Birthday Ball Game

New home, friends and birthday cheers

This year, though its not the first year I have been away for our birthday (danny has the same bday and me), but it is the first year that I have been living somewhere else.  This being said things were real different this year.  I ended up having a great time and all, however just seemed strange to me.

Tides Game

I was getting ready for the day and kinda realized all my friends were back at home, although ended up wishing me a happy birthday through texts and facebook messages, it seemed very odd to not have any of them around.  Dont get me wrong, I have made a good number of new friends and we ended up going to a baseball game and having a bbq at our house the day of, but it was a whole different experience than our normal birthdays.

First good thing was that Danny was able to get the day off work if he went to the tides game, a AAA baseball team here in Hampton roads.  For me this meant we got to go to the game, and all his friends would be there, if for nothing else but to skip work.  With that news we headed off to the game and tried to meet up with everyone we could, rounding people up for a BBQ we wanted to have after the game.

Luckily we had a good number of people that showed up and ended up having a great time that night.

New Home

Packing, Purging and Parting

Bodega Head Last Beach Trip

We all know that moving creates a list of to dos about a million miles long, leaving the person feeling stressed and pressed for time.  Throughout my adult life I have mad a series of short moves, mostly around town or the county, but nothing further than about 15 miles from my parents home.

Because of what I thought was my extensive moving knowledge, and the fact that the Navy was coming to pack my house up for me I felt that this move would be simple, painless and quick.... well....

The Girls and Lexi Wine Tasting

If any of you out there have ever done a cross country move, be it by yourself or with the military then you know how crazy things can get.  Between the separating of mine and Danny's things from his parents (where I had been staying until the move) and the multiple goodbye parties, dinners and such from friends and family, I felt like I was being pulled a million different directions.



We threw in a few beach trips, wine tasting trips, going away bar nights, dinner parties with family, a camping trip and everything we could think of that I might miss is California.... the beauty, the fun and my wonderful friends and family.

Armida Winery

On a serious note though everything actually went down pretty smoothly, all things considered and we only had to wait for our stuff in Virginia for about 5 days.  Yes 5 or so days without a bed, tv, computer, or even clothes, besides what I took with me on our trip out. :)

Anyway its about time we take the trip out of California, our comfortable zone and try new things... I mean really besides a short two weeks after my birth, NEITHER of us have really lived outside the state for more than a couple months (and that was all for his training for the military anyway).  So with that being said we wait to see what lies ahead and hope that good things are in the future.  New, exciting new people and places and experiences we would otherwise never had.

Leaving

 So packing and moving goes on for what feels like forever and ever but spending the last days with the friends and family seems to pass in the blink of an eye... crazy how things work out sometimes.

Country Roads, Take Me Home!

Danny's Long Awaited Return to Cali

So finally after a year of being gone, boot camp, A school, deployment and work its time for danny to come back to California to visit his friends and family!
Of course everyone has been pestering me about when danny will be home, when he will be back and when he is gonna visit so now its here and the excitement is all very flattering.

I know Danny appreciated being missed while he was gone too! Unfortunately he was only able to be home about a week and a half before return to the sea but we managed to fit in so much fun stuff.

Family dinners and friends gatherings, wine tasting and even an 80's concert we love to go see when possible....

It seemed like we didn't stop moving the whole week and a half, but we managed to see everyone who made an effort to contact us. Overall I think it was a very productive home vacation trip.

I love you so much honey and Im glad that you got to come home!!

NYE 2011 VIP Style

VIP Section, Drinks and Food!

This year we decided to do things a little different than years past. Since it was a little more momentous than usual with Danny's homecoming just a week before we actually ended up getting VIP passes to one of the clubs around our hotel.

Even though it wasnt Vegas or New York for new years we felt pretty cool about our plans. Usually for new years we end up going to a local bar, party or street fair, so this was a nice change of plans.

We knew we wanted something close to the hotel (and who could ask for closer than one block away) and something fun and relaxing. That's exactly what we got this year with our choice of Peabody's.

Actually it was a pretty chill night, lots of fun with unlimited drinks, food and shots, our own section for the VIP members with tables for us to chill at with party favors and champagne, and of course the awesome dance floor that the club always has.

The night was all inclusive and we ended up watching the ball drop over time square for the countdown to the new year.

The champagne was corked and the screams rang out to bring in the 2011. Cheers all around and everyone was ecstatic.

We ended up closing down the bar and walking home to our hotel for some much need sleep before morning began.

I think it was a good kick to the new years and tribute to 2010.

Homecoming has arrived!

Finally after a 7 month deployment

Long deployment and over a year of on and off separation due to training, boot camp and deployments the wait is finally over.

It really feels so nice for him to be home... seriously now its time to start workin on the move out to the east coast.

So when the day arrived and we got up early in the morning, cold norfolk morning and got ready, did the make up, hair, picked out a cute (but warm) outfit and set out to find a spot on the pier to wait for the ship.

And as expected the two hour wait in the cold seemed multiplied by the prolonged slow chug of the tug boats pulling the ship into the bay to dock at the pier, and the icy wind that blew upon the enthusiastic families who await the reunion.

My sister and I had our eyes locked on the sea of soldiers passing by at the edge of the pier waiting to see our loved ones. I think we were so focused on the big crowd that I didn't see Danny and Andrew coming up near us until they were practically at the base of the bleachers. They had slipped through a break in the fence and were coming up on us from a different direction than the main crowd.

Overall it was an exciting and heartfelt experience.

Show Your Support and Send A Letter Today!

This will show your support and they will also receive a Zack brown band cd...

Airline Tickets and Hotel Reservations

Merry Christmas in Virginia!

So here comes the crazy hectic time of vacation planning and hotel reservations. This means i get to go visit danny back in virginia!!! YAY! :) He should be coming back home shortly and we get to spend christmas together.

But before that can happen it means I have to search for hotel deals, airline tickets, rental cars and so much more before the hectic holiday season.... time to stop procrastinating and start reserving things!

Baby here I come!! :)