My home minus one Naval Officer

Kyle left Tuesday morning.


I've been doing ok since it's only been a few days. It was a quick goodbye which I think is usually easier and I went straight to work afterwards which was a good distraction. Today was my first day off without him here and it has been alright. I'm pretty sure it hasn't had time to sink in yet. Best thing for the heart and mind is to keep busy.

I have still been feeling sick and today I finally gave up and went to my local free clinic (only because I couldn't get an appointment with my regular doctor because I couldn't even get to talk to a real person on the phone!?! when I called to make an appointment. (Don't even get me started, I need to find another doctor) The clinic I went to was actually really great and the MD there put me on antibiotics which already seem to be kicking in because I'm feeling better (yes!)

Unfortunately I have slacked on my domestic goddess duties and I had to spend most of my day off today cleaning up the apartment. This weekend is set aside for photography reading and computing (awesome).

p.s. I booked my tickets today for Kyle & I to fly to Orlando in January (102 days left YES!!!!!)

One more day until the WEEKEND!!!!!

Neti Pots

Have you guys herd of Neti Pots?

Neither had I until a few days ago.

I get really bad sinus infections every so often and when they hit me they hit H-A-R-D. I mean pressure, headaches, going through multiple boxes of tissues, the whole bit. Being a nurse I have full faith in modern medicine but I do think that there is much to be said about homeopathic medicine as well. One of my fellow nurses told me about the Neti Pot when I was at work and she saw me blow my nose for the millionth time. Apparently it is a teapot looking thing that you fill with luke-warm water and an isotonic (fancy word for same pH as your body) saline (fancy word for salt water) solution. You bend over the sink with your head tilted and let the water flow slowly through one nostril and out the other. It's supposed to wash out your sinus passages and break up heavy secretions.

When she was telling me this I was skeptical, mostly because I was picturing how ridiculous I would look bending over a sink with a teapot in my nose but when I couldn't take the sinus pain anymore I went to Target on my way home and picked up a NasaFlo neti pot (same one pictured above) and brought it home to try.

I tell you, I am SOLD. This thing ROCKS! After I used it I was actually able to breath out of the right side of my face for the first time all week! If you guys have sinus trouble or allergies I implore you to give this a try. You nostrils will thank you!

p.s. Amoxicillin helps too (thank GOD for antibiotics!)

Classic Pizza

 

So I have used the Pizza recipe over at Annie's Eats for quite awhile and I have noticed that as time goes on the pizzas become easier and easier to create. When I first looked at her blog and found out she was using fresh dough that she stretched onto a pizza peel and put into the oven herself I was a little intimidated. I mean pulling dough? pizza peels? I knew that It was pretty much a given that I would at least mess up one of those steps. I was especially nervous about the whole getting the raw pizza into the oven without messing it up completely step. I had visions of perfectly formed pizza becoming a gelatinous blob of goo after it flips over on itself when I try to put it in the oven with only a simple flick of the wrist like they do at pizza restaurants.

Well lo and behold I have never had a pizza come out like a gelatinous blob of goo (my husband did once; but here's the secret, it still tastes amazing!) and my pizzas are starting to look more and more like, well actual round, cheesy pizzas that look as amazing as they taste! Last night when Kyle took this out of the oven I was so proud of it that I had to snap a quick picture. Go and try it youself, conquor your fear of pizza peels! Shove that pizza into the oven and say 'I will NOT BE RULED BY PIZZA DOUGH! as you kick the oven closed with your foot.' Just kidding - I've never done that

no way...

Anyway go check out her website - Annie's Eats - for the pizza crust & pizza sauce recipes that I used on this pizza. Then I just topped with red & green pepper, onion and thinly sliced deli ham. Delish!

p90x Update

So Kyle and I were doing really well with p90x for about a week and a half; then he found out he was leaving for two months, and I got sick. So naturally we kind of fell out of it.

I have every intention of jumping right back into it once I feel better. I think it would be fun for me to complete the first round while he is gone then when he gets back we can start fresh and I can do round 2 for myself and he'll start round 1 again. (Then I'd be able to go pull-ups right along with him)

Here is the schedule for next week (Starting Tuesday when Kyle set's sail and I'm 100% recovered **hopefully**)

-Tuesday- Yoga X
-Wednesday- Legs & Back
-Thursday - Kempo
-Friday- Chest & Back
-Saturday- Rest
-Sunday- Pylometrics

Nice, lazy Saturdays and Laundry Advice

Happy Weekend!

This morning we had the physical inspection of the condo, and everything turned up roses. The home inspector found a few little things that need to be addressed (i.e. the A/C didn't cool down the house "fast enough") but all the big things are fine. The inspector even said that our condo was one of the nicer places he had done in a while (he probably says that to everybody, but still it's nice to hear lol). Afterward Kyle and I had a nice lunch and went to the NEX to check out the appliances. To move into this condo we need a washer/dryer and a fridge and we found a lot of nice washer/dryer units at the NEX (and no tax baby!) Maybe I can swing a front load washer (helloooo lover....)

