A little more upbeat today

My last post was about my surgery, and how much pain I was in. I will not be complaining in this post. Tomorrow marks one week post surgery, and I'm feeling much better. Still in pain, but not nearly as much.

Good news! I got a call about an interview!
well 2 actually.. Let me explain.
The first was from 24 hour fitness. They called a few days after my surgery asking if I could come in for an interview the next day. I pictured the energy required to get dressed, put real clothes on, walk down two sets of stairs, and drive.. So I said I couldn't make it. Realizing my stupid stupid mistake, I called back, but they already had all the time slots filled. FAIL.
Fast forward to yesterday, 7:30 pm. Another 619 phone call. From who, you ask?
Guitar center!
No, I don't play any instruments, including the guitar. But I have worked for them before, or actually Music and Arts, which they own.
So I'm thinking that I have a good chance at the interview!

Wish me luck!

Wednesday Wishes (21)

I wish:

That my surgery on Friday will go well. I wish that it will make all my pain go away, so that I will not spend everyday like this:

one

That I could find a job. The most recent place I have applied is Boot Barn, and honestly thats the one I want the most : )

two

That my etsy shop will be succesful! I still have a lot of work before I start selling products, but I'm having fun getting it all ready!

three

Money

source

Money has been a big topic in our household lately. Heres allll the reasons why:

1. We have been talking about a new car.
2. We have two debts (a loan and my ring) under $400!
3. I have been looking for a job for 6 months.
4. We are saving for our 'big wedding.'

Right now, Chris is getting BAS until June. With that money, we could make car payments. Until June. and then we would have about 5 months of car payments in our savings. Until it runs out. Then Chris should be E-3 by then, therefore giving him a raise, and allowing us to continue to make car payments. But what if? We try to be so responsible with our money, and its super scary knowing that we are walking such a tight line.

On a lighter note, Chris and I took $280 (some of our income tax money) to the casino yesterday and walked out with $500! Not bad, huh?

(I'm at 30 followers, wooh!)

Excitedddd

I am super excited at the moment.

I just booked a completely free military pin-up photo session! They do everything- hair, makeup, wardrobe, and photos. This is the second session they have done, the first one was for Marine wives and this one for Navy wives. They had 20 open spots and I was on the phone the second they announced the phone number! I have been wanting to do this for so long, and I am so excited!!

Who would I be if I didn't mention their facebook page? Take a look- Operation Petticoat

The only downside is that the photo session is 5 weeks after my surgery. I tried to ask the doctors when I would be allowed to go back to the gym, and they didn't really give me an answer. Seriously- this is the answer I got: "Well, it's a good rule that if you would hesitate to slam on the brakes because it would cause pain, you shouldn't drive. The follow up appointment is two weeks after the surgery, so you should probably wait until at least then." Did she think I asked how long until I can drive? I guess if I can't drive I probably shouldn't be working out lol.  I'm thinking three weeks and I should be good as new.. which only gives me two weeks to get my butt back into shape for the pin-up shots. Oh boy.

Random tidbits

I have been going through another one of those phases where almost all of my posts are link-ups, so now its time to wrap up all the little tidbits of my life into one random blog.

First, let me tell you about my FAIL moment.
Have you ever seen the show Cupcake Wars? Well I came across a picture on facebook saying that they were looking for military bakers, and I decided to go out on a limb and enter. Soo, I put in all this effort into making these cute little sailor hats out of gumpaste to top cupcakes, got all dressed up for pictures, and totally wrote the most kick-ass entry, and then.... I get an email saying, "Casting is now closed for season 3." Smack. in. the. face.


I'm still proud of these little guys

 I think this is a good time to mention that I started another blog- The USS Cupcake as a portfolio for all of my baking endeavors.

transition- I'm thinking of starting an etsy shop. I would sell fondant and gum paste cake toppers, like the one above. And then maybe when I get my sewing machine from home I could expand with other items.. I'm thinking that since I don't have a job right now, it would be perfect timing. What do you think?

Speaking of jobs, I applied to 7 more this week (some were ones I had already applied to, but this time went into the store). I wish I knew how many places I have applied to so far.. I'm thinking 50+. This economy sucks. I think I will just say that out loud, since I'm sure everyone is thinking it, lol.

One more day until the weekend!

Wee bit of me

{one} if you won a trip to Disneyland/world, who would you take with you?

Chris of course. Actually, we just discussed this- as soon as we have some things payed off and enough money saved for the wedding, we are going to save for a trip to Disneyland!

{two} when was the last time you listened to a CD?
A few weeks ago.. Chris bought a cd of some band I don't particularly like (which doesn't play on the radio).

{three} what spice/seasoning is your favorite?
Cinnamon and basil. I always double them in recipes!

{four} if you were in a band, what kind of music would you play?
Indie or country, haha.

{five} if you could have personally witnessed one historical event, which one would it be?
When Secretariat won the triple crown, hands down!

{six} if you could go back to school, what would you study?
I wish I had an answer for this... I have about 6 things I am considering.. and I only have a few months to decide!

{seven} if you could go to one sporting event, all expenses paid, which one would you see?
The Kentucky Derby : )

{eight} do you drive an automatic or a manual?
An automatic. My dad almost bought me a manual, and ever since then I have been wanting to learn how to drive a stick!

{nine} are you comfortable speaking in front of people?
Nope. I took a class in high school where I had to teach a lesson every other week, so that helped a little, but I think I'm back to where I was before that.

{ten} have you ever experienced an earthquake?
Not that I remember. My mom told me I slept through an earthquake once when I was younger, lol.


