Staying Busy

It has been about two and a half weeks since my last post so I am going to start with a jazzy request!  My aunt is reformatting her jewelry business, after officially choosing a name: Connie's Classy Jewels.  Check out one little goody she sells:

Mum earrings in several different colors!

Click on the link provided and check out her goodies: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ladyblueeyes Also, drop by her new Facebook page and like! She has a giveaway coming up: https://www.facebook.com/conniesclassyjewels

Now .... what have I been doing to stay busy?! Lots of stuff has happened in the past few weeks.  I have spent lots of time with my family and have watched Ronnie receive so much love!  I have also been able to reconnect with some friends I have not seen in a while!  I was very happy to meet up with Danielle for lunch and surprise her dad, whom I have not seen in many, many years!  We had a great time catching up since we have last talked with each other - never a dull day!

Danielle, Dan, and myself at El Sombrero in Gainesville

Mom and I also headed up to South Carolina to see Rebecca and Marion again.  We spent Saturday afternoon at Columbia mall, shopping our little hearts out!  Such a busy area, reminds me of Augusta, but the mall is not as big as I am used to!  We decided to head to Rock Hill for dinner and dessert that evening!  What a gorgeous area!

I got to visit Haley last week at work.  She works at Lake Lanier Islands, for those curious who signs her paychecks.  In stead of working at Windows, the restaurant where she is a hostess, she was tediously attending to the everyday needs of customers in the Butler Pantry!  Her first time working in there and I must say she was doing a FAB job!

Mom, Haley, and myself traveled back to the theaters to check out The To Do List.  Haley was thrilled to see Aubrey Plaza in the film and I was equally excited to see Young Neil (played by Johnny Simmons).  I have established a first name basis with him since seeing Scott Pilgrim!  This film had all the crudeness any movie junk of tasteless enjoyment would like!  If you're looking for a good laugh and want to reminisce of what 1993 meant to you .... go watch! This is NOT a film to watch with your kids or parents! That's your courtesy heads up!

I have found a new obsession for Birchbox!  I love getting the monthly subscription boxes.  It is neat to test items that fit the profile I set for myself.  I was so impressed with a certain brand of hair gel and a particular brand of sunscreen that I decided to buy the full product.  Here's the cool thing: The hair gel was free!!!  I love earning points that help me get products for free!! If you're interested in the $10 monthly box click this link: http://birch.ly/17oMEjZ 

Not much more has happened except: Blake returned from Africa! Can I get an Amen?!  He's back in Germany and we are just waiting to see what October will bring in relation to our military future!

Check back next week to see how we spend Haley's 20th birthday!!!!

God Bless RachJ

Memory Lane

How can I possibly wrap up the past two weeks in just one post?

On Saturday I participated in a softball tournament with some old friends and along the way made some new!  It has been well over ten years since I played the beautiful game and it felt great to get back behind the glove.  What a great day to get out and make a difference.  We played ball in order to help raise funds for baby Josiah!  Follow his story and participate if you can! A Heart For Josiah

A little third base action

Sunday brought a different adventure.  We headed back to the movies to see Grown Ups 2.  It was much different from the first Grown Ups in which there were way more characters introduced.  I will admit my guilty pleasure of this movie is the fact that the Grown Ups decide to throw an 80's party.  Yeah, we all know how obsessed I am!

Tuesday brought a new and exciting journey.  I traveled with Cassie, Missy, and Santiago down to Columbus to see our sweet Katee!  It was so great to surprise her and check up on baby Bryan and of course big Bryan!  Such a sweet bond we all share and great laughs we can share together.  Katee and Bryan introduced us to a little restaurant called The Black Cow and we all had a delicious lunch.  I recommend the fried green beans!  I was so sad to say 'see you again' since it has been several months since I have last seen them, but we will all see each other again VERY soon .... baby Bryan will be here before we know it!

Missy, Santi, Katee with baby Bryan, Cassie and myself

One last happy note: Blake is back in Germany!! More to follow.


God Bless RachJ

There's Something About the Fourth

July, Sweet July.

Another week has come and gone!  What a great holiday week we celebrated!  Mom and I finally found a nail salon worthy of our experience.  It has been many, many years since I have visited Nail Studio &Spa in Gainesville and it was worth every penny!

The week was rather rainy but that didn't keep us down! Haley and I traveled to the Gainesville Square on Wednesday to visit Nichole at Riley Clay Designs.  I was able to purchase some of my favorite earrings that she creates!  Afterward we headed down the street and ate at The Collegiate Grill.  It was a treat because it has also been many moons since I have eaten there!

My beautiful earrings! @Rileyclaydesign

Our family tradition on July 4th is to go to the movies and this year everyone else decided to do the same!  We watched Despicable Me 2 and it was really hilarious!  So glad we decided to brave the terrible weather!  We even had a mini photo shoot following the movie!

Haley takes on the sweet minions!

Mom and I pose gleefully after an awesome viewing!

We finished up the weekend by celebrating my sweet little cousins 14th birthday!  I cannot believe how much Breeze is growing!  Before I know it she will be graduating high school and then college! Oh my!

Happy 14th Birthday Breeze!

God Bless RachJ

What a weekend!  I am so thankful for the sunshine God bestowed upon us this past weekend!  

