tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55548997731053807752024-02-07T02:04:14.198-08:00Catching the 4 wireNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-82366853180053868932013-03-26T14:20:00.000-07:002013-03-26T14:28:22.772-07:00Back on track
Hello again! It's been a while, hasn't it? We've been busy over here: a deployment, a trip to Disney, a cross country move, first day of PreK, first broken bone, and so much more. I'm working to get back on track, so bear with me as I organize my thoughts and get into the blogging groove once more.
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<br />Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-4291511345656750972012-01-07T13:04:00.000-08:002012-01-07T13:04:48.947-08:00On resolutions and fresh startsDo you start each New Year with resolutions? Do you follow them? Chart your progress and track your success? I must admit, I normally don't. It's not that I dislike the idea of resolutions. Quite the contrary. I embrace the idea, and support anyone who chooses to celebrate a new year with new goals. It's simply that I've never really taken the time. I'm probably also secretly afraid that I will fall short of my resolutions and end up disappointing myself. <div><br />
</div><div>I've been thinking a lot about resolutions this year. I've been reading many blog posts about resolutions, and getting different opinions and attitudes about this topic. It seems like everywhere you turn, someone is resolving to start something, or improve something, or achieve something. Gyms are full, grocery stores are packed with people resolving to cook more, homes are being cleaned with more frequency. But how long will it last? What is it about human nature that so many of us seem doomed to fail at many, if not all, of our resolutions? In 2007, a British psychologist found, in a survey of 3,000 people, that 88% of all resolutions end in failure. This <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703478704574612052322122442.html" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal article</a> from 2009 helps explain the science behind failed resolutions.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Maybe this is why I never make resolutions. Or maybe I just haven't wanted to do something badly enough that I was willing to put it out there and have tangible proof of my success or failure. This year I decided to really think about resolutions - generally, and then specifically - about what I wanted to change in my life. What I have worked out is this: at the heart of it, a resolution is a choice. A commitment to change a habit pattern. Somehow, for me, this makes resolutions more palatable. While I can choose to make a change at any point in the year, the significance of a resolution on the first of the year is not lost on me. A fresh start for a fresh year. But perhaps the key is to make resolutions that reflect a choice, rather than a goal. Instead of "I resolve to lose 10 pounds in 2012", why not, "I resolve to live more healthfully and exercise 5 days a week." While some may say the alternative is less specific, I find it more motivating and more important. Better yet, a choice to live cleaner in the new year, if done correctly, will undoubtedly result in some amount of weight loss, or at the very least, improved health and physique. To me, it seems less daunting and more positive and empowering.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So here it is. In 2012, I resolve to be more mindful - to make better choices for myself and my family. More specifically, I resolve to live better, by cooking and exercising on a regular basis (at least 4-5 times a week for each). I resolve to be more positive, to use less negative language, to look for the hidden blessings and on the bright side of things. I resolve to choose my words more carefully, to teach my child without yelling, to support others with positive language, and to support myself with my better choices. I feel lighter and refreshed after making these "resolutions', rather than overwhelmed and terrified of failure. A positive start to a new year, wouldn't you say? </div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-66311730176957016562012-01-01T20:14:00.000-08:002012-01-01T20:14:41.877-08:00Hello Again<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well hello there friends! It's been a while, hasn't it? Another year has passed into the history books and I realize it's been around 6 months since my last post. I know I have resolved more than once to be a better blogger and post with more frequency. I think that past experience has taught me that I require a more realistic goal when it comes to blogging. So instead I'm going to simply resolve to blog when I can, and when I feel inspired to write.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So much has happened since I last posted, and to recap it all would take days, if not weeks. So rather than taking up too much time with that, I'll hit the highlights. Our move east was successful, and while we miss the slower pace and great friends out in Nevada, it was time, and we have all adapted quite well. Pilot Pete started a new job that he loves, was promoted, and received his next set of orders. Surprisingly, these orders will take us back out west later this year. We'll be in a city we lived in for a year back when we were first married, and while this development was a little unexpected, we are, as always, excited for new opportunities and adventures. This is Navy life after all! Little Dude started preschool in September and has been learning and experiencing all kinds of new and exciting things. We've dealt with a few growing pains along the way, but he is proving to be quite the champ when it comes to dealing with the change and instability that comes with our crazy lifestyle. As for me, I am finally feeling more settled and grounded, one of the things that I felt I had been struggling with for quite some time. I think that some times you just need a little change of pace to get to where you want to be in life!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2011 was a great year for all of us, both individually and as a family, and I have high hopes for 2012. We'll face plenty of obstacles and challenges, but hopefully with light hearts and smiles on our faces. Today is a fresh start, and, as my dad always says "the first day of the rest of your life".</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy New Year!! </span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-5487406995791252342011-06-10T23:03:00.000-07:002011-06-10T23:03:37.946-07:00Our week in pictures<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5816817333/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9 June 2011 001 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="9 June 2011 001" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/5816817333_c47eb1da86.