So Very Tired

I haven't made much of a showing in the blogosphere in the past couple of weeks, which you may or may not have noticed. The thing is, I need a break. It's a good thing this deployment is almost over because I'm reaching the end of my rope. I'm really just tired...all the time.

All the time.

It's hard to put into words exactly how I'm feeling right now. I guess the best way to put it...think back to a time when you had a really rough week and by Friday you were just done. You didn't want to go anywhere or put any effort into anything. The only thing you wanted to do was climb into bed and sleep until 2PM the next day followed by couch-sitting and movie watching and sleeping in until noon on Sunday.

That's pretty much how I feel. Every day. And it doesn't help that Lil' Mootz is sick and hasn't been sleeping very well through the night the past couple of nights.

So during the time I do NOT have to worry about responsibilities I just want to sit on my couch and read and and nap.

So that's why I've kind of been practically ignorning every blog, but my own. It's not that I don't enjoy reading everyone else's blogs and commenting. I'm just too tired right now.

So anyway...I'm not looking for a pity party or anything, I just wanted you all to know why I haven't been commenting lately. We're still alive, we're just not very functional. Hopefully, within the next few weeks (2 months at the most because then you know who will be getting home!!!) I'll start feeling better and getting back into the grove of blogging.

I will be having a giveaway though starting next week. I may not be sharing in the comment luv right now, but hey, I'm giving away free stuff, so you should definitely come back for that :)

As If You Didn't Have Enough Blogs To Read...

I know you all are looking for more fun reads so I have a couple to point to you to.

First, go check out I Love The Way She Blogs. Not only is it an awesome blog that points you in the right direction for all sorts of fun tips and tricks for your blog, but it also has a new writer. Me!! My first freelance writing gig! So go check it out!

Second, The. Mrs at Trying Our Best is having a giveaway! She's giving away a handmade quilted Service Star Banner. I've wanted one of these since the first time Stonewall deployed and his mom had one hanging in her window. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed for myself on this one.

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone has an awesome Fourth of July with juicy hot dogs, yummy apple pie, a parade or two, and of course, fireworks.

Today is the day we celebrate the rebels. If 233 years ago our founding fathers hadn't stepped onto the edge and taken that giant leap, we might not be the United States of America. Today we raise our glasses to going against the tide, to breaking the rules, to finding the strength and courage to create something new and different.

Happy Independence Day!

Can't Hardly Wait

I just finished watching "Can't Hardly Wait" with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ethan Embry. Do you remember that film? I'd say it ranks in my top 100 movies.

Anyway...the main story of the movie is about Embry's character, Preston, being madly in love with Hewitt's character, Amanda, and trying to tell her. It's a pretty typical plot-line set on the night of a high school graduation and the big graduation party. My favorite part of the whole movie is at the very end and the way Preston looks at Amanda when they finally talk to one another. His whole face just radiates that he has put this girl on a pedestal simply because he wants to.

I love that look. The look that a man gives a woman when he has placed her on a pedestal and has given her his whole heart, no questions asked. Whenever I see that look I get tinglies inside and I feel all warm and happy.

Do you know the look I'm talking about?

Do you know what I love most about that look? That's the way my husband looks at me. He looked at me like that on our first date. I didn't understand that look at the time, but I understood it the day we got married and I understood it the day I gave birth to our son and I understood it January 10, the last night I saw Stonewall before he left for Iraq.

Don't get me wrong. Stonewall and I fight, we have days when we roll our eyes at each other more than we smile at each other and we have nights when there is a definite line drawn down the middle of the bed. However, despite all those things (or maybe even because of them) I know Stonewall puts me on a pedestal that soars above all others.

There are times when I have no idea why. Why me? What did I do to deserve that? Let me tell you though, I'm over the rainbow butterflies in my belly can't stop smiling so in love with the man that picked me!

And I can't hardly wait for that man to be home.

The Meaning of Yield Signs

This is to all of you drivers out there that do not understand the concept of a yield sign.

Before we even get into all the nitty-gritty, let's just review the basics. Dude in the red car getting on 83 at exit 19 this morning around 9:27 this morning, pay attention.

This is a yield sign.


It should look vaguely familiar as you did need to learn about it when studying for your driver's license exam and it can be commonly found at on and off ramps of major highways.