Wednesday Wishes (20)

I love Wednesday Wishes. I get to put together everything that I have drooled over for the past week!

Love much heirloom necklace. I would love a necklace with mine and Chris' names on it, and this one is just adorable.

one

Nude Pumps. Wait, I just ordered these : )

two

Pride and Prejudice. After two years of barely-having-enough-time-to-sleep-because-I-am-so-busy, I have rediscoverd my love for reading the past few months. And I would love to buy all the Penguin Classic editions because they are just gorgeous.

three

Anniversary weekend

On Sunday, my hubby and I will celebrate our one year wedding anniversary.
wow.
It's already been one year?

We are not just having an anniversary day, but an anniversary weekend!
Today we are going to relax.. I think Chris is ready to fall asleep climbing up the stairs to our apartment because he hasn't been able to catch up on sleep in two weeks. In our house, relaxing means watching the first season of Friday Night Lights and playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance for wii.

Saturday we are taking our furbaby to the woof walk! He doesn't get to be around other dogs very often, and when we do see other dogs running around, he barks like crazy, so I'm hoping that this will be a good experience for him... maybe make him more comfortable around other dogs.
Then we are going shopping! wooh! We decided that since we got each other surprise gifts last month for Valentines Day, we are just going to go shopping together. Fine with me!

Sunday is the big day.. We bought a bunch of gift cards from restaurant.com last month, and we are going to the Boathouse Restaurant. Chris loves going to really nice restaurants, and I love getting dressed up to go haha.

I'm feel so blessed that I have gotten to spend the last year, and will get to spend the rest of my life, married to the love of my life.

Top 2 Tuesday: Dream Rooms

This weeks Top 2 Tuesday is dream rooms! Its so hard for me to only choose two! But I will do it!
I love everything old-fashioned. For lack of better words, my husband once told me I was an "old lady." "What??" I asked, feeling offended and thinking he was calling me boring.
"I mean.. It's like you were meant to grow up in the fifties or something."
Maybe 'old soul' is a better description? Being the Sally-home-maker that I am, I want my love of retro and vintage to showcase in my house (well, my future dream house). My problem is- retro and vintage are not the same things... and I like both of them for different rooms of the house. What a dilemma.. You wouldn't believe how much I stressed over the flow of the color scheme in our apartment, and now this? Oh boy.

And now I present... My top two dream rooms!

1) A totally retro kitchen in red and blue.

Just take away the checkered floor and add red accessories. At the moment, everything in our kitchen is already red, except the coffee pot and microwave (why does everything have to be so much more expensive when its red?) including a retro napkin holder that Chris got me... That may be my favorite part of the kitchen. haha

2) An all white vintage bedroom

How relaxing would it be to wake up to that every morning? I love dark wood furniture- everything that we have bought for the apartment is oak.. But I think that white in the bedroom is so tranquil. I love so much about this room- the distressed wood framed mirrors, the chandelier, the lamps. So pretty!

My experience with an ovarian cyst

I went to the doctor Thursday for my ovarian cyst, and I have surgery scheduled for next month.

Manyy women get ovarian cysts, and most of them don't know it or have minimal signs. But sometimes, like in my case, they cause intense pain. It has been about an 8 month journey into discovering mine:

I began taking the pill in June. In August my cramps got really bad- to the point where I was rolling in bed crying, squeezing Chris' hand every few minutes. I had always had bad cramps, but never this clenching feeling that came and went.
Over the next few months, I occasionally experienced this stabbing pain in my lower stomach that would hit suddenly and make me double over, but would be gone in a matter of seconds. Once it woke me up in the morning, and for the next few minutes it felt like someone was putting a knife in my stomach every time I tried to sit up. Chris asked me to go to the doctor, but I always said 'next time it happens I will.'
In December, my husband and I had tickets to go back home for Christmas. The night before our flight, I had a constant ache in my lower right stomach that lasted the whole night. Chris decided it was time that I go to the hospital, and we went at 3:30 that morning. The doctors thought that it could either be appendicitis or gas (come on, really) and decided to do an ultrasound. After about 45 minutes, the tech was done taking pictures and went to show the head doctor. A few minutes later, he came back in and said the doctor wanted a few MORE pictures, and then told me the doctor would be in to tell me what he found. The doctor tells me they found a cyst on the OPPOSITE side of the pain, and the cause of the pain on the right side was blood leaking out. After giving me pain meds, they send me home and tell me to come back in 2 cycles. (And we made our flight!)
During those two months, the pain got worse. The 'crampy' feeling starts about 5 days before my period and lasts about 5 days after. Not to mention how intense my cramps are.. I have to be drugged up for almost a week. I had a sharp pain when I lied on my left side, like something heavy was pushing down and pinching my other ovary. I went to the doctor and had to wait for a referral from tricare.. One more unbearable cycle... A few days after I get scheduled for an appointment, I get the stabbing pain that I haven't felt in a while, but this time it lasted almost two hours.
After a month of waiting, I went to my appointment. They did an ultrasound, found that the cyst was still about 8cm, without any fluid leaking. The doctor showed me everything on the screen as she was doing the ultrasound, and it was pretty surprising.. My cyst is as big as my bladder. I can barely see my right ovary because it is so small, but I can't see my left ovary at all because my cyst, which is about 4 times the size of it, blocks the whole thing.
After consulting with the staff doctor, they decided that surgery would be the best option. I don't HAVE to choose surgery, but if I have to take vicodin for the pain then I shouldn't wait any longer. Plus, if the cyst burts on its own, I will have really intense pain for a long time while all the fluid flushes out, and theres nothing they can do about it. I'm nervous, but the surgery is laproscopic, and after a month I will be my normal self (and be able to run and work out again!). After the exam Thursday, it hurts to walk or sit up. That just reminds me that things are getting worse and that surgery is the best option.
I know that was pretty lengthy, but believe me, I left out some not so pleasant details for your sake. Who knows, maybe one of you have had a similar experience?

