My friday memes on a Saturday

I must apologize for getting all of these up a day late! Normally, Friday is my favorite day to blog because there are so many fun memes to do. Yesterday, I had many things on my to do plate and couldn't get to the blog. So without further ado......

In honor of all those who lost their lives 9 years ago and those still serving our great nation
Ben and I before a September 11th tribute
Pensacola, FL
2003

1.Do you set goals for yourself during deployment? What are some of them? (from Military Mommy)

Yes. I normally write out an entire list of things that I would like to accomplish. In the past 3 deployments, I think that I completed about 25% of the lists. Life also has to go on while they are gone!
2.What would you say to someone dating a military guy or gal? (from Mothering Off the Cuff)
Don't just fall in love with the uniform. I have met many young wives that got swept up in all the "Top Gun," "An officer and a gentleman" type mentality to find themselves miserable in the relationship. Being a military wife is a HUGE job and it is an even bigger responsibility.
3.If you have children, how do you prepare them to move to a new place? (from The Random Ramblings of A Household 6) We have never moved with the kids. We might be possibly moving next summer so we will see.
4.Name one hobby that gets you through alone time. (from My Sailor’s Mistress)
Just one? Sewing, scrapbooking, photography, time with friends, walking, playing with the kids.
5.What’s the one food you don’t ever get tired of? (from That Army Wife Life)
  Spaghetti

1. The strangest thing I've ever eaten is Indian Fry Bread.
2. I wouldn't be caught dead in fur.
3. When I am 75 I will.... hopefully be surrounded by friends, family and a lot of love .
4. If I had to be named after a place I would want to be named Greece. (Because I really want to go there!)
5. My name is Jamie (after the bionic woman).
6. My all time favorite photo is a picture of us in the hospital after Isaac was born.
7. If I could afford it I would go on a month long trip to Europe.

1. Do you feel guilty spending money on yourself?
Yes, unless I get a KILLER bargain.
2. How well do you know your neighbors?
I know them to wave hello and chat when we are out by the mailboxes. We are really not home a whole lot so I miss seeing them!
3. What age are you looking forward to being?
I look forward to every year equally! I must say that my 30's have been the best decade so far though!
4. Do you get excited when the mail comes? Why?
I love getting mail! Even though I am a technology junkie, there is just something about getting something through snail mail esp. when you are not expecting it!
5. What is your earliest childhood memory?
I would have to say riding on my great-grandpa's tractor. I loved sitting up on his lap, feeling the wind on my face, and looking at all the pretty scenery.

Last but not least a tribute to all the wonderful mom's out there!

It's Friday and Vacation is about to commence!

A long marriage is two people trying to dance a duet and two solos at the same time.
~Anne Taylor Fleming

1. If you could be a fugitive from the law for whatever reason, what would your crime be? A line from one of my favorite upbeat country songs......"Having too much fun."
2. How long do you think you will be a military family? Minimum another 7 but that will put us at 16 so we will continue onward to 20 if God is so willing.
3. What’s your favorite recipe? Hmmmm......meatball stone soup, earthquake cake, italian dip, and a few others. Great now I am hungry!
4. What would you want your last five words to be when you leave this life? Life was absolutely, stunningly, amazing.
5. Where do you hope to retire? Probably western NC near Ashville or into Tennesse. Still up for debate!


And...here we go!

1. Laughter is the medicine that I desperately need right now.
2. See you Saturday are the three words that started off the last email I sent.
3. What I'm most looking forward to today is having Ben officially on vacation.
4. A really good friend puts a smile on my face.
5. Where in the world is my faith.......
6. Ice cream, just what I needed!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the children's sidewalk art and ice cream social, tomorrow my plans include packing, Cole's birthday party, church, & life group and Sunday, I want to leave for our Tennesse vacation!

