...stick your head in a hole and roll around in the grass!

You probably guessed from the title that this post is about Lucy. It's been a while since I've done a post just about her. Well, I finally caught some of her antics on camera.

I'm not sure how she gets her whole head in a squirrel burrow. She must not think these squirrels are too bright. She spends quite a bit of time waiting on them to come back up out of their holes. They never do. Would you?!

Lucy also likes to roll around in the grass.  I'm not sure if it is to disguise her sent from the squirrels or just for fun.  Either way, it's part of our walk routine.  First, she lays down in the shade and pants for a while (because 65 degrees is sooo hot?!).  Then, she rolls around like a goof!

...be apart.

Sometimes you can't come home. James is stuck out in the middle of nowhere solving a few work issues. He won't be home this weekend, but he sent these. The card says, "I miss you!" I miss him too. He will be home for Christmas! I'm lucky. Even though we heard about the troops pulling out of Iraq in time for the holidays, there are still a lot of military families that will be separated. I count my blessings and thank them for their sacrifice!

...pay it forward.

I finished another baby blanket. This one is not for my baby. It's not for a baby shower. It's for a military family that will visit the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society like I did. I attended a class there about budgeting for a new baby. It was a good class. At the end, we were given some layette items and a blanket hand crocheted by a volunteer. It's a beautiful blanket. I appreciated receiving it so much that I decided to pay it forward. So, I crocheted one for the society to give away. Here are some pictures I'll remember it by:

...get muddy.

I knew it. I just knew it! The rain today halted progress on the landscaping. What once was dirt, now is mud. I happens to be right outside our front door--just to the side of our paved entrance way. Lucy needed to go for her walks today and...did you guess it? Yep. She walked thru that mud every time! Ugh! I had to wipe her down after each trip. No amount of verbal correction or tugs on the leash helped. She was like a magnet drawn to the mud!

Please, landscaping specialists, come back tomorrow and cover up that mud!!!

...eclipse.

Did you wake up early to catch a glimpse of the lunar eclipse? I did. Well, to be completely honest, it was also a bathroom run (small, pregnant bladder). I got to catch it at a few phases as I snoozed. Near total eclipse, I decided to see what I could get with my camera. It's not a good shot using my 18-55mm lens on my DSLR. You need a tripod and nice, telephoto lens to get a decent shot. This is what I got standing in the back yard in my night gown layered with a hoodie. Ha-ha. Are you picturing that?! Good thing it was before sunrise! I don't think I would have had the nerve after dawn.

If you want to see a good photo or learn more about today's eclipse, check out this BBC New article.

...meet a sad demise.

Well, it's happened. The landscape specialists have killed my geraniums. They left them alone for a long, last week in the partial sun. However, today the deed was done. This is what I saw after the crew left:

Sure. You might say that it looks partially on its way to a well sculpted front plot. On the other hand, the heaps of dirt scattered with plant parts reminded me of a sad little mass geranium grave. Okay. I'm a bit sensitive. I'm pregnant. Hormones will do that. I am happy to say that I didn't cry! I got creative instead:

Now my little flowers are memorialized properly! Rest in peace, geraniums...

...band again.

There have been a few baby showers during my recent blog absence.  I crocheted a few things for them.  I love making hand made gifts for baby showers.  It makes the gift seem more personal.  Plus, it feeds my crochet addiction.  LOL

Here are a few pics from what you may have missed:

I had fun making baby girl headbands for today's shower.  Since I'm having a boy, I've been more focused on blue things lately.  So, this was fun to break out all the girly pink, red, and purple I had in my stash (yarn collection) and go nuts.  Here's what I came up with:

I made a few extra flowers for the wrapping.  That way she can sew them to stuff or tie them to hair clips.

Just for fun, here's the picture from the baby girl headbands I did back in January.  You can see that some look quite similar, while others are completely different.