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5816816913/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9 June 2011 004 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="9 June 2011 004" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2131/5816816913_a0cf560020.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5817382124/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9 June 2011 005 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="9 June 2011 005" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2078/5817382124_a3700231e9.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gone!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5816816013/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9 June 2011 015 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="9 June 2011 015" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/5816816013_b8decc536d.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three amigos</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5817380926/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9 June 2011 018 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="9 June 2011 018" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2414/5817380926_c7cbbdfda4.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for Pilot Pete to get out of his plane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5817379998/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="9 June 2011 026 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="9 June 2011 026" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5035/5817379998_0bd336fc86.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last flight in the squadron...a great tradition!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIjCeWqrjeVi8OYtSixC4PFQVmYnyD-7hKF9PEkasQBbSe3DArh9AE_abt8AP9U8hyGSjW-EDRNuwT5LpKXxVdl0MXJ6T7aO1KJxl_OLYtkbRj8gdByTvh-bRLxH2fYCRIlS2PkRnTPM/s1600/10+June+2011+013+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiIjCeWqrjeVi8OYtSixC4PFQVmYnyD-7hKF9PEkasQBbSe3DArh9AE_abt8AP9U8hyGSjW-EDRNuwT5LpKXxVdl0MXJ6T7aO1KJxl_OLYtkbRj8gdByTvh-bRLxH2fYCRIlS2PkRnTPM/s400/10+June+2011+013+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East, baby!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-89277548107108084772011-06-09T22:32:00.000-07:002011-06-09T22:32:12.777-07:00One last day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today was out last day in Fallon. It is so hard to believe that we have been here over three years now. When we moved here we were new parents (and under 30!) without a clue. We leave here older, wiser, and still clueless. As I drove to the base today for the last time the soundtrack to Out of Africa played in the background as I reminisced on all that has happened in the last three years. (I know - overly dramatic on my part!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the beginning of our marriage, we moved twice in less than two years. In those halcyon days, moving was exhilarating, challenging, and exciting. This time it's a little different, and I have a feeling that this is the new standard. It's no secret that I haven't loved living here, in the "Oasis of Nevada", and yet leaving is very bittersweet. This is the only home our child has ever known. He was a wee thing of three months when we moved out here, and despite living in two different houses over the past three years, moving across the country is a concept I'm not sure he fully comprehends. How do you explain to your child he won't see his two best buddies for a good long while? How do you explain that part of Daddy's job involves moving often? These are the questions we are beginning to face as a military family. The bottom line: I have no idea how to handle it. We're learning and making it up as we go. It's a constant battle and balance to figure out what he needs to hear and what he can handle. I think it will always be a challenge.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We've been so lucky to meet amazing people everywhere we've lived, and Fallon has been no exception. We've been able to spend a good deal of time with our two favorite families over the past few days. They have taken care of us like family, and we will miss them terribly. Tonight our imminent departure really sunk in, as Little Dude's friend E hugged him and said "I love you". I nearly lost it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tomorrow our adventure starts as we're finally on the road. I can't believe it's time.</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-62370367894998948822011-06-05T22:44:00.000-07:002011-06-05T22:44:46.337-07:00And so it begins...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our move officially starts tomorrow, and I think we're about as ready as we can be. Memories of our last move have been coming back to me over the last few weeks (we were definitely not prepared for the packers) so we've been trying to get as much done ahead of time as possible. Our bags are packed, the walls are bare, and now all we can do it wait for the madness of packing to begin. They've scheduled 2 days of packing and a day of loading the truck, so by Wednesday night this place should be empty. Such a strange thought. It's so hard to believe it's time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stay tuned...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gTXNJNMaC0b6wM_tsneGfWz8gd8jkg59Sjyxy3mFChl8RSgCbfKgAvCWXRw61stdLRIvLGieSIo8uAP4Mr5FL2sndvH-AOw9Rlnd0Kf8X9zTQWCWulAa-cKVzn80f2E7eSxtMRci4sI/s1600/5+June+2011+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gTXNJNMaC0b6wM_tsneGfWz8gd8jkg59Sjyxy3mFChl8RSgCbfKgAvCWXRw61stdLRIvLGieSIo8uAP4Mr5FL2sndvH-AOw9Rlnd0Kf8X9zTQWCWulAa-cKVzn80f2E7eSxtMRci4sI/s320/5+June+2011+015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2-rVMJMFX-rqVSydVaHIhZq72s7qNnB_5cZAuU4Evukv1bOd64XkwQNSEEoZStpU89w44mIhNqj9deQVBzCFU7ZloDQ49rHRb-wOWoVa4M0bQ-5dmBu7QzXKm2TR8aXgbQUb-pMIG9Y/s1600/5+June+2011+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-2-rVMJMFX-rqVSydVaHIhZq72s7qNnB_5cZAuU4Evukv1bOd64XkwQNSEEoZStpU89w44mIhNqj9deQVBzCFU7ZloDQ49rHRb-wOWoVa4M0bQ-5dmBu7QzXKm2TR8aXgbQUb-pMIG9Y/s320/5+June+2011+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-72646818706072957462011-05-30T21:41:00.000-07:002011-05-30T21:41:56.175-07:00Please pardon the interruption while we uproot our lives once more<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hi readers! It's been a while, hasn't it? What's that? What have I been doing instead of blogging? Truth is, not much. I wish I had a more interesting excuse, but mostly I've just been lazy. Of course there has been plenty going on around here. I could have told you about the trip we took back home to Florida. I could have told you about the fact that it was 50 degrees out for most of Memorial Day Weekend (crazy, right?). But instead I haven't told you anything. And, for a little while longer, I probably won't be telling you much of anything.