Now I'm still really congested but thankfully the affrin nasal spray worked like a charm. Now it's couch and Grey's Anatomy with the hubby....

Keep your fingers crossed that I don't get called in tomorrow :-)

p.s. I would really appreciate some feedback on the washers and dryer you guys own. Which brand did you go with and why?

A few things about me...

Dana at Sweeping Through Life tagged me on her blog and asked me to answer 8 questions about myself. I can think of no better thing to do while curled up on my couch watching the Golden Girls on WeTV (awesome)


1. Why do you blog?

I first started Little Rhody Girl as a way for my family to keep up with things in my life since I live so far away. Now it's more of a way for me to get stuff off my chest and to chronicle the big (and little) things in my life. I have also really enjoyed getting to know other bloggers!

2. What is your favorite color and why?

I love purple, it just seems to regal and elegant. My bridesmaids wore purple in my wedding. I like pink too (it's for my inner girl tee hee)

3. What is your favorite meal?

This is a hard one but I think I'm going to have to go with pasta and a GOOD marinara sauce (no jars please). Served with artisan bread and olive oil for dipping; salad doesn't hurt either.

4. If you had to choose between playing Wii or Monopoly which would you play?

Please; Monopoly hands down. I have the app on my phone and I play it ALOT. I have fond memories of playing monopoly with my Dad when I was a kid. We were really competitive (still are) and the games could get really cut throat at times. Wanna play? Just don't land Indian Ave, I own it and it's got a hotel biatch!!!!

 5. If I handed you $150.00, what would you do with it?

Put it together with my $150.00 and buy Photoshop Lightroom.

6. What is the best book you ever read?

Hmmm, another tough one....can I say all 7 Harry Potter books?

7. Who is your role model?

My mother, hands down the most awesome woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I hope to be half the woman she is someday. 

8. What is your favorite cereal?

I like Quaker Oatmeal Squares....yum

So this hasn't exactly been the best week ever

I told you guys here that Kyle found out he needs to go to sea for a few weeks to finish a qualification for work. When he told me this last week the idea was that in mid October he would be gone for two or three weeks, most likely on a ship doing pre-deployment workups (meaning that they will sail off the coast of San Diego and do exercises). We would be already into the Escrow process for this house (and maybe even moved in) before he had to leave, so I was feeling O.K. about it.

At the beginning of the week he told me his boss was able to pull some strings for him and get him a spot on a ship that will be able to help him get the testing done he needs for his qualification. The catch is that this particular ship deploys next week and will be gone for at least six weeks. Since it is a deploying ship he has to stay aboard until they reach a port that he can fly out of. So he could be finished with all of the stuff he needs to do in let's say three weeks, he still has to wait until the ship docks in a port that he can fly home relatively easily, which could take another three weeks.

It is pretty much a certainty at this point that I will be going through this house buying process minus a husband. At first I was really overwhelmed by it but now that I have had a few days for the idea to sink in I have confidence that I can make this work. I defiantly had a Tim Gunn "make it work" moment haha.

Even though this hasn't exactly been "the best week ever" (unexpected sea time, laryngitis, and more work) at least we're almost at the end of it ;-)

Every Girl needs a new wardrobe right?

I have decided to start giving my wardrobe a serious update. Since I had the day off today and the clock has officially started ticking down toward the move I decided to spend the afternoon doing some inventory. Today's project was my closet. I wanted to make a rough list of the different types of clothes I had to figure out how many boxes I would need to pack up my closet. The more I wrote down the more telling it was about what my wardrobe is centered around. Do you see that list? I took one good look at the number of t-shirts I have (holy crap) and decided that my so called *jeans and tee* rut has surpassed rut and crossed over into obsession. I need to branch out and buy a skirt or two (especially since right now I only own two). 

I have made a commitment to build a new a versatile wardrobe for myself, piece by piece, over the next two years. My goal is to buy a new item every month, something I don't already own (the key point), more shoes, more dresses, skirts and a wider range of accessories. Using my birthday money I already bought the September stuff. My guide through all this will be the The Lucky Shopping Manual: Building and Improving Your Wardrobe Piece by Piece pictured next to my list. What a fantastic book. It is seriously a lifesaver for fashion defuncts like myself who know nothing about being stylish but are desperate to learn.

One of the things I wanted was an outerwear vest and when I saw this in the L.L.Bean fall catalogue I immediately wanted the look. So I went ahead and got all three (even the scarf, totally cute right?) I am hoping that this is the first step in the right direction. Before you say anything, the long sleeve shirt is technically a tee but hear me out - it's a turtle neck, it's ribbed and it's purple (all three of which do not currently reside in my closet)

October Item: Leather Motorcycle Jacket or new pair of Boots