Update

I revamped my blog! I was never really happy with the previous title or layout, but I couldn't find any inspiration to change it. So now, my blog is titled Love and Lighthouses, and its here to stay. The layout, on the other hand, is temporary until I can get a custom one.
Why the title you ask?

My blog used to be called Ashley, the Little Navy Wife. It was fitting.. My nickname has always been 'Little Ashley," and I am a a navy wife. I guess it just wasn't creative or catchy enough for me. I wanted something to do with the Navy.. Although it doesn't define WHO I am, it does have everything to do with WHERE I am. I am proud to be a Navy wife, and I am proud to say that I am married to and living with the love of my life right now because of the military.

So that's where Love and Lighthouses comes into play.

Love because I am a firm believer that, "There is only one happiness in life; to love and be loved."

and

Lighthouses because way back when, they signaled to sailors that land was near. They are a symbol of strength and home, and I always want to be that for my husband.

What do you think?

milspouse friday fill-in #34

What are some of your ideas for staying connected with family…you know, those people we moved thousands of miles away from? submitted by Live it. Love it (or not). Write About It.
I think the best and most simplest idea is to talk on the phone. My mom is not very computer savvy, so I have to talk to her on the phone if I want to keep her up to date. Although its easier to shoot my friends a text asking how they have been, its a lot more personal to make a phone call.

What’s the most romantic gift you have GIVEN? submitted by Painting My Canvas
Cards. I was cleaning out a box the other day and found a bag that my hubby keeps all the letters he got in bootcamp, and cards I have given him before/after. I think writing your love for someone is so romantic.. its something you can look back on in 20 years.

Would you encourage your child, if they came to you and wanted to join the military? submitted by Perfectly Imperfect
I think I would have mixed emotions. I would be proud of them for wanting to follow in their father's (and grandfathers) footsteps and for supporting their country, but I would be worried because it is such a hard life. Come back to me in 15 years!

What is your least favorite bill to pay and why? submitted by A Little of This, A Little of That
Its not exactly a 'bill,' but the hubby and I both agree pumping gas is the worst. When we both used to work for barely over minimum wage, it was like saying goodbye to an hour of work every few seconds when the screen would read $8.. $16.. We may have a bigger salary now, but gas gets more expensive every. single. day.

What is the proudest moment you’ve had as a military spouse? submitted by Our Okinawa Life
I would have to say the time my hubby took emergency leave to come home for my grandfathers funeral. He wore his uniform to the funeral, and I was so proud of him for honoring my grandfather in that way.

Speaking of friends..

.. I got to see mine this week!
One friend, Maddisen, was up here with her boyfriend taking a vaca for Spring Break. They stayed with me on their last night, and Maddisen and I went out to breakfast the next morning.
On Monday, my best friend Katey came up and stayed two nights. We went to the beach the first two days, and lied out in our bikinis, even though it was a little chilly on the beach. We made sushi the first night she was here, and a 'friendship cake' the second night.
It was so nice to have girlfriends around. I love that I consider my husband my best friend, but when I find myself talking to him about mascara and eye cream, I know I need some girl time.

I have a doctors appointment today; a second ultrasound for my ovarian cyst. Luckily, my hubby is getting off work early to go with me.. The procedure is awkward and painful, so its nice to have him their with me. I am hoping for good news.. I don't know what that news is, but I just don't want to hear, "Come back in two months, and we will do this again." Ugh.

By the way, Happy St. Patty's day! I am making an Irish dinner tonight; I'm a little nervous. My grandfather on my dad's side moved here from Ireland, so I'm celebrating my roots today!

Its hard to make friends, especially as a milspouse

I'm guest blogging over at Confessions of a Sailor's Wife today!
Happy Sunday!

Milspouse Friday Fill-In #33

1. During military separations (whether short or long) how do you keep yourself positive and motivated? submitted by Married/Single Parent
This one is hard because I know I don't handle it as well as I should. When Chris was at boot camp I had times when I was a complete baby, but luckily I had school and work to keep my superr busy. The same went for A-school, but I had to talk to him every night no matter how much I had to do. The last long underway was the worst.. I seriously checked my email every hour. It was bad.

2. What is your favorite concert you have ever been to? submitted by Young but Not (Completely) Dumb
Hmm. I would have to say the Never Shout Never that the hubby and I went to last year because it was my first time going to a small concert, and also because we had such a fun time trying to find the place and then get home. But I am dying to go to another country concert.. we are hoping for the Zac Brown Band!

3. What do you miss most about your “hometown”? submitted by A Florida Girl and Her Soldier
My friends and family. I am so close with my mom, and my sister just had a baby so its hard being away from them. Also, I have a difficult time making friends.. I don't know if its because I set really high standards or because I just don't get along with girls, but my two best friends are girls from high school. The whole year I was at UofA, I didn't make a single new girlfriend, but I made quite a few guy friends. I know that my hubby totally understands because that's how I was when we met, but I don't want to give him any reason to worry.

4. If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support? submitted by Wookie & Co.
Well the hubby and I switch which charity we donate to every year, and next year is the ASPCA, so thats what I am going to have to choose!

