Fall is making me increasingly domestic...

...in fact, give me a few more weeks and I may have my own TV show. Since I work approximately one-half day a week, I have time for such things as...



wreath making...





above-the-cabinet decorating...






and adding splashes of fall wherever possible (although I haven't hung that mirror, yet).

If these sub jobs don't pick up soon, I may go put fliers on the neighbors' doors advertising my mad decorating skills.

Hallmark's Musical Cards...



Maddie's a big fan. Thanks Isa and Lily!

C-17s and Corn Dogs...

We had a wonderful weekend. Will has been gone the last few weekends, and his deployment is quickly approaching, so we decided to leave some of the home projects by the wayside and just spend some quality fun time together. I, for one, had a blast. Here's the low down...

Saturday: Spouses' Flight

1000 Briefing
1030 Buses to Jet
1150 Takeoff

Matchy-matchy in our flight suits!


Don't I look the part? They even had nametags made for us.

In the cockpit...I really, really, really wanted to flip some switches or push some buttons, but I don't think it would have gone over too well.


This is especially for my mother-in-law -- a cruise ship we saw from the air, most likely on its way back from Alaska!


Seattle skyline...I was taking this from a little window in a door - I didn't end up with a picture of the Space Needle and the rest of the skyline, but I figured this was the most recognizable landmark.

Sunday: Fair

Corn dogs, french fries, and salt water taffy...mmmm. We had perfect weather, perfect company and free tickets! The only things we had to battle were the hoards of pre-teens on their way to the Hilary Duff concert on the fairgrounds.

I have never seen such intricate pumpkin carving (especially by a guy who looked like a lumberjack). However, with a canvas that big one can get pretty elaborate in their carving.


Yes, that's sun on our faces. It's not a trick. I didn't even wear long sleeves.

And now the week has started and we're back to reality...Hopefully we'll have a few more memorable, relaxing weekends before the four months of weekends we'll spend apart. I'm thinking bed and breakfast up north somewhere...Just a thought, just a thought.

Maddie likes to relax as much as the next dog. She is awfully fond of the black travel pillow. I'm not sure if you can tell, but she is actually glaring at me here because I dared disturb her nap. So sorry, Maddie, but you just looked so cute.

It's sometimes overwhelming to think of all of the places to go and things to do in WA. Our to-do list is already miles long. I'd love to be able to live here and just explore, without having to work or have my husband away. We have missed out on the clear days, I think, as it has been cold and very cloudy for the past few days, without much relief in the forecast. Regardless, here are the things I should be blogging about sometime (I'm leaving the time frame open due to weather restraints and Will's schedule):

- Mt. Rainier (pictured above)
- Pike Place Market
- Seattle Underground Tour
- Vancouver, B.C.
- Portland, OR
- San Juan Islands
- Olympic National Forest
- Seahawks Game (Will's already been once, and we already went to a Mariners' game)
- Skiing at the various WA ski areas, of which I know very little about
- Alaska Cruise

That's all I can think of for now. Surely there is more to do and see, and I'll add those things as they come up!

On another note, I worked today! I finally had my first sub job, and although it was only a half day, it was wonderful to get up with a purpose and be back in a school. It was a good day. Hopefully it will become a little more regular as the year really gets underway.

Some thoughts...


I really, really miss my friends/co-workers back in Tejas. There's nothing like having someone to share the work week with, being able to go down the hall when you need a laugh, a smile, or a place to sit and vent. Now, three of us have moved and one is pregnant. I just hope we all stay in touch - obviously since one of them is now my sister, I've got one of them for life!

On another note, I'm so glad it's Aggie football time! I need to send a big THANK YOU to my parents for getting us Sirius satellite radio so that we can listen to the Aggie games. We were even able to hear some of the Air Force game this past weekend, making Will as happy as a clam. I just wish we could be there one weekend to go to a game, or at least to sit in Bourbon St. Bar and watch while eating fried food and drinking Ace Pear Cider. Mmmm. So for all of you Aggies who are able to go to games, please post pictures so that I can feel like I'm there.

