Here's just a quick shot of our wedding rings. My mama is scrapbooking, and made a special request. They're looking a little dinged up and not-so-shiny.... mine because I wouldn't know where to find a jeweler here, and if I did, with my luck there would be a misunderstanding and my ring would have been sold to a young soldier and his lovely German bride. But would you like to know why Ted's ring is dinged up? Not because he lovingly wears it every day of his life. Not because he lovingly adorns it on his left hand over the weekend. It's because he has bounced it on the floor, bouncy-ball style, a million and one times since the day I put it on his (wrong) finger at the ceremony (I never was good at left and right) until the day he stopped wearing it 9 months or so ago. The bathroom floor, the kitchen floor, the church sanctuary. The man could not leave it alone. He actually started to get a blister on his ring finger from twisting it and messing with it all day long. Rather than wear it as a labor of love, he keeps it on the nightstand. Oh well. Some men just weren't meant for jewelry. I tried.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
'Til Death
Here's just a quick shot of our wedding rings. My mama is scrapbooking, and made a special request. They're looking a little dinged up and not-so-shiny.... mine because I wouldn't know where to find a jeweler here, and if I did, with my luck there would be a misunderstanding and my ring would have been sold to a young soldier and his lovely German bride. But would you like to know why Ted's ring is dinged up? Not because he lovingly wears it every day of his life. Not because he lovingly adorns it on his left hand over the weekend. It's because he has bounced it on the floor, bouncy-ball style, a million and one times since the day I put it on his (wrong) finger at the ceremony (I never was good at left and right) until the day he stopped wearing it 9 months or so ago. The bathroom floor, the kitchen floor, the church sanctuary. The man could not leave it alone. He actually started to get a blister on his ring finger from twisting it and messing with it all day long. Rather than wear it as a labor of love, he keeps it on the nightstand. Oh well. Some men just weren't meant for jewelry. I tried.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Oh, the places you'll go!
List of 5 places I will need to be shortly upon landing in Des Moines, in no particular order (after 13 months outside the continental United States):
1. Subway (yes, they have them here. But no Seafood Sensation- my fave)
2. Casey's Pizza (but not from Melcher, unless it's changed since the last time I had it). Pizza Ranch, Pizza Hut, and Georges are also welcome.
3. Panda Garden (or something similar)
4. Wal-Mart (don't judge...I miss it!)
5. The Mall (I have nothing to wear on said trip home)
6. Oh, and number 6 will be Dairy Queen, for my husband, who loves all things soft-serve.
You would think I would have more refined tastes....but I'm not generally a steak and lobster kind of girl. Basically I'm hungry for anything that's not schnitzel, bratwurst, or pizza with a flat cracker for a crust!
I better go have a snack.
Oh, and now that you've joined us in ending daylight savings time, we're back to being 7 hours apart. Just FYI.
1. Subway (yes, they have them here. But no Seafood Sensation- my fave)
2. Casey's Pizza (but not from Melcher, unless it's changed since the last time I had it). Pizza Ranch, Pizza Hut, and Georges are also welcome.
3. Panda Garden (or something similar)
4. Wal-Mart (don't judge...I miss it!)
5. The Mall (I have nothing to wear on said trip home)
6. Oh, and number 6 will be Dairy Queen, for my husband, who loves all things soft-serve.
You would think I would have more refined tastes....but I'm not generally a steak and lobster kind of girl. Basically I'm hungry for anything that's not schnitzel, bratwurst, or pizza with a flat cracker for a crust!
I better go have a snack.
Oh, and now that you've joined us in ending daylight savings time, we're back to being 7 hours apart. Just FYI.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Days go by....
Hi everyone! Not too much happening here (story of my life). Ted just got back from the field this weekend, but he's on an out-of-town trip again today and will be leaving again the 2nd week of November for 3 weeks. It's a very busy time for him! I'm a lot less busy, and found myself quite lonely and bored this weekend. My mom, who is wonderful and always knows how to make me feel better, sent me a card, and it had this verse in it:
"But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment." --1 Timothy 6:17
How true! It was just what I needed to hear. I just wanted to pass it on, in case any of you are feeling the blahs as well.
Thinking back...one year ago we were just getting home from Virginia to see our families before coming here. It's been a whole year since I have seen my family. It's like my own kind of deployment! Luckily I can start the countdown to our Christmas visit now. To get to November again seemed to take forever, but all in all I guess it went quickly. So here's to one more year here (and then another!). Thank goodness for your loving cards, emails, and pictures from home. They really do make a difference!
That's all I have for today. I'm working at my unit this week to help catch up on stuff in the office. It's nice to earn a few extra bucks. But the laundry didn't start itself while I was gone, so I better get to it! Love and miss you all.
