If you haven't seen Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution--you need to! It's on Fridays at 9/8c on ABC. He's fighting the tough battle of getting the processed, unhealthy foods out of schools and replacing them with nutritious, homemade school lunches. After the TV series is finished, Jamie and his team (one of the exec. producers being Ryan Seacrest) will be taking a petition to D.C. in hopes of waking the government up to this massive issue and demanding change. Take 2 seconds to sign the petition and fight childhood obesity. The show is awesome and Jamie's cause is worth supporting; this generation of children is the first in history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Sad, right? Sure, the government budget is tight, but the health of our nation is crucial and worthy of being a priority. Right now healthy foods are far more expensive than processed junk--let's change that! Seriously though, at the very least, watch the show--it's inspiring!
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The Military Wife
Wanted to share this ....it is so truthful, and very touching...
Lots of moving... Moving... Moving... Moving far from home... Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course. Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house; Moving curtains that won't fit; Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours. Moving away from friends; Moving toward new friends; Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.
Often waiting... Waiting... Waiting... Waiting for housing. Waiting for orders. Waiting for deployments. Waiting for phone calls. Waiting for reunions. Waiting for the new curtains to arrive. Waiting for him to come home, For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better: She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book; Handle the yard work; Fix a noisy toilet; Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts. She can file the taxes; Sell a house; Buy a car; Or set up a move... .....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her. She reinvents her career with every PCS; Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south. And learns to call them all 'home'. She MAKES them all home.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty... They leap into: Decorating, Leadership, Volunteering, Career alternatives, Churches, And friendships. They don't have 15 years to get to know people. Their roots are short but flexible. They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other: They connect over coffee, Rely on the spouse network, Accept offers of friendship and favors. Record addresses in pencil...
Military Wives have a common bond: The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique. He doesn't have a 'JOB' He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit... He's on-call for his country 24/7. But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town! His language is foreign TDY PCS OPR SOS ACC BDU ACU BAR CIB TAD And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his. She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments: She wants to wring his neck; Dye his uniform pink; Refuse to move to Siberia; But she pulls herself together. Give her a few days, A travel brochure, A long hot bath, A pledge to the flag, A wedding picture
And she goes. She packs. She moves. She follows.
Why? What for? How come? You may think it is because she has lost her mind. But actually it is because she has lost her heart. It was stolen from her by a man, Who puts duty first, Who longs to deploy, Who salutes the flag, And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, She will remain his military wife. And would have it no other way.
Lots of moving... Moving... Moving... Moving far from home... Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course. Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house; Moving curtains that won't fit; Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours. Moving away from friends; Moving toward new friends; Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.
Often waiting... Waiting... Waiting... Waiting for housing. Waiting for orders. Waiting for deployments. Waiting for phone calls. Waiting for reunions. Waiting for the new curtains to arrive. Waiting for him to come home, For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better: She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book; Handle the yard work; Fix a noisy toilet; Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts. She can file the taxes; Sell a house; Buy a car; Or set up a move... .....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her. She reinvents her career with every PCS; Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south. And learns to call them all 'home'. She MAKES them all home.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty... They leap into: Decorating, Leadership, Volunteering, Career alternatives, Churches, And friendships. They don't have 15 years to get to know people. Their roots are short but flexible. They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other: They connect over coffee, Rely on the spouse network, Accept offers of friendship and favors. Record addresses in pencil...
Military Wives have a common bond: The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique. He doesn't have a 'JOB' He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit... He's on-call for his country 24/7. But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town! His language is foreign TDY PCS OPR SOS ACC BDU ACU BAR CIB TAD And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his. She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments: She wants to wring his neck; Dye his uniform pink; Refuse to move to Siberia; But she pulls herself together. Give her a few days, A travel brochure, A long hot bath, A pledge to the flag, A wedding picture
And she goes. She packs. She moves. She follows.
Why? What for? How come? You may think it is because she has lost her mind. But actually it is because she has lost her heart. It was stolen from her by a man, Who puts duty first, Who longs to deploy, Who salutes the flag, And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, She will remain his military wife. And would have it no other way.
