Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Changes To the 2nd Half of the Year

Alright everyone! I've got some changes coming to the blog, and coming to my life, so here's a sneaky peek into the ever shifting SpitFire plane of existence..lol. When you're doing cringing, and being thankful your life is so peaceful (roflol!), link up with the fabulous Amanda at the really nifty button above.

1. Jewel
Okay, for those who've been curious what I'm alluding to, mystery solved. It's a very, very long story, which I will go into further detail later on when all is said & done, but someone took my daughter from me 4 years ago. I'm finally getting my day in court. Today. So if you could please pray that justice would prevail, and my daughter will be permanently returned to me, I will be eternally grateful.

2. I'm strongly considering switching platforms.
Blogger is good for a start, but I'm really thinking about getting more serious, and in that vein I'm thinking of switching my platform. I've received some great feedback that makes me think I might be able to do this more full time. Currently I'm considering Typepad or Wordpress..looking at the pros and cons of each. Any thoughts?

3. I'm working on branding myself, so....
I'm probably getting my own domain name. I'm looking over options for hosts, and names and I'll keep you posted, so that you can update your links appropriately. I have a couple names I'm considering. Anyone have any snazzy suggestions?

4. To get serious about my blogging,
I'm going through ProBlogger's 31 Days To A Better Blog. If you've taken it, please let me know how it went for you. If you've never taken it, but are interested, I'll let you know how it goes. :) Or hopefully you'll see the dramatic improvements.

5. I get to start homeschooling for the first time this year.
I've never done it before, and the rules are different all over the country. So I'm researching the laws on HSLDA's website but if any of y'all are in Georgia, and y'all are homeschoolers, please email me and help me out with this.

6. I get to have my full family this fall.
I'll have Jewel back soon, and Gunlover will return this fall. For the first time I'll have a fully functional family of my own. (My parents/siblings are functional..I mean my own branches.)

7. I will hopefully be a student myself!
Thanks to my service in the military, I have 100% coverage on a Bachelors degree through the Montgomery GI Bill. I just have to figure out which think I want to study first.

8. I  will be picking up some new skill sets over the fall/winter.
I sing all the time, but I have minimal instrumental skills. So I plan to get a program to learn how to play the piano. Then I'd like to finish learning how to play my guitar..any recommendations on how to do that? I also want to start learning a new language, and learn how to sew.

9. I'll know what stuff I'm made of.
As of the middle of October, I will have survived the first overseas tour of our marriage. And I will have survived a pregnancy nearly alone. Raised the baby from birth through about 6 months, without him. Driven 14 hours across country, on my first year with a license, pregnant and alone. And survived the court case to get Jewel back, without him here. I will know precisely what I'm made of, and what our marriage is made of. And so far? I think we're gonna be fine. :)

10.   Once I finish the in-law tour, I'll be learning more about my purpose.
When I was in the military, I desperately wanted to know my purpose. And I asked questions, and learned, until I knew what my purpose there was. But I need to put that same effort into learning what God's purpose for me is. Why did I go through this with Jewel? Is it to help someone else? Will my testimony keep someone else from making my mistakes? Or suffering what I've suffered? Will I be able to help domestic abuse victims stop the cycle, and stop being a victim? I need to spend some time on my  knees, alone with God, in quiet spaces, and learn what His goals for my life are.

Alright now the fun really begins! What changes are you making for the 2nd half of this year? Leave me a comment, or post your own list at Amanda's website. (*hint hint* it's the pretty button up there!)

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VLog Top Ten #1: 10 Reasons I'm So Tired

 Alright ladies! I bit! I finally did it....and it's not all that great, roflol. Okay so the video quality surprised me...much better than expected. The sound? Not so much. I don't know if I just have a really quiet computer, or if I'm just really that quiet. I don't think I'm a quiet person, but it doesn't seem to matter how loud I talk, I had to have the computer at top volume to hear the video. So please let me know if there's anything you didn't catch..maybe I should add subtitles, lol.

