PCS Season

Every time I log onto Facebook lately, it seems like SOMEBODY has orders to a new duty station.

Every time I check my bloglovin', one of the military families in the blogosphere is also PCS'ing.

I can't help but think to myself, "Why can't it be us?!"

Leaving Texas when I was 18 years old was tough.

 But the Marine Corps stationed me in the beautiful and sunny Southern California, so it made being away from home not as bad.

 In fact, I fell in love with"SoCal" pretty quickly, and for a split second (in my younger days), I wanted to live there forever.

When I found out that we were moving to New England, I had the same feelings of excitement that I did over 10 years ago when I found out as a young PFC that I would be stationed in California.

I think I was more excited about finally being together with my hubby after almost a year stationed separately.

Either way, I was excited about Boston and the change of scenery.

Here I am 9 months later, and I don't have that same sense of excitement that I did when I first moved to California.

The winter was long.

The gas prices are even higher than California.

The cost of living is higher than California.

I hate am scared of driving in Boston, so I never go there (even though all the fun things to do are in the city).

I also miss being around other Marines.

I miss being around a base.

I miss the commissary.

I miss the 10 dollar haircuts at the barbershop for my husband (they're 20 here for a military regulation haircut...RIDICULOUS).

I miss hearing artillery at night.

I miss the friendships I had with other Marines and Marine wives.

I mean, the people we have met here and have become friends with are awesome.

I love our church here.

I love our neighbors. 

But no offense to any civilians reading this...

Y'all just don't get it!

 

A lot of the friends we've made here have a ton of questions about the Marine Corps and military life.

I feel like I have to break it down "Barney style" every time I answer a question.

I feel "suffocated" when it comes to explaining the last 10 years of my life to someone who has no idea about our "culture".

Most of the time, I just nod and say "yes" because it's easier than explaining all the lingo, the terms, and the reason behind the madness (that we call "life" in the military).

Because of this "gap" of difference between civilian life and our life, I find it hard to really let anyone I've met here fully into my life.

I really feel the two happiest places I will ever be is around other Marines or in Texas...

Thank God when Nick retires, we can move back to familiar territory...in Texas...

Spinach, Corn, & Tomato Salad

I love a great salad in the summer.

It's also a really quick dinner I can whip up when I don't feel like cooking.

Actually, at this stage of my pregnancy, I wish we could eat out every night!

It's so easy to throw a salad together and add a chicken breast (or something) for a delicious meal! 

Last night, we had a spinach, corn, and tomato salad.

(baby spinach leaves, 1 can of corn drained, 1 tomato chopped)

 Topped with avocado.

I usually like to make my own salad dressing, but as I stated earlier, this prego has not been feeling much like Ina Garten lately. 

I'm always on the lookout for delicious salad dressings that are HEALTHY with no preservatives.

So when I found this dressing at our local grocery store, I was beyond excited!

It's a yogurt based dressing, and there are absolutely no preservatives!

Did I mention how tasty it is?! 

They also make a delicious ranch dressing that I think is my favorite!

I topped my salad off with an oven baked chicken breast for some protein, and that's what we had for dinner!

My family has pretty much cut carbs out of our diet a while ago, and my husband mentioned last night that he felt a lot better physically since we did that!
It doesn't mean we don't EVER have carbs.
We probably have a wrap on a whole wheat tortilla or whole wheat pasta once every few weeks, or when we go out to eat we tend to indulge a little.
And...we do have natural carbs...like the kind in fruit. 
But we've all noticed a big difference in how our bodies responded (in a positive way) when we restricted our carb intake as far as bread and pasta goes.

For a healthy dessert, my family's been really enjoying this Greek yogurt concoction I've been making.

It's 2 1/2 cups of plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 2 packets of stevia, a few squirts of agave syrup (to your tasting), 1 banana chopped, 2 large strawberries chopped, and topped with coconut chips.

It's a great light dessert that is easy on the waistline!

This Little Ole Blog

Last night, I got an email from voiceboks saying that I was nominated as a Top 50 Military Mom blogger.

I'm not even sure how or why.
I'm pretty sure I was probably just randomly picked.

I have a few faithful followers, but I don't consider my blog anything special.

I started my blog 4 years ago to chronicle my journey as a new mom on active duty.
I wanted something for my daughter to look back and read about our adventures someday.
I also wanted a way for my close friends and family back home in Texas to have a way to keep up with our family.
Being a military family, it's tough to keep in touch with everyone, so what better way than to blog it?!

Over the years, it's evolved into much more than just chronicling our day to day life as the Romer family.
I write my deep, personal opinions.
I share my joys, passions, and relationships.
I complain.
I whine.
I share recipes.

I've shared my struggles as a new mom.
My struggles of guilt as a working mom.
My struggles while my husband deployed to Afghanistan twice.

I've shared my highs as a new mom.
My highs of being one of the "the few. the proud."
The "high" feeling of having my husband back safely from combat.