2007

Before Daddy left for his third deployment in Iraq

1. Do you have any nicknames and if so how did it come about?
Yes I do. Jamers, Buns, Julierra, Babe, Little J, and of course my favorite Mom, mommy, momma.
2. What is your birth order amongst your siblings?
OLDEST
3. In a movie of your life, who would play your significant other?
Hmmmm.....MckDreamy
4. What is currently your favorite song?
Praise you in this storm: Casting Crowns
5. Are you saving your money for anything right now? Big or small purchase?
Yes, I am. Pretty large purchase.....printing the past few years of the blog into book. It's more expensive than I thought.

Hello birthday Friday!!

Friday Photo Flashback (Birthday Style)

I could not have a birthday flashback without including Rebecca (the curly-haired blonde to my right in this picture) She planned and executed 2 surprise parties for me when I lived in Pensacola, Fl. I don't have a better pic (at least from b-day celerations) of the two of us but she always made me feel special!
This is another one of my fun friends from FL. Dana was a huge support while I was down there. Here we are at my surprise party #2.

Some of my favorite 3 west girls out for my birthday. Aurelia, Mary, Dana, Jenny Lyn, and me

Random birthday picture at my parents
2000
Just in case you are wondering why I chose to flashback to birthdays?! Today is my birthday! I was looking for a picture of Ben from my birthday in 2003 (since that was around the time we started dating) but couldn't find it. So this is what you end up with :-) Hope you enjoy!
For more visit Alicia at

______________________________

1. Have you ever visited another country?
Not the ones that I really want to go to but yes I have been out of the country.
2. Where is the strangest place you have ever been?
Hmmmm....I don't know about strange. Every place that we have been has been unique and fun-filled. Maybe in Puerto Rico at the Star Bucks (long story!!)
3. What is your favorite season?
AUTUMN (there is nothing more beautiful than seeing all the leaves change color and that is when I said the first "I love you" to Ben!)
4. What one song will always cheer you up?
Barbie Girl (Don't judge!)
5. What Disney character do you resemble most?
Ariel (just because the hair is red now!)
_________________________

1. Birthdays are: AWESOME! I love having your own special day and the feeling you get from people remembering it.
2. My favorite birthday memory was in 2003 when Ben came to my birthday party. He was in full swing flight school and even though he should have been studying he came out. There was a few other funny memories from that night that I am going to plead the fifth on too!
3. A birthday tradition I (or my family) has is ice-cream cake!!
4. If I had to choose one birthday meal to eat for the rest of my birthdays hence forward, I would choose a nice big ol' steak, loaded sweet potato, broccoli, and some ice-cream cake.
5. My birthday is on August 13th.
6. If I could take a birthday trip I would go to Germany and/or Greece.
7. The best gift I've ever received for my birthday was a scrapbooking program. I really don't know but since I am sitting at the computer and looking at it.......
This week’s questions are:

1.What is ONE thing you’d like civilians to understand about being a military family?We don't take one single celebration for granted. You learn the hard way when your spouse has missed not one, not two, not even three but FOUR of the same holiday in a row.
2.What is your favorite mistake?Most definitely involves Ben. I wasn't supposed to be out the night that he had to "save me" and if I hadn't been we might not have ever started dating. I'd like to believe it was God leading us to each other!
3.What indulgence could you give up for a year? Hmmm....going out to eat?!
4.If you could be a winged animal, what would you be? Easy one! Eagle
5.What is one question you’d like to see asked in a future MFF??????
____________________

And...here we go!
1. Music feels my heart with joy.
2. A shower is what I like first thing in the morning.

3. The first thing I said this morning was: thank-you baby (when Kendall greeted me with a big un-prompted Happy Birthday Mama!)
4. Red Robin; it's what's for dinner tonight.
5. It's all been fun!
6. Stretching is what I feel like doing right now.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my birthday dinner with my family, tomorrow my plans include relaxing with the family, church, & life-group and Sunday, I want to have a good baby shower at church then a great pool party with friends!

Friday is here!