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See, I had all these grand plans to keep blogging for the last little while, but our impending cross country move is requiring all my brain power. I haven't done much for it, but I sure am thinking about it an awful lot. This weekend was actually our first big push in terms of preparation. The movers will begin packing our house a week from today, and for the first time in almost 8 years and 5 moves, we plan to get out in front of it. We shredded 7.5 years worth of old documents we no longer need. We cleaned and organized our garage. We even washed and vacuumed the cars. This week's plans look to be even more exciting, filled with fun activities like cleaning out a few closets, taking everything off the walls, spackling, and painting the patches. Our last move felt a little frantic and hurried, so I have turned into a crazy lady trying to prepare for this one. My poor husband.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am hoping to blog while we're on the road. We're taking 6 days to drive across the country, and while I'm sure much of it will be pretty boring, I have high hopes that some of it will be very exciting. I'm going to do my best to share with you the exciting bits (unless you really want to know the boring stuff too, and then, well, who am I to deny you?). The last time we did this we had a 3 month old who slept the whole time. This time we have a 3 year old who will undoubtedly want to stop to pee every 5 minutes. Yep, should be fun.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So bear with me over the next two weeks as we clean and pack. Hopefully I'll be back by the 10th (if not before) regaling you with the finer points of the all exciting Navy move</span>.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-47619044665154793392011-05-06T22:39:00.000-07:002011-05-06T22:39:46.238-07:00Foto Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5695415934/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="6 May 2011 023.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="6 May 2011 023.1" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2306/5695415934_77a5aa230b.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have. no. words.Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-82002508095398072702011-05-05T13:38:00.000-07:002011-05-05T13:38:29.778-07:00Three things for Thursday - the Mother's Day edition<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In honor of Mother's Day, I thought today would be the perfect day to honor my mom by sharing with you my three favorite lessons learned from her. My mom has taught me so much, and is such a great force in my life. I know how lucky I am to have her and to be able to rely on her for advice and support. I'm sure she never expected to be in the operating room when I had the Little Dude, but there she was, holding my hand and telling me what a good job I was doing. There are so many wonderful moments in my life like that - I never questioned whether I was loved - I always knew it. I hope I can provide my child with the same feelings of love, safety and security.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's to you, Mom:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. <i>Everything happens for a reason.</i> It may not sound very comforting, but somehow, whenever things went wrong, or didn't go according to my plans, this small statement always made me feel so much better. Her meaning was always crystal clear - though you may not realize why this is happening in this way at this time, eventually it will become clear. There is always a lesson to be learned, in both triumph and failure, so pay attention.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. <i>This too shall pass</i>. Another huge comfort, hearing this always reminded me that while something may seem like a huge deal at the moment, everything has its time, and then, predictably, time marches on. This statement became especially helpful when I became a mom. Being able to realize that the sleepless nights, teething and growing pains, and other little annoying phases would all, eventually, pass, was a huge help.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. <i>You can be and do anything you put your mind to</i>. This one's pretty simple, but immensely important. My mom isn't afraid to take on anything - she knows with enough study and practice, she can do it. She teaches by example, and it's a pretty great one. She's currently busting up ceramic tiles to make way for hardwood floor, which she and my dad will lay themselves. She's a real renaissance woman, and I am so proud to call her Mom.</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-84764192842242374472011-04-25T22:18:00.000-07:002011-04-25T22:18:58.960-07:00Over the weekend<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you have a nice weekend? I certainly hope so! We had a full and exciting weekend, including the return of Pilot Pete and a visit by the Easter Bunny, and capped off by a trip to the traveling carnival.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On Saturday Pilot Pete returned from a work trip. I always think that as Little Dude gets older, the separations from his dad will get easier - he'll have a better handle on the passage of time, and I'll be better able to explain why dad is away. Unfortunately, our experience seems to be the exact opposite. I'm finding my older toddler to be more emotional and less rational than I had hoped. I know that this phase will pass, and we will one day get to a place where he does understand and accept (or at least tolerate) these separations better. For now, a lot of snuggling, reassuring, and a few special treats delivered by dad upon his return home seem to help.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Easter Sunday was our busy day - we had some friends over for brunch and an egg hunt, and then we followed up with a trip to the carnival that set up shop in the empty, old Walmart parking lot. Little Dude and I noticed the carnival on Thursday. Actually, I noticed it Wednesday as they were setting up, and made a mental note to not drive by again until they were gone. Sadly, I forgot, and found myself passing by again the next day. While I was silently hoping he wouldn't notice, I heard a little voice from the backseat. "Hey...what's that over there?" <i>"Umm, I don't know buddy..."