home for the holidays

can i just tell you how much i LOVE having my husband home?! well, i do!! tis the bestest!! for me, the absolute bestest part is the fact that it truly feels like rey never left! whenever we are together i seriously can't believe that we have just spent the last 7 months apart! it really is a weird feeling, but i guess i wont complain!! the only thing sucking at the moment is, next week rey already has effing duty!!! for my non military wife friends duty is where they have to go stay on base for 24 hours and are basically in charge of making sure the guys that live in the barracks or what not don't do anything stupid! i just think it is ridiculous for married marines to have to do duty, but luckily we only have less than 10 months left of this crap!! luckily since rey is the duty nco this time, not only can i bring him dinner like i did last time.. but i can come quite a few times and stay longer! the worst part of rey doing duty is he was pretty much tricked into it! next weekend rey has a 96.. which means thursday, friday, saturday, and sunday off! well, a lot of guys are going out of town.. and they said they needed to fill out a roster of what everyone was doing for the 96! well, rey just said that we were staying in town, and since most people are heading out of town they ended up just using that roster to decide who would do duty and since rey was staying in town he got stuck doing duty on the 30th.. which is thursday! grrr!! basically this is this upcoming thursday, which in the end means he really only is getting a normal weekend off! i am so freaking mad and annoyed.. but at least he has new years eve off!! i shall just try and be grateful for that one!

so christmas day was awesome!! while we have the money we decided it'd be smart to invest our money in stuff we need. since my old mac was pretty outdated we got a new one since we figured rey would need one for school when he gets out! man, i loves my new mac! we also got a brand new camera and it's super awesome and takes some pretty awesome pictures!! other than that we pretty much just got a bunch of random stuff, some clothes, and a bunch of bluerays since my parents got us a blueray player for christmas! one of the movies i got rey was the entire lord of trilogy and we pretty much spent all day watching all three! we also decided to go see a movie in theatres and went and saw gulliver's travels or whatever it is called! it is a pretty funny movie and we were pretty much laughing the entire time! basically it was just a perfect little chirstmas for the two of us! not too sure what our plan is for new years eve yet, but as long as i am with my naldo i just know it will be perfect too!!

peace in the middle east,
kristen

bestest weekend ever!!

i love having my naldo home!! this has seriously been one of the bestest weekends that i have had in quite a while! definitely sad that it is already over and that he's back at work! luckily he only works today, tuesday and wednesday and then is off till next monday! since he wasn't given a lot of time off for christmas we decided to stay in california and have our own little christmas and i am so beyond excited! on saturday we went out and got our first real christmas tree together! we seriously found the most adorable tree ever! he's like little but fat and it's just super adorable!!

the christmas tree with my naldo!! the bestest early christmas present ever!!

just the tree!! my favorite ornament is the mickey and minnie on the wedding ring! that was the first ornament that we ever bought on our honeymoon to disneyland!

also, after we finished decorating the tree like i mentioned in my last post we went to the melting pot! yummy!! it is definitely expensive, but the food is super delicious and it's super fun to dip all your food that it's just a fun enviroment!! after we got back we pretty much just snuggled on the couch and watched the wizard of oz, and actually we didn't even make it to the end because we got super sleepy so we just went to bed! can i just tell you how much i love falling asleep next to rey?! it is the bestest!! i just feel so safe lying next to him and knowing that he is there! now that he only has ten months left in hopefully this means that i wont ever have to go to sleep without him by my side ever again!! as for sunday it was such a fun and chill day! we got up, got ready, went to church, and actually it was such a good meeting! they had this cute program that the choir put on and it was such a good reminder about the real reason for the season! every year i do my best to try and remember why we celebrate christmas this time of year and sometimes you just get so caught up, and as much as i hate to admit it i really feel like i had, and this was such an awesome reminder! after church rey and i came home and just had a good lazy day!! rey even made his homemade salsa and oh man!! it was even more amazing than i remember it!! basically we just snuggled up on the couch and watched movies all day! oh man, i totally forgot how funny despicable me is! when it came time for dinner rey is the bestest husband ever and made a super delicious dinner! i am so lucky to have a man that cooks!! it's not that i don't like cooking, because i actually do, but it's nice to have a day off and he is such an amazing cook! we ended the night by watching the season finale of survivor and woot!! the person i wanted to win won!! after that rey and i went to bed and i once again got to fall asleep next to my hubby!! it really may not sound like some amazing weekend, but to me it really really was! it doesn't really even end there, but last night after dinner we didn't clean up the kitchen because i just wanted to spend time with him so i told him i'd clean it this morning.. and guess what?! when i woke up this morning i realized he cleaned up the kitchen before he went to work today! he is such an awesome husband and i am so lucky!! which reminds me! he is so cute!! the day he came home he asked if i had ever heard the song "i miss my friend" by darryl worley, and i hadn't.. but he showed me the song and it is seriously the cutest song ever!! he told me that he listened to this song through pretty much the whole deployment and he always thought of me! i'm having trouble putting up the youtube video of it, but i shall put up the lyrics since it looks like it's not exactly working!


