Doing Better and Song of the Week

I mentioned a couple days ago that I had a really bad week last week.

So...I ended up missing the song of the week. This makes me sad. But they only songs I could think of were pretty depressing and annoying so I didn't want to subject you all to that.

This week is going much better! Although I'm being pretty lazy today. LOL! It's 1:30pm and I still haven't showered. That's next though. Stinky!

Anyway. When I start to feel overwhelmed and anxious, I tend to put one song on repeat. This song helps me start to feel better and realize that I need to get it together and keep on trucking.

There were times during The Hubble's last deployment that I thought I was going to fall apart...and this song helped save me. I don't know why...it just does.

I hope that maybe it can help someone else in their chaotic moments. I listened to this song several times last week.

Here it is. And don't forget to jump over to Goodnight Moon and link up!!

A Bad Week & Little Butt's 1st Visit to the Dentist

If you hadn't noticed...it's been a bit quiet around here for the past week or so.

Sometimes in life, I just want to throw my hands up in the air and give up.

In fact, last week I did decide to give up.

I figured I had tried the whole "being an adult" thing and it wasn't working out for me so I was going to revert back to childhood.

It was a difficult and stressful week. I just wanted the world to turn off.

Instead of bombarding you guys with a bunch of  ho-hum, doom and gloom I just stayed away. I figured it was best for everyone.

But this week is going much better so I'm back.

Little Butt went to the dentist for the first time yesterday. She did so good!!

I'm so proud of her.

She was nice and listened. She opened wide when they asked her to. She has 20 teeth (they counted them). She also has no cavities and very healthy gums.

The lady who cleaned her teeth was awesome! She made it a really fun experience for Little Butt.

I'm totally jealous though because they have chocolate flavored toothpaste for kids. Why can't they have that for adults???

Little Butt even let them take pictures of her teeth. They went to do the x-ray of her teeth and Little Butt let them take the front pictures. Not the back though they weren't expecting her to let them.

She did so good that she got a balloon, a sticker and was allowed to pick a toy from the treasure box.

The only bad thing was that Little Butt cried when we had to leave.

I mean, what kid does that??? What kid cries when they have to LEAVE the dentist??

My kid I guess.

Anyway. Thanks for hanging in there with me! I know I was quiet all week, but hey, we all have our bad days/weeks don't we??

Sleep to Dream and Song of the Week

Sleep...

Sleep, sleep, sleep...

Okay, I have officially thought, typed and said that word way too many times. Now it's weird! (Surely I'm not the only one who does that???)

My least favorite thing about The Hubble being gone is nighttime.

It seems that all my paranoid delusions come creeping into my mind and I just can't fall asleep. Or...I just don't want to.

I've never been too keen on sleep. I kind of think it's a waste of time. There is so much else I could be doing!

But! When The Hubble is here, I go to bed with him. And we sleep.

There's a Gwen Stefani song where one of the lyrics is "You give me the most gorgeous sleep that I've ever had." Whenever I hear that song/line, I think of The Hubble. I just don't sleep when he's not here.

I want to like sleep. I would love to be one of those people who nap. I just can't do it.

Sometimes I get frustrated. I used to get so mad that I would watch the time tick by and I would start crying in frustration and even punch my pillow.

Now, I just accept that I'm not one of those people who sleep.

And yes, it's worse when The Hubble is gone.

So...with all that being said...I thought a lullaby would be the perfect thing to share for my song of the week.

And if you are wondering, Little Butt and The Hubble sleep like no one I've ever seen! They are asleep within seconds of theirs heads hitting the pillow and waking them up is beyond difficult. They are super heavy sleepers. And they love their sleep. It's already 9:30am and Little Butt is STILL sleeping. But I know better than to poke the bear. She'll wake up when she's ready.

Okay! On to the lullaby!

As always, if you would like to play along, head over to Goodnight Moon and link up your song for the week!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Okay everyone! As you will remember...my blogiversary was on the 4th.

I partnered up with Inspiri Body (It's a Dog Tag Wife Life) for THIS GIVEAWAY.

I hope you entered because it's now time to reveal the winner!

Drum roll please....

The winner is....

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:19Powered by RANDOM.ORG

(PS. I don't know why this is still saying Max 100. The Max I entered was 28)

Kendra!!!!

Thanks to everyone who entered in my giveaway and for all the sweet blogiversary wishes. 

Show Your Support with Gillette

Working in retail for so long...I've had my fair share of complaints. I mean...I was the manager on duty most of the times I worked so all the shiz talking came to me right??

Unfortunately, people in service positions don't hear a lot of positive feedback. People are more likely to complain before they will give a compliment. Actually, customers RARELY seek out managers for jobs well done.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've been known to do my fair share of complaining...but when someone does something great, I feel the need to share!