Friday was a beautiful day full of 'shoe organization'.  Sure, some of you are thinking 'is she serious?'.  Yes, I am absolutely am!  For the past two weeks I have lived in my brown and black flip flops - enough is enough! It was time to break out my summer sandals, wedges, and heels!  Mom and I headed off to the movies to see The Heat.  It was more hilarious than the previews let on.  Great comedic comedy team between the two lead actresses!

Saturday we attended the Braves game at Turner Field!  We left around noon to head down early and catch the Alumni game of Team Smoltz v. Team Bream!  Naturally mom was on cloud nine as she got to see MANY great names she remembers from years past.  I was very excited to watch some returning champs of the 95 World Series!  Team Smoltz won!  Following the alumni's = the 2013 Braves!  They played the Diamondbacks!  What an amazing game!!! There were too many clenched fists for 7 innings straight but the 8th inning proved to be the BEST!  The Braves took the game with 11 runs to the Diamondbacks 5!

Sunday we woke up a little late and headed to the one o'clock service at 12 Stone.  The sermon was led by a young gentleman who is involved in the student ministry.  He preached on the book of Daniel and the boundaries we should live within created by God: Financial, relationship, and parenting.  "Faith is God.  Favor is Faith."  Daniel chapter 1.

Top left final Braves score, bottom left Haley and I at the game, top right corner alumni players before the softball game started, center right McCann's shirt worn by a fan, bottom right corner an amazing view of Atlanta from Turner Field.

God Bless RachJ

A Whirlwind of a Week

This past week has proved to be challenging, daring, exciting, angering, longing, loving and the list of 'ings' could go on and on .....

Two weeks ago I was gearing up for my last meeting with some of the most A-mazing ladies I have had the pleasure of becoming friends with while at Fort Meade!  The Enlisted Spouses' Club hosted the first business meeting of the new Club year and kicked it off with the annual Luau.  Unfortunately, I lost ALL of the words I wanted to say as my final goodbye, but I think and hope everyone knows how much they really mean to me and what the Club has meant to me over the past few years.

ESC Luau - Last Business Meeting at Meade

Tuesday was a VERY busy day for Papa and me.  While he was in town we traveled to D.C. and took a private tour of the Capitol (a good 3 hour tour - don't tell Gilligan he might get jealous)!  I really think he enjoyed his time while in Maryland.  Later that evening we attended a 'farewell' dinner for Tracy and myself at Long Horn Steakhouse (our fave restaurant) - it was wonderful to see all of our ESC friends and a few friends we have made during our time here!  Truly a wonderful last outing together.  Wednesday mom joined us and we feverishly continued to pack up the house!  As dinner time arrived mom and I left for Owings Mills for my last event with my Cedarmere family.  I will cherish every memory I have made with my wonderful fourth graders this year, the experience Joe and Jess gave and the amazing friendship I formed with Megan.

Papa and I at the Capitol in The Old Supreme Court Chamber

Farewell Dinner with ESC Ladies

Cedarmere End-of-Year Cookout

We left Maryland after packing my life away, at least for a few months, headed for Georgia (after only enduring about 3 hours of zzz's)!  Since Ronnie and I have arrived it's been non-stop since.  We had a few days of re-acclimating ourselves with the city we used to know but we packed up again on Friday and headed to Winnsboro South Carolina to spend some time with Rebecca, Marion, and Rupert!  What a weekend .... full of fun and family!

Meme, Connie, Ronnie, and Myself (while mom grabbed Arby's)

God Bless RachJ

The Time Has Come:

Let's see here - it has been roughly 2 years and almost 9 months since our last post.  A lot has happened in that (what seems brief, but not entirely) time.   About half a year following the last post Blake received orders to Germany.  Yes folks, you guessed right, we were not even living here a year and then BAM!  We had some tough decisions to make because I was in the tail end of school and we knew that if I moved I may never get my degree.  So as many military couples debate, I know we are not alone, we made the choice to have me remain in Maryland while Blake moved to Germany.  I can say after one year, a brief few weeks of Blake being home, and now 4 months later - I'm OVER this separation.  I know that many other couples face these same trials and tribulations, and if I had to do it all over again I am sure that I would.  Neither one of us regret this decision, but I'm sure as you can imagine, it is very difficult to spend such a lengthy amount of time away from your significant other.

Now that June is a week away I am in the process of packing up our house and getting ready to head to Georgia for a few months.  Blake is currently living life deployed and I must await his return to Germany.  I am very eager to head home for a bit as there are new adventures coming our way, as well as new adventures for friends!  I very much look forward to seeing family and friends and cannot wait to share our Maryland endeavors with all!

Leaving you with this note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VZmYvldCyM

God Bless RachJ

The Big Kid In Class

Back to School....Back to School.....To prove to the younger kids that I'm so cool!

I have finally decided to work up the nerve to apply to schools! GUESS WHAT?! I got accepted! I will be attending Stevenson University in the Spring 2011! Two years after receiving my Associates degree....I seem to be on a slow path of achieving success...but 2 more years from now I will have a Bachelor's degree--that means a more stable job!  Well for me, it really means that I finally earned what I worked so hard for 4 years ago but never got the chance to finish, at the time!

How weird is this?! 26...starting my "Junior" year of college?! Most of the students in the classroom will be younger than me!  It's such an outright weird feeling, but I couldn't be more thrilled about finally getting started again and finishing! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time!  I can't wait to post more as my journey goes along!  Be on the lookout for my new blog as the path unfolds! I'm so thankful for everyone who gave me support in the past and who continues to support me as I go on!
God Bless RachJ