Really Nothing Special

Homecoming

2010-06-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day always makes me reflective of my time in the Army and my time as an Army wife. I will say that without a doubt, my time as an Army wife was ten thousand times more difficult than anything I did while in the Army myself. I think there were a lot of reasons for this, not the least of which was Andrew's deployment (and all the rushing and worrying that went along with it).

Two things touched me this past weekend in all the Memorial Day hub bub (and no it was not Macy's super patriotic and appropriate to the occasion sale). The first is the NYTimes mosaic of those who have lost their lives in the current war, "Faces of the Dead." I think people have become immune not just to news of the wars but to the death toll and items like this to help remind us that each death is a person who was loved by so many are important. This is the mosaic featuring MAJ Mike Martinez, my first OIC at Fort Carson who was killed in January, 2006.

The second item was the Pioneer Woman's photo essay on "Homecoming." Andrew's homecoming ceremony is still the most emotional day of my life and honestly something I still can't put into words. The feelings of that day were amazing and larger than life. Being in that hanger, well it's still something that gives me goosebumps to think about. I am so lucky that our deployment was as smooth and without incident as it was, and that my homecoming memories are only ones of anticipation and happiness. Take a look at some of the amazing photos PW shared, it is the closest thing I can find to describe what our own homecoming was like and to try to express that I know just how lucky, lucky, lucky we are.

Puppy Romance

2010-05-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

A and I carpool to and from work. This works out well because we work about 7 blocks from each other, work pays for parking and best of all, it gives us almost 2 more hours together a day. (DC traffic is all they promise it to be - we only live 8 miles from work but it takes about an hour door to door.)

Extra time we have together is also extra time to listen to the radio. We have a lousy stereo thanks to A's bad luck suffering two break ins while in business school. We have been saying for two years we'll get a new car, so we've never bothered to upgrade the stereo to anything other than a radio and tape deck.

The mornings are pretty basic. We mainly listen to Mike and Mike on ESPNRadio. It makes both of us happy - they talk about sports intelligently but without being juvenile, chauvinistic or generally annoying. (During the football season, Mondays mean the Joe Theismann show and Fridays were Vinnie Cerrato, who knows now.) During commercials we'll flip over to NPR to catch some news.

The afternoons pose more of a problem. A works and parks the car north of my office, so he gets the car first and drives the 6 blocks south to pick me up. This means he gets to choose the radio station. Nine times out of ten this means he is listening to LaVar and Dukes**. This is a local sports radio show that is like every skit SNL has written about sports radio. It's awful. There is another sports show A flips to sometimes, but I hate it even more than I hate LaVar's show. In a compromise, we have started to listen to more Top 40 radio. Yes, we know it's not great music, but a little Miley Cyrus is what you need at the end of a long day.

**I did not know this is what LaVar and Dukes looked like until now. It certainly explains a few things.

Top 40 radio stations being what they are (HOT 99.5 in our case) we hear the same 7 songs every day. After a while the lyrics grow on you and that is when our commuting favorite game was born - rewriting the lyrics of Top 40 songs involving our dog, Calhoun. Some re-writes are basic - from "Dam, you a sexy bitch" to "Cal's a good lookin' puppy". (I didn't say our top 40 song choices were high brow.) Challenged after changing this one lyric, A took it upon himself to showcase his talents, and thus Puppy Romance was born, loosely based on Lady Gaga's Bad Romance.

We've never written down the lyrics, so its never the same (though the game is played EVERY DAY because we hear Bad Romance at least once a commute) but there are some general themes. Sometimes it's "caught in a puppy romance," other times it's "caught in a Calhoun romance." Often it involves a description of his brown eyes and floppy ears, sometimes Bailey makes a cameo.

I've included some of our favorite lyrics for you, so next time you are sitting in your 45th min of traffic and Bad Romance comes on the radio you too can sing along with Puppy Romance. (And yes, we know that all of the lyrics don't make sense, but have you ever really listened to Bad Romance's lyrics??)

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh!

Caught in a puppy romance

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah!Roma-roma-mamaa!

Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!

Want your chewies!

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah-ah!Roma-roma-mamaa!

Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!

I want your chewies

I want your cruncies I want your squeakies I want your everything As long as it's kitty

I want your love(Love-love-love I want your chewies)

I want your love and I want your chewies You and me could write a Cal romance

(Oh-oh-oh--oh-oooh!)

I want your love and All your kitty crunchies You and me could write a Cal romance

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh! A puppy romance

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh-oooh-oh-oh-oh! Caught in a puppy romance

I have brown eyes and I have floppy ears

You and me could write a Cal romance

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooh!)

I have brown eyes and I have floppy ears

Caught in a puppy romance

(A also instructs me to tell you that the French part is to be sung making up french words and using the words "Cal" and "puppy" in a French accent)

Evening Routines

2010-05-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have been told that once you have children you must develop evening routines. I guess this has to do with consistency for the child, as well as organization for the parents. Even though we only have fur-children at the moment, I think we have a pretty good evening routine going. A typical evening in the Exnicios house goes something like this.

9:45pm - finish watching something on Tivo. I announce we should probably start getting ready for bed. A agrees. Flips television to ESPN or TBS.

10:15pm - I announce that if we are just going to watch basketball, we should get ready for bed and do it there. A agrees and shuts off the tv, picks up Calhoun to bring into bed. I suggest the dog should probably go out one more time, but since I'm already in my pjs, A should probably do it. We discuss how much water the dog has had. A agrees the dog should go out. I begin to speak for the dog, now protesting how much he does not want to go out. A points out that I can't argue both sides - insisting he take the dog out and then stating the dog does not want to go out. I point out that its not me, it's Cal who is saying he doesn't want to go out. A sighs.

10:25pm - A takes Cal out. I begin to close up for the night - pulling down shades, shutting windows, turning off lights. A returns and announces that he has locked the door. Places dog on the foot of the bed and goes to brush his teeth.

10:35pm - A is in bed watching basketball or some awful 1980s movie. I ask if the door is locked. A insists that not only is the door locked, he has already told me it is. I go to the door to double check this. A sighs. I climb into bed.

10:37pm - I get out of bed realizing I forgot to take my vitamins. Cal jumps off the bed, hoping for a snack.

10:40pm - Cal, A and I all settled in bed. We begin to debate the merits of whatever A is watching. Arguments included "This is the stupidest movie of all time, why are you leaving it on?", "I never get to choose what we watch in bed", "You don't even like these teams", or "We've already seen this episode of House Hunters."

10:50pm - I protest that whatever A has changed the channel to is worse than what was on originally. B-cat jumps into bed. Cal, previously sound asleep in a puppy ball at the foot of the bed, picks up his head and is on full alert.

10:51pm - B-cat calmly walks to the foot of the bed and sits and stares at the dog. Cal begins to cry. (She used to smack him in the face with a paw, but I think she's done it enough now that she's realized she can just sit there and stare at him and it freaks him out more. Its like Slapsgiving.)

10:52pm - I pick up the cat and move her to the head of the bed. Calhoun insists he too must now be at the head of the bed. I hold the cat above my head while he moves up between us and tries to get under the covers. A tries to convince Cal that all four legs must be off the covers before we can lift them up for him to crawl under them.

10:53pm - Cal is under the covers and begins spinning in a circle. Repeats about 20 times. Finally lays down in between A's legs with his head on A's thigh. A sighs. I put the cat back on the bed. She walks on top of covers and sits directly on top of the dog.

10:54pm - I pick B-cat back up and bring her to the head of the bed. I give one final protest as to what is on the television and then roll over. Having announced I am going to sleep, A now offers me the remote. At this point I have removed my glasses and can no longer tell who is sharing the bed with me. B-cat leaves the bedroom.

10:57pm - I roll over and talk to whoever is watching basketball in the bed next to me about something I've just remembered we must do tomorrow and state we should probably get up super early to get it accomplished. A agrees and insists that he will only watch 2 more minutes of television.

11:22pm - A shuts off the television.

11:23pm - B-cat begins sprinting around the apartment at full speed, screaming as only a Siamese cat can do. Cal wakes up, barks, blindly tries to get out from under the covers. Eventually succeeds and jumps off the bed to chase the cat. A sighs.

11:25pm - A gets the dog and brings him back to bed. Routine from 10:52-10:53 repeats.

11:35pm - I ask A if he is sure he's locked the door.

Taking Calhoun Out to the Ball Game

2010-05-08T14:00:00.001-07:00

Today was Calhoun's first ball game. It was Pups at the Park at the Washington Nationals. We took Cal with his DC Beagle Meet Up friends and had an amazing time. Calhoun was on the jumbo tron FOUR times, including singing the seventh inning stretch with his dad. The Nats even pulled out a win for Calhoun. He is currently too sleepy from all his excitement to comment, but I think if he had the energy he'd ask when can we go back. Thanks to the DC Beagles and the Nationals for putting on such a great event! There is a video of Calhoun's first game below. Photos can be found on our photo share site - which is linked here or through our blog page.

Writing What You Know

2010-04-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

Its again been a while since my last post, but not for lack of trying. Every time I started a post, I'd get halfway through and then decide it was uninteresting, inappropriate or that one time I just couldn't find what I was looking for on YouTube and then just let the post languish. Poor innocent post. While trying to figure out what the heck I should write about and how I should do it soon or else face another 12 months without writing, I thought I should write what I know. Instantly the answer came to me. Idol. Yeah, I know the heck out of American Idol.

I've watched American Idol on and off for as long as its been on television. I didn't watch the first season until the season finale, just to see what all the fuss was about. I watched the next season audition to finale - I believe that is the Ruben Stoddard season. From there I didn't watch much until I moved back to the East Coast and A deployed. I enjoy the Davids season and thought the show definitely improved for the better. Last year A was home and I introduced him to Idol. At first it was just me watching, quickly fast forwarding through the down times to get to the songs, trying to take up as little tv time as possible since I was the only one watching. But then A got involved. And we chose favorites. And we went to the American Idol Live tour (no joke, it was awesome and I can't wait to go again this year). So when this season rolled around, we were both very excited. We watched every audition episode (which is commitment, its on like six hours a week). We chose early favorites and began to talk about what characteristics we thought contestants would need to survive. We take our Idol seriously.

So here we are, the top five already. I'm excited because I think this season has shaken out mostly according to plan. I think the weaker people have been weeded out appropriately and mostly left the top performers. While she wasn't my favorite by any means, I think Siobhan may have had one more week left. She annoyed me quickly when I realized she was going to 1) act like Adam Lambert every week (and no one does Adam but Adam) and 2) was going to pretend that she had no idea who Adam Lambert was or why people thought she was like him. We get it, you have a big voice and like to sing one note really loud. Move on. I don't really like Aaron Kelly, but he is talented. I always feel like he is singing the theme song to a beauty pageant as the winner performs her victory walk down the runway. He is an excellent example of the ~~first~~ second rule of Idol. (The first rule is do not sing Whitney, Mariah or Celine.) Remember your voting blocks. Who votes on Idol? Even A and I, very dedicated Idol viewers, do not vote. (OK, I may have voted all five allowable times for Adam last year. On multiple weeks.) So there are a lot of people in middle America, young girls, probably an older contingent as well. Middle America, young girls and old people love little innocent, God-loving Aaron Kelly (and beauty pageants). Nothing wrong with innocence or God-loving. I just think they shouldn't be confused with American Idol talent. That's my theory as to why Aaron Kelly is still here.

I'm sad because I know the end of May means the end of Idol. A and I spend a lot of time watching Idol. Talking about Idol. Getting ready for Idol. Playing the guess what song they will sing game. During Idol season it's hard to remember how we spent our time during non-Idol season. Lucky for us, we have four more weeks to enjoy and plan what we'll do with non-Idol time. (And a summer tour of American Idol Live!)

So here are my predictions which I am boldly posting for the world to see. Hard to make predictions without knowing the all important song choice - remember it was this time last season when Kris Allen did Heartbreaker! If not for that performance, Danny Gokey would be trying to get us to buy Ford this year.

5 - Big Mike

4 - Casey James

3 - Aaron Kelly

Final 2 - Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox. Winner - Lee.

PS When the season ends I'll do another post on the judges and the changes in the line up this year.

Poppy

2010-04-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

I had planned to post something to the blog this week "coming out" as it were, and announcing that A and I were expecting. We were due October 11 and hoping for either a 10/10/10 baby or to give birth on 10/14 - A's grandfather's 89th birthday. We thought having your first great-grandchild share your birthday would have some nice symmetry. As you may be able to tell from my liberal use of the past tense, that did not happen. At our 12 week ultrasound there was no heartbeat, no baby to be born in October.

Our hearts were and continue to be broken. Distractions such as amazing weather, a dog who kisses livestock, unlikely and historic runs at the national championships and the comfort of friends and family have kept us going the past 10 or so days. I debated writing this post - after all I had told myself my blog would not become a pregnancy blog or a collection of belly photos. The more I thought about it though, it became important to write this post to acknowledge the pregnancy and the baby that were.

