And with that she said, "I am a genius."

Yes, I did in fact just refer to myself in the 3rd person because I am feeling THAT awesome right now. So about 3 days ago I began to feel a tickle in my throat. In all honesty, I had read part of a book to a student for most of one of the periods at school that day and I had rocked out pretty hard to Taylor Swift in my car that afternoon. I thought maybe I had strained my voice. Then the next morning I woke up with a little worse of a sore throat accompanied by a tad bit of mucous. Yuck! I knew what was happening...this was the workings of a cold or really terrible allergies. I never am quite sure. So, I immediately went to my medicine stash to see what I had. The first day I took loads of Vitamin C, allergy medicine, and sinus medicine. I was trying to cover all of my bases. I even resorted to drinking a hot toddy!! Normally, when a bug like this comes along I just accept and enjoy the fact that I can be lazy, relax, and curl up in a blanket watching movies and sipping on hot tea and soup. But, no go this time!! I'm leaving in less than a week. There was too much to do. I could not let this cold defeat me. So, I went to my personal nurse and asked for advice. By personal nurse I mean my good friend Anna. ;) I had pretty much been doing what I needed to be doing for a cold. But, she told me to take Zinc, so I got a bottle of that too. I also immediately started "googling" home remedies. Pinterest was another source for me, as well. I found this one remedy for a sore throat. You mix 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of vinegar together and take a tablespoon 6 times a day. I did this yesterday and let me tell you my sore throat is still gone today! Coincidence or did it actually work? I don't know, but I will choose to think it was this home remedy. Now, at this point I was also starting to get the foggy feeling in my head. It's that feeling like your ears are clogged and you can't really breathe. I resorted at this point to drinking hot water mixed with cayenne pepper. I continued taking tons of Vitamin C, Zinc, cold medicine, and sinus medicine. I did not want this thing defeating me or worse, turn into a sinus infection (which usually happens). Now, we are at Day 3 (today). The day where I become a genius and refer to myself in the 3rd person. Again, I woke up with some congestion, mucous, etc. Knock on wood...still no cough though. I went to Pinterest this morning looking for more remedies. I have made my own humidifier by having warm water simmer on the stove with vanilla and cinnamon (a pinterest idea). A lot of other ideas tell me I need essential oils. I also need to soak in a bath in these essential oils so I can inhale the warm vapors. I have no bathtub. So, I don't have any essential oils or bubble baths with essential oils in my home. What's the point if I have no tub? But, I noticed I did have an unopened bottle of hand soap that contained...essential oils, as well as Jasmine and Vanilla. Hmmm, the wheels starting turning. I would turn my shower and bathroom into a sauna. I would also attempt to make my shower serve as a tub. I squirted globs of the essential oil hand soap into the bottom  of the shower and cranked the heat all the way up. Then I stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over me as I inhaled the warm Jasmine and Vanilla essential oil vapors. I took a seat in my shower and let the water run over me while I laid a hot washcloth over my face and I continued to breathe in all the warm goodness. My head began to clear up and so did my nose!! When I got out of the shower I blew my nose and my ear popped and part of my head opened up!! I am still a little stuffy feeling, but all in all a lot more clear!! It was at this point that I said to myself (but out loud for no one to hear)..."I AM A GENIUS." So, I have decided I will do this 3 times a day till I leave for the states. I cannot let this cold get the best of me. I have too much to do and lots of traveling ahead. I'll let you know how it works out for me. Hopefully, I'll still think I am genius by Thursday.