</i> "Well, I think it's a carnival." "<i>Oh, ok I guess that's what it is then." </i> "Yep. I will go there with Daddy when he comes home. You can come too." I'm glad I scored an invite - we had a fun time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy the scenes from our weekend</span>:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5656717756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24 April 2011 007.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="24 April 2011 007.1" height="342" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5028/5656717756_4a7299f1fe.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examining a Lightning McQueen shaped easter egg</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5656081563/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24 April 2011 009.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="24 April 2011 009.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/5656081563_34c0b9d399.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anxiously waiting for the start of the egg hunt with his girlfriends</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5656085225/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24 April 2011 013.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="24 April 2011 013.1" height="424" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5656085225_984498401e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the hunt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5656044003/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24 April 2011 030 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="24 April 2011 030" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5656044003_1f9d6afeea.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fighter pilot in training?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5656618988/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="24 April 2011 033 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="24 April 2011 033" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5184/5656618988_5b29c3f85a.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or a land based speed demon?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-32415165951979695202011-04-22T19:45:00.000-07:002011-04-22T19:45:14.082-07:00Foto Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5645208708/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="22 April 2011 021.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="22 April 2011 021.1" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5310/5645208708_4098c96fa3.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blooming in our yard, just in time for the holiday. Have a wonderful Easter!</span></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-84406572292263022582011-04-21T16:53:00.000-07:002011-04-21T16:53:16.876-07:00Three things for Thursday - the swimwear editionI<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">t's that time of year again...the dreaded season where we all dust off last year's swimwear and hope to God it still fits. You would think that after nearly 10 years of wearing tight Lycra outfits for figure skating, wearing a bathing suit would be no sweat for someone like me. Not so fast. Even then, when I was strapping on a tiny little leotard and tights on a daily basis to wear to the rink, I still hated swimwear. Something about the fact that I feel like I'm wearing a fancier version of underwear. I don't even like to look at myself in underwear - why would anyone else want to see that?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I was a little girl my mother insisted on one piece swimsuits. There was no negotiating. She'd find me a sporty Speedo or Jantzen one piece at TJMaxx and that would be it. End of story. I bought my first two piece in high school, when I had a part time job and a little money. I can't remember the brand, but it was black and the bottoms were boy shorts. Even then I was overly self conscious about my hips and thighs. Now that I'm over 30 and a mom, there is no way in the world that I would wear anything but boy shorts, and certainly never a bikini (unless I looked like <a href="http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/gallery/0,,20446104,00.html#20919707">this</a>, or <a href="http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/gallery/0,,20446104_20919730,00.html#20919713">this</a>, or <a href="http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/gallery/0,,20446104_20919730,00.html#20932961">this</a>. In any of these cases, I'd probably just live in a bikini.).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So here are my three things this Thursday - three one piece swim suits I consider highly mom friendly. Longer legs to cover any trouble spots, full coverage to hide any jiggle, and ruching to slim and shape.</span><br />
<div><div style="height: 400px; position: relative; width: 400px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/three_things_for_thursday/set?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed&id=30672907"><img alt="Three things for Thursday" border="0" force="1" height="400" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFklrMEM0M0JzNEJHMUNhMXZpOGpHWXcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="Three things for Thursday" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/three_things_for_thursday/set?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed&id=30672907">Three things for Thursday</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed&id=2427169">nataliecpeterson</a> featuring a <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/one_piece_bikini/shop?query=one+piece+bikini">one piece bikini</a></small></div><div style="font-size: 0.75em; padding-top: 16px;"><div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed-imagelist&id=33331690" rel="nofollow"><img align="left" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" src="http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.33331690.s.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 8px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed-imagelist&id=33331690" rel="nofollow">One-Piece Halter Control Swimsuit Dress by Shape fx at...</a><br />
$59 - newport-news.com<br />