Since the moment we were told our child was "not compatible with life" people have offered us comfort by explaining this is not indicative of anything, the good news is you can get pregnant and that this is just a blip on our way to having a large, Gosselin-esque family. All of these well meaning people aside, we aren't mourning the loss of our future family or our fertility - we are mourning the loss of this pregnancy, this baby. This baby we called Poppy who would have been born in October and been our little pumpkin. Poppy who made me avoid chicken at all costs and want to eat anything smothered in ketchup. Poppy whose existence we had just started to share and take joy in our friends' and families' reactions. Poppy who we told the dog and the cat all about and told them that they would have to be nice to the baby.

Poppy was only with us for a short time, but we mourn him or her and do not want to forget or gloss over with plans for future children. We know we'll have a family - or rather a larger family than we have now. Calhoun and Bailey would take offense to think we are not a family already. We also know Poppy will always be a part of that family, just in a different way. We picked out this picture and will hang it in our eventual nursery - poppies to watch over all of us.

Cuteness in Otter Form

2010-03-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

Despite only visiting once, I love the Monterey Aquarium. I've always loved aquariums and used to make my parents go to the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut all the time. The Monterey Aquarium is like Mystic times 100, it's so fun. For me, the best part was seeing the Great White Shark they had there. They've had a number of sharks, though only for a couple of weeks each. Sadly they are babies and small and I never saw them eat anything, but the idea that it would become a ferocious being and one day star on Shark Week was enough for me. When A and I visited the shark in September 2006, we went to the gift shop so I could get a shark related souvenir. A bought a small stuffed otter (who lives in our car and is named Hector). This gives you an idea what each of us thought was the best part of our visit - some like man eating sharks, others fuzzy otters. Not that I would ever have to convince A to go back to Monterey, but I think this little guy will help do the trick. His name is Kit (all of the otters are named after Steinbeck characters - the aquarium after all is on Cannery Row) and he is a little orphaned otter who they rescued. He is the cutest thing in the world and I want to take him home and keep him in my bathtub. Please enjoy his personal blog, complete with photos and video. Seriously, you'll want to eat him up. Be warned, there is an otter cam. You may never work again.

ETA: Kit is a girl. You can read all about how male otters are territorial and don't work well in group exhibits on Monterey's otter page. Since the Steinbeck character Kit is a male, I was confused. Apologies to little girl otter Kit. Maybe she should get one of those stick on bows that bald babies wear to identify their gender, that may help avoid some confusion.

Au Revoir Les Jeux Olympiques**

2010-02-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

So the Olympics have come to an end and I am sure that while we are watching the Duke game this evening there are fantastically bizarre happenings going on for the closing ceremonies. I thought it would be fun to look back at my favorites and not so favorites from the games. So, let's start with the likes.

1 - Awesome Olympic mascots. Check out their website. They are both delightful and a little trippy at the same time. My favorite is the seabear - part orca, part bear - loves to surf. Or ski or something like that.

2 - The outing of Canadians. Who knew so many people living among us were Canadian? I am glad the opening ceremonies set the record straight on so many of them. Donald Sutherland? Sarah McLaughlin? Joni Mitchell?? Crazy Canadian talk.

3 - Nordic combined. I am hesitant to include this because suddenly this sport is one that Americans can win at and I hate to make it look like I only now like the sport because American win medals. Not true. I just can't believe this sport has never been on tv before (that I've seen) and that it makes cross country skiing so exciting. I was actually yelling at my television on more than one occasion during a race to finish in cross country. That and I love how they all collapse at once over the finish line in a pile of cross country skier.

4 - Bill DeMong - So he is part of the nordic combined American power house, but it was this story on NPR that made me love him. His mom is really cute, I love the story of her being pregnant in Lake Placid in 1980 and deciding he would be an Olympic baby. I think the fact he proposed to his girlfriend during the Olympics so cute. And I think its great that he gets to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies. Just a great Olympic story.

On the other side of the coin, some of my not so favorite Olympic moments/things.

1 - Lindsay Vonn. She was overhyped. I find her really annoying. Not at all sweetheart like. And a giant cry baby. She claims she will be back in 4 years, but I certainly hope not.

2 - Always knowing the results. I know a lot of people were upset with the tape delay. I don't really mind - I work all day so watching the day's bobsled race that night works for me. What I don't understand is why the media world cannot recognize this and not make headlines like "Bodie Miller Wins Gold" the headline at 2pm. A button that says "Olympic results here" works fine for those who want to know. But ESPN, I think putting the results on your bottom line during PTI is just not cool.

3 - The idea that you have to win a medal to matter. There are so many human interest stories, so many of them overplayed, but there are so many others who come to the Olympics and never even make it on television, and they matter too. Just like nordic combined mattered to a lot of people before the US medaled in it.

4 - Olympic commentators. I know they have space to fill and that they can only know so much. But the skiing people always seemed to talk about it being the competitors "best run" right before they crashed - or discussed the "amazing speed" of a bobsled, before they were 2 seconds behind the leader. I'm sure they do a lot better than I would, but I also think it might be nice to watch the competition set to the soft tunes of Canadian songstress Anne Murray.

** I used google translate to double check my French for "Good bye Olympic Games". It suggested "Good Bye Jeux Olympiques. " It may have been over 10 years since my last French class, but I am pretty sure "good bye" is not the correct translation.

An Oldie But A Goodie

2010-02-10T16:43:00.000-08:00

And more appropriate than you can know. My brothers and I always loved this one when we were little. If you haven't seen The Muppet's Treasure Island, I highly recommend Netflix-ing it, especially with all this snow.

Are We Surviving Without Bananas?

2010-02-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

I am sure many people were awaiting the Snowmaggedon/Snowpocalypse post follow up to ensure we made it through. The good new is, yes, we've survived despite the complete lack of bananas and red onions. Cookies ran out on Sunday, but we've found a suitable replacement. (Word is Andrew has a stash hidden somewhere in case this thing goes longer than any of us expected.)

So, what have we been up to? First let me say I grew up in New England. I spent over 2 years in Colorado. I do not think I have ever seen anything like this. We have truly been snow bound since about 2pm Friday. We are lucky in that snow bound means we just have to walk to the pub or the grocery or Whole Foods. The natives are getting a little restless - we live in about 800 square feet and when you put a dog, a cat and two people in there without much escape, it can get a little tight. But we have power (knock on wood) and we've been ok. Here's a look at what we've been up to - for more photos be sure to check out the Exnicios Photo Site - which you can link to by clicking here or through the link on the left side of the blog.

Saturday we took Calhoun out for some play time and to see how bad things really were. The answer, pretty bad. This is Cal playing with Andrew, you can see how high the snow is by the cars in the background.

Later that day we met Alison on King Street for some basketball (watching, not playing) and tasty grilled cheese sandwiches. We had a prime location by the window overlooking the street, so we could watch as the world walked by - or in this case, skied.

Sunday we had to cancel our Super Bowl plans because we couldn't get out of the neighborhood and walked up to the local grocery store to get some last minute game provisions. Apparently everyone else in the neighborhood was in the same dilemma because there was a run on the weirdest things - like beer, chicken wings, tortilla chips, frozen coconut shrimp. We made do with a lovely collection on frozen TGIFriday's appetizers. Being a Tom Brady loyalist, I was thrilled with the outcome of the game as well. And I may have cried at the Google commercial. Oh, and Puppy Bowl was awesome. Really. Google "Subaru puppy bowl dog commercials" or look them up on YouTube. Genius marketing.

Monday the government closed, meaning I was home and Andrew would telecommute. More of the same - some knitting and some resting. We took Calhoun for a long walk to stretch his puppy legs. Our neighborhood is still pretty well snowed in. Bailey is not used to sharing her space with people and puppies for such a long stretch of time and by Monday was asking to be put out of her misery.

Today is Tuesday and the Government is closed again. We are sitting at home, waiting for the next wave to come through. Still nothing yet, but they are calling for 10-20 more inches. In anticipation of this next storm, and to get Calhoun out of his Dad's hair, who was still telecommuting, Cal and I suited up and headed out. Along the way we ran into this: The National Guard. It is a convoy through our neighborhood. I am not sure what they are doing, but they have set up camp behind our condo complex. I felt like a small child in recently liberated France. I half expected them to throw candy to Cal and me out the window.

Calhoun decided to show off his snow skills for the nice Guardspeople and climbed the nearest snow drift. He is quite the mountain climber. Knowing that our neighborhood would soon be liberated from the snow, Calhoun and I continued on to our favorite yarn store, Fibre Space, also dog friendly, to say hello to folks there and do some shopping. We picked up some lovely Spud and Chloe Outer to make a winter hat. (Fellow knitters, especially snow bound ones, check out Spud and Chloe, best yarn!!)

After all that yarn, the snow had still not started. Seeing this as a gift, Calhoun and I risked life and limb (and car alignment) and hopped into the car to make a quick dash to Buzz. We may have survived this long without bananas, but clearly cupcakes were needed. The roads are still terrible and we probably should not have gone out - but look how happy Calhoun is with his Buzz puppy cookie! And inside that box are 4 little pieces of heaven just waiting to be washed down with a decaf latte. Mmmm.

So - are we surviving? Sure. As I said, we have power, we can walk to tons o'places. We have 4 3 cupcakes waiting to be eaten. Life is pretty good on this weather imposed island.

Snowpocalypse/Snowmageddon/SnOMG

2010-02-05T17:36:00.000-08:00

The snow of the decade is upon us. Or so Bob Ryan tells me. And if you live in the greater DC area, you believe Bob Ryan. Besides, there are about 5 inches of snow out there already and it's starting to snow heavier, so there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Bob knows what is going on.

Like a good DC area resident, I headed to the grocery store today to stock up on "necessities." Like a good Old Town resident, I went to Whole Foods. I arrived shortly after the snow had started and the federal government had been released for the day. I learned a few things about humans in snow storms while there.

1 - People like bananas and red onions and will buy the store out of these items before a historic snow storm.

2 - When told there is buy one, get one free shrimp cocktail, people will insist they need four to make it through the weekend.

3 - The store had both milk and bread - but no dark chocolate.

4 - My husband will not be snow bound without chocolate chip cookies.

So what did I get? Spinach (the last package of baby spinach to be precise), salmon, cream cheese, some bubbly, sour dough bread, milk, Annie's mac and cheese, salt and vinegar chips and ginger chews. I hope we make it through the night until the Safeway opens up. We only have two dozen chocolate chip cookies. . .

Still in the Same Place

2010-02-02T11:29:00.000-08:00

Soooo, its been a while, right? Lots has happened. A season of Lost come and gone and back again. Jack Bauer saved the Port of Alexandria from terrorists. We attended many, many weddings. A decade ended. I may have turned a very momentous age. All of this and I realized I've lived in (practically) the same place for almost three years. This may not seem like much to some, but to Army/higher ed brats like Andrew and me, well, we haven't really lived in the same place for that long since high school. If you go back to 1997 when I graduated high school, my address book would look something like this (and this is what makes doing background investigation forms for the government so much fun).

Aug 1997 - Princess Diana dies. I move to Kostka Hall, Fairfield.

Dec 1997 - Christmas break in Willimantic

Jan 1998 - Kostka

May 1998 - Willimantic

Sept 1998 - Loyola Hall, Fairfield

Oct 1998 - Regis Hall, Fairfield

Dec 1998 - Willimantic

Jan 1999 - Regis Hall.

March 1999 - UConn Men win their first National Championship.

May - July 1999 - Willimantic, Tijuana, Klaver Hall (Fairfield), Willimantic

Aug 1999 - Townhouse 93, Fairfield. The Triscuit Nacho is born. (Note I remain here for Christmas break).

May 2000 - TH something-something. It was in the corner. By the office of Printing or something.

Aug 2000 - Beach house on Reef Road. Remain for winter break.

May 2001 - Graduate college, sigh. Fairfield kicks me out, return to Willimantic.

Aug 2001 - St. Louis, MO (ever been in St. Louis MO in August? Right.)

Dec 2001 - Willimantic, with cat.

Jan 2002 - St. Louis, MO

May 2002 - Willimantic, with cat who must learn to live with two dogs for the summer.

Aug 2002 - St. Louis, MO

Dec 2002 - Willimantic

Jan 2003 - St. Louis, MO

May 2003 - Savannah, GA. (Remember St. Louis in August? It has nothing on Savannah in May, June, July or August).

Sept 2003 - St. Louis, MO

Dec 2003 - Willimantic (still with cat. Oh, she was in Savannah too.)

Jan 2004 - stop in St. Louis, move to Arlington VA.

Sept 2004 - Willimantic. Stuff in about 3 storage locations.

Jan 2005 - Fort Lee, VA. Followed by Charlottesville, VA (on the grounds, of course.)