I miss the look of surrender in your eyes
The way your soft brown hair would fall
I miss the power of your kiss when we made love
But baby most of all

I miss my friend
The one my heart and soul confided in
The one I felt the safest with
The one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again
And let the light back in
I miss my friend

I miss the colors that you brought into my life
Your golden smile, those blue-green eyes
I miss your gentle voice in lonely times like now
Saying it'll be alright

I miss my friend
The one my heart and soul confided in
The one I felt the safest with
The one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again
And let the light back in
I miss my friend

I miss those times
I miss those nights
I even miss the silly fights
The making up
The morning talks
And those late afternoon walks

I miss my friend
The one my heart and soul confided in
The one I felt the safest with

well, i am going to go clean the apartment and keep busy till rey gets off work! last he texted me it sounded like 3:30 and that's not too bad.. so hopefully he actually does!!

peace in the middle east,
kristen

HOMECOMING BLISS!!

yay!! my naldo is home and i couldn't be a happier girl!! he's actually taking a nap at the moment and since i'm too wired (probably from excitement) i couldn't sleep so i decided to blog about yesterday! so, yesterday definitely did not go as i thought it would! i guess i should start by explaining last years homecoming! last time it was some big thing where the families waited together and got to wave in the marines with flags as they drove in on buses and then they walked out in formation and once they got let off it was a big free for all to go and find your marine.. lots of hugging, kissing, crying... the whole works! so that was last years homecoming, plus from what i have seen from youtube videos they all seem to go like that! since they had to unload three ships different companies and units were getting off at different times. of course rey's was scheduled for last and we were told anywhere from 4:00-6:30 and to probably be there around 3:00! well, i woke up at like 6:00 that morning because i was just too excited to sleep! i mostly just spent the day doing last minute things and pretty much glancing at the clock every two seconds! at 8 in the morning rey called me and told me he was on pendleton and that he was one of the firsts because he was in charge of putting crap in the armory and turning stuff in. well, at like 11 he called me again and told me to come see him! well, number one in pretty much every single e-mail i got it told us we would see them walking around but we shouldn't go up to them at all, even to say hi or for a quick kiss. the other thing was that for later that night i had a photographer scheduled since last deployment we didn't get any welcome home pictures and this time i really wanted pictures of us seeing each other for the first time. i told him both of those things and he said that all the guys that were with him had wives coming, but then i brought up the picture thing again and he understood. well, at like 1:30 i got an e-mail from the head wife of rey's company and it said that guys were getting let off earlier, but that 81's were still probably going to be a little later and that she was still planning for 3. well, at 2 rey called and was saying how he really thought they were going to get off soon.. so he told me where to park and that he'd be there in 30 minutes. i was still a little hestitant since i had my photographer, but she then sent me a text saying it was raining too hard for her to have her camera out so she couldn't take pictures anyway. at this point i hoped in my car and headed for camp horno! as soon as i pulled up i saw my rey and i hurried and grabbed my umbrella and pretty much before i could even get out of the car rey was there! oh my gosh!! it was the bestest and i quickly wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big hug and kiss! let me tell you! that kid has gotten freaking skinny!! it's pretty ridiculous, but he looks awesome!! we pretty much stood and hugged for a few minutes before getting in the car and driving over by the barracks as we waited for word for him to get off! basically we sat in the car for about an hour and a half and just talked, caught up.. held hands! basically we were just adorable! ha!! finally around 4 he got a text saying he could just leave! this was seriously the weirdest thing ever! this so did not feel like he had just come home from a seven month deployment! as soon as we were back together it just felt like it had before and this seriously felt like i was just picking him up from another day at work! as for rey and chloe's reunion it was pretty adorable! as soon as she saw him she barked and then ran up to him and went nuts and she still wont stop giving him kisses! she just loves her daddy and i really think she remembered him! the only sucky thing about last night was that rey realized he forgot some of his gear at pendleton so we had to drive back on base and get it, but since we were together it really didn't even matter! yesterday was just awesome! like i said, not like i had imagined or planned on, but it was perfect nonetheless! today we have been running a few errands, but as soon as rey wakes up from his nap we are going to go pick out our first christmas tree!! yay!!! then for dinner we have made reservations at the melting pot and are planning a nice romantical evening! we figured since we missed our first anniversary and my birthday we figured this was a good enough occasion to splurge on some nummy food!! well, i think it's time for me to go and wake him up (yes, i'm a horrible wife, haha!) cuz i miss my naldo already!!

