Things I Miss

and look forward to having again :)  Ever since I decided to come home in December I/we have been talking about all the great stuff we have to look forward to!  Not that we haven't enjoyed our time here on Guam but it's just not the same as stateside living.  If anything living here has opened my and made me appreciate the little things about the great US of A!!  If you have never lived elsewhere then you have no idea what I'm talking about but know that you are lucky even when it comes to the small things.  So on to my list...

1.)  family like at least within flying distance and not a 24+ hr flight either more like 4-5... that will be awesome!

2.)  being able to go grocery shopping any day of the week (the commissary, the military grocery store, is closed on Monday and now Tuesdays)

3.)  having fresh produce even organic and not having to go from one end of the island to the other to complete my shopping list

4.)  along with the 2 & 3 not spending an arm and leg on groceries esp. the organic/gluten free kind :)

5.)  seasons... oh the coolness of Florida fall and spring.  Don't get my wrong having beach weather year round was great but I miss the cool days

6.)  being able to open the windows in the house on those cool days

7.)  Target, oh how I've missed you... like BIG time

8.)  Publix, oh how I've missed you too... like real BIG time

9.)  going out side and NOT sweating instantly

10.)  being able to wear pants and be comfy not burning up.  I miss those pant and sweat shirt days

11.)  having things to do on the weekends.  Island life sounds great right... not when you're trapped on that island and it's quite pricey to leave.  There's absolutely nothing to do here except the beaches and pools and don't get my wrong it's great but that's all there is here

12.)  having a house with room and a yard... won't that be great!! Being able to let the dogs out in a fenced in yard and play and be dogs without fear that another dog will come by and have lunch!

13.)  Getting Scrappy-Do home, she is allergic to the soil and grass here so she is itchy scratchy all the time to the point of losing hair

14.)  being able to talk to family whenever we want... phone calls get expensive

15.)  not being sick, since being here I have been sick 6 months out of the year and we have been here a little over 2 yrs, you do the math it = a miserable Jennifer

16.)  having options with anything and everything from restaurants, shopping, food, etc.
17.)  being able to shop online or have things shipped via mail and not having to worry whether it'll make to me... the PO workers are great at putting the wrong external box keys in the wrong PO boxes and then not everyone is honest

I'm sure there are many other things that I just can't think of at the moment but these are enough for me :) I am so excited to be going home!!   

Winter Shopping

haven't done that in a while... winter shopping that is and I am so excited to do so... I can't stand it!!  I haven't had to buy or worry about warm clothes in ohhh I don't know 2 1/2 yrs (in Dec).  But since Blake and I are going home in Dec/Jan we need warm clothes so while at the BX I noticed that they had some stuff in Blake's size, I got enough to get to Florida and not have to wash clothes or go out and buy stuff right away.  The BX gets winter clothes here during the "fall" and they don't last long so I jumped on it not knowing if they would have anything for him when I would really need it.  I don't really need anything except a jacket or sweatshirt and maybe a few long sleeve shirts.

I also bough an AWESOME carry on bag for the flight.  I normally have a backpack but when coming here it just seemed to be a lot of wasted pockets and bulk so when I saw this I knew I had to have it!!  I love Vera Bradley stuff and this is perfect for traveling (like all of her purses... super convenient with lots of pockets... VERY important) and NO wasted space... score!!!  Now I think I'm all ready to go... is it Dec yet?!?!

I think it's hitting Aaron that Dec will be here before he knows it b/c he started going through some of his stuff and making sure I am going to have everything I need paperwork and point of contact wise.  He also talked to a friend of his asking if he wouldn't mind taking care of his car while we are both gone.  I think we're on the same page now!!! I am sooo excited and ready for our new adventure  :) 

I had my plan as to my house hunting, cell phone getting, hotel and car reserving down then Aaron told me I wasn't allowed to go look at houses without my dad there...  I get it but it possibly ruined my plans a bit... Grrr!  Everything will still happen but hopefully it won't inconvenience my parents too much.

I also have an idea as too plans for Blake's spring break but that's another post... until I know when we are leaving.

TTFN

New Kicks

So I have been looking at new running shoes lately but here in Guam we don't the options like Foot Locker or any other sports stores. 

I absolutely LOVED my Nike Free's they were so comfortable and airy and of course light weight but when I bought a new pair of shoes I went with the New Balance Minimus which were okay but the qaulity and comfort of the Frees just wasn't there.

 Photo from sporteluxe

Then came the new Nike Free Flyknit, I am really liking them.  They have everything that I loved about my other Free's but I can go with out socks and still have that sock feel :)  I'm weird about things getting in my shoes and being able to feel those things but I think the sock like tops will serve that purpose!  So, I will be once again upgrading my running shoes!!  

I am hoping once we get settled in our house in JAX that I will be able to run again on a normal basis!  I may even try to do a 5k or two!!  It is just WAY too hot here even early in the morning but I do still go to the gym but I really do miss running! (I can't believe I just said that)

TTFN

My Mind is Made Up!

So since my last post about Blake and I possibly moving to Jacksonville early I have decided that that is in fact exactly what we are going to do whether this means packing out by myself after Aaron leaves and house hunting on my own. 

Since talking about it with Blake and thinking about it ALL the time I think that it IS doable even on my own, I mean military spouses do it all the time so it can't be that hard and my family lives 3 hrs away if I really need something.  I also contacted the school district Blake will be going to and there is no time frame I have to get him back in school so that is helpful.  Not that I want to have him out for weeks and weeks but I have time to get things situated and I don't have to rush. (I am hoping we can leave in Dec that way we have time but it's not necessary... just gotta get those orders) 

My plan is to fly into Jax and get a rental car and drive to the base, get a hotel and much needed sleep, then the following day or that afternoon (flights normally get to the states from here in the AM) go look at houses and hopefully find "the one" within a few days.  Then set up and change all of my info to the address so I can get Blake into school ASAP.  Then after all of our Jax stuff is done we will go to Tallahassee and spend time with my family.  

The only down side to all of this is we will be without our house hold goods and my car for a little while.  We do however have some things in storage that we didn't bring here b/c our house is too small, so we have a bed and I will be packing either boxes to mail with sheets, towels, games, etc. or packing a few suit cases or both (probably the latter).  

So needless to say, I am soooo EXCITED about going home and having the house set up before Aaron gets home in the summer.  Aaron is a little UGH about it b/c we'll have these options when it comes to groceries and things to do and he'll be on the ship or Japan :)  I told him I could mail a box....  :)

Now that I have made up my mind I have to get our house ready for the pack out which includes painting over some colored paint that I painted a while back and selling stuff that we don't use or need anymore.  I will also be leaving my job in November probably depending on if we have our orders yet b/c my car is going to be shipped out ASAP!!

On another note we got Blake enrolled into Taekwando last night and he loves it so far.  Lots of stuff to remember but he'll do just fine once he gets the hang of it!

TTFN