Turkey comin' out my ears.

Woah Nelly! Talk about left overs...so I will be putting my turkey to use and making lots of turkey dinners over the next week, along with the oh so delicious cold turkey samich! :)

Well, Thanksgiving night I ventured out to Wal-Mart and got Isabelle more Christmas presents, that was fun. It was actually quiet, the calm before the storm. I didn't find the kitchen set I wanted for her so when I came home I purchased it at midnight and got a great deal. Can't wait for her to be 'cooking' along side me in our new house. We will be closing next week, as we sadly didn't this week. With the holidays our paperwork just didn't get done in time. Oh well, we have all next week.

Today, Jake decided we should go on a road trip, so off to Ruidoso, NM we went. Uhm yea, that turned out interesting. One, there was nada once we got to our destination and secondly we took a very interesting detour on our way to Cloudcroft, NM. Our GPS had as going along a gravel road for about 30 minutes! Up a mountain side...I was panicking, Jake telling me to calm down. Seriously, it was a little too much. BUT, we ended up on the backside of Cloudcroft...the plus during this 5 hour adventure was the beautiful scenery. Big green pine trees everywhere, pretty horses, and actually enjoying trees that change colors.
Cloudcroft is a cute little town in Lincoln State Forrest, NM. At the top we are 9,000 feet above sea level.It's cool and quaint. It has a homemade soap shop as well as homemade potpourri. I purchased a scopp of apple something or other and I am smelling its sweet smell right now. Along with some jewelry and antique shops it also has a little book store and pottery shops. We stopped at a coffee shop-Peppermint Mocha for me (delicious), Jake of course got a caramel latte, and Isabelle got her own hot chocolate with whipped cream! It was about 40, and the sun was going down, our warm drinks were just the right touch.
So we're home now, enjoying this chilly Saturday evening. I am going to play a little house with miss Isabelle while Jake watches some boob tube.

Oh, besides amazing shopping deals, a great Thanksgiving feast, Jake not being deployed, and just enjoying God's everyday blessings, we have free Shotime this whole weekend! Hahah boo yah, that's right. That meant finally watching Season 6 of WEEDS. We are addicted, anywho, the finally wasn't that great but it was still WEEDS, and I love me some Nancy sipping on her diet coke n ice coffee.

Last but not least, I am taken with our new PX at Ft. Bliss. White tinkling Christmas lights are on all the trees, the outside fireplace is dandy, Jake and I played a little Foosball outside, and the HUMANGO Christmas tree is fun to just stare at. Of course Isabelle enjoyed the cool bugs she can climb on and all the sparkling lights above her while playing. She piratically looks up to say 'wow.'

Tis the Season!

Gobble Gobble!

1. Thank you God for a wonderful year with my husband and daughter.
2. Thank you God for the purchase and find of our first home.
3. Thank you God for loving me unconditionally!
4. and Thank you God for Chocolate!



Well, Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Yeaaaa, mmm my favorite holiday.
I am cooking a 13 pound bird, oh snap. Isabelle and I just got done making our chex mix, and later after our final house inspection is finished, a homemade Pumpkin cream pie I am making from scratch. More wonderfull goodness.
Aimee, my savior down here and bf, is watching Isabelle so we can do our final walk through and then we are going shopping at Ashley's! Picking out Isabelle's new bedroom set and all.
What a fun day it is. Let me also rub in that it is a wonderful 61 degrees outside, perfet weather. We have a couple of single soldier's coming over tomorrow to share Thanksgiving with. I must repeat again, how insanly wonderful it is that Jacob is home. Isbelle and I are obsessed with him and the idea that he's not leaving yet for another tour...NOPE, he's not going anywhere for a long time! (Well Isabelle just understands that daddy's 'makin money' when he's at work.)
My homemade Thanksgiving cards are coming l-a-t-e to our family and friends seeing as my mommy brain forgot to mail them until yesterday, sorry folks!

Love to all our family and close friends, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Let the countdown begin...

The waiting game has begun, we are hoping to close on our home by the 23rd or 25th of this month. We are praying it happens! The paint samples have been picked out and we have a lot to do between now and the 5th of December. That being the day we have to be completly moved out of our apartment. Blaa, apartment...can't wait to be home owners!

I am completley ready for Thanksgiving, minus a couple of ingrediants. Jake has a few Army boy's coming over, so that'll be fun. Football and Turkey; SCORE! There is a delicious twist on French's green bean caserole recipe that I am making. So it's really all from scratch. Also instead of a regular Pumpkin pie, I have found a Pumpkin cream pie. Delicious.

