Our Pledge of Allegiance

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

What do those words mean to you? To me, they say, Thank you, America, for your strength, your courage, and for our freedom, which has been a beacon to the world for 200 years.

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Whose bright starts are fifty states. Each bearing it's own stamp of individuality. People, two hundred million strong. People. Who have come to work from all corners of the Earth.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS

A land of laws. An ingenious system of checks and balances, that allows no man to become a tyrant. And lets no group prevail, if their power is not tempered with a real concern for the government. A land where the right of dissent and free speech is jealously guarded. Where ballot box is the sword, and the people it's wielders.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD

A land where where freedom of worship, is a cornerstone of her being. A land graced with temples and churches, synagogues and alters, that rise in profusion, to embrace all the religions of the world.

INDIVISIBLE

A land forged by the hot steel of raw courage. And formed forever by the awful crucible, civil war.

WITH LIBERTY

That a man in pursuit of an honest life will not be denied his chance. Where her citizens move freely within her vast borders without hindrance or fear. A land brimming with opportunity, where freedom of choice is the guideline for all.

AND JUSTICE

The courts of our land are open to all. It's wheels of justice grind for all causes, all people. They look to every avenue for justice. Every concern of the law. And they temper their reasoning with mercy...

FOR ALL

~John Wayne.

 

Dance of Terror

Window panes come crashing down

Amidst the tears and pain

Vanishing hopes are gone and flew away

Up above through twilight

Shadows cast across the floor

Reflections of the past

Trembling thoughts of one

Dwelling deep within the soul

A mystical sense of reality

Captured by the craze

All in bewilderment

Of the shock in the wave

Creatures of the dimness

Chattering amongst the green

Everything slows in stillness

What is this we see?

Tips For Cooking Pork Chops

Cooking thin vs. thick pork chops:


How to cook pork chops: Pan-frying, grilling, or broiling


Thin chops may need some protection; breading is a good way of insulating the meat and keeping the juices inside. A thick spice rub or a marinade serves a similar purpose, and also adds some flavor.


Searing, tenting, and resting meat:  


Searing is a very high-heat, fast cooking method used to brown the exterior of the meat and produce a nice crisp crust; searing adds flavor to meat and seals in the juices.


Tent meat to keep it warm while resting, but don’t let foil touch meat, as this affects crust and does not give it the room it needs to rest.


Meat needs to rest so that the juices redistribute throughout the piece of meat. If you cut into the meat immediately, you lose at least half of its juices.


Problems?


Dry Pork Chops – Briefly simmer in a little broth to re-moisten the interior.


Oil Begins Smoking – Take it off of the heat and let it cool down before adding pork chops. Make sure the chops are dry before adding them to the pan; any amount of water will make the oil spatter.


Pan Begins Burning – Transfer the chops to a new skillet, or remove them to a platter while you clean the pan. Add more oil, and then continue searing. If you have finished searing, you may finish cooking them in the oven in a new oven-safe pan or platter.


Pork Chops Curl/Cook Unevenly – Keep them flat while cooking by gently pressing down with a flat spatula. Look for chops with even thickness throughout the cut.


Seasonings to use:
Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Sage

News!!

So, I guess I never got around to finishing updates.. oops.. Lol


My brother, Josh, is stateside again!! He still has a few more weeks before he can come home (he's been home on liberty, though) to stay..  It's a huge comfort and relief to have him in the states, though!!!


Caleb's recovery is going well.. He isn't in as much pain any more.. Before, he'd be on 12 pain meds, and it would kind of dull the pain, but wouldn't do much.. Now, he'll take 1/2 of a pill and can feel the difference!! I'm so happy!!


Oh, and more good news??!?! 


I am absolutely, head-over-heels, crazy in love! :D


I've got to run, but I'll update more, later.


-Me

This Summer Is Starting Off HOT!

So.. I haven't really been writing much.. sorry!

Here's what has been happening.. First, the longest news:


My cousin and I were going to rent out one level of my Grandmother's house for the summer, down in Utah.. Until, that is, the plumber caught the house on fire.


Yep. On Fire.


The fire began in my cousin, Heidi's room.. She lost most of her things, but the firefighters, thankfully, saved her $2000-$3000 camera.. She's a photographer by trade..  My room is right next to hers, had some fire damage, but mostly water from the firefighters and soot/ash.  I didn't lose anything in the fire- I was due to move in a few days later.




