nothing much

that's pretty much what's going on these days.
i have 17 days until i get to go home!! i'm so excited! i've been walking on the treadmill and watching what's going into my mouth so that i can shed a few lbs before i get home, because i am pretty sure it will be mi hac 3 square meals a day! and chick-fil-a... and freebirds... and mi hac... and chicken express... and mexican inn... and mi hac... and logans... and... do you know how long it has been since i had a reasonably priced GOOD meal?! two months!! living here actually makes me long for san antonio. all the great food everywhere that doesn't cost $35 for a burger. we went to this 'real' italian place and well, it sucked and still cost $30 for lunch!!! can you believe that? and the problem is I Love Food. i'll admit it. i'm a food junkie. i love the way it smells. i don't even have to eat it. i just love good food. and when you leave it, you miss it. the best place around here is Chevy's (20 miles away) and bubba gump shrimp ($30 a plate).
so i have made rob promise me that if i come back as big as a couch he will still love me. he was hesitant, but i think i won him over. i make a good cookie. that's worth sticking around for.

a cookie is an always food!!

who woulda guessed that cookie monster would be bad for my business?!

today is day one. i just got in the door from the java shop on base! i'm going to go back on saturday and see how week one has gone. while i was standing there at least five people were coming in for coffee or leaving with their coffee, so at least i know people really do go in there.

i will say this: base is confusing! my poor, sweet husband tried the best he could to map out the base so that i could find the px on my own, but bless his heart, it was time wasted! he was so sweet this morning and took time to email me a fairly detailed map and two different routes to get to the coffee shop, and i still ended up at the library, twice. parts of the base are barricaded off an it seems like the barricades are different every time i go there, so it's very tricky to find where you need. not to mention, all of the buildings look the exact same! they are all old and painted the same butter yellow.

in the end, rob showed me how to get there and the cookies are now safely resting on a counter begging to be bought! all is well with the world.

No one likes George

poor georgie (our beagle)! he has a long day ahead of him. i had to set straight the people at petsmart because they were dumb and said he didn't have his rabies vaccine. funny, when we took him to a petsmart in vegas two months ago to spend the night at the petshotel he was vaccinated! isn't funny how that works?! so i talked to the vet in san antonio and confirmed that i was right and then called petsmart to let them share in my rightness too. needless to say, george is at the groomers probably being shaved because he has this goo in his hair that won't come out. and at 4 he and little ollie are going to the vet! fun day fo them. i wonder if i could get the vet to give george more sedatives. he's almost out and that's the only way to really get him to do anyting. drug him, and then check his ears. drug him, and then wash his ears. drug him, and then i get a nap too. (not really, well except that we do drug him to check his ears out b/c he hates it. we have the pills b/c we drove 26 hours to get here so get off the phone with aspca)

mae

today was nice. i was able to get a lot accomplished today before rob got home. then we went to see The Lake House. it was good. the first is kinda lame, but what do you expect? over all i liked it very much. then we went to california pizza kitchen (one of rob's favorite spots) and had pizza. mine was santa fe chicken. not exactly the pizza you'd think. there wasn't even sauce on it. but it wasn't bad.
do you ever have days where it's just kinda blah. lately i've accumulated quite the collection of these days. i think i am just so ready to come home. i miss my family so much on days like this. i think back to the week we got to spend together before we moved out here. i cherish that week. i miss my sister and brothers. i miss my mom even though i saw her a short time ago. and mostly i miss maelie. i feel like i miss her more each day. and i barely know her. i guess i just always thought that when the day came for me to be an aunt, i would actually be there to be a support for my sister, and even more to be there to see my niece or nephew grow. i think about that week we shared together and how much she has grown since i last held her. i see her pictures and it lights my entire day. she's gotten so big. i hope one day i can be in her life like i want to be, and her brothers and sisters. i hope one day she'll have the same fond memories of times she spent with me like i do of my own aunt. emily tell her that i love her everyday and i will see her soon. i miss you guys.

In the beginning...

The ball is finally in motion! i say finally, but really this process has come to a start after what, a month?! i took a box of cookies to base yesterday and made my very first business deal! the little Korean lady that runs the java shop has ordered 2 dozen choc. chip cookies for monday! it is a small order and even smaller profits, but praise God, it is really happening! Rob took cookies to class today to try to pimp them to the snack shop in his building, but more to his classmates. (i thought that it was funny that i'm so okay with Rob pimping out his own wife) i just got off the phone with the landlady. i need her permission to have the health department okay me to run a bakery from a residency. i was dreading the phone call. if she said no then it was all over. but, again praise God, she agreed. she said as long as all liability falls squarely on me rather than her, the owner of the property. so i am now free and clear to contact the health department and once they okay me i can turn in my small business application and then i will be ready for any nonsense on base, the farmers market, and drum roll please,.... the coffee shop. yes the same coffee shop. we went in yesterday and asked what was said or if there was any feedback and the manager on duty said 16 of the cookies were eaten (one of the boys there ate it in front of me and said "these are delicious!", but what else could he say to my face...) and that 'Debbie' really wanted to get in contact with me so i left another business card. i feel like i'm caught in a whirlwind! it's all very exciting and nerve racking!
whew!
amen.