"But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment." --1 Timothy 6:17
How true! It was just what I needed to hear. I just wanted to pass it on, in case any of you are feeling the blahs as well.
Thinking back...one year ago we were just getting home from Virginia to see our families before coming here. It's been a whole year since I have seen my family. It's like my own kind of deployment! Luckily I can start the countdown to our Christmas visit now. To get to November again seemed to take forever, but all in all I guess it went quickly. So here's to one more year here (and then another!). Thank goodness for your loving cards, emails, and pictures from home. They really do make a difference!
That's all I have for today. I'm working at my unit this week to help catch up on stuff in the office. It's nice to earn a few extra bucks. But the laundry didn't start itself while I was gone, so I better get to it! Love and miss you all.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Fall Pics
I don't have too much to say, but wanted to put up some pictures from around the neighborhood. Fall is such a pretty time of year! Enjoy!
Yes, we got snow too! Just a couple days after you. It was beautiful. Ted was SO sad to have missed it (NOT!). I made sure to take a pic of everything white and send it to his phone so he knew what he was missing out on! :)
Time for bed. I love you all!
Yes, we got snow too! Just a couple days after you. It was beautiful. Ted was SO sad to have missed it (NOT!). I made sure to take a pic of everything white and send it to his phone so he knew what he was missing out on! :)
Time for bed. I love you all!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Back to Nature
Hello everyone!
I'm thoroughly enjoying my Sunday. This morning Ted had to go in to work for a bit, and I decided to go for a run. I found a nature trail between here and Vilseck that I had never been on, and it was great. It reminded me of parks in the states, with signs showing the wildlife and ecology of the area. Most of the signs pointed out that I was in the territory of Der Biber,(beavers!). I came home and told Ted there were lots of bibers, and we just laughed and laughed.
Inevitably when I run on a trail, I run into a snake or snake-like apparition or signs that warn me that deadly snakes are migrating in the area (lots of you remember my cottonmouth story from last year)... Well, today was no exception. I was running along next to a biber pond, with tall reeds on either side of me. The temp had raised from about 42 degrees when I woke up to 65, and right in front of me was a glossy black snake, sunning its nasty self on the trail. I didn't even have time to react- I sprinted right through. I'm wondering if God thinks I'm being lazy when I run, so he adds a little scare to get my heart-rate up.
Anyway, when I run, my mind is never blank, and this snake incident got me thinking about Virginia, which was beautiful this time last year. I thought about my days at the beach while Ted was in the field, and my jogs out at the park. Thinking about all that sand brought my mind back to Ft. Huachuca in Arizona a few years back, to our first night there. Our equipment was being shipped down by civilian freight, and we beat our loads there (we flew). The first night we rolled out our sleeping bags on the flatbed trucks to sleep under the stars since we had no tents. A desert storm blew in, and we woke up to the 1sg running around waking everyone up and telling us to get under the trucks so we didn't get struck by lightning. So I spent the first night pretty positive that a rattlesnake or scorpion seeking refuge from the storm would take up residence with me and my body heat sometime during the night. I made it out okay, obviously. Anyway, back to my run- I passed another Biber sign, and this time my mind went back to my time as a Park Ranger- showing the kids the beaver pelts and talking about their angry tails. What a fun job! I imagine it would be great fun to be a ranger in a national park, like Yellowstone or Yosemite.
As you can see, I had a nice, reflective run, and it seems I've been a lot of places in the last few years! What a nice collection of memories to think back on. I'm thankful for all the experiences that make up my life.
I'm now sitting on the kitchen floor typing this post, watching my pumpkin bars rise in the oven (tis the season!) and listening for Ted to come home from his 4-wheeler ride. Life is good! I miss you all, and will possibly be seeing you sooner rather than later!
Sorry there are no pictures- I haven't been "inspired" lately. We need a dog or something to do cute things once in a while. :)
I'm thoroughly enjoying my Sunday. This morning Ted had to go in to work for a bit, and I decided to go for a run. I found a nature trail between here and Vilseck that I had never been on, and it was great. It reminded me of parks in the states, with signs showing the wildlife and ecology of the area. Most of the signs pointed out that I was in the territory of Der Biber,(beavers!). I came home and told Ted there were lots of bibers, and we just laughed and laughed.
Inevitably when I run on a trail, I run into a snake or snake-like apparition or signs that warn me that deadly snakes are migrating in the area (lots of you remember my cottonmouth story from last year)... Well, today was no exception. I was running along next to a biber pond, with tall reeds on either side of me. The temp had raised from about 42 degrees when I woke up to 65, and right in front of me was a glossy black snake, sunning its nasty self on the trail. I didn't even have time to react- I sprinted right through. I'm wondering if God thinks I'm being lazy when I run, so he adds a little scare to get my heart-rate up.
