Secrets, KT and Japan

Okay, I've got something I've been sitting on for a while, a secret of sorts.  My husband has been in Japan for veritably almost the whole month of February.  I didn't share this online here, and he was even forbidden from posting on Facebook...posts and pictures from Japan.  Let's face it, sometimes the online world isn't safe, and posting that I'm home alone for a month with my cute 16 year old daughter would just be downright stupid.  But, I am happy to say,  KT has returned, or he will later today. 

I have had a taste of single parenthood and truth be told...I DON'T LIKE IT.  No thank you!  A week here or there for a business trip...fine but the 20 days?  Heck no!  AND, he was able to come home a day early which in and of itself feels like a tremendous blessing.  But let's look at the month of February in review, shall we, and see what he has missed:

Valentine's Day
Shopping for Groomsmen clothes
Sampling the banquet menu for the after wedding luncheon
New Beginnings for Ladybug at Church
The funeral of a friend's son
Ladybug's first HS Dance (she looked lovely, by the way)

I'll be sure to blog on a few of these, for KT, yeah buddy, you missed some stuff, and we missed you! 

What do you think of business trips and travel and long separations? 

Sucky?

From my neck of the woods

Happy Valentine's Day from my neck of the woods...

to yours...

May this day just be a sampling of a loving life all year long.

How well does he know me?

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I'm participating in a Valentine's link up today entitled "How well does your spouse know you?" The list of questions is below.  My answers are in pink and KT's answers are in blue.

How long have you been married? 
Almost 23 Years
23 years


Where was your first date?  
McDonalds
McDonalds in Laie, Hawaii


Where was your first kiss? 
I can't remember
Bill Labigan's Car on a double date (He gets huge points for remembering this AND the one below)


Who first said, "I love you"? 
I can't remember that either.
Me


What were your wedding colors? 
Peach and White
Peach and white (WOW!)

What is her most commonly used phrase? 
It's all good
I know right…


Who is her celebrity crush? 
Gerard Butler
Matthew McConaughey (Yes, I do like Matthew, too.  Can I like both?)


If she was ordering drinks for both of you what would you each get? 
We would each get Coke Zero
Diet Mt. Dew and Diet Cherry Coke (While this is exactly true, I would have said this, too, but I thought it meant in a restaurant.  Diet Mt Dew or Diet Cherry Coke aren't usually carried in a restaurant.)


What is the best meal she has ever cooked you? 
Homemade Pizza
Southwestern Chicken (Both delicious)


What is the worst meal she has ever cooked you?
Probably Chili, KT hates Chili.  
Some kind of soup. (Hmmm Which does he hate more?)

 
What is the most-played song on her iPod? 
Since I listen mostly on the treadmill lately, I'd have to say anything Black Eyed Peas
Trouble by Taylor Swift (Oooo, good song!)


What would she say is your most annoying habit? 
Playing on his Ipad all the time.  He always has to be fiddling with electronics.
Picking ingrown hairs. (Yes!  Gross!) 
What is the last thing she does before she goes to bed? 
Washes my face
Asks me to play with her hair (True!  Yes, I do ask that, it is so relaxing).


If you could throw out one item of her clothing what would it be? 
My Air Force sweatshirt 
Black man socks!!!! (In my defense, these are my boot socks...)


What would you say is your favorite thing about her? 
He THINKS I am a good mom
She is beautiful inside and out. (Awww...Isn't he sweet?  Most of the time...)


What's her go-to drink at Starbucks? 
Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate


What's her blog's name?! 
That's What She Said...
That’s What She Said

Embracing V-Day

In years past, I haven't thought much of Valentine's Day.  It's commercialized, and I feel like I've said this before, but KT says "Every day is like Valentine's Day when you live with him."  He has a mighty big ego, but that's probably what drew me to him...all that magnetism.  Last month, in my January Funk, I decided to Embrace Valentine's Day.  I have absolutely no decorations for this holiday, but I ignited my craftier side that lays dormant more often than not.  This is what I have been doing to make my home more cheery, and LOVEly.

I downloaded this printable and strung it on jute across my fireplace.  I wish I could reference where I got it, but I can't find it in my feed anywhere.  I usually like to give credit where credit is due, so if you know who created and posted this printable, please let me know.

I downloaded this cute printable from Simple as That, and decided to make a heart bouquet.  I had everything to do it, cost was $0

Then I decided to make some Valentine slip covers for a couple of throw pillows.  I already had the pillow forms so the fabric at 40% off was my only cost.  I found the directions for a novice seamstress here.

Be assured that I will not be decorating for St. Patrick's Day.  I find little leprechauns to be quite creepy.