peace in the middle east,
kristen

now i'm really freaking...

OH MY GOSH!! i seriously cannot begin to express how i am feeling right about now! i am excited, nervous, anxious.. ahh! i'm just everything right now! tonight is the last night that i will have to go to sleep without my husband lying next to me for quite awhile! you have no idea how amazing that knowledge is! according to my little countdown thing on my phone i am pretty close to only having 30 hours until i see him.. after practically seven months apart that is seriously an amazing thought!! luckily i have sooo much to do today that i should be kept pretty busy! since i just moved into this apartment a week ago it's still pretty clean, but since i want it to look absolutely perfect for when rey gets home i'm going to make sure everything is spotless! i also am planning on doing my laundry which includes my clothes from this past week and all the towels, rags, and blankets that were used to pack things away so i actually have quite the load to do.. in about an hour i am going with my friend melissa to the commissary to load up the fridge with mine and rey's favorites so if we choose to stay in the apartment all weekend we wont have to leave for anything! then we are planning on heading to the guy's camp and putting up our welcome home banners! i also am planning on cleaning out the car! i just want the car to look absolutely perfect for when rey first sees it! i would clean the outside but since it's raining and is going to rain tomorrow i figure that will take care of the outside! speaking of rain!! BOOOO! my hair is already somewhat difficult to control in california, and now add in rain.. oh man! my hair is going to be one poofy mess, but since we all know rey loves me for me he probably wont care what i look like and will probably just be happy to see me! so besides the rain messing up my hair, this could definitely cause some problems with the guys coming home on time.. they warned that if the weather was bad it could cause some major delays and i am seriously hoping and praying that this doesn't cause any huge delays! i could handle a few hours.. but if it moves it to the next day.. or worse, days! i think i will just die! okay, maybe i'm being a little dramtical, but after seven months without my naldo i am just ready to have him home!! well, i better go start getting some crap done!! please pray with me that everything works out and i get my naldo back tomorrow!!

peace in the middle east,
kristen

anxious...

