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!  

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

Our Pretty Little Love Song - How I Met Mr. Marine

I am having a really difficult time dealing with things today. I think my life is going out of control so I am going to blog about the man who keeps my heart happy in the most difficult times.

A few of y'all asked how Mr. Marine and I met, and if I knew he was "the One" right away. So here is my favorite love story that led me to my other half...

My family owned a cottage on an island off the coast of Georgia. I was there for a family reunion during the summer of '97. I was 16 and finally able to drive around with my older cousin. Her friend remembered partying at a guy's house the summer before and suggested we go try and find the house (and the guy). Well, at 11pm, we knocked on the door of a what we hoped was his home. Turns out, his parents were out of town and he had some other guys over. Well, I set my sights on Mr. Marine (who had GA frat boy hair and was not a Marine).

We hung out that week. We said we loved each other. We were 16/17 and in love. I told my mom, when I got back home, that I met the boy "I was going to marry." She laughed.

We kept in touch. I went to college in CA, he went to UGA. He dated. I dated. But we always said it felt like we were cheating on each other even though we weren't together.

He called me in college and told me he joined the Marine Corps, and I said, "I am proud of you. But we will never be together now. I will not be a military wife...especially not a Marine wife."

We lost touch. The war began and so did our random correspondence. I would email to see if he was in Iraq. He would email me to tell me he wasn't...yet.

I was very serious with my college boyfriend. But we were having problems. Mr. Marine said he wanted to see if we were still meant to be, before either of us settled down with other people. He, against my initial wishes, flew to Houston. I told him I was taken and he had lost his chance. He flew there anyway.

He came down the airport escalator and I knew he was "the One" just like I knew it 8 years earlier.

I ended my relationship. Mr. Marine ended his. He proposed 6 months later. We got married 6 months after that.

We are coming up on our 3 year anniversary. We have proven the doubters wrong. 

Many said it wasn't love, and he just wanted me because he couldn't have me...he still wants me!

Some said I'd never survive the Marine life...I am holding my own!

Truthfully, he is my soulmate. I knew it at 16 and I know it at 28.

"Assembly Required" Furniture Should Come w/ Divorce Papers

When I was back home in Houston, my mama and I went shopping at some of the contemporary furniture stores down on Fondren. They had amazing stuff, and I didn't have near enough money to purchase all that I wanted.

However, Mr. Marine and I have been looking for a glass coffee table for our living room. We fell in love with one but it sold before we could buy it. However, I am thankful it did because I found this one in Houston, and they shipped it to me. 

Please remember, we LOVE contemporary furniture (some modern) so this is perfect for our house. My parents have this awesome swing table, and now I do too! 

So...it folds into a perfect square and THEN swings into a 3 tier glass table...

Be still my beating heart! I am always looking for a "conversation piece" in each of my rooms, and this one is just that! 

Now...that is the finished product. Unfortunately, it didn't arrive ready to display. It was the dreaded "Assembly Required." Without boring y'all with a step-by-step analysis of what we had to do, or what Mr. Marine and I were screaming at each other, I'll just say it was a royal pain in the ass!

They say you can judge people by how they treat their mother, and how they handle lost luggage. Well, I adore my mother and treat her like the queen I believe her to be (most of the time) and I lost my luggage in Croatia and was very calm until I wasn't getting my way. Then I started bawling, which led the poor luggage lady to cater to my whim and get my luggage to me ASAP.

Mr. Marine treats his mama like a friend (not super emotional) and he loses luggage and doesn't flinch. 

That explains us to a tee...I get emotional when I lose control and he is steadfast and unwavering in his emotions (which created a fight for the ages this weekend...but that's another post).

So, now that the coffee table is assembled, after I got emotional and he calmly told me to relax...then proceeded to curse like the Marine he is, we are still married! 

Though I am now convinced "assembly required" papers are not accompanied with divorce papers because in the middle of the project...it was a serious consideration. Having the papers right there would have made it far too easy.  

"You hate her...But I love you" Surprise Revealed!

Me: You hate her

Mr. Marine: But I love you

Those were the words spoken by the love of my life! That's right y'all...Mr. Marine surprised his Celine Dion loving wife with tickets to her most recent concert! 