This week’s questions are:

1.What is something you wished you’d learned to do earlier in life? Pray. (Really pray not like just when you are in trouble but an everyday conversation to God pray.) I would have learned so much more about myself and been much more grounded.
2.What is your biggest pet peeve with the military? Hmmmmm....I guess based on recent & pst events in our lives....not letting the service member come home for deaths in the family. I am not talking about your great aunt sally on your mother's side but people that you have geuninely been close to. I think that they deserve the closure that only seeing your loved one & being able to say good-bye can give.
3.What tourist attraction near you have you never seen? Not really sure....we haven't really explored the Outer Banks at all & some of those are pretty close!
4.What are you avoiding doing right now? Getting ready to take the kids to the pool. AGAIN!
5.Wine, beer or liquor?A nice dessert wine or a beer every now and then.

1. Are you a neat sleeper or a messy sleeper? Neat. Very rarely are the covers distrubed unless I am having to fight the hubs for the covers!
2. Fill in the blank. I wish I was more of a dynamic speaker.
3. What is something that you wish you had been warned about? CREDIT CARDS!! UGH...we would be so much better off if we hadn't had to pay for all of those!
4. What was the best thing you ever found at a garage sale/flea market? A 2 year old double jogger in awesome condition that regularly retails for $500 for $40!
5. If you could have any meal brought to you right now, what would it be? As long as it's not fish or liver bring over anything!!

2003

Our little family (before we became a real family!)

________________________________________________

And...here we go!

1. Life is beautiful.
2. My continuing education credits keep going.
3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: C U soon love.
4. Seafood is what I'm thinking about for dinner sometime soon.
5. On the 1st day of August I was excited because my birthday is this month!
6. Some people would describe me as lively and energetic.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to small group with great friends, tomorrow my plans include church & life group and Sunday, I want to enjoy my volunteer work at the church nursery desk and try not to focus on the fact that Ben has to work!

1. Today for breakfast I haven't had anything yet. But I am thinking maybe oatmeal this morning. Ben has me craving it since he told the kids that if they didn't eat their dinner last night that is all that they would be having!
2. My go to/never fail recipe a really simple corned beef brisket in the crock pot. Easy and yummy!
3. Something I eat that other people think is weird is I don't think that I eat anything super weird but Benny thinks that I eat things strangely. I eat certain foods first, I don't like to mix my food, certain things can't touch on the plate, etc.....
4. My worst cooking disaster ever was when I made a pizza for us in California. I did really great adding all the ingredients that we like but put WAY TOO MUCH garlic on it. Neither one of us could really choke it down!
5. If I could only eat one flavor of ice cream the rest of my life it would be chocolate with peanut butter. Yum!
6. One food I hate and avoid at all costs is fish. Just really can't stand it!
7. What is your favorite meal? Breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Dinner especially if we have a date night!

Friday on steroids!

Friday Photo Flashback

February 2006

Right before Ben left on his second deployment to Iraq & my barely there baby bump of our first born.

For more flashbacks visit
Alicia at

_____________________________________

This week’s questions are:

1.Tell us about your dream job… one that you could do regardless of pay. Regardless of pay, I have had my dream job. I love working with oncology patients. Sound morbid? Most people think that it is but it restores my mind about humanity. My dream job was working one day a week so I could be home with the kids and still do nursing. I am sad that I can't do that anymore!
2.What is your most prized material possession (kids and pets don’t count!)?A toss-up between my engagment & wedding bands and my new canon camera. I have happy memories every time I catch sight of my rings on my finger AND I love recording our families history with the camera.
3.What has been your favorite duty station and why?Hmmm.....a toss-up between Jacksonville, NC, and Pensacola, FL. Both for a wide variety of reasons. It was definitely not Camp Pendleton!
4.What is your least favorite household chore?The litterbox, emptying the dishwasher, pooper-scooping the backyard, weeding the many planter boxes, Oh wait was it supposed to be only ONE?!?
5.If you could give one piece of advice to a teenager today (not specifically a MilTeen), what would it be?
Make the most of your youth (Seriously!) Don't wait until you are old COUGH ok maybe middle-age.
_________________________________________

1. What is one thing you miss the most about childhood?
Carefree days with no responsibility!
2. Are you still friends with your friends from high school?
Some of them thanks to Facebook!
3. Is there a catch phrase, cliche, or word that just drives you bonkers every time you hear it?
"This too shall pass." (Mostly while I am in the midst of a crisis while Ben is gone somewhere....seriously that is all you have? I just want you to listen to me!)
4. What is one thing that you think symbolizes America...besides "Old Glory"?
Eagle
Bumper stickers if you are in Jacksonville (just saying!)
5. What are your 4th of July weekend plans? Our normal weekend plans & a get together at a friends house for the 4th!