oh my goodness!! i just got an e-mail telling me what time rey will get on base and what time he will be let off!! i am seriously freaking out right about now! i obviously know he is coming home, but at the same time i almost feel like this is all a dream and he really isn't going to be back here with me in only a few days.. heck.. hours even! okay, so maybe there are still a lot of hours, but compared to seeing 1000 hours left.. seeing less than a 100 feels pretty amazing! oh man.. i seriously can't wait to hug him, kiss him, hold his hand, snuggle with him, and actually fall asleep next to him!! i just miss all the silly little things and just knowing how soon i get to be with him again it's crazy! luckily i think i have enough to do to keep me busy until he does actually get home. tomorrow i am helping my friend melissa move into her apartment, and to be honest it sounds pretty sucky after just doing it on saturday, but it will keep me busy so i figure that should make tomorrow fly by.. and then it's all about doing the little things like making sure the apartment is spotless, cleaning the car, making sure the fridge is all stocked up with rey's favorite stuff, hanging up his banner somewhere in pendleton and then yeah! i just really hope i can sleep that night! ahh! i just want him home now, but i'm doing my best to be patient!
so, life in california is pretty fantabulous! it is so weird to have it be the middle of december and have it be 80 degrees, but so much better than the cold and snow in utah! i just love it here! i also LOVE my new apartment! although, while it has it's ups from last time, it also has it's downsides as well! before we were at the very front of the apartment place, and now we are at the back! it was so nice being so close to the front since we were right by the pool and the laundry room, and now it's quite the walk to get there.. although, being in the back we have WAY more privacy and face the back so it's really nice and shady over here! i think that's actually one of my favorite parts about where we live now! this apartment is just soooo much bigger than my last one and it's awesome! it's just so nice and roomy and i loves it! it will be so nice getting a dining room table and having a place to sit and eat instead of just sitting on our stools or the couch! plus, i have a super ginormous walk in closet and every time i walk in it i still find myself amazed at how huge it is! i swear it could be a second bedroom! so besides the walk being annoying the only other downsides of where we live this time is our neighbors! sure, our neighbor last time was a bit nosy and always liked to know what we were doing, but at least they were quiet! it was an older couple with two pretty much adult kids and they were quiet and we could never hear them.. well now it's a couple with a kid.. or possibly kids and you can just hear the kids running around sometimes.. not bad, just kind of annoying compared to last time.. but the even more annoying thing is, is the neighbors upstairs on the other side are a bunch of marines and they are ALWAYS out smoking.. which means if i ever have my door open smoke comes in.. and ew!! that's not even the worst part.. as soon as they are done with their cigarette they just throw it down below.. which lands right in front of my door.. grr! it just pisses me off! i have a little dog and what if i take her out and she steps on a hot one.. or what if she trys and eats one.. its just stupid because i have already had to sweep a bunch of them away.. i'm pretty sure once rey gets home i am going to have him ask them not to throw them down below.. why don't they keep them by their door? so annoying! gotta love marines! anyways.. i better go and start working on my closet and dresser since that is the last thing i have to get done!

peace in the middle east,
kristen

one thankful krito!

i know i haven't been too good on keeping up with my blog lately, but i just haven't felt all that inspired to write, and to be honest i guess i just didn't feel like i had anything interesting to write about, but today i have just felt so thankful! i am so freaking close to my husband being home, for good this time!! here i am packing to go to california, and i can remember my first full day back here in utah like it was yesterday, and as i unpacked everything it truly felt like i had forever until i moved back, and here i am, tomorrow being my last full day in utah for who knows how long!! seriously?! where did all that time go?!? not that i wish it would have gone any slower, since at times it definitely felt like it was dragging and it would be forever until rey and i were back together, but now that it's time for me to leave i just can't believe how fast it went!! besides being grateful for the fact that rey is coming home so soon i am so grateful for my parents! rey and i have saved so much money by letting me move back in, and not only did i move back in, but they let me bring my little baby chloe! she is definitely a handful and even though they have grown to love her and will possibly miss her more than they will miss me, she still had her moments of being a complete pain in the butt! my parents have seriously been nothing but supportive and have kept me strong, and as much as it may have bugged me at the time, they were always there to remind me how much worse i could have had it on the days where i chose to feel sorry for myself! the other thing i am so thankful for is my job at the commons! as stupid as it sounds i'm really going to miss it there! i made some really good friends, and while i got to make a little extra moolah, the number one thing about it was it kept me busy! instead of sitting at home and feeling sorry for myself i was able to go to a place, if even for a few hours, and let myself totally forget all about my annoying troubles! last but not least i am super grateful for my friends! i seriously couldn't have asked for a better group of friends.. this including both my utah friends, and my military wife friends! my utah friends have been super awesome and were always there for me when i needed them! one of the hardest things about having a deployed spouse is the emptiness and lonliness that you feel, especially at night, and my utah friends have definitely helped to feel that void that i often felt and i have loved every minute of being able to spend time with you whether it was me venting, or crying, or us being super lame and prank calling!! i love you all so much and am definitely going to miss you! luckily it should be too long before i'm back, and this time it will be for good! as for my military wife friends you have no idea how thankful i am to all of you and i hope you know that this deployment would have been nowhere near as easy as it was without your help, love, and support! while most people can only somewhat imagine what a military wife spouse feels and goes through on a deployment, we all know and have gone through pretty much the same exact thing and just knowing that i could call, text, or facebook any of you when i was having a rough day or just needed to talk was the ultimate support system!! so thank you!!

peace in the middle east,
kristen