 I'm not sure which I like best.  It's nice to improvise a bit...when it comes out well.  Well, the girly fun is over.  The next shower (in a week and a half) is for a boy.  I think I'm going to do a yellow and white mini blanket.  I just don't want to go strait back to the blue just yet.

...awe!

Lucy just might be the cutest dog in the world!

...survive!

This is what I found as I came home from James' promotion.  The tree that was marked for destruction is gone.  So are all the paving stones.  However, we have some survivors in the back! 

My geraniums are still there (minus the middle one I transplanted).  I wonder when they will go...

...pin!

In the middle of nowhere, as the wind pounded sand on the outside of the K-Span (think modern day Quonset hut), while several Marines waited at parade rest (stand at ease), I pinned on my husband's new rank insignia. 

Congrats to my hubby for being promoted!  I'm proud of him and all he's accomplished in these few years.  I have to say it's a very good thing that I brought in those homemade cinnamon rolls.  The Marines had to wait around for quite a while as a mock folder was created.  They didn't have the paper to read for his promotion because it got sent to the wrong unit.  Marines are very ceremonial/professional.  So, the proper wording was found, quickly typed up, and read to get things all squared away.  Now everything is all official! 

If only he can remember to change his voice mail message over to his new rank...

...baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

We saw this on the way back from the store today.

It's not your average truck bed passenger!

...roll!

You guys are good! Bethany (blog comment) and Meagan (facebook) both guessed it. 'Good job, girls!

These little yummies (three plus trays) are to be packed up in my little car and headed off to see James. Don't worry. They aren't all for him. They are for his Marines that will be at his promotion ceremony. That's right. James will be promoted tomorrow!!! Sorry. I can't say to what rank on this public blog, but we are excited about his advancement. Soon, I'll be headed up to his work to help pin on his new insignia. Yea! I promise to be gentle. *wink*

Time is running short, so I'd better roll! (Yep. 'Couldn't resist that one.)

...ask you a question.

What is this? Can anyone guess what my latest creation is? No. It isn't abstract art. It's much, much sweeter!

Hint: This is not it's final form.

Good luck guessing. You won't have long to wait. I'll post a picture of the finished product soon!

...be marked for destruction!

"I live in base housing."

"I rent from a government contracted rental company."

"The common area outside does not belong to me."

I keep telling myself these things so that I keep my positive attitude over some big changes here. I feel sad over new landscaping because my geraniums have been marked for destruction! Yep. The flowers that I've fretted over--that prevailed over almost certain death, will meet their fate at the hands of our landscape specialist tomorrow. He was wearing a big, straw hat as he told me the news. "My boss says these go!" It might as well have been a executioner's hooded mask.

Okay, perhaps I am being a bit dramatic. I'll let you be the judge. Won't it be sad to see these go?

This little guy is the one that I thought was a gonner back in March. Remember this sad little picture?

I had to save him! So, I scrounged up a pot and some potting soil. I even made sure his good luck gnome went with him to his new home. Hopefully, this little trooper will survive the transplant!

There are some things I won't be sorry to see go. The paving stones protruding from my dead grass will not be missed. My tree that keeps threatening to grown over our little passage between it and the house wasn't good for much more than a place to park Lucy. Here she is keeping watch while I saved the geranium. The orange spray paint (circled) indicates that these have been marked for destruction. The good news in all of this is that Lucy will end up with a fenced portion of our yard. She will be able to go outside for longer than it takes me to tend my flowers or walk her. That will be a big relief for her and me. So, this change is good.

"This change is good."

"This change is good."

"This change is good!"

...text my gamer.

In case you can't read it, the text to my hubby says:

Dear League of Legends;
When you are finished
with my husband, please
have him call me.
Sincerely, Gaming Widow

...get ready for the Breaking Dawn Part 1 open.

A friend and I are going to a local Breaking Dawn Part 1 opening party. Later, some of the gals will be standing in line for hours to get good seats for the opening show. I will be sleeping! I have plans to see it later this weekend. To make sure the gals have a good send off tonight, we are making and bringing Twilight themed goodies. I made peppermint cream cheese mints in rectangle shapes. I'm calling them "feather pillow" mints. It is a Breaking Dawn reference that I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't read the book. They are yummy.