Hope you enjoy! And whether or not you enjoy, there's a ton of other wonderful posts at OhAmanda's. So link up, and have fun. :) 

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Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Things I Want To Do In Atlanta

So I spent all last night pondering OhAmanda's Vlog Post. It's scary!! No, no not like that. The post was wonderful...it was cute, quirky & we got to see her personality come through. What's scary, is for a brief moment I thought about doing one myself. But I was afraid my personality might come though. :) Plus I couldn't figure out what to vlog about. So I will open this up for discussion, do you want to see your spineless leader vlog it up at the next top 10? If so, what do you think the topic should be? (If you say top 10, I will shoot you with my little brothers bb gun!)

Alright! On with the this weeks show. If you've paid attention to my blog, you'll have noticed I live in GA. (If you have not paid attention to my blog...I live in GA.) Unlike our fearless Vlogging Champion, I live in Middle Georgia. That's a location, not a city. But when Gunlover comes home, we're wanting to take a trip up north to check out Atlanta..so here's what I want to do there. :)

1. Ride the Rides At Six Flags Over Georgia
I've never been on a rollercoaster, but I've always wanted to! Last year I was going to see some of the rides at Disney, but then we discovered we had a blessing on the way. Did you know they won't even let you ride the Ferris Wheel at a mall-parking-lot-carnival if you're pregnant? Eesh!

2. See the Pandas at Zoo Atlanta
I have been in love with all things China, since I was a very small girl. (Young! Not short..er) And with that comes a love of giant pandas. I always knew about the ones in the San Diego zoo, but imagine my delight when I found out that Zoo Atlanta has giant pandas! Go check out the panda cam, get your fuzzy fix. :)

3. Catch a Braves Game
Jewel is definitely my child. She is that perfect blend of girly & tomboy. My evidence? She told me she wants to learn ballet & baseball. So I think it would be a blast to take her to her first real baseball game. Take me out to the ballgame, lalalala...Okay enough of that, next!!!

4. Visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Botanical gardens are such a peaceful place. Inside there's a tropical section, a desert section, an orchid center & more. Outside there's a Japanese garden (yay!), a rose garden, a hydrangea section and so much more to see. I could probably spend all day in there and still not get enough pictures, but I'd be willing to try. Hehe.

5. Explore Margaret Mitchell's House
Okay, anyone who knows me (and now all of you) knows that I mega-♥ Gone With the Wind. Scarlett's such a sassy, saucy girl. (I can't even imagine why that would appeal to me!!) Can you believe I've never seen the movie yet??? My sister BookAddict is awesome though! She found me a leather-bound copy at a book sale. Who sells these things?!?!?!?!?!?

6. Eat, Burp & Fight
Alright, fine! I'll be watching the fight. *sigh* You people are no fun at all. Medieval Times is a restaurant where you get to feast while watching a joust, as though you were at a castle of old. Turkey leg anyone?

7. See the Mount Rushmore of the South
Stone Mountain isn't quite in Atlanta..it's about 30 minutes away, but still. It's basically a Confederate version of Mount Rushmore. No matter your feelings on the war, it's still remarkable peace of history, art & skill.

 8. Take Gunlover To A Concert
My sweet thing has never been to a concert. My family adores music, so this was a bit culture shock for me. Not been to a concert? Ever? Huh? Nanoo, nanoo?!? So, being the music lover/singer/songwriter that I am, I have chosen to remedy this. I know Michael W. Smith will be there for the World Vision tour in October, I'd like to see if TSO will be around this year. I just know in my heart of hearts that Gunlover would most like to see Bieber (I'm so gonna get killed when he sees this!), but those tickets are so darn expensive...rats.


9. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
I have this on my list of this of things to do before I die. I've always thought they looked pretty, and I have always wanted to experience it. I was born in Albuquerque...how can I not love balloons????

10. Visit the Champion of Scared Vloggers Everywhere
Yeah, you're on my list Amanda! Oh wait, that sounded wrong...Seriously though, I think it's cool when you get to meet bloggers you adore, and the fact that you live right there??? Of course, I might have scared you off by the time this post is finished, which I'll totally understand, but if not..coffee someday?????

Alrighty! If you have made it through this weekly block of my insanity, kudos! Ya just might make the big leagues, kid. Okay I have no idea what leagues I'm talking about, but it sounded good. Your turn...show the linky love people. Go check out her oh-so-awesome site, and then tell us what fabulous things made your Top Ten.

