part is getting handed your sticker as you leave. It may sound silly, but I love positive reinforcement...getting my "gold star" for being a good citizen.

By the way, my skin looks a little pink in the photo. That's because I walked to the polling station and back in the CA sun. It's currently 82 degrees. I earned that sticker!

Those of you who have stickers may notice something missing from mine. I took off the county info to be on the safe side. "Loose lips sink ships" and all...

...boo!

So, maybe I have too much time on my hands waiting for the sun to go down. We've had one group of trick-or-treat kids so far. I made James take this shot of me in my very homemade costume. Then, I played with it a little in Photoshop to make it more nocturnal. I'm in a black dress and...can you guess? I slipped my arms thru several tabs on some old curtains. These are even homemade curtains that I patched together from old graduation gowns (from my years working at the college). They aren't pretty. In fact, they are pretty scary! I made them to shade the extra glare that used to block my hubby's video games. (Now if that isn't true love...!) What do you think? Am I a scary witch? Vampire?

And yes, Lucy is wearing a homemade costume of James' design. She's a good sport, really.

Homemade costumes are the best!

...return to hats and booties?!

I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to post on the blog. It's been such a big part of my life lately, that I decided I would share it. I finished a crochet baby blanket last night. It took about a week and a half of an hour here and there. It's for a Marine in my hubby's unit who just had a baby girl. So, in reality, it's for her!


This came to be after James shared that he hadn't been able to contribute to the flowers fund when the baby arrived. He asked me if I could make something for the new parents instead. I agreed. After all, I've made hats and booties recently. I wanted to try something different. I challenged myself to make this blanket since I didn't have a deadline (the baby was already here).

I feel guilty that I haven't made blankets for all the new moms I know. Honestly, I'm not sure when I'll be attempting another one. This one took me a long time, and I need a break. I'm not saying that I won't do it again...ever. I just might be back to hats and booties for a while!!!

...gather.

The magnolia trees are still blooming. I guess they just go year round here. I love the bright, red seeds that come out of the fruit. I gathered up a few I found on my morning walk. It reminded me of gathering the bright colored leaves each autumn. I guess it is the closest I will get to gathering fall leaves out here.

...trumpet!

I finished the pink elephant!

...add and "h."

I hear a lot of fancy talk in church. We read scripture and say prayers that have "thee" and "thou" words. I haven't given a lot of thought to one of the old words until yesterday. For some reason, the word "O" got me thinking. What is it? Why do we use it? On my own, I figured out that it is an expression. However, I wanted to find out if there was more to "O."

There is more to "O." Nowadays there is an "h." The word "oh" is the later spelling of "O." Yep. It's as simple as that. According to Dictionary.com, folks have been adding the "h" since the mid-16th century.

Well, that explains a lot. It all makes perfect sense. Why didn't I know "O" was "oh?" It seems so simple now. Isn't is funny how the mind will not make a simple connection like that? Maybe it's just me...I wonder how often I miss things that simple in daily life.

Have you ever missed something as simple as adding an "h?"

...show progress.

I don't usually show my projects before they are finished. However, I'm just glad at this point to show my progress. I have been struggling with this tiny, pink elephant. I wasn't sure this was even going to work out. I had to keep taking out stitches and trying sections over again. I have also decided that I'm not using the best yarn for such an itty-bitty endeavor. Now, I have gotten to a point where this little guy is taking shape. I'm proud that I was able to get this far! He still needs a belly, tail, ears, and eyes. Now that I've got the hard part figured out, I'm feeling confident that I'll finish. So, stay tuned for the picture I'll post when I'm done.

...sleep thru conference.

Lucy curled up on the couch with us and slept thru this morning's session of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (on the laptop).

You may remember some past posts where we caught Lucy falling asleep begging or not wanting to come out from underneath pillows. It's fun when we can catch her before she wakes up. She seems to have some sixth sense that alerts her that we are stalking her with the camera. That doesn't stop us from trying to catch her being cute.

She's a cute and often funny sleeper. Sure, she barks and runs in her sleep like most dogs. However, I think the funniest sleep habit she has is finding odd positions and places to sleep in. Here are some of our favorites that we could catch her in before she woke up!