________________________________________________


1. This weekend for The 4th of July I will be going to JT & Kelly's for a little bit.
2. Fireworks are are beautiful!
3. Nothing says summer like the happy screams of my kiddos and splashes from the pool.
4. My favorite summer memory is spending ALL summer at the pool babysitting for one of my nursing professors. Seriously! Pool pass paid! Paid to watch 2 sweet boys in the sun! Who could beat that?
5. My favorite thing about sumer is lazy days with the kids that aren't over-scheduled with "stuff."
6. Summer in a word is WONDERFUL!
7. If I could choose to have summer or winter year round I'd pick hmmm....that's really tough. I guess I would probably say winter. You can always add layers but really cannot take them off!

_________________________________________

And...here we go!

1. When it's quiet I am normally looking for the kids to see what has gone wrong in the house!
2. My baby girl turned 4 years old in what seems like a month of time.
3. My heart is wrapped up in loving my hubby, kids, family, & friends.
4. I get to go home to Pennsylvania in July.
5. In the town where I was born, there is a small town love.
6. Integrity is something I really love about my significant other / friend.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to small group with awesome friends, tomorrow my plans include church in the evening and Sunday, I want to have a great picnic at Kel's!

__________________________________

Friday

So why this picture of Ben and I from 2003?

Well besides the fact that I really like it.....I have been so sad recently to see all of the oil that is ruining Pensacola Beach, Florida. (Really all the beaches makes me sad but especially P'cola because that is where Ben & I met, made many memories, and got married.)
So praying for everyone still living there and the area surrounding. I hope that it will be returned to its previous glory as God intended it to be.

_____________________________________________

1. Do you know how to play a musical instrument?
I used to love playing the clairnet but I don't think that I could remember even how to read the music let alone play now.
2. What is your pet peeve while driving?
Slow drivers in the passing lane
people not paying any attention to what they are doing
3. Would you rather have a housekeeper or unlimited spa services?
HOUSEKEEPER!!!
4. Is there a song that you hear that will take you back to the moment, like a junior high or high school dance?
"Look Away" by Chicago
5. What song best represents your life right now?Hmm..... not really sure on that one!
_______________________________________

1. If I could choose my last meal it would be a buffet because I love food too much to narrow it down to just one thing! Probably a sampling of roundsteak with gravy, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes with butter, a little general tso's chicken, crab cakes, my grammy's peant butter fudge & ginger snap cookies, mint choc chip ice cream, baklava, Oh the list could go on and on and on!
2. My favorite person to share a meal with is Ben, Kendall, Isaac, my parents, my in-laws, and my sister because, I never get them to be in the same place at the same time.
3. The best meal I've ever had was a meal at Peg Leg Pete's in Pensacola with Ben. Not so much just the food (although the crab & lobster were delicious!) but knowing that Ben was going to take care of me no matter what!
4. The one food that makes me feel instantly better when I'm having a bad day is a candy bar. C'mon did you really think it was going to be anything but chocolate?
5. My absolute specialty in the kitchen is my italian dip, meatball stone soup, Aunt Shellie's trail mix, turkey vegetable chilli, and a few other odds and ends. I love to cook and try new things!
6. The city that has the best food is probably San Diego. (Even though I don't ever want to live there again!)
7. My favorite healthy snack is a nice, big, fresh orange or yogurt with granola, or Ben's Aunt Shellie's trail mix.
8. In my opinion the nationality which has the best food is Asian or Greek.
9. If I could learn to cook anything in the world (and be really good at it!) I'd choose baklava! If you know what it is, it looks like it would be very hard to make!
10. The most outrageous dessert I've ever had was hmmmm.....not really sure on that one. I guess I will go with the groom's cake at our wedding. It was kind of weird to be eating the "Aggie bon fire!"
_____________________________________________

_________________________________________

Friday Memes are the best!