The Past 30 Days: A Novella
What a crazy, crazy month!
My good friend and college roommate, Ashley, came to visit in late March and we had a blast. She and I spent a night on the Riverwalk in San Antonio enjoying some good shopping, food, and nightlife. She also got to see a drop night, eat at a taco stand (no kidding, the best food in Del Rio comes from those shady-looking little roadside stands), and learn how to two step at Club Arriba! (another entertaining establishment, featuring an amusing variety of music- regular rotations of top 40 hip-hop/club hits, George Strait, and Mexican Cumbia.) The three of us had a lot of fun making fools of ourselves on the dance floor--but not before participating in some high-quality two-stepping lessons in our dining room via YouTube. Hey, it's the small things...
Speaking of good food and entertainment, we have two new places in Del Rio! This may not seem like news, but it is. Trust me. We have a new Mexican restaurant in town called Manuel's Steakhouse. Yes, we were shocked to see YET ANOTHER Mexican restaurant joining the ranks, but this one is different. We are told they cook food in a style more typical of what you'd find in the interior of Mexico--what native Mexicans here call "more proper" Mexican. We didn't expect to taste a difference, having fairly uneducated palates in the way of Mexican cuisine, but it was unreal. SOOO delicious. And then there's the Veranda, this really cute little wine and beer garden owned by the nicest couple. We've gone there a few Saturday evenings to sit and have a glass of wine by a campfire after dinner. The owners occasionally bring out snacks and other goodies for their guests to try, usually made by themselves or a family member, and they are always so friendly and hospitable.
For Easter, we went to Brenham to see Grandpa and Grandma Miller, and as always, had a relaxing time and ate ourselves silly. The Blue Bonnets were also in full bloom, so we went on a little photo tour. Texans are crazy--cars are parked all over the freeways while people climb up the hills alongside the road to take pictures in the flowers. As you can imagine, the police have a heyday with this.
Eric tracked to T-1s on April 5. UPT IS HALFWAY DONE!!!! He's since experienced a couple simulators and several classes on the systems in the T-1--juuuuust enough exposure so far to render him completely overwhelmed with information once again. And so, here we are...back to the "sleep, work, eat, study, repeat" routine. Since I started working full time and our schedules are a little staggered, time together (well, when we're conscious) is minimal. So, Saturdays we make sure we still know each other's names, birthdates, etc., you know--the pertinent stuff--and then we pass out. No seriously, lately, we've been taking naps of epic proportions on the weekends. Last Saturday morning Eric volunteered to work a triathalon-type race and I had to take some of our students to a community event, so we were both up and out the door by 7am. Yep, on a Saturday. We both got home around 10:30am, decided breakfast could wait till after our "quick nap" and ended up rejoining the living around 4pm. It. was. glorious. (READ: reason #527 why we do not plan on having children ANY time soon--we thoroughly and shamelessly value copious amounts of sleep.) We're also BOTH singing in the Praise Team at church almost every Sunday, which has been a lot of fun, and another great opportunity to spend time together doing something we enjoy.
I started my job on March 22, and it's been AWESOME. I teach in the middle school three days/week and work on other projects at the office Mondays and Fridays. The people are great, the organization is inspiring, and the kids are so much fun! Working full-time takes a little getting used to, though. I have come to treasure my morning cup of caffeinated coffee, which was definitely not a daily thing for me before. But, even though the end of a week brings exhaustion, it's a great feeling to love what I'm doing and to wake up every morning looking forward to the day. And, being the hyper-organized person that I am, having a solid routine for the first time in 8 months is as equally exciting to me as the job itself. :)
As far as exciting things coming up, we're saving for a car and will hopefully have another set of wheels in the driveway by mid June. (Although, the amount of time Eric spends excitedly scouring AutoTrader, you'd think we were buying next week...). We're enjoying having such a fun goal to work towards. I'll also be going home for a weekend to see my dad's graduation next month and am SO SO SO looking forward to spending time with my family--it feels like it's been forever.