Go to the mattresses!

okay. cheesy. get past that. i have finally gotten to the point that i will do what it takes to beat out ANY competition. not all of them ( yet). but some one will fold. and when they do kaseypie's will step in and claw it's way to recognition. you find me a merchant that has a vendor, but shows the slightest sign of discontent, and i will beat the bottom line of that vendor and dance all through the streets to the bank, even if it's with a $5 profit! i know my stuff is pretty good, i just need an opening, and then i will make my break. i know it's coming. and God willing, i'll be there with bells on.
whew.

song for the night~ destiny's child: survivor ( what a geek i am!)

we have lift off

rob and i took my cookies to plumes this afternoon. the owners weren't there, but we didn't expect them to be. so we left them there with the worker girl and the manager. there are 1/2 dozen of the choc. chip, oatmeal, and oatmeal raisin. i wrapped each cookie individually and placed my new label on the back with all of my info. then i put them in a soft pink box and used my lime green ribbon with white polkadots and tied a bow and put my new business cards tucked in. presentation is how you get your foot in the door, right? anyway, i thought i might just have myself a mini heart attack with all of this excitement and sheer pressure! with all of my nerves on end we left them there. it was like taking the biggest test ever and waiting for a grade, or applying for the dream school and waiting for the yes or no letter... it's like one of the most nerve racking experiences EVER! and i doubt anything will come of it. i truly do. and that really is okay. it would be just so validating to hear that someone other than family and friends thinks i'm good. someone that doesn't care if my feelings get hurt. brutal honesty... i feel like i'm going to be sick...

pray for cookies!

i know pretty much everyone that reads this blog just got an email about the same thing, but there is always the random thought that someone in the world might trip into this blog and they can pray too.
this morning rob went to a local coffee shop here in monterey on his way to school. he bought a coffee and an oatmeal raisin cookie. (we buy cookies where ever we go to see if mine are better or what i need to do to improve. ask my mom, i would be the best at the farmers market!) anyway, rob told the guy that he should try my cookies and that i was trying to break into the baking business. the guy told rob to tell me to bring my cookies in and if he likes them he'll start selling my stuff in the store instead!!! this would be the most amazing thing for the business!
please pray that what ever comes out of this will be God's will. please.
i'm so excited!

farewell

my mom left us yesterday. it was so weird and sad! it felt like the time just flew by. when rob and i got back last night it was like ' so what are we going to do tonight? ' ( a plane just flew by and it was the loudest noise, and longest, i've ever heard) we had so much fun with mom, but now i get to look forward to july!!! and i can see my very favorite girl!! i'm so excited to see her. mom brought a video of her smiling and cooing! it was so much fun to see her wiggling around and that big gummy grin! i am just so ready to come back to texas and see my family and eat mi hac! 4 more weeks!! but i am really excited, because rob suprised me with a date for the friday before i leave. he bought tickets to the theater because bill cosby is doing a show! i'm really excited that will be so much fun! 4 more weeks!

security gaurd steve

today was sooo much fun! we started out slow and then the naked hermaphrodite was there and we just couldn't stop laughing! we picniced in pfiefer burns park and then went to see the elephant seals and then to hearst castle where mom met our new stepdad (aka security man steve) there are two guides assigned to each tour of hearst castle and because we were laughing and being all around obnoxious we hung towards the back, and because the back guide was more attractive than the front one, and not wearing a ring!! it became all too clear he was really just following mom around. and then there was the mission to get his picture with mom, but he wouldn't stand still. it was like he was avoiding us, i couldn't imagine why.... here are some pics from our fun day.

my mom is here!

it's true! my mom is sitting right here beside me at our house. we've had such a busy day! we went to bubba gump's shrimp and cannery row, then took a boating tour from fisherman's wharf to lover's point and back, and then 17 mile drive to pebble beach golf course, and finally home by the fire. it has been a long day! tomorrow is church and then the strawberry fields in salinas. here are a few pics from today's adventure.