April 2005 - Colorado Springs. (Now while my moving tapers off here, remember I
also start a long distance relationship at that time. During this relationship Andrew lives in OK, VA, CA, WA, CA, VA, NC. So while my stuff sometimes stayed put, I definitely never did. The cat usually did.)

July 2007 - Alexandria, VA. (Two different addresses. Eventually moved in with my husband and got a dog.)

Which brings us to today. Everyone under one roof. One very small roof. But we're together and everyone sleeps in the same bed, so I can't ask for too much more. But I have to admit, I'm starting to get a little antsy. But can you really blame me? (PS do not tell the cat.)

Updates

2009-04-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

I know its been a while - forgive me. I've been getting used to what being married is really like (seeing your husband every day? Who does that??), as well as planning our "celebration of marriage", not to mention raising a puppy and working. Its been very busy but at the same time fantastic and wonderful to be getting to the mundane things in life that we missed out on during the first 18 months of marriage. I thought you'd like to see how our family is growing - check out these "portraits" we had done with a local photographer (whose work I highly recommend if you are in the DC area!).

I'll try to be better about updating the blog, but for now know that life is wonderfully normal.

Is It Too Late to Amend My Christmas List?

2008-12-19T07:07:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, Chris Cooley (and brother Tanner) come through on their promise to have women's cut authentic Chris Cooley jersey's in his online store. He even went one better and is autographing them. Available in home white or away burgundy. I know. Awesomeness. While I do not read any other NFL player's blogs (and therefore have little to compare it to beside the NFL United Way commercials on every Sunday), I continue to be inspired and impressed by Chris Cooley's dedication to give back to the community. If you have the chance to look back over his blog from the past couple weeks, you'll see him talk about participating in the Redskins food drive for Thanksgiving (which the whole team helped at, I believe) as well as the day for breast cancer survivors he put together at Redskins Park. They are all cute blog posts. So even though the Skins season may not have turned out the way we had all hoped - I think Cooley's blog helps to remind us that there are (sometimes) more important things than winning football games.

Long Time No See

2008-12-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

I know its been over a month since I posted - we've been busy. After my last post, we had a housewarming party, I turned 29, we traveled to Berkeley to see old friends, we traveled to Manassas to eat lots of turkey, we watched the Redskins lose more games than anyone thought they could, we taught the dog to shake and roll over, well, the list goes on. We're getting ready to travel to CT for Christmas - with the puppy (who is five months old now!) and preparing for multiple Christmas events. I'm not complaining, it has been a crazy busy two months, but my husband is home and we are spending all our holidays together - a first! Also a first, he will spend a holiday with my family, which is a great thrill to the Doyle side. I am more than anything looking forward to starting the new year - a full year with my husband and puppy and kitty, a full year where we are not counting down to something or dreading a date arriving or fearing that a date will never arrive. We're just living our lives and having a fantastic time - even when the puppy wakes up at 4:30am.

Happy Veterans' Day!

2008-11-13T06:41:00.000-08:00

A few days late, but this slideshow is worth taking a look at - its a nice collage of who Veterans are, without being too overly cheesy.

Our Growing Family

2008-11-02T08:04:00.001-08:00

Here is the newest addition to our family - Calhoun Krzyzewski Exnicios. We call him Calhoun, or Cal. He is a sweet, sweet puppy who is about 4 months old. He is a Beagle, with what we think might be some Jack Russell, but we're not sure. He is from the Northern Virginian beagle rescue, BREW (Beagle Rescue, Education and Welfare). Big sister Bailey is still adjusting, but is being a good girl and we are all getting used to being one big(ger) family.

We hope you have the chance to meet Calhoun soon!

I would like to be excited about this

2008-10-31T19:58:00.001-07:00

But it just makes me think we have farther to fall this season. Stay tuned for more Calhoun related news in the next day or so . . .

This is What I Do At Work

2008-10-30T07:07:00.001-07:00

Ok, kinda. I am an ethics attorney and I do train a lot of people on ethics. When I showed this clip to my office, we discussed including more song and dance in our upcoming annual training, but I think we may just show this clip instead.

This is What My Friend Megan Does At Work

2008-10-30T07:05:00.001-07:00

No really. Not to reveal the man behind the curtain, but she's Blair and sometimes she's British. And she made really awesome Gossip Girl finger puppets. Check them out. You know you love them. . . . XOXO

More Homecoming Photos

2008-10-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here are two photos that April just sent me -- the left is us anxiously awaiting our husbands' arrival and the right is me with my husband, probably about 15 minutes after he got off the plane. Thanks for the photos April!

He is Home!!

2008-10-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am not ready to put into words what this past weekend was like. Even just recalling the welcome home ceremony now brings tears to my eyes and chokes me up. It was definitely one of the most emotional days of my life and one that has been a long time coming. Hopefully, with some time, I can try to find words to even just write about the ceremony, let alone what my feelings were at that time. For now, here are some photos - early ones, from my iPhone. I hope to have some better ones from a real camera within the next few days. My husband is home and safe. He is still demobing in NC but hopefully will be in VA within a week or so. We certainly can't wait.

A big 451 family shout out to the McFarland family - April and Mr and Mrs. McFarland - Jeff's wife and parent s. We combined intel and made it through the weekend together - even if we were signless. Thanks for waiting with me and it was so great to finally meet April - our husband's have been together since June but this is the first time we met and it brought a nice symmetry to the experience. (If only she had brought Montgomery. . . )

Photo #1 - the crowd waiting for the 18th Airborne Corps unit that came back on my husband's plane. The 451 contingent hid in a corner - we were not as mighty and didn't have any signs. (We did have flags thanks to Mrs. McFarland.)

Photo #2 - They are in formation during the ceremony - here they are saluting the National Anthem. (Yes they come in, stand in formation and you have to stand and wait and you can't get to your husband.) I know the photo isn't the greatest, but my husband is the one without a beret one. He claims he forgot it, but I think its his last act of protest against IRR :)

Changes Around the Blog Page

2008-10-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

You may notice that the world clocks are gone from the bottom of the page. That's because my husband is not in Afghanistan anymore!! As of this morning he was in Kuwait - going through customs and getting ready to get on a plane that will eventually bring him back to US soil!!! No offense Afghanistan - I know everyone loves you after reading the Kite Runner and I know Obama is all about sending more people there - but I hope to not give you another passing thought.

Waiting, and not so patiently

2008-10-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am home today, resting and trying to relax before my husband comes home this weekend. The stress and anxiety of his homecoming has made me feel under the weather this week, so I decided to stay home and rest to ensure that I felt 100% when he returns. Staying home is also allowing some shuffling of things around the house - in a move that can best be described as nesting. I know it seems like there should be nothing but joy surrounding his homecoming and it is a very joyous event, but the getting ready and the waiting is really hard. I feel like there is an endless list of things that must get done before he gets home. I think B-cat is pretty excited to see me take off tomorrow to head to NC just so I stop driving her nutsy. I went through these same feelings when he came home on leave and was sick for the week before he came home - probably for the same reasons - and I know they will all disappear when I see him get off that plane. Unfortunately until then I will still be searching for the perfect place in the apartment for Bailey's squishy box.

Breaking Up, It Turns Out, Not Always That Hard to Do

2008-10-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

As the new tv season started this year, I was mindful that the Tivo was not going to be just mine. My husband will be home and we would have to agree on what to record when to assure that both people were satisfied. Mondays, are tough, but I have survived the new schedule, though I've missed a good amount of DWTS. When the season was about two weeks old, I realized there were some shows that were on my Tivo, but I just didn't seem to have the time or inclination to watch. And so I started the process of breaking up with some television shows. The first to go was Grey's Anatomy. I've talked alot about how the show really annoys me but I felt the need to watch it, forced by some pop culture peer pressure. The first week I hadn't watched the season premiere but saw a clip on The Soup - when Sandra Oh was stabbed by an icicle. And the lightblub went off and I realized I needed to erase the episode from my tivo, cancel the season pass and have a clean break. So I don't want to know how Gray's is doing - I'd like a clean break and let us both go on with our lives.

I've felt a loyalty to ER since I have watched almost every season since the beginning, and this is the last season. But in watching the first couple minutes of the season premiere and realizing they were killing off another character, I realized I didn't have it in me to watch this season I am sure I will tune in for the series finale to have some closure - but I think that's like going to an ex's wedding - no remaining feelings, just a good way to acknowledge that everyone is going their own ways and we are all ok with it.

I continue to try to weed out some of the deadweight of my tv schedule. I still tivo Private Practice but haven't watched it any episodes yet, I am sure that will be next to go. I cut out Ugly Betty - I enjoyed the first season but think that last season was just more of the same. I guess this is all part of a natural transition as my life is changing - no longer an Army wife at home waiting for a phone call, but now a wife with a husband and a kitty and soon to be a puppy - and I know I have a lot more things to fill my evenings and weekends than the latest shenanigans that Betty or Meredith gets herself into.

Adorableness in Puppy Form

2008-10-10T13:51:00.001-07:00

I can't promise B-cat will be this excited when my husband returns next week. But I think she'll be pretty close.

Things I Can't Wait to Do When My Husband Gets Home

2008-10-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

The list is really infinite. Everyday I see silly little things that go on in everyday regular life and think, wow, I can't wait until we can be that normal couple with normal worries and normal conversations and normal bedtimes and all those things that go to be normal. My Husband likes to say, well, what's normal. I'll give you a hint - being long distance for almost four years, having been married for almost 18 mos and never living together, never having spent more than fifteen days together - all those things are not normal. It is who we are and even better, who we have been, and I am really excited to move past it. To not feel that my relationship needs to be explained or have an asterisk after it. We'll just be another twenty-something couple living in Alexandria with a dog and a cat and two jobs we enjoy and we'll do all that silly stuff that couples who live in the greater DC metro region do on the weekends and it will be fabulous.

So all of this is to really say, everything is becoming too real to keep listing what I want to do. I'd say I'm like a kid on Christmas - but that kid on Christmas can't sleep the night before Christmas. I have been on the edge, just waiting for this to happen, for weeks now. I have one week left and it feels like I have miles of quick sand to walk through before I can reach the end. Listing all the awesome things I can't wait to do makes me more jittery, more anxious - so my lack of posts on the many things I can't wait for does not mean that I am not excited for my husband's return. Its just that I'm so excited, I can't even put fingers to keys to begin to express it.

Things I Can't Wait To Do When My Husband Comes Home #17

2008-10-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

#17 - Celebrate his birthday. October 7 (which it already is in Afghanistan) is my beautiful husband's birthday. I am so sad that he will not be home for it and that there is nothing I can do to make it a very happy birthday - especially since it is his last birthday in his twenties!! I have big plans for trying to make up for missing his birthday when he gets home THIS MONTH and I hope that lessens the blow of having to spend it in Afghanistan. I hope they have cake, baby and I can't wait to have that Bloomin' Onion you so love to celebrate. Happy birthday, we all miss you so much here and are thinking of you today!

(B the W, this is a picture of us celebrating A's birthday last year, at a Redskins' victory over Detroit. I think the Skins starting 4-1 is their present to him.)

Things I Can't Wait To Do When My Husband Gets Home #16

2008-10-03T09:15:00.001-07:00

16 - Get dressed. Yeah, it sounds funny but I spent about 5 minutes dancing around my bedroom this morning trying to button the top button my skirt. No, its not that it didn't fit - its that the button is in the back and I had to be a contortionist to get to it. I've run into this more and more the past few weeks, even returning a dress that I realized I could never wear without someone to zip me up. I look forward to having every button buttoned before I leave the house each morning once my husband is home to assist with such things.

Our Blissfully Short National Nightmare Is Over

2008-10-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Thankfully Kim was voted off DWTS. She stated she hoped she had made her father proud. I am sure if the sex tape and the Playboy spread hadn't made him proud, her second round exit on DWTS definitely did.

Things I can't wait to do when my husband gets home #14 & 15

2008-09-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

#14 - Commute - This one may be a pipe dream, but a good number of the jobs my husband is applying to are in the same area as my job. That means we could commute in together, never have to sit next to a stranger on the bus and have obnoxious whispered conversations, then giggle while looking at people on the bus. (That's right annoying couple in front of my Tuesday night. Not only did you make the bus late, but you were annoying on the bus.) I promise we won't be annoying.

#15 - Have lunch. This goes along with the above one, if his job is in the same vicinity as mine we can meet for lunch or go for walks or just have a reason to escape the office for a little bit. I also think I will try to make my husband come into the District for lunch while he is on leave. No reason he can't meet me for a sandwich across the street. I worry left to his own devices my husband would develop a rather wide no pants radius, a la How I Met Your Mother.