We hope all is well with you and yours...to those of you whose weddings/showers/birthday parties we've missed--we send our congratulations and love; know that even though we can't be there, we're thinking of you!
xoxo
My good friend and college roommate, Ashley, came to visit in late March and we had a blast. She and I spent a night on the Riverwalk in San Antonio enjoying some good shopping, food, and nightlife. She also got to see a drop night, eat at a taco stand (no kidding, the best food in Del Rio comes from those shady-looking little roadside stands), and learn how to two step at Club Arriba! (another entertaining establishment, featuring an amusing variety of music- regular rotations of top 40 hip-hop/club hits, George Strait, and Mexican Cumbia.) The three of us had a lot of fun making fools of ourselves on the dance floor--but not before participating in some high-quality two-stepping lessons in our dining room via YouTube. Hey, it's the small things...
Speaking of good food and entertainment, we have two new places in Del Rio! This may not seem like news, but it is. Trust me. We have a new Mexican restaurant in town called Manuel's Steakhouse. Yes, we were shocked to see YET ANOTHER Mexican restaurant joining the ranks, but this one is different. We are told they cook food in a style more typical of what you'd find in the interior of Mexico--what native Mexicans here call "more proper" Mexican. We didn't expect to taste a difference, having fairly uneducated palates in the way of Mexican cuisine, but it was unreal. SOOO delicious. And then there's the Veranda, this really cute little wine and beer garden owned by the nicest couple. We've gone there a few Saturday evenings to sit and have a glass of wine by a campfire after dinner. The owners occasionally bring out snacks and other goodies for their guests to try, usually made by themselves or a family member, and they are always so friendly and hospitable.
For Easter, we went to Brenham to see Grandpa and Grandma Miller, and as always, had a relaxing time and ate ourselves silly. The Blue Bonnets were also in full bloom, so we went on a little photo tour. Texans are crazy--cars are parked all over the freeways while people climb up the hills alongside the road to take pictures in the flowers. As you can imagine, the police have a heyday with this. Eric tracked to T-1s on April 5. UPT IS HALFWAY DONE!!!! He's since experienced a couple simulators and several classes on the systems in the T-1--juuuuust enough exposure so far to render him completely overwhelmed with information once again. And so, here we are...back to the "sleep, work, eat, study, repeat" routine. Since I started working full time and our schedules are a little staggered, time together (well, when we're conscious) is minimal. So, Saturdays we make sure we still know each other's names, birthdates, etc., you know--the pertinent stuff--and then we pass out. No seriously, lately, we've been taking naps of epic proportions on the weekends. Last Saturday morning Eric volunteered to work a triathalon-type race and I had to take some of our students to a community event, so we were both up and out the door by 7am. Yep, on a Saturday. We both got home around 10:30am, decided breakfast could wait till after our "quick nap" and ended up rejoining the living around 4pm. It. was. glorious. (READ: reason #527 why we do not plan on having children ANY time soon--we thoroughly and shamelessly value copious amounts of sleep.) We're also BOTH singing in the Praise Team at church almost every Sunday, which has been a lot of fun, and another great opportunity to spend time together doing something we enjoy.
I started my job on March 22, and it's been AWESOME. I teach in the middle school three days/week and work on other projects at the office Mondays and Fridays. The people are great, the organization is inspiring, and the kids are so much fun! Working full-time takes a little getting used to, though. I have come to treasure my morning cup of caffeinated coffee, which was definitely not a daily thing for me before. But, even though the end of a week brings exhaustion, it's a great feeling to love what I'm doing and to wake up every morning looking forward to the day. And, being the hyper-organized person that I am, having a solid routine for the first time in 8 months is as equally exciting to me as the job itself. :)
As far as exciting things coming up, we're saving for a car and will hopefully have another set of wheels in the driveway by mid June. (Although, the amount of time Eric spends excitedly scouring AutoTrader, you'd think we were buying next week...). We're enjoying having such a fun goal to work towards. I'll also be going home for a weekend to see my dad's graduation next month and am SO SO SO looking forward to spending time with my family--it feels like it's been forever.
We hope all is well with you and yours...to those of you whose weddings/showers/birthday parties we've missed--we send our congratulations and love; know that even though we can't be there, we're thinking of you!
xoxo
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