It's crazy how much my life has changed in the 4 years I've been blogging.
When I first started this blog, I was a new mom, a newlywed, an active duty Marine recruiter...
I was a Christian that was not quite saved yet.

Today, I'm about to be a mom of TWO...
Still married to the same handsome guy I married 5 years ago :)
I'm a stay at home mom.
Lastly...I. am. saved.

Another awesome thing that has come out of blogging?!
I've connected with so many other amazing military wives that I am in awe of every day.

Maybe one day, I'll actually get to meet some of them IN PERSON, but until that day ever comes (if it ever does)...
If I've ever commented on your blog, it means I stalk your blog pretty regularly, because I think you're awesome :-)


And no...I will not be hounding anyone to vote for my blog to make it into the top 10.
I'm just grateful it was chosen (random or not).

Nursing?

I breastfed my daughter for the first 6 weeks of her life.

During that 6 weeks, I pumped enough breast milk to keep her on it for a few months after I quit.

Once I had used up my stockpile, I switched to formula.

I have strong opinions about the great breastfeeding vs. formula debate.

You can read about how I feel here.

Wonder what I'm planning on doing with baby #2?

I plan on breast feeding him...

But I plan on doing it without pressure from La Leche League, WIC, a lactation consultant, an anti formula feeding mother, the breastfeeding goddess, and/or M.A.F.F. (Mothers Against Formula Feeding....I totally made this up...but it wouldn't surprise me if a group like this totally existed).

The key phrase here is, "I am PLANNING on breast feeding."

I know all the facts, studies, numbers, and research that says "breast is best".

Ok...

Got it.

I BELIEVE YOU!

I just don't need it shoved in my face, down my throat, and digested for me. 

The truth of the matter is, if my experience with breast feeding is absolutely horrible (like it was with my daughter), I am going to be completely unashamed with buying a can of formula and nourishing my child with it.

I'm not going to feel the guilt that I did with my first child when I decided enough was enough, and I switched her to formula.

See...

I even bought the high tech breast pump with every intention of giving our son breast milk and to motivate me to try maybe a little harder than I did with my daughter.

Even though I honest to God tried really hard with her.

I REALLY don't think that any child is going to be superior over another child because one was breast fed and one was not.

I think we tend to forget that, it's in God's hands how our children turn out.

By the way...

I was never breast fed.

I consider myself an extremely healthy, fit, and intelligent adult.

So to everyone who keeps telling me I am failing my child by not breast feeding....

Please feel free to tell my Korean "Tiger Mom" that she failed me. 

I'm sure she won't take that too well.

Last Weeks as a Family of 3

I am really enjoying the Summer weather here in New England.

As a Texas girl, I'm used to scorching hot Summers with ridiculous humidity.

Of course I was spoiled rotten the last 10 years living in Southern California with gorgeous temperatures all year round!

But New England has a different kind of Summer.

The afternoons and evenings provide a nice cool Summer breeze, and even when it's "really hot", it doesn't really feel like it.

Our neighbor's cherry tomato garden :)
Just a happy reminder of nice weather.

I am thankful for this nice Summer weather seeing as how I am in the last few weeks of my pregnancy.

I'm at the totally miserable stage.

Little man is really cramped in my tummy, and he is making sure to use every single bit of space my body has to be comfortable.

In turn, I feel like my insides are bruised!

My 37 week baby bump pic, and yes, I am still rocking my heels! 

I don't have any swelling this pregnancy, so my feet still fit in my regular shoes!

As we anticipate the arrival of our son, we've just been trying to spend as much quality time together as a family of 3.

My sweet baby girl will only be an only child for just a few more weeks, so we want to give her our undivided attention!
Even if it means playing XBox together on a Saturday morning with daddy :-)

She's been enjoying the summer playing outside and playing "princesses" with her best friend (our next door neighbor).

My outdoors loving husband has been enjoying being outside and finding random odd jobs to do around the house.
He cut down two HUMONGOUS bushes last weekend that had grown uncontrollably since we had moved in.
I can finally see out the window now without a huge bush blocking the entire thing, and I can finally get some good natural sunlight into the house!

Cute little bird's nest that fell out of the giant bushes hubby cut down.

Speaking of nests, I also have no sort of "nesting instinct" like I did with D.

I really just want to lay around all day with my feet up, or playing with D.

The baby's nursery is still not complete, and I'm really not stressin'.

I did end up buying some canvases from Michael's this last weekend to start some last minute art projects for his nursery.

Here's a sneak peek...

I can't wait to post pics when the nursery is finally complete!

It'll probably be another few months before it's completely finished...

And another reminder that Summer is nearing an end...
Back to school shopping.
We took D to the mall to get some school shoes for preschool.
Little Nikes :-)

 Little Sperrys :-)
I seriously want a sparkly pair JUST like hers!

I'm a little sad Summer is coming to end soon, and I am definitely not looking forward to another New England winter.
But I'm excited about Fall, all things pumpkin, and of course meeting our new little man :-)