Most Beautiful Corner...

So we're down to 10 days left til Ross leaves!! Where has the time gone??

As you can imagine we've been super busy getting everything ready for him to leave. We are so excited and still a bit nervous for everything that's going to be happening in the next few months. Ross has been preparing mentally and working out like crazy to get through the next 10 weeks of Basic.

I'll be quite busy while he's gone - Operation Cathy Will Not Be a Chubby Wife When Ross Gets Home (CWNBACWWRGH) started this week. Actually it started a few months ago but I bumped it up a notch the past few weeks.

My husband is wicked hot already - him after basic in his formals..... um just the thought of it makes me want to go to the tanning bed and never touch a carb again.

Just kidding, but seriously.

ANYways I wanted to post about the most amazing store I have ever been in, that I didn't know existed.

So we're just sitting there in Chipotle one night, eating away, minding our own business and all of the sudden I look out the window across the street and saw this...

Um I LITERALLY almost had a heart attack. I've always known of Calico Corners but never knew there was one in Albany! We went right over after.

It happened to be President's Day so there was a sale going on :)

We had just been out buying a few other things for a project I've been working on and I was saying that I needed to pick out a fabric to finish it up. Fate much?

It's like it was meant to be.... I picked up half a yard of this baby to bring home:

The best $10 I ever spent. Bedazzle in Clementine. It's beautiful!

To think I've been here over 3 years and I find this store 4 months before I'm supposed to move - Just My Luck!!! :)

Still plugging away at the project. I'll keep you posted.

Until then you can find me running or eating veggies in my spare time.

:)

Cathy

Looky...

Guess what came in about a week ago?

:)

Stay tuned!!

Cathy

New Beginnings...

As of last Thursday, I am officially an Army wife : )

When Ross and I first got married we always threw around the idea of him going into the Military. He wasn't really sure what he was going to do after he graduated to gain work experience and to build up his resume and we always thought that Military service would be an amazing opportunity but we just left it at that. Just an idea and every once in a while we would bring it up.

Well graduation was getting closer and closer and we really started to do our research. For months we debated pro and cons. We thought of everything - compared different branches, different jobs, whether or not Ross would go in as an officer, etc. We finally came to a decision that we both felt great about and we really felt was best for us.

Ross enlisted in the Army for 5 years active duty and he'll be a cryptological linguist.

Which means........ we'll be moving to California for about a year for Ross to attend the Defense Language Institute in Monterey. :)

We are so excited (and nervous) to be starting our lives out west and in this new journey together!

Ross leaves for Basic Training in 6 weeks...

Wish us luck!!

Cathy

Heart Maps...

I just have to say that I found the most amazing fabric store yesterday. I was literally giddy, Ross was laughing at me. I'll do a post later this week about it.

I've been working on a project for some time now and I needed some fabric and a few other supplies for it, so I bit the bullet and bought it all yesterday so I can start it already.

(we bought a new jigsaw, but I'm suppose to say I used it because it's a female's tool :)

Hopefully in the next few weeks I can post about it. I'm really excited for it.

But onto what I wanted to blog about. I always try to find something sentimental to get Ross for holidays and this time I came across a print of a map and fell in love.

The close up stinks but you get the idea. He loved it. I thought this would be a cute idea to remember where we spent our first anniversary and where we were sealed.

I also bought this cute pillow to add a bit more to the room. :)

I can't wait for my fabric to come in the mail...I'll be waiting very impatiently!!!

:)

Cathy

Love...

It's a beautiful thing.

Ross and I decided we needed to get away for a day or so. It really didn't have to

do with Valentine's day, seeing that I don't really make a big deal out of the holiday

but that was the excuse to spend some time together.

We ended up going to a Bed and Breakfast in Vermont for a couple of days and I'm

so glad we did. We had a great time. We ate a ton, sat by the fire a ton, and enjoyed

being with each other a ton.

The Inn was about 200 years old. They've tried to make minimal changes since

it opened.

Here's the lobby:

The stairs going up to the second floor:

Sitting area on the second floor:

And here's the stairway up to the third floor where our room was:

Our cute room:

Here's my stud building a fire. He thought he was dressing for the

occasion with his flannel. He's like "When in Vermont, you must dress like

a Vermonter." :)

We went to dinner that night in their restaurant downstairs. It was literally

the best meal we have ever eaten. I could have died at the end of it and my l

ife would have been complete. Over exaggeration obviously, but it really

was the best ever.

And then we had a full spread for breakfast in the Sun room the next

morning, just as amazingly good.

We went ice skating, antiquing and ate homemade ice cream from a

Vermont creamery. It was seriously the best.

Big news coming up in the next couple weeks - no, I'm not pregnant but

just as big. I think at least.

How did you spend Valentine's days? Hopefully with the ones you love.

:)

Cathy

The Birthday Boy...

Our favorite furball had a birthday yesterday :)

I can't believe a year has gone by already. (well technically we got him 9 weeks from now but still)

Eating his Peanut Butter Delight cake :)

This was his one and only gift. He's already pulled it apart a little.

Ross calls it the Q-tip.

We love our pooch so much!

♥

Cathy

Reflections...

So I've been going through a phrase. A long one. That I wish I could move on from but just haven't been able to let go of some stuff. It's been really hard at times.

I came into work today, checked my email and this was in my inbox:

The subject line read:

Reflections of a Monday Morning

And the body read:

Well it's another Monday morning, the beginning of a brand new week, a brand new start to something amazing. What will this week bring? Hardship, joy, changes? What can we do to make the world a little better this week? How can we change ourselves for the better? What can we give up that is holding us back or impending our progression in life? What are we not letting go of?

Let us take this week and dedicate it to changing ourselves for the better. Let us overcome those things holding us back or slowing us down. Let us focus on the little things that make us happy and let go of the things that don't. Let us help those around us to make their lives better too.

Life is full of choices. Some big some small. How do we let these choices affect our happiness. Can we let go of the reins a little and just sit back and see where life takes us?

No one ever said it was supposed to be easy but it will be worth it.

This email was from my Husband. This is all it said. I thought he had copied and pasted it from somewhere but in fact (to my disbelief) he wrote it. I knew he was a good writer (I have to admit that he wrote a few of my college essays for me) but didn't know he was this good.

I have a very patient, loving, and smart eternal companion, whom I don't ever give enough credit. He's my cheerleader and therapist.

Keep this in mind this week. What can you do to make your life just a little better? What can you do to help other's enjoy their journey through life?

♥

Cathy