Monkey Madness

Wow, it has been awhile.  I really have no reasons why...just normal life.  We have been pretty busy around here but at the same time, not much to post about.  Spring is underway, we got some 70's the past week which quickly hightailed it out of here.  This weekend was opening weekend for softball and it was cold and dreary, and damp and did I mention dreary?  So is spring is Germany. :)

We have some fun coming up though.  I have a ladies only trip to Portugal...yes, Portugal, that itself is pretty amazing.  Then before we know it we will be headed back home for 6 weeks this summer.  I cannot wait!

A few weekends ago we had a decent day so we bundled up the kids and drove 2.5 hrs into France to go to Monkey Mountain.  It was a pretty cool place.  Although I thought we could actually touch and hold the monkeys, it was still neat to have them wandering all around us.

A few photos.

(These are straight out of my camera...nothing fancy)

Entrance to Monkey Mountain

Mr Monkey...just chillin

It was kinda scary for them the first time feeding them.

Me and my Buddy

Pretty view...I am sure prettier if it was sunny!

Drew got yelled at for being too close...lol

Always gotta get this shot

Pretty town in France

We stopped at Cora on the way back.  Its a huge store kinda like a Wal-Mart but French.  It was pretty cool and we got a few goodies but I don't think I would do the drive to just visit Cora.

It was a fun day though!

Website-
http://www.montagnedessinges.com/fr/parc.php?id_cat=1

Some Good Things

My first good, no awesome thing is we paid off another bill.  It wasn't a big one and it was the one I was waiting to pay off since it was no payments and no interest until 2014. But I got sick of looking at it.  So another $542 gone.  Putting our grand total paid off at

$103,042.48!

I am so proud of us on that number.  I pretty much tell anybody that will listen.  I have had so many people private message me about help, people that I had no idea where in debt.  I have brought it up in real face to face conversations and somebody will confide in me that they too have a house they need to shortsale or more debt than they can handle.  There are so many people out there drowning in debt...and I am sure most are no where near what we had.  I am hoping me showing this encourages them that they can also do it!  I am still in shock when I see it.  How in the world did we live that way?  It is so damn freeing with it gone.  I never thought we could live with one car either.  It was scary at first to sell our second vehicle...but I swear, the moment it was gone felt...amazing.

Another good thing..My girl Moe played in her first softball tournament.  Not only was it her first but it was German style.  Nothing like we play in the states.  And some of the German girls were twice her size...no kidding!  But it was so much fun to watch.  I was incredibly proud of her.  She made a couple plays, collided with 2 others on 2nd, got on base a few times and even scored a run.  And she was into it.  Like, really into it.  That is what made me most proud.  This was pretty much her first game ever and her enthusiasm made me happy.  Here she is ready to play (yes, it was indoors...see weird!)

How cute does she look...yes, proud mama.

Another good thing is news from my friends.  I have a close friend who announced a pregnancy (not sure she wants it on here so I will keep her name quiet) but I am so happy for her.  And then another whose hubby landed the job he wants. It's a good and a bad.  Yes, the Myers are leaving which I totally hate and they won't be Disney cruising with us as planned but I am totally excited for them..if not a little jealous they get to head back to the states. It won't be the same without my Wisconsin friend here in Germany.  :(

I like to recognize the good.  A lot of times, I focus on the bad.  I hate when I get all wrapped up in it.  My worst right now is dealing with my upstairs neighbors.  I totally hate the way I can get about it.  What is sad is, I really try to not focus on it...I couldn't imagine what it would be like if I just let it all out all the time.  Other people I vent to probably think that is what I do since I seem to always complain about it..but I promise, I really try hard not too.  I am not sure what else to do about it though.  I also hate wishing the next year or so away so I don't have to live in a home like this again.  That is so awful, I hate when my mind goes there.  And really, I like my place.  I like that its on base and I like how cozy it is.  But living in a building with others has proven way harder than I thought at this stage in my life.  Ya live and ya learn, I guess.  Please just cross your finger that they next family that moves in isn't as loud and obnoxious.  Thanks, I appreciate it.

