Christmas part one!

Last weekend we drop up to NOVA for Christmas with the Lockhart's.  As soon as Corey got of work we piled into my car and drove the 3 hours to get up North.  After dropping him off at the Fire House for the night and Ellie off at Aunt Amanda's for the night I was off to spend the night with my dear friend Jenn!! I was so glad to get to see her, I had been looking forward to it all week!! We had a blast eating Mexican and drinking wine in front of her tv!! It's always hard having to move around and not be near your good friends, so getting to see them always makes me beyond happy.  I cant wait to see her for 3 weekends straight in February!! (Ooops haven't told the big man yet!!) But we have my birthday, then the cupid run, and then I'll be up again for Ashley's visit.  Busy month but it's always my favorite!!

Then on Saturday we went to his parents house to do our Christmas since we cant be with everyone on the actual day of Christmas.  So we opened all our presents from them, and we are so grateful for all the wonderful gifts we received.  Even miss Ellie was excited!! Then we went to the family sing-a-long which was great getting to see family we don't see nearly often enough.  I got to spend some qt with the twins and they melted my heart, maybe because they are only 14 months old and beyond adorable!! After the family party we went out and got to see some good friends and one I hadn't seen in a while which is always amazing!! I am so thankful we have been able to move closer to our friends and family.

Sunday we woke up to a yummy breakfast and drove back down to our home! The poor baby had a rough weekend but she will survive!! We got home just in time to see the Eagles win :( I was excited the whole drive home because they were winning but they disappointed me at the end. Hopefully we have a win this weekend and all will be well again.


I hope everyone was has a safe and healthy holiday, where we will be spending Christmas is still a surprise so check back if your dying to know!!

Thanksgiving!!

Well like I said I'd post after Thanksgiving so here goes!!

The week leading up to our Thanksgiving was a little hectic to say the least.  Corey was working nights and I was overly stressed so I made a hundred lists so I wouldn't forget anything.  I even had a job interview on Wednesday, hopefully I find out on Wednesday if I got it!  I separated the cleaning and all the adjusting and tasks from Wed to Friday so I wouldn't get overwhelmed and I think that really helped!! I woke up Saturday morning to put my HUGE turkey into the oven.  Boy was I in for a surprise!!! Even though I had been defrosting it for 4 whole days the insides were still frozen.  I reached inside to pull out the gross stuff and my hand started to hurt it was so frozen.  I began to pound away with a knife and finally got the neck out.  Yea I said neck, disgusting!! I though I had pulled the intestine out or something it was gross!! I immediately called my mom who was already on here way and yelled at her for not warning me!! After getting ready I began to peel the potatoes for the mashed and let me tell you I'm investing in a better peeler for next year because I still have battle wounds!! After that I was able to relax with my aunt, and Corey who at this point is FINALLY awake!! Slowly the rest of our family arrives and the Turkey is done!! Which was a minute of stress because it said 6-7 hours and it took exactly 6 which I wasn't ready for.  So I calmly put everything together and set out the food on the table.  Then Corey carved his first turkey!! I must toot my own horn and say it was very successful.  I was told by my mother in law she was impressed I didn't ruin anything, burn, or under heat it because these were some issues she faced in her earlier Thanksgiving years.  I give all my credit to the invention of the to do list because with out multiple lists it would have been a disaster!! Now all I can hope for is next year Corey is not deployed and we will do it all over again!! I think I have started a wonderful tradition!! It works out we are both the oldest children because it is easier to get our families together that way.

On Sunday we got to see the decorations in Williamsburg and they were spectacular!! The creativity they use when decorating is amazing!! Its finally getting a little colder here which makes it feel more like Christmas time!! So far we have been blessed with tons of sunshine!

Now onto Christmas!! We are getting our tree sometime this week early next week and I cant wait to decorate it! Corey even said he would take out the decorations on Friday!! I am very excited!! We have a very quiet tradition of just us (and the bellie) on Christmas morning and I'm very excited to get some qt with him!!

As crazy and unpredictable as our life can be right now I wouldn't change a thing.  I fall more in love with Corey every day and I am blessed he chose me to spend his life with.  One day things will settle down but for now I am just enjoying the ride!!

Can't wait for Thanksgiving!!

So we have been super super busy and I haven't had/made the time to update but here is an update!!

Nothing new has happened between the last post and well now.  I went to St. Thomas with my mom, aunt, sister, and her boyfriend in the beginning of November.  It was beautiful!! We had a memorial at one of the oldest temples, and there was sand on the floor!! It stormed at night, knocking out the power at times, but even the storms were amazing!! I wish Corey had gotten to see it!! Hopefully soon we will get to enjoy a vacation together.

Now they have thrown Corey on nights for this week into next week.  That is a monkey wrench into life because I could use his help around the house, however that is the job description of a military wife.  I am the wife and husband at times because the military comes first.  Once we get through this rough patch we will get to spend some time together!