Anyway, when I run, my mind is never blank, and this snake incident got me thinking about Virginia, which was beautiful this time last year. I thought about my days at the beach while Ted was in the field, and my jogs out at the park. Thinking about all that sand brought my mind back to Ft. Huachuca in Arizona a few years back, to our first night there. Our equipment was being shipped down by civilian freight, and we beat our loads there (we flew). The first night we rolled out our sleeping bags on the flatbed trucks to sleep under the stars since we had no tents. A desert storm blew in, and we woke up to the 1sg running around waking everyone up and telling us to get under the trucks so we didn't get struck by lightning. So I spent the first night pretty positive that a rattlesnake or scorpion seeking refuge from the storm would take up residence with me and my body heat sometime during the night. I made it out okay, obviously. Anyway, back to my run- I passed another Biber sign, and this time my mind went back to my time as a Park Ranger- showing the kids the beaver pelts and talking about their angry tails. What a fun job! I imagine it would be great fun to be a ranger in a national park, like Yellowstone or Yosemite.
As you can see, I had a nice, reflective run, and it seems I've been a lot of places in the last few years! What a nice collection of memories to think back on. I'm thankful for all the experiences that make up my life.
I'm now sitting on the kitchen floor typing this post, watching my pumpkin bars rise in the oven (tis the season!) and listening for Ted to come home from his 4-wheeler ride. Life is good! I miss you all, and will possibly be seeing you sooner rather than later!
Sorry there are no pictures- I haven't been "inspired" lately. We need a dog or something to do cute things once in a while. :)
Friday, September 11, 2009
Finally getting to this...
Sorry, friends and family...I have neglected my blog again. I haven't done much that is "news-worthy" lately. I'll fill you in as best I can, though.
Things are still the same on the work-front. Just doing what I do. :) It's not my favorite, but it's temporary. Ted made it home from his mission in time for Labor Day weekend, so we got to enjoy a nice 3-day weekend together. We went to see Transformers 2, which was ok for the first hour and a half, but I slept through the entire second half of the movie. Ted kept waking me up, but apparently I was extremely tired! Besides, no movie should be more than 2 hours. 90 minutes is just right! Monday we drove up to Nurnberg and took the train into the city center. We saw a castle, did a little shopping, and ate Eis (ice cream), brezel (giant salted pretzel), and bratwurst (I think we all know that one). The city was bustling with tons of outdoor shops and eateries, and the weather was amazing. It has been really cooling off lately, and I think the other day the thermometer said 52 degrees! I definitely need to go up to the attic to retrieve our winter clothes. The days are noticeably shorter now, and it doesn't get light until around 6:30, and it gets dark around 8:30 or 9.
Last night, I went to the Senior Spouse's Coffee for our battalion- it was at Don Peppinos- an Italian place that does pretty good pizza. We have a formal ball in November--she told us in advance so we could get dresses ordered in time. Any ideas on how to order a formal gown that would actually fit and look nice without trying it on?? This could be tricky. I guess the girls who went to it last year found a guy in Vilseck who does good alterations, but still... Hmm.
Honestly, I'm not sure of anything new going on here. I will try to keep up with this more regularly. Here's a couple of pictures: the first two are out our guest room window the other night, and I took the last picture in Nurnberg. I hope you're all doing well-- and I'll try to keep up with this much better!
Things are still the same on the work-front. Just doing what I do. :) It's not my favorite, but it's temporary. Ted made it home from his mission in time for Labor Day weekend, so we got to enjoy a nice 3-day weekend together. We went to see Transformers 2, which was ok for the first hour and a half, but I slept through the entire second half of the movie. Ted kept waking me up, but apparently I was extremely tired! Besides, no movie should be more than 2 hours. 90 minutes is just right! Monday we drove up to Nurnberg and took the train into the city center. We saw a castle, did a little shopping, and ate Eis (ice cream), brezel (giant salted pretzel), and bratwurst (I think we all know that one). The city was bustling with tons of outdoor shops and eateries, and the weather was amazing. It has been really cooling off lately, and I think the other day the thermometer said 52 degrees! I definitely need to go up to the attic to retrieve our winter clothes. The days are noticeably shorter now, and it doesn't get light until around 6:30, and it gets dark around 8:30 or 9.
Last night, I went to the Senior Spouse's Coffee for our battalion- it was at Don Peppinos- an Italian place that does pretty good pizza. We have a formal ball in November--she told us in advance so we could get dresses ordered in time. Any ideas on how to order a formal gown that would actually fit and look nice without trying it on?? This could be tricky. I guess the girls who went to it last year found a guy in Vilseck who does good alterations, but still... Hmm.