Here's what we know from my aunts:




Update, May 28, 2010:


Hi to All


I want to give an update on what is going on with the house, and Mom.


Last night she went to Martha's seminary graduation program with us. I was so thankful she would go. My bishop will try to get her a key to our church building so she might be able to practice the organ in our church which is about 1/2 mile from our home.


Since the fire Monday, the wet insulation has been cleaned off the front and side yards and clothing has been taken by 1st Team to be processed for cleaning. Heidi and Mom have already received "urgent clothing laundry" back. I understand from Elaine that Heidi was very pleased and impressed with the quality and speed of the work. The refrigerator has been cleaned out (there is no power or gas in the home) and the East and West walls in the northeast bedroom (Heidi's) have had the plaster/sheetrock removed about 1/2 way down the wall. This is because of water damage.


Initial testing has come back indicating that the lead content in the walls (paint) is low enough (0.5) that the walls are not a concern for lead problems (results had to be less than 1.0) Also we have the asbestos report back...no asbestos in the plaster/lath in the ceiling, every one was very surprised with this result. This is practically unheard of in a house that was built that many years ago. The hall floor linoleum is made of 60% asbestos so some recommendations will be presented in how to deal with that. The test results make a huge difference in how they can remove things (walls, plaster, insulation etc. from the home....hazmat)


Today we contracted with DRS for the restoration work on the house. Carolyn, Elaine and I interviewed four restoration companies, checked out references, licenses, and insurance; then we discussed our evaluation with Mom. After evaluating their different approaches, guarantees and communication styles we selected DRS. They are located out of Layton and have been in business for 5 years, the owner working in the industry since 1983. We feel at peace with this choice and have confidence in their ability to do a great job.


The project will be rather involved and may take anywhere from 4-6 months according to the estimate we got today.


The "pack out" will begin Tuesday. This is where everything in the house and garage is removed and labeled--- restore, junk, and unsalvageable. A detailed record is kept and credit is given for depreciation costs. Everything is taken to the cleaning warehouse where all contents are cleaned to remove odor, and dust/soot. Then the contents are documented, boxed and labeled and stored in a trailer until the "pack in", after the restoration is complete.


Everyone that has been in the home has been amazed at the quality and care that was exhibited in building the home. The fire fighters said the ceiling was the toughest they have every had to get through,---pipes, plaster/lath and chicken wire. We received information from the insulation contractor that the roof had R64 rating in the roof...it only required R32. Dad sure wanted us to have a safe, secure and warm home.


The insulation man said that there was insulation melted to electrical wires in multiple locations throughout the attic.


An inspector and and electrical engineer will becoming on Wednesday to do a "cause and origin" investigation and present the information to all parties involved in the incident and those with a vested interested, us and the insurance company.


I keep thinking how very very blessed we have been through out this entire challenge. It could not have happened at a better time ---Day light hours, the quick response of the fire dept because they had just finished a call on a auto accident and had just returned to the fire station (most of the Kaysville fire fighters are volunteer, and we were told that a delay of 5 minutes could have resulted in a total loss of the home).


The fact that we will now have all new electrical lines throughout the house and these will be to code is truly a blessing, and the fact we learned of the rats and can have this all cleaned out and repaired. That we will be dejunking with Mom's blessing!!!! It is amazing the good that is coming out of this fire.


-Mary (My mom's sister)




Update 6-6-10


Hi to all,


Here is brief update on the condition of the home, including images and the current progress of happenings.


The cause of the fire was determined to be the actions of the handy man who was doing the repair work on the radiant heating system - probably sparking from propane torch.


They have begun to dry out the home. The east and west walls in Heidi's room, (the north east bedroom on the first floor where the breaker box is), have been taken down half way and the ceiling has been mostly removed. Large fans have been run in the room and in the attic for the past 3-5 days. Mary stated they sprayed anti mold growth substance in the attic over the bathroom ceiling. Portions of the wall in the wallk in closet in the North west bedroom have been removed, towards the top and fans have been running in that room for the past 3-5 days. (I have lost track of time and don't recall exactly when we received temporary power to the home and they were able to start up the fans.


Last Saturday, we noted that there was water damage in two of the basement bedrooms, (the north east and the north middle rooms), as well as moisture in the blue bath's ceiling and some walls. They marked the areas and then on Sunday morning removed the wet dry wall. Fans were placed in these areas on Thursday and a heater was put in the bathroom. This morning (Sunday) I noted that there is a fan that has directed air blowing into the space between the ceiling and the floor of the upstairs bathroom.