<br style="display: none;" /></div><div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed-imagelist&id=13430782" rel="nofollow"><img align="left" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" src="http://cf1.polyvoreimg.com/thing.13430782.s.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 8px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed-imagelist&id=13430782" rel="nofollow">One piece bikini</a><br />
$148 - anthropologie.com<br />
<br style="display: none;" /></div><div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed-imagelist&id=33801334" rel="nofollow"><img align="left" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" src="http://cf2.polyvoreimg.com/thing.33801334.s.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 8px;"><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2427169&.mid=embed-imagelist&id=33801334" rel="nofollow">Women's Swimwear at Macy's - Stylish Women's Swimwear, Women's...</a><br />
macys.com<br />
<br style="display: none;" /></div></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-83857682209400856642011-04-19T22:50:00.000-07:002011-04-19T22:50:50.074-07:00Another year...how did that happen?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exactly three weeks after we moved to Nevada Pilot Pete celebrated his birthday. Well, here it is, three years later, and he's celebrating another birthday. Shocking, I know. These things do come along once a year. What is shocking, at least to me, is that we've now known each other for 18 birthdays. We haven't always been together on this day, but it's a day I never did, and never could, forget. It is a great day, to be treasured and celebrated.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5637082064/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="John2.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="John2.1" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5637082064_b6364312ac.jpg" width="458" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Birthday to an extraordinary person - a great father, husband, and man. My life is better because of you.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5637077092/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Homecoming, 1994 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="Homecoming, 1994" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5637077092_a811006ff9.jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We sure have come a long way!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5636515775/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Summer Break 2009 081.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="Summer Break 2009 081.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5636515775_1bd23ddf0e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-4999958861836771732011-04-11T16:28:00.000-07:002011-04-11T16:52:26.119-07:00Over the weekend<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Monday friends! Hard to believe the halfway point of April is upon us, isn't it? I swear, the one thing (and pretty much the only thing) that people seem to forget to mention when you're expecting a baby is how much faster time will seem to move once you actually have the baby. Seriously, I really didn't need the gory details of the birthing process, or being endlessly told how tired I'd be. What I really needed was someone to tell me how fast it would go. I guess it wouldn't really have mattered if someone had told me. It's not like I can do anything about it. But still. A little warning would have been nice. (Disclaimer - someone probably did warn me, but I was too busy being grossed out by all the TMI birthing stories to remember). (Disclaimer #2 - No babies on the way here - I'm just referencing my pregnancy with Little Dude).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our weekend was a quiet one, as weekends out here generally seem to be. We took it easy on Saturday. I should amend that. I took it easy on Saturday. Pilot Pete and I have this lovely arrangement where he gets up with Little Dude and lets me sleep in. Not that we get up particularly early during the week. But my night owl/vampire tendencies require a normal bedtime of about 3 AM, so getting to sleep an extra few hours on the weekend is heavenly. For dinner on Saturday I roasted some chicken, mashed some potatoes, and cooked some green beans. This is particularly noteworthy, because I detest cooking chicken (don't mind eating it though), so home cooked chicken is definitely a rarity around here.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday found us, as it usually does, in the big city. I needed to hit up the Ann Taylor to make an exchange, so we bribed Little Dude into being good by taking him to the <a href="http://automuseum.org/">National Automobile Museum</a>, which is one of his favorite stops. We spent a good long while talking cars, engines, and rumble seats. I definitely built up enough capital to spend a decent amount of time in the Ann Taylor changing room. The fact that they have a water fountain didn't hurt either. You have to love the ability kids have to entertain themselves with the most ordinary things. We capped off the day at one of our favorite restaurants, where Little Dude informed us as we sat down that he wanted ice cream. Damn illustrated kids menus!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope you had a fun and restful weekend. Enough some scenes from ours</span>:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5611032953/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="10 April 2011 001.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="10 April 2011 001.1" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5611032953_3be8e62afd.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One can only guess what they're discussing, but I'll bet it's about cars</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5611039497/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="10 April 2011 006.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="10 April 2011 006.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5611039497_b3c90788e9.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just cruising</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5610998907/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="10 April 2011 016 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="10 April 2011 016" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5610998907_a8349ba5cf.