the sunny side: January 2013

1.31.2013

Big News

Nope, we're not pregnant. Sorry. But we have some big news. We finally know what our duty station will be when Duke finishes school! Yahoo!!

So without further ado, we will be moving to Okinawa JAPAN!!!!!! AHHHHH!!! But not for a while. It will most likely be the end of this year. We still have to finish up school here, then we will be moving to North Carolina for about 4 months where he will finish training. THEN we will make the move. We should be stationed there for about 3 years. Um, please come visit me!

It's all very exciting and somewhat terrifying.

Terrifying because:
I've never lived outside the US
I don't speak Japanese
Tickets to see my family/friends are probably $1000
I will most likely have my first child there

Exciting because:
I've never lived outside the US
I might learn Japanese
Maybe family and friends will visit me
And we're gonna travel all over Asia baby!
We get to save up lots of money for a house when we get back!

Isn't it crazy?! But exciting?!

1.28.2013

Saturdays are fun days

Saturday was fun. Instead of the "gotta get stuff done" type of Saturday, it was more of a "lets just have fun" Saturday. It was sooooo nice. Especially after a rough week of having my car in the shop TWICE and having it die while driving. But thats a story for another day. On Saturday we slept in, got a nice little workout in, then went sailing! Duke met a guy when he checked into the base here who was into sailing, and that guy met a cool old British dude with a sailboat and on Saturday we got to come along as the crew. (Well I mostly sat there- perks of being a girl who didn't take sailing lessons). It was awesome. In Pensacola the biggest boat we sailed on was 22 foot and this one was 41 foot. So it was a little more complex, but good learning for that some day dream of having our own sailboat! Not to mention the weather was phenomenal. Sunny skies, mid 70's, amazing. Afterwards we went to eat at Grimaldi's, which apparently is the same chain as the one in NY. I thought it was just a wannabe place, but it was good! Then by some sort of magic I convinced Duke to let me walk around the mall and I scored some DIRT cheap items from Forever 21. That store is a haven for a girl on a budget, let me tell you. Then we came home, got in our pjs and watched a movie. My favorite way to end the day! (and can I tell you that I shot these pictures all in manual mode??! Stilllll learning, but it's been fun!)

really need some new sunnies. yikes.

1.24.2013

January

Hello blog. Life has been busier lately! The weather has been sooo beautiful here this past week. I'm really enjoying that part of Texas. Also, I've decided there is nothing better than waking up in the morning and relaxing while the sun beams in through the windows and the birds are chirping outside. It is my favorite part of the day.

Some things we've been up to lately...

Budgeting like FIENDS!! (Dave Ramsey Style) Which I'd like to blog more about sometime. But I am realllly really proud of how we've been doing!
Keeping New Years resolutions! (for the most part) Sometimes I get lazy and don't want to workout, but I love that Duke always pushes me to the gym and then pushes me when we get there. He's a good built-in personal trainer. Plus I've been eating vegetables almost everyday. HUGE improvement. PS- i've been keeping track of my goals with a free app called Lift. I love and recommend it. Keeps me accountable- I know I wouldn't be getting my veggies in without it.
I've been taking the photo 101 class from Nicoles Classes. First time in my life I've switched to manual settings. It's still hard for me, but I'm glad I'm learning.
4 trips to the DR to get one perscription filled. I will spare you the boring details, suffice it to say, there is nothing free in life.
Found some gray hairs on Duke!! I guess 30 has been rough.
FINALLY bought lamps for our front room-been searching since we got married. And they broke before I got them home. Then Duke decided they were too fragile to make it through all our moves...so we are still lampless. Depressing.
Enjoying the beautiful weather outside. 76 today!! It makes me sooo soo happy.
Finished my first book of the year- High Society- The Life of Grace Kelly. If only there were more Grace Kelly's in the world. I have a huge girl crush on her now.

this morning it was sooo beautiful. Picture just doesn't do justice.

broken lamp :(

1.13.2013

Visit to Phoenix

Last week I went and visited one of my good friends Stacy. She recently moved to Phoenix all by herself to start a new job as a nurse at Phoenix Children's Hospital! I went to visit her, because for one I missed her, and for two she paid for half my ticket. What?! She's a really good friend. Anyways we had a good time.

We shopped at fashion square mall and hardly bought anything! A huge accomplishment. But I am seriously in love with that mall.

We ate a La Grande Orange Pizzeria. Twice.

Stopped at Sprinkles. Duh.

Walked some trails

I fell in love with saguaro cacti. They are so foreign and cool to me!

And we hiked Camelback! Which I took many many many pictures of.

Can't wait to visit again!

1.02.2013

HAPPY 2013!

via pinterest

I love New Years. The mental fresh slate is always welcoming. Duke and I spent a nice low key night in. We made our resolutions for the year and reviewed 2012 via my blog. Then at midnight we made Winston very upset by using our noise makers to ring in the year. Then Duke chased him around the house with them. Poor doggy.
I'm excited for 2013. Odd years seem to be my lucky years for a while running now. This year we'll finally find out where we will be stationed for three years. Duke will hopefully get his wings and finish training, hopefully travel somewhere exciting, possibly enlarge the family. Who knows!? I can't wait to look back in a year and see where I'm at compared to now. That's always the fun part. As for my resolutions, I feel I'm making the same ones every year. So besides exercising MORE and eating more vegetables, learning ASL, improving my Illustrator skills (and like 15 more I don't feel like listing), my big resolution is to live purposefully. Super vague. But basically I want to use my time more wisely and really focus on what life is all about. Improve myself spiritually. Also I want to push myself to serve others more. In light of making resolutions to improve ourselves, I really liked this quote I saw on pinterest.