Being a military spouse is hard. We all know that. And being a soldier is harder. We all know that! In my travels with The Hubble we have often been stopped so someone could shake The Hubble's hand and thank him for his service. His response is always "Thank you for the support."

When we were moving from El Paso, Texas to Middle of Nowhere, Missouri we stopped in Lawton, Oklahoma and ate at a Cracker Barrel. When we were done with our meal, we found out some random customer paid for the 5 of us in our party because they found out about The Hubble being a soldier.

Unfortunately, I don't often get that warm and fuzzy feeling from many companies. There are some stand outs.

Did you know that when driving through Houston, Texas a military ID will get you free passage through the toll roads? Awesome right??

Image Source

The USO is one of those military supporters. They have places for our soldiers to sleep when they are stranded in airports. They send entertainment overseas to our troops in Theater. They are just great.

But this is not a post about the USO. No...this is about Gillette. Yes, you read me right. Gillette. The razor people.

I was recently contacted about a standout thing Gillette is doing for our soldiers. 


Here's the deal. Gillette is trying to raise and donate up to $100,000 to the USO (you know...that place that helps our soldier's morale so much). To raise this money, Gillette needs our help!


But how you ask??


It's easy! All you have to do is jump over to Gillette's Facebook page and "like" them.  


Once you "like" them, you post a picture, video or "story" about a soldier in your life to their Facebook page.


For every story or picture of a soldier, Gillette will donate $1 to the USO.


The story can be as simple as "We are so proud of you and can't wait for you to come home." 


Pretty much anything goes as long as you are showing your pride in a US Soldier. 


I wish I could tell you how much Gillette has raised so far but they don't have a running total. No matter. The page is FULL of messages of appreciation!


Now don't waste your time. Get over there and show your support for our soldier and the USO. This opportunity is only running through July 4th. 

I look forward to seeing your message there!

Menu Planning Monday Week 4 {Scentsy Party Edition}

Hello, hello!!

I'm back from a fun but crazy busy weekend!!

AND! I survived!!! Woohoo!

My back and my house are a little worse for wear, but nothing that time won't fix. Unfortunately, both of these issues need their own kind of attention...and they are definitely at opposite ends of the spectrum. What can you do??

So...since it's Monday I figured I would share the menu that I put together for my mom's Scentsy party.

Let me start by saying that this party (and the food) were a big hit! People couldn't stop exclaiming about how good the food was. And the Scentsy consultant even told me should was going to hire me for her large events in the future. I can get behind that big time! LOL!

Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from the party. I know, I know...what a slacker!

I was just so busy leading up to the party that the moment it was all laid out, all I wanted to do was sit and breathe. Honestly, I didn't even want to eat by that point. Just sit.

That being said, you are going to get some old pictures of my stuff and some links to the other recipes I used.

I served:

Gangsta Burger Sliders

Santa Fe Corn and Black Bean Salsa (served in chip cups)

Shrimp Appetizer Delight

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

The following recipes I just kind of make...so if you are interested in the recipe/how to, let me know:

Limoncello Peaches

Strawberry Shortcake Kebabs

Sangria

Punch

And my dear friend Monica brought these:

Almond Jam Bars

We did have a blast at the party. We played bingo and several prizes were passed around. Somehow, I ended up signing up to do a book party next month. I hear next month's warmer is so cute that I couldn't pass up the need to have it. So...if anyone wants some Scentsy next month, let me know!

As always, if you are interested, go ahead and link up a recipe to share with us. (This is the fourth week this is running. If no one participates in the next couple of weeks, I'll stop doing this.)

Book Review: Peeps by Scott Westerfeld

I know you are expecting a book review here for this book:

However. If you want to read my review, you have to jump over to:

The lovely Kaitlin and Jenny allowed me to guest post my review on their new book review site. So go check out MY REVIEW and then jump around and see what they have going on over there. 

Happy Reading!!!

Busy, busy, busy

Don't forget to enter my giveaway HERE if you haven't already!

So my mother is having a Scentsy party tomorrow.

If you don't know what Scentsy is, it's basically a wickless candle. You have your wax that smells great, then you get your holder with a crazy intense light bulb in it. Plug it in and you are good to go.

I think the one above (June's monthly warmer) is super cute and I want it but don't know that I'd use it.

Anyway. The reason I'm writing about this is because I have somehow become in charge of this party.

My Little Sister helped me plan the menu and My Niece helped me go get groceries and pick out platters and such.

I have so much to do and I'm sitting on the computer. What is wrong with me????

Anyway. So that's my life. The last couple days have been crazy busy and these next couple days are going to be equally busy.

I'm catering this party and need to go get cooking. I figure I'll make the cheesecake dessert and start the prep work for the party today. Oh...and of course, the sangria MUST be made today.

Good thing I have a great meal in the crockpot for dinner. At least that's taken care of.

Wish me luck!!