Things around the house are coming along nicely. I finally started hanging stuff on the walls, although I'm having trouble deciding where to put everything that fit so perfectly in my apartment. Right now most of it is either in the garage or in the spare room upstairs that I'm using as a craft/sewing/gift wrapping/guest room. I guess it would be more appropriate to just call it a storage room for now. Hopefully tomorrow I'll pick up a little bit more, then take more pictures to post. We finally got blinds installed yesterday, and it has rejuvenated me in a way so that I'm ready to continue organizing and purging things I no longer need. We have a little less than a month until our next house guests are coming, and I'd like to get the house in tip top shape by then!

Evidence of a Husband Home

Yep, he's home. I got a phone call at a quarter 'til two this morning. I was groggy, but as I expected, it was Will, who often calls at weird times when overseas. About a minute into the phone call, the door bell rang. I hushed my voice and told Will that someone was at the door. Maddie was going crazy, barking like a true watchdog. Will told me that I should probably answer the door, to which I replied, "Are you crazy? It's the middle of the night!" So, I already mentioned that I was groggy, and definitely not thinking that my husband was going to be so clever at this time of night...Of course, it was Will at the door. Surprise! (I did end up with a big smile after my heart calmed down a bit. I told him that it was scary to hear the doorbell at 2 in the morning. He was afraid if he didn't call, etc. that Maddie's barking when he came through the front door would be even more unnerving. True, true. But with me, surprises are best left for the light of day. Although he did come bearing presents...)

As it turns out, they were sent back a little early, but will have to leave again Monday. So, I've got him for the weekend, and I'll take what I can get!

Have I mentioned that I hate styrofoam? Well, I do. With intensity. Here's why...



...and that wasn't even all of it, I was just taking a break. I ended up having the entire back end of my car filled, as well as the passenger seat. When I called the garbage service to see if they would make a special pick up, or give me some direction as to how to dispose of all of this styrofoam, the kind lady suggested I break it up and put a little in the trash each week. I politely explained that she must not understand the sheer quantity of this hideous white foam that I had in my garage, much less the itty bitty trash can that we have. (Seriously, it's very, very small - it holds two kitchen sized bags if you want to close the lid, three if you don't mind looking hillbilly with trash spewing from the top...We're hillbillies and we're okay with that.) So the nice lady then told me about the local dump. She explained that I could take it all there, they'd weigh my car with the trash and then again after I had dumped it, and if it was 200 pounds or less it would cost $10.64. Two hundred pounds? I don't even know if I had 2. However, I bit the bullet just to get rid of all of it (knowing full well it would take three years if we just put a little bit in the trash each week).

So, yeah, back to hating styrofoam. After said styrofoam had been successfully dumped, I decided to go try out a sub sandwich shop that people have been raving about. Now, people here in the frigid Northwest have serious staring problems, but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I smile at people, and that's totally out of the ordinary here. However, today I was receiving more stares than usual, and I wasn't really smiling because I was still hating styrofoam with a passion I never really knew I had. I thought, well, I did kind of dress nicely today (because I had my substitute orientation this morning before the dreaded dump trip)...Vain, yes, but I was pretty well stumped. Stumped until I got home that is...I sat on the couch, getting ready to eat this sub that smelled oh-so-delectable, and reached up to pull out my ponytail holder. Well, not only did I let my hair down, but I also let down a cascade of styrofoam bits. You know, that stuff has some static cling, and apparently somewhere in my frenzied flinging it decided to attach itself to my head. All over my head. And I didn't know. And people were staring.

Yep...I pretty much hate styrofoam. But, it seems the feeling is mutual, so there's no love lost.

One more quick note...

You know what makes weather news in Washington? 35 days this summer over....80 degrees. Yes, 80. Preposterous.

Short lived...

Nothing can cure a pity party like the season premier of House.

If this first trip is a taste of what the deployment is going to be like, I am going to need a lot of visitors between November and March. Any takers?

The Crocodile Hunter is dead...

I remember in high school (I think a couple of times) a rumor would go around that Steve Irwin had been killed by some wild animal. Only this time it's true...by a stingray.

Add that to the New York officer shot and killed by that escapee, 35 dead found in Iraq, and all of those kids dead in that Chicago apartment fire, and it makes you think your Safari home page should NOT be a news outlet.

Maddie Girl...

