Want to do a guest post?

Does anyone want to do a guest post on my blog?

I've been thinking about doing one on here for a while now....and if you want to, let me know! If you have an idea let me know what it is and we can go from there OR if you want to guest post but have no idea what to write about I have a few ideas on posts I would like to see.

comment or email me at kkrowan (at) gmail (dot) com

(I'm looking to do a few over the next few months!)

Here we go!

I've been back and forth a thousand times on if we are going to move or not. If you would have asked me just three short days ago, I would have told you that we were staying. I would have said it was too much hassle for something I wasn't sure about.

Then a few things happened...

1) I took my husband over to a friends house to show him what we would be moving into(after I spent the whole day there picturing where my stuff could go).
2) My neighbor got new neighbors. Not only did she hear them getting it on, but she was woken up every 2 hours when their baby cried. This is my WORST nightmare living in housing...both of those things. I don't need to hear peoples sex lives lived out in person. ICK!

So, I went into the office today and I think we are going to do this! We are waiting on a paper from the command, then we are golden! Kinda. I know what we want to move into and I'm willing to wait for it. We could be moving in 2 weeks or 2 months....either way I'm fine with it! The lady isn't going to waste my time showing me houses I'm not interested in and I'm %100 fine with that! It shouldn't be long till a house like the one we want opens up!

We decided to completely move ourselves. No movers. I'm going to do short runs of the stuff I can while Little is in school, then we have a bunch of boys coming to help pack out the big stuff! J is alright with all this since we aren't going to be spending $1,000 on movers. It's just going to be a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it when we are %100 happy for the next 2-3 years we are here!

Wish us luck!

Book Review: I Am Number Four

My book club(the BBC) just got done with another book! This month we read I Am Number Four.

Here is a little bit I found about the book.

Despite the amazing powers that many of the people of Lorien possess, the planet was defeated and its natural resources looted by Mogadorians in a matter of days. Only nine children escaped with their guardians to Earth, where they planned to hide until they developed their powers in order to defeat their enemies and revive Lorien. The Mogadorians hunt the Nine and have already killed three of them. And that's just the backstory. When Number Four, bearing the name "John Smith," moves to Paradise, OH, he runs afoul of the school bully, falls for the most beautiful girl in town, and befriends the local alien conspiracy nerd in short order. There is plenty of great action, but the dialogue is average, as is the character development. With its interesting premises and a fast-pace telling, the story will grab readers who are willing to suspend quite a bit of disbelief. Others, who like their science fiction with a bit more science and internal logic, will have to search elsewhere

I had high hopes for this book. Really high. It had been recomended to me by a few different people and I was excited to read it.

It was a let down.

What I liked:
The basis of the story was great!
It's different then other things out there right now
It kept me reading(for the most part)

What I disliked:
Under developed characters
Slow plot(in parts)
Undertones of "save the planet"
Lackluster ending

The book builds to the end(as all books seem to so), but it was a let down when you got there. I found myself being able to skim the pages IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLIMAX OF THE BOOK! EEkkkk!

I feel like they could have done it a little better. BUT I have to admit my thoughts of the book might have a little to do with the Author. Does anyone remember the A Million Little Pieces by James Frey scandal? I do. For the most part, I don't let things like that cloud my judgement, but this did. Anyway, after reading this book, I found the autors name a little odd(even more so since it was used in the book!) so I looked it up. Come to find out Pitticus Lore is just James Freys pen name(probably because he's a dirt bag and knows no one wants to read his stuff).

If it weren't for the autor I think I would have given this book half a star more.....

I give it 3/5 stars.

Night Owl? Or just plain insane?

I clean when I should be sleeping....and I sleep when I should be cleaning.

It's a vicious cycle.

Back to folding towels I go.

To move. Or not to move.

We have been in this house for 3 years. I'm getting a little antsy. We have been presented with the option to move. Not to another duty station, but to another house.

Here is the break down.

Here is a little about the house we live in now

Pros
*Lots of space(3 stories)
*Nice backyard
*LOTS of main living space

Cons
*3 stories(lots of climbing...and falling)
*No fence
*Attached to other houses on both sides(even bedroom walls)
*1 1/2 bathrooms(works for us, but compared to the other house)
*2 bedrooms

Now on to the other house

Pros
*Single family stand alone house!(NO attached walls!)
*Single story ranch
*Fenced in yard for Little and the dog
*2 full bathrooms(mater bath)
*3 bedrooms

Cons
*We would lose main living space
*Lose storage space
*We would have to move a massive wood swing set. lol.