Daddy Box and Song of the Week

Don't forget to enter my giveaway HERE if you haven't already!



A few months ago, I saw this idea for a deployment box on Household6 Diva's page.

I loved the idea so much that I knew I wanted to do this with Little Butt and The Hubble before he took off.

See...this box is basically a blank craft box (the huge one Little Butt picked out was like $4). The kiddos and parents decorate the box and talk about the soldier's impending absence from the family.

Throughout the absence, the soldier sends things home to the kiddo and the kiddo puts these things in the deployment box. So whenever kiddo misses soldier, they can go to their box and look through the things that have connected them through the absence.

Cool huh?? So we had to do it of course!

We started with the box. We first got Little Butt excited about the whole experience by letting her pick out the box and the stickers that would go on it. I picked the letters and "wrote" the I Love Daddy on the front of the box.

The Hubble tried to explain the first item that was going into the box. He had printed a map and was showing her where he was going to be compared to where she is. However, Little Butt was very distracted by the lovely, blank box sitting in front of her so she didn't really want to listen.

So we started decorating! We made dots with different paint colors and attached her stickers. She chose where everything went and we just helped a little bit.

She was so proud when it was done!

Look at that sticker detail! And you KNOW this kid chose the dinosaur stickers. LOL!

Look at all that detail. Isn't her box so pretty???

In honor of daddy and daughter, my song this week is their favorite song together right now. This was a big family favorite before The Hubble left but it has definitely turned into their song. They sing it on the phone together. They are just too cute.

Enjoy!!!

If you want to link up and join the dance party, just head over to Goodnight Moon and start grooving

Happy Birthday & A Giveaway!

Guess what!!!

It's my birthday!!!

Well...not my birthday.

No...it's My Camo Colored Life's Birthday...or...it WAS anyway.

This past Saturday, June 4th, was my 1 year blogiversary. Hooray!!

It's crazy to me that I've been blogging here for a year already.

My how time flies. 

I remember sitting in a new state, in a new house, with no friends and nothing to do. I wanted to feel connected to someone, anyone. I found the milspouse blogging community and decided that this was where I could connect with others. And connect, I have! I've made some awesome friends here!

My very first post on this blog (besides uploading some of my old book reviews) was Memorial Day 2010. I had just met a couple ladies that were in The Hubble's career class and wasn't sure if friendships would bloom. They did! 

I also won my first bloggy award, I wrote about certain family members that almost caused The Hubble and I to divorce, Little Butt went to her first day of daycare ever, I joined a blogging challenge and struggled to find...then accepted my niche, I expressed my love for my husband and opened my heart about my sadness and fears when I was pregnant with Little Butt and afterward. 

Through all of this, you have been here for me. You have left me comments. You have supported me.

You have been the one I could lean on and turn to when I felt I didn't have anyone else. 

And for all of that...I am thankful. 

Thank you for being so amazing and giving me that connection I was so longing for...I found it in you. :-D

And because I love you so much. Because we've been through a lot already and will continue to go through more together...I'm doing a couple giveaways!

The one for today is sponsored by J over at It's a Dog Tag Wife Life.

J has recently ventured into the body pampering business and has started making her own soaps, lotions, scrubs and more. I was lucky enough to be a guinea pig for her early stuff. She sent me some lotion in coconut lime, sugar scrub in snickerdoodle (OMG!), bath bombs in snickerdoodle and coconut lime and soap in violet. They are all really amazing!! I love them!

She's been hard at work making new flavors and scents. Just check out her Etsy site: Inspiri Body. (It's a little sparse right now but she's getting it together quickly).

Some of the new flavors she's been making I am seriously swooning over.

Like Tulip Lotion...

And Lily of the Valley Soap. Wow!!

Anyway. Let me tell you more about the giveaway. Inspiri Body is offering one lucky reader the chance to win  a soap, body gel, lotion, bath bomb, scrub and bath salts in the flavor of your choice! How freaking awesome is that???

Want to win it??

Simply answer this question:

What is your favorite way to pamper yourself?

For more entries you can:

• Follow My Camo Colored Life through Google Friend Connect or RSS Feed
• Follow me on Twitter: @mannadonn
• Follow InspiriBody on Twitter
• Follow It's a Dog Tag Wife Life blog
• Tweet about this giveaway (make sure to include both @mannadonn and @InspiriBody in the tweet)

There you go! That is 6 chances to win this great giveaway! (Make sure to leave an individual comment for each entry)

The winner will be picked at random on June 15th. So go enter!!! I promise...you want this one.

And don't forget to watch out for the next giveaway. You never know when it will show up! 

Menu Planning Monday Week 3

Each week, I sit down and look through blog posts, cookbooks and magazines to come up with our menu for the week. I actually find this to be therapeutic and I just love it.

