2. Last week, I made mention that we are moving across base. When we moved here, the housing office didn’t have the size house that Andy qualifies for, so they snuck us into another house for the time being. We didn’t know how long it would be for, but as it turns out, it only took 21 days for the housing office to alert us that sure enough, they had the right house for us.

3. Which means, we are moving across base. Without the benefit of movers and packers. Not complaining, just sayin’.

4. I may have also mentioned that Andy wants to deploy. It’s been in his heart for awhile now, so he’s actively looking for a good fit of a job for him. Now remember, he’s in the Air Force, so he will most likely be out of most harms way, but it’s in the Lord’s hands and I think I can really only do two things: Pray in advance for his safety and be supportive.

5. Did I mention my pink fingernails? Oh yes, they are way cool.

6. I am itching for a new sewing machine. If you have one and like it with four or more stars, please tell me which one to get. I am looking for a mid-range one that I can sew a bunch of aprons and curtains with.

7. I do not like conflict. I do not like emotional train wreck days.

8. I spoke with my one neighbor today that is moving- I have had all of two conversations with her and thought I would thank her for the tree stumps she was throwing out (wait till you see them!) and wish her well in her move. The very last thing she said to me had to be from the Lord, because it was so from left field and off topic. She said if she could give me one piece of advice in life, it would be to remember how important family is. I concurred.

9. I took a new friend’s advice and got Amazon Prime this past week- you spend $80 up front and get all your orders (directly from Amazon) in two days time and no addtional shipping costs. Sweet! Thanks, Christy!

10. I ran my third half-marathon this past Sunday at Disneyland. There were SO many people, jeepers! I ran a personal best (2:12) and am hungry to get training for my next one in January. I have to talk my legs into getting a little faster, though.

(this is the worst picture ever, but will have to do. And P.S. I’m not the tall one in the blue shirt)

We started to perform with Kit and Rebecca, and since it was SO cute, I went and got the camera.

But when I came back with the monster in hand, Lauren retreated. She DID NOT want to be in the pictures.

There was some crying involved here, too. And some more hiding.

So I put the camera away so we could continue on with the doll dance recital. But you’ll have to believe me, it was REALLY cute the way they danced and twirled around by the crafty and artful hands of Lauren.

Now we’re ready to get down to some business. Take your serrated, oversized knife and slice a thin top off the melon.

Be careful of your hand holding the top! Ouch if you knick it, right?

Ah yes, you should have achieved a shaved-off top. Let’s call it flat top.

Proceed to cut the sides of the melon skin off, like you would a pineapple’s sides:

(my colors are wonky and I’m going to blame it on the fabulous light my kitchen has (sarcasm) teamed with my lack of interest in processing these shots today)

Once you go around the perimter of the cantaloupe, you’re left with a hunk of flesh. You’re ready to slice down pieces from the top:

Now turn a slice or two the opposite direction and cut across the first slices to create smaller, more edible, pop-in-your-mouth bites.

Repeat with the second half of the cantaloupe and you get a bowlful of melon ready for breakfast, snack, lunch or pre-dinner spoiler!

Go ahead, grab your cantaloupe and give it a go You won’t regret it!

2. I’m wearing a black hat today. It’s really cute and I wish I had a green one and maybe a brown one.

3. Sometimes when Lauren doesn’t know a word for something, she makes one up. It sounds like “akabidabi”- she like to rhyme a nonsensical word. Cracks me up.

4. Speaking of fun words, I used the word serendipitous yesterday when I learned my friends Jill and Susy started going to my former Ohio hairstylist randomly (that is, I did not recommend them, but I wish I had since Lisa is SO awesome)… Then it reminded me that I want to go back to New York City to get a frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity.

5. After that facebook announcement, I learned that Las Vegas also has a Serendipity, so I’m road trip planning for next year. Is it weird to go from one desert to another for vacation?

6. I wear my heart on my sleeve and darn those tears just roll over whenever they want sometimes. I was tearing up for the lady in front of me at the post office yesterday wrangling three kids sending a care package to her husband in Afghanistan. I introduced myself in the parking lot, what can I do, what can I do to ease her load I thought? I have a few friends in this situation, and it never gets easier on the old tear ducts. You know who you are, I love you and hope you know I pray for you during this season.

7. Andy announced to me that it was husband appreciation week on facebook. I had no idea. So I bought him some of these to celebrate:

I seriously crack myself up.