Li-i-i-ve

2008-09-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

This post is only a week late, but since their were three episodes last week, it seems a lot later. I’ll be honest, there are a lot of contestants this time around, though two have already been eliminated. I think they should do more of a front push then once they get the dead weight gone, they can maybe have once every other week eliminations with the good stars. That’s just my thought.
Another side note, Monday is a tivo traffic jam. I actually have to watch DWTS in between MNF. It’s a toss up, though I don’t think I care much about this week’s MNF game and so I think I can give my full attention to DWTS. Once my husband is home though, I think the words "Don’t. . . care much about this week’s MNF game" will probably disappear from my vocabulary.
Here’s my quick run down of the cast - its quick not just because there are so many but because they all are really like F List stars. I am not even sure D list is the right term for them. Except for you Lance. You’re pretty A list.

Cody Linley - apparently he’s on Hannah Montana. I’m unamused. I am sure he will stick around much longer than I care for because of the teeny bopper vote. (How old do I sound?) I like Julianne so at least its not super annoying. Maybe Miley Cyrus will come on and sing that song. You know the one.

Rocco DiSpirito - I feel kinda bad for him because he’s sunk to this level. Some may say he sunk to that level during the second season of The Restaurant. Or when he starting hawking Bertolli frozen pasta meals on Top Chef. I’m just saying you don’t even see Rachael Ray doing this stuff, let alone Eric Ripert or some other real chef.

Toni Braxton - I really don’t have much to say. She dances well, seems nice, is the requisite handicapped individual for the season (heart condition). I don’t think she’ll have the fan base to go too far, despite being pretty good.

Maurice Green - too many athletes this season. I like Cheryl so I won’t mind this pair, but its just hard for me to get excited about someone who is in a little watched sport. And apparently paid a Mexican discus thrower $10000 for something sketchy. Hmmm.

Brooke Burke - again not really famous for anything exciting. Has a lot of kids. By a lot of husbands. Or one husband and then other men. I haven’t actually seen her dance yet, but I hear she is very good. Still, I’m bored.

Ted McGinley - sorry Ted, you’ve already been eliminated. He was ok. One of those guys who you have to IMDB to figure out where you know him from. Did appear as part of the Sorkin mafia on both SportsNite (Gordon) and West Wing (the tv talk show host, Mark). He was also the captain of the water polo team at Newport Harbor High School. Yeah, you can’t make that up.

Lance Bass - really, this is the best you could do DWTS? (no offense Lance) I love N’Sync, but still, it’s a little sad they couldn’t even pull in another 90210 star. I know Tori Spelling isn’t doing anything right now. Out of sheer lack of interest in the others, I will be cheering for Lance. That and I always admire the courage of someone like him to be honest about their lifestyle when they know it will just make things more difficult in their career. (Or maybe its easier when you are in a boy band.)

Cloris Leachman - she’s pretty nutsy. But she keeps it interesting, so that’s something. I will be interested to see how long the keep her around. I do think Corky is a pretty awesome partner for her, he seems like he can handle her nutsiness.

Jeffrey Ross - also already eliminated. Which honestly he had to see coming. Its been the role of all of these comedians to get eliminated pretty early - though I guess Corolla and Penn Gillette made it a little further than the first week.

Kim Kardashian - This is the only time I acknowledge her presence. She is 1) not a star, 2) not pretty, 3) not good at dancing and 4) really really really dumb. She was discussing back stage at one point that she is really shy and this was difficult for her. I would have guessed that, what with the reality show and sex tape. Maybe she should dance naked and it would help loosen her up a bit. I am also happy she is paired with Mark who I also can’t stand. An early exit will make me very happy. Ok, we never mention this pair again.

Susan Lucci - I love Susan Lucci, but this just makes her look so old and frail. At least Cloris Leachman has a schtick and she makes it work for her. But Susan is so tiny, and meek. Channel Erica Cane. Be Erica Cane. And really, eat a sandwich.

Misty May-Treanor - I think I OD’d on her over the Olympics. The Olympics were on while I was moving and not working yet so I could watch daytime coverage, which was often beach volleyball and it seemed like unlike other sports that started and stopped throughout the 16 days, that this just kept going and going. And they would always talk about Misty and how she was going to play and when she was playing and how she won last year. I got it. She plays beach volleyball. Awesome. So sorry, I am Misty May-Treanor’ed out.

Warren Sapp - a pleasant surprise I think he is actually not a bad dancer. The word on the street - and by street I mean Chris Cooley’s blog - is that he is not very nice. Not nice to Kym, not nice to the stage crew, etc. I would hate to think that is true, because he just seems like such a cuddly teddy bear with his family in the audience, but really, Chris Cooley has absolutely no reason to lie to us.

Things I Can't Wait To Do When My Husband Comes Home #12 and 13

2008-09-27T05:52:00.000-07:00

#12 - Go for Walks. We live in this awesome area for walking. We are next door to the National Cemetery. We can walk to Whole Foods. We can walk to the waterfront, we can walk to a ton of great restaurants including two of my favorites - Farrah Olivia and Restaurant Eve. We can walk for coffee, we can walk for pizza, thai, yarn, Afghan rugs, bridal gowns, Trader Joe's wine, the list goes on. We can also walk to the George Washington trail which takes us all the way to Mount Vernon. I really do try to walk, on sunny weekends, go for a stroll, take advantage of my location and get some of that Vitamin D from the sun. But it often ends in me dejectedly sulking back home, annoyed at the number of couples out for a similar stroll, with dogs or babies or just happily holding hands thinking how the many many ways they can spend their Saturdays together. I usually start muttering under my breath about people avoiding their civic duty or enjoying the freedom my husband won for them or something like that. Its hard. Its hard to see everyone around you doing the small silly things that you want to do, but can't. Things that you have never been able to do because of fate's sense of humor. So I am really excited to start being one of those couples without a care in the world, trying to decide if they want coffee now or later or who is going to wait outside the antique store with the dog.

#13 - Go on a Culinary Tour of the Greater Washington Area. As mentioned above, we live so close to so many awesome restaurants and only a short metro ride away from hundreds more. With the DC area becoming quite the foodie haven, I can't wait to start exploring more with my husband. We can't highly recommend Restaurant Eve enough - where we celebrated our first anniversary (two months after the fact) and hope that everyone gets the opportunity to check out their tasting room at least once in their lives. I want to take my husband to Farrah Olivia, which is a stone's throw from our place and also fabulous. There are new restaurants going up in this area everyday, including a new cupcake place! Its all so very exciting to think of simply having a Friday dinner out with my husband in the very near future.

Things I Can't Wait To Do When My Husband Comes Home #10 & 11

2008-09-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

They seem to come in pairs.

#10 - Eat delicious and elegant chicken salad - because who can think of anything better? Who wouldn't like delicious and elegant chicken salad? Communists probably.

#11 - Get a puppy - no surprise. We are so close to puppy ownership; I've been looking for day care, located a free puppy crate, preparing to buy baby gates. Its all so close. I am especially looking forward to my husband's leave time when he gets home so he can walk the puppy down to the bus stop to meet me everyday. Little puppy all excited to see her mommy, jumping around, wanting to give puppy kisses. Awesomeness in puppy form.

Things I Can't Wait To Do When My Husband Gets Home #8 & #9

2008-09-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

#8 - Cook dinner. I enjoy cooking a great deal but I lack the motivation to cook much for myself. Its also difficult to cook for yourself, knowing whatever you are making you will have to eat for the next 7 days. (I know you can freeze it, but when I moved, I brought with me two frozen things of chicken cacciatore and one of taco soup. That stuff adds up in the freezer.) My dinners usually entail some sort of Morningstar Veggie product (such as a veggie burger, veggie buffalo wings or veggie rice cake.) and then some steamed veggies. Honestly, I try to think about what I've eaten for dinner over the last year and I have no idea. Soups. Cheese and crackers. Eggs. All very sad made for one quick meals. Oh, and a lot of take out sushi. I know that some of these meals will come back when my husband is home - we won't have time or inclination to cook every night, but even if its just on Sundays and sometimes Thursdays, I am really excited to dusting off my cookbooks and starting making real meals again.

#9 - Share chores. Yes, I know people who live on their own do their own chores all the time. I've lived by myself for 7 years now, I know that. But I've been married for over a year now. I did my husband's taxes. Hell, I redid his 2006 taxes even. Doesn't taking on that added responsibility of marriage mean that someone else can clean the cat's box once in a while? Or vacuum? I have to say, my husband is really good at chores. He cleans the cat's box much more often than I see necessary, he doesn't let dirty dishes mount up in the sink because he is too lazy to put away the clean ones in the dishwasher, he puts away clean laundry less than a week after doing it. These are the good influences I need in my life. I don't expect him to do all of them, but I hope his enthusiasm for this type of stuff and willingness to do - and not put it off for another day - will make it easier and more likely that I too will complete daily chores. (Unless I can convince B-cat that since she makes the mess, she really should clean the litter box herself.)

Let Bartlett Be Bartlett

2008-09-21T11:56:00.001-07:00

I am completely against the school of thought that attacks Sarah Palin for being "less than elite" - that is attending a state school, liking to hunt, going to Church. I mean, I may not have much in common with her or her beliefs, but I also don't think using those sort of things as a litmus test is, well, elitist. It kinda disgusts me.

All that said - Maureen Dowd's reference to Letting Bartlett Be Bartlett made me happy. That's all the Obama campaign needs. . . Toby. (And maybe Josh. I mean Josh got Jimmy Smits elected and that is really the same as getting Obama elected, isn't it?)

Things I Can't Wait To Do When My Husband Comes Home #3, 4, 5, 6, 7

2008-09-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

I've been away in sunny Orlando for an exciting Government Ethics conference so I will be catching up on all of the exciting things I can't wait to do when my husband comes home in this one post.

#3 - Hang Pictures - there are at least 7 boxes of pictures that need to be hung up in our new apartment but I have decided to "hide" them behind the couch until my husband comes home for a couple of reasons. One, he has a better eye than I do for these things. Two, he would redo it anyway when he gets home. I look forward to helping him do complex math equations to figure out where the Colorado wildflowers should go.

#4 - Sharing Kitty Cuddles - I love B-cat a lot. That said, I probably love her a little less at 6am when she decides that she must have breakfast right now. I look forward to sharing 6am kisses and snuggles, and maybe even convincing her that someone other than Mommy can give her breakfast.

#5 - Grocery Shopping - I enjoy grocery shopping, but its more fun with two people, especially because my husband's penchant for shopping like he's still in college - we end up with a lot of cereals that involve small multi colored marshmallows.

#6 - No Longer Answer Questions - I know people want to know when Andrew will be home and are concerned for both of us and excited that he will be home soon - but I probably answer the same questions about 3 times a day. Yes, my husband is coming home soon, yes, it is still on schedule, no I don't know the exact date, yes I do talk to him most days, yes I am incredibly lucky. (That's always my favorite, discussing how "lucky" we are.)

#7 - Talking About Things As I Think Of Them - We get to talk about once a day and then by email - but I have a tendency to think of things during the day and think to myself, hmm I should talk to Andrew about that. And then he calls around 10pm that night and all that remains is the thought that there was something that I meant to talk to him about, but no memory of what that is - and he inevitably gets distracted by whatever is on Dr. Phil that night.

Things I Can't Wait to Do When My Husband is Home #2

2008-09-16T04:11:00.000-07:00

Watch football. Since meeting my husband I have become a huge football fan - thanks in no small part to our couple's fantasy football league in which I am ultra competitive. I now stalk kickers in the hope that they help propel me to victory and know random stats about players whose position I did not even know the name for 4 years ago. Living on the West Coast, its easy to spend a lazy Saturday or Sunday in bed watching football - its starts earlier. The first college game is on at 9am CA time and the first pro game is on at 10am. So you can simply roll over, grab the remote and there is football. This helped to promote my football habit too - realizing this is entirely how my husband intended to spend many of our weekends together. That said, it has resulted in a shared passion - one that we continue by watching games "together" over the phone and strategizing over my poor, sad, weakened and depleated fantasy team this year. After spending 90 min on the phone watching Monday Night Football last night, I was so excited to think that in just few weeks' time, Andrew would be in bed next to me talking about how stupid DeSean Jackson is, instead of over telephone lines.

Things I Can't Wait to Do When My Husband Comes Home #1

2008-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

As the days slo-o-w-ly wind down and we get closer to when my husband comes home, I hope to try to post one thing a day that I am excited about doing then, much like my to do list discussed below. Don't worry, I know DWTS starts soon, and I promise to give that the amount of attention it deserves. (The jury is still out on OTH this season. I kinda want to throw in the towel but I remember how it has been my friend for so much of this deployment, and so I am trying to stick it out.)

So today, what I cannot wait to do when my husband comes home is have a hug. Its one of those small things that I miss so much - a hug before leaving for work, or coming home at the end of the day, not to mention when bigger things happen. I just want a hug. To say hi, to say I missed you, to say I am never going anywhere again. I know it will improve my mood about 300% as soon as I get that first hug.

To Do List

2008-09-14T07:31:00.001-07:00

Before I get started, this is the 100th post for RSN. Celebratory whoops all around.

