The What Nots of Lately...

* When we left my parents house last week we headed around the Olympic Peninsula and over to the Puget Sound.  Its a gorgeous area! We LOVE the Northwest.   Trav was stationed in Port Angeles, WA fourteen years ago aboard the CGC Active.  He never actually lived there though.  He was underway or in dry dock the entire 7 months that I was there alone.  We stopped to check out the area as a potential place to try and return on Coast Guard orders.  It is in close proximity to my parents new house which makes it all the more enticing.  Fact is though, we just didn't love Port Angeles.  I didn't get the warm and fuzzy feelings I was hoping for.  That's not to say that we would not want to go back there, like I said it is close to my parents but we just do not see ourselves living there forever.  This leads me to the almighty questions of...Where the hell are we going to end up?  We only see ourselves doing the Coast Guard thing until Trav is retirment eligible which gives us 5 1/2 years to figure out what the hell we are doing.  The kids are older and I constantly ponder their high school years.  I am tired of moving.  I just want "forever" to fall into my lap so that I can know what is waiting for us.  We spend countless hours mulling over where we should try to get stationed. Asking questions like,... What will happen if Trav promotes again and our rotation gets messed up?  Should we just attempt to stay in Sitka for another year? What if Trav has to leave us and become a geographical bachelor?  What if we have to move before Travi's senior year?  Can I get a physic reading or look into a crystal ball so I can stop pondering all this crap?  Moving on...

* This kids have been down south with my parents for a week now.  That means for the last seven days we have been childless.  The house is quiet, the house is always clean, the television rarely gets turned on, dinners are simple and we drink wine in excess.  We crawl into bed early, lips numb from the wine, attempt to read books in silence and have conversations void of interruptions.  Its very bizarre to be in the house alone with no kids.  It feels foreign and something is definitely missing and different.  When we FaceTime with the kids, I swear Travi has aged ten years and I am able to imagine his facial features as a grown man.  Taylor's hair has definitely grown at least two inches since last weekend when I said goodbye to her.  The will be home in 8 days.  I plan to enjoy this next week with my man but I am looking forward to hugging those kids.  

* I had to wear a sweater and a rain jacket to the 4th of July parade down in town.  There is just something about having to dawn jackets on this holiday that seems nuts.  I invision swimming pools, flip flops, beach parties, BBQ's, margaritas and sweaty armpits on the 4th of July.  I dawned wool socks too! We did get together with our good friends  and enjoy each other.  I LOVE celebrating this day.  I love this country and being patriotic! I love flying our colors proudly!  I love that my husband is part of the 1% of the population that serves his country and I love the freedoms that we enjoy!

* I found my way to a Target while down south. Its been 2 years since I stepped though those doors.   I dropped $400 on toiletries, hand soaps, detergents, mini stacking bowls, kitchen gadgets and dishtowels.  The absolute variety and endless options was slightly overwhelming but I swear I felt a euphoric rush come over me 10 minutes into my two hour shopping limit.  I am so proud of my goregous new dishtowels and the new soap scents I picked up.  Seriously, its the small things like that which mean the most when you live remote.  My only wish is that I could return to that store around the holidays to see all the aisles full of festive stuff and hear Christmas music playing over the loud speaker.

* I am currently reading this book.  I have to finish it before the kids come home so that I can attempt to watch the movie in peace and quiet.  Trav WILL watch it will me!  So far the book has been good.  Honestly, I am not sure I can hate a movie that has both Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, but who knows.  I do not typically watch "chick flicks" but this book was on the list "16 Books To Read Before They Hit Theartres".  I have read 7 of the books on the list.    If your interested in other books on that list click HERE!

* I absolutely love three day weekends!!  Who doesn't!?!  After celebrating the holiday we went out on the boat with friends as well as did quite a bit of hiking.  Three day weekends almost make me feel like I am getting a vacation.  To bad we can not adopt the regulated 4 day work week like the Europeans have done!

MJ and I ready to hit the trail after our concierge canoe service from the boat!

* Lastly,  I am turning 36 years old in a week.  I don't feel 36 years old at all.  When I was a teenager, people who were 36 seemed old.   I consider people who have children the same age as mine to be old.  I feel much younger then they look though.  I don't feel old at all.  I am enjoying the best years of my life right now.  I feel confident, smart, strong and I honestly feel like I know my purpose and role in this life.  My husband makes me feel beautiful and my children keep me young at heart.  I am physically the strongest I have ever been.  I know that if I continue to surround myself with healthy, quality people I will continue to live this way.  With time comes experience, with experience comes knowledge.  I am looking forward to experiencing another year and aquiring the knowledge that helps me to become a better person.  Cheers to you all!!!