When one sees a yield sign this is the course of action one should take according to a PennDOT press release dated November 5.

"When you see a yield sign, you must slow down, check for traffic and give the right-of-way to approaching cross traffic. You stop only when necessary and proceed when you can do so safely without interfering with normal traffic flow. Remember, you must have a sufficient gap in traffic before you can continue on at yield sign locations."

So are we good on the basics? Red Car Man, you okay? Am I going to fast for you? Good. Then let's move on to this morning's incident, so I can explain to you how you are a bad driver.

I'm making a Starbucks run this morning because normally we get Starbucks on Fridays, BUT tomorrow is a holiday, so we voted and decided that technically, today is Friday. So I'm in my car driving to Starbucks when I come to this lovely little section of highway (Please excuse the crude Paint drawing. It's not pretty, but I think it gets the point across.)



I need to exit the interstate using the exit ramp. The on ramp and exit ramp happen to share the same ramp. Inconvenient, but that's just the way it was designed. So since I need to use the exit ramp, I'm in the far right lane of this 4-lane highway. As I'm passing the on ramp, you, Little Red Car Man, are coming up the on ramp and start onto the shared ramp section at the same time that I need to veer over onto the shared ramp section, so that I can exit the highway.

Now, I've used this particular on ramp many times, so I know there is a yield sign. Little Red Car Man, unless you are blind, you can also see that there is a yield sign. But do you pay attention to the yield sign?

No, you do not.

Instead, you continues to drive down the shared ramp section right beside me, so that I can not pull over. Instead, I have to step on my brake causing the full line of traffic behind me going 65 MPH to have to brake as well. Because you, Little Red Car Man, do not understand the basics of a yield sign, I am forced to yield to you in the MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY!

Do you understand, Little Red Car Man, how you caused a dangerous situation not only for me, but for all the cars behind me? How, had there been an accident, you would have been responsible?

Oh, yes. It would have been your fault. How do I know? Because when Stonewall was 17ish, at the EXACT same exit, the EXACT same thing occurred. The only difference is Stonewall, who was in my position, met the guard rail of the off ramp face-to-face when he wasn't able to slow down in time because the driver in your position, Little Red Car Man, didn't yield and give Stonewall enough time and space to merge onto the shared ramp and slow down before the sharp turn to the right.

Little Red Car Man, let me direct your attention back to the PennDOT explanation of a yield sign. Read it, learn it, and DO IT!

Lil' Mootz Half Birthday Photos

After the fun at Lil' Mootz's 1/2 Mad Tea Party, we headed over to Aunt Cheese's (SIL) house for a Half Birthday BBQ. While the adults had a good time poor Lil' Mootz was still wiped out. Lesson learned: Lil' Mootz birthday parties need to take place before 4:00.

Asleep before the party even gets started.



Time to blow out the candle.



Yeah...or not.



No one can say we don't spoil our Lil' Mootz when he gets presents for his 1/2 birthday.



A Star Wars shirt for Daddy's little padawan.



He still does not want that cake.



Trying the icing from Mommy's cake.



Yum!



What a little mess!



Having fun with Aunt Cheese.

Maps, PSAs, and AT&T Calling Cards

There are a couple things I wanted to share with everyone today. Nothing much, but it's almost 5:00...fine, 17:00 and I have nothing else to do at work.

I was perusing the Blogs of Note a few minutes ago and came across this: Map Of The Fallen. It's a map that uses Google Earth and it tracks all of the US servicemembers who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. If you click on the servicemembers icon you can read about how they died, see photos, and read comments from friends and family. I know there are several sites like this out there, but I thought this one was particularly interesting because it maps out where the servicemembers called home.

*****

I got an email from ThanksUSA, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to spouses and children of active-duty servicemembers. So far ThanksUSA has awarded 1,750 scholarships to spouses and children and they want to give out 500 more this year. ThanksUSA and Lonestar teamed up to to create PSA about how you can help.



*****

And finally a little heads up for those with deployed servicemembers...

I know how much we all hate love calling cards and the bloodsucking wonderful companies that steal our money provide them. (Do you like how I figured out how to use the "strike font" code?)