We have reached the point in this deployment when we can say that my husband will be home next month. In a little over 30 days he will be enjoying our new sofa with the cat and me. (Hopefully the episode of SNL we will be watching then will be better than the one I am currently watching.) The point is, that's pretty awesome.

I'm starting to put together a list of things to do when he gets home - not just exciting newlywed things like fancy dinners, leisurely walks to Old Town, getting a puppy (!) - but also mundane things like organizing book shelves and DVDs. Its also a slightly awkward period of time because its close enough for some things to wait for my husband's return, but others seem inappropriate. For instance - can the laundry wait until he is home so I do not have to go to the basement on my own? Probably not. Can I wait to brush the cat's teeth until he is home? That kitty breath will probably be pretty strong by then. Can I wait to return items to Ikea? YES! Woo hoo! I do not have to go to Woodbridge or walk through Ikea or resist the urge of Chick-Fil-A on my own.

Its an exciting and anxious time in the Exnicios household and I am looking forward to my husband's to do list growing over the next few weeks.

A Long Season Ahead of Us

2008-09-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

As I settled in to watch the first weekend of the 2008 NFL season, I really could not have been happier. I am a huge Pats fan, a huger Tom Brady fan and this was the season that the Pats revenged their heartbreaking Super Bowl collapse and made it all happen. And then 7:58 into the first game of the season - the first game of the day! - Tom Brady was down. I didn't even get to see the only playing time Brady would get this season because whoever programs the greater DC football broadcasts decided watching Brett "Giant Loser and Should Go Away" Favre was more important. I will always be sorry I couldn't be there for my Tommy. Its been a tough week, but I am throwing my full confidence behind Matt Cassel. I am, this is how we found Tom Brady, right? Right?? Anyway, my husband sent me this link to the ESPN Sport's Guy column and it did cheer me up - or at least helped to know that my devastation is shared by many.

PS I totally called Matt Cassel the new Matt Saracin way earlier than this post appeared.

PPS Can I still wear my Brady jersey??

Musings on the 11Y

2008-09-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

As I get settled in my new job and home, I am also settling into a new commuting routine. Instead of driving or taking the metro, I take the bus. At first I was hesitant of this new mode of transportation, but I have since grown to love it. First of all, the commute could not be easier. I walk four blocks to my bus stop, which makes a straight shot down the Parkway to the 14^th St bridge and into DC to drop me off at 14^th and F. So long as I catch the right bus, usually around 8am, I am able to get a seat no problem. I have recently discovered the perfect commuting mix of entertainment. I can’t read on the bus, I get terrible motion sickness in my old age, but I can listen to books on tape on my Ipod. While doing that, I knit. Its pretty fantastic and allows me to get in about an hour of knitting in my commuting time alone. Its also very relaxing and I am able to sort of block out the commute until we hit certain landmarks I know as close to my stop and I have to start putting things away. My favorite things about the bus, besides its ease and entertainment, are the friendliness of everyone and the orderliness (is that a word?). A bus is a lot smaller than a metro car, only fits about 60 people or so, so if you are routinely taking the same time buses, you tend to see the same people. People ask about you when you aren’t on the normal bus and people ask if I finished that sock I was knitting last week. It’s fun to see what people are reading as well - from the latest nonfiction DC-ish work to The Firm, which I didn’t think there was anyone who still had not read The Firm. The orderliness has to do with lining up and keeping the integrity of the line and ensuring that we line up in order of arriving at the bus stop. At my evening bus stop there are about 4 buses that pick up there - and a complicated line system has developed, but it seems to work with little drama. I am sure there will be more tales from the 11Y bus as I continue to commute, an exciting prospect, I know.

Gone Radio Silent

2008-09-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the break in blogging - things got busy with the new job and new place and all. Plus the three days of requisite mourning for the end of Tom Brady’s season. In good news, we have the start of not one, not two, but three fabulous teen dramas on tv - Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill and 90210. I have been disappointed in OTH this season - evil Nanny Carrie again? Really? - but Gossip Girl has not failed to produce. I’ve only seen the season premiere of 90210, this week’s episode is awaiting me on my Tivo, but its been fun even just to

go OMG its Kelly Taylor, OMG its Brenda, hey that’s Andrea’s kid, etc. Which side note, if that is Andrea’s kid, why isn’t Andrea like friends with Kelly and all and they share stories of single parenthood?

The move went well, in no small part to the awesome unpacking efforts of my father. I have only 5 more boxes to unpack (mostly shoes and purses) and then a ton of organizing to do. A large part of that will wait until my husband comes home, so that

we can go through the nesting act together. Which even if that means there are Nora Roberts books on the same shelf as the Vonneguts, I will try to survive. (PS do not tell my husband that.)

Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing my husband’s friends Megan, her husband Wade and Adam. I am willing to say we’ve become friends in our own right at this point, especially after the bonding that occurred this past weekend with large mascots at Nationals Park. The photo below cuts off most of Teddy’s fantasticness but you can at least see

how huge he is. No wonder he never wins a race. I am holding a “Hi Andrew” sign, but the photo sort of bleaches that out.

Where it all began, two years ago today

2008-09-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Army 2.0: On This Day...

Good Times in Quantico

2008-09-01T15:03:00.001-07:00

Taking a break from moving today, as we wait for the movers to bring my furniture tomorrow, so my Dad and I went to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. (Yes my husband and I are/were Army, but we are still awaiting the Army museum.) Anyway, if you are in the DC area and have an afternoon, I suggest you check it out. I think its a really well done museum and very interesting - I also think they did a good job of capturing some of the experience of what being in those sort of situations (the best you can do in a museum of course.) So drop by, its free, see how many push ups you can do, what it was like to be in Korea or jump out of a helicopter at Khe Sahn.

Moving Update

2008-08-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

We were able to combine the last two phases - not having to stay at (or pay for) the hotel. So I am officially out of Riverside apartments and into the new condo. No furniture yet, but we're here and the rest of the stuff will arrive on Tuesday. Many thanks to my Dad and father-in-law, Jim, who helped with the cleaning and move - and of course thanks to my ever patient husband who puts up with me in times like this.

More Cooley-ness

2008-08-31T17:33:00.001-07:00

I'm not the only who thinks Cooley is pretty awesome.

Awesomeness On Screen

2008-08-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

So over at Chris Cooley's blog, they would like us to know that Chris and Tanner are producing a movie. The plot line is said to be

"After losing his wife, a ghost hunter questions what he believes in and decides to retire. When he gets a call from a potential client who guarantees he'll find the evidence he's looking for, he can't resist taking one last shot. What happens as soon as the team arrives at the home, is tragic and shocking...and something that's never happened on any ghost hunting gig before. "

Now a few things. 1) I will be first in line at any Cooley produced movie. I like the Cooleys, I think they are adorable and I will support their endeavors. 2) If this is distracting from other things, say like getting women's replica jerseys in the Shop 47 (Store 47? CC47Shop?), well I would be disappointed. But I did just check and see that you can now buy Chris Cooley short shorts that say "Tight End" across the butt. Nice addition. 3) Chris Cooley's efforts to get the Chief's tomahawk back once again show why the Skins, and DC, is lucky to have him on our team.

First game next week - go Skins, go Pats!

For Those That Are Curious

2008-08-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

This is how my sweater is coming. The second picture is the lace work, which I promise looks a lot better in person.

I am also knitting socks. This is one. They are very comfy and I am excited to cuddle in them when it gets cooler.

If my husband doesn't come home soon, the cat may start wearing sweaters.

Operation Wicker Cat Basket

2008-08-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Because back in December it seemed like a good idea to move before my husband came home (so he wouldn't feel unsettled) and to once again run the move as a solo operation, I am in the midst of a move. There have been many times in the last couple weeks that I crawl exhausted, back aching, into my bed, make that a bed, and think to myself, how did I think this was a good idea? Here’s how the Doyle-Exnicios move has broken down. As you can see, we are about 50% completed, halfway through Phase 3. And by we, I mean Bailey and me.

Phase 1 - Move to new condo which landlords have not vacated. Live in new condo with landlords’ furniture and dog. Supplement landlords’ furniture with a tv, cable, clothes, some food, Trader Joe’s wine, a litter box, Furminator, scratching post, catnip pad, wicker cat basket, knitting supplies and one orange cat. Realize that even though new condo is only on the second floor, not having an elevator makes a big difference when moving. Mentally curse my husband, the Army, the Sony and anyone else who caused me to lug a 60lb (estimated weight) television from the ninth floor of the apartments to the backseat of the CRV to the second floor of the condos. While moving to the condo, prepare old apartment for our (eventual) departure and hid things from the movers (like more Trader Joe’s wine and passports.) Deal with dog with nervous stomach and broken air conditioning. Start new job.

Phase 2 - Movers arrive at old apartment to pick up furniture and other items and bring them to storage for three weeks. Hope that nothing I have sent to storage is anything I (or the cat) will need in the next three weeks.

Phase 3 - Move out of new condo with landlords’ furniture back to old apartment which now has no furniture. Bring back clothes, litter box, Furminator, scratching post, catnip pad, wicker cat basket, some knitting supplies and one orange cat. Realize that while I kept the air mattress out of storage, I forgot sheets and pillows. Realize again that there is no built in lighting in this apartment and that I did not keep lamps out of storage. Go to Target to buy sheets, pillows and lighting.

Phase 4 - Move out of old apartment and into the only cat friendly hotel in Old Town Alexandria. Be sure the hotel is one of the pricier ones in the area. Clean old apartment in preparation for turning over keys. Realize that I thought the vacuum was too hard to carry back and forth between locations and I sent it to storage. Call father-in-law and beg him to bring vacuum from Manassas. Await arrival of my Dad from CT, making Phase 3 the last solo phase of this move. (Thank God)

Phase 5 - Move out of pricey, cat friendly hotel. Move to new condo, with no furniture. Spend one night in condo with no furniture. Excitedly await furniture arrival. Take Dad out for margaritas to celebrate new condo renter-ship, complete with furniture, bedding, lighting and an orange cat and thank him for graciously taking time off to come unpack boxes.

So that’s been my August, which will flow into my September. I really am so happy my Dad is coming to help - all I could think all weekend as I moved back to the empty apartment was that it was the last time I had to lug anything anywhere on my own. I also reiterate what I said last summer when I moved my husband and I from CO to VA - the next move is all yours, babe - I am going to the beach.

PS You can check out how Bailey has helped with the move over at my husband's blog, where she regularly appears as a guest blogger.

Best NYTimes Article Ever

2008-08-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Its pretty awesome.

Check Out My Husband's Stuff

2008-08-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

After a short hiatus, my husband has churned out some new stuff - new photos, political commentary - you name it, you may find it there. So check it out.

News That Greatly Upset Me on Sunday

2008-08-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

I called it, and yet I am not happy to be right. Immediately after Elena Delle Donne "committed" to UConn, I said that was a mistake and she wouldn't last past winter break. I didn't expect her not to last past two days. I know the party line, she's young, there was a lot of pressure, blah blah blah. To whom much is given much is asked. Don't take the scholarship and all that comes with it if you can't follow through. Most analysts say this isn't going to hurt UConn this season - but I am sure this makes Pat Summit a lot happier than Geno Auriemma. No one seems interested in what the real story is here - and I sure hope Geno does not release her from her scholarship. I think if we all gave up when things got tough - a day and a half into the toughness - no one would ever complete anything. Time for some growing up, Delle Donne.

Feeling Better

2008-08-19T04:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the long distance hugs and words of support before my first day - I know I was quite the whiner this weekend but sometimes it just all comes crashing down on you and you feel pretty crappy. But hearing from all of you helped, especially Skip who hasn't even met me but still passed along a hug. That's big of you Skip, and I will remember that the next time I purchase squirrel cookies at the Dairy Godmother.

First day went ok - lots of paperwork and what's all this about choosing a health plan AND PAYING FOR IT?? I mean in the Army the health care left some things to be desired but it was there and it was free. Ta da, health care. So I have to research to figure out what these all mean. Don't even get me started on retirement plans. Gotta shower and get set for day two, see you all soon.

NY Times Modern Love Essay

2008-08-17T15:28:00.001-07:00

Please read this beautiful, spot on essay written by a military wife. Her story is so close to mine - the small wedding for practical (and some romantic) reasons before a deployment, the fears and routines that go into a deployment and finally a happy ending with a big wedding celebration. Its nice to read about her happy ending, but made me cry since our's still seems so far away.