Last Saturday, Rebecca, Mary, Mom, Elaine and Carolyn all helped to clean out mom's bedroom. Mom had done a tremendous amount of work in sorting through papers and deciding what needs to be cleaned and what can be thrown out. We don't want to be using any insurance money to pay for cleaning any snickers wrappers! :) We are traking what is discarded for credit from the insurance company.


We also cancelled the contract we had made with DRS until we could do further investigation. There was a large discrepency between the estimated timeline for completion of repairs between the Phipps, who has been contracted to complete emergency repairs, and DRS. So Mary and I continued this past week to interview the companies, requested timelines, asked for additional references and proof of licensure dna insurance.


Elaine, Mom and Mary have continued to do a lot of sorting this past week, and have made a tremendous amount of progress. Elaine is taking care of mom's chickens and gathering the eggs.


I went out to mom's this morning, Sunday, and took more pictures. Please see attached. I have include images from Saturday as well as today of the attic, - they sucked aup all that would come up easy, and the rooms as they now appear. Let me know if you have any questions. We continue to feel many blessings of the Lord throughout this process.


Everyone has been so terrific! Thank you!!!!


Carolyn (My mom's sister)

So, as you may have assumed, I won't be staying there this summer.. It's going to take months before anyone can live there.

I'll be living with my sister-in-law, instead, in a city near-by.

Rants, Siblings, and Life

Ugh.  Today is definately not going how I'd like it to.


I'm stuck here with my younger brother.. We've never gotten along, and he's always known just exactly how to stab me at my most vital organs.. I mean, of course, that he wounds me with his words, finds things that can tick me off, or, more often, things that cause me the most pain.


As you may or may not know, I was born legally blind, in my left eye.  However, I can see shapes, shadows, color.. It's just I can't depict detail, can't read with it, or identify much of anything.  Basically, I can see someone or something is there, I just don't know what the heck it is.


Today, he's been really picking at that.


It's always been a sensitive subject.. I've been teased and taunted about it my whole life.  I've always felt out of place. 


It just really hurts, the things he's saying, the things he's said, and the thing is, it always happens.  When I'm around him, I always feel terrible.  I try to be on good terms with him, try my best to be friends, but it seems that whatever I do always backfires.  Like no matter how hard I try, it will never improve.


I've had surgery, to correct the alignment so that anyone just passing me won't be able to tell.. It's really helped my self-confidence. =) I guess one thing I've learned from all this is how to be sympathetic, to try and put myself in someone else's shoes.


You know, I may not have the best sight in the world, but I'm still really lucky to have any, so for that, I'm grateful.


And, not all of this has been bad.. I mean, sure, I've had tough times growing up, but doesn't everyone?  The important thing is, I'm proud of who I am.  Although having sight would be nice.. really nice.. I've learned so much by having a lack of it that I don't think I would change it.  My hearing is much better than a normal person's, which helps me with my music, because I have to rely on it sometimes.. It's vital in my life that my other senses are heightened..  I always have the risk of losing my sight completely, if I have something hit my right eye.


But, I'll still keep my ground on this.. I'm lucky to have faults so that I may learn from them.


Half of this probably doesn't make any sense, because I'm simply typing as the words come to me.  Thanks for listening/reading, though.  It's helped quite a bit.

Deployments- Care Packages

Here is a more compiled list of do's and do not's for sending care pacakages..


What NOT to send:


Pork products, pork by-products, any alcoholic beverages, narcotics, munitions, and any material contrary to Islamic religion (porn, etc)..


Oh! Chocolate, unless it’s in cookies or something, will most likely melt, due to the high temperatures there, so I would steer clear of it..


All mail has to be addressed to a specific service member.. If it’s addressed to “Any Service Member” it will be returned to you.

Make sure not to put the country or base camp’s city on the mail, because it might go through the host country’s mail system.

When you drop it off at the post office, make sure you’ve put it in an APO/FPO flat rate box, and when being charged for it, you should receive a discount, because it’s military..

Make sure to wrap your packages securely.

Liquid filled containers tend to break if they’re large, so send travel size containers, if possible, for lotion, shampoo, etc.


Any liquids or powders place in a zip-loc bag, just in case.