8. I’ve watched a few movies this past week: Nanny McPhee Returns (little c, big P)- super cute for the girls, but bring the tissue for yourself… The Hurt Locker, winner of like all things Oscar last year- makes me want to hold my looking-to-be-deployed-spouse tightly, and the last one is from years ago- The Green Mile with Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan. It was rather long, but also a very good movie. What are you watching lately?

9. Do you ever wonder why weeds can even grow in the desert rampantly?

10. Lauren and I are still keeping busy with letters in our pm hours together. We’re still focusing in on her letters from her name, but I wanted to share a couple of things we’re doing: forming letters in rice in a pie pan is an activity (as well as shaving cream and finger paints!) she requests daily and she has her own alphabet up in her room now, so after some focused one-on-one time with the letter of the week, we go and make games to identify letters on the walls. Since we are moving across base in a few weeks, we haven’t done any permanent hanging of wall items, so excuse the alphabets falling off, and yea Lolo!

Tuesday: Steak Tips with Mushroom Gravy, mashed potatoes, veggies

Wednesday: Yvette’s Meatball Soup (recipe below!) and crusty bread

Thursday (Girls’ Choice!): Chili Dogs and Hamburgers, tater tots and fruit

Friday: Deep-Dish Quiche Lorraine (Andy’s cooking from Cooks Illustrated, it’s sure to be a winner!)

Saturday: Date night + Carb Load!

Sunday: Dinner @ Disneyland

Monday: Chicken Alfredo (my vote was for ribs, but Andy’s bent on getting a smoker first)

…

When we lived in San Diego, we had the great privilege to be apart of a Young Marrieds home fellowship (which we no longer qualify under “young” marrieds, now we’re “older” marrieds. ha.). The leaders of the group would host us in their home weekly and bi-monthly, we would have a dinner night and sometimes, Yvette would make a soup that Andy and I couldn’t get enough of (but we didn’t take too much, we shared) (promise). After I had Lauren, she brought it over for us and in her other hand, she wrote out the recipe for me. I love her for this and I still have the beloved written out index card. I think it’s similar to Italian Wedding soup, but this is pretty easy and tasty-tasty so give it a try for when a cool fall night calls for some soup!

Yvette’s Meatball Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

few springs parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp each marjoram, basil, onion salt OR tsp. fresh (she increases the fresh options)

3 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 eggs

floud

4 beef bouillon cubes

8 cups water

2 cups canned tomatoes (I buy chopped)

2 small bay leaves, crumbled

6-8 tbsp. uncooked rice

Directions:

Mix first 4 ingredients, 1 tsp. salt, pepper and 2 eggs.

Shape into 62 smaller round balls and dredge in flour.

Bring bouillon cubes, water, tomato, bay leaves and remaining salt to a boil (I start this while making the meatballs)

Add meatballs and rice. Cover and simmer 45 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in remaing 2 eggs, slightly beaten with a fork.

Enjoy with some crusty bread!

(I automatically doubled this recipe, so if you don’t need leftovers, or have a family of five, maybe half it back)

photo by Andy

There isn’t a whole lot out here. Once you come through the gate, you get a view of some dry lake bed and desert shrubbery. The dreary monochromatic browns and tans here are quite a change from the beautiful green and lush trees of Southwest Ohio.

But I will admit, the skies are pretty blue. Like, all the time.

Edwards is home to a division of NASA- the Drysden Flight Research Center and also houses a dry lake bed where space shuttles land. You can see the large low-lying area there in the photo below, but if you check out this link, it’s much more impressive and you can see the world’s largest compass rose from an aerial view.

Off in the distance in the photo above is a place known as Rocket Ridge. That’s where Andy works- it’s about a 25 minute drive from our home ant not apart of the Main Base. It’s officially the home of the AFRL (the Air Force likes their acronyms), or the Air Force Research Labratory. They work with rocket stuff that I don’t understand, so google it if you’re curious.

Here’s a closer shot of his work’s hill:

(Andy was driving when I shot this, so no worries on driving and taking pictures at the same time… As you know, I already have enough issues with driving)

Back on base, our basic needs are all being met- the Commissary (the version from 1954) where we buy our groceries:

And a stand alone Starbucks (I know, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?):

What else does one really need, right?

I’m kidding, of course. The base also has a gas station, a bowling alley, a movie theatre, a gym, a clinic (without an emergency room! ack!), a fire department and of course, the schools. Edwards is also home to a large test pilot school, so we are surrounded by many planes and pilots and we daily hear sonic booms. I’m getting used to them, sort of.