Yesterday we did a lot of shopping for furniture in the new casa...today we'll stop at another store. We are getting Isabelle a brand new bedroom set. Her dresser broke in our move here, so she has had all her clothes in the closet and a tub for the last 5 months :(. We are going to go with a white or cream bedroom set! I can't wait till she sees it. Our little girl is getting so big. Now that she is in her day bed the twin is the next size up. Her crib will be temporarily put away until baby number 2 arrives.
We also finally got to see the new PX (military shopping center on Ft Bliss.) The Christmas lights are up, there is a colorful waterfall, and a cute kids play area. Did I mention there is an outdoor fireplace as well? Isabelle loved the waterful wth changing colors and we couldn't pull her away for the longest.

P.S. I have yet to catch Isabelle's mean face. Her eyebrows twist up, and she gives you this look like 'are you high mom (dad).' It's histarical, but at the same time makes us sad. How can such a sweet face give mommy n daddy a look like that? Well probably becuase she's got my personality and her father's saracasm...this morning Jake said 'ok Hannah' to her when she gave him that look! hahaa...

Let this fun weekend continue...Happy Sunday!

Christmas shopping and Crafts

Oh how I love the winter months, well not so winter here but ya'll know what I mean.
I started my Christmas shopping and we are almost done with Isabelle! Just a few more toys on the list and it's go time.
I still haven't started on my man, but she's easy. He is not a picky man at all, so he's fun to shop for. But I do have to say that Harley clothes are expensive, oh boy!
This year we will be concentrating on us 3. We are buying our first home!!! Yea I can say it!!! A very cute 3 bedroom 2 car garage here in El Paso; just a mile down the road from where we live now. Moving will be a breeze. But with new home means a cut in presents this year, that's okay; it's not what the Christmas is about.
This year has been such a blast with Jake home, especially knowing he'll be home next year too is such a stress reliever. When he's home I feel like every holiday has to be perfect...but it doesn't. Sigh of relief.

Anywhoodles, I found a Goodwill type store called 'Savers' and its the bomb. Yup, I love it. I found a red butter dish that reminds me of my mother n law and my grandma. That was the highlight of today. :)A Ball jar for 99 cents, green cookie dish, picture frame for 2.99, tray (I redid with some spray paint, modge podge, and scrap book paper for 99 cents, and a Bearenstiene Bears book for 69 cents. Ohh and a cute basket for 1.99.

Here are 2 projects I created today!

Happy Birthday to our Veteran.

Second tour. Feb 09-Jan 10. Isabelle was 12 days old when he left.




Veteran's day is a day to stop and remember why we are free. To stop and thank the families of Soldier's who aren't coming home and to remember the sacrifices our men and women have given serving in foreign countries around us. To remember that there are families that aren't as fortunate as we are because their loved ones lives came at the cost of our freedom. Let's stop and remember why we were are the home of the brave and the land of the free. For all of that I thank you.



(First tour Oct -6-Jan 08)

Only God knew when my husband was born on Veteran's day it would be that much more special to us; we are lucky to have our hero, our daddy, our Vet still here with us. I know Jake's parents are proud as can be of their son, they raised an amazing man. Jake's birthday cards now come addressed to Sgt Gehl, not Jake; appropriately so. It's amazing the impact a Soldier and his family can have on everyone around you. Isabelle and I were so happy (Jake of course too) that he was HOME, for his birthday and not deployed. Jake has spent the last 3 out of 5 birthdays in Iraq. He had 2 birthdays in a row during his first tour in Iraq.
To you Sgt Gehl, my husband and my best friend I want to tell you how proud I am of you and how much I thank you for your sacrifice. You are strong, kind, patient, hardworking, and a great Soldier. I love you; Happy Birthday and Veterans Day.

Sleepy-do

I have always been a morning person, I like to think I still am. Lately though, I find myself needing that second cup of coffee to get the day going. I think I have to accept the fact that I am getting older, am a mommy, and well that I need naps just like Isabelle does! I have to let the cat out of the bag and say that I bought concealer last week. I never wear concealer, foundation, whatever...but I do now! The puffy bags seem to appear if I haven't gotten my 8 hours, and that's just depressing.
Got this cute little tube of Maybelline's mineral concealer, and my face thanks me :)

Our park is finally complete here at our apt complex...so off Isabelle went today. She one, two, three, wee's down all the slides, and it's just a block away, score!

Happy Monday Peeps.