...crochet a pumpkin.

This is my first try at crocheting something to stuff. I did a pumpkin since it is the harvest season. I got the pattern from a site called "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." This blogger is a very talented crafter who does some amazing amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese craft where folks knit or crochet cute, miniature figures. I didn't choose to go mini since I am a beginner. I used a larger yarn and needle. So, my pumpkin actually came out more life size. Actually, James was calling it a basketball before I shaped it. It's now a little smaller than a basketball and pumpkin shaped. I like how it came out. Perhaps I'll make another in a smaller size...

...go crusty.

I made two loaves of strawberry bread this morning. I'm bringing it to a gathering tonight, so I sliced it up. Since most folks aren't fans of the end pieces, I set those aside. Then, I ate them for a treat. I love the crust on bread--especially homemade bread. The end pieces are basically all crust on one side. Yum!

So, am I strange? Does anyone share my love of crust? Or do you all cut the crust off your sandwiches?

...catch baby fever.

A military wife friend of mine had a baby this weekend. ('Rah!) A long time friend from back home had a baby yesterday. (Yea!) A blogging buddy is due in less than two weeks. (Yippy!) And tonight I am off to a local baby shower. (Wa-hoo!) With all this baby excitement, it will be very hard not to catch baby fever.

You may know me better than that. Okay, so maybe I've had baby fever for a while now. It's a chronic condition for me...

*sigh*

*shrug*

...Look at these cute little booties and beanie I made for the shower!!!

...hit 100 degrees today (Sept 27th)!

It's 100 degrees here (somewhere in CA)! I've got plans to meet up with my sister later and head to the beach!!!

BTW, did you check out the low humidity?! 'Love it.

...see the sunrise.

Did you see the sunrise? I did. It was worth the wake.

...play Ricky Ricardo.

Here's Lucy and my hubby playing Ricky Ricardo. "What have we got here, Lucy?!"

Lucy decided to change up the love seat while we were gone shopping. Here are the before (or how it was before) and after shots.



I love Lucy. Don't you?!

...bike to the beach!

This post looks familiar. It's my toes at the beach again. Well, there's a little more of me that made it into the photos this time.

I decided to bike to the beach today. Yep. I pedaled seven miles of hilly road to get there. Whew! So, I was sure to document my arrival. I made it!

As it turns out, my cell phone self portrait skills are lacking. Yes. It didn't help that I have bike helmet hair and am flushed from the ride.


Did you see the local pier in the background on that first shot? I went to the civilian beach this time. That's didn't stop me from trying to take a shot of a passing 46. I circled it for you in my shot.

Out of nowhere, a giant seagull attacked the pier!!!

What was I saying about my lack of cell phone photo skills?

Well, my trip really paid off. I found a sand dollar. It won't surprise you that the photo I took at the beach didn't come out. So, I used my regular camera after I biked ALL THE WAY BACK HOME. (I'm a little tired now.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics. I had fun documenting my trip.

...tweet.

I've been dragging my heels about this whole Twitter thing. Do I really have anything to say to the world in 140 characters or less? Is it any different than the Facebook status? Several of you know that mine doesn't get updated often. My blog feeds to Facebook, but I visit there once a week or less. So, why consider tweeting? Could it add positively to my virtual presence? How much do I really want to be "out there?" Do I know anyone who tweets?

If you tweet or have an opinion about Twitter, please share.

...stitch a scrabble sack.

My mother claims to have never lost a single sock in the laundry. I believe her. She has a lot of determination. I too am determined. I will not loose a Scrabble piece! Hopeless cause?! The old, plastic pouch would not do to keep the pieces corralled. So, I stitched up a Scrabble sack out of an old handkerchief. A-HA! You see, my plan may just work. If nothing else, it was a fun upcycle project.

...do the best with what we are given.

Here's a picture I took of four houses for sale not far from us. Yep. There are four in a row. I circled the far two signs so you can see them better.