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break while waiting for a table for dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-28818188739404632862011-04-08T14:53:00.000-07:002011-04-08T14:53:48.945-07:00Flashback Foto Friday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's been quite a week out here. We're coming off of a glorious 10 days with Pilot Pete home on vacation. He headed back to work Monday, and things are slowly starting to return to normal. Wednesday marked the first day of the last class he'll teach as an instructor out here. Looking back at our pictures from the last three years, it's definitely bittersweet. A lot of things have happened and changed, but we're excited to be embarking on a new phase of our lives in two months.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On a sad and sobering note, our Naval Aviation community lost two of its members in a tragic crash on Wednesday. This is the very worst part of this life, and you never get used to it. Please, take a moment today to remember these two outstanding officers whose loss is felt by many. My wish is that their family and friends will find comfort in this most difficult time, and remember that their loss will never be forgotten, and will be honored always.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's our flashback foto - three years ago Wednesday, Pilot Pete set off for his first day of "class" at TOPGUN. We had just moved into our rental (incidentally, we no longer live there) and Little Dude had just started rice cereal a few days earlier</span>:<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5601685488/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="P4080018.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="P4080018.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5228/5601685488_1b2e79ea6e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at my boys...time flies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-23858450077870524932011-04-01T20:19:00.000-07:002011-04-01T20:19:00.420-07:00Foto Friday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sorry, no April Fools pictures from us, just a little boy "reading the instructions" for his "frozen meal".</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5581295282/" title="1 April 2011 001.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="1 April 2011 001.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5178/5581295282_66e1e763d6.jpg" width="500" /></a>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-78265748575683206702011-03-25T22:45:00.000-07:002011-03-25T22:45:37.893-07:00Foto Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5560559722/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="25 March 2011 002.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="25 March 2011 002.1" height="360" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5560559722_86554a42e6.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Mommy, I think I will have some leftovers. And some soy sauce."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-61363751248572085442011-03-24T21:39:00.000-07:002011-03-24T21:39:36.677-07:00Three things for Thursday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I may have mentioned that we've moving soon. I may also have mentioned that we have no idea when. Yes, that's right, still no clue. Sometime in the next few months. That's about all I know. Well, that's not exactly true. I know a bit more, but it's a long, complicated story fraught with complications built on top of dueling personalities and ideas. Enough said.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway, in the spirit of my new and nearly full time pastime, online house hunting, here are the three things that for me are essential when searching for a new home from 2700 miles away:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. <a href="http://www.zillow.com/">Zillow</a>. I'm just going to go ahead and assume that everyone in America has visited this website, and if you haven't, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? If you're like me, and you love yourself a good episode of "House Hunters" (maybe even a bad one, you know, where the buyers are REALLY annoying), then Zillow was made for you. On this website, I get to be a legitimate stalker without feeling creepy. Market statistics, purchase history, square footage and number of rooms, what more could a girl ask for? The listing my realtor send me are great, but I seem to always check Zillow after for just a few more facts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl">Google Maps</a> street view. What did the world do before Google? I love their maps for one simple reason - street view! There's no better way for me to check out a neighborhood than through Google Maps. Sadly, not every map of every neighborhood has it, but for my purposes, most do. Even though I know the city we're moving to, it definitely helps to get a 360° view of the area.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/"> Ikea</a>. For help in picturing all the things I'll need to round out our new home, I can't wait to have an Ikea within driving distance again. I mean, it will be a 3.5 hour drive, but still. </span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-51188290165718566852011-03-22T16:48:00.000-07:002011-03-22T16:48:29.790-07:00Over the weekend<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm back! I think...I probably shouldn't make promises I may or may not keep. Blogging has definitely proven to be a challenging venture for me. On the one hand, I know that I need to make an effort to post multiple times a week, even if I really don't feel like it. On the other hand, I am hesitant to post on the days that I am feeling less than inspired. The end result is that I hit weeks where I don't post at all. All I can say about this is that it's a work in progress, like much of life.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We had some great family time this weekend, topped off by a surprise spring snow shower which afforded us an extra day to our weekend. Little Dude enjoyed harassing the dog, playing with his cars, and a trip to the big city to see "Mars Needs Moms" at the movie theater. He seemed to enjoy the movie well enough. As for me, I just can't get over the strangeness of motion-capture animation. It would probably explain why I have never seen "The Polar Express". Coming back from the movie on Sunday night the snow storm hit. What a way to celebrate the first day of Spring!.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy some snapshots from our weekend!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5551646812/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="22 March 2011 017.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="22 March 2011 017.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5013/5551646812_17dd9faf33.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our poor, sweet dog. He stayed under there with her for nearly an hour.