5. You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum? submitted by A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench
If I found out Willy Wonka was my father, I would be ECSTATIC. I think the first course would be cheddar broccoli soup, then chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and bread. Last course, pumpkin pie! I so wish Willy Wonka was my father.
link up with wife of a sailor if you would like to join!

Meet Jack

Meet Jack, Our one year old, 5 pound chion:

Chris and I weren't planning on getting a dog for a while, but he just kind of fell into our lap. Last year, my sister bought a chion from the puppy store. He was sweet and cuddly... until he got a little bigger, a little louder, and a little more rambunctious. He was also never housetrained, and got into fights with my mom's dog (who was living with her at the time) almost every day. So when my sister got pregnant, she really couldn't handle him anymore, and she asked us to take him 'for a little while.'

Well since then, Jack is a new dog. It took us less than two weeks, and only 3 accidents to potty train him.. That was a huge deal because he had ruined my sisters carpet, and ours is brand new! But also because he got away with it for a whole year, and we did it in 2 weeks! We spoil him with attention and love. Before, he wouldn't stay in your lap for more than a second. Now, he crawls in our laps all the time, wants us to pet him for hours on end, and even sleeps there. The first time he slept in my lap I was so happy I didn't move until he woke up, even though I was planning to get up right before he fell asleep.

My sister and I haven't talked about what we are going to do with little Jack, but I know one thing: if he could talk, he would call chris and I, "mommy and daddy!"

Wednesday Wishes: DIY edition

I'm wishing that I will actually be able to make my own wedding cake:

source



I'm wishing that I had the vision to refinish some old vintage chairs:

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I'm wishing that we had more decorating done in our apartment, like this wall decal over our bed:

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Top 2 Tuesday- relationships

I love these linky's! I know I already post in a million others, but heres another one to add to the list!

Top 2 Things you have learned about relationships

1) They take work. Everything is not always perfect.. Sometimes you won't like each other.. But you have to remember the love that you have for each other, and put in an effort to make your relationship last.

2) Never go to bed angry. This one is hard for me- when I get really upset, and I am tired of fighting, my defense is "I just want to go to sleep." Its something I did when I was younger, but now that I'm older it doesn't quite work, and I either lay in bed getting more upset or wake up that way. Luckily, the hubby always makes an effort to remind me of that!

After writing this, I looked at a couple of other blogs before posting mine.. and everyone has really similar answers! I guess that just means they are really essential to a happy relationship!

Heres us at our going away party last summer!

So excited for next week!

I may not get a spring break myself, but that doesn't mean I can't be excited that my friends do. Especially when they come to visit me on their break.
My two best friends and my college roomie are coming down next Sunday- Wednesday. They aren't coming together, it just so happened that all three of them chose almost the same days. I'm so excited, I miss my friends dearly!
A few years ago, Katey (one of my friends who is coming to visit!) and I went to Cali together on a trip with our high school cross country team, and for a few weeks before, whenever we saw each other we would yell bikinis! So that has started again.
I'm also excited to show off our apartment, which I love. It is nowhere near being done, unfortunately (hey- we are super young newlyweds living off one income!), but I am still proud of what we have. You know what, I think that's worthy of another blog, hah.
So, next week there will probably not be much blogging since I will be busy being a hostess, but I will catch you all up when I can. I'm also having my second ultrasound for my ovarian cyst on Thursday after everyone leaves, so please keep me in your thoughts!

Milspouse friday fill-in

1.Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military? submitted by The Turner Family
No, we are a Navy family and proud of it!

2.What duty station(s) are on your “No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied” list and why? submitted by Every Branch
Honestly, I don't want to be anywhere other than where we are now. Whats better than Cali? Beautiful weather, beaches, and only 6  hours from back home. I would have enjoyed going somewhere like Germany for our first duty station, but by the time the hubby gets his new orders we will be talking about having babies, and I am going to want to be near family. That being said, I would follow my hubby to the end of the world.

3.If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why? submitted by Three Krakens
If you would have asked me a few years ago, I probably would have had a for-sure age. But now I'm not sure... 21 sounds young and fun... but I also want babies, and we don't have plans for that for a few years!

4.If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be? submitted by the C.W.
I would have to say cinnamon life. Good-for-you life with a little bit of spice!

5.What is your morning beverage of choice and why? submitted by NH Girl Displayed
Coffee. I have to start my mornings with it.. I'm addicted to caffeine. If I don't have it, I get a headache. Lets not even talk about that certain time of month when caffeine intensifies my cramps, and I'm not allowed to have it.

If you want to join in, head on over to wife of a sailor!

Show me your rings!

I saw another blogger posting this, and I just had to jump in!
Mrs. Yellow Ribbon is hosting a new weekly link up called "show me your.." and this week is rings!



I had to take a picture right before I posted!



Did you look at rings together?

Yes and no. I think this needs some explaining.. Chris and I had talked about getting married before he left for boot camp, but decided against it since we would only have been together for 7 months. I still hoped he would ask before he left, but I think I confused him and instead he gave me a promise ring, and it just so happened that promise ring was a wedding band. At graduation, he proposed by taking off my ring 'since he hadn't gotten a chance to look at it since it was sized" and then asking with the same ring. We got married in a courthouse a month later, and planned to get my diamond ring when we had our ceremony back home. When the ceremony date got postponed, Chris made a deal with me to get a smaller ring now so I would at least have a diamond on my finger, and one day he will get me my 'dream ring.' So yes- I got to pick out one of my rings! 

Do you like your ring? Did you from the very beginning?...and be honest!
Yes, I love it! I have really small hands so the diamonds are not overpowering. Plus, I couldn't decide whether I wanted a princess cut three-diamond ring or a circle diamond with smaller ones surrounding it, so now I get one and then the other later!

