Saturday Share

Today is Al's birthday, so he's calling the shots. We'll see what he comes up with for entertainment. In the meantime, enjoy these links for your Saturday:

LEARN: The 11 Things Your Hairdresser Wants You to Know by The Friskey

DO: Cut diet soda out of your diet (for your health!) by YouBeauty


If you do cut diet soda out and feel the lack of energy - try Starbucks Happy Hour!


READ: About why women are more ambitious (or not - you tell me...) by The Careerist


SUPPORT: One (or more) of the lovely milspouses you know, by nominating them for AllYou Mag's Military Mom contest!




Happy Saturday (And Happy Birthday, baby!)

MiLiTaRy SpOuSe ApPrEcIaTiOn DaY 2012

Today, HH6Diva and Riding the Roller Coaster are hosting a Military Spouse Appreciation Day blog-hop. Many of our amazing blogger cohorts are traveling to D.C. this weekend for the Milblogger Conference and Milbloggie awards! I am so proud of all those amazing ladies and secretly a little jealous that I can't be there with them. There's just not time on the calendar or money in the pocket for those adventures!

So, instead, we are having a internet-wide blog-hop for MSADay - How fun!

I suppose you're wondering who I am? 


My name is Melissa, but I go by Mel. 

I've been a military spouse for just over 14 months. Prior to that I was a military fiance, girlfriend, officer candidate and lifelong supporter. You could say that the military has always been a part of my life. You can definitely say the military has shaped who I am, for better or worse.

I am an almost-JD, with my law school graduation ceremony next weekend! It is just my soldier-husband and myself, no animals, no babies. For now, that's enough for us. We've both spent a lot of time focusing on our dreams, as individuals and as a couple and we are happy, after 3.5 years apart, to be living together in the same state. 

We are stationed at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs, CO and before that, we were at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX. (Shout out to my Bliss ladies!) I love Colorado so far and look forward to making a life here. I have a huge list of things I want to accomplish in Colorado and we will see where the Army takes us from here!

Lastly, I want to take a moment and appreciate all the wonderful military spouses I've met on this journey (you know who you are!) I love this community of women (and men) more than I could express on this humble blog. If you're a milspouse, consider yourself thanked and hugged. If you're not, please take 10 seconds out of your day and say "thank you" to one of these amazing and beautiful people, who sacrifice every single day!


Happy Milspouse Appreciation Day!

Winner, Winner!

Tomorrow, I am participating in Military Spouse Appreciation Day blog-hop. Then, I have a great post planned (finally) to show you all the great organization projects I did around the house this week. 

In the meantime, I am going to announce the winner of my Amazon.com gift card giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations, Lisa!

I will email you shortly to confirm your prize!

First Impressions

I had the pleasure of meeting a few of Al's co-workers and his Platoon Sgt this weekend. They all seem like great guys and Al has spoken highly of them thus far. In fact, when we went to lunch, his Platoon Sgt toasted me and my success in graduating law school. I'm fairly certain his last chain of command couldn't care less about the wives' successes. It was a sweet gesture and a pretty good indicator that we are going to get along with him and his family. 

In fact, Al is enjoying his new unit so much there have been rumblings of staying in again. You see, prior to Ft. Carson (and my arrival here) it was almost a guarantee we'd be done when his current contract was up. He'll be past the 8-year mark so there would be no chance of stop-loss or getting called back. He could still go Reserve if he desired, while going to school, but he would be done with AD.

Now that things are going well - he's got a great command and is doing his actual job - he is on the Army-love bandwagon once again. We always knew we would take each enlistment as it came and not solidify any plans until we had to and, frankly, I'm not surprised that Al is considering staying in. He's happy again and fulfilled in his job.

If he stays in, (and we're still a very, very long way from deciding anything) it would not be enlisted. He talks about going Warrant and flying choppers or some other Warrant artillery jobs. In the meantime, we're loving Colorado, his current command and our prospects for making a life here. If I can get a good job, we can really make this a home. 

First impressions are everything and this place has left me with a good one!

My Birthday Recap {Baseball and Beer}

A quick recap of my birthday: 


I woke up at 7:30am and Al made me breakfast in bed (sort of - we don't eat in bed!)
I spent the morning lazing around the apartment and messing around on the internet. 
Around 11:30, I answered a knock at the door to find a flower delivery:

(from Caroline)


We left for Denver at 2pm and went for Sushi.
Then we headed to Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies game:
(which already crossed something off my list!)

We had amazing seats - 3rd row in left field:

And we got to see a Michael Cuddyer (for MN Twin) hit a grand slam in the first inning. Granted the game went downhill fast and we left in the 8th inning with the Atlanta Braves beating the Rockies 10 - 8. On the drive home, it started to rain and the game was delayed an hour before resuming. We caught the last bit of the game on TV and the final score was 13 - 9.


It was a lot of fun to go to a baseball game just for the food and fun. I wasn't emotionally invested in the game or either team, like I am in Minnesota, so we were able to just enjoy the whole experience and leave whenever we wanted to. 


Al left for the field this morning for the week. I am happy to have some time to really dig into all the closets and finally get everything organized! I also have to do final edits on both of my long papers, so this will be a busy week. I hope to have that all done by the time he returns on Thursday. 


Did you enter my giveaway yet? 