Sunday Whine

2008-08-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

I figured its been a while since I talked about why being an Army Wife sucks and why I just want this part of lives to end, so I figured today was as good as day as ever to bring it up again. Its not just the big things that make deployment so hard - the missing of birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas or missing crises or family emergencies (that sucks too, don't get me wrong) - but its often the day to day stuff that makes it impossible. I recently left Active Duty and got a new job. This process, though stressful, went fairly smoothly, but it was definitely made harder without my husband. There was no one to give me a good luck kiss and hug before my interviews. No one to tell me my suit looked ok before I left or help calm my nerves on my cell phone before I went into the office. When I got the job, I couldn't even call my husband to tell him, but had to wait until he was able to call me and not know when that would be. No one to have a glass of wine with that night to celebrate or take me out for dinner for a well fought victory. And here I am the night before I start my new job. No one here to help soothe my first day anxieties and jitters. No one to give me a kiss as I leave for work tomorrow morning and tell me they can't wait to hear how my first day went. Again, as I try to sleep tonight, nervous about what tomorrow may bring, I can't even call my husband. Its these small things - the Sundays on your own, no hugs at the end of a long day, no one to share Chinese take out with - all these things that were supposed to come with marriage that make this deployment so hard and in the last couple months of this deployment are really leaving me hanging on by a (fraying) string.

Have You Seen This Commercial?

2008-08-15T21:20:00.001-07:00

Its all over the Olympics. I think its terrible. First of all, who lets their kids play sports if their kid is going to be sad like these kids. Second, this commercial is promoting the idea that life sucks and makes you sad and you should go eat at McDonalds when you feel bad because McDonalds makes you feel better. I think this exact thought process is what has caused me to gain about 10 lbs throughout this deployment. Point is, its an awful commercial and I plan to only get my sympathy food at Wendy's from now on.

I Spoke Too Soon

2008-08-15T04:52:00.001-07:00

No sooner was the trailer released that they announced that the Harry Potter film's release would be delayed until July 2009. Disappointing, especially when part one of "Deathly Hallows" won't be released until Dec 2010 - so the series won't be completed until 2011??! They have also committed to using the same actors throughout the series, but pushing back the films that far makes Daniel Radcliffe 22 in 2011. Won't he be pushing the age barriers there? Anyway, I'm disappointed we won't spend my birthday weekend watching Harry this year, but I guess it gives me more time to reread the books.

As Promised

2008-08-14T17:10:00.001-07:00

Some photos from leave.

This is the Arch in St. Louis. We went here early during leave to meet Abigail Rebecca Bardill, the adorable off spring of our friends Patrick and Alison.

Our hotel was less than fabulous, but we had this corner room that was tucked away and as you can see, it had a pretty decent view.

Andrew is holding Abigail in the other photo. We have to work on Andrew's baby holding skills over the next year or so, hopefully ending the trend of babies crying as soon as they end up in his arms. I think he need to apply Cesar Milan type philosophies to the baby - if you are afraid, the baby will feel it and not be happy. Calm, assertive leadership.As you can see here, Abigail is quite content when I hold her and her "Uncle" Andrew is seated next to us. We had so much fun meeting Abigail and hanging out with family. We hope to see Abigail again soon, hopefully before too much walking and talking occur.

After St. Louis we hung out at home for a few days. We saw the Smith family, Christine & Hans and Adam. Sorry there are no photos of that. The Smith family picnic involved fruit salad and many Smith sisters (and one Smith brother). We had margaritas with the future Hubers. Hanging out with Adam involved a lot of steak and wine. Good times were had by all.

After staying out too late with Adam and eating WAY too much, we woke up four hours later and headed to the airport for the Bahamas. First we stayed at the Sheraton Cable Beach, which was very beach resort-y, but nice. If you are a Starwood Preferred Guest, you get free bottles of water in your room. If you are not, you have to pay $3.50 for that water. Word to the wise. This is the view from our first room (we had three, long story.)

Next we travelled to Eleuthera for some quieter rest and relaxation. I won't get into the lizard drame other than to say there are lizards in Eleuthera, sometimes inside your condo, and they are sneaky and I don't like them. The lizard drama added a certain je ne sais quoi to the weekend. Here is a photo of the condos we stayed in (Pineapple Fields, HIGHLY recommend) and a few other photos of the vacation, including my awesome mango daiquiri. Sorry for the wonky format, either Blogger needs to update or I need lessons on how to include photos embedded in text.

New Harry Potter Trailer is Out

2008-08-13T17:41:00.001-07:00

See it here. It looks fantastic, it comes out two days after my birthday, which will make 29 a little less painful. That said, this book is so intense, I'm a little nervous to see it. I cried a lot when Harry brought back Colin's dead body in movie #4, so all the death in this movie may be a bit much for me. I'm still looking forward to it. I may reread the book (for the third time) before it comes out, just to get ready. I have been meaning to reread book 7 because I feel that I read it so fast to see what happened that I may have missed some things. As a side note, one of my favorite memories of my relationship with Andrew is driving across country last year. Andrew had never read any of the books and decided he would read them all in about three weeks in time to see movie #5 and then read book 7. We were moving to Virginia but I couldn't allow Andrew to read silently while I drove, so we took turns driving and reading out loud to each other. It was a great time in the middle of a really difficult part of our life as Andrew reported back to the Army. Anyway, enjoy the trailer, despite its dark plotlines, its a great story.

Now That I Can Speak Freely About the Army

2008-08-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

Check out Rick Reilly's column on 2LT Caleb Campbell, the West Point cadet allowed to join the NFL draft, only to have the Army rescind its policy after he was already at training camp. I've talked about my point of view on this a bunch on the blog, but I think this column does a good job of summing up what is wrong with the Army's actions.

A Plea to Chris Cooley

2008-08-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

I would like to support Chris Cooley's blog, The Cooley Zone, as much as possible, because you know, it's awesome. That said, Chris Cooley's Store 47 does not carry ladies' jerseys. Ladies jerseys are still close to replica, but they are cut narrower and shorter. I like having the ladies style jersey because without it, I look like this in a football jersey. See, sort of large and shapeless. I don't have a photo of my in my ladies' Tom Brady jersey . . . but the point is I am much more adorable in it, here's a photo of the jersey design.

It's difficult to find a suitable ladies' Chris Cooley jersey - I did a quick Google search and came up with this.
As you may note, pale yellow is not a Redskins color. And that's not exactly a replica jersey. Why they think that just because women are more petite and would like a better fit means we would also like it to come in pink or yellow or some other mde up color is beyond me. My Tom Brady jersey may be cut slimmer than Tommy's, but other than that we look like twins during home games.

So Chris Cooley, hook a girl up. I am looking for a replica jersey, in the away colors, like my husband's above, #47, Cooley jersey, in a slim ladies' fit. I will proudly promote the link to the store on my blog if such items become available. And I promise to buy one the moment they are available.

In Case You Missed It

2008-08-11T07:22:00.001-07:00

There are TWO United States Basketball teams favored to win the Gold this Olympics. . . sort of gets my goat that you don't hear as much about this team as the quote Redeem Team unquote. I have a lot of opinions on the men's team, but I will leave those out right now and just ask you to check out Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird's awesome performances this summer.

Take A Moment. . .

2008-08-10T08:34:00.001-07:00

and check out what's happening at Chris Cooley's blog. He shares tales from Canton, some info on the generosity of Jason Taylor and Nike, as well as his IPod play list. Be sure to check the blog post from a few weeks ago about training camp with the children's hospital visitors, showing again why I think Chris Cooley is really just an all around good guy. (Even if he took the idea from Drew Brees). It also gives me another excuse to buy clothes from Chris Cooley's store, apparently all funds are going to the children's hospital. Making that Cooley jersey a must have. Besides, my husband will be home for a good portion of the football season so the Exnicios Redskins jersey will be reclaimed, leaving me Redskins swag-less. Buying the Cooley jersey is a no brainer.

Knitting Update

2008-08-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

After battling with the mail order company to find a suitable in stock color of Brown Sheep Fleece yarn for my sweater, I settled on seafoam from Debbie Bliss Cathay line. Its greener than it looks in this picture, much less blue. I think it will be a pretty spring color, which based on my current progress, may be when I finish it. I am really trying to pick a project and work it to the end, but I have a shawl started that will be a Christmas present, this sweater, I start sock class on Monday and I just found out I need to make baby booties tonight. Oh, and I started that crocheted kitten doll before my husband came home. I don't want to be one of those people with lots of unfinished projects, but there are just too many fun ones to choose from sometimes! I am excited to start commuting on publc transportation so I can knit while I commute - instead of driving on the GW Parkway.

Blech

2008-08-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Its been a trying day. For one, I feel schizophrenic from NBC's Olympics coverage. Everything happened 12 hours ago - do you have to split cycling into three segments separated by beach volleyball? But mostly its because I had to say goodbye to my husband (again) today. Leave is over, he is back to fighting the terrorists and I am back to living in my quiet apartment with the cat. I love the cat, more than almost anything other than my husband, but it really sucks here. In fact, after leaving the airport I tried to come home but was so upset at how empty the place felt and how the bed was still set up with pillows for two people, I had to leave. I couldn't be there by myself just yet. I'm not ready to retell the story of how awesome our leave was or how hard our goodbyes were - mostly because its just too sad, but also because I can't possibly do it justice. I hope to at least post a photo essay of our leave in a day or two.

BTW, this is what comes up when you search google images for "sad kitten". It seemed appropriate for how the cat and I feel tonight. Sad, alone, kinda just wanting to pull the covers over our heads but stuck waiting for swimming on NBC.

For the Record

2008-07-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Candace Parker is the golden child of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. You will find no Lady Huskies discussed in this article. I'm just saying. You are free to make your own opinions on the matter.

What Do You Think?

2008-07-23T18:36:00.001-07:00

This is something both my husband and I had strong opinions on when it happened. . . and now a 180 from the US Army. I just stumbled across this on Yahoo News, which does not have the most in depth reporting style, so I look forward to trying to read what's going on. I have to say, while I was against Campbell being allowed to forgo his commitment, I am much much much more against the Army jerking him around like this. It is no different than the IRR - telling you one thing up front and then changing their mind. (A quick note on the IRR - as I signed my IRR paperwork two weeks ago, I was assured that I would only be contacted in case of national emergency. Apparently those who issued my husband's orders did not read the definition of "National emergency". Yeah, there is a definition.)

Sorry, I got a little carried away, but the Army's actions never fail to create a strong reaction from me.

Try Again

2008-07-23T17:10:00.001-07:00

The "Candy Apple" color is on backorder. . . what to do readers?? I can 1) wait, but I am knitting this sweater with a group and have a schedule to keep, 2) switch to a different color (see the listing in the first post) or 3) switch to a substitute yarn available in Old Town - see the colors here.

Help out readers - this is just like your own DWTS!! Except its sweaters. But kinda like it.

Staying at Home

2008-07-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

I have been on "terminal leave" from the Army since Friday, July 11. This means I've outprocessed the Army but are using the last of my leave up before I am officially a civilian. I spent the first five days with my parents in Connecticut, relaxing and enjoying time up there. Since then, I've just been hanging out with the cat, getting ready for Andrew to come home on leave. Today I feel like I had a day I could get used to if I chose to not start working again in August and just decided to stay home, be a wife to my husband full time. I got up, did the dishes, watched some Bravo while drinking coffee. After that I called my mom, ran to the Vet's office to pick up kitty food. Met a friend in Georgetown for lunch then went to Del Ray to get cheese from Cheesetique (which if you live in the DC area you have to check out because its awesome) and steak from Let's Meat on the Street, the neighborhood butcher, all for dinner tomorrow. I came home, knitted and seamed my latest project, watched Giada and the Contessa on FoodTV. Yeah, I can definitely get used to this.

Colors

2008-07-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

For those wondering. . . and I know there were many. . . this is the color I went with for my sweater. I wanted to stay in the reds family and the yarn store I found to buy it from didn't have the Sedona Red color. (But they sold the yarn cheaper than anyone else on the Interweb.) This is Candy Apple, which certainly sounds fun. We'll see how it goes.

I spent the afternoon by the pool finishing up a baby hat for a certain new baby. I won't say who, in case she reads the blog, because I don't want to ruin the surprise. I'll post pictures of the baby set when it is all sewn together, probably tomorrow afternoon.

A Race to Win My Heart

2008-07-20T19:26:00.001-07:00

Having married a lifelong Redskins fan, and living in the Greater DC Metro area, I have begun a slight love affair with the 'Skins. I mean, they have a band, and a song and Chris Cooley. These are things that are hard to compete with - and if my heart didn't already belong to a team with people like Tom Brady and Tedy Bruschi, well then the 'Skins would have a chance at coming in first. But since they are in different divisions, I manage to cheer for both teams.

You may also know that I love television. The more awful the tv, the more I tend to love it. And my love of the Emmy nominated Dancing With the Stars is well known. Which is why I am so happy to read that JASON TAYLOR, yes AdorAble Jason Taylor is coming to the Skins. The Redskins are really making a run for my heart this year. I think its also common knowledge that I love Rock Cartwright and the name Colt Brennan (I have no real opinion on the man, I just think a child named Colt Brennan Exnicios is pretty awesome).

So here you go, a look at what's to come Redskins' fans. Hail to the Redskins indeed.