Things to send:

Food:

• Any kind of prepackaged snack foods
• Apple Cider Mix Packets
• Applesauce in pouches
• Beef Jerky
• Beef summer sausage
• Breakfast and granola bars
• Brownies
• Candies that travel well, like gummy bears and licorice and trail mix.
• Canned chips, Pringles, Single serve bags of chips.
• Canned soup, any canned food they love - without pork
• Cereal, single sized boxes
• Cheese crackers
• Cheese in a can
• Chex mix, individual packets
• Chips, individual packets
• Chocolate drink mixes
• Coca Cola and other soft drinks in bottles
• Coffee, Instant and Flavored coffee mixes
• Coffee creamer and sugar, each in individual packets
• Cookies
• Country time lemonade and sweetened powders
• Cracker Jacks
• Crackers- i.e. Triscuits and Ritz
• Crunch & Munch
• Cup Of Noodles
• Dried Fruit
• Easy Cheese
• Fast food condiments (Hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, Salt and pepper packets, relish, Mayo)
• Fresh breeze or other throat lozenge
• Fruit Roll Ups
• Fruit, canned for one in pull back lids
• Gatorade
• Granola Bars
• Gum
• Hard Candies
• Hot chocolate, individual serves
• Jelly, individual packs
• Juice in pouches or boxes (i.e. Capri Sun,etc)
• Kool aid, pre sweetened
• Licorice
• Life saver candy
• Lunch box size-Jolly ranchers
• Lunchables (non refrigerated)
• Mini Marshmallows (for Hot Chocolate mix, or even just the fruity ones to snack on..)
• Non-melting candy, gum, marshmallows, lollipops
• Noodle packets-instant
• Pop Tarts
• Popcorn, Microwave packs (some units have access to microwaves)
• Powdered sugared drink mixes (Gatorades, Kool-Aid, etc.)
• Pretzels
• Pringles
• Pudding
• Raisins
• Ramen Noodle soup
• Ravioli, canned with pop top/pull back lid
• Rice Krispie treats
• Salsa and corn chips
• Shoe string potato sticks in a can
• Slim Jims
• Soup, instant or canned
• Spices
• Sunflower Seeds-individual packs
• Tea- powdered lemon tea or Iced tea mix
• Tea bags
• Throat Lozenges
• Tostitos snack packs
• Trial mix
• Tuna snack kits
• Turkey breast in pouch or cans with pop top/pull back lids
• Water- bottled drinking water.

  

Toiletries and personal items:

 *Travel Size if you can*

• After shave lotion
• Antibiotic cream
• Baby powder
• Baby wipes
• Big bath towel & wash cloth (dark colors only)
• Black Kiwi cream shoe polish (paste only)
• Blister pads
• Boot powder
• Breath mints
• Bug repellent & Mosquito Coils
• Charmex (tub style)
• Clorox/antibacterial wipes- for surfaces
• Combs, brushes
• Comfort bath body towellettes (1pkg. is 2 complete body baths)
• Cot organizer
• Cotton balls
• Dental Floss
• Deodorant, sample size
• Disposable cameras
• Disposable razors
• Dr. Scholl's footpads
• Dust masks
• Emergency toothache kit
• Eye drops
• Face cleaning wet pads
• Facial tissue
• Fly swatters
• Gel insoles
• Gold Bond (for feet)
• Hand warmers (little bag type warmers)
• Hand/Body lotion (unscented)
• Ibuprofen, aspirin, cough drops,etc.
• Insect Repellent
• Lip balm with sunscreen
• Liquid antibacterial soap
• Medicated foot powder
• Mouth wash (make sure it doesn't contain alcohol)
• Nail file and clipper
• Odor eaters (for boots)
• Parachute cord or small line for laundry
• Plastic bags, trash and zip lock
• Q-tips
• Rolaids or Tums
• Saline nasal spray
• Shampoo & conditioner, sample sizes
• Shaving cream-individual use sachets are great
• Shower shoes
• Single use cold compresses
• Skin moisturizes
• Soap or body wash
• Soap, for body and clothes
• Socks
• T-shirts and undershirts-white
• Solar shower
• Sports cream or ben-gay
• Squeeze breeze
• Standard bed pillow/ case (dark colors only) you can roll pillow-to squeeze out all the air and secure with shipping tape to keep it small for shipping
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen/Sun block-even in winter areas, the sun can be harsh
• Toilet paper/tissue
• Toothpaste & toothbrush
• Vaseline skin care lotion
• Vitamins, multi, c, zinc, b-12, etc
• Wash cloth
• Waterless antibacterial hand soap
• Wet ones
• Wool/cotton blend or 100% cotton men's socks (dark solid colors)
• Zinc oxide
• Ziploc bags