How often do you wear your rings?
All the time. I take it off to wash dishes, shower, and sometimes to cook/bake. I used to take it off at the gym, but I got these awesome gloves that protect my rings and hands (and make me look pretty BA).

Do you clean your rings?
Nooo, but I guess I should. Just every couple months to the jeweler.

What went through your mind the very first time you saw your ring?
Well, when I got my promise ring (wedding ring to be lol), I thought wow! Then I thought... what does this mean? I didn't know if it was a promise ring or if he was using it as an engagement ring!

We did the rings backwards, but I wouldn't have it any other way because now I will always have the ring that he proposed to me with, and I get to upgrade my other one!

What I'm loving Wednesday!

I have seen a couple bloggers do this, so I think I'm ready to join in on the fun!

1. I'm loving that I have 12 followers! I go on all these blogs and see people with 300+ followers, and I get so discouraged since I have had my blog for a couple months. Everyone has to start somewhere though!

2. I'm loving pain pills since its that time of the month! Vicodin is the only thing that works, and I am so grateful for it!

3. I'm loving that my hubby just called to say that he was off work and will be on his way home right after PRT!

4. I'm loving that the hubby and I started reading The 5 Love Languages together and are really starting to work on our relationship.

What I'm not loving- the fact that I have to get up and clean the house right now.

Branch competition and overlapping

My hubby just called on his lunch break.
He told me that his division found out today that one of the second classes will be sent to Afghanistan for a year. They find out in an hour who it is.
Thank god my husband is just a measly ole seaman still. When we signed up for this, I thought deployments meant being out to sea. Sure, they can range anywhere between a few days and a year, constantly get extended, and are still dangerous. But that's what I prepared myself for. I didn't prepare myself to send my loved one to Afghanistan. I couldn't imagine only having a few hours notice. I know what it feels like to have a days notice, but again, that was what I had prepared myself for as a navy family.

That leads me to this: If I ever hear one more person say anything about the Navy being the least important of the branches, I may just smack them in the face. No branch is more or less vital than the other. That's why we have the different branches- we need them all.
One of my best friends has a boyfriend who I extremely dislike. I try my best to be civil, because I know what it's like to have to choose between your friends and your man. When Chris and I went back home for Christmas last year, I invited them to our party. Things were alright, until we started talking about the military somehow, and he said something to the extent of, "The Navy doesn't really do anything anyway." I looked right at him and said, "what did you say?" He continued to talk about how the Navy has it easy, and they are never in danger. Seriously? You come into my family's home and tell me that my husband is less of a soldier than someone in another branch? It took all my strength not to snap at him. Instead, I calmly told him reasons why he was foolish. When I started to get angry, I walked away. Alcohol and anger don't mix.

I'm not exactly sure what I said to him that night, but I know it consisted of this:
Oh really? Well did you know..
The Navy is often the first ones deployed during a crisis.
In fact, we know someone who was on the first ship to be called on when 9/11 occurred.
My husband's ship has done things in missions that I am not allowed to tell you.
Army and marines are not the only ones who get sent overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan.. Plenty of sailors get sent there also.

If you don't know what your talking about, don't open your mouth. I will continue to be proud of my husband for serving his country, while you sit at your day job and take for granted that you have the right to say those things.

Another blog

I have decided to make another blog.
Not to replace this one, but in addition to it.
One about baking and decorating. (I'm still trying to decide if thats what I want to make my career, so I'm thinking maybe this will help me decide?)
We will see how it goes and whether I decide to keep it.
In the meantime, check it out:

http://ashleylovestobake.blogspot.com/

Theres no pictures or anything up yet, but I promise there will be soon!

"To think that great love doesn't involve work...

...is just as mistaken as thinking that great work doesn't involve love."

The hubby and I will be celebrating our one year wedding anniversary at the end of March... And we have realized in the past few months that marriage is not as easy as we thought it would be. Chris and I both admit that things have been rough, and if we let ourselves get any deeper, its going to be too hard to climb back out. Don't get me wrong, we still have our good days, but we have bad days way to often. About two weeks ago, Chris and I had our third huge fight. Since then, I have noticed a huge change in Chris. I noticed a change after the first and second fight, but neither times was it what I needed. He has always been the voice of reason in our relationship when it comes to fighting; I'm too emotional for that role. It may sound selfish, but that is how our relationship has always worked. It may be different in the future, but for now thats what we have to do. I finally have him back, and it feels so good. We have still fought in the past two weeks, and I know that this is just the beginning, but I am happy with the progress we have made.

In the past few months, I have heard about this book twice:

Once was on another milspouse blog, and the other time was on The View; they each presented a book that changed their lives, and Elizabeth shared that The Five Love Languages had helped save her marriage. I felt like this book had found me.. Maybe it was a sign from God? I mentioned it to Chris, and he told me that we should order it. So I ordered it last week, along with Things I wish I'd Known Before We Got Married, and it arrived a few days ago. I think we are going to start reading tomorrow, and I am really looking forward to it. It's never too soon to start working on your relationship, so I am really hoping that this will be a learning experience for us.

I think this is something that a lot of couples deal with. After you get married, your so happy that you think everything is going to be picture perfect, and when its not, your devastated. Throw in military life, a new city, underways, looming deployment, new responsibilities, and things get rough. And then to think that we were lucky this year because we didn't have to go longer than three months without seeing each other.. It makes the future scary. Nobody said marriage would  be easy, and nobody said that military marriage would be easy. I guess that's why we are a special breed, right? I have total faith that my husband and I will get through whatever rough seas are ahead of us.

