Week of Reviews - Part One

Oh my goodness, it feels like I have been absent from this blog world for ages! Things got really hectic for a while, but I am back in the game! 

Since so much has happened, I am just going to make this next week a "week of reviews" and then I'll be all caught up!

Mr. Marine and I celebrated out 3rd anniversary at the end of May and here's what (most) of the activities were...

Tickets to a Cards game at this beautiful stadium...

We sat in the seats right behind the cards dugout thanks to some amazing friends, and Fredbird was dancing on top of us :)

Can you say, "Amazing Seats" cause I got so spoiled I never want the cheap seats again!

Next activity was my trip to see Pat Green! I love country music, but Texas Country is a whole other thing...and yes people, there IS a difference!

The best thing, it was in a small venue (which Pat Green still plays even though he got huge!) which is another reason I love him :)

Here is the group that went...all but one are military boys! Three Marines and One Army...and the lovely ladies who support them!

Our 3rd anniversary...yay us!

We went out for sushi after, and just had a wasabi easting contest when this pic was snapped!

Mr. Marine and I have a tradition of renting a swanky hotel room for the night and acting like we don't have a care in the world..so we hung out by the pool, drank vodka/soda and relaxed...

I am one lucky lady :)

And after this amazing weekend, we both took our actual anniversary off from work and got massages. But before you get too envious...we then went shopping for paint, light bulbs and other fantastic items at Home Dep@t (now the envy has gone away, huh?)

"It hasn't always been easy, but is has always been worth it!"

Happy 3 years, and here's to many more!  

Ode to the Corps - Or not?

Disclaimer: The following feelings are mine and mine alone so please don't be offended if you feel differently. This is not a gripe about others, but rather about a dispute between Mr. Marine and myself!

I love my Country. I love Mr. Marine. I stand behind our men and women in uniform.

That being said...I love my home and I love its modern design and unique artwork. If a picture is framed in something other than a sleek silver frame it bugs me to death! Hence the "discussion" that began the other night.

We have a lonely console table at the base of our stairwell and I was waiting to frame some of my fave pics and display them above said table with a vase of flowers displayed on the table.

Then Mr. Marine decides he wants to hang his 3 commissioning certificates there (in their nice antique frames). And put a huge 500 page Semper Fi book on the table. With his Company group pics from Boot Camp and OCS.

"You know, like a space for my Marine stuff," he explains

"No, you mean like some ate-up Ode to the Corps spot?" I laugh.

Now please don't misunderstand and think I hate the USMC; it just doesn't belong all over the house. If we had an office...it could go there. Or he could take it to his office once he takes over the XO position next year and gets his own space.

I have a very dear friend whose husband keeps all his gear in the garage and he changes before he ever walks in the door. She is very active in the OWC and works tirelessly for the Wounded Warriors, but she doesn't want the Marine Corps to take over the house and family as well. I agree. This job is all-encompassing. It does define us (ouch, that hurt to say). But I want a small piece of my life to be "normal" and that is my home. 

So I left the issue alone - for now - to avoid a fight. But I am putting my foot down on this one. I don't have USMC blankets strewn over my couch (though I do own one). I don't have Marine Officer paraphernalia in the house. I don't wear USMC shirts (at least not if I can help it). I don't tell time by the military clock. And I do not own a shirt that reads "I have one of the few," or "Sleep Safe. Sleep with a Marine." And I do not have a sticker on my car that reads, "Marine Wife - Toughest Job in the Corps" (though I wouldn't argue).

At the end of the day, I am not a Marine, I am married to one. I often have days I am angry with the USMC and I don't want to have to come home and feel like they own me too.

So...there will be no Ode to the Corps corner in mi casa. 

P.S. If you proudly display your husbands stuff, and the various objects they sell to represent the branch your husband serves in, you are the majority so don't be offended by my rant. Please. I know some very proud Marine wives who I have the privilege of being friends with who disagree with me on this. So in the end, I'm probably just being a b-atch and like a child, this is my way of showing my independence :) Hey, at least I'm not coming home with purple hair and a lip ring!

Georgia on My Mind!

Alrighty y'all...my trip to Georgia was jam packed with stops, good eats, beach time and my first sunburn in 3 years! So I am going to give you a story through pics instead of boring you with an essay.  

First, on our trip was of course...Athens! Mr. Marine is a UGA alum and we try to get back there as often as possible. Usually (umm...every.single.time) we go there, he ends up drunk and reliving his frat boy days and I end up pissed off and hating Athens. 

This time...he behaved himself the ENTIRE time and we had a blast!