Free Time Materials:

• Air mattress
• Balloons
• Bandannas
• Banners
• Baseball caps
• Batteries (like AA, AAA, etc)
• Battery powered fan for cot
• Birthday decorations
• Board games (chess, checkers, Monopoly, etc.)
• Books
• Crossword Books
• Dartboards
• Disposable camera – include a padded mailer with the appropriate postage so that they can mail it back to you for developing
• Electronics hand held games
• Envelopes
• Film
• Flashlight w/red lenses
• Frisbees
• Hackie sacks
• Joke books
• Journals
• Jump ropes
• Key chains games and puzzles
• Magazines (wrestling, boxing, fitness magazines, sports magazines, comic books, Mad, Field & Stream, Guns & Ammo, Outdoor Life)
• Mini hand held fans
• Mini or full size foam footballs and basketballs-- If you deflate these, they'll be easier to package; Make sure to include a pump & needle for it, though..
• Movies
• Newspapers
• Notepads
• Paper
• Pens
• Pencils (Mechanical)
• Phone cards
• Playing Cards
• Pocketknife
• Portable CD players
• Post cards from your home state
• Puzzles
• Radio headsets
• Sidewalk chalk
• Silly putty
• Single sheet sets
• Slinky
• Small Photo Albums
• Stamps
• Stress ball.
• Travel Board Games
• Trivia Books
• Walkman radio
• Word puzzle books
• Yo Yo's

That's it for now,


-Jeanne.

The Weddings

Just remembered that I promised photos of the weddings..

Well, here they are!

The family- Dad, Sharon, Ewerthon, his Mom, Dad, and Grandmother (I don't know their names..)

The first ceremony

After the second wedding

The happy couple :)

The Cake- Sharon made & decorated it herself..

She also did the flowers and decorations

A Few Words Can Make All The Difference

So, you know how I mentioned only recieving news from Josh via phone calls?  Well, yesterday, I got my first email from him..  It was only a few words, but still had me in tears.


I know I've really taken our time together for granted, growing up, but I've been trying to make every moment count.  Over the course of these deployments, the memories really help you, and while I have many, I still feel as though I don't have enough.. I intend to change that once he's home, though.


I'll be able to rest easy once he's home, which scuttlebutt says should be soon enough. 


That's it for now!


-Jeanne.

Whenever I start feeling sad because I miss you, I remind myself how lucky I am to have someone so special to miss.

River Run

So, for about the last 2 weeks, I've been in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming on my way to, from, and during the Lauglin River Run for 2010.  It was a 35 hour round-trip (from home to Golden Valley and back).

The River Run is like a huge get-together of sorts for bikers to come ride.. If I recall correctly, it's about 118 miles, from Oatman, Arizona to Laughlin, Nevada.

(Along side the Casino.. The boats providing transportation)

One of the parking lots.. It was hell trying to get back out.

It was hotter than hell in Arizona and now I'm back in Wyoming freezing to death. 

In other news,

My sister, Sharon, was married on April 17th!! I wish I could have been in Brazil for her wedding, but photos are the next best thing.. I'll get some as soon as I can. (They aren't loading)

MY MARINES ARE HOME!! They came home about 2 weeks ago, and are thankful to be home. :)  I'm so excited to have them back and we are keeping in contact.

I've also adopted 5 more Marines, and have begun to write.

If you guys know of anyone that would like to be written to while deployed (though they don't necessarily have to be in the Marines), let me know!

Thanks,

Jeanne.

It Just Takes a Little Thyme

So, who loves to cook?

I do!

Tonight, for dinner I'm making Spegghetti.  Simple enough, and delicious! :D

Here's some cooking tips:

Cook your noodles al dente, and if you over-cook them, drain the water, and then fill the pot of noodles with cold water and ice.  It may sound strange, but as long as your noodles remain warm/hot they will continue to cook, and cooling them down will stop that process.

Sauce.