I will continue to right about our journey through these two books, and hopefully I will be able to recommend them at the end!

Milspouse Friday-Fill #31

1.Aside from no deployments, what is one thing you would want to make the MilSpouse life “perfect”? submitted by Oh How Delightful

Higher pay! If my hubby's base pay was doubled, that would be pretty perfect!

2.Just how many peppers did Peter Piper pick? submitted by Married into Army

hmm, makes me think of one of those car insurance commercials.

3.If you could have any career in the world with nothing holding you back, what would you do? submitted by It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To

This is the question I have been asking myself for the past year!
But if I could have ANY career with NOTHING holding me back, it would have to be something to do with horses. Although I have always wanted to be a jockey (even when I said I didn't want to be), I would have to say to own a state-of-the-art boarding facilility/ farm!
4.Do you have a service oriented tattoo and if so what is it. If you don’t what would you get? submitted by The Squid’s Accomplice

I have a swallow with a flower in his mouth and the words "My little flower." The swallow is a traditional sailor's tattoo with amazing symbolism behind it, and 'my little flower' is what my grandfather called me when he was in the hospital after heart surgery. My papa was a mean old man (but not to me of course!) and the only time he tried to talk to Chris or even be friendly towards him was, right before Chris left for basic. When Chris flew down on emergency leave for my grandpa's funeral, I knew I had to get a tattoo to bring together these two most important men in my life, so I got it that day (and Chris got his own also). I'm also planning to add an anchor with the words (my little flower) "has found her anchor."

5.Imagine a block of time has opened up in your busy day for you to take a class in anything you like. What subject would you choose? submitted by To The Nth

Dance! I miss it so much.

Milspouse Friday Fill-In!

This is my first Milspouse Friday Fill-In. It is hosted by Wife of a Sailor, and I think its such a great idea for the military blogging community! Now, on to the questions!



1.What is your favorite MilSpouse blog (not including Wife of a Sailor who we all love, or your own)? submitted by Our Crazy Life
At the moment I would have to say ACU's, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus. I just recently started following her, and I think that she is an amazing writer! Plus, she has the most adorable title!


2.What are your favorite perks about your s/o being deployed (we all know there are perks)? submitted by Ramblings of a Marine Wife
Even though deployments SUCK, one perk is that there is less cleaning to do! I know my hubby isn't the only messy one out there!

 3.How long did you date your before getting engaged? Married? submitted by Utterly Chaotic
I dated Chris for 10 months before we got engaged, and then got married a month later. I know its superrr quick, but we put a lot of thought into it, and I KNOW that he is the one for me.

4.What do you think your would do if s/he wasn’t in the military? submitted by Adventures of M-Squared
He would be a photographer! Or own a hookah bar/ coffee lounge haha

 5.If you could talk to the Secretary of the Navy what is one suggestion you would like to bring to their attention in order to improve the lives of military families? submitted by My Life as His (Air Force) Wife
Whenever I get frustrated about something, I tell Chris that I need to talk to 'Mr. Navy' and give him a piece of my mind. I guess maybe I should say 'secretary of the navy' to be more accurate. Anyway, I guess my unrealistic answer is that the Navy should pay more attention to families. Just last week, my hubby's division was told that they could be sent TAD, and 'it doesn't matter whether they are single or married.' And we won't find out until like 2 days before he has to go. I'm not asking the Navy to not send my husband because he is married, but just to prepare spouses a little more. They call us 'dependents' but then don't let us depend on our husbands because we never know what to expect!

I have a blog

Last week I finally told the hubby that I have a blog. It was so hard to keep it from him; I tell him everyyything. But I was really self conscious about what he would think.. Would he think it was corny to have a blog titled, Ashley, the Little Navy Wife? Not that Chris ever judges me, but still. I was nervous.
So I told him about it.. He smiled and said, "really?" Then he asked me to show it to him and really wanted to read it. Of course he gave me a hard time about not telling him for so long, but in the end he assured me that he wasn't upset. He even asked how to get to it himself so he can read it on his next duty day. hah.
So do any of your hubby's read your blog?

*Right after writing this I got a phone call from the hubby asking me to bring him a paper that he needed.. So I had to drive all the way to the base, about 20 miles away.. Ugh. But at least I got lots of kisses and I love you's to make up for it!

Well I'm off to fill out some applications.. Keep your fingers crossed.. Our car has been smoking and I need a job so we can get a new one!!!

Tricare may not be perfect...

... but I'm still grateful for it.

When I was growing up, I either had no insurance or crappy insurance. My dad is a jockey, and since horse racing is considered one of the most dangerous sports, most insurance companies see him as a huge liability. Before I married the hubby, I hadn't had insurance for over a year- and didn't know for the first few months that my dad had canceled it. Also, I haven't had dental insurance since before I was in high school. So lets just say having tricare makes me feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

I hate going to the doctor, and refuse to unless I'm in horrible pain, or I have a sore throat (when I was little the doctor told me I was prone to throat infections/ strep... I just now am growing out of it and only get strep about twice a year, instead of every other month). About 5 months ago, I started having extremely bad cramps during my period. I have always had worse cramps than most people I know, but this was like rolling-around-crying-in-bed cramps.  Then about 2 months later, I started getting a sharp pain below my belly button that would last 10-30 seconds and then go away. A few times, I even woke up in the middle of the night rolling around in pain. I kept telling myself, "If it hurts one more time, I will go to the doctor." Finally, one night I went to bed with a dull aching in my stomach, and the hubby told me that if I woke up with the pain we WERE going to the ER. The day I finally gave in was the day that we were flying home to AZ for Christmas break, so we left for the ER at 4 am. I was the only patient that morning, and all the doctors and nurses (or corpsmen I guess lol) were so nice and attentive. I did a couple exams, and ultrasounds (it took an hour!), and found out that I had an ovarian cyst on the OPPOSITE side where I was having most of the pain, which is because the blood flows out that way (I know, gross, I'm sorry). There was nothing they could do but give me pain meds and refer me to go to my PCM in a few months. Well when I talked to my doctor, she made me a little nervous:

Doctor: -looking down and writing on clipboard- Did they tell you what kind of cyst it was, like a simple cyst, or..
 Me: No, they just told me that I had an 8cm cyst.
Doctor: -looks up from clipboard now- 8 cent..i..me..ters?
Me: Yes.. -looks at hubby for confirmation, who reiterates 8 cm-
Doctor- well that's really big, and your really small. Lets set you up for an ultrasound.

Here's where I encountered my first problem with tricare- I have been waiting for two weeks for the referral for the ultrasound. The pain is worse now- my cramps start 2 days before my period and last a few days after. They are so bad that I am constantly on vicodin during that time (which makes me super talkative, and then super dizzy and I HAVE to go to sleep), so its a long cycle. I also get sharp pains when I move a certain way that cause me to hunch over and YELL. Its scary having pain so close to my ovaries, and so intense.. I just want to get it over with. Plus, my biggest fear is the word infertility.

On another note- I went to the dentist yesterday for the first time in almost 5 YEARS. It was so painful to have my teeth cleaned since it had been so long- I was almost in tears the whole time, and it still hurts to chew. I have quite a few cavities (not bad enough to have to get shots though!) which tricare only pays half of, so we are going to have to do it in 4 visits to pay for it. I couldn't believe the estimate. Also, I have to get my wisdom teeth out, but I got a referral to Balboa, so I'm hoping we can get it done for free, yeah!

That was probably super boring information that you didn't want to know about me, but that's  my life, and that's what my blog is about : )

Happy Valentines Day!

Today is the first Valentines Day that my hubby and I get to spend together, and I am so excited!

Last year, Chris was at bootcamp for V-day, yuck. So I got to spend the day with another amazing man- my grandpa. Later that day I found out that Chris sent money to one of his friends, and she got me flowers and took me to the movies. hah he is so cute.

Isn't it unfortunate that valentines day falls on a Monday this year? I know a lot of people celebrated over the weekend.. We had a date night Saturday, but we are saving the rest of the celebrating for today. Since we went out for a veryy expensive dinner for my bday last month, we are having a home-cooked meal. A very special home-cooked meal at that. Penne a la vodka (one of my favorite Italian dishes, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out like the restaurants!) and asparagus, and little cream bites for dessert. And of course, champagne. Mmmmm.

I thought we weren't going to go overboard this valentines day since we have spent so much money in the past three months on holidays and plane tickets, but apparently I was wrong. I found him some gameboy games on ebay (thats one thing he does on his downtime during duty days lol) and a couple other surprises. I know that he put a lot of thought into what he got me and "I will never guess what it is." Only a few more hours until I find out, yay!

My heart goes out to all of you that have a deployed loved one- I know that holidays, especially Valentines Day, can make it even harder to be away.

I am so grateful to have such an amazing and loving man in my life <3

MWR financial counseling

Last week, the hubby and I went to an appointment with one of the financial counselors through the MWR. Since we had such a great experience, I thought I would share with you.

Here's a little preface:
The hubs and I will be married for a year at the end of March. He is 19, I am 20. We both came from single-income homes (translation- neither of us grew up with money). We both got a job from a young age. I payed for all my bills (which, with a horse, a car, cell phone, etc. added up) and when Chris and I met, he payed for everything that included us. We know what its like to live paycheck to paycheck, both inside the military and out. Since getting married, we have done a good job with managing our finances.. But now we have so many bills and responsibilities. So Chris and I had a talk about managing our money, and building credit, and decided to make an appointment with a financial counselor.

The day before our appointment, Chris and I sat down to fill out the budget we were required to fill in and bring with us. Since there are so many factors into our net income, (we are currently getting BAS, but that will be up in the next few months.. I'm not employed now, but hope to be in the next few months) I got frustrated and said that I didn't want to go because I am fully capable of making our own budget. Chris convinced me that it would be good to hear from an expert, so we went! Our appointment was with an awesome and hyper man named Kermit. We went through the budget, filling in how much money we had in all accounts, how much we spent on every little thing, how much our assets were worth. At the end, we found out that we accounted for all of our money- we were less than 1% off. It was the closest he had seen, and we were pretty surprised ourselves. He then talked to us about retirement planning, investing, and he even had some advice about credit and car shopping.
Kermit was so surprised and happy to see us- most of the people who come in are so far in debt that they can't find a way out. We have everything in order, and just wanted some reassurance. He told us about some seminars, asked us to do some research about retirement plans (like tsp), and come back to him in a few months.

Here's the best part: It is completely FREE. So even if you think you have everything in order, I still recommend that you take advantage of MWR financial counseling. If anything, you will walk out feeling reassured and with a few tips to make the best of your own money.

The Lost Valentine

How many people out there watched this tear-jerker of a movie last week?