The biggest con.....we would have to move ourselves. Moving ourselves could cost anywhere between 400-1000(depending on how much of it we want to do ourselves).

Is it worth it for two more years? Should we just stay put and live with being connected to other people, and hope we get good new neighbors who aren't loud? I'm petrified of who is going to move in next!

The new house is right down the road so it wouldn't change anything like commute time or Littles school.

What would you do?

Giveaway winner!

Is Mrs. JCD! Yay!! I hope you love your new flag and it looks great on your new house!

(make sure I get your address so the flag can be sent to you!)

My Valentine.

I was 14 and a freshman in highschool when J and I met. He was a year older then me and had gone to a different middle school, so I had no idea who he was. We were on a bus headed to a basketball tournament and my cell phone wasn't working. He offered to help me.

He was quiet and didn't say much. We ended up writing back and forth on my phone(in the days before texting. lol). All I remember thinking is "Not only is he CUTE, but he's nice to!". We ended up sitting together the next few days on the way to the games.  The last day I couldn't make it since I had a dance competition. He found me at school the next Monday and told me he was mad I ditched him and told me that I owed him.  At some point a note was passed that had my number in it. It took him a few days to get the guts to call. But he did. While talking he reminded me that I owed him. When asked what he wanted all he said was "Just you". That was it. I was his.

We spent all of our days together. Normal high school stuff. He walked me to and from all of my classes, I wore his varsity jacket, I went to all his games and meets and we were together every weekend. It was perfect.

This is our very first picture together! I think we had been together 3-4 months?

We even went to all of the dances together.(and were always matching perfectly, I might add!)

We dated all of high school. At times I think I could have been a little bit nicer to him but what teenage girl doesn't have mood swings!? I loved him and I knew I did. My mom told me once while she was driving me to school when I was 16 "You need to treat that boy nice, Kimberly. You're going to marry him someday". I knew she was right.

When we were 17 he bought me a promise ring for Christmas. I loved it. I loved that when he gave it to me he told me that he loved me more then he ever knew possible and that one day he would make me his wife.

And that he did.

He proposed to me on a picnic(hence where our love for them really comes from) on a chilly day at our favorite beach on the Island. It was perfect. I cried and said yes and all he could do was smile.

We were married that June.

Saying "I Do".

A few months later he decided to join the navy. It was the first time we had ever been apart for more then a few days. I had never known what pain was until that time. I'd never felt heartbreak. But that was it. My heart broke for him. He came back a new man. A better man. I never knew what we had could be better, but it was.

2011 marks 10 years together for us(the end of 2011, but 2011 none the less). I fall more and more in love with him everyday. We aren't perfect, but we try our best. I love him with all that I have and I know he does the same. I never thought this would be our lives. The navy life. But it is, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

Today on Valentines Day, from under the Sea, I know he's thinking about me as much as I am him.

What I love (and hate) about blogs!

Do you have pet-peeves about the blogs you read? I know I sure do! Even more so if I'm checking out the blog for the first time.

I've seen a few people blogging about this and I SOOOO agree! While I know my blog isn't perfect, I try to make it as user friendly as I can. I may post about books a little too much or my snark may not be some peoples taste. But, I'm me. And I love me!

Here are a few things I love to find when I check out a new blog!

* A face. I love it when people don't hide. I like to feel like reading your blog and commenting is making a connection with a real person. Fake names and no pictures sometimes make me wonder if the person is "real".
* I love when you are real in what you write. Everyone gets sad/mad. Don't be afraid to show it. We are all human(I think I need to listen to myself a little more on this one).
*I love when you have an assortment of things you post! I love reading crafty posts one day then about your family/life the next.

This list is a little bigger. Things I hate to see when reading a blog.....

