Day 23-Favorite vacation

So far my favorite vacation was this past March when we went to San Diego, CA. 'We' included myself, my husband, my parents, my mom's two sisters and my cousin. Even though it was colder than normal when we went, I just loved it there. First of all, I'm a big fan of west coast/southwest architecture, so I loved when we visited the older parts of town. And even though I'm not really into laying out or swimming, I do enjoy visiting the beach. It was just a nice relaxing vacation. And good quality family time. It was our last trip before E was born, so I think fondly of the days when we traveled sans car seat, stroller, play pen, diapers, bottles, etc. etc. etc. Here's some pics from our trip, enjoy!

I don't know what this pier was called, but it was verrrrrrrrryyyyyy long, and we were high above the ocean!

Hubby and me at the zoo!


This was outside of our condo for the week.

At the historic Hotel del Coronado.




I had just gotten my new camera, so I was testing it by taking pics outside the condo. Isn't it pretty?!

Day 22-What's in your makeup bag

I used to really be into makeup in high school and college, but over the past couple of years I let it get away from me. Now that I'm a mom I have to be careful to not 'let myself go', so I'm trying to get all gussied up more often. :)

Overall I love MAC makeup. Yes, it's expensive, but it lasts sooooooooo long. And since it's high quality you don't have to use as much as the drugstore brands to get the same effect. Besides, I usually stock up at a local outlet store that sells it for 25-30% less than department stores. So what I normally wear is the following:

Concealer
Liquid Foundation
Powder Foundation
Eyeshadow (which is my favorite part! I love creating new combinations of colors and the different effect they have on my appearance.)
Mascara

I do not like lipstick. Never have. It just feels so dry and cakey. IF I wear something on my lips besides chapstick, it's gloss. And I only wear blush on very rare occasions. Here's a pic so you can see my work ;)

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Wow, whoever created this challenge thing must be a picture person. Let's see if I can find a recent picture I like...

Well, that was more difficult than I thought. There are only 2-3 pics of me alone since E was born, and I'm not really liking any of them! So I will grace you with a picture of me 7.5 months pregnant, during our trip to San Diego last year:

Day 20-Nicknames

Let's see, we'll start at the top. My first name is Deanna. Since birth, the majority of my family members have called me 'De-de'. My Dad takes it a step further with 'De-de-bee' or sometimes just 'Bee'. My uncle who died when I was about 11 called me 'De-de-bych'. Don't know how that started, and I really don't remember it. My Grandmother told me that several years later.

In middle/high school most of my friends called me 'Dee'. During college most people referred to me by my real name, with the sporadic 'Dee' here and there.

Occassionally my sorority sisters will refer to me as 'Panty Girl' but that is an inside joke that I will not explain on this blog :)

My hubby and I have many nicknames for each other. He first called me 'Mimi', short for my middle name (Camille). Most days it is 'Babe', but others have included: 'Muffin', 'Muff', 'Muff-butt' and 'Mama'.

I will add, that I've never told family, friends, etc. to call me anything. When I meet new people, I tell them my real name. Should they choose to give me a nickname, I'll usually respond to it. I haven't come across any crazy ones, yet!

Day 19-Something you miss

Right now? That would be my husband, for sure! He was here over Christmas and left on New Year's Day. So, it's only been about 4 weeks, and we've been apart for longer, but I think most would agree that it's normal to miss your spouse for any amount of separation!

In general, I would say that I miss high school. I was with my HS friends this weekend and we were reminiscing. O.M.G. did we have fun. We were generally good kids - we were involved in extra-curriculars, got good grades and didn't get involved in drugs or other destructive behavior. But we definitely had our moments of mischief. And we were ALWAYS together. We were in all the same classes, played sports and were in the same school clubs. If that wasn't enough we had sleepovers just about every weekend. Those four years really did fly by. And next summer will mark 10 years since we graduated. I can't believe it was that long ago, because it really feels like just yesterday. And yesterday was a good day :)

Day 18-Something you regret

Ohhhhh, there are lots of these! I try to live my life without regrets, but I am human - it happens! But one thing I definitely regret is two-fold: I wish I had minored in Spanish and that I had studied abroad.

I took Spanish all four years in high school and for two semesters in college. I would have taken more classes, but I reached the maximum level for language courses - everything else was about art, history, culture, etc. Looking back, I wish I would have just taken the extra 2-3 classes I would have needed to finish a minor. I love the language and well as the cultures of Hispanics around the world. I wanted to study abroad over the summer after my freshman year, but my mom was NOT supportive of that. I'm sure the idea of me being in Mexico or Spain for 2 months was scary, so I don't fault her for being resistant. But I do fault myself for not pursuing it further or doing it during the other two summers of my college years. I was really good at the language, but was at the point that I needed to be immersed in the Spanish-speaking world to become fluent. Now, I'm so far removed from my classes and practice at speaking it, that I would have to start all over again.