I don't think I've blogged about my dog. How can this be? I just saw the blog of a dear friend of my sister-in-law who just got a new puppy. I guess it has inspired me to share a little bit about my Madison Mae, or Maddie, or Mad Dog, or Turd Dog (that last one is Will's creation, of course). She's a five-year-old Welsh Terrier. I got her when I was a junior in college, and she has been an Aggie dog ever since. She loves to tag along whenever we let her, even if it's just up the road to the gas station. She's an easy going, no frills pup who loves the outdoors here in WA. She wasn't much of an outdoor dog in TX, but I think that's because of the heat on her black fur. She does not like to swim, but loves a nice boat ride. She has some very strange fears - the broom, mop, vacuum cleaner and paper shredder set her off into a frenzy. Maybe I just should not clean.

Maddie can go from 0 to 60 in no time flat - evident when you squeak a toy when she's sleeping...I've never seen a dog react faster. She will tear up any toy with a squeaker in it, save for a few heavy-duty stuffed toys from Target. Seriously, I've tried dozens of toys, and these are the only she can't tear up. Also, Maddie thinks any time you talk to her you want to play either Tug (her absolute favorite) or Fetch (a very close second). Everyone is her friend, and she gets VERY excited when her friends come over.

Well, here she is. Enjoy. And if you come for a visit, please tell her "No" when she jumps on you, because, I assure you, she will jump on you.

Maddie is a very affectionate dog and loves to give hugs and kisses!

There is something about a hose, or running water in general, that just brings out the animal in her...It's funny, and somewhat scary, all at the same time.

Maddie always needs a rest after a scuffle with the hose.

Maddie Mae loves her bed, especially with her blanket from her Aunt Alicia. She still likes to sleep in the bedroom with us, but no longer on the bed (like when it was just the two of us in College Station). Now her favorite nighttime sleep spot is on Will's flight suit, which is usually crumpled up on the floor on his side of the bed. Sometimes I can't tell which one of them is snoring (granted, it's usually Will, but Maddie girl has some allergies, and has a tendency to snore when she sleeps on her back).

And finally, Maddie loves to ride in the car. She usually sleeps in the back, but on the long, long drive from Texas to Washington, I let her sit on my lap a bit.

Will thinks she's ready to have a friend, but I'm not so sure. She has many dog cousins (Maggie Louise, Isa, Lily, Sam, Sophie, Seaton, GiGi, Mayday and Plata), and while she loves her visits with them, she always breathes a sigh of relief when she gets to be an only dog again. I guess we'll just have to see. For now, I am more than thankful to have her keep me company, especially with a deployment coming up. She's not much of a guard dog, but she's a great snuggler!

Workin' hard or hardly workin'?

That is how I feel. I finally have enough put together to post a few pictures (emphasis on few). If I can dig out the rest while Will is away next week, I'll have more to show for my efforts.

Downstairs hall bath...It's not much, but like the rest, it's a work in progress!

Guest bedroom. My second favorite room after our bedroom.

Upstairs hall bath...

More upstairs hall bath...

Thank you aunts & uncles for our beautiful bed! So, obviously we need king-sized pillows. There will be another nightstand, but the one we got was broken, so the replacement is on order.

Our new chest...We were worried about it fitting, but it fit nicely in the corner. It was so nice to be able to put our clothes away!

Our bathroom.

Out front...The builder only puts in minimal landscaping (shrubs), so my mom and I spruced it up a bit. It should fill in a bit more before it gets too cold.

Just another view of the front.

The back door...I love these trees. Will helped me pick out the pots, and I think he did a great job.

Our current outdoor project - we are extending the patio in order to have a place for the grill, etc. so that we can use the concrete part for a table and chairs. We grossly underestimated how many stones we needed...They looked so big at the store!

On the other side of the back patio...I put in those two plants, which eventually will be about 6 feet tall with beautiful, spiky scarlet flowers in the spring. As for the rest of it, I'm just not sure. I'd like to use more stone with a raised planter in the middle for a small garden (by garden, I mean tomatoes, herbs and maybe some peppers - let's not get too carried away!). However, this is not too high on the priority list right now...


Okay, that's it for now. We are getting very close to being able to post pictures of the kitchen and living room. The dining room and office have the most work left (well, except for the garage, but who wants to see pictures of the garage?). Thanks for coming along for the ride...It may be bumpy and long, but we're going to have a hell of a time!

