10 Day YOU Challenge-THE LAST DAY!

WE'RE HERE!

DAY 10!

HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED THIS JOURNEY WITH ME...

One picture of myself.

I don't really like pictures of me in the last few years. I choose to be behind the camera taking pictures of my little girl...

but here we go...

Ok, so I know Miss Dannika Jane made this picture, but it's honestly my favorite picture of myself for many reasons.

1. Erin from Erin Dietrich Photography takes amazing pictures and always seems to make me look my best in photos every time she takes pictures of me.

2. I was having a really good hair day :-)

3. My smile in this picture says it all. It is as genuine as it gets, and it's not a forced "hey, say cheese so I can take your picture" smile! This was hands down THE most HAPPIEST day of my life. It was the day Nick came home from Afghanistan. I was left for 7 months to raise a 6 month old alone for the first time. I had no clue what I was doing nor had I ever done it alone. There were so many ups and downs, highs and lows, lefts and rights...and we made it! Dannika had just turned 1 when he got home.

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 9

One more Day!

TWO SONGS...

Oh wow...I can only pick TWO?!

{2TWO2} Hit Me Baby One More Time - Britney Spears. Why did I pick this song to make my two songs list??? Because I love all things Britney, and my love for her started with this song. Admit it, you're singing it in your head right now.

{1ONE1} Three Days - Pat Green. This song always reminds me of Texas. For one moment, I can close my eyes when this song is playing and forget that I live in California. I can see Texas bluebonnets, feel the Texas humidity and heat on my face, and taste delicious sweet tea and fried okra. That's the kind of effect this song has on me.

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 8

3 Films.

::three::  The Titanic. yeah, yeah...everyone thinks it's cheesy now and they hate the movie, but at one point in my life, it ruled my life. It's a part of my childhood, and that's what makes a movie worth being on my 3 Films list.

::two:: The Notebook. What girl does not love The Notebook, and what girl can watch the entire movie without crying. My favorite love story chick flick :-) You best believe my hubby has watched it with me! It was a prerequisite to get married!

::one:: A Time to Kill with Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson (lots of big name stars. I can never get tired of this movie.

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 7

Here we go...Almost done!

FoUr BooKs

4. Escape by Carolyn Jessop. Story about the woman who escaped from the polygamist cult that was ran by Warren Jeffs. I couldn't put the book down!

3. A Stolen Life by Jaycee Lee Dugard. 18 years in captivity and kidnapped by sexual predators. Sad, heart wrenching book about triumph and resilience. I cried, got angry, was happy...all in one book

2. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin and John Archambault. MY FAVORITE childhood book. I pick it up sometimes and read it aloud to myself....when Dannika's not even with me. It's so catchy!

1. The Bible. I don't read this enough, and I need to read it more. Actually, I may go pick it up right now and read it. It has all the answers you need about love, marriage, children, parenting, friendships, hatred, jealousy...just to name a few. Man, why haven't I been reading it as much as I should!? I just convinced myself.

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 6

Fooooood

^5^ Dr. Rick's Salad from the Sundried Tomato. O-M-G, it is a salad to die for. It's spinach leaves tossed in some sort of vinaigrette topped with walnuts, sauteed mushrooms, and prosciutto stuffed with goat cheese. My friend Kim introduced me to this salad when Nick was in Afghanistan...and fell in LOVE.

^4^ Freebird's World Burrito in College Station. Everyone in California talks about how much they love Chipotle, but there is absolutely NO comparison. When people tell me how good Chipotle is, I secretly think in my head "You've never been to Texas to have a real burrito".

^3^ the "Oh No! Roll" from Taka-O Sushi. It is their signature roll. I can't even tell you what it consists of, but the secret sauce it comes in is AMAZING. Nick and I go there JUST for that roll.

 

^2^ Zenko's Sushi's lobster roll. This is kind of a hole in the wall sushi joint in Mission Viejo. They have this lobster roll, and it's basically a California roll topped with lobster and some sort of cheese sauce (actually, I'm not sure if it's a cheese sauce, but it's freaking DELISH!).

^1^ My mom's Korean BBQ. Hands down, the best I've ever had. I'm not just saying this cause she's my mom either! I've had Korean BBQ in all kinds of places, people's houses, and even in South Korea, but my mom's is hands down the absolute beeeeeest!

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 5

Whoop Whoop...Halfway done!

sIx pLacEs

Seis) Cancun, Mexico. This was easily, hands down, my most favorite vacation I went on with my family as a child. I was extremely lucky to grow up in a family that got to do a TON of travelling, but I must say, Cancun is just one of those places that sticks out in my head.

Cinco) South Korea...I used to go almost every Summer growing up to visit my mom's side of the family. While I might have not appreciated it when I was younger, I definitely have fond memories of going there. I can't wait to take Dannika and Nick there one day!

Cuatro) Orange County, California....Although I've lived in San Diego and Oceanside longer than I have had here in my current location, I LOVE the OC. This place will always have a special place in my heart since it is where Nick and I purchased our first home. There's so much to do here and so many awesome restaurants to try too!