I've pulled my Breaking Dawn book release shirt out of storage for this event. It's the one I made back in 2008. In my current condition, it sure doesn't fit the way it used to! Plus, the iron-on is a beat beaten up after multiple trips thru the washer and dryer. However, that won't stop me from sporting my tee like a true Twilight geek!

Oh! In case anyone is wondering; I'm not "team Edward" or "team Jacob." I'm team JAMES!

...finish.

I'm finally done with my large, crochet blanket. Now it's time to fold it up and give it away.

...feel like I got promoted!

My father retired from the Marine Corps when I was three years old. However, you know that saying, "Once a Marine, always a Marine?!" Well, my father taught me a lot about the Marine Corps and military life as I grew up. One of the things he taught me is "Rank Has Its Privileges" (RHIP). RHIP is true in certain circumstances. At the commissary (military grocery store), the best parking spaces are marked for high ranking military personnel...or so I thought! I've recently discovered that the closest parking spots are for me!!!

If RHIP holds true, I feel like I got promoted!

...bring woodlands back!

My hubby, the Vitruvian Military Man! 

Daylight savings time means a change over in military uniforms. They have gone from the desert (tan camo) to the woodland (green camo) utilities. It's going to take me a while to get used to the switch.

...return to blogging here.

It's been almost six months. Let's see what that looks like:

Yep. I'm getting closer to finishing that blanket from the last post. In fact, I've optimistically moved my self imposed deadline from Christmas to Thanksgiving. After all, it is a "thank you" blanket. I might just make it in time!

Well, you may guess that I've been doing a bit more than hooking (crochet) these last six months or so. As a matter of fact, I've been up to something pretty big. There are several reasons why I've kept it to myself for a while. At first, there was a lot of uncertainty that it would even work out. Additionally, I was questioning if it had a place on this blog. This blog has been a big help to me. I write it to remind myself about the little seasons in my life that are fleeting. It's mostly about the lighter side of life. Well, let's just say that I've entered a season that is lifelong (or longer)! This season will change everything. I suspect that this season will shape all my little seasons from here on out. So, I've decided to share that my hubby and I are expecting a baby boy early next year!

Don't worry, my goals with the blog have not changed. I will not turn this blog into the typical "mommy blog." In fact, I think it will be good for me to once again focus on smaller seasons. I've been pretty focused on the whole baby thing now, and have missed smelling the roses along the way. So, it's back to fluff for me!

...go purple.

I've made some more progress on my large crochet project. Aren't the ripples pretty?  You can see that I've still got a ways to go, but it's looking better and better.

Lucy got in on the purple action today as well.  James got home from church and decided that Lucy needed to wear his tie.  You may remember that he did this before.  She's so cute, that it was worth repeating. 

...follow up on flowers.

I am happy to report that my little geranium is doing a lot better. In fact, my flower garden is filling in. I got a small fence to keep Lucy out. Now, if I can keep remembering to water it, then it should be looking lovely soon.

...go small.

I made this little Easter basket this afternoon. It is just big enough for two pieces of Dove chocolate. The small daisy is even a bit big for it. Some of the best things come in small packages...and sometimes the small package is the best thing!

...return to fluff.

Wow. That shutdown drama was intense! I'm glad that the shutdown was averted, and I will return to the normal blog fluff now.

I think sea lions should be called sea dogs. After all, the noise they make sounds a lot like barking. The babies are called "pups." Plus, this picture (taken at our local harbor) looks a lot like a dog pile!

...explain what the government shutdown means to our military family.

I feel the need to stray from the usual fluff this blog is made of to address the possible government shutdown more in depth.  Don't worry.  This blog will still contain lots of fluff in the future.  Feel free to skim or skip this post if you come here for the other stuff.  For everyone else, here come the details...