I do plan on getting back into it eventually. I started taking classes again at the local university, but it was the summer before my wedding, and I had some work trips scheduled that made it pointless to continue. But one day my friends (or should I say 'Un dia, mis amigos'?) I WILL get back into the language I love, and I WILL be fluent!

Gotta love bureaucracy

So E is 8 months old. I never received a social security card for her. Now I know I have let far too much time go by before looking into this. But once I started the process, I did my due diligence and it still wasn't enough.

After verifying with social security that a number was issued to her, I checked out the website. I called the social security Q&A line to make sure I had all necessary paperwork, IDs, etc. to get a replacement card in person.

Today I got up extra early to make sure I was at the office as soon as it opened. I had heard horror stories of people waiting for hours at the SS office, so I didn't want to chance it. Fortunately, I was 4th in line, and after about a 5 minute wait, I was called to the window.

I had my drivers license, E's birth certificate and immunization record - everything I needed, or so I thought. Apparently because E's shot record was hand written and not typed they could not accept it as proof of ID. I was also informed that health insurance cards could be used to prove her identification, as long as her name was on it. Well, I'm a new military wife, so we're now on TRI-care. When I called TRI-care a few weeks ago about getting our insurance card, I was informed that my military ID will suffice as proof of coverage and they don't issue cards. Sigh.

Now, had I known that 1) her shot records would not be accepted and 2) that my old health insurance card would have worked I would have gone to the office several weeks ago, when I was still on the plan with my former employer. Unfortunately, I'm way too busy this week tying up loose ends to make a trip to the DMV to get a state-ID for E, and then go back to the SS office to get a replacement card for her.

Fortunately, I did get a temporary print-out, so at least I have her SSN and it is a valid replacement card for 30 days. Unfortunately, I will eventually have to brave the SS office again, and pray that I have what I need. Hopefully they won't change any regulations between now and then - but we are talking about the government here...

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

5.9.2011

E's first birthday. I'm being very optimistic that either we'll make lots of friends in our new city over the next few months OR we'll be able to go home sometime in the weeks after her actual birthday. Because I am ITCHING to plan a party. Although I don't believe in going all out for a baby that won't even remember it, I am an event planner by profession. So I'm going to start planning for a party. I'd rather have details together and not do something, than vice versa. Besides, it will give me something to do during the day, while helping me work on my goal of getting back in touch with my Martha Stewart side. So, trust me, there will be posts with ideas, plans, and most importantly, pics, in the weeks and months to follow. Let the planning begin!

Day 16-Dream house

I started to create an elaborate post with lots of pics of my dream home. But, considering we won't be ready to buy for at least another 5-10 years, I honestly haven't thought much of my dream home. Now, I love watching HGTV, especially House Hunters, Property Virgin, My First Place, etc. So I definitely know what I like and don't like. But I haven't actually put time into thinking about what I would want for my first home and/or dream home. Because it's so far down the road, who knows if we'll buy a starter home and work our way up, or if we just wait until we're able to purchase/buy exactly what we want? To me, the most important thing about my home is that my family is there waiting on me.

Day 15-Bible verse

Woo-hoo! Halfway through the challenge!

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version, ©2010)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I love this verse because I am a planner. I like to know my next move in life, and the 12 moves after that. But this reminds me that I don't need to plan everything out, because God has plans for me, which are far better than any plans I have for myself.

Day 14-A picture you love

Our first professional pic as a family when E was about 5-6 weeks old. Love it!

Day 13-Goals

I have a lot of goals, so I'll separate this into different categories.

Health:
To lose at least 15 pounds and subsequently maintain a healthy lifestyle. I've lost weight before but I always revert back to bad eating habits and stop working out after reaching my goal. I want to change my attitude from trying to just lose weight to eating healthy and staying active. Now that E is here, I want to be a good example for her. I'm picky about what she eats, and realize that if I change my diet, then it will be easier to wean her to table food, because I won't be making separate meals for her.

Personal:
When I was a kid/teenager, I loved arts and crafts and baking. I want to get back into these hobbies, because they're an easy stress-reliever. Plus, when we move, I think it will help my emotional well-being to have something fun to do by myself. However, I'll have to be careful with the baking, because that could derail me reaching my health goals!