The news reports that California is lagging behind the rest of the country as far as economic recovery goes. Jobs are still really hard to find here and there are for sale signs all over. Are we in a slow recovery? When will we feel it here?

I guess time will tell. After the fact, things look more clear. Perhaps we can look back on this in a few years with greater appreciation for September 2010. Maybe this fall will be the start of things turning around for some folks.

We've been very lucky that things have not been worse for us. The war has given my hubby job security. In fact, his job was the reason we sold our house when we did. It just so happens that we sold right before the housing market crashed. I like to think that we were led down this path that has helped us prosper in a time where so many have been less fortunate (not less deserving). Some day when we look back on these blessings, we may understand why we were given them. Maybe it is so we can do the best with what we have been given.

...nap.

Sunday afternoons are good for a nap.

...plan for the September case lot sales.

I've been on a military kick lately. This post is for my fellow military folk. It's case lot sale time again. Next weekend is the sale for our area. You can find out when your sale is at the Commissaries website. Here's a link directly to the case lot sale page. Happy shopping!

...be compliant (no hoochie mama)!

I snapped this shot with my phone while we were out shopping yesterday. Wait 'till you see these faces, Janette! Apparently, compliant people are happy. There are no smiley faces on the non-compliant folks. I like this sign better than the other because it points out all the non-compliance in balloons.



The non-compliant chick reminded me of dress standards from past social gatherings. My hubby has been told to pass on to me certain things about how to dress when we are going to a work related outing. If I dress inappropriately after he's been told to tell me what's appropriate...well, it reflects badly on him. I'm not talking about wearing white gloves to a tea party. (The times have changed a little.) Usually, it is the "bending over" advice: "If you have cracks when you bend over (cleavage or plumber's crack), then put something else on to cover."

If someone "goes there," she gets gossiped about. Gossip is huge in the military! Marines even have a special word for it: scuttlebutt. So, I try not to be the one who gets all the looks and scuttlebutt over my outfit. It can get interesting though. I think the most gossip over a dress code issue was when the officers in charge made a colorful comment on the dress code. They instructed the men to specifically use the words "no hoochie mama" outfits when informing the wives about the event protocol. Oh, boy! (Yea. That one has a military reference too. Click on the link if you are interested in where the word comes from.)

So, if you ever find yourself on a base, remember to leave the hoochie mama outfits at home! ;)

...reflect on base life.

A sure sign that you are on a military base is...when the poster for the car wash fundraiser is tacked to a post with a KA-BAR. By the way, there always seems to be a car wash fundraiser on base these days. Fall is right around the corner, and so is the Marine Corps birthday ball. It's the social event of the year. Seriously! Where else can you eat cake that's been sliced with a sword?!

I was driving around on base today thinking about some of the things that are unique to base life. Sure. You see cars running around with "student driver" posted on them in the civilian world. It always makes me a bit nervous. On base, you can see the "student driver" posted on a passing 7-Ton! I stay clear of those guys. I also have no problem yielding to an AAV making its way to the beach. That said, I think my most interesting military driving experience has been following a howitzer up the hill on to base. I was really glad the hitch held!

Here are some more base life moments:

• You show your military ID before paying for groceries.
• 15 MPH speed limits are common and enforced by military police. By the way, 15 MPH is also the top speed of "the world's fastest lawnmower."
  
• You take a number and wait to get called up to the pharmacy window only to be given a new number.
• The closest parking spots at the exchange (department store) are labeled and reserved for high ranking personnel.
• There is a civilian dress code for shoppers or patrons of services like the veterinarian clinic that covers way more than "no shirts, no shoes, no service."
• Make sure that you read all the signs posted at base recreational sights--especially the ones about what to do when you find an unexploded ordnance.
  

There is much, much more, but that's enough for now. 'Just another day in the military wife life!

...throw.

My last pottery class was like Christmas morning. Our shinny pots were fresh out of the kiln. The glazing gives life to the pots we have thrown, trimmed, and fired to a bisque. You can never be sure what the "kiln gods" will do. I like the way most of my pots came out.

It was a fun class. I'm glad that we have a base hobby shop where I can craft. 'Hope I can continue the hobby.