Got a new laptop! Well....Geeksquad gave up on mine and replaced it with a new one. I'm in the fun restoring process now and noticing all the things I really should have backed up. Bummer.

Anyway, once I get up and restored I am re hauling the website. Can't wait!

In the meanwhile there are a few things I need to mention:

• Bob Marley might be one of the best musicians alive. I realize I'm late in coming to this conclusion but I just finally got a cd today and am obsessed with it. I am convinced if we blasted Bob Marley music 24-7 across the world, we would all be much happier people. And the world might become a little greener....I mean environmentally of course. :)
• In addition to Bob Marley I came across this other AMAZING singer the other day (and was so angry I wasn't able to download anything right then because my laptop was being fixed and iTunes was charging double what Amazon was charging to download the album- ANYWAY...) Check out Donavon Frankenreiter. Also a mellow island kind of jam. If you like Jack Johnson, you will like Donavon. Plus, you have to appreciate him for his awesome name alone. Right?
• My last blog I got a comment from someone who found me through someone else who found me on Twitter (did that make sense?). Anyway, she is ALSO from Maryland, also a Navy wife, ALSO stationed here in Hawaii. How random is that? Makes you realize how small a world it really is. I got the chance to check out her blog and it's super cute. Check it out at www.aisletoaloha.blogspot.com (which currently has a really nice giveaway!) and follow her on Twitter at @AisleToAloha!

Alright. I have got a substantial amount of configuring to do with this computer. Hope everyone is doing great! Have a great night!

So I have to warn you that I'm feeling a teeny bit artsy fartsy right now. And a bit inspired....
 

The thing I love most about moving around is that every time we move somewhere new I feel like I'm given a new start. I love that I'm going somewhere people don't know me...It gives me a chance to analyze myself and play around with reinvention.

Girls, you know how amazing you feel when you get a new haircut or hairstyle. Picture that on a grander level. I'm not talking dying your hair that opposite color and suddenly going from pop and country music to goth...unless that's your thing.

You should never change the fundamentals and essence of who you are as an individual. But starting over in a new place allows you to take some time and analyze who you are. Is there something you want to be better at? Maybe you want to try to be friendlier to people and come off as a more social person on a first impression. Moving allows you to do that.

That's definitely one of my goals. I wish I was the person who said "Hi" first. I don't feel like I do that enough. Not because I'm not a friendly person...I just don't say hi first. Maybe it's an insecurity- that small part in my head that worries the person will just ignore me. But I can work on it.

Something I do think I'm good at is I try to make someone smile at least once a day. I love being complimented. Who doesn't? A lot of times I'll think something in my head about how nice someone's outfit looks or something. I try to get myself into the habit of saying it out loud to that person instead of leaning toward that catty, jealous side we girls can occasionally have.

Of course reinventing yourself can also just be about the fun stuff. Maybe I'll get ultra short bangs. Or try a new hair shade. Or find a new makeup trick to make a statement with. Or go vintage clothing store shopping more and fancy department store shopping less. Or bike ride more. :)

I have already made a pretty big change diet wise. For the first time in my life I'm trying to be a pescatarian- no meat- just fish and seafood. I just thought it would be an interesting change. Red meat isn't great for you and I know my body doesn't handle it well. And I really like pigs. :) So I'm giving it up for a while to see how it goes. I've also been drinking more water. And haven't been eating dairy. I don't know if I'll go forever without dairy- I love my pizza. But a few weeks at a time at least is good. I know my skin is loving it.

I'm seriously not trying to preach. Especially not about dieting and stuff. I'm just pointing out how fun it can be to reinvent. To make it a point to look at life differently- or just try something different out for a little while to see how it affects you...and maybe the people around you too. :)

Okay. Done with my inspired ranting.

Now why do I suddenly feel like breaking out a very old Fiona Apple album....?

Many of you know I was homeschooled when I was younger. I also came from a very religious household. I never believed in Santa or the Easter Bunny or any of that stuff.
But when I was about 12 I decided to take back some of my youth and start believing in Santa....I can live without the Easter bunny. :)
Ever since then I have written a letter to Santa ever year. It's sort of a way of putting down what I want, what needs to change...and just sort of reflecting.
Since I've neglected my blog in the craziness of the holidays and of course the engagement, you all get to hear my Santa letter. So here goes...


Dear Santa,
This might be my simplest letter ever. Honestly, I've already gotten what I really wanted. I have an amazing guy and I got a gorgeous ring from him. We also got our house, the most well behaved dog ever (well, most of the time- my Shem Creek Bar & Grill beer koozie begs to differ), and plans to move to one of the most beautiful places I know of. And to make things even more perfect, I got to see my last snow this past weekend- and it was quite the blizzard. Nick was here for the weekend before flying out to St Louis to be with his family and his flight ended up getting delayed by a day. So I actually got a long, lazy, snowy weekend watching movie after movie with my fiance. It was awesome.