Have a great week!

  

  

Summer

As I sit here wishing for some sun and warmth, I can't help but dream of this summer and all that comes with it.  When we moved from our Wisconsin home in 2009 to Cali, I didn't know that summers back home would be a big deal.  But they totally are.  Ever since then, we have been back.  Hell, I even went back in 2009, the year we actually moved.  Drew had a long TDY, I was homesick in a new location that didn't know that August is supposed to be warm...so the girls and I headed home.

We have been making those summer memories going on 4 years now.  Its funny, we were always actually there before, but not actually living there all the time and going back makes you realize how awesome it really is.  Summers in Minnesota/Wisconsin are ideal.  That is why people live there.  Warm, sunny, so green.  And the lake, oh, the lake.  Gorgeous.  My official summer starts when I take that first pontoon ride around it.  The pirate ship, Disneyland, the sandbar, all mean summer on Coon Lake.

Here is the "cabin".  The "lake".  "Grandma and Papas house".  Brenna even said it's her favorite place to be.

It's not a cabin anymore, its my moms house.  But this land was once my grandpa and grandma's.  A "cabin" as we called it sat there but it was actually their home.  When it became me mom's, she kept it as the cabin for awhile but then wanted to move and live there full time.  So they tore it down and built their house.  She says they might sell it if they move after retirement but I don't see Corie, Nick, Ryan and I letting that happen.  No way.

The Cabin before.  Or Grandma and Grandpa Stucke's house.

I love that my girls are making memories at the lake.  I hope when they are older with their own families and we are long and gone they will always remember summers back there.  They really are ideal.

So for now, I will bundle up to head to the gym and wish for the days I have to wear sunglasses, flip flops and tank tops.  Or just lounge in my bathing suit all day.

Dang, I am really lucky to have a summer like that.

Things Non Military Wives Might Not Think About

I always hate when we move and I have to start alll over with things, especially cleaning products.  I really have no idea how much money I have wasted when the things I throw out or give away when we move.  I got to thinking this weekend about living more simple...one of my goals is to not stock up, that's right, not stock up.  I find when I do that I get bored of a product and don't end up using my stock.  Like the time I bought 8 bottles of Bath & Body Works shampoo and conditioner.  I used about 3 and now they sit, especially since we use more conditioner than shampoo and now I just have 4 shampoos and half a bottle of conditioner.  Just a waste.

So my next goal would be to use what I have before we move again.  Yes, we have about a year and 4 months, but I have a lot of products...in all categories.  The movers don't pack lotions, oils, aerosols.  So that includes my beauty products all the way to my scrubbing bubbles. (Which I love!  I am addicted to that cleaner!).

I took some inventory.  Here is what I have now in the household category.

1 pack of wet swiffer pads
5 packs of sanitizing wipes
2 swiffer dusting sprays
2 oven cleaners
1 pack windex wipes
3 lysols disinfecting sprays or good smell spray
3 scrubbing bubbles
3 toilet cleaners
1 fabreze
1 tilex
6 half used good smells hand soaps
4 bottles lotion (just mine)
Way too much shampoos and conditioners

So those are the products I wanna use and not waste.  And not buy anymore unless I use it all!

Deep stuff, eh?

Another thing on my mind constantly is where we will go next.  I am a bit obsessed with researching areas.  Morgan will graduate from our next base and we would love to buy again since we will be there 5 years, so I need to make sure its a good one.  Oh, and Drew said this next move is my choice.  Well, my choice after the Air Force gives us the list and then we pick from it and then they put him at one of our choices (maybe).  So that is how much my choice is.  But still, we have some say.  Our number one is still Colorado Springs.  My new favorite base is Nellis afb, which is in Las Vegas.  I never thought I would want to go there but after researching I was very surprised on the schools, the housing market and how the city has built up some beautiful suburbs with Mt Charleston in the back ground.  And the best part...no snow.  No winter.  At least not a real one.  Oh, and the lovely heat, I will take it.  So we have a small list with Colorado at the top and Florida, Nellis following.  November (about) the list comes out and we should know by this time next year.  I am sure this year will fly by too.  The last year and a half has.