* Lots of swearing. My husband said the best thing to me the other day when I was talking about swearing on facebook "Only psychopaths and unintelligent people cuss in type. smart people can think of a better way to express themselves". I NEVER get the urge to use the eff word on my blog. Ever. Call me a prude, but I think it really dumbs down my opinion on a person. I cansee a swear word here or there and I have a few that I will write sometimes....but the C word? NEVER!
* I HATE adds! I really hate the ones that pop up and you have to click on it to get anywhere! Most times it makes me close out the window and move on. I also hate the ones that are between EVERY post.  I want to read your blog not know what Viagra does.
* I hate automatic song players. You see Little likes to play games or listen to music on the computer and because he's little, he doesn't turn it down. I get on here to read blogs and have quiet time.....not be scared out of my mind when some rock song starts playing louder then it needs to be heard. I x-out right away and don't come back for the day. Sorry. If you want a playlist, make it so they have to click on it to start it. I love hearing other peoples taste in music!
* I don't mind colored fonts AS LONG AS YOU LOOK AT YOUR BLOG to see if it looks alright. Back colored like THIS hurts my eyes. I don't know why you think it would look pretty. It doesn't
* Post with too many pictures get old quick, even more so when you don't explain them. I love picture posts and find that too many posts without pictures get on my nerves to. I'm hard to please I guess.
* 8-mile posts! If you say "and then" more then 5 times. You need to save some of it for another post.  I'm all about rambling. It's how I get to the best conclusions! Seriously! But sometimes it's too much! Break it down. Post it over a few days if it was a huge thing!
* Comments saying follow me! No thanks, I'll pass.
* Word verification! I hate them! I hate going and writing out a nice comment just to guess what some random words are. It makes leaving comments so hard. If you worry about spam, in the almost 3 years I've been blogging I've never once had a spam comment! No, I take that back, it was "spam" but from a real live person who could type in the word verification. So I don't use it and it's been fine!
* My new gripe is when all people post about is awards they've gotten, blog hops, fill-in the whatever or guest posts. It's just not the type of stuff I want to read. At all.

Sorry for the whiny posts. If I get it out I can move on!

Do you have any blog pet-peeves I didn't mention?

Making the switch!

My blog address is changing over! You should be redirected, but if not, know that I didn't mean to lose you!

It's switching over to www.sinkorswimblog.com

Easy enough, right?

So long, my friend.

I feel like I don't have much to blog about. All that I have to blog about isn't on the happy side...it's on the "whiny military wife" side. So if you don't want to hear it, move on.

I'm not a complainer. Really, I'm not. Ask my family or ask my friends. I seem to be a "glass half-full" kinda gal. But not this week. This week, I'm sad.

This is the first station we have even been at for more than a year. With this comes knowing people for more than a year. With that comes them leaving. My neighbor and best friend for the past three years moves today. I'm heartbroken. She's been everything to me since we met. My photographer, my foodie, my late night vent sessions and all around just best friend. I've never had someone I'd been friends with so long leave me. Ever. I've know people for a year tops before they left. Not three. I know this comes with the military life, it's just one of the things I had stayed away from. I hate goodbyes. I had to watch her say goodbye to Little this morning and I was choking back tears the whole time. Now, when I should be over there saying my goodbye, I'm hiding in my house writing this, hoping I can get it out before I see her for the last time......because no one likes a baby.

We say we will keep in touch. Is it true? Do people really do that? Or do they cut their losses and move on to new friends in their new places? Is it bad that I don't want to make new friends? I just want to bide my time until we leave to, then start all over. See!?!?! This is sooooo not me! But I'm sad and I'm going to miss her.  We've shared our walls and our lives for three years. In a few months new persons will move into a house that holds all the memories I have now. I will be nice and say hello, but I don't want new neighbors. I want the people who were supposed to leave AFTER us to still be here. I wanted  to leave first.....it's so much easier that way.

I need to suck it up. I've been in denial about her leaving for weeks now. I should have spent quality time with her...but I didn't. I couldn't. It hurt too bad. I think by the time she gets settled I will send her a package. One that I should have given her before she left....but getting it in her new house would be nice to.

I will leave you with these pictures. They were taken almost three years ago. It was our first photo session and one of the funnest by far. Thank you to the random lady on the beach who was nice enough to take a picture of the three of us. It's the only one we have.

BBC new book!

My book club is starting a new book tomorrow! Our first check in will be next Thursday! If you want to join in, click on the link to the left to be taken to the goodreads site, or leave me a comment if you can't figure it out and I will help you!

This month we are reading: I Am Number Four!

Not many people have entered to win a free flag! You still have a few more days to do it!

Giveaway!

Hello! I've been saying that I was going to do a giveaway and since the weather is nicer(and I can come and go as I please(to places like the post office)) I thought I would do it today!