Ft. Bliss Post Ride!

So much thanks is due to Aimee, my girlfriend/neighbor. I told her how Jake was going on this big post ride, all Soldier's with bikes were police escorted through post and to White Sands, NM. Soooo, she watched Isabelle so I could go too! There were some UFC fighters there, Alissa Milano (sp?), and Pauly D from Jersey Shore. Ft. Bliss' grand opening is this weekend for all their new stores and restaurants, it's really nice. The post ride was to kick the big weekend off.

So I put my skinny jeans on and my black boots; Jake was excited to have me finally be apart of something that had to do with motorcycles. The ride started and with out fail, my butt was numb! The 3 and a half hour bike ride there and back broke me in. I feel like someone spanked me with a wooden paddle today.
There were about 600 riders, it was cool to see. Everyone we passed had their phones out recording us ride past, and I got to be apart of it! It was fun to be on the back of my man's bike.


FYI, this mama's going out tonight! Can't wait for my high heels, girl talk, and cocktails.

Today's goods

So here is a soft little rug to rest our toes on come winter...
I am suddenly in love with snow men, like my mommy. Maybe I am becoming a little obsessed with them cause of missing my mommy. (Shout out to you mom, MISS YOU!)I am so glad our in-laws will be here for Christmas, and sister n law to help fill that empty void (sob, sob, and sob.)


So here is the cute out fit I found for Isabelle, still deciding on whether I should wrap it or have wear it...it's screaming 'wear me!.'

And although Isabelle was a bully at the indoor play yard, she was still fun to watch.
She insists the minute another kid gets close that they are touching her or pushing her. Is it being she's an only child and has my attitude that has caused this? Then again, I am told she's normal. Oh Lordy, she yells to me 'she push, she touching' when in reality the other child is just walking towards her. I tell ya...

Long Days, but a short week that's for sure.

I just love you Isabelle!







These week has really flown by, which is strange cause it's just been Isabelle and I ALL day All week...Jake is at the range which means gone by 6:30 am and not home till after 7 pm. FYI, for those of you crazy workers out there, HOW DO YOU DO IT? This is not for me, I mean working 2nd or 3rd shift that's one thing. Not to see my husband for an hour or so, NOOO BUENO. Isabelle hasn't seen Jake since Monday night either. She has been in bed the last 2 nights by 7 p.m. She's teething again and when that happens she's done by 6 pm. Teething, a 21 month old? Yep, the little munchkin didn't cut her first 2 teeth till 11 months...so here come the chompers. :)
Any who, Isabelle is up at 7 and we are rock n rolling by 9 am. Trips to the park, multiple mail box visits (she likes to pretend she's opening the mailbox's), and today was SHOPPING! Yes, it happened!!! Isabelle and I finally enjoyed a day of shopping with my girlfriend and her 3 year old Sienna. The girls played at the indoor play thingy at the mall, Chinese for lunch, and a CUTE outfit for Isabelle on sale at Gymboree! Have you noticed my exclamation points? It was just fun NOT being alone, well just Isabelle and I.

And I am excited that I bought my new set of dishes! Yipeee, they are the cutest. I only got a set of 6 but am going back this week to Ross (can I get a fist pump for Ross please?) 2 get 2 more of everything...just to have my 'adult' set of 8. We have only been using our set of 4 that we got when we first married.
I am saving them for...nope still can't say. Tune in for next week, not. Just kidding. Seriously though I am saving them for a special occasion that is just around the corner...Thanksgiving maybe? Maybe not...

Halloween 2010

Let's go Little Red!
























Halloween was fun fun fun! Gosh life is grand when your husband is home and NOT in Iraq. Yipeee :) Isabelle was Little Red Riding Hood, and the only one we saw so that made her even more cute, for sure.
At first she just wanted to be held; 'hold you hold you.' So out came superman, aka the stroller...and we strolled around the apartment complex trick or treating. Surprisingly enough there were a lot of trick or treater's and lots of candy to go around. Jake had our route down with our zigzagging through the complex; it was too funny. Isabelle only said 'trick or treat' 2 times, stubborn thing. But she did tell everyone either 'tank you' or 'welcome' when handed her candy.

As we speak I can hear her on her step stool in the kitchen digging in the candy bowl! heheee

Our day needless to say included more dips to eat, football, candy, Jake and his High Life, and lounging till trick or treat time.

It's going to be fun to see what next year brings around this time!

So here are a few pics...


(Jake and the fridge, next to his High Life it's his best friend :)