I'M BAAAACKKK! {With News}

Well, it's been over 4 months since I have written a blog post, not that I have that many followers dying to read about my life. But recent news has changed things and going back to blogging will help my family keep up with my husband and I. 

The NEWS:

(no we're not having a baby)

WE ARE MOVING.... to CALIFORNIA!

 

That's right, us Northerner's who moved to Virginia over a year ago are making a cross country trip to California, Northern California. As much as I am excited to start another chapter in our lives together (Hubby is going to A School, aka training), which means we get to explore California for FOUR MONTHS  (long enough for me & after four months, we hope to be stationed back on the East Coast!), I am terribly upset about leaving our apartment. This is the first place we called Ours, where we had our first Christmas as MR. & MRS, where we hosted our first HOLIDAY and where we made new friends that we will treasure forever. 

Easter/Spring picture of our Apartment

First Room Makeover

First Christmas as Mr & Mrs. 

First Snow Fall in Virginia
(aka. no one can drive)

First Holiday we Hosted!

First Baseball Game Together

First Memorial Day!

Our first, second and third Homecoming together <3

  I knew that when marrying my husband that this home would not be our only home, we will make each apartment/ house we move into our HOME, and although we are soon to be leaving this apartment that brought us many, many happy memories, it will always have a place in our hearts as our first home.

DIY: Bridal Shower Games

My soon-to-be sister-in-law's bridal shower in in a few weeks and since we will be going on vacation with our husband's (soon-to-be husband's) family, I needed to make these bridal shower games asap! 

So, the bridal party decided to do these two games:

Bridal shower Bingo 

He said...She said

I made both of these games in Microsoft Word!

For the HE SAID..SHE SAID, I used text boxes with free downloaded fonts!

And then added the lips and mustache and mason jar pictures to them.

For the Bridal Shower Bingo, I used the square image to make the boxes.

Then added text boxes and the mason jar pictures.

Since the theme is rustic/country we decided on the mason jar theme!

They are very easy to make and once I learn how to allow you guys to download these I will put them on! But, until then you can practice making them on your own! 

Good luck!

And Happy Friday! :)

Our Disney World & Universal Trip!!

I've been MIA for the past seven days because my husband and I have been in Orlando Florida!! Where we celebrated our first year of marriage at Disney World and Universal Resorts! It was so much fun! So much fun that we didn't want to leave!! Here is our trip in pictures.

Here are a few pictures of our trip!

Monday we spend the day at Island's of Adventure...Harry Potter World! I have been waiting to go forever! Tuesday, we went to Animal Kingdom in the morning and at night we went to Epcot! It was extremely fun to walk around and see all the cool "countries" and attractions. Wednesday, we went to Universal Studios! My husband went on Fear Factor Live and actually won the whole thing! It was pretty exciting to watch it all! Thursday, we spend the day at Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney at night! It was so different being adult and actually visiting! Since the last time I was only 5 years old! It was so different! But I think I liked the fact that I am actually able to remember everything now. And for our last day we spent it at Hollywood Studios. It was actually quite cool to see all the movie rides and meet "Minnie Mouse!" Saturday we flew home, it was very sad to leave! We went from 95 degree weather to 65! Ugh!! We are already wanting to go back, but not for a while! 

If you plan on going, I suggest PLEASE PLAN A LOT IN ADVANCE. My husband and I planned our whole trip in NINE days! HA! Yeah that was a mistake, but being military we got some good deals on tickets. So if you are military make sure to check out your MWR office. 

Hope everyone had a great week!!

 This weekend coming up we are going home for my bestfriends wedding. 

Pictures to come!!

Tampa Homecoming #2!!

Sunday March 24th, 2013. This was the day I've been waiting for, for about FIFTY SIX DAYS! I have only been able to communicate with my husband through email and the occasional phone calls on port calls. This day has finally come! 

My friend and I waited in the windy cold weather for about an hour to finally be able to see our husbands. We watched the boat pull in slowly and watched them tie it down even more slower!

After waiting and waiting we finally got to rush down the pier and find our hubby's! We all climbed aboard since it was soo freezing outside! 

 The hubby and I! We couldn't let go of each other!! All I wanted to do was hug and kiss him all over his face! I missed him soo much!!

A few of the other couples that were as excited as I was seeing their husbands! We get two months of them being home!! Although, they are working soo much the first two weeks that they are here. Then they give the boat to another crew. And NO DUTY DAYS!

So, now that the hubby is home, he is currently at work. He has duty today and I am home sick. I feel like I am getting a fever, I have a sore throat and my ear is itchy! Also, the first night we got home we went out to dinner and after we ate I felt so sick to my stomach. I will be cuddled up on the couch all day!! Tomorrow my in laws are coming for the weekend and for Easter! 

Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

-Alison <3

It's that kind of Monday...

Well I hate saying goodbyes, see you later, talk to you....sometime? As a military wife I go through continuous hello and goodbyes. Every other two months I watch my husband leave and watch him come home. Today is one of those days of sadness where you realize..you don't know when you will hear his voice again, you have no idea where he is, and you WILL be sleeping alone tonight.

Our Last Picture Together For Awhile!!

So, since the hubs is going to be missing Valentines day, I sent him on the boat with a box filled with goodies! I sure hope he waits until Valentine's Day to open it!!

 

The box includes:

Cheez-its; the hubs favorite, sweet-tarts, sour patch kids, reeses pieces, m&m's, skittles, a box of chocolates, an owl cookie lollipop, red bull, lindor truffles, boot socks, and a message in the bottle. And of course a valentine's card. The box is decorated with scrapbook paper, coastie quotes and valentine stickers, along with some personal pictures from when we were in NYC. Hopefully he enjoys all the goodies inside!! <3

If your hubby or loved one is spending Valentine's day away from you here are a few ideas!
Fourteen Days of Valentine's 
Date in a Jar

something other than flowers for him. 

APARTMENT ESSENTIALS!

So, recently I've been asked to post the things that have made my life so much easier having in our first apartment. There are a few things that have made life great and things that I think that one person can not live without in their apartment. 

 

First, if you are a newlywed and was not able to have that big huge wedding and was not able to have a bridal shower. Ask your mom or mother-in-law if it is possibly to have a tiny bridal shower with direct family. THIS WILL HELP YOU A BUNCH! 

1. Our couch set- Although it was not given to us completely. My god father gave a check which paid for more than half of the set. Having couches in an apartment is very important. It is the place were you sit and enjoy company and they are the beds if you do not have a spare room. We got our set from a store called "Big Lots." Costing us a grand total of $600 for the SET! Which is cheap.

2. Bathroom accessories- This is not an absolute essential and they do not need to be expensive. But since my mother and mother in law threw me a bridal shower, I was able to get my ENTIRE bathroom set, including towels, shower curtain, rugs, and pictures. My set was from Bed Bath & Beyond. Total- A LOT!

3. Pots and Pans-  Having these have made life absolutely so much easier. We have used these every single day. Must have. My set is easy to clean, non stick and Calphalon. Cost- $200

4. Washer & Dryer- BEST THINGS WE HAVE BOUGHT! We had been using our friends for a couple weeks, but finally bought our own. We bought matching top-loading washer and the dryer. We got ours from Lowes with our military discount costing us $1153.

5.Canisters- Holds sugar, flour, pasta, brown sugar, powder sugar, coffee beans, they are great space savers. This is one of the main things that we wanted from our registry. They leave all these items open to you, so you do not have to leave them in a closet, and can access them $20 at Bed Bath Beyond.

Another thing, at my bridal shower for our wishing well we were given cleaning supplies. The best decision that we did. We were given a vacuum, a swiffer wet-jet and TONS of cleaning supplies.

Bridal Shower

So a couple of weeks before we moved into our apartment, my mom and mother-in-law threw me a bridal shower. Which my husband and I are so thankful for! We received so many gifts, ranging from a microwave to pots and pans to our kitchen table to our kitchen set! The only things we needed to buy were our couches, coffee/end tables and our tv! So we are so thankful. We had the party on the day of race weekend, BAD IDEA! The traffic from New Jersey to my house was backed up for a few hours! Thankfully almost everyone arrived. We ate and played games and a few people won prizes. It was something i was glad we did since my husband and I got married in the courthouse.

Virginia Beach!!

So we actually don't live that far from Virginia Beach. We go a lot actually for it being the middle of September, but we both have been sick. First him with strep and now me with a sinus infection! But Conner recently bought a surf board and is learning to surf, so he likes to drag me to the beach a lot but I DO NOT MIND! 

We bought beach chairs and an umbrella my first trip down to Virginia and we use them a lot! It's been really hot down here, in the 90's!  

OUR FIRST APARTMENT!

After waiting four months after being apart, we finally moved into our apartment. It is 6 hours from where we live. But it is in a great community, we have a few couples that are from Conner's boat living in our community. Our apartment is decorated and ready for the fall! I will post pictures when it is completely done! 

Living away from home for the first time is very different, its a switch. Finally growing up and getting into the grown up world! Bills to pay and money to make! And soon I'll be doing it alone for a few months. Lot's of crafts will be made!

Becoming a MilSo:

Our story: my boyfriend at the time, left for boot camp on Feb. 28th 2012, his graduation date would be April 20, 2012. We got engaged TWO WEEKS before the graduation and married the day after. April 21st, 2012. And from there our fun began!