I was contacted by CVS Flags and they offered to give one lucky person a Flag! I'm so excited!

Here is a little snip-it of what was e-mailed to me.

 "CVS is a wholesale flag distributor that has been around for over 30 years. In addition to great customer service, all of the flags are made right here in the USA."

I love that they make all of the flags here in the US and I'm all for everyone flying a flag for our country!

You can pick an America Flag or a Military Flag. You can pick a 3x5 or 2x3 flag (whichever you prefer).

They have a huge selections of flags! Even flags for your favorite sports team!(yes, if you clicked on that I did in fact, send you to the Eagles Flags....I can't help it!).

It's a really amazing company and they have the sweetest people working for them. So, even if you don't win, please go take a look and think about supporting them. (They even ship to APO addresses!).


Enough with that end of it...here comes the fun!

To enter leave me a comment for each of the following(separate comments, each comment gets you an entry!)

*Go take a look at the site and let me know what flag you would like.
*Become a follower or tell me that you already are one(don't lie...I will find you)
*Post about it on your blog and link back here!

That's three different entries you can get for an amazing flag! You have one week from today to have all your comments in and I will pick a random winner next Tuesday!

Military Blog Hop!

I LOVE blog hops, it's a great way to find new blogs and find people who you connect with. Military ones are the best, since I love finding people who "get" what I'm going through in the crazy life.

If you want to join in, head on over and link up!



To those coming over to my blog from the hop, welcome! I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy writing it.

Cupcakes & Underways

My husband is gone again. He shouldn't be gone long and I'm taking this as a time to get the house cleaned and ready for him to be home for a while!

Every time they leave, I go down to watch the boat go out to sea. It makes it a little easier to handle knowing he's gone and not just sitting down on the base(because they NEVER leave on time).

This time, I couldn't chase the boat all the way out. You see, it was Landon's birthday. While some would say that it sucks that they left on his birthday, my husband was overjoyed. They were going to leave a day earlier, which would have meant that he would have missed L's b-day for the first time. They left late and J got to spend the morning with our little boy. It's one of those small things that you are forever grateful for. Six Birthdays and not one of them missed.

 

I watched them pull out. Then headed on my way to Little's school.

He was so excited that I came in. I was there to help for a bit, then passed out cupcakes and juice.

I love the crown they made him! He was loving all the attention.

On their birthdays, the kids get to lead everyone in singing happy birthday. It was super cute!

Cupcakes and juice!

Normally I would have made the cupcakes, but due to the NASTY weather, preparing for underway and no school.....I bought them. Landon was excited that he got football cupcakes(his birthday always falls before/on Superbowl weekend. We decided when he was born that we are taking him TO the Superbowl for his 16th birthday...lets hope he likes football!)

When we got home he got a delivery from his Grandparents! He loved it! It's huge and only about half gone! Haha.

Nicholas Sparks Reading Challenge!

So far, I have read two books! I'm trying to read 2 month until I'm done....so we will see if I can do it!

First I'm reading all the books that I have the movie versions of and watching the movies when I'm done with them! It's fun for me to see whats different about them, so I'm going to add what I likes/disliked about the difference! Don't read if you don't want spoilers!

First up!

A Walk to Remember:

I LOVE this movie and books. It's one of the first DVD's I owned. Haha. The book and movie are a lot alike. Here are the biggest differences:

*In the book the orphanage was a main part of Jamie's life, not so much in the movie.
*The whole "Money in the jar" thing wasn't in the movie at all and it was such a sweet part of the book.
*Landon's(no we did not get Little's name from this book/movie) Dad had a whole other part in the movie. I like the movie way a little better.
*The year of the movies was way off. Which made things a little different.
*Landon's roll in the play was for way different reasons.

I love this book. As with all NS books, it has a sad ending. I do have to say that that's maybe why I love reading his books. They aren't always perfect. It's not always a fairytale, but you will have learned something by reading it. This one taught you that love can come in any shape and size and sometimes when you're not expecting it, but it will take you over.

All in all I loved the book and I loved reading it again! I would give it 4/5 stars total!

The Last Song:

*Ronnie's image in the movie is a little "less hard" than in the book.
*The way people thought the fire started was different(I hated everyone thinking her dad did it!)
*Marcus was less creepy in the movie.