Career:
I want to start my own event-planning business. In college I first learned about the industry and gave myself until the age of 30 to get started. After having worked in meeting/event planning for an association for 3 years, I'm more determined to start my own company. So I've got about 2.75 years left to reach this one ~ the clock is ticking!

Your Three Words

In 7 days I'll be preparing for a 3-flight journey with my 8 month old baby. (trying not to hyperventilate thinking about it...) At the end of our trek, we'll be reunited with my husband, finally. While I'm excited to leave the frigid cold and to be with the Mr. I have to admit I'm sad to leave. I lived my entire life, with the exception of one year in grad school, in northern Ohio. My family's here, most of my friends are here, and it's just home. I so look forward to the adventure of moving away, while we're young and before E is in school. But I'm soliciting your prayers and well-wishes because I know it will be a HUGE transition.

For now I've been focused on spending time with my peeps and getting any last-minute moving errands completed. But I know when I actually get to the airport, it will hit me. After next week, Ohio will probably never be my home again.

Day 12-What you believe

I believe in God.
I believe in Jesus Christ.
I believe in the Holy Spirit.

I believe that Jesus is the son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins. I believe that three days later He rose from the grave. I believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in all Christians to guide us in our spiritual walk, until Jesus comes again.

Day 11-Favorite tv shows

I'm a TV junkie, and I'm trying to work on cutting back. Buuuuuuuuuttttt, since you asked, here they are!

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I don't get people that don't like this show. I have found so many similarities in some of the characters with people I used to work with. And I just love Jim and Pam.




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I think I like this show because it makes me thankful that I had my daughter after graduating high school and college and getting married. I'm so glad I don't have to struggle with school and minimum wage jobs, because just taking care of her is stressful enough.



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Is it bad that I usually feel hungry when watching this show? :)


And I hate to admit it...

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Yes, I watch Jersey Shore! I think they are characters and I laugh at it like a sitcom. I do think it's kind of creepy though that Mike and Pauly are hovering around 30. Weird!

Ok, so obviously I'm a reality show addict. There's more shows I watch, but those are the ones I make a point to see every week.

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Woo-hoo! 30 % done with the 30-day challenge!

I'm not afraid to say what I fear most: death.

I've always had issues with death, even when I was a kid. I'm a Christian, so ultimately I believe I'll go to Heaven when I die. But what I've always wondered is how the transition to the afterlife will feel. What does it feel like to take your last breath and for your heart to stop? Yes, it's very morbid thinking, but I honestly can't help it.

Now that I'm a mother, there is a new twist to this fear of mine. I hate the idea of leaving E to grow up without her mom. And of course I want to be around to watch her grow up.

I'm hoping that in time, this fear will diminish, but considering how long I've been dealing with it, I highly doubt it. Fortunately, it's not all-consuming and doesn't prevent me from living my life. But every few days, it reappears, usually as I'm trying to fall asleep. Maybe it will pass me by tonight...

Day 9-A picture of your friends

I'm admitting this ahead of time. These pictures were stolen from facebook!

Here's a picture of me and my friends from high school:
My friend Mary was missing - she's a lawyer living in Colorado.

Here's a picture of me and a bunch of my sorority sisters, as well as one of my college roommates and her mom:
And lastly, here is my friend Ashley, who I met when we sold Mary Kay! lol


This is sad. All of the most recent pictures with my friends are while I was pregnant. Ah well...guess that means I'm due for a girls' night soon!

I feel violated.

Over the weekend, a couple people mentioned to me that they're following me. That's great! Or, is it? To give you an idea of how I felt when they told me, let's use this example:

Let's say you frequently change clothes in your room while the blinds on your window are open. Now you know there is a possibility that someone could see you, but you do it anyway. Then one day a neighbor mentions to you 'Hey, I saw you changing your clothes the other day'. Even though you knew there was always a chance of that happening, wouldn't you still feel a little self-conscious?

I've only been on this journey for a week or so now. But my friends made me realize that there are people out there reading what I have to say. I started wondering what they thought of previous posts. Do they think I'm funny? stupid? obviously bored? At that moment I had to remind myself of this post. I'm doing this for me. No matter how others feel about my posts, I'm going to keep at it.

So, to any of my 'followers' out there, keep on reading, you peeping toms ;)

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

Okay, I don't like this one. It's not specific enough. I've traveled A LOT. I usually have at least one family vacation a year, and I used to travel quite often with my job. So I'll make this easier for myself. This is the place I traveled to most recently:

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That is a picture of the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. We were there last month for my hubby's Basic Training graduation. It was a nice city, but due to his limited off-base privileges, we didn't see much of it. I'd like to go back someday.