He instructed me to be ready at 7pm and not to worry about where we were going! Well, I work in the fashion industry and throughout the day all these women were talking about the Celine concert. It didn't even register that's what he had planned. 

He HATES Ms. Dion. I can't even have her playing in the house at all! It is like nails on a chalkboard for the man...so this was such a surprise!

First, he took me for wine and apps, where we had my fave...beef carpaccio!!! Yum Yum

Then we headed off to the concert where I had a ridiculously priced...but very delicious...vodka/tonic with extra lime juice!

The seats were given to the Marine Corps office by the USO (thank you USO) and my wonderful hubby got them and gave them to me! 

I know some of you might be wondering what the big deal is with Celine...but hello!!!! I love this little firecracker of a woman. I love her upbeat songs, I am moved by her slower tunes...and I even love the way she sings the National Anthem (even though she is French Canadian). 

So...that was my big surprise and I could not have been more excited. And since I promised him I would stay mum...pretend I am not telling you that he actually enjoyed her concert. Shhhh!

Because after all..."He hates her...but he loves me"

Low-Country Boils, Lemon and the "L"etter game!

So I am playing the super fun Letter Game from Little Pink Magnolia. If you decide you'd like to join in on the fun, leave a comment and I'll give you a letter!

The rules are: Find 10 things you love that begin with your letter. Now...when you comment on my list of faves, I'll give you a chance to share yours.

My letter is "L"

Ten things I just can't live without (in random order):

1. Love Letters - I know, it seems antiquated. Mr. Marine and I have an awesome love story (think Notebook without the sad ending, hopefully). So from the time we met at 16, to the time we began dating 9 years later, love letters (or emails) were what kept us in touch and in one another's heart. Then when he deployed, I would run (literally) to the mailbox when I saw the mailman coming to see if I got a love letter. Ironically, they always arrived on the days I needed them most!

2. Lemon Cleaning Spray  - I am not a cleaning spray snob so I will gladly use the cheap stuff but I LOVE the smell of Meyer Lemon Countertop Spray from Williams-Sonoma. It just makes everything smell so clean!

3. Low-Country Boils - This is just a huge excuse to gather as many friends as possible, drink plenty of beer, and eat awesome food! This is a very southern meal but easy peazy to cook!

Just fresh shrimp, corn on the cob, red potatoes, and some Roger Wood sausage (you can buy any brand, but that's the one we get in Georgia)...You're just getting the main ingredients now, but I'll post the recipe later. Heck, we even got our neighbors here in the Midwest eating it! Ummm...I'm hungry now!

4. Leggings - I know they come in and out of style, but I always keep mine on hand. I'm not going to go all Lindsay Lohan or anything and wear them everywhere, but I do think they are cute under dresses and long sweaters. They look good with boots or flats. I'm just a fan!

5. Louboutin - Christian, that is! His trademark red sole is splendid. I look for that like a single man should look for a wedding ring on a girl in a bar. It's the first thing I check out...Do I see red on the bottom of that beautiful stiletto? Oh be still my beating heart!

6. Lime - I love it! Put extra in my margarita, por favor! Throw some more slices in my vodka/tonic, please! Tequila shot with an extra slice of lime, of course! I even love when Mr. Marine makes Lime-Chipotle marinated grilled shrimp. Just give me more lime...you hear me?

7. Lei - You know the pretty ones you get when you arrive in Hawaii, or attend a luau? They always put my in the Island spirit and make me want to start shakin' my hips like the local women do! They also make me want a refreshing Mai Tai too! 

8. Lip Gloss - I used to wear lipstick all the time, but then I got hooked on lip gloss. I like the shiny aspect, instead of the matte look. I have so many little bottles, tubes, etc.. I have one (a generic shade) in each purse to avoid getting stuck in public without any lip color!

9. Latte - I don't care if it is pumpkin in the fall, peppermint in the winter, eggnog at Christmas, vanilla throughout the year, caramel if I need a change...just make it a "Skinny" one and I am in heaven! 

10. Lazy Sundays - I can't begin to explain how much these days mean to me! Mr. Marine works 6 days a week, usually, so it is so nice to not do anything except be together on Sundays. We will go to brunch. Go shopping for our renovation projects. Watch football. Grab a pizza and a beer. We have even been known to go on a bar crawl (in the snow) to our fave pubs around the area. We just always use that day to unwind and enjoy each other's company.