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Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Quirky Things About Me

Okay, it's time again for everyone to come up with a list of 10 things. It can be as random or as focused as you like. Then you link up at OhAmanda's and spread some linky love. This week, I'm doing 10 quirky things about me. Last week Buckhead Betty did 10 Quirky Things About Her, and asked everyone to leave something quirky in the comments. She thought mine was amusing and suggested that I make my own post on that subject. So here you go Betty..this ones for you. :)

1. French Fries
Ahh the one that started it all. If I eat French Fries, without fail I will get hiccups. Every. Single. Time.

2. I love, love pretty high-heeled shoes.
But I love, love, love going barefoot. So I compromise. If I'm at church, I keep them on for choir (required), and kick them off for the rest of the service. If I'm doing a concert, I keep them on for the first song or 2, apologize to the crowd and kick them off. (At which point I can longer stand behind a podium or pulpit, or I would become the mysterious voice from nowhere.)

3. I love painting my toenails, but I hate painting my fingernails.
Why? It's not that I'm anti fingernail painting. Quite to the contrary..I love my nails being painted, and I especially love painting fingernails...just not mine. I'm notoriously impatient, and while I can sit still long enough to paint someone elses (because I'm doing something), if I paint my nails I will end up munging the paint long before it's had opportunity to dry. However my toes do not go into pockets (very often), so they have more opportunity to dry. Besides only one person gets that close to my toes, and he knows better than to say anything.

4. I sing during anything and everything.
I sing during the shower. I sing while I'm dressing the baby. I sing while I'm watching TV...no not the commercial's...the actual show.

5. I prefer organic fruits and veggies, look for products that are BPA & phthalates free, use all natural cleaners...
But I will use a paper towel in a heartbeat, my babies wear disposable diapers, and I will wear leather like it's nobody's business. My apologies to the "Chik'n" loving cows, but Mama likes steak. :D

6. Speaking of singing, I was a hardcore, warrior Airman, proudly wearing my uniform..
And singing the Backyardigan's theme song while on shift...yessir I did my combat boots proud. And let's not even talk about Bob the Builder...

7. I spend nearly my entire day on the computer, doing medical transcripts, researching, talking to Gunlover...
And I will still forget to post to my blog!

8. I have the most eclectic fashion sense...
I have some gothic inspired pieces, and some cowgirl inspired pieces, and some rocker inspired pieces, and some preppy inspired pieces.....etc. I can combine a gothic top & western skirt, and completely rock it, because it suits me somehow. And I'm the only person I know who owns knee high, 5 inch heel, patent leather boots, and manages to not look like a drag queen.

9. I am an ADD pray-er. 
I set out all determined to be serious, dedicated and Godly. "Dear Lord, I come before you now..blah blah blah". Then something happens to distract me.."oh wait..I wonder if I turned the oven off". Guilt! "Sorry Lord..okay..I also wanted to pray over sister so-and-so..she's feeling sick." Another distraction.."oh speaking of sick, I wonder if so-and-so had their baby yet." Crap! I did it again!! "Sorry Lord...."

10.   Speaking of ADD, I have literally been pegged as borderline ADD & borderline OCD.
Of all the screwy combinations in the world, this is mine. Which explains my cleaning style..I start off fiercely scrubbing everything in the kitchen down. I run across a toy on the floor. I take the toy to the room, and while I'm there I see laundry that needs run. I get the laundry running and on the way back from the laundry room, I see trash overflowing in the bathroom..I take the trash to the kitchen to combine it with that trash, and suddenly remember what I was doing in the first place.

Alright now the fun really begins! What are you quirky 10 things? What are you favorite Crayola colors? Seriously these lists can be anything!!! Link it up, and I'll come check yours out. :)

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Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Things I Love About Gunlover

So our anniversary is coming up...I can't believe it's been 1 year already! In that one year, I got pregnant, he deployed, I flew 15-16 hours to Asia to see him for Thanksgiving, I drove 14 hours to GA, I unpacked while becoming ever rounder, he made it home for the birth of Bunny, left 1 week later, and now I'm in TX to try and bring our beloved Jewel home. What a first year of marriage! So here's to you babe. :) These are not in any particular order.