Saturday Share {On Sunday}

I've read a lot of girl-power-esque articles recently and I wanted to share them. I always find that self-affirmation and female friendships that empower and encourage are vital for a healthy, happy life. So, today, consider me your friend who is passing along good, positive words to start your week!

LEARN: What your body actually looks like and Why women are unaware of it

And then go cherish all the wonderful things your body can do!

GO: On an inexpensive vacation, and focus on yourself!

DO: This before you turn 30 - I bet you'll already have many of them crossed off!

READ: About these great women in the Marine Corps - Go fems!

I have some fun stuff coming up this week, including some posts of all the organizing projects I've been doing around the apartment. In the meantime, go enter my giveaway for an Amazon.com e-gift so you can treat yourself to something special!

30 by 30

I turn 28 today! 

Can I just take a minute and scream into my pillow?!

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Ok. I'm better now.

Having made a huge transition in my life out of school and (hopefully) into the work force and finally moving in with Al in Colorado, things have been a little chaotic. In all the good ways, of course. 


Have you ever read the What Every Women Should Know Before 30 article? I'm pleased to say that I've already satisfied everything on that list. Of course, that's not all there is to life and with my birthday looming, I have been reflecting on my life recently. I sat down and re-evaluated my goals. 

I have always maintained a "bucket list" of sorts, but I wanted to revamp that list. I have a list of 12 goals I want to focus on this year, but they are not so much large goals as daily improvements I want to strive for throughout the year. I think, ultimately, it is good to have goals that address short-term or small life improvements; mid-term goals; and longer-term life goals. 

Here's my list:

30 by 30

Begin date: May 5, 2012

End date: May 5, 2014

1. Pass the Bar & Get a Job

2. Join Colorado Bar Association

3. Get Pregnant

4. Buy a new car

5. Pay off at least 1/3 of my school loans

6. Lose 15 pounds

7. Learn to salsa dance

8. Go camping (overnight)

9. Tour the Coors Brewery

10. Take snowboarding lessons

11. See a Rockies game at Coors Field

12. See MNSU (my alma mater) play Colorado College in D1 Hockey

13. Read 20 books from my list

14. Go on a honeymoon (finally!)

15. Put together a Shutterfly wedding album

16. Renew my First Aid/CPR certification

17. Get my conceal & carry/license to carry

18. Organize and label all our important family documents

19. Attend the 2013 Milblog Conference

20. Build bedroom bench

21. Eat at the "10 Best" restaurants in Co. Springs 

22. Get another tattoo

23. Take a cruise

24. Participate in the Denver Warrior Dash

25. Sew pillow cases for the living room pillows

26. Purchase a domain and redesign my blog

27. Ride a mechanical bull

28. Visit the Wizard of Oz museum in Kansas

29. Go to a winery and help make my own wine

30. Take a cooking class

Many of them focus on things we can do in Colorado and experiences I'd like to have during our time here. Others are just things I've been meaning to try or that are on the bigger list. I edited the Bucket List tab above to reflect these 30 by 30 goals and the larger bucket list. I might add to this as I go as new things pique my interest (I'm shooting for 100 on the big list) and as some priorities change others will drop away. I will update the list as I cross things off as well!


I can't wait to get started...in the meantime, I would love a piece of cheesecake. And maybe a glass of whiskey.

I Live in Colorado

I don't know if you've heard the news, but I live in Colorado. Seriously.

I'm not just visiting, it's not just an extended stay for the summer...

I live here.

It's unreal to think that this day is finally here. I feel as though every thing I've been doing for months, hell, years is for this. This, right here.

I'm still getting settled in and tomorrow is my birthday (28 - eek!) so I'm still too busy to write a real post. After this weekend, I will be back with a more complete update and to tell you just how fantastic my new home is.

Did I mention that home is in Colorado?


(Enter my giveaway before it ends!)

Loyal Readers: A Giveaway

As I transition into the next part of my life, I can't help but be introspective. So much has happened over the last three years and I am very tired but extremely happy. I owe much of my success through that time to blogging - having a place to come and share my thoughts, feelings, secrets; having an outlet for all of those emotions; and building a great support group of readers, fans and lifelong friends. 


Today, I want to say thank you!


Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being on this journey with me. For navigating this crazy life, for better or worse, and for being brazen enough to put it all on the web. I appreciate your readership and your friendship and look forward to many more years together!


Speaking of the future, I have a lot of ideas rolling around regarding the future of this blog. I am considering purchasing a domain and revamping the entire look of the blog. I am also looking into ways to monetize, or at least allow for advertisements and other small money-making capabilities. None of this has made it past the research and development phase, but when it does, I am sure I will reach out for help. I expect to move forward late summer, if at all.


So, I've said my words, but now it's time to put my money where my mouth is. 
As promised, a giveaway!

WHICH GIVEAWAY PRIZE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO WIN?

Last week, I asked you to participate in a survey to see what kind of prizes you would like to receive as a prize on my blog. An overwhelming number of you said an Amazon.com gift card. I can't blame you - I LOVE shopping on Amazon.com as well!

On the Road Again...

Today, I am off to Colorado, with my car stuffed to the gills. I am bringing one of my favorite ladies with me, so there will be the perfect blend of snacks, tunes and snarking and I have someone to help keep me awake. We may use the time to teach her how to drive a stick so I have a little break from the pedals. 

Really, though, I'm just hoping I don't get pulled over (like the last time...and the time before that.)


Please check back here tomorrow, when I will launch another great giveaway.