Married life, homeownership...These things bring with them whole new sets of life experiences as well as necessities. I've always liked gadgets. However, the realm of gadgets that I like seem to be centered around a few areas of life - cooking, cleaning and computers. I love kitchen gadgets. Who would have thought I'd have used a food processor 5 times in a week??? One of the most useful tools I have ever owned. And with our floors I have discovered the need for a microfiber dust mop...It's like a huge Swiffer, but with a washable cover that attracts dust and dirt, but keeps it up in the soft pile so that it won't scratch the floor. Brilliant. And of course I love my laptop and my digital camera and my three-in-one printer because I feel their value-added factor to my life.

This is not really the direction my life is headed, not anymore. I mean, how many gadgets can one have for the kitchen? We were blessed with some amazing wedding gifts, and I must say I can't think of anything else I'd need (not to mention the space to put more) in the kitchen. Nope, the direction my life is headed is to Lowe's. This is a whole new realm of gadgets.

I'll let Will demonstrate these gadgets for you...




We have also started to extend our back patio with some huge, flat stones from Lowe's. Apparently this requires all sorts of grading and leveling, although I'd just like to slap them down and call it a day. Since that's not the case, we'll be frequenting the married suburban couple Mecca...Let's build something together, right?

To most of you readers - we'll see you there.

-Amy

There is something unsettlling to a couple of Texans when you go outside in the morning on August 31 and you can see your breath. Yeah, that's cold.

Oh yeah, the house...

I don't have many pictures yet, mainly because it's been a huge mess most of the time. I will update soon, though, since things are coming together around here. As I type I am looking down the street at a moving truck twice the size of the one that brought our stuff, and I'm wondering what they are going to do with all of that cardboarad. We have been carting it to the recycling station up the street what seems like non-stop, and there is still a ton left in the driveway, in the garage and even in the house (but not much now!). Those box makers must be living large with the way this community is growing! I'm pretty sure Will told me that once our "neighborhood" is done, there will be almost 1500 new homes. Now that's a lot of moving boxes...
Okay, so this isn't the house, but it's a great shot of the welcoming Washington weather as we drove to our house for the first time!
Our first home-cooked meal in our home...yes, those are camp chairs and a Rubbermaid tub. We're high class.
Will watching the moving van pull up in front of the house. We were in the house 5 days with no furniture or stuff, except a bed, two camp chairs, and what we had brought with us on the drive from Texas.

Well, once again I need to get back to organizing. The quicker I get this place in shape, the quicker I can post pictures!

A pictoral snack...just bits and pieces to get a taste of our crazy/wonderful summer, the beginning of our lives together.

Bridal portaits...103 degrees at 6 o'clock at night? Ugh.

Bachelorette...a blast.

Yep, we're married.

My family on a San Antonio River Walk cruise, the day after the wedding. I love them.

My new family...I know! Big, huh?

There is so much more to share, but I have already been on the internet since they installed it an hour ago...Since we have pretty much been living without it all summer, this feels like an eternity. Plus, my hubby will be home in a couple of hours and I should have something to show for the day as far as the house is concerned. I think I'll get our bedroom and bathroom finished. There is so, so much to do. Thank goodness my mom came up and helped with the unpacking and organizing (and by help I mean she pretty much did everything). We're in good shape now, but the end is not yet in sight.

By the way, does anyone know if you can recycle styrofoam? Apparently it's all the rage to use it for packaging, but it's filling our garage and we need it to go away. Too bad our trash can is the smallest ever known to man. They really don't like you to produce a lot of waste in this part of the country, I guess. We have already become avid recyclers of cans, plastic, glass and paper. Who'd have guessed?

Love from the frigid Northwest (and it's still summer?),
Amy

Gotta make this one quick...

because the internet at the public library is so, so slow. We've arrived at our new home! Come hell or high water, so it seems. We've made it through wedding chaos, a family reunion, a friend's wedding, stomach viruses, a honeymoon with a tropical storm, and days upon days of driving (do you know how far away Washington is from Texas???). Pictures will be posted once we get internet at the house (August 22). We have had the best, busiest, and most blessed summer we could have ever imagined. Thanks to everyone who shared parts of it with us. We love you and you better visit soon.

We are homeowners. We own a home...thanks to Will. Thank you, honey, for being so trustworthy, dependable, smart and hard-working. I love you!