Day 7-Favorite movies

Let's do one for each category, shall we?

Drama:


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There are so many sad parts to this movie, but I love how his life experiences relate to the game questions.

Romance:


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I loved this movie in high school. There are bits of corniness, but that is to be expected from a film produced by MTV. It's so cute how they grow up as next door neighbors with a love-hate relationship but end up together in the end. Sorry if I ruined the ending for you, but um, it's over 10 years old - if you haven't seen it yet, you weren't going to!

Chick-flick:

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Honestly, ladies - do I even have to explain why I love this movie? I still cry when Sally Fields has a meltdown after the funeral. EVERY TIME.

Comedy:

Two words. Will Ferrell. Any and all of them. Please and thank you.

Teen Flick:

I created that category, because I had to fit this in somewhere:





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Yes, I'm a TWI-HARD! hahahaha. And for the record, I'm Team Jacob.

That was fun; now I'm in the mood for movie night!

Your Three Words

I've been following Jenni from the Blog for a while and she participates in this blogging challenge. Basically, once a week you describe something going on in your life - in three words. I thought I'd start joining in! So here's my first 'Your Three Words' post:


I've hinted previously about a pending move. My daughter and I will be trekking cross-country to join my husband. So I've got to pack up the remainder of our things that are not in storage because the movers are coming next week. Because it could take 10-14 days for our things to arrive at our new place there's a 2 week gap between the day the movers come and she and I get on a plane. So I have to pack up her highchair, pack n play, changing table, etc. But we're not leaving for another 2 weeks, so I have to leave enough clothes and diapers, and the like. This should be fun...

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Oh, this is ridiculously easy:


Now, I bet you're smiling too. :)

First birthday dilemma...

E will turn one in May. Yes, I'm already thinking about her first birthday. I've been following some party bloggers lately looking for ideas. Here's my dilemma:

E and I will be moving cross-country to join her father in a couple weeks. At the time of her birthday, we'll be living in another state - far from family and current friends.

So, if you're out there blog readers, what would you do? I want to celebrate her birthday somehow, but I doubt we will have a traditional party, considering we won't have anyone to invite! Ideas needed!

Day 5-Your favorite recipes

My favorite recipes are easy. I especially love crockpot recipes, 'cause you can just throw it in and forget it.

Breakfast

Ok, so I haven't actually made these, but they're on my list of new things to try.

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls

Lunch

Taco Baked Potatoes. You bake potatoes (some people use the microwave, but I think when you actually bake it, there's better flavor) at 400 degrees for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, brown some ground beef, turkey, chicken - whatever you prefer - and add taco seasoning. Top the baked potatoes with the ground meat. Add salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, ranch dressing etc. There's really no wrong way to do it.

Dinner

Salsa Chicken

courtesy of sparkpeople.com

Dessert

Cake Mix Cookies. Yes, they are as easy as they sound.

courtesy of food.com

Mmmm, now I'm hungry...

Day 4-Your parents

Can I just say it? My parentals are awesome.

First we have Mom.


She taught me how to be a bargain shopper and to balance a budget. She is great at speaking in public (thankfully she gave me that gene) and is a master proofreader.

But most importantly, my mom is a caretaker. When people are going through a difficult time, she is there to help them. That includes visiting the sick, making food for the bureaved, making a call to those who are depressed, writing letters to the imprisoned, and praying for all of them and everyone in between. She is always willing to listen to others' problems and pray on their behalf. And I truly admire her for that.

And then we have Dad:


Mr. Fix-it. His father was a carpenter and taught him a lot of skills. My dad and his brothers assisted my grandfather in building their family home. He was also 'the sports parent'. He came to most, if not all of my games. Dad actually watched me play and gave me pointers afterwards. (as opposed to mom, who mostly chit-chatted with the other moms and occasionally waved to prove her attendance ;)

I am in awe of his wealth of Biblical knowledge and dedication to his church. Although my Dad was raised in church, as a young adult he abandoned the Christian lifestyle. When I was about 6-7, he renewed his faith in God and hasn't looked back since. He was recently ordained as a deacon, and I am so proud of how seriously he takes this role.

And lastly, the parental unit:



They have just always been there for me. Period. No questions asked. When I got married, they adopted my husband as another son. My mom quit working several years ago, and after I had E, she became our full-time babysitter. And recently they let me and the little one move in while hubby completed boot camp.