I know most of us cook and we love to share recipes. I've seen some of you do Tasty Tuesdays, recipes of the week and others just post recipes randomly.

I don't care what you call your recipe sharing day, but do tell others about this link up so we can all share and enjoy our favorite recipes with each other.

This week, I'm sharing something that I'm actually going to make for dinner tonight.

When I first made this, I made it on a "girl food night" because you know The Hubble would look at me like I had two heads and ask "where's the meat????" if I tried to serve this. 

However, adding some shredded chicken in between the tomato and the cheese step solves that dilemma.

This dish is super easy to make and tastes SOOO good! Try it with or without the chicken and you are sure to have a winner on your hands. 

And I highly suggest you enjoy this with a glass of red wine. It really enhances the flavor of the tart. And...I have to drink vicariously through you for the next couple months. ;-)

Don't forget to link up and join in the recipe sharing. And if you want step by step pictures on how to make this dish, jump over HERE.

Rustic Tomato Tart
Slightly adapted from Baking and Creating with Avril

Printer Friendly Version

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 Tablespoons chilled butter, cut into cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 Tablespoons cold water

For the Filling:

• 3 Tablespoons stone ground or dijon mustard (use a mix of both if desired)
• 2-3 large fresh tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 8 ounces good quality mozzarella cheese
• garlic salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

For crust:

1. Mix salt and flour in medium bowl. With pastry cutter (or using two knives) cut in chilled butter until mixture has a cornmeal consistency.
2. In separate bowl, lightly beat egg; add 2 Tablespoons water.
3. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour egg mixture in the well; mix until well incorporated and a non-sticky dough forms. (During this process, if dough is still too dry, add third Tablespoon of water).
4. Knead dough into a ball, transfer to parchment paper; roll out into a 14 inch circle. Transfer parchment paper and dough to a baking sheet.

For Filling:

1. Spread mustard over the unbaked crust until well covered.
2. Slice tomato and arrange in center of crust circle.
3. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic vinegar; sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper and basil.
4. Top with sliced mozzarella; sprinkle with a bit more garlic salt, pepper and basil.
5. Bring edges of crust up over the edges of tomato and cheese.
6. Bake in oven for 30 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is brown and bubbly.
7. Allow to cool about 10 minutes, slice with pizza cutter.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Puttin' on the Ritz and My Song of the Week

As I've mentioned before, The Hubble is off doing his Army thing.

Although, my boy has no idea how to stay inside the box...or color in the lines. He tends to be this crazy radical. I seriously don't know how the Army puts up with him...

Oh that's right, his last Battalion Commander called him a punk. That's my guy! LOL!!

Well, this "Army" school that he's in right now is not so much an Army school. It is actually a civilian run school. 

Now...let me divert for just a moment. Walk with me.

When I was in Junior High and High School I had a boyfriend who wore nothing but suits. I absolutely LOVED that look. (Yes, I know that's pretty young to be so sharply dressed, but I didn't mind).

I swore to myself that I would marry a business man some day (I thought I would marry that guy, but you all know how young and stupid us girls can be). 

I had absolutely NO intention of marrying a soldier. None at all. 

But, to my surprise, the long haired, crazy radical of a guy I became friends with then started dating and eventually married was a closet soldier...through and through.

Anyway. Back to the present. My nutcase husband RARELY dresses up. He usually looks like this:

Some kind of band t-shirt; 99.8% of the time that t-shirt is black. He either wears jeans or shorts, depending on the weather. His favorite pair of shorts are these BDU cutoffs that he made all by himself. Isn't he talented?? (I hope you don't get hit by my dripping sarcasm...it's messy).

When he's not in his favorite shorts and band t-shirts, he's wearing this uniform that we all know and love:

Though the uniform is different among the branches of service, we all love the uniform our guys wear right?? Dangit! I'm dropping that sarcasm crap everywhere!

Now...when I'm really lucky, I get to see him in his pretty uniform:

He cleans up so nicely! I've seen him in a tux twice in our 11 1/2 years together. Once at our wedding and once at him best friends wedding.

So now I get to the meat and potatoes of this post. For the next 4 months, while he's in this civilian run school...he's not wearing his beloved shorts and t-shirts. He's not wearing his every day uniform, nor his pretty one. Oh no...this school requires him to look like this:

That's right people! Business casual. My dream guy is standing (in a bathroom I know) there, all gussied up. We bought him some nice slacks and lovely shirts and ties if he's so inclined to wear them. Then he packed all that up and took them with him to school.

I would give anything to see him dressing like this every day...but alas, the Army has taken that and rubbed it in my face (isn't that what they're good at??).

So, in honor of my sharply dressed man that I don't get to see (other than a MySpace worthy bathroom pic) here is my song of the week.

Don't forget to head over to Goodnight Moon and link up your song of the week. We're having a dance party and you should definitely join!