I always make my own sauce.  An easy way to make this is to simply buy small cans of tomato sauce, and add your spices and herbs.. Whenever possible, use fresh ingredients.  To season a basic Italian red sauce, I use Marjoram, Rosemary, Sage, Garlic, Onion, Salt, Pepper, Parsley, Oregano and Thyme.  Oregano and Thyme are the most important seasonings- Oregano gives it good flavor, but be careful, because this is a strong herb; I use Oregano leaves.  Thyme gives it the classic Italian flavor; Try to use ground Thyme.

Meat.

If you're using beef in your sauce, you can do this a few different ways.  First, you can simply use ground beef seasonings, and brown it slightly before adding it to your sauce.  Or, you can make meatballs.  Either way is pretty simple, but it's important to remember to add seasonings & salt.  Salt is key, because you need to add enough so the flavors will soak in, but if you add too much, it will ruin the dish.  Test the sauce while cooking, until you can figure out a recipe that you like.  Honestly, I don't really write down how much I use.. I'm used to making it, and I can determine how much I need pretty easily by sight..

*I always add my seasonings to the meat, initially, to let it absorb the flavor, and then I add this to the sauce (drain the grease beforehand, of course).  After I've added the meat, I add more spices & herbs to the sauce, and let this warm over medium heat.

Serving.

Serve hot/warm (obviously) and I generally serve this with a side salad and french or garlic bread.  As always, I prefer to make my own.  Salads are pretty easy to figure out, so I'll give you a few tips for home-made bread.  When you're allowing bread to rise, make sure you've lightly greased the top of the dough, so as not to allow it to dry out (Olive oil works well for this), before setting a cloth over the top of the bowl.  It's best to keep the mixing bowl warm.  You can do this by setting it on top of your stove, while the oven is preheating... It will keep it warm, but not too hot.  Store unused loaves in a freezer bag (so it doesn't get freezer burn or lose its moisture), in your freezer, if you don't anticipate using them any time soon.

That's it for now.. 

-Jeanne.

Weekend

My weekend went pretty well.

For Easter, Melissa and I were using paints and dyes to decorate eggs and cards, although I'm pretty sure we ended up with more on us than the actual projects.. haha.

Not much has been going on.. Snow, Snow, and, you guessed it, More Snow!  Don't get me wrong, I love snow, but, honestly!  It's supposed to be Spring!

Well, I guess I should have expected as much- in Wyoming, we like to say we have 2 seasons: Winter and Construction.

For now, I have to focus alot on my schooling.. I need to get far ahead of my classes, because I'll be out of town for about 2 weeks, in Arizona, for the River Run. (Although I'm sure I'll go through shock adjusting to the warm weather, and then attempting to adapt to the cold again.. lol)  I don't want to have to make it up later.

For really good news, some of my Marines will be home soon!  (Obviously I can't say when, due to OPSEC)

That's it for now..

-Jeanne.

Winter Wonderland?

Ugh.  The weather enjoys taunting us, here in Wyoming.  We've had good weather for about a week, before it started snowing.  I swear this is a repeating cycle, but I'm always hoping that the sun will stay out a little longer.. Right now?  Right now there's a blizzard outside & I could hardly see where I was going last night, with the snowflakes whipping around in the wind.  Is the weather teasing you guys?

So much for helping Dotty out today..

I'm a volleyball player, and my sister-in-law needs help learning to do an over-hand serve correctly for one of her classes.. We had been planning on practicing out in my backyard, because the weather was nice.  Keyword: Was.

Actually, in all honesty, I would be surprised if she still came to town today..  I'm sure the roads are closed, although it's only 0600 right now. 

We'll see how things all work out.

No school or work today..  What am I going to do with myself?!?!  I'm going to have WAY too much time on my hands...

I ended up going with Ham Fried Rice, and I didn't burn down the house, so it went pretty well.

I'm not even kidding.. I've caught my stove on fire before (accident.. all 3 times.. I swear!)..  Yes, I'm very talented.. But, at least I've had lots of experience putting out oil fires, right?

Soup's Up!

I love cooking!


Tonight, I'm going to try my hand at Chinese.. But I can't decide what to do!


Stir Fry or Fried Rice??


Hmm.. When I make up my mind, I'll let you guys know how it turned out..


-Jeanne.


P.S. Does anyone have any good recipes.. For anything? I want to try something new..

On Deployments

Deployments.

How many of you have experienced these?

I'm on my second deployment- Josh has been deployed again. He and Caleb were deployed last fall, but Caleb returned home, wounded.

They are always deployed together.