Cleaning

Today I am cleaning the house top to bottom. My mom is coming on Friday so I have to get things in order around here. Not that it matters. With two puppies in the house I have to clean dog hair off the couch every single day. Whoever said that beagles don't shed are liars.
I didn't clean at all yesterday. Not a drop. I didn't check my email or use my phone or anything. I just sat and read ALL day long I read The Devil Wears Prada all day yesterday. Very good book, but uses the f word for no real reason throughout. And that makes me wonder, because I really like the girl from princess diaries and I don't want to see this movie if she's going to be strutting around saying 'f' 'f' 'f' throughout. Other than that, pretty funny, pretty catty, and pretty long.
so, I didn't do anything. It was great. I think that everyone everywhere should do this. You always hear that nobody has time to do anything , because there is so much going on during the day that needs to be tended to. And I used to be one of those people, but no longer! I am living proof! You can take a day off to read a book, lay around, watch movies, do whatever it is that makes you smile... And the world will continue. And all of those things you thought you absolutely had to do, will still be waiting on you the next day. And most of the time you'll realize that some of it wasn't that life or death and really didn't need to be done in the first place. What a thought! Everyone taking some time to rejuvenate themselves and finish things the next day when you feel refreshed. I have decided (and rob has agreed) that at least once a month I will take a full day to do exactly whatever I want in the world and he can do the same! And at least once a week there will be an evening that is spent in complete leisure. Take some advice from a reborn slacker; do something for yourself for more than an hour. See for yourself.

lap time

Yea! today we're going to the pool again! i love the pool. it's this huge indoor olympic sized pool that goes from 3'5" to 12'. last time we did laps in the 10'5" lane. it is such a fantastic and fun work out. we were there for like 2 and a half hours last time. and there is a sun deck where you can lay out in private but really you're next to the street, but there is a big wall all the way around that blocks you from them. they've also planted all of this greenery around the area so it doesn't really look like you're in the middle of downtown. I don't know if we'll be visiting that area today. it's been so foggy for about a week. it lightens up in the afternoon, but not by much. they call is 'summer fog' i call it sucky. i hope it lets up. my mom is going to be here in just four days! i should probably clean... or replace the dead flowers in the flower pot... or clean the back area where the dogs hang out. maybe i shouldn't go swimming!
i know i'm not crazy about the george. i wasn't over joyed about bringing him with us, but he's suprised me. he's done really well. right now he is curled up asleep on the couch and is snoring and making all of these funny noises in his dreams! and ollie... she's a terror she is def. baxter's baby. she just bounces. it's never a run. it's never a walk. always a bounce. she's so cute and so funny. she likes me more than rob so usually she's curled up in my lap or beside me where ever i am. yesterday i was at the computer at the dining table and she curled up on my feet! it was so cute.

the softer side of the military

it's sunday so it's church day (believe it or not, emily) so we thought we would try the church one base. it's actually really funny, because the sign clearly reads: protestant worship 9:00 a.m. sunday mass 11:00 a.m. and it is exactly that! church lasted one hour and ten minutes, and then we had to clear out to the fellowship area so that the catholic worshippers could get ready for first communion. the church is really basic on the outside because a) it's an army base and they don't paint anything that has been painted in the last 50 years and b) it's not a gun range or artillery area so it's not on the top of the most important list. but the inside is very nice. very old with big wooden pews and really high arched ceilings. there are also huge stained glass windows down every side. and there are gorgeous chandeliers that look very antique that hang 3 or 4 to each side. it's all very nice.
But, the cool part is the preacher is a major. the music guy is a drill sergeant. the associate pastor is a captain. the youth guy is a sergeant. and so on. it's really interesting to see the softer side to the military. all of the deacons are retirees that still dutifully serve the church. they were all so impressed with rob when they asked him what he was out here for, but i know in the military world they wouldn't bat an eye if they saw him walking around base. it was so weird to hear the music man sing 'i can only imagine' and 'sanctuary' and laugh and joke when i know tomorrow he'll put on his uniform and go to work yelling commands at the newbies and barking orders all week. but it was really neat to see this part. it was like i was in a secret meeting. they were so passionate about worship and praise, just like they are passionate about their jobs and their country. it makes me crazy when the media dishes out story after story about how marines have lost their minds and are randomly killing people, and obviously are soldiers are reckless and irresponsible, but there is never coverage of the good and honest love for brother and love for country that these men and women share. when the preacher prayed for the men and women at war this morning it was really moving, because i know those aren't just words to him. he's probably been there. he probably knows a lot of people there now. and even if he doesn't know their names, those are his brothers and his friends and his heart is truly with them.
God bless our troops.

round two

yep that's right. we begin year two today! two years ago i was in the virgin islands preparing for the big walk. it's pretty hard to believe sometimes. on tuesday we celebrated out third anniversary of our first date. three years ago my mom scowled at my future husband as he walked up to our front door. and then she shut the door a bit too hard as we walked away. ah, memories! and now she just can't get enough of him. two years ago today our lives changed forever. it's the weirdest blessing i have ever had.
tonight we're going to a very romantic dinner and a movie. i believe that would be bubba gump shrimp and the breakup! the irony!

Ssgt. and Mrs. Robert Caruthers
June 2, 2004