1. His impeccable military bearing.
He is calm in every situation. Our wedding day. The day I discovered I had bronchitis by coughing up a handful of blood. The day I had massive prego brain, forgot which direction our parking entrance was, and backed into a dumpster. The day we had Bunny. Through it all, my man was/is a rock.

2. His looks.
Okay, I'm his wife. Forgive the momentary, mandatory spousal mushiness. I love his green eyes, that change shades depending on his mood. I love his arms muscled from mechanical work. I love the shape of his nose. I the ever-so-slight cleft to his chin (even if his family calls it a butt-chin..yuck!). I love how looks when he grows his hair out...which isn't often.

3. The juxtaposition of his looks & his personality - Part 1
There's a picture I love, that will be at the end of this post. He's holding my sister Sweetpea, when she was still very small. You can tell he works hard, because you can see the curve of his arm muscles under his shirt. But he's holding that little girl, better than most men I know. He's gentle, and caring.

4. The juxtaposition of his looks & his personality - Part 2
I get the same sweet feeling when he holds my  hand. He has strong, calloused fingers from working on cars as a hobby, and Aerospace Ground Equipment as an Airman. But those rough hands are infinitely gentle when he holds my hand, or our daughters, or my siblings.

5. His perfect height.
He's taller than me by nearly a full foot. But when we go to sleep, and I lay with my head on his shoulder, we're perfectly matched. My body fits there perfectly.

6. The way he always knows how to make me feel better.
When he came home on mid-tour, I wanted so much to look & feel beautiful, just for him. But I was having a hard time feeling pretty, when I was as huge as I was. (I'll include that picture too, so you understand!) My darling Gunlover, told me that's why God made his arms so long, so that he could hold me no matter what size I am.

7. His silliness.
Gunlover has a squirrely sense of humor. He's informed me that I'm not allowed to tell anyone that he's a nice guy, because it'll destroy his "rep." Never mind that word on the street is that he's a nice guy. :P Whoops..guess I just blew his street cred.

8. How he can always get me to smile.
No matter how sad I am, he can always make me smile. Somehow, he knows the perfect thing to say to crack me up. And if that doesn't work, he finds the silliest way to say "Smile!!" that he can possibly think of. And if that doesn't work, he insistently reminds me how badly I want to smile, until I crack up at his persistence.

9. He'll sacrifice anything for his girls.
He has sold some of his dearest possessions when we badly needed money. He's sold paintball equipment, video games, guns, his other car...all because it would help his wife or his daughter. He pretends to be tough, but he has a heart of gold. (Whoops..more street cred just blown..sorry babe!)

10. He's my hero.
He's a military man..what more needs to be said? He loves his parents, and is especially attached to his mama. He's intensely loyal to his siblings. He'll defend his football team to the death. He loves his daughters, and even though one of them isn't his blood, heaven help you if you call her a step-daughter. He loves me, despite all the baggage I came with. He loves his country. He loves his God.

Alright that's it! Enjoy your week. Enjoy the pictures. And please go check out OhAmanda who created this awesome meme! 

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Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Things I'm Grateful To the Military For

Yay! I'm getting my Top Ten out, on Tuesday for a change. As you know, yesterday was Memorial Day, a day we take to celebrate the sacrifices that so many have made, for our freedom. Being both a veteran, and a military spouse, this holiday means a lot to me. I explained my feelings in yesterdays post, so without further fuss, here goes.....

1. The experiences they provide.
Okay, so I wasn't able to complete my service obligation, and I was only stationed at one base (in the middle of the desert no less). But I still met people, and had incredible experiences, that I will never forget.

2. They take care of their own.
As I said, my service was terminated early due to medical difficulties, but I still have VA benefits. I will get a small paycheck for the rest of my life, have medical benefits, discounted home loans etc.

3. Education.
Thanks to my military service, I now have the Montgomery G.I. Bill that I can apply to the Bachelor's degree of my choosing. There's so many to choose from that I'm still deciding though!