It is currently snowing big time and I need to pull myself off this couch and go to my workout class and then to the awful place called the Ramstein Commissary.  One thing I miss in the states is options in grocery store.  And not having the one we have being so busy like its the day before Thanksgiving every single time you go.  Never something I thought I would wish for...grocery stores!

Have a great one!

Jamie

We Did It!

We pulled off that surprise I had been talking about.  The family and I made a long Space A trip to Louisiana and surprised my grandma.  She was so happy to see everybody and I hope it is just what she needed.  I had such a hard time keeping it from her.  My Gma is a pretty cool Gma with an iPad, iPhone and Facebook so I had to stay off.  It killed me to not post when I landed in the states!  We flew into Baltimore, spent the night then hopped on a Southwest flight (with connection) to Dallas.  We then rented a car and drove the 3 hrs to Shreveport where we proceeded to get a hotel and lay in a fog.  We were so tired and not in the mood to be with anyone.  I even took the girls to Target real quick and was too tired to even focus!  I even got ChickFilA and brought it back to the hotel and I really don't remember eating it.  Two of my favorite things and they are pretty foggy.  :)

The next day we got up and drove to my Aunt Diana's house who lives right next to Gma.  We planned our attack and jumped in her car for the ride over. (when I say right next to, I mean right next to in the country)  Diana went in and brought a card from me to Gma...she noticed right away it wasn't addressed and said to me later she didn't get that.  Diana then said, Wait, I have a package in the car!  Then we walked in and said surprise Gma!!!  She was so happy and cried and it was great.

Yes, I am stupid.  I have no pictures of it. You would think with 2 photographers in the family one of us would have done it.  :/

But I have the memory and that is all that matters.  I just knew this summer was going to be too hectic to get to Louisiana and we really wanted to visit.

From there, we visited all the family we could in a week.  I even saw my cousin, Natalie and her 3 kids from my moms side.  I think it had been 20 years since we had seen each other.  And again, no pics.  :(

I got a few pics on my phone though...just some random stuff.  Most are from one night out.

What a horrible photo.  Us at Target...my girls were in heaven with all the toys.  I even bought them stuff which I normally don't do.  I spent over a $100 and have no clue what I even got I was so dazed.

Drew and some Sonic.  At 10 am we were ordering Cherry Limeades and Vanilla Shakes.  We were a little off.

My nephew, Mason

A little Domino playing.  Brenna, Morgan, Addy and Grace

Our double date with my little brother and sister in law. No kids for the day!  Of course, I got sick that night but what ya gonna do?

Drew in his happy place! Out for some Crawfish at Shane's.

The crazy kids.  BTW, the one in the middle is my little sister.  She is 13.

Captain America...I mean, my Dad and stepmom, Lloyce.  :)

One of my little brothers,  Bryant sucking some crawfish head!

My nephew, Brendon, who I met for the first time.  :)

Sister in Law, Shelly and my niece, Adelyn.

How we do things in the country.  My dad and brother setting up the bouncy castle.  :)

Drew supervising as only a Capt can do.  :)  Btw, this was our only day of sun...it was fabulous!

So fun!  Or so we thought, they barely went in it.  :)

These are from my Stepmoms camera.

Morgan and Grace

Me and Grace, yes she is 13 and taller than me.

All the Grandkids!

On the way home we spent the night with my brother Jeremy in Dallas.  We went to Dave and Busters for the night.  Here is a pic I got of him, Brenna and Chase playing a game.

All in all, a good trip.  Moe and I weren't feeling the greatest all week but we pushed through it.  I wish we would have had more time, but it is what it is.  I know as soon as we PCS (Colorado!) we will have everyone out to our place.  I will just have to look forward to that.

Being away from family is so hard.