I'm so thankful this year I am able to have Thanksgiving at my house and both our families can join us! I am also very excited to make my very first Thanksgiving dinner!! I have purchased my Turkey and almost all of the sides and I'm ready to go.  I even made a schedule so everything is done and ready around the same time!! If your super organized it should run smoothly..so I hope. But I have made a feast or two before and I've done my research so I think scratch that I know I will succeed!! I am excited to see my family again!! It gets rough not seeing them so often.  However I am blessed to have a supportive husband who when he deploys will allow me to move back home with Ellie.  That will make everything so much easier.  Now we just need the military to make up their minds on a deployment!

Corey has been volunteering with Smithfield's volunteer fire department and making some new friends out here.  They don't run as many calls as he would like but hopefully that will change soon!!

I have been volunteering with the Peninsula Humane Foundation and helping with cat adoptions out of Petco and it has been great!! I also have been, finally, making some new friends!! I also am going to be volunteering with the USO at this years holiday party, so hopefully that goes well too!!

I'm sure I'll have a huge update after my Thanksgiving experience!!

Love,
C&L

i love fall weather!!

We started the weekend together and ended it together :)

Since I wasn't going to be in town most of the weekend Corey decided to spend the weekend at his new firehouse!! So Friday night before he left we spent some QT together. Then Ellie and held down the fort Friday night!! Poor girl started freaking out as soon as I started packing my suitcase :(.

Saturday I went and dropped Ellie off at our friend Brittany's. It was Ellies first girl sleep over with her pit Saybel! Then I took the 3 hour trek to DC to meet my momma!! The hotel was very nice, but the staff was very cranky!! Once my mom got there we got ready for dinner and to meet Jenn. That's right I got two weekends in a row with her!! The metro was a little slow so momma and I went window shopping!! We finally met up with Jenn and headed to dinner at Fishers and Farmers. The weather was amazing!! The service at dinner was pretty bad but at least we were in good company!! After dinner we just hung out and watched a little tv. I am very glad to live this close to the people I love!!

On sunday mom and I had breakfast and then headed over to Arlington to see my grandpa. It is such an incredible place to be/see. It is beyond heartbreaking to see all the empty spots for future soldier deaths. It makes you appreciate life a little more. Hopefully this war will come to an end here soon. Then I made the 3 hour trip back to Hampton to pick up the brat. She acted like it was so bad to be left for a day!! She is beyond spoiled.

Corey got back a little later from a great weekend at the fire house. We decided to go to Howl-O-Scream with some of his fire house friends. It was an awesome time with awesome people. We got to go on all the roller coasters in the dark. It was so scary I was jumping every second!! But it was well worth!! So much fun!!

Time away always makes you realize what you have at home and I am beyond in love with our life!!

i heart s.va!!

We had another amazing weekend!! I am truly blessed that Corey finally has his weekends off because we have not had this much fun..ever!! Friday one of my amazing friends, Jenn, came down from nova. I am so excited that my friends can actually visit me now!! As soon as she got her we got Sonic and played an intense game of Mario Party!! If felt like college all over again and I'm so glad we have stayed friends! The more often you move the harder it is to keep friends and I'm so glad for the handful of close friends I have kept!!

Saturday was a perfect day. The weather her is amazing for October!! The sun is shining and its in the 80s..I love it!! I made everyone breakfast and then Jenn and I started and intense game of wii olympics! Half way through we stopped to go walking at sandy bottom with my friend Brittany and our dogs!! It was such a great work out! Poor little Ellie got attacked by bees and I had to get them all of her!! No worries my love is fine!! She is a tough little cookie!! Then we finished our intense game and got ready for some yummy dinner!! We went to plaza for some nostalgia and it was better then ever!! After we went to the first bar and quite a few friends showed up and it made me realize I'm so much happier here and bc of that it has been easier for me to make friends!! Then we left there and went to this hole in the wall bar that is cheap and a good time!! Besides karaoke not working we had a blast we were laughing the whole night my cheeks hurt!! All in all Saturday was a blast!!

Sunday we went out to watch some of the games before Jenn left. I'm always sad to see her go but now I'm glad I can see her more often, including this saturday!! Bothe the Giants and the Redskins won so it was a good sports day!! Then we stopped by a friends for dinner!! After that we drove to Corey's new firehouse so he could get his new gear!! I'm so excited for him to get to ride again!! The guys there were really sweet and I look forward to us spending more time there. Plus the town is adorable!!

Well today we are off and enjoying the weather!! I will be starting another painting project as well!!

We miss and love you all!!

birthdays weekends!!

We had another fun weekend!! Clearly living back on the East Coast has done us well!! We got a big chair for our living room so now we actually have places to sit!! Friday Jordan came down again and so did Corey's sister Amanda. We went out amd had lots of fun with them. We also had to say goodbye to another great couple who are going to Germany for four years for the AF. Hardest part is all these goodbyes! That's three great people in one week.

Really the hardest thing about this military thing is meeting awesome people and then leaving. This amazingly genuine friend from WA got orders to London and is coming back for a visit and I'm really sad I won't get to spend time with such and awesome person!! I wish we could all stay in one place instead of walking in and out of each other's lives way to fast.