4. Potential for language skills.
Through our military libraries, I have access to Rosetta Stone, online & for free. Those programs are expensive!!!! But because my husband is active duty, we can use them freely.

5. Seeing the world.
I've always wanted to see the world...at least most of it. Until recently I'd never been out of the country.  But last November, I joined Gunlover in Asia for Thanksgiving. Yep that's right! Pregnant and round, I took a 14 hour flight overseas. And had a blast!!!

6. Courage to set things right.
Because my military career was the first job I'd had, where the employers actually want to know what's going on in your life, everyone knew I had a bad marriage. None of my other jobs knew, or would have cared. In the military, I had people going to bat for me, and it gave me the support & strength to get out of an abusive marriage.

7. The opportunity to realize how even small parts can play big roles.
When I was AD, my career field was Services. That encompasses lodging, food & recreation. I was trained in all 3 areas, but I personally worked in the Fitness Center (AKA the gym). When I was in tech school, Services was sort of regarded as very low on the totem pole. Where all the screw-ups who couldn't handle any other career went. I scored a 92 on my ASVAB, and this was where I'd been sent. I can't express how frustrated I was. Civilians were even worse. They'd ask what I did in the military, and when I enthusiastically explained my job, they'd give me pitying looks as if to say "oh, you don't have a real job." When I began working at my first base I discovered that in the real world, we're loved. We provide the soft bed for the TDY personnel, the hot meal after a long hard day, and importantly a place to become more fit to fight. A quote that sums it up best, has been attributed to both Sun Tzu & General Patton: "The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war."

8. I'm grateful for the freedoms this country still has.
Winston Churchill commented during WWII that "Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization". Can you imagine how different our country would be if the Nazi's had won? What about the Japanese? The Viet Cong?

9. Singing opportunities & cleaning up my bucket list.
I sing. All the time....if my Mom has me waiting while she answers another phone call, I'm creating my own hold music. In a fit of insanity, I put "sing the National Anthem for a sporting event" on my list of things to do before I die. When I was in the military, one of my coworkers outed me, and I got drafted to sing the National Anthem for a boxing match. From there, a civilian in charge of a basketball tournament in town, asked me to sing for it. I later sang for a squadron merger ceremony, a 4th of July celebration, and many other things. All totaled, I sang for 14 on & off base events. Until that point, I didn't even know I could sing the National Anthem.


10. Probably the thing I'm most grateful for of all, is my darling Gunlover.
I met my husband at the community center on base, when I was still active duty. Seeing as he's from the East Coast, I'm from the South, and we were both stationed in the West, the odds of me having met him outside of the military, are slim to none. So USAF, I thank you for the husband I have today. I thank you for the chance meeting, the events that led up to our marriage, and for the precious bundle laying beside me now.

Alright now the lovefest begins! Link up with Amanda for Top Ten, and check out some other nifty blogs. :)

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Top Ten {Tuesday}: Top Ten Reasons Babies Are Fun :)

Hello SpitPyro's!!! If you are wonderfully observant, you will have noticed that this is a Tuesday post, and today is no longer Tuesday. If you are not wonderfully observant, don't feel bad, obviously I'm not either. My days are so crazy lately, that I completely forgot about linking up with ohamanda for Top Ten {Tuesday}. I would be at peace about this, but I know all you other Moms out there are so tremendously organized, focused and on track that you have never forgotten what day it is....right? I think I hear your hysterical laughter in the distance. Advance warning: It is 6:40 am here...I should have been asleep hours ago, but my daughter (7 weeks) decided to be fussy tonight. So here I sit. You can attempt to blame any insanity below on my lack of sleep, but sadly I'm this crazy on a fully rested day as well.

1. That often discussed, and oh-so-wonderful (hey amanda, it's an oh thing! lol) baby smell.
Babies all have a uniquely beautiful smell....unless of course their diaper is less than fresh, in which case the smell is not beautiful at all, but still very unique. Incidentally "unique" is sort of how "you stink" comes out threw a pinched nose. Coincidence?

2. Little fingers & toes.
It never ceases to fill me with wonder that their fingers and toes are sooooo tiny! I love seeing her fingers wrapped around mine. It's amazing to me that God created such delicate things, with such a strong grip!