BTW, check out Chris Cooley's blog. I really think he is one of the more grounded and generous NFL players I'm aware of. (Mr. Taylor is very generous too, you may remember his love of jungle animals.) But Mr. Cooley is having a beard growing contest - and if he likes your beard, you win awesome preseason tickets. I would totally grow a beard if I could. I am also trying to convince my husband I need a Cooley jersey (NOT A PINK ONE) to wear when we're watching the Skins play. While it shouldn't be so, sometimes the Brady jersey isn't the most appropriate (sad but true.)

Puppy Search Continues

2008-07-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

My husband decided this week that lab puppies are too cute to be out of the running for the first Exnicios family dog. Here is an adorable photo of someone's lab puppy named Berkeley. (It is what Google brought me in an image search of "lab puppy" - just a bonus his name was Berkeley.) I see what Andrew is saying - they are really cute - but I just worry what happens when they gain 80 lbs.

Doing Something Well

2008-07-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

A suggestion to help make the deployment go by quicker - or at least make something of the time - was to pick something I wanted to learn how to do and then become good at it. Seemed like good advice. So I started taking both cake decorating and knitting classes. I will never make money at cake decorating - but I make a mean rose and now a good rose bud on a vine and honestly, those two talents will get you pretty far. I'm trying to learn how to basket weave and I am not very good with Royal icing - but Royal icing doesn't taste that yummy so why use that when you can make delicious butter cream roses?

My knitting is coming along well. While I may never make money from that either, its a talent I am really taken to, in no small part to my mom and my friend Jeniffer. Both are knitters and its been fun to share the art with both of them. Its been a great skill to have as our lives are sudden filled with babies (not our own) because who doesn' t love handmade knitted baby gifts. It keeps my hands busy and gives me something to focus on. This is my next project the Rusted Root sweater. I am itching to get started on it. . . I can't decide on the color. As you can see from the name, a rust color is suggested(or "Sedona Red"), but I've seen it in a delicious blue or a sage. I may go sage. . . but I don't have a lot of this reddish color in my wardrobe so maybe I will go with that. Here is the company's website, I'll take suggestions as to what color you think best, RSN readers. It will be my first project of "knitting in the round" so wish me luck. I will also be learning toe up socks on double pointed needles next month. I am pretty excited to be able to send my husband some awesome socks. After that, I hope to master the cable knit. Who doesn't love a big poofy cable knit sweater?

I'll let you know how the sweater goes and try to post some pictures of my finished stuff, so you can all oo and ah along with me and marvel at my talents as they grow.

Passing Time

2008-07-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

One of the ways I've passed time during this deployment is throwing myself head first into catching up on tv I have missed along the way. This is no better illustrated than by my record breaking 5 seasons of One Tree Hill in five months. That may not sound that impressive but I did the last two seasons in about 3 weeks. Its all about dedication, people.

Anyway, once I finished OTH, left tortured by the summer break to find out who Lucas chooses to take to Las Vegas, I decided to try out a series my husband enjoyed and would soon be returning, Mad Men. I am glad I did, because I managed to finish all but two episodes before the Emmy nominations came out, so I could say that I enjoyed and watched the first season before it was cool to do so. The second season starts next Sunday, July 27 on AMC. You should check it out. I will try not to give plot line away in case you decide to go on a marathon Netflix DVD watching marathon to catch up, but some highlights. 1) Zoe from the West Wing is on it. 2) Don Draper is hot. He's a cad but he's hot and you understand how he has gotten away with it all these years. 3) There are almost no sympathetic or likable characters. I think the Drapers are the most sympathetic, but I find myself wanting to slap her too often. Don is, as above, a cad. 4) The smoking and drinking can turn your stomach if you watch too many episodes in a row. 5) The head writer, Matthew Weiner, was also a big writer on the Sopranos (HBO turned Mad Men down. . . ) but also on the sit com Becker. For some reason this fact amuses me.

There is not much else on right now, and you don't want to be that person on Emmy Night being all "I've never seen half of these shows" or voting for Lost just because it heard it was supposed to be good, (No offense Lost, you did totally rock this season.), so try to catch it in reruns this week or just pick up with it in season two. Its great writing, but not so dense you will never catch up. Or email me nicely and maybe I will provide a plot summary for you.

Another Favorite Blog

2008-07-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

As you may know, June 21, 2009 will be our big "wedding reception" that Andrew and I never had. While our homespun wedding was fantastic, we didn't want to miss out on all the wedding fun all our friends got to have - and thought hey, we have $30,000 laying around that we have no other use for - and so we have always planned on having this Wedding Redux once Andrew returned. Our photographers have a great blog and they are one of the aspects of our reception I am looking forward to most. So take a look at the awesome photos that Eric and Brooke have taken and then think how awesome our photos will be, you know, even if we're already married. And yes, that is a gratuitous wedding shot above - fabulous photography courtesy of Uncle Neil. Who should totally have his own photo blog as well.

On the Other Side

2008-07-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

Check out my husband's blog for an adorable photo of the newest Bardill - Abigail Rebecca who I will be meeting one week from today! Abigail's parents, Patrick and Alison, have been huge supports through this deployment for me. Talking to Alison about her pregnancy and now seeing new photos of baby Abigail has been a bright spot that helped distract me on some tough days. (Not to mention all the fun times I've had buying adorable baby gifts!) Traveling to see Abigail next week is something Andrew and I have had on our calendar for several months and will be the highlight of Andrew's leave at home.

Look for the photo of Megan and Wade and a post on their Emmy successes. While we love Megan and Wade dearly, I have to say they are not as adorable as Abigail. Sorry guys.

Army Wives

2008-07-18T17:08:00.001-07:00

Since reading the book Army Wives was based on, I have tried to be a little fairer to the show. Some of the plot lines I thought were outlandish turned out to be based in fact - something I should have realized after my experience in Legal Assistance.

This week's ep had a plotline that at first seemed silly to me, but after more thought I realized that it was not only more true to life but that it was something I was a little familiar with. Denise, the Major's wife who is working as a nurse, has been seen with a doctor and people have begun to spread rumors because her husband is deployed. Now Denise's behavior may be a little inappropriate - driving on the back of the doctor's motorcycle - but thus far its been only a friendship. Now I avoided riding on the back of anyone's motorcycle while my husband was deployed, but I have seen that people hold very specific ideas as to how you should behave while your husband is deployed. The night before I was getting married, in a wedding that was sped along because of my husband's deployment, the Army Chaplain who was marrying us told me to not befriend too many males while my husband was deployed. He said I would be "lonely" and "weakened" by the deployment and being friends with other men would allow the door to be opened to other things that would be inappropriate for a married woman. Having seen the horrors that deployment can do to marriage and knowing that perhaps only the Chaplain sees more than a Legal Assistance attorney, I understood where he was coming from, but I was a little insulted since I had and have no intention of opening the door to anything else. More recently our office had an outing to a baseball game - one ticket was ordered for me and I asked for a second, a friend would be coming along with me. I was asked who was coming with me, my husband was still deployed. I explained another Army Captain, a male Army Captain, who was a good friend, would be coming. I was asked if that was appropriate. In the end I didn't go to the game because I didn't want who I brought to an office event to be a topic of discussion. So people jump to conclusions or get bored and look for gossip or maybe are just jaded from the tales you see in the JAG or the Chaplain's office.

Quickly, the plotline regarding the family care plan, the Army would have allowed her that Soldier to stay home until her care plan was reworked and if she could not have, they would have either delayed her deployment until her husband returned home or allowed her to get out of the Army. They would not have asked the FRG to find somewhere for her to place her daughter. It annoyed me because I worked with Soldiers on their Care Plans - and what happens when they fail - and thats not how it works.

So in this week's tally, I would score one for a realistic plot line and score one for completely outlandish and having nothing to do with Army life.

Puppy Update

2008-07-10T17:50:00.001-07:00

I think we've narrowed it down to a beagle. And we want to rescue a pup, not get it from a breeder, because too many puppies need homes. So we're looking for a pregnant, homeless beagle who will give birth in about 10 weeks so that the puppy will be ready to come live with us just as my husband comes home. So pregnant beagles out there listen up! We're looking for one that looks like this little guy.

Check In With the Army Wives

2008-07-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

So to start, I'd like to mention that I am a failure as an Army wife. I have only sent my husband home made cookies once during this deployment. And I have to be honest. It may even have been while he was in the field. . . not even when he was deployed. I sent Skittles. That's something. My husband appears to have lost more than 15 lbs while deployed, so maybe I should have sent him more cookies. We should probably all send cookies to him through the end of the deployment to be sure he doesn't fade away to nothingness.

Anyway, back on the Army Wives, Roxy's husband has come home. Notice how everyone's husband is injured on deployment, injured just enough to come home a month or two after deploying, but no real serious injury? I have to say, despite being completely unrealistic, the homecoming scene for Roxy's husband had me in tears. It doesn't take much these days with my husband due home in less than two weeks to bring me to tears - simply the thought of seeing my husband, let alone getting a hug, is pretty overwhelming at this point. I have to say, I wish that homecomings were really like the one on Army Wives - injured Soldiers definitely deserve a parade. And the idea that there would 1) be a backfill for someone on maternity leave is pretty preposterous and 2) the idea that they would come in to train up 5 months before needed is pretty ridiculous. I do think the idea that a garrison commander without a combat patch would raise eyebrows is the most realistic thing about the Army I've seen on this show.

The Dad from Wonder Years is doing a guest spot on the show. While its a noble role. . . one has to think that its a small role for a pop culture icon.

I just finished the book Army Wives is based on, Under the Sabers. It was an interesting read. The book is written about the rash of spouse killings at Fort Bragg around 2002 - right after the start of the war. But it followed the lives of several Army wives as well. I was going to go into some of the ways that the book was similar and how it differs. . . but maybe you want to read the book yourself, so I'll hold back. Its an interesting read, though I promise the stuff they say about officers' wives is a little overblown. There is no flag clothing in my wardrobe.

Theme Songs

2008-07-03T20:08:00.001-07:00

I think everyone should have a theme song. A lot of life coaches tell you to chose one too. You are supposed to listen to it or hear it in your head before a big day or interview or when you need a little boost. I have a theme song - "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. I swear the fact that it is the Hills theme song as well is a complete coincidence. It was in fact my theme song long before LC moved to the big city. I think my husband's theme song is "I Don't Wanna Be" by Gavin DeGraw. I don't think its a coincidence that his song is the theme to One Tree Hill. I've included the awesome One Tree Hill slide show video to I Don't Wanna Be here. The actual music video was on ITunes but this was so much cooler. Any other theme song believers out there?

More Puppies

2008-06-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Another adorable puppy . . . generally I don't like the curly hair of a labradoodle or goldendoodle, but they are growing me. And I hear they are so smart, I like to think they could make me a protein shake every morning for breakfast and have it ready for me when I get home from the gym.

And We're Back

2008-06-27T18:52:00.000-07:00

Despite having continued problems with my computer and reaching no resolution yet (don't go to On Call 25/8 in NoVa. Even if their name seems catchy, they are not nice or useful.) I have a computer thanks to my dad who sent me his laptop to use in my laptop's absence. I really appreciate it, being the wife of a deployed Soldier who has no email access has been tough. So having email access back is a big deal.

And what I know is a bigger deal to all of you is what has been happening over at Chris Cooley's blog. I have to say, I underestimated Chris Cooley. His blog is pretty great. My recent favorites are his trash problems - which have been on the NBC4 newscast and noted by the Washington Post - not to mention his Eastern Motors commercials. I think because of Chris Cooley's superior blogging skills, my husband's superior (yet lacking as of late) blogging skills and my interest in both blogs, beer and garlic fries at Gordon Biersch for all involved will be perfect.

I know I have things to catch up on - namely season two of Army Wives. I have mixed feelings on this season and I plan on sharing them. Before my technologically inspired sabatical, a commentor questioned why I cared how Army Wives portrayed Army Wives during deployment. She felt that looking for accurate depictions of Army wives going through deployment on tv was a cry for attention for a position for which I volunteered. While I appreciate any and all comments, I disagree with this commentator. I'm not looking for Army Wives to educate the world on what deployment - or being in the Army - is like. But seeing something that makes me feel that I am less crazy for feeling the way I do through this deployment. . . well that's a nice feeling. Maybe if Lifetime shows it, it means that I'm not the only one who somehow feels that doing the dishes is directly connected to my feelings of my husband's deployment. So, that's all I'm looking for in Army Wives. A truthful depiction of deployment life from the stay home partner point of view to help me feel less alone in all of this.

More on the real Army Wife gossip soon - and get ready for the next season of Project Runway. How did anyone make it through deployment before reality tv???

Happy Birthday Bailey!

2008-06-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

Bailey turned 7 years old yesterday. She had her traditional salmon birthday dinner and enjoyed a relaxing day on the couch, sleeping curled up on her favorite blanket.

This is photo is a reenactment of what her birthday celebrations looked like.