As I'm sure you can assume, the photos are of my brothers. The first one, is Josh, shortly after they returned from Fallujah in 2008.

The second, is Caleb, with his wife (Taken Early 2010). This was taken the first time they saw each other, after he was WIA (Fall 2009).

So, for those of you that have yet to experience, or on your first deployment, here is some advice:

Keep as busy as you can. Try not to leave yourself much time without having something to do.. If you don't have anything to do, then you tend to think of them alot (not that you don't do that already) and it's harder. I do anything I can.. Cook, clean, work, school, and, now, blogging..

I try to write everyday, let them know what is going on, talk to him about my problems, send photos, tell him things he doesn't know about me- my hopes, goals, etc, and recall old memories. Although I've never recieved a reply from him, it helps, just to talk about it.. Kind of like blogging, in a way, come to think of it.

Another tip? Use http://www.motomail.us/ to send letters, that are usually sent within 24 hours to your Marine. You can send photos through this site, too, although the limit is one photo per letter.. So just write alot!! :) 

I also send carepackages.. You can put pretty much anything in here.


Some popular requests are:


- Seasonings, for the MRE's, such as Lemon Pepper, and Season-All Salt.
- Games: Card, Board, Video, etc..
- Magazines: Sports, cars, etc.. Whatever he likes to read..
- Cake-in-a-Jar.. This is actually my first time trying this, but I'm hoping it will turn out alright.. I think it will be there in about a week.
- Notepads and pencils/pens
- DVD's
- Candies and snacks..
- Oreo's
- Cookies and crackers
- Instant soup (comes in packets, and you add it to hot water.  You can usually find this in Lipton and   Campbells.. Usually Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Powdered drink mixes, for water bottles and canteens
- Photos
- Boot socks and gloves.. If possible, get his sizes before he leaves.. You can find things he needs at the local  PX or a Military Surplus store.
- Letters and cards
- Etc.


Nights are Never easy. You'll be lonely, and scared for them... Even more so than you are during the day. You may have terrifying dreams- dreams that they are attacked, injured, or, even worse, killed. I know I've had these dreams before. I don't sleep much.. Yeah, I know this is bad for me, but it's difficult to sleep. Something that DOES help, however, is just having pillows lying next to you, it's a comfort, of sorts.. And, your phone right next to you, in case he calls. :D This deployment, I've only recieved phone calls- he doesn't have internet access, so no E-mails, but having E-mail on your phone, or sending alerts via text message, will let you know if anyone has written.. It helps, because if you wake up to this, you may be able to have time talking to your Marine, as opposed to finding out the next day that you missed them. I would gladly give up the little sleep I get, inorder to talk to him & the Marines that I have adopted... 


If you're interested in adopting a Marine, or any service member, for that matter, then visit this website: http://www.ryanrust.com/ I'm really glad I found it & it's a great program.. Check it out!! :)


It never gets easier.. You just get stronger.


I listen to music that he likes; I try and read up as much as I can about what's going on. I've made dozens of friends through Facebook- It's funny, how you meet so many others, and become friends in hope that they may understand what you're going through & be of some help to talk to..


I also have joined dozens of groups and fanpages in the hopes that I'll get some news on them.. Sometimes, I do get information that I would not have had otherwise..


I have a love/hate relation with OPSEC: I love that it's keeping them safe, but I hate not knowing what's going on..


Well, even the little bits of news I get help alot. I think I'd rather be informed, than ignorant to their situations.


That's it for now..


-Jeanne.

Meet the Family

So, out of sheer boredom, I'm going to start introducing you to my family.


My parents are still, 'together,' so to speak.

Dad:
My dad is a Marine; He served as an Aviation Ordnance-Man.  He worked on F-4's.. Phantoms.
I didn't see much of my father growing up- He was always on the road for work.
Right now, though, I see my dad nearly everyday. Dad is now working as an accounting manager. He, for some odd reason, actually seems to enjoy math.. I can assure you that he didn't pass that trait on to me...
I've always wanted my dad to be proud of me, but it seems I've always fallen a little short of that mark.

Mom:

My mom is a home-maker, though she worked alot while I was growing up. She is the mother of 7 children. We don't really get along; We're polar opposites... I guess it's so difficult for me to be around her, because she's never hidden that she didn't want me.. I wouldn't be here except for my dad's intervention after I was born..