They raised me in a loving, supportive home and gave me the gift of a Christian upbringing. For that, I will ALWAYS be grateful. Love you two!

Day 3-Your first love

Ok, so I'm going to break this down into 3 different types of 'first love'.

1. First Crush

OMG, I was so in love with him. Let's call him 'CB'. It (the crush) lasted several years, probably from age 8ish until my early teens. No joke. We went to the same church; I was close friends with his sister and I loved his family, especially his dad. Somehow he found out about my crush on his son, and he used to always joke about me being his daughter-in-law. Anyhoo, CB was just so darn cute! We moved away (and joined a new church) when I was 11, so eventually the crush fizzled.

2. First 'play love'

So I met him within my first few weeks of college. He was several years older than me. We were never a couple, but I sure tried. After about a year and a half of 'dating' I finally moved on. I was trying so hard to make him something he wasn't, that it took me forever to realize that we were just not compatible.

3. First REAL TRUE Love

That would be my husband! The father of my child. My best friend. The guy who makes me laugh with his ridiculous one-liners. The man that took wonderful care of me after I had a c-section. He is the tic to my tac, the yin to my yang and the cheese to my macaroni. And just because I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy and love-dovey, here's a pic of me and my honey on October 19, 2008:

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

So this one's easy!

This blog is just a place for my random thoughts, updates on my family and fun things like this 30 day challenge. I recently quit my job, and I'm married...so there you have it - Ramblings of a Real Housewife.

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

So here we go with the 30-day challenge!

A brief intro of me: I'm 27 years old. I'm married to a very handsome guy ;) I have a beautiful 8 month old daughter, who I'll refer to as 'E'. I've lived my entire life (except for one year) in Northern Ohio. I was in Michigan for a year while attending grad school at Michigan State. I have a bachelors in Business Administration (from Bowling Green State University - Ay Ziggy Zoomba! lol) and a Masters in Hospitality Management. I spent the last 3.5 years as a Meeting and Event Planner for a trade association. I recently became a stay-at-home wife and mother, so life is very different these days!

Here's a recent pic of my family after the hubby graduated from Air Force Basic Training:


Some interesting facts:
1. I have 3 older brothers.

2. I had a dog when I was a child.

3. I think I am mildly claustrophic. I get a little anxious when in a crowded room, elevator, etc.

4. I'm a daddy's girl. There, I said it.

5. I used to be an avid scrapbooker - well, crafty person in general. I hope to get back into it!

6. I played (in chronological order) soccer for 5 years, then softball for 3 years and finally basketball for 6 years during my school years.

7. I hate driving over bridges. Honestly. My blood pressure rises just thinking about it.

8. I talk to myself all. the. time. Sometimes I have full-blown conversations. I think it helps me make decisions or calm myself when I get anxious.

9. I loooooooooooooove sweets. Which is seriously hampering my attempt to get rid of the baby weight.

10. I like to cook, but I'd much rather bake!

11. I don't like letting my nails grow.

12. I'm a recovering procrastinator.

13. I love reading, although I haven't done much in the past few months!

14. I am a closet reality television addict. Don't judge me.

15. I think making people think of 15 interesting facts about themselves is borderline cruel and unusual punishment. Ugh, that was hard!

30-day challenge

So I figure this will help me get in the blogging groove. I plan to start tomorrow!

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your favorite recipes

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 7-Favorite movies

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Day 11-Favorite tv shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse

Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss

Day 20-Nicknames

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Day 22-What's in your makeup bag

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you've learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

Day 26-Picture of your family

Day 27-Pets

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture

Hello world...

So I did it. I've entered the world of millions of bloggers writing about their lives, thoughts, dreams, etc. There are blogs out there for everyone. They teach you how to cook, decorate your home, plan great parties, save money and so much more. So many bloggers write inspirational or thought-provoking posts while others are incredibly witty or hilarious.

So, why am I blogging? Can I possibly add anything that hasn't been covered by someone else?

Well, I'm not in it for you. I'm doing this for me. I want to document this time in my family's life. I want to keep track of all the random thoughts in my brain on a daily basis. Which brings me to my blog title. I have no idea what I'll be writing about. I just plan to write. Anything and everything.

And the housewife part? Well, I recently quit my job as a meeting and event planner. Why? My hubby recently joined the Air Force and is currently in technical training. My daughter and I will be moving across the country to join him in 3 weeks. So for now, I'll be a full-time mother and wife. Eventually I'll rejoin the working world. But until then, I'm soaking up this time with my baby, and trying to become more like June Cleaver. So, to anyone out there reading this I say:

Hello world...