First stop...Blind Pig Tavern! Awesome food, fried pickles (which we didn't eat this time) and great beer. YUM

After Blind Pig, we headed out to do some shopping! I love college towns because their boutiques are always amazing! I got a super cute ring and an awesome dress! Mr. Marine bought Riley a UGA dog collar, some UGA golf balls and a pewter "G" Alumni license plate cover to replace the one I broke when I backed into his car and put my trailer hitch through the first pewter cover!

Meet Theo...the dog our dog loved to hate! Theo weighs as much as Riley and wanted to pounce on Riley like he was a bouncy ball! This dog has the most energy of any bulldog I have ever met. He runs around like he is the size of a chihuahua! 

How could you not love that face?

Being true to tradition, we ended our stay in Athens by eating at Locos before hitting the road. 

The next few days were filled with family and friends. Mr. Marine spearheaded a guys golf trip to Parris Island. So I grabbed the girls and we headed to Beaufort, SC. I gave them a quick tour of PI before heading out for shopping! 

Guess what happens at PI? "They Make Marines"

My dear friend Jenny had just had a baby girl, so I decided her first baby girl needed some "big sis" attention. So here comes Miss Carrie with presents! The main attraction being the multi-colored tutu that went on immediately! It went perfect with the princess books!

Then she discovered hats...and we tried every.single.one of them on!

After a day of shopping, we headed to the beach. I refuse to be photographed in my Juicy swimsuit because...well, it's still a swimsuit! But here is my handsome dog Riley with his new UGA collar! He loves the beach and rolling in the sand. 

Then we went to the SEC Conference Golf Championship at a Sea Island Course. It was beautiful! 

So, little side story...Mr. Marine and I both ended relationships to be with one another. Both were sudden and unexpected for our now ex's. Well, we are at the golf tournament and low and behold...we run into my husband's ex-girlfriend's mom! Talk about awkward for Mr. Marine! She was certain he was going to be her son-in-law and now she is standing next to his wife!

I however, was just glad I looked good that day because I am sure the ex got a detailed phone call!

So, there is a synopsis of our trip back home! I got a crazy sunburn (my melanoma surgeon would be p.i.s.s.e.d) but I applied SPF 50...I just forgot that my dress cut in at the shoulders so I got roasted!

I just realized, it looks as though I only wore this black dress the entire time we were in GA. I swear I wore a ton of other outfits, sometimes more than 2 a day. I guess these were the only times the camera came out! eeekkk...that's terrible!

All in all, it was an awesome trip. I am bummed to be back here, but excited because we start a kitchen renovation this week!

P.S. I promised a funny story but it deserves its own post...so the spray tan chaos will be written about tomorrow!

El Cap-i-tan...Mr. Marine Gets Promoted!

I am giggling with pride right now. I know I am not always a fan of the USMC, and God knows I can cuss them till I am blue in the face...but I can not be more proud of the men and women who serve this country, as well as the men and women who keep the home fires burning.

Today, my husband got promoted to Captain. And while I suspected he would, it was an honor when he asked me to pin his new rank on.

I wasn't there when he got promoted to 1st Lt. because he was deployed. So I was a bit nervous about everything today. They are all so big on tradition, and doing everything "exact" that I was sweating a little.

But the CO was sweet, told me what to do, and even told me, "After you pin the rank on, please feel free to show some affection. Embarrass him...we want you to."

Well of course, I wasn't going to embarrass Mr. Marine on his big day but I did give him a quick smooch and told him how proud I was of all he has accomplished.

Now I could make this a funny post, about how I pricked my finger and couldn't get the darn thing through the cardboard in the collar...but this post is about pride and my love for Mr. Marine...so I will keep my funny side out of it.

Here I am pinning the Capt. bars on Mr. Marine

Here is the quick "congrats" smooch. For you non-military readers...my hubs isn't standing like that because he can't stand being kissed...he just had to stand at attention the entire ceremony.

And here we are after. 

So stinkin' proud!

Fortune Cookie & The Man of My Dreams

Conversation between Mr. Fortune Cookie, Mr. Marine and I:

Fortune Cookie say: "Your biggest dream will come true"

Mr. Marine say: "It already did. I married her."

Me say: aaaawwwwwwwwwww

Mr. Marine The Margarita Machine!

God Bless Mr. Marine!

I have been working 13 hour days this week and he got off early yesterday (not really early since it was 5pm, but that's early for him).

So he sent me a text that said, "Hey babe, let me know when you are 5 min away. I have a surprise for you!"

I came home and this handsome Marine was sitting on my porch with a margarita for me!

He took me out to grab and app and a glass of wine at a great restaurant. We sat outside and it was perfect!

Then he sent me the sweetest text this morning (during my workout) saying how much he enjoyed our date last night.

God Bless the US Marines...but especially mine!