Here’s our new home with the Xeriscape landscaping. I like that the architects were thinking “low maintenance” or maybe “water conservation.”

We prefer a lawn, especially having younger children that like to run and play tag, but then, there’s the backyard that’s fitted with about 50% live grass.

Andy’s thinking about mowing it, too.

So, that’s it for  now. Our welcome mat is out (figuratively) and would love for you to come and visit

Weekend iPhone photos!

2. When we arrived home Sunday, we picked up the mail only to find the fine for my recent speeding ticket.

3. I spent the next two hours wondering aloud how California is OUT OF ITS MIND to charge me $466 because I was speeding (let’s momentarily forget how fast I was going, ok?) (pick me, pick my side).

4.  So my mom & dad e-mailed me and said, “How many pairs of shoes could that buy?”

5. Andy said, “I should have driven home.”

6. I said, “This is unjust!”

7. And I put my head down, shook it and felt embarrassed, disappointed, ashamed and mildly ticked off. At myself of course, and WHOever is in charge of these citations.

8. I am still a little cranky about the whole mess. Wouldn’t you be?

9. Remember, you picked me, you’re on my side.

10. I’m currently wallowing away and eating Bakerella’s version of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies. You should definitely give that  recipe a try if you haven’t yet, wow, it’s a good one to take the crankies away.

The end.

Tuesday: Spaghetti (an old stand-by for Back-to-School Night)

Wednesday: Taco Salad

Thursday (Girls’ Choice): Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Friday: Pepper Steak Tacos with Pico de Gallo and Cilantro Rice

Saturday: Noodle and Spinach Casserole

Sunday: Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Scallopine

…

As per J.J.’s request, the Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash recipe from last week’s menu:

Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 head garlic separated but not peeled
• 2 Tbsp. good olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta chopped
• 16 whole fresh sage leaves
• French bread for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

So, we’ve made it to the “R” in Lauren. We had to call in some reinforcement to remember the name of that guy. Luckily, we have stamps and paint and extra sized paper on hand.

We sang our way through “Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple” throughout the entire stamping process. And chanted “R is for rainbow” over and over until I think it took some effect.

Since rainbows are so fun, we took some time to create one on her little toes, too. I wish I had yellow and green nail polish around when I was a kid. Of course, there wasn’t Target, Coolest Store Ever, to buy these unique and happy items at.

See, a happy LauRen!

She certainly colors our lives!

It’s called drop-off, drop-off, pick-up pick-up. Four times to one school in one day.

I’m not complaining, I’m just stating the facts.

First up: Sarah! She’s getting to be an old pro at this, sassy full outfit shot before she heads off for the big day….

On the mile long drive to school, we noticed about five to eight active duty Airman decked out in safety vests. I had to do a double take when I realized that they were hard at work as CROSSGUARDS! Are you thinking what I was thinking?

REALLY?

Yes, really! These fine young men and woman get paid (very well) (probably more than minimum wage) to do crossguard duty. What ever happened to volunteer sixth graders?

I was pretty giggly about it and could only manage one shot as we were passing through the intersection.

Finally we arrived. Spotted in a line near you giving me the please be done with this now, Mom! look:

Is it me, or is even that look cute?

And on the first day, I (oops, WE) got to take her into class and see where she sits. The past two years, the bus has delivered my girl to school, so we were not privy to such inside views. It was kind of cool. But we didn’t linger too long… we knew Sarah would do great on her first day!

(side note: I forgot to ask what those elbow pipes were for, I’ll ask tomorrow)

A few hours later, it was Ashleigh’s turn! She is in the afternoon kindergarten class so she could technically sleep in like a teenager and still make it into the class on time  (don’t we all wish we could, too?). She was more ready than I had realized- I saw her face of intent and a sprinkling of caution to go where the teacher instructed. I am so proud of her bravery and courage in a new environment this week. We’ve had some issues in the past with separation anxiety and Ash, but none of that has been present this first week. Hallelujah, keep it up, girlie!

Waving a quick bye as the line walks into the class:

I feel so blessed to be able to be apart of the girls’ first day routines and to be able to capture these first few moments. There may have been some jitters, but they are definitely not short on excitement. I sure hope we can keep it that way for years to come. So far, I’d say that we’re off to a good start for 2010/2011!