Anyway, Stonewall called me today and I almost didn't answer because caller ID said it was from Colorado. And who do I know in Colorado? Exactly - no one. However, I was curious, so I answered and it was Stonewall! I told him caller ID said "Colorado" which was weird because usually it says "Pennsylvania" or some 404 six digit number.

So Stonewall enlighted me.

A few weeks ago he spent a ridiculous amount of money on minutes for his AT&T calling card. When he was trying to call me today the animated woman told him his remaining minutes which was a surpisingly little number considering the recent purchase. Stonewall called AT&T and they told him that when he calls through an MWR line in PA to call a PA number, he's being charged 5 minutes for every 1 minute he talks. 5 minutes! "Read the small print," they told him. So he did. Yeah, it costs extra to make in-state calls and going through the MWR phones in PA while he's in Iraq to call my PA number counts as in-state.

Thank you, AT&T. You suck. I believe the fine print reads, "Bend over."

So Stonewall got the number for MWR at Ft. Carson and he called me through them. Hopefully, that's a little cheaper.

The Results Are In!

I finally added up all the comments and we have a WINNER: Teresa from Across The Ocean! Congrats Teresa! When I'm finished posting here I'll shoot you an email to get your address and so you can let me know what prize you want.

It was close, as you can see in the sidebar over there. I realized I did not specify noon EST and several of you who are frequent commenters are not in the same time zone as me. Therefore, I decided to include all comments that were left between May 27 and June 27.

I wish I could send everyone a prize just for participating because you all left some awesome comments. I've even had a few new readers pop up in the past month and I've started stalking them as well. However, our budget won't accomodate that many prizes. I'll tell you what...when we win the lottery, I'll make sure I allot a nice chunk of it for monthly commenter prizes. Sound like a plan? Awesome.

Now for the not so great news. Originally, Lil' Mootz and I were going to hold this contest monthly. However, that decision was made lightly before I realized there is not a monthly top commenter gadget for Blogger (once again, Blogger Gadget Makers, get your a$$es in gear and make one!) and I'd have to calculate all the comments myself. Therefore, this contest will be held every other month. So the next Lil' Mootz TC of the Month Contest will begin July 27.

Do not despair though! I'm most certainly will be having some other type of giveaway this month in honor of Carsley and Chincoteague. So keep an eye out for that.

Happy Monday everyone!

Lil' Mootz's 1/2 Mad Tea Party!

Happy 1/2 Birthday, my Lil' Mootz! I can not believe that six months ago - SIX MONTHS - you were born. It certainly does not feel like six months. That's probably because (aside from a certain deployment, of course) it has been the most fabulous six months of my life. I've never laughed more, cooed more, been more awestruck, been more frustrated, slept less, been more proud, and I've never been so head-over-heels, fully, completely, heart-and-soul in love with anyone than I am with you.

So let's get this party started! Tonight at your Aunt Cheese's house we are having a nice little 1/2 birthday celebration with ice cream cake, kabobs (baby food, for you), s'mores, and PRESENTS! However, in bloggy land we're joining A Fanciful Twist, along with all the other blog guests, and having a Mad Tea Party. (And at noon, Lil' Mootz's Top Commenter contest ends. Check back later for the winner!)

Our Lil' Mad Hatter and all his friends!



A Very Merry 1/2 Birthday To You!



To me?!



To YOU!



Trying to eat his cake.


And once he's had all the tea and cake he wants, the Lil' Mad Hatter tries out his new swing and slide!








After a wonderfully Mad time, our Lil' Mad Hatter takes his nap.

Some Good News!

It looks like my new blog domain is in business! The new address is Morethananarmywife.com, but if you still use Morethananarmywife.blogspot.com, Blogger will redirect you, so sorry, but you can't blame not reading or commenting on my new domain name.

The other very cool news is Jessica Sprague at JessicaSprague.com, is having a FREE photo editing class. The class begins July 6, and runs for two weeks. The class is run entirely online and through email, so life can get in the way and you won't miss any of this fabulous class. Head on over to Northern Cheapskate for all the details on what the class offers and how to sign up.

And don't forget about our party tomorrow! Plus, if you have something you want to throw a party for join in the fun by heading over to A Fanciful Twist and sign up as a guest at the Mad Tea Party and celebrate on your own blog on Saturday.