Kelly over at
http://www.kellyskornerblog.com

is hosting

Show us your life: Proposal Stories

Since I am participating in the summer challenge, Completing Him, I thought that it would be fun to stroll down memory lane today!

I knew that we would be getting engaged but I wasn't sure just when. We had been talking about eloping & where we would like to do it but Ben hadn't popped the big question. I was getting nervous because we were going to be moving from Florida to California & I didn't want to do so with "just a boyfriend."

We had a big month in December. Ben was "winged" or completed his naval aviation schooling for the Marine Corps. We moved all of my things from my apartment to Ben's house so that they could be moved by the military. I finished my job at Baptist Hospital. You know many life changing events!

We came to PA for Christmas vacation. It was my family's "normal" ruckus going on. Ben left to go to the grocery store with my dad, by himself! GULP!!

I had been wanting to take Ben on a tour of my old college campus but had not really had the opportunity to do so. Ben suggested we go on Christmas Eve. I thought ok but it is December in PA.......we walked the 'oak grove' which is my favorite part of campus. Ben was acting sort of weird but I didn't really think much of it. We had went down further into campus when I told him that I was getting cold. He said, "Ok let's go back to the truck." I started the quickest route which was not back through the oak grove. Ben asked if we could walk back through the grove.

I was thinking for real? I am about to freeze my tushy off. We went back through. Ben was asking ALL kinds of questions.

"Did you have class here?"

"Did you study out here?"

"What's that for?"

"Were there lots of squirrels?" (Oh yes he really asked that question!)

Finally, he said ok let's go.

I turned to leave and he said,

"Hey I have one more question for you."

I turned around ready to be like "WHAT?!?!" when I saw him down on one knee. I think that I said YES before he even got his last question out.

A little aside here......

I think that he proposed at my college campus because we couldn"t be at his college campus. They have a tradition at Texas A&M (Whoop!) of proposing under the century tree. He did say his (and mine) first "I love you" to me there but it would have been way cool to be there for the proposal too!

Hope you enjoyed! Can't wait to read yours!

_______________________________

And This is my first Friday to participate in

Have a blessed weekend!

Time for the weekend!/Father's day Flashback

Friday Photo Flashback

In honor of father's day

My Dad and I 2000

I think that this was in 1997?!
High school graduation 1995

With my Father-in-law (and mother-in-law), Jim, 2004

With my Pappy (and grammy) Heider 2000
For more flashbacks visit
Alicia

________________________________


And...here we go!

1. I was pushing very hard at 6:58 in the morning on September 7, 2008 to give birth to our son at 7:11 a.m.
2. It was the reason, of course, that I left the house.
3. Going out at all hours of the night is something I no longer feel the need to do.
4. I have another errand to run, then I am going home to collapse.
5. The treasure is there...just go find it
6. What were once vices are now just memories & another life ago.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to small group (if I get all of the craft supplies ready for VBS), tomorrow my plans include whipping this house into shape & working on VBS and Sunday, I want to decorate the craft rooms at church because Monday starts VBS!
_______________________________________

1. What is your favorite thing about summertime?
Flip flops and going to the pool
2. What is your ideal retirement location (if money didn't matter)?
Western North Carolina or maybe Tennesse. I love the mountains!
3. Do you live in the same town you grew up in?
Nope! Far from it. Such is the life of a Marine Corps wife!
4. What nervous habit did you have as a child that you kicked to the curb before becoming an adult?
I am not sure that I had one?!? Mom, Dad can you help out here?
5. What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you while on the job?
It was during a code of one of my patients and I would just rather not go into all of that! Minus that time probably when one of my patients tried to set me up with her grandson!