17 Weeks

As I near the 17 week mark of deployment, I find myself curious about when exactly time will slow down this time. Last deployment it was when we had about 3 more months left of a 12 month deployment. Time was suddenly at a complete standstill. I discovered during the first deployment that the first part and last part of the deployment were the worst parts. The first part your trying to figure out who you are without them. You are trying to figure out what you will do with all that time alone. You figure out quickly that something has to be done or you will end up eating a bag of Cheetos and drinking wine on the couch every night. Not exactly the best habit to have. I have found that it is okay to have a day or two after they leave to wallow. You sit and watch annoyingly unhappy, sappy movies...whether it be a romantic drama or depressing tear-jerker. And that's OK! But, then after that you have to pick yourself back up, set goals, and move on with life. Now, the last part of deployment is a bit like the days leading up to Christmas. You are nervous and excited about what Santa will bring to you this year. You can't wait for Christmas morning so you can dig into the presents. So, that's the last couple months of the deployment. Then the night/day before they come home is so much like Christmas Eve. Your sitting in your bed at 300 in the morning trying not to open your eyes for fear that Santa may in fact see you and then you will not receive your present. That's also what I like to call the waiting part. Waiting for a phone call as to what time they are coming home the next day or that night. You sit and wait, you can't sleep...you are just too excited. After that its Christmas morning, the day you get your present (or in this case your husband). You arrive at the designated location to greet them. Then you see them. The plane pulls up and they all start marching towards you. Then they STAND there and you have to listen to a speech, all the while you are going insane inside. Oh and if you have already made eye contact with your solider, then forget it. It's the best torture ever. This is just like Christmas morning because it feels like the anticipation of sitting on the top of the stairs waiting for permission to come down to see your loot. Anyways, those are the best moments. Homecoming is unlike anything you have ever experienced, which is probably why the last few months drive you nuts. So, again, I say..when will time begin to slow down. This deployment is shorter than his first one, so I anticipate that it could happen at any moment. It's like the worst and best thing at the same time. Time may be at a standstill, but at the moment it happens it's good because you know that your soldier coming home is right around the corner. Just breathe and know that he will be in your arms once again and life will be good. Tick tock, tick tock..when will the clock stop for you?

Oktoberfest

As your probably well aware, I am not a beer drinker. I do enjoy a nice glass of vino out on the veranda or a   bright, fruity cocktail by the ocean. But, beer? No way. Every single sip of beer that has ever been swallowed by me has always been followed by a very strong gag. So, naturally I did not think I would be able to get the full Oktoberfest experience. I mean when I went to the Guiness Factory in Dublin, I surely did not get the full experience. Yes, I learned how to pour the perfect pint of beer, but when it came to actually drinking that so called "perfect pint" I failed miserably. But, Oktoberfest is a once and a lifetime experience...especially when you actually get to go to Munich, Germany to celebrate it. I decided to have an open mind. I just new that the land of beer would have a type of beer that I could at least tolerate. Now, that you have a little background let me tell you about my first experience in Germany and at Oktoberfest!!

I went with a group of very good friends. Katie, Anna, and Kaitlin are all have husbands in Chosen Company. They are all also from the good ole state of North Carolina. Because we had waaaaay too much stuff we had to take two cars. Woops! So, on Wednesday we were off to Germany. It took about 4 hours to get there. At first we were pretty frustrated because the place we had booked had falsely advertised a few things that they did not actually have. But, the actual little house we stayed in was nice and had a beautiful view of the mountains. Oh! I forgot to mention that. We stayed in Garmisch, which is a magical looking place. There is nothing like the appearances of the houses in Germany. We grabbed a late night meal which included Weiner Snitchel, fries, and apple strudel. German food is comfort food. If we were stationed in Germany I would probably be as big as a house. This night was the night I was introduced to the Radler. This is a beer that is mixed with some sort of lemon drink. It should also win some sort of medal because it is the ONLY beer I have EVER drank more than a sip. Thomas would have been proud. Hahahaha!!! The restaurant was filled with German music. It was such a fantastic atmosphere! I had decided that Germany was the most magical place on Earth. :)

The next day was the big day! It was off to the festival of beer. Oktoberfest was so close, but we had one more thing to do before hopping the train to Munich. We had to buy dirndls! For those of you who don't know, a dirndl is the traditional German dress you see the German ladies wearing. We literally tried on these dresses and then wore them out of the store. The lady that worked there made sure that our bows were tied in the right direction. If you wear your bow the wrong way then you are screaming out that you are single! So, we had to switch our bows so we would be labeled as married. Of course, we soon realized once arriving into one of the beer tents that the men do not look at the bows. There was so much hootin and hollering. We must've been looking real cute in our dirndls. Ha! Another thing I noticed was the German men are extremely tall. A random German patted me on the head as he walked by. My friend Katie had brought her one year old, Carson, to Oktoberfest with us. He's only one and he has already been to Oktoberfest more times than me. He went last year too at the ripe age of 2 months. :) Everyone wanted to carry Carson. Italians, Germans, etc. etc. He was quite the celebrity, but then again, he always is. The beer tents were filled with beer (obviously), half chickens, and giant pretzels. Like I said before, Germany is land of the comfort food. The music played loud, people danced on tables, beer mugs were clanged together, and everyone was dressed in their best lederhosens and dirndls. The atmosphere was so much fun. Katie dragged me onto some fair ride. I squeezed her hand and screamed the entire time. But, it was soooo much fun. We ended up not getting into another beer tent and then got rained on, but we found another good place to eat where we made more friends and my friend Anna stood on a chair and drank her beer like a true German lady. ;) We missed our trainstop on the way back to Garmich because the door on the train wouldn't open!!! We ended up have to take a cab from the next stop. We looked like homeless people waiting for the cab. We were wet and wrapped up in scarves..seriously we looked homeless. Oktoberfest was definitely interesting...we met some nice people and some weird people, but all in all, we had a blast!!! It's an experience I will remember forever.