I loved them both. Not as many big differences in the movie but I think that's because it was done different. The Last Song was written as a screenplay before it was a book. Miley Cyrus had expressed interest in doing one of his "teen" movies, so he wrote this for her to play Ronnie. Then went back and wrote the book(or did he do them at the same time?).

I again would give this one 4/5 stars!

Six Years Ago.

Six years a go today, I was having my little boy. I'm not going to go into his birth story since I've done it on here already. But just know that it was one of the scariest, happiest and most unbelievable moments of my life.

Here he is Year by year!

Birth Day.

(Everett WA)

Turning One!

(Camano Island, WA)

Turning Two!

(Orlando, FL)

Turning Three!

(Groton, CT)

Turning Four!

(Groton, CT)

Turning Five!

(Groton, CT)

Turning Six!

(Groton, CT)

It still hasn't hit me that my little boy is six! I know it will at some point.

We have gotten so very lucky that J hasn't missed a single birthday. I know it isn't common and we thank God everyday for the memories he's given us.

This morning J & I did a little dance in the car at the exact moment six years ago that our little boy was born. We were sitting at the pier waiting to say goodbye for another underway. They should have left yesterday, but they didn't. He got to be home for Landon's Birthday, even if it was only for a few hours filled with early morning donuts and cocoa. I will take what I can get and it was perfect!

Rainforest Cafe!

Every year we take Landon to the Rainforest Cafe. I thought it was only since we moved here, but when we thought about it we realized it's been EVERY year! Crazy!

It's our little tradition to go up for dinner then we let Landon pick ANYTHING he wants from the Disney store.(this year we got  off REALLY lucky. All he wanted was a $12 stuffed animal!)

This year the B's came with us. they had never been there before and it was so fun going with them for their first time.

Our view from our table. We had a huge table in the back right next to the elephants! (if you've never been, every 30 min they have a mock "storm" where the lights flash and all the animals move and make noise. It's great!)

This was right above out table!

My boys!

L is getting good at taking pictures! Haha.

For some reason, we never tell them it's his birthday. this year we changed that. He loved it! From now on we know!

VOLCANO!!!!!!

We ALL shared this since it's HUGE!!

Lan and I were taking a picture when Bitsy told us that she really wanted a picture with us to! I love her!

Future Mr. & Mrs? Haha.

Me and the Birthday boy!

J decided he wanted to drink L's ice cream. Grossest thing I've ever seen!

All of us after dinner! We had so much fun. Everything is better when great friends come along!

The elephant right by our table!

We really love going up there for dinner! I hope wherever we move next has one close by or I don't know what we will do!

It was a MONSTER BASH!

I am not a sheep. I lead. My son? Not so much.

A few months back Little went to his first "friend from school" birthday party. He had the time of his life.  So when it came time to plan his own party.....he wanted the same exact thing.  I get it, having a birthday in the winter is hard for a kid. Not much to choose from. So we did Monster Mini Golf just like his friend did. Thank goodness I know the mother and she didn't care one bit.

You get the room for 90 minutes. Then all the kids get to go mini golf!

Little before the party started!

He wanted a Monster theme since it was Monster Mini Golf.

My rule on birthdays: Every even year we do a big party out in "town". When we do this I buy everything. I don't stress and make everything. On the odd years we do a party at home where I do EVERYTHING. It's crazy hectic when we do it at home(but cost a LOT less). So every other year is a perfect mix!

Coldstone cake! It was frozen solid when the poor kids were trying to eat it. I felt a little bad. lol.

Candles!

Our little family!

Golfing! So much fun!

Me and my little(not so little) boy!

Hahaha. Because it was his birthday he got to pull on the tickets! He ended up getting over 500 of them right here! He loved it.

The troll in the middle of the golf course.

Lan & Bitsy! I can't say it enough, but they are so close. I love that even with the age gap they are best friends.

L golfing.

Daddy & boy. I love that J got to be here for his party. We've gotten really lucky and so far J hasn't missed a single birthday(of Little's).

Me & Bri! I love her! They spent Little's whole birthday weekend with us and it was amazing!

Me and my man!

Done!

We had so much fun! After golfing we played games for another hour or so. Lots of money and a bunch of crap toys later we were home.

Little's birthday isn't for a few more days.....but it's sinking in that he's growing so fast. He's going to be our only, so I'm making sure to love every moment of this!