My family did Christmas today (my parents have crazy schedules) so I'm actually flying out in about 6 hours to St Louis to be with Nick and his family for Christmas. Honestly, I think my wish this year is just for safe travels and no flight delays please! I have never flown on Christmas day before. I don't know if it will be depressing or really cheerful. Although I'm armed with freshly updated iPod which I just loaded my new Glee soundtracks onto and I still haven't gotten a chance to listen to Lily Allen's Smile cd or Matt Nathanson's latest either. At least I'll be content listening to my music the whole way.

I digress.

As I sit here in front of my computer, with 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TV (I think I'm watching the movie for the 3.5th time tonight) with my bags open and somewhat packed on the floor in front of me, I just feel really thankful. Thankful to have such an amazing guy and now not one but two amazing families. Ahhh, maybe I could wish for good luck in meeting the whole family? There are going to be a lot to meet tomorrow!
And I also hope for everything to fall into place in February with the big move. And to be able to survive my first deployment in April....but that's still a bit away.

Oh Lord...I have to be up in like 3 hours. I should probably go to bed.

To all of my friends, family, and readers- Happy Christmas (Yes, I like the British way of saying it better!) and a Happy New Year. Everyone stay safe! Thank you for all your support.
I can't wait for this crazy new year to begin.

xoxox
that crazy Blonde

I still have no idea. I have been up since 4:30 and only went to bed at 2:45am.

See this morning was Nick's "graduation" from his current program here in Charleston called Prototype. I took off work to go (before I knew it was so early in the morning I really didn't need to take off work). I was falling asleep last night hanging out with him for some reason so I had a teeny cup of coffee at almost 8pm and apparently the effects were a bit much. Ugh I hate not being able to sleep.

The graduation this morning was mainly for the enlisted guys. It took basically an hour and a half for the 200 some enlisted guys to line up and get their orders while the officers (all 30 something of them) got in order pretty quickly (much easier with 30 something guys). An hour and a half of waiting around for a 15 minute ceremony which really was for the friends and family to take pictures of the enlisted guys (since they had all the chairs facing them and the officers lined up awkwardly along the side of the room where you couldn't take good pics). Then the like 8 guys they actually gave awards to they lined up and stood in front of them as they gave them the awards instead of calling them up one by one. I would have been pissed if one of them had been mine since you couldn't see them to get pics. And some of the people around me had flown in to be there for it. Oh, Navy.

We booked out of there, cam back and changed, and went to lunch at this amazing little restaurant in North Charleston called Sesame Burgers and Beer. It's owned by the same two owners as my restaurant. Such amazing food.

Then I dropped Nick off at this little airport where his friend who owns his own airplane flew himself and Nick to somewhere near Clemson where a bunch of the guys are camping all weekend for one of the guy's bachelor party. I'm not really worried. They'll basically be in the woods. Fifteen guys. In the woods. In a a cabin. Pretty harmless bachelor party. And also an awkward sausage fest. Sounds kind of boring actually. I suggested taking Scattergories with him. :)

I came back and downloaded Colbie Caillat's new album online (which I'm listening to as I type this)...I seriously thought she had just released a bunch of old songs on an album with like 3 new songs. I didn't realize she had a whole new album and I'm a bit upset I didn't find it sooner. My ex boyfriend turned me on to Colbie before Bubbly even hit the radio waves, before her first cd was even out and she just had some songs on her myspace. Obsessed with her light-hearted, happy songs (for one of the great ones off that album, check out the media player below- hurray for now being able to upload audio!).

I took a nap after that and now here I am...already after 4pm. Where did my day go? I thought after getting up so early I'd have more of a day. I slept less than 2 hours.

I have a TON of apartment cleaning to do. Since Nick is out of town until Sunday I invited some of my close friends over for dinner tomorrow night. However the apartment is in shambles from two weeks in a row of going out of town then straight working. My day off Wednesday was basically committed to hanging out with Nick (lazy day!). I'm not a fan of cleaning the apartment when he's here. Especially since I have like 3 weeks before I'm going to not be living with him again until February.

Also he found out yesterday that he will be deployed in April for about 6 months. Two months after moving in. I guess it's better then so that he will be back for he big holidays like Halloween (well, it's my favorite holiday), Thanksgiving, and Christmas. So I guess that's good. But it definitely means we have to get out ducks in order when we move to Hawaii. We can't just get a temporary place for a month or two then move into something more permanent if we can't find anything sooner. There's no way I can do all that moving and handling on my own. We have to make it count the first time. Next week we're going to start calling and seeing what we can get approved for mortgage-wise since it kinda sucks to put three years into renting an apartment. Guess we'll see.

Getting way too ahead of myself. Half the reason I couldn't sleep well last night. The other half was because I was googling fun sparkly things. I'm going to leave that up for guessing. ;*)

Okay, procrastination over. I'm going to go get started on cleaning this apartment like a 1950's housewife. Riiiight after I eat something....