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5551634054/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="22 March 2011 021 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="22 March 2011 021" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5551634054_7ba40ffc18.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean seriously, don't all toy cars need platforms?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5551636770/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="22 March 2011 025 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="22 March 2011 025" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5058/5551636770_74561a52a5.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little feet and legs at the movies</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5551057883/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="22 March 2011 028.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="22 March 2011 028.1" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5251/5551057883_46af3eca02.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heaven. Although he was concerned that the hood didn't open.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I would be remiss if I didn't mention the tragedy that has been unfolding in Japan. My heart goes out to all those affected. If you can give, do. <a href="http://www.redcross.org/">The Red Cross</a> and <a href="http://www.habitat.org/">Habitat for Humanity</a> are excellent places to start. Please also keep all the military families involved in you thoughts. The Red Cross is helping military dependents in the voluntary evacuation of the area. You can go <a href="http://www.blog-brigade.org/archives/1925">here</a> to read more about supporting military families in Japan.</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-69758403716980179312011-03-11T22:41:00.000-08:002011-03-11T22:41:59.157-08:00Foto Friday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's still Friday here out West - better late than never!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't been feeling very creative this week, hence the lack of posts. Here's hoping my little mini getaway this weekend with Pilot Pete helps! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, enjoy a scene from our Friday night. (I know, we're so exciting!)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8Gj-te83zHzEzMWepoOe3dSH_4Jyi2xtQNKUksLxgAvIgg_wbBl6efPcILlkvuTOxnB5brYJtMv0h2BHUqCSVJURYklMSYNuXC-N6MZkAHIepTh0SYJMTGkGXpztlJ7CKa3XjlJDNaI/s1600/11+March+2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8Gj-te83zHzEzMWepoOe3dSH_4Jyi2xtQNKUksLxgAvIgg_wbBl6efPcILlkvuTOxnB5brYJtMv0h2BHUqCSVJURYklMSYNuXC-N6MZkAHIepTh0SYJMTGkGXpztlJ7CKa3XjlJDNaI/s400/11+March+2011+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-38437920134256936692011-03-04T14:39:00.000-08:002011-03-04T17:12:54.423-08:00Foto Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5498146478/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="28 February 2011 003.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="28 February 2011 003.1" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5498146478_c3e53e6352.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I have to do my homework on my computer Mommy."</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He's killing me. First, <a href="http://catchingthe4wire.blogspot.com/2011/03/three-things-for-thursday-burnout.html">he needs to go to school</a>. Now this. Stop trying to grow up!!</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-26312402356833019112011-03-03T19:56:00.000-08:002011-03-03T19:56:22.973-08:00Three things for Thursday - the burnout edition<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, we're moving. Again. Soon. When, you ask? Well...I don't know. See, that's the thing about military moves. Sometimes they're quick and unexpected. Other times they're expected, planned, and executed perfectly. Most often though they're chaotic and uncertain. Even when you know your exact move date, you're never ready. For us, this move is proving to be the most complicated so far. There are varying ideas about when we should depart, and none of the interested parties can come to an agreement. There's the added complication of a shortage of federal funds for military moves (we can thank Congress for refusing to pass a Defense budget - that's right, it's March and the fiscal year started in October). As of this moment, all I know is that we're moving. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After living in a rental for the last three years, I am beyond excited as the prospect of becoming a homeowner again. I have been scouring the real estate listings in our new/old city. Since we're lived there before (for the three years before we moved to Nevada) this house hunt will prove to be a little easier since we're familiar with the area, and know where we want to live. That doesn't mean I haven't made myself cross eyed looking a listing after listing, trying to figure out floor plans and deciding whether it's a house we could call a home. So I'm a little burned out. I close my eyes and see pictures of the interiors of other people's houses. I dream about what kind of an offer we'll make, and how the closing will go. Yeah, I'm only a little obsessed. Needless to say, this hasn't left a lot of time for me to look at anything else online this week. So here's my list of three things - three things I have discovered this week in lieu of three things I'm loving:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. My child really wants to go to preschool. Pilot Pete and I were discussing taking a trip to go house hunting. A little voice from the back seat of the car piped in with "Of course we need to go there. Because we need to find me a school because I'm ready to go to school. I need to do some learning." Well, okay then.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. I really hate Walmart. I know that a lot of people feel the same way. I know others (like my mom) love it. After living in a very small town for three years with no other alternative but Walmart, I can safely say that I will not be frequenting Walmart when we move. There are so many things to say about this, but I think I'll just leave it at that. You get the picture.