January Funk

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Sometimes January just feels downright oppressive.  It is dark and cold and I don't exercise like I should and sometimes I just feel trapped.  The darkness of the short days in January weigh heavy on me, like a burden on my back.  I don't understand it.  It is just as dark in December, but we have such wonderful things to which we look forward.

January is just January.  

I try to find the beauty of January, the snow covered ground, icicles, frosty tree branches, but the underlying factors or overlying factors are all still there.  I express gratitude for those beauties, but I still just feel sad.  My husband comes home from work and asks me why I am angry.  But, then I feel angry because after almost 24 years of marriage you would think he could read me and see that I'm not angry but sad.  He wants to know what he can do to fix it.  But is there anything one can do about January?

I am in a funk.  January is funky.

I am so looking forward to February.  Not that there is anything special about February for me.  We really have never celebrated Valentine's Day.  February is still dark and cold, but it is one month closer to Spring...one month closer to warmer days and more sunshine.  I have been trying to decorate for Valentine's Day despite the fact that I haven't in the past.  It is giving me something to anticipate.  Maybe it is time to change up our anti-Valentine's Day traditions.  Love and hearts and pinks and reds make me happy.  (so does chocolate)

Anti - Valentine's Day

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This is the post where I go all Loco about Valentine's Day. It's a nice holiday and all, but its not for me. It's mostly commercial, and as my dear husband has pointed out before, "Every day is like Valentine's Day when you live with him." That used to bug the crap out of me, but you know I totally get it. If we can't be nice and do kind things for each other 364 days out of the year, then that one day, Valentine's Day, isn't really going to make any difference even if Hallmark tells us to... I'm not completely anti, I do buy my kids a treat and a card.

Once upon a time, I was fairly romantic. Yes, it's true. Crazy, right? I used to be creative about dates, and would write love notes and poems. After I got married, I wanted to carry on the same type of creative romantic traditions. After we were married a month, I cooked a romantic candlelit dinner. You know to celebrate one month. I was excited, this was special. But my dear husband didn't get it...He said, "Are you going to do this EVERY month we are married?" He was young (23) and immature, but it was then that I realized he didn't really care about all the extra fluff. All that effort I went through was not appreciated in the way I had hoped. After getting over the hurt, I realized it was not his love language, and over the years, it is no longer my love language either.

KT asked me the other day what I wanted for Valentine's Day, I guess he is trying to go all romantic on me after all these years, but I told him, if you have to ask, then don't bother. My love languages, are service, time and touch. I think he has a lot more work cut out for him than buying me a simple gift...

And if you want to read a Valentine's Facebook exchange between KT and I last year, you can read it here...Because what spells romance more than Facebook?

 

I Must Have Done Something Right

In all my scroogie-ness over Valentine's Day, I must have done something right. 

This was delivered to me yesterday from TJ the Military Man.

Thanks T!

On another note,
here's a Valentine's facebook exchange
between myself and KT

KT Status:  Happy made up bogus greeting card and candy maker holiday!!!
Me:  You are such a delightful man to be married to...
Random person:  lolol xD
Me:  "Every day is like Valentine's Day when your married to me..." spoken by a true cheapskate ;)
Me:  I'm just kidding, really. I loved the movie you got me, big KT. 
(He's really not that bad, Random person's name here, don't let him fool you)   
Random person:  Oh, I know. I just find this freakin hilarious. haha 

Valentine's According to KT...

Picture Source

When I married KT, he made it no secret that he hates Valentines Day. He says that people shouldn't need a commercial holiday to tell them when to celebrate their love. He made it VERY clear that we would not be celebrating THAT holiday as a matter of principle. Besides, he said and reminds me yearly, "Everyday is like Valentine's Day when you are married to me..." 

Oh REALLY?

On a side note, he has gone back on his No Valentine Commitment.  Last year he bought me tickets to the Rascal Flatt's concert and sometimes he gets me a chick flick and chocolate.  I'm now the one that says "Hey baby, I didn't get you anything because every day is like Valentine's Day when you live with me..."  

Kicking back and awaiting my Valentine's Magic...

I have been married to a man who does not LOVE valentines day. He says, "Every day is like Valentines Day when you live with me." See what I have to put up with? Needless to say, we've never made a huge deal. But this year he blew me away! Two tickets to Rascal Flatts on February 25th...(It's not even his kind of music, oh the sacrifices he makes).

Who needs to win them when I receive them as a gift. The surprise of the thoughtfulness is by far more gratifying than winning the tickets, though it would have been WAY cheaper. Now this necessitated some new boots, of course...(I have a fettish for boots).