Josh:
My big brother, my best friend. Josh enlisted in the United States Marine Corps upon graduating from High school. Josh has been in for 8 years and is now a Sergeant. Josh was kind of my dad, growing up. He taught me so much, and always looked out for me (and still does) even when I thought I didn't need his help. He is dedicated, loyal, and brave. He is currently deployed, and I can't wait until his homecoming. I miss him so much, and worry about him all the time.
Josh has always been the one person that would encourage me to keep trying & pursuing my goals, while everyone else seemed to be shouting, "Give up!"

Sharon:
Sharon was a mother-figure in my life. She is caring, and loves freely. She has taught me so much.  My siblings really raised me, for the most part.. I guess that's why I grew up fast.. I needed to be able to fend for myself, not rely on others..

Ewerthon:
Sharon's fiance. They live in the same city- Sao Paulo, Brasil. His name is pronounced like Everton in English. Ewerthon is Brasilian, and is an amazing guy. He's really sweet, and I'm glad my sister has him. He teaches English, thankfully, because although I'm learning, my Portuguese is still pretty pathetic.. Ewerthon is going to be an amazing dad one day. He's really caring, and understanding. 

Caleb:
My fun-loving, movie-quoting brother. Caleb is also a Marine and drives LAV's. Caleb is married to a girl named Dorothy. Caleb is very creative, and inventive. Caleb is very talented. He is an amazing artist, and does well at whatever he tries. He likes to work on his white Datsun 280z and likes to ride his motorcycle. I want him to teach me how to ride it, as well, but I'll wait until he's recovered to bring it up... My poor brother is still in the hospital.. His LAV ran over an IED, and it messed up his back pretty badly. It kills me to see him in so much pain, but at the same time, I'm really just so grateful that he is alive.  Caleb is really strong for his wife (and stubborn!) and tries not to show his pain, but I can hear it in his voice, see it in his eyes..

Dorothy:
Caleb's wife. Dorothy and Caleb were married on April 11th, 2009, shortly before he left for pre-deployment training. Dorothy is a swimmer, and likes to run & play football with her husband and brothers.

Rosella:
Rosella, Lani, La, or Leilani, is one of my best friends. She and I plan on moving back to the island in about 2 years. We plan on living in Honolulu. Rosella is prone to car accidents- she's the one that is usually hit, though. She works as a front-ends manager at a local store, Alco. Rosella is named after my father's mother, Rosella Hardy Simnitt. Rosella acts like my Grandmother, but looks like my Aunt Beverley. I, on the other hand, look like my Grandmother Rosella, and act like my Aunt Beverley (My dad's sister).

Me:
I'm named after my dad's big sister (my father is the baby of his family and he and my aunt are the only ones left in their immeadiate family..) exactly: Beverley Jean Simnitt. I tend to go by Jean or Jeanne, though..
I love the outdoors & hate shopping for long periods of time. I dislike pink, while all my sisters & sister-in-law love it. My favorite colors are blue and green. I like the outdoors, volleyball, and running. A little dirt/grease/sweat doesn't scare me. I want to learn to surf, snowboard, and ride a motorcycle. I would like to go sky-diving and off-roading one day. I'm an artist- I love sketching and photography. I also love music!
My fault is probably that I'm really independant.. I'm stubborn & I don't like asking for help.
 (This photo is my Aunt Beverley Jean Simnitt holding a baby Beverley Jean Simnitt.. And you wonder why I go by Jeanne..)

Samuel:
My younger brother, he loves learning German and hopes to visit the country one day. He likes to sketch, specifically, dragons. He also lives to drive me insane. We don't get along & he does anything he can to get on my nerves.  (The date stamp is inaccurate, by the way..  Samuel is posing on on the left, next to Josh)

Melissa:
My music-loving baby sister. Melissa Darlene is four years old, and the baby of the family. Missy loves to pose for the camera and likes to dance. She loves to draw and play the piano. She likes to sit on my lap when I play, and set her hands on top of mine. She has recently told me, though, that she's not a baby any more, she's a, "Four-year-old girl." It's sad to see her growing up so fast. Do you ever have that feeling, when you think, "I can grow up, but YOU can't!" I get this feeling alot around Melissa. But, last night, was amazing. I was feeling kind of lonely & sad, but was happy/shocked to wake up to Melissa crawling into bed next to me. She usually will sleep next to Rosella, if she doesn't sleep in her own bed. It really touched me, and having her cuddle up next to me absolutely made my day. :)


That's if for the family!


-Jeanne.