Happy Birthday to the best kitty ever!

Sad Computer Face

2008-06-19T19:06:00.001-07:00

My computer is in the shop - and I am currently debating with said shop what the repairs should be and what I am willing to pay for these repairs.

Just an update to let you know why I have gone radio silent. Back soon I hope. Real soon I hope because the Riverside computer lab tends to be a little sketch at 10pm.

A Paper Day

2008-06-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

Today is my dear husband's and mine first wedding anniversary. It is not how we expected nor how we would have chosen to spend our first year of marriage, but it can only go up from here, right? I am so lucky to not only have the best, most understanding and patient husband in the world, but fabulous friends who did their best to help me enjoy our first anniversary despite my husband's absence.

Also this weekend we celebrated my grandparents'-in-law 60th(!) wedding anniversary. While our day is honored with paper, their's is celebrated with diamonds. I hope we are so lucky to still be so healthy, so active and still so much in love with each other as Nana and Dah clearly are.

Included are some photos - the first a self-indulgent wedding photo from our wedding, June 16, 2007. A photo of a wedding photo of Nana and Dah - using the same saber we used to cut our "wedding cake". Also, a photo of Nana and Dah dancing amongst their families at the party this weekend. So happy paper anniversary, baby, can't wait to drink our wedding wine together next month, and happy diamond anniversary to Nana and Dah, thanks for making it look so easy.

Puppies

2008-06-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

We want to get a dog. We spend a lot of time dreaming about what type of dog we should get. It will probably happen within an hour of my husband landing on US soil. It varies day to day what our preferred breed is, but I think this one is pretty darn cute and an excellent contender.

Army Wives

2008-06-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

Lifetime's Army Wives came back with its second season on Sunday. There are clearly parts of this show that are completely fabricated and ridiculous and well, you get the picture. But there are parts of that are so true and painful to watch. This was true on Sunday's ep. The plotline with Roxy (the stripper turned Army wife married to the PFC) was very true to life. Her husband was deploying - their first deployment - and she hadn't heard from him as he promised, so she refused to leave the house until she heard from him. She couldn't clean the house, couldn't get dressed. I know what that feels like. I know what waiting for a phone call feels like, I know the feeling that even though it won't change anything, some how hanging out in bed in your pajamas all weekend ignoring chores and phone calls and such seems like it might make it better - even if that just means the laundry still isn't done, the dishes sit in the sink and all of that makes me feel worse too. All that said, I think they did a really good job showing what its like when you are adapting to a new deployment. The scene where she watches the video from her husband made me weep - while I don't have a video of my husband, he's said many of the same words to me as I've cried on the phones throughout this deployment.

Now - as for the plotline of a jealous husband blowing up the bar. Well, this is what I don't get. Being the wife of a deployed Soldier is hard. Just show that. Show that drama. All that drama that Roxy's plotline showed. Or the great plotline with Pamela last season about the middle of a deployment when you can't see your way out and you can't remember what it was like before. It just seems like there has always been a deployment. So show the Army wife drama. Leave the OTH drama to OTH. Where it awesomely belongs.

Chris Cooley, The Cooley Zone and Other Search Terms That Make My Blog More Google Attractive

2008-06-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

So Google can tell me what search words lead people to my blog. The overwhelming number one search term that brings people to my blog? Chris Cooley. Yeah. (Note that he has only recently surpassed Lorenzo Lamas. Seriously.) Chris Cooley and Cooley Zone related searches have brought over 38 viewers to my blog - which may not seem like a lot, but its not like I have the readership numbers of the Washington Post.

Anyway, in honor of that, here is a picture from Chris' recent wedding. I don't know how I am not friends with this man. Chris, if you are googling your self, or The Cooley Zone, and happen upon this blog, email me. We can totally hang out. Bring your wife, its cool. I just think we could have fun drinking beer at the Reston Gordon Biersch and watching One Tree Hill. Oh, and dancing only in a tuxedo vest.

Check out Chris Cooley's blog as well - "The Cooley Zone"

This week's Cooley Zone poll asks if they sold Chris Cooley hot pants, would you buy them. I think the better question is, who wouldn't buy them?

Lifetime's Army Wives

2008-06-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

Army Wives on Lifetime starts a new season tomorrow. As far as Army shows go, well, for our purposes I am not going to get into why Army Wives is about as close to the real Army as Laguna Beach is to the real Army. However, I think that there are some real points that they make about being an Army wife. I know I'm a non-traditional Army wife - I'm active duty, far away from where my husband's unit is located, no children, etc. But the words of a female Major I worked with at Fort Carson ring in my ears when people tell me how non-traditional I am - if something happens to my husband and two men show up at my front door, I'm just a wife who loves her husband and needs help. And that's true of my situation - no matter what I wear to work, I'm still a wife who misses her husband more and more each day. So for that reason, I thought that I might share my "insights" as to how real to life Army Wives is, from an Army wife point of view. Also, my husband recently sent me the book on which the show is based, so I will try to share tidbits from there too.

I know I promised that I wouldn't comment on the lack of real Army in Army Wives, but just one thing - why does the female officer never wear her cover?????

Favorite Thing I've Been Told During Army Outprocessing Briefs

2008-06-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

"Mandatory retirement/ETS** physicals are optional."

**estimated termination of service

Obama's Speech Writer

2008-06-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

While listening to a portion of last night's speech Obama delivered after he became the presumptive Democratic nominee for President, I had to wonder who is writing his speeches. This line in particular.

"America, this is our moment. This is our time."

It sounded so familiar. Perhaps because it was very close to the below speech.

Mikey: Don't you realize? The next time you see sky, it'll be over another town. The next time you take a test, it'll be in some other school. Our parents, they want the best of stuff for us. But right now, they got to do what's right for them. Because it's their time. Their time! Up there! Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here.

Maybe they were watching a movie on the campaign bus while writing the speech.

Travis Henry, We Hardly Knew Thee

2008-06-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

The Denver Broncos (probably my third favorite football team) released Travis Henry this week. Travis Henry was not a Basher (that is, a Bailey's Bashers, the perpetual second place fantasy football team) but he was a great player to read about. Henry has had his share of off field issues. It has been said that Henry has nine children by nine women (I'll admit, that number varies depending on the news source.) He has severe issues paying child support to these children, despite having a contract worth $22.5million from the Broncos with a guarantee of $12million. While Henry's story is good newspaper sports gossip fodder, it is sort of sad to see someone with a good amount of promise unable to break free from their past. Henry was suspended for much of the season last year appeal a drug test that came back positive. He was also suspended while on the Titans for violating the drug policy there. We'll miss you Travis Henry, and we wish you the best. Maybe you'll find your niche somewhere, along with a good financial adviser and life coach.

Because You Can Never Have Enough Cuteness

2008-06-02T18:51:00.001-07:00

For those interested (and everyone should be) here is the link to Puppies Behind Bars. Its pretty much the best charity ever. And I'm not sure the cuteness of this program was fully explained last time. The premise is that puppies are given to inmates to train. They live with the inmates in their cells and they work with the dogs to train them to be helper animals - for people with disabilities, especially war veterans. This also helps the inmates learn a trade, learn to love something, have responsibility, all those good things. Its pretty ingenious. With Tony Soprano's help, they are trying to raise $100,000 for their DogTags program to get more puppies to help disabled vets - if they reach that goal, an anonymous donor will match it with another $100,000. So consider this a plea from RNS, give $5 or $10 or $100 to Puppies Behind Bars to help puppies, inmates and vets. Its a triple play. A no brainer. A million other cliches. Oh, and if you don't, the terrorists may win. No one wants that.

Baseball

2008-06-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

I enjoy the sport of baseball. Because of my constant relocating of the past five years, I do not have a team anymore. In high school/college I cheered on the Yankees - a remnant of my days cheering on the double AA minor league team in CT affiliated with the Yankees. But as I traveled further West, it became more and more difficult to follow the team - little press coverage, no tv. I know a true fan could follow on the web, but there are a lot of games in a baseball season. So I became a more casual fan - enjoying a game in whatever city I lived in/nearby. St Louis Cardinals, Denver Rockies, San Fransisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals. Baseball, more than any sport I feel, is an experience to go to a game - an afternoon event preferably - so the team is less important.

All this preamble is to say, despite not being a fan of any team right now, I was able to enjoy see Manny Ramirez hit his 500th home run at Camden Yards on Saturday. My parents are huge Red Sox fans and travel to "Fenway South" to see the team. This was the fifth year they've done it - though my Dad wasn't able to come this year. Camden is a great place to see a game and its always been a lot of fun. For all those who missed it - here's Manny hitting one into history.

Too Much Excitement For One Blog

2008-06-02T18:13:00.001-07:00

I know its been two weeks since the fantastical endings to both DWTS and Idol. I know I haven't blogged as I promised about these, but it was a lot of tv all at once and then I had house guests (who don't watch reality tv?!) and so here I am. I am writing while watching the Lost finale, because even though its the Monday after, I still haven't seen it.

But let's be quick about it and talk about some of the season finales this year.

- Idol - I declared I was on Team Cook and I was very happy that he did win. I think he has the possibility to be a great Idol. And I am sure that little "Archie" will do just fine with second place.

- DWTS - Yes, Kristi was the best dancer, but I thought Jason was the more entertaining. And Adorable. I guess its reality viewers like me who keep the male winning streak alive.

- The Office - I'm not really allowed to say much about this because my husband hasn't seen it - he has a thumb drive full of tv on its way - but I thought it was pretty good, classic Office. The Kevin plot line almost made me pee my pants.

- HIMYM - It was good, but I kinda wish it was like Lost and we had an end point in sight so you knew that you'd find out who Ted marries.

-Grays - I keep saying I need to break up with this show. This episode proved no different. It was lousy, Meredith is annoying. Don't get me started on Izzy.

- Lost - You knew who survived, so why was it so devastating to watch the others die. (others, little "o", not Others big "O".) And Caleb Nichol, you are evil no matter what your accent is. Oh, Ben - you are Dan Scott evil. Actually thats not even close to the truth. You are like Dan Scott, Caleb Nichol, British Caleb Nichol, Chuck Bass and Oliver Trask evil - all in one.

- Gossip Girl - This show is crying out for a summer season. Who doesn't want to know what is happening? In actuality, it should be like a webcam, on all the time.

We'll see what sort of summer season we have to look forward to - two more (maybe three with a reunion) for Top Chef. Couple of weeks for Next Food Network Star. Another season of My Life on the D List. Good news is - next time DWTS is on, my husband will be home to watch it Lii-i-i-i-i-ve!

This Is My Favorite Charity

2008-05-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

And probably one of the cutest things ever. I would like to train helper puppies but my husband questions that I would allow anyone to take my puppy from me. He's probably right.

Things So Much More Important Than Chris Cooley's Hair

2008-05-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

Again, this blog blows me away with how powerful her words are and how dead on she is - I know what that absolute misery and indignation at the world feels like. Its what I felt sitting, sobbing next the candy shop at gate B6 in BWI. Its hard to explain what its like to watch people buy Sour Patch Kids by the pound while chatting on their IPhone after you have just put your husband on a plane to go fight a war.

The Cooley Zone

2008-05-22T06:49:00.001-07:00

I don't know how I missed this. Apparently Redskins tight end Chris Cooley blogs for Yahoo sports every week. I know! Cooley is my second favorite player on my second favorite NFL team. (Respectively my first choices are Rock Cartwright and the New England Patriots). I certainly hope that there are archives of his blog, because I have a lot of catching up to do. With players like Chris Cooley, the Skins promise to be entertaining no matter what their record is this season. Oh, if you haven't checked out Redskins Late Night on Thursdays on local DC television in the football season, I highly recommend. It is this bizarre Redskins version of SNL broadcast from Gordon Biersch in Reston. I'll admit the only episode I saw was the one where Chris Cooley stopped by, but it was pretty great. I also think Cooley should grow his hair back out. Let's start the movement here and now - a RSN petition for Cooley's hair. I think that's where his power lies.

Faith

2008-05-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

I have a lot to say about both DWTS and Idol. . . don't worry I plan on spending my lunch hour gathering my thoughts on both tomorrow. But while suffering (and by which I mean enjoying way too much) through the two hour fest that is the Idol Finale, I have to wonder how high George Michael's legal fees are. I know he's had some trouble with the law, but this is the second American television he's appeared on this season - and he was pretty much another character on Eli Stone. Which B the W, if you didn't watch Eli Stone, get it on DVD or Tivo or something. Its great, it has a lot of singing, including Mr. Michael and my favorite, Victor Garber. (Who you probably know as either Jennifer Garner's father on Alias or Adam's favorite character in Titanic. Did you know he performed the marriage ceremony for Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner? Victor Garber, not Adam. True story.) George Michael is now performing Pray for Time in the dark. Paula is crying, clearly this requires my full attention.

Oh, before it is too late - I'm on team Cook, we'll see how that goes. . .