The next day we had a spa day at the Eidelweiss hotel. It's for the military. We all got the massage and facial package. It was a full day of pampering for us! It was nice and relaxing. We ended our long day of relaxation with dinner at this amazing restaurant. Snitchel and spazle were on the menu. It was amazing!!! Spazle are these little noodle things...I dont know they are so good, especially with cheese. When they have cheese they are like the BEST mac & cheese you have ever had. Kraft's got nothing on the Germans!!

On our last day we took a hike around Lake Eibsee. Most beautiful lake EVER!!! The mountains that surrounded it were rocky and the water was this amazing shade of teal and dark blue. After this, we had one last meal in Germany. Mmm, mine was goulash and more spatzle!!!  Super delicious!!!

We loaded into the car and made our way back home...to Italy. It was an amazing experience and a fun journey to have with such great friends. I am truly blessed. Guten Tag!!!!!

Ramblings about a Revamp

When you read this post you may notice that it has a slightly different look to it. No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I decided it was time for a revamp. I think it's time to revamp a lot of things. I haven't been too happy with myself lately. I am not doing a good job of "giving birth to a new me" as someone once said before deployment. I wanted this period of time in my life to be for me. There are so many habits I want to create, places I want to see, items I want to organize, clothes I want to clean out and get rid of, hobbies I want to take an active interest in, skills I want to improve...the list goes on. Sure, I've gotten started on some of this (some being the key word). I am taking and planning trips with my dearest girlfriends. I am currently taking a photography class. This will be my 3rd blog post TODAY! So, this is my official attempt at blogging more. I joined one of the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC) bible studies. I look forward to growing in my relationship with God and finding fellowship with those who believe as I do. I think it will provide me with yet another support system. I've been trying to draw more. I am not as consistent with it as I'd like to be. I tried drawing with oil pastels recently. It's okay I guess. I want to take some art classes. I've been keeping a type of drawing journal. I have a page per week where I write a short blurb about my day with little pictures and designs added to it. It was a Pinterest idea I saw. Speaking of this particular project...I think I need to play catch up on it. I've been trying to go to the gym, but I am still not satisfied at where I am at in that department. Basically, I've got some things that I have started on. But, I guess I feel like that's just it...a start. There are so many other projects and ideas I have floating through my head that I think could have been completed already if I would relearn time management. I use the term "relearn" because I once knew how to manage my time. But, ever since being done with school it's like I can't get myself on a set schedule. It makes me really angry with myself. I want to start fresh tomorrow. I want to revamp my life. I need to go to bed at night feeling accomplished. I don't usually feel overly accomplished. Oh sure, I've had a fabulous and fun day, but not so much of a productive one. Like I said before...I need to relearn time management skills. I know it is possible to work hard and be productive, but still have time to play while being leisurely. I think I also overwhelm myself with these huge to do lists I set out for myself. I think I need to be more realistic. I am not super woman. I need to make short daily to do lists. I think I look so much at the big picture of what I want and it frightens me a bit. It's as if I have already psyched myself out that I can't and won't do all the things I want to do and accomplish. Maybe, just maybe, I should stop listening to myself and just do. That's it, more "do" less "think." Hmm, maybe? We shall see. With this new week, I hope new beginnings will happen. I pray the Lord will grant me "wisdom" in this department. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 

Festa della Zucca

Ah, Festival of the Pumpkin. I can't think of a better way to spend the start of the fall season. Festa della Zucca was a small festival. It went along one street in the town of Montegaldella. But, the food was AMAZING. It was heaven in my mouth. Jackie and I order a few things and shared them. We treated our mouths to the delectable flavors of Pumpkin Tortellini, Pumpkin Risotto, Pumpkin Gnocchi, and Mashed Pumpkin. We finished our meal with a pumpkin dessert. It was all so warm and comforting. As I said before, it was perfect for the fall season. Pictures are in the links below. :)