As soon as I found out about the movie, I set the tv to dvr it, and the hubby and I watched it this weekend. I warned him that it would be a tear-jerker, but he said that he actually wanted to watch it.
If you didn't catch it, heres a quick synopsis (don't worry, I won't spoil anything. I hate when people do that!):
A young journalist gets assigned to film a piece about a WWII widow who sits at the train station every Valentines Day to wait for her missing in action husband and to keep her end of their promise. She was 19 years old when he left, and has been waiting for 60 years.
Sad movies can usually get a tear out of me, but this one had me bawlingg at the end. I can only imagine back in those days, hearing everyday that someone you know has lost their loved ones. Hearing everyday about young widows. Today, our men are still fighting a battle, but our country doesn't feel the same pride. It's sad. But thats a topic for another day. I don't even want to imagine what it would feel like to lose my husband.
I won't necessarily recommend it, because I don't know where you are at in your life. It might be a little too much to handle because your SO might be away, or it might hit a little too close to home.But if your ready for a good cry, go on ahead. I'm most likely going to get the book, so I will let you know how it is. Like they say, the books are always better than movies.

Day 30 - Your reflection in the mirror

Okay, I might have taken it a little too literally. lol
When I look in the mirror, I see a wife, a daughter, a friend, an aunt, a lover, and a fighter.
Some days I don't feel as pretty as others, some days I don't even want to look in the mirror, and other days I feel good about what I see. Either way, I'm comfortable in the skin I'm in.

On a side note- my sister had her baby boy on Saturday!! He is so precious!

This 30 days of me is now overrr.

Day 29 - Your dreams

My dreams are really simple. but... complicated at the same time. hah.

I dream of staying with my husband for the rest of my life... Out of my huge family, I have only seen two marriages last. So if I wasn't suck a hopeless romantic, I would be like my friend Katey and never want to get married.
I dream of having happy, healthy children running around that I gave birth to. My mom was told that she would never give birth, and I have already had complications that could make conceiving difficult. Not being able to have babies is one of my biggest fears in life.
I dream of having money, or 'being successful' as my hubby would put it. I don't dream of being rich, but I don't want to struggle paycheck to paycheck or have to worry about bills.
I dream of having a yellow house with a wrap-around white porch. I want my hubby and I to each have the cars that we want, and our kids to get to do whatever activity they decide.
I dream of having a horse again. This is my first time not being around horses, and I don't like it!
I dream of being able to find out what I want to do in life. In the future, I want to stay home with our kids until they go to school, but I want to have a career and an education before that.

I dream of the simple things in life- a happy family, a sucessful career, and love. So many people miss out on those things, and I don't want to be one of them.

Day 28 - Someone that changed your life

I have a similar answer for a lot of these, so they probably aren't very interesting.

I think I have said this before, but I let people impact me really easily. So most of the people who I have let get close to me have changed my life in some way. Since the hubby and I went to a financial counselor yesterday (will post about that later!) I think I am going to write about him once again. lol.

My mom raised me solo, and worked really hard in order to do so. When I was younger, she never let me know that we didn't have a lot of money, and always spoiled me. Even as I got older, my mom would drain her bank account just to make sure that we had a nice christmas like everyone else. I got my first job when I was 15.. I was only allowed to work one shift a week for a while because of my age, but by the time I was a senior in high school, I was working two jobs. I spent at least two hours on the bus a day and got less than 5 hours of sleep a night (and I am one of those people who can and will sleep 10 hours a day every single night!). I also ran cross country and took AP classes. When I met Chris, life was pretty rough. Not to mention the fact that I had no faith in men whatsoever. In college, I became the stereotypical poor college kid- I did nothing but work and do homework (except when I got to see Chris on the weekends). I never had to ask, but when something would go wrong with my car etc, Chris wouldn't even think of letting me pay for it.

It took some time, and we are not even all the way there yet, but Chris has shown me that he is not like 'other guys.' I trust my husband with my whole heart, and I know that he is different from other men. My mom and I had a conversation yesterday after talking about another couple we know, and we decided that not many men are comfortable with letting their wives stay at home. Chris is an exception- he has told me that since I have worked so hard, he is fine with letting me relax for a while. To show him my gratitude, I make sure that he always comes home to a clean house and has home cooked meals. I take my job has a house wife very seriously. I know it sounds funny, but its true!

Even though these past 6 months have been a blessing, I am ready to go back to work. Especially since I am asking Chris for a 'real wedding reception' and its going to be costly $$. I have been job searching for almost 3 months now, and with this economy, I don't know how much longer it will take!

"Why don't you have your wife bake something?"

I used to joke with Chris how I wanted to be the navy wife who was known for her awesome baking skills. It didn't take long, but I think I am getting there : )

Scenario 1: The hubs tells me that we got invited to go to a friends for the fight Saturday night.. but that I HAVE to bake something. Last weekend, I brought cookies to his housewarming party, and they were gone before I even got one.. I even saw people eating with one in each hand. lol.

Scenario 2: Later that night, Chris also tells me that he has a potluck on Friday for his chief that is leaving. When they asked what he was bringing he told them a bag of chips, and someone said, "Why don't you have your wife bake us something sweet?" After that, how can I not send something home-made? Plus, his chief has been so sweet to us.

Not to mention that we invited one of the guys that Chris works with over for dinner one night and he was pretty impressed.. I made him a good old southern meal, and he loved my sweet cornbread. Okay, enough bragging. Especially since I sent in my resume and some pictures for a 'cupcake assistant' job and didn't get it. AND I had an interview for a secretary position at an ad firm yesterday and didn't get that either. I feel so unqualified since everyone wants someone with experience. The hubby and I talked yesterday, and I am going to apply to restaurants until I go back to school in the fall. I can't be too choosy about where I work. ugh. Wish me luck! With both finding a job and figuring out what I want to go to school for : )