Saturday we finally took Ellie to the beach!! She loved it!! She ran from the waves and then jumped in the ocean and right back out!! She was so happy to be able to dig in the sand without getting into any trouble! Then we went out to dinner with Coreys family for his birthday. Then we went to Red Star for a few drinks. I had a mason/dixon which is basically and arnold palmer it was amazing!!

Sunday was my loves birthday!! We did the ride for pink but since it was raining we had to drive there instead of ridem. But I was an awesome event for breast cancer. Then we finally got to watch some football and my Giants kicked butt!! I also got some pink cups from the bar!!

Today Corey was off so we got to spend some QT together!! Next weekend Jennay is coming to hang out and then I get to see my momma!!

Hope everyone is doing great!!

first poker ride!!

We had another great weekend!! Friday our friend Jordan came down to hang out with us. We had dinner and drinks her at the house while Ellie and his dog Bernard played together. Then we went bar hopping at some local bars around here and had a lot fun!

Then Saturday we did our first poker ride together and it was awesome! We went to four different bars and we collected a card at each one. Corey's hands were pretty bad but I had a really good hand ace king queen and a ten but I pulled a stinken nine instead of a jack!! Oh well there is always next time!! This weekend we are doing another ride to va beach for breast cancer so we are really excited about that! Later we went to the races which were way more fun then I thought they would be. We all got in to the races. It was our friends going away party. That's the one really hard thing once you make a really good friend they leave.

Time is flying this weekend is already Corey's birthday, but I'm super excited for it!!

paint!

I finally finished painting the dining room today!! I love the color! Now I just have to get Corey to hang some pictures in it and it will be perfect and ready in time for my big Thanksgiving dinner!! The house is definitely coming along! The wallpaper came down in the living room real easy so we are going to get someone in here soon to do the kitchen and living room. Now all we need is furniture! We thought we had a leak in our upstairs bathroom but turns out we just need to put a shower curtain up before our next guest! Also for the dining room I need to pick out some curtains for one window. Also we finally have a mailbox!

I like Langley a lot more then McChord because its been a lot easier to make friends out here. I think because people act different on each coast and we are just more understanding of people over here. plus we already knew some friends out here. Seems like our weekends are jam packed up until the deployment. This weekend we are going home for a family reunion, to bring the bike down, and for Corey to play the drums with a band. I'm so super excited it should be so much fun!! Even miss Ellie is making friends! Plus having our family so close is great!!

Well after the weekend ill be starting the office..hopefully it takes less coats then the dining room!!

first night alone in the new house

So it has been a fewupo nights but we have been so busy with the house! Corey is at night firing tonight which is twice a month, but that gives me some me time and time to update. As much as I enjoy me time I don't like it at night or in a new neighborhood. But I have Ellie and there are a few guns around here so I should be ok! A taste of what deployment life will be like.

Well after Corey gave up on painting. I finished the powder room and it looks great if I do say so myself! Now I'm working on the dining room just need some more paint to get it done! It definitely is starting to feel like a home especially eating meals here and starting to unpack. The love is just bursting out the windows! The in-laws were here last weekend and they were super helpful getting stuff done! Are yard is starting to brighten up and I think the flowers will make it with a little TLC!!

Is it crazy I'm starting to think about Thanksgiving already? I'm having a big dinner this year for both our families so we can all be together. I just want it to be perfect so I already starting working on the menu and telling everyone. U want to be stuck like a deer in headlights running to the store that day. Plus hopefully if I'm overly prepared it will go well!! Hopefully Ellie doesn't try to help herself to anything!

exhausted!

Today equals day two and I'm shot! Today I peeled all the wall paper from our downstairs bathroom. It took be all day and I even got the approval from corey!! Then we went to tackle painting and quickly gave up..we will see if some rest will give us better spirits or we might pull together our loose change and higher someone. At least tomorrow our pod comes! Let me tell you suitcase living sucks! It will nice to have all of our belongings again!


Today we also dealt with some stress with Corey's work. The whole last minute TDY to jk your staying. Its always a hard few moments when they might be leaving. Now I am just waiting for more definite details on his upcoming deployment. Military life is always so up in the air!

Well wish us luck unloading once again I'm stuck helping with the heavy stuff!

L*C

Day one!

So we are finally stationed on the East Coast and at Langley!! Woo hoo to having a hot summer and beach weather, which after Washington we needed this change! We bought a house, our first home, in Hampton and today is our first day in our new house!! We still don't have our pod with all our belongs, fingers crossed we get that on Thursday!! Today I bleached the F out of this house! I thought I was a messy person but the way these people lived was disgusting! I scrubbed for eight hours and I still don't think its clean enough! Ill have to tackle a few more layers this weekend!!

Thank God I'm not doing this all alone! Without Corey's knowledge and skills I would be well without a roof over my head! Right now he is painting the garage floor so we can store stuff in it Thursday! He has already changed the locks and bought most of the paint for our first floor! I don't know how I would survive without him and will surely be a mess when he leaves, well at least I can clean!

Well for now we sleep on a bed mat until we have a bed and rest up for my project tomorrow of peeling wallpaper-wish me luck!

We love and miss you all!
L * C