3. Fuzzy shoulders and back.
What would be highly disturbing on just about any other age, is adorable on a baby. Fine, soft fuzz covering their backs and/or shoulders. And sometimes, like my daughter, they have fuzzy ears too.

4. Baby clothes of all shapes and sizes.
Baby clothes are awesome for many reasons. They're mega-tiny. Baby shoes are nearly useless, but too cute to pass up. They can be bought brand new for under $5!


5. More about baby clothes.
Babies can get away with so many things that would be hideous on grown-ups. Rhumba tights! (Which for those of you who don't know what that is...*cough*men*cough* those would be the ultra-girly tights with the ruffles on the butt. For that matter...anything with ruffles on the butt only looks cute on babies. Bubble dresses...most of us grown women don't want that much extra fabric around our hips, but babies can do anything.

6. Baby noises...most of them.
From cooing, to laughing, to random musical babbling, baby noises are the best background ever. And if it's a boy baby, it could be the most meaningful conversation you'll have with that child for the first 15 years of his life. :)  Then there's the fitful whimpers, and 3am screaming that's not so fun. But the baby laughter makes it all worth it.

7. Drool.
Okay this is one only a parent can understand. Drool is cute on babies. See? Another thing that only the little ones can get away with. Drool on anyone older is just plain wrong. But babies drooling all over the place is hilarious and cute. I know at least one of you just read this, and is positive that I'm suffering from sleep deprivation, but I stand by it!

8. Snuggling pros!
 For anyone who likes to snuggle, babies will be your best friend. They have it down to an art. A baby who isn't capable of rolling over, crawling or other form of locomotion, will still somehow scooch their way across the bed to get to you. They love to be close.

9. Gummy sleepy baby smiles.Baby smiles are awesome all on their own. But the sweet, sleepy, gummy smiles that they give you in their sleep, right before they sleep, and when they first wake up, are the cream of the crop. Those smiles are priceless and just can't be beat!

10. Look at that! Any further explanation needed?

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Top Ten {Tuesday}: Ten Reasons Homeschooling Rocks!

1. If a student needs extra help with a subject, the teacher has enough time to do so.

With the public schools being overcrowded, it's good to know that at least some schools have students receiving the proper encouragement to make it through difficult subjects.

2. You can have pajama day whenever you want to.

You're in your living room, den, study, whatever....so long as the work gets done, who cares?

3. No school violence.

Unless you count  the latest sibling rivalry....

4. No shoes!

When the teacher doesn't wear shoes, it's really hard for the principal to enforce the "Shoes at School" policy.

5. A quality education for all involved.

You can read story after story of homeschool students who excel at testing, bees, college exams, etc. But it's not just the students...the teacher gets to relearn and in some cases learn things for the first time. And unlike a public education system, the teacher is learning in all subjects, because she teaches them all.

6. Anything is a learning experience.

Playing in the park becomes a botany lesson. Shopping becomes a  math lesson (budgeting & finances). Cooking lunch is home economics. And pounding your younger brother totally counts for PE right??

7. The subjects can all be inter-woven.

When I went through school, my Mom wound all the subjects together so they made more sense. The secular history was blended with church history, so you could see the effect they had on each other. American history & world history were connected as well. Did you know some of Mozart's finest works were composed during the American Revolution? You do now!

8. It's just fun to make fun of public schools.

I know it's wrong, but admit it! If you're homeschooled, you do/did it too. Anytime someone does something patently idiotic, you can blame their "quality" education. :) (If you're reading this and you were public schooled, we tease you in love! My husband was publicly educated, his dad was a teacher, as was my grandmother.)

9. The look of surprise on peoples faces.

When you launch into some amazingly detailed explanation on whatever topic is being discussed, and they ask in amazement "Where did you go to school?" Homeschoolers have a bad reputation sometimes. For every crop of homeschoolers that's kicking butt at the spelling bees, there's a random bad parent pretending to homeschool so they can abuse their child under the radar. Which one makes the national news the most?

10. When the principal sleeps with the teacher....you're getting a new classmate!!!!

Haha!!!!!

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