http://instagram.com/p/P2hx6sQTn-/?ref=nf

http://instagram.com/p/P2g_HzwTnP/?ref=nf

Bonjour from Nice

We are fortunate enough to have an organization on post known as Outdoor Recreation that organizes lots of day trips to various places around Europe. When Jackie and I saw they were arranging a trip to Nice, France we knew it would be for us. The bus departed from post around 3:00 in the morning. It was obviously extremely dark and getting out that early was tough. I think we were beginning to question whether or not a trip is worth it if you have to get up at such an awful hour of the morning. Plus, the 24-hour shoppette had recently changed it's hours so it was no longer open for 24 hours. We, however, had not realized it until we got there. So, there we were with no coffee or snacks. If you know me, then you know I have to have snacks for a long trip...especially a 7 hour bus ride. We did find a vending machine that worked so we were at least able to get a snack and drink. But, we were still without coffee, so we mumbled and grumbled...of course. Once on the bus, I settled in with a Vera Bradley bag as a pillow and took some Benedryl to make me sleepy. Is that bad? Oh well, you know you do it too. ;) I slept off and on. It was sort of a light sleep. 

Before I knew it the sun was coming up and we were arriving in Nice. We were greeted with mountains and crystal blue waters from afar. Our first stop was a perfume factory. We got a tour of the factory and then were able to purchase products. Of course, it was all very pricey. So, Jackie and I settled for one product that was reasonable priced. It was this special oil that smelled amazing. It's a great thing to lather on after a shower to hydrate your skin. They said it was good for dry elbows. I was sold when they said that! 

After that we ventured to the market in Nice. It was amazing!! There were so many fresh fruits and vegetables along with beautiful flowers. I wish we would have brought a cooler to feel up with all the deliciousness. If we had been closer I would have purchased some fresh flowers to take home and put in a vase, but I figured they wouldn't last the day or the 7 hour bus ride. We did buy a baguette and had already made it our mission to find some good brie to go with our bread. OHH and we had the most AMAZING croissant ever. It was buttery, flaky,  and delicious. We also looked around the cutest little candy shop. The gave free samples, which is always a plus!!

During lunch we got some free entertainment. This group of guys were like acrobats! They flipped and did so many tricks. While some flipped and flopped other played music. It was quite a show. We ventured down the road towards the beach. It was beautiful. The streets were lined with palm trees and the sea sparkled in the sunlight.  The water danced with sunshine and different shades of blue. We of course took tons of pictures in front of the glistening water. We were happy as clams. I just wish we could have spent more time there. After spending some time by the water, we stopped at a little bar for mojitos and creme brule.

It was now time for our cruise around the French Riveria. Basking in the sunlight while riding around on a boat is the life. I can see why the rich and famous like it so much. The weather was perfect, the sun was shining, and we had the wind in our hair. We were able to see Monaco and Monte Carlo from the boat.

Before departing from Nice, we stopped by another candy shop and browsed around. We never did find any Brie for our baguette.  We were quite disappointed. But, other than not finding Brie, our trip to Nice was awesome. I want to go back again someday. 

It was a long, but relaxing day. We got back home around 2:00 on Sunday morning. We had a full day with lots of tasty treats, beautiful scenery, and pleasant company. I look forward to many more trips to come. :)

Strange, isn't it?

I have only been home for less than 12 hours and I have already noticed some differences. It was dark, but I could still see that Fayetteville has grown and changed. It'll probably be even crazier looking in the day time. Even being in my house is so different. Sitting on the toilet seat was strange. I am used to a thin, wide seat where I feel like I might fall in. I sort of felt like a big cow on our tiny, thick toilet seat. When I reached for a spoon this morning I was shocked to discover that it isn't in the same place that my spoons are in my drawer at my home in Italy. My childhood room is even different looking. It's definitely quite cute and girly, but still different than before. The faucets have been changed and the kitchen chairs seat cushions have been redone. Oh and did I mention, as we speak, I am watching a TV with actual channels? I dont have my computer hooked up to the TV so I can watch something. Very odd feeling. It was also strange waking up in a different bed. What was extrememly strange was last night right before I went to sleep. It was midnight and I thought to myself, wow..in Italy the sun is already up. It's a feeling that you can't really understand until you've been in this situation. I also feel worried about my little home, which I find odd because we've been gone for weeks at a time when on vacation and I never thought twice about it. I guess it's just knowing that your so far away from it. It just facinates me that a country that used to be considered foreign no longer feels foreign at all and the country that was never foreign suddenly feels slightly foreign. There are differences that I have already noticed and it feels strange, but it's good to be home with my family and I can't wait to see my friends. Well, thats all the inital changes that I saw. I will be sure to keep everyone updated on my adventures in America! Bye Y'all!!! ;)