Honestly, I'm not sure of anything new going on here. I will try to keep up with this more regularly. Here's a couple of pictures: the first two are out our guest room window the other night, and I took the last picture in Nurnberg. I hope you're all doing well-- and I'll try to keep up with this much better!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Happy Birthday to Me!
I wouldn't be surprised if you all gave up on my blog-- it's been so long!! I'm still blaming it on my job. Speaking of which, I had a job interview last week. It was more of a shot in the dark than I expected- they were talking about all kinds of things I haven't learned yet-- we'll see if they call my bluff or not! I know I'm a quick learner, but if anyone who applied has already done this job before, I'm sure they will get it. In the meantime, I've started taking my vitamins to keep my energy up throughout the day!
My birthday was last Monday. It was a great day! I was remembering back to a year ago on my birthday, when Ted and I were living in the hotel in Virginia while he was in TBOLC. It doesn't seem like we've been here that long, though I'm glad it's going fast. I was just telling myself today that when we get back home I deserve air conditioning and a BIG cable tv plan with all the channels! Anyway, I got to open lots of great gifts from my family and Ted, and we ate dinner together. It was a very nice day. I'm 24 now- all the ladies at work think I look about 21, and I get teased constantly for that, but I feel just old enough. :) I've been out of high school for 6 years now! I bet Mom will have a hard time believing that! It's hard to believe I haven't progressed in my career track or had a kid or something-- Ted and I chose to take the road less traveled. It's working out just fine!
I've got a grilled cheese going on the stove, so I keep getting sidetracked.
Anyway, Ted has been on TDY (temporary duty) since last week, and will be gone till the end of September. His company is doing a mission at an airfield. I can't wait to go see him when he gets a free weekend- they have a mall, Macaroni Grill, and Chilis! This is the place our company is supposed to be moving to next year, so as you can imagine, I'm all for it! Ted's pretty bored in the evenings where he's at. If you have a free moment, shoot him an email!
I just got done running with my Nike+ for the first time. I didn't calibrate it first, and it was 1/3 of a mile off, but I think it's fun! Maybe I'll be motivated now. We'll see.
The days are getting shorter and it stays dark until I get to work- I can only imagine how it will be come winter! We were here last winter, but I can't think of a single day when I got up at 4 am, so there's no comparison. It's been relatively warm. I had a cookout with my work crowd yesterday. It was nice- someone roasted some pork, hot dogs, hamburgers, and SWEET CORN! Not as good as the peaches-and-cream from home, but it was my favorite part of the BBQ! I'm really starting to get homesick, and the first chance I can get enough leave to get out of here, I'll be on the next plane home. A girl needs to see her family more than once a year!
Well, my grilled cheese is thoroughly grilled. I will try to keep up better! Maybe even find some pictures to put up!
Love and miss you all,
Ash
My birthday was last Monday. It was a great day! I was remembering back to a year ago on my birthday, when Ted and I were living in the hotel in Virginia while he was in TBOLC. It doesn't seem like we've been here that long, though I'm glad it's going fast. I was just telling myself today that when we get back home I deserve air conditioning and a BIG cable tv plan with all the channels! Anyway, I got to open lots of great gifts from my family and Ted, and we ate dinner together. It was a very nice day. I'm 24 now- all the ladies at work think I look about 21, and I get teased constantly for that, but I feel just old enough. :) I've been out of high school for 6 years now! I bet Mom will have a hard time believing that! It's hard to believe I haven't progressed in my career track or had a kid or something-- Ted and I chose to take the road less traveled. It's working out just fine!
I've got a grilled cheese going on the stove, so I keep getting sidetracked.
Anyway, Ted has been on TDY (temporary duty) since last week, and will be gone till the end of September. His company is doing a mission at an airfield. I can't wait to go see him when he gets a free weekend- they have a mall, Macaroni Grill, and Chilis! This is the place our company is supposed to be moving to next year, so as you can imagine, I'm all for it! Ted's pretty bored in the evenings where he's at. If you have a free moment, shoot him an email!
I just got done running with my Nike+ for the first time. I didn't calibrate it first, and it was 1/3 of a mile off, but I think it's fun! Maybe I'll be motivated now. We'll see.
The days are getting shorter and it stays dark until I get to work- I can only imagine how it will be come winter! We were here last winter, but I can't think of a single day when I got up at 4 am, so there's no comparison. It's been relatively warm. I had a cookout with my work crowd yesterday. It was nice- someone roasted some pork, hot dogs, hamburgers, and SWEET CORN! Not as good as the peaches-and-cream from home, but it was my favorite part of the BBQ! I'm really starting to get homesick, and the first chance I can get enough leave to get out of here, I'll be on the next plane home. A girl needs to see her family more than once a year!
Well, my grilled cheese is thoroughly grilled. I will try to keep up better! Maybe even find some pictures to put up!
Love and miss you all,
Ash
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