Tres) Punta Cana, Dominican Republic...Nick and I went on a "Post deploymentmoon" there. It was BEAUTFUL, EXCITING, AND FUN. It was our first official tropical vacation, and can't wait to go on many more in our future!

Dos) Las Vegas, Nevada....where my husband and I eloped. We told no one we were getting married, and it was just the two of us. I wouldn't have it any other way ;-) There was no drama, wedding planning, or stress.

Uno) College Station, Texas! Home of the Texas Aggies and the place that my heart <3 calls HOME. I love the small town feel of good ole' CSTX, but without the small town boredom.

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 4

DAY 4

***SEVEN WANTS***

7* To be home with my daughter all day everyday and never miss a single moment of her childhood. I hate that I spend more time at work than I do with my sweet pea

6* Get out of the Marine Corps. It was fun until I became a mother. Now, I'm so over it, and it's just not fun anymore.

5* Move back to College Station, Texas and buy my dream house with a HUGE backyard. I love California, but it's not my idea of where I wanted to raise my family. I love the simplicity of Texas and people that are from there. It's home to me.

4* Finish college.

3* Nick to not deploy anymore. It's a want...doesn't mean it'll happen. It's a nice thought though.

2* To be able to run again like I used to. I don't think my knees are getting any better though.

1* To live happily ever after with no more war, deployments, sadness, separations, or bills. Perfect place? Non existent on earth, but it's nice to think about. I know heaven will be perfect.

10 Day YOU Challenge-Day 3

Day 3...

:::EIGHT FEARS:::

(8) The dark....it's not as bad as it used to be, but I'm really scared of the dark (especially when I'm alone).

(7) Heights...deathly afraid of heights.

(6) Losing 1/2 an income when I get out of the Marine Corps. Life has been really good financially. Not sure how we're gonna make it work!

(5) Something happening to Dannika while she is in daycare, and I can't be there. I think would hate myself forever.

(4) Gaining weight. I've always had an obsession with my weight. There are times in my life when it was an unhealthy obsession. I'm ok now, but I still fear the scale.

(3) Something happening to Nick while deployed.

(2) Not going to heaven when I die. Yes this is an actual fear. I'm constantly asking myself if what I'm doing is enough (it never is) to make it through those pearly gates.

(1) God. I've always been a God-fearing Christian. As loving as He is, He controls my destiny, and that is frightening at times.

10 Day YOU Challenge - Day 2

Here we go with Day 2!

9 Loves:

[nine] Texas and just the south in general because everyone is nicer and prettier :-)

[eight] Decorating my house to make it a home. Every little touch and detail.

[seven] My awesome bunch of Marine Wives for always making me smile.

[six] Taking perfect photographs without even trying to with my amateur DSLR.

[five] Our military because without them we wouldn't be free!

[four] Weekends because it's time I get to spend with my little family.

[three] My little sweet pea, Dannika Jane because she gives my life meaning.

[two] My wonderful husband, Nick because he loves me unconditionally.

[one] Jesus is always my numero uno. He does all of the above AND THEN SOME!

10 Day {YOU} Challenge - Day 1

I found this 10 Day You challenge on Mom-a-logues while just browsing random blogs.

It looks like a lot of fun and something different and new from my random blog postings about my daughter.

I know y'all love her, but it's time for some new things! haha!

DAY 1 - 10 Secrets (This one is hard cause my life is an open book!)

10. I am a secret slob. I hate cleaning, and I have a maid (whom I pay) who comes to my house to clean and wash dishes.  So when you come over and my house is spotless...thank my maid Xochilth (pronounced Zo-chilth), not me...or my husband...he's a neat freak and likes to clean.

9. Not a big secret, but I am SO OVER being a Marine. 9 Years is enough for me. I can't wait to get out and be a SAHM.

8. I love George Bush...Sr. AND Jr. I'm not embarrassed to admit this, but when I do, people always want to get in an argument about politics with me so I don't say this too often. My life is too precious and too short to listen to someone get mad at me over their political views.

7. I wish I cared more about the environment.

6. I change my mind about what SAHM Career path I want to take on a daily basis. Some days, it's interior decorating, other days it's to be a food writer, on other occasions I want to be a professional blogger...theres a list of 100 things I think about doing.

5. I am in the promotion zone this year to pick up SSgt, but I chose not to take a promotion pictures (ties in with #9 above). 

4. I wish I was a better Christian, but I guess in a way, all Christians should think that way since none of us are perfect.

3. I have thousands of photos on my computer and none of them are backed up. I just read a blog this morning on Momtog about backing photos up. I'm deathly afraid of my computer crashing and losing all of them. Time to get an external, huh?

2. I hate driving anything more than 30 minutes. If I could, I'd fly EVERYWHERE!

1. My deepest darkest secret is that I don't have any secrets. I used to blog about things I struggled with (that blog is looong gone), but now, I'd rather you ask me about me, and I have no problem telling you about my life. I get told all the time to write a book about what I've been through, and who knows, maybe I will!