A lot of folks have shown concern for our military family facing the possibility of a government shutdown.  As this has not been the top news story until recently, some people have questions about what will happen if the government does shut down.  I'll try to explain what a government shutdown would mean for our military family.

How would a government shutdown impact military pay?

What help is available for military families?

How else will this impact our family?

What can we do?

Military Pay
First, my active duty husband will still report to duty.  No military bases will be shut down.  He will not be furloughed.  He will get paid.  However, we may have to wait on a paycheck.  On the 15th, he will receive pay.  If the government shuts down and doesn't reopen before the 15th, the pay he receives will only be for the first eight days of the month (prior to the government shutdown).  Then, we will wait for the government to reopen before we receive another paycheck.  Once that happens, he will receive backpay for the time it was shut down.  If this is all over and done with before the end of next week, we could see no difference in pay.  However, if things are not settled by the 15th, there will be a space between pay checks.  That is where things get a little worrisome.

Will we need to dip into our savings to cover the time between paychecks?  We have been saving up for some things that we may need to delay if our savings get slammed.  How long will we need to cover things in the absence of pay?  Will our savings be enough?

What about the folks that don't have the rainy day funds like we do?  Will there be a large demand for temporary assistance?  Do we have the means to help out or should we be cautions with what little we have?  Or will we be helping out in the future through increased demands on our social services...funded by tax dollars?  

Help for Military Families
There is help out there for military families like ours. The Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society is offering interest free loans to military families during the shutdown.  They are treating the situation like they would a natural disaster--making these loans available in an expedited manner. You can read all about it on there site: http://www.nmcrs.org/shutdown110408.html.
 
Other Impacts for Our Family
Are there other ways that a government shutdown may impact our family?  You bet!  The commissary (military grocery store) may shut down. That would mean extra gas spent on driving to a civilian grocery store where food prices are often higher.  Military families have been encouraged to contact their local commissary to see if the store will be shutting down.  The official press release can be found at: http://www.commissaries.com/press_room/press_release/2011/DeCA_20_11.cfm.

Another impact of the looming shutdown is added stress to my husband's job.  I can't go into details about what he does.  However, I'll say that he is still expected to make things happen even though the defense budget (just a portion of the government budget currently debated) is in question.  That makes things difficult.  Here is what the Defense Department has to say about a shutdown: http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2011/0411_govtshutdown/.

What We Can Do
I've got some answers and a lot of questions this morning.  I'm sure time will tell how this all plays out.  I believe now is a time to stay true to the things we believe in.  We should be neighborly when we can and extend folks the benefit of the doubt when possible.  I think the American people will get thru this better if we come together.  After all, congress needs to come together.  Let's show them how it's done!

...be creative with cereal treats.

I got creative with some treats this afternoon. I had some chocolate bars and marshmallow that I wanted to use up. So, I melted chocolate bars into the butter. Then, I melted the marshmallow and added the cereal as usual. After I poured it in the pan, I spread on the peanut butter. I topped each one off with a chunk from the chocolate bars.

Yum!

...slam some 5, 7, 5.

Note: To truly appreciate this sad attempt at poetry, imagine a trumpet playing in the background and Mike Myers spitting out words at near randomness. Yep. Think of the poetry slam scene in "So I Married an Axe Murderer."

Poor caterpillar
sadly met his fate under
my bicycle tire!

Yep. That's pretty much all I have to say about this incident. Except...

...at least it wasn't a chicken!!!

...fret over flowers.

It's been a while since I planted 5 small geraniums in my flower garden area. I have some really nice blossoms. With some promises for more blooms on the way.


With my angel in the corner, it almost looks like a lovely corner garden right outside my front door.


However, not all five of my geraniums look angelic. In fact, three look a bit sad. It was touch and go that I might loose one, but I think it is on the mend.


I'll fret over it until it blossoms like the others. Hopefully, I can post later this season to show a full recovery of my poor plant.