A Pretty Awesome Monday

We are now over two weeks in to Nathan's deployment. Time is flying! January will be here before we know it.

Not only did his care package make it to Afghanistan in only a week, but I received a sweet surprise today as well! I nearly cried when I opened the door this afternoon to find chocolate covered strawberries delivered by Edible Arrangements. I'm so lucky to have a husband who spoils me and lets me know he's thinking of me!

Nathan's first care package!

My delicious strawberries. They are heavenly!

Yesterday Nathan gave me a little "tour" around the base. I thought our friends and family might enjoy seeing his temporary home too! 

The bazaar where you can buy local goods.

Anybody need any "Chanel?" ;)

A pretty flower garden that seems a little out of place next to all the dirt and rocks!

I hope you guys have enjoyed the pictures! Thank you again for all the love and support we have received.

17 days completed!

One Week Down

Just in case you haven't heard the news on social media, Nathan left for his first deployment last week. Kuzco and I have survived our first week without him! We've lived off a diet of Cheetos and Pepsi (kidding, mom) and kept busy with lots of walks to the dog park.

A few photos from our last minutes together.

We are extremely grateful for technology! So far we've been able to FaceTime every night.

Before he left, a friend of ours documented our time together and slapped us in the newspaper! I can't wait to see all of the pictures, but until then I hope you enjoy a few snapshots of the article. For those of you interested in reading the full story, the link will be posted on my Facebook :)

I also had the pleasure of assembling my first care package this weekend! I stuffed a large flat rate box full of snacks and other supplies that he requested. It should take about two weeks for it to arrive. I plan on trying to send a little something as frequently as possible- whether it be a box of goodies or just a card to remind him that I love him.

So far, so good! I have school, work, and friends to keep me occupied for the next few months, and I am planning on taking a few trips home for the holidays. Thank you all for your love and support. I'll try to keep everyone updated during this new journey.

Rock Town Distillery

The things we find to do in Little Rock are never-ending. Today's adventure consisted of a tour of Rock Town Distillery. It was founded in 2010 and is located in downtown Little Rock. The grains used are grown locally, and they even bottle right there in the distillery! 

The tour is short and afterwards you get to taste their delicious spirits. I'm not much of a drinker, but their flavored Arkansas Lightning is incredible! We couldn't resist bringing home a pack of our favorites. Apple pie moonshine is now my beverage of choice! 

Exploring Arkansas

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See You Later

Esther, Nicole, Danielle, Dao, Shaira, and I 

The beautiful thing about becoming part of a military family is that brings together the most unlikely people. I did not come from a diverse hometown. Growing up I didn't know what it was like to travel, meet new people, or experience different cultures. I had never seen a skyscraper until I was in college, and the farthest west I'd ever traveled was still in North Carolina. At some point in life, I realized that I was not meant to stay in one place forever. Although my plan changed quite a few times, the Air Force has still found its way into my life and changed it forever.

Nearly two years ago I found myself uprooted and in Arkansas, friendless. I formed an online friendship with two very different young women, and a month after I moved we met up at Starbucks for the first time. The rest is history. Since my first coffee date with Dao and Esther, our group has grown to include three other ladies- all of whom have brought their own style and sass to our unique friendship. 

The downside to forming relationships with other military families is that we are forced to say goodbye sooner than we are ready. The first of our group to go is Danielle. Her sweet little family will be moving to Germany at the end of the month. To celebrate our friendship and her new adventure, we held a multi-cultural potluck dinner! I can assure you that if these ladies were not part of my life, I would have no idea what any of these foods are. The closest I've ever been to Asian food is Chinese takeout! 

On the menu was Filipino pancit and lumpia, Vietnamese spring rolls, Mexican mole, and vegetarian sides! I made an all-American dessert...apple pie! 

We spent the evening taking way too many pictures, gossiping, laughing, and eating everything in sight.

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We're sad to see Danielle go, but we know her family is going to make awesome memories in Germany! A reunion will certainly be in the making (I'm thinking when we force our children to marry each other). I know I have many other friendships awaiting me over the next 18 years of military life, but nothing will beat this first group of women (we like to call ourselves The Dream Team). They are beautiful, talented, and a little offensive, so there is literally no way I'll ever be able to forget them. 

The Dream Team official selfie

Welcoming June

The first week of June has been rain, crazy wind, and more rain. Kuzco didn't seem to mind, though! He passed the time by playing in my flower pots. 

"Dirt is for digging; even if it's in flower pots!" -Kuzco

I took full advantage of the one or two days of sunshine and spent it at the pool with some of my favorite ladies.

We haven't let the rain stop us from enjoying our weekend! Friday we went to a barbecue, and Saturday we went to little Liam's first birthday party. Look at how much this lil' chunk has grown!

Liam and I after he was born, and this weekend at his first birthday party!

His party narrowly escaped more rain! 

Sunday brought even more rain and thunderstorms. To pass the time, my sweet husband let me drag him all over Lowe's and Walmart in search of materials for a terrarium. It wasn't as cheap as I thought it would be, but it was extremely easy and looks super cute! I made a tutorial about it for those of you who are interested :) You can check it out here!

I hope everyone's summer is off to a great start!

DIY Terrarium

What better way to spend a rainy Sunday than with an indoor project! 

You will need:

• Glass jar or bowl (I got mine from Michael's using a coupon)
• Cactus potting soil 
• Decorative rocks (and fine screen or mesh if you want your rocks to show and not get covered by dirt like mine...)
• Succulents a/o cacti
• Spoon (aka mini shovel)

Optional items:

• activated charcoal ONLY if you make a terrarium with a lid
• small rocks or sand to layer across the top

I purchased my medium glass bowl from Michael's. The original price was $11.99, but I used a coupon and got it for $8.34! The succulents and potting soil came from Lowe's. The succulents ranged from $2.98-$3.98 and I bought a total of six. We later saw the exact same ones in Walmart for 50 cents cheaper! The soil was $4.24. My decorative are from Walmart and cost $4.77. I purchased two bags but only used one! 

Total cost: $36.23 (this is with a Michael's coupon and military discount at Lowe's)

Instructions:

1. Place your rocks in the bottom of your bowl or jar. You need rocks! They will help any excess water drain from the soil. Otherwise your succulents and cacti may suffer from root rot. As I mentioned earlier, you may want a screen to keep your dirt from settling and covering your rocks. I really wish I had done that! 
2. If you chose a terrarium with a lid, layer your charcoal between your rocks and your soil. The charcoal you need is the same kind you purchase for fish tanks! The purpose of it is to help filter and circulate the air in your closed terrarium.
3. Dump in your soil! Make sure you have the kind for cacti :) 
4. Using your spoon as a shovel, plant your succulents.
5. Place sand or small rocks on top of the soil. I really wanted to do this, but couldn't bring myself to spend another penny on this thing!