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. I really wish that people who work in drive thrus would not hand me my coin change on top of a dollar bill or a receipt. I just lost 31 cents tonight because someone thought it was a good idea to put the money on top of the receipt and hand it to me like that (of course the change fell). I know I could've opened my door to pick it up off the pavement where it dropped, but it was dark and cold and I was annoyed. I know I could have made the girl open the register and get the change she just dropped, but there were other people in line behind me, and it was only 31 cents. All I ask is this: hand me the coins, then the bills or the receipt. That's all. I know working the drive thru is a thankless job, but come on, help a tired lady with a cranky three year old out.</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-39534357689765424982011-02-25T17:09:00.000-08:002011-02-25T17:09:26.563-08:00Foto Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/56713737@N02/5391797083/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="26 January 2011 006.1 by nataliecpeterson, on Flickr"><img alt="26 January 2011 006.1" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5293/5391797083_70dcf05d1b.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I sincerely hope your drive home today doesn't look like this.<br />
Happy Friday!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-85796898682398139262011-02-24T20:51:00.000-08:002011-02-24T20:51:27.228-08:00Three things for Thursday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm having one of those weeks. The ideas just aren't flowing like they usually do. I think it's because I'm in that late February rut, where it seems like spring is never going to come, it's never going to warm up, and there's just nothing very exciting on the horizon. In reality, none of these things are actually true. Spring will be here soon enough, and then quite soon after that I'll be complaining about how hot it is. And as for exciting events on the horizon, in no time at all I'll be wishing things would just calm down. To tide myself over, I've been doing a lot of cooking, internet browsing and working out. Gotta stay busy!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are the three things I'm loving this week:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=50400000110435">Slow Simmered Meat Sauce</a> from <a href="http://www.cookinglight.com/">Cooking Light</a>, March 2011. I tweeted (twittered?) about this earlier in the week. It does not disappoint. We had it two nights in a row, plus enough leftover to freeze for another time. It's super easy to make and so delicious. I love anything I can throw in my Crock Pot, and after making this I will never buy sauce in a jar again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. <a href="http://www.rikshawdesign.com/index.html">Rikshaw Design's</a> <a href="http://www.rikshawdesign.com/womens/kurta.html">Kurtas</a>. Southern Living magazine featured Rikshaw founder Catherine Fitzsimmons and her mom in their March 2011 issue. I've been in love with Indian wood-block printing ever since a trip to Singapore back in 2006. Rikshaw's kurtas are gorgeous! I can't wait to own one of my own.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. <a href="http://www.adele.tv/">Adele</a>, 21. Ooohh - this new album came out on Tuesday, and I'm in love! It's amazing. My apologies to all The Cure purists out there, but I am loving her cover of Lovesong. I wouldn't say I like it better, but it's a fresh take on an old favorite, and is probably the reason I bought this album. But it's not the only reason I am so smitten. There's not a single song on it I find the need to skip, and I think that says a lot.</span>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5554899773105380775.post-86926041454645253322011-02-22T20:58:00.000-08:002011-02-22T20:58:53.075-08:00Over the weekend<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aren't three day weekends glorious? We rarely get to enjoy them, because despite the fact that Pilot Pete works for the federal government, he hardly ever seems to get federal holidays off of work. Strange.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We took full advantage of the weekend, sleeping late (well, one of us slept late), watching movies, and playing outside. I thought both "Gnomeo and Juliet" and "Despicable Me" were adorable/hilarious. I'm proud of Little Dude for sitting through an entire movie in the theater quietly and without needing a potty break or having an accident. It's the little things in life, don't ya know?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether you had Monday off or not, I hope you got to enjoy your weekend and take some time for yourself. Enjoy a few snapshots from our weekend:</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxcP_dQIb_M8cLgWiWCT25d0kUWE9hzf96thu3hSED__dqnxnoJhb35FvgdyDopWC0vaWJnWTS-cUx7yWsKS6F4NX0k-K7glTlFqiF5tefEUGjQWQB3JSOvwBwSufmzlt0TQnMZY0Tys/s1600/22+February+2011+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxcP_dQIb_M8cLgWiWCT25d0kUWE9hzf96thu3hSED__dqnxnoJhb35FvgdyDopWC0vaWJnWTS-cUx7yWsKS6F4NX0k-K7glTlFqiF5tefEUGjQWQB3JSOvwBwSufmzlt0TQnMZY0Tys/s400/22+February+2011+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still enough snow for snowballs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlGC_XoZZaqdyGMHuWKJv6guIGLhwT52bmRp4OICbP1u-EsJDeIbTWPK7LGiOKy6methWUek3PIQM8qTzLm6vBVq7f3fhtC2DYPzqiOYnxGrSIwrQysjnk6VwDTY2AbB5XbzcpuCCxr8/s1600/22+February+2011+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlGC_XoZZaqdyGMHuWKJv6guIGLhwT52bmRp4OICbP1u-EsJDeIbTWPK7LGiOKy6methWUek3PIQM8qTzLm6vBVq7f3fhtC2DYPzqiOYnxGrSIwrQysjnk6VwDTY2AbB5XbzcpuCCxr8/s400/22+February+2011+010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm just digging like Clifford, Mommy."</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypLbkBHiqX0IWkqmsJGXGzS46xTgAIObtAi1mPx3ujnSPmI3U1ILYi5-3KMXoRKtCoivFU1GxiavzqqMmJTuhRwA54LO_l0UUeW_2scPI9s1q9y0E3uLQqrd0imIqTiZVCHnLROXEhU4/s1600/22+February+2011+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypLbkBHiqX0IWkqmsJGXGzS46xTgAIObtAi1mPx3ujnSPmI3U1ILYi5-3KMXoRKtCoivFU1GxiavzqqMmJTuhRwA54LO_l0UUeW_2scPI9s1q9y0E3uLQqrd0imIqTiZVCHnLROXEhU4/s400/22+February+2011+017.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally got him in appropriate clothing! It was cold!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHH2e7Gi6YEBrmxqTH4LHvZ3Y9wv7FtyboSuvfRVWeq-FmB7LvjxJmWOu1QebneHxwZ_Lgzp3RtL7PNz4TrVT4-_wBygj_W0s1pbgi2Rkq3ceqiDL8P_Dhe5Sek7fwJx862tczGIK6SU/s1600/22+February+2011+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHH2e7Gi6YEBrmxqTH4LHvZ3Y9wv7FtyboSuvfRVWeq-FmB7LvjxJmWOu1QebneHxwZ_Lgzp3RtL7PNz4TrVT4-_wBygj_W0s1pbgi2Rkq3ceqiDL8P_Dhe5Sek7fwJx862tczGIK6SU/s400/22+February+2011+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can I say?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17470500964407658344noreply@blogger.com0