Weekend Waffles With Revealed Secret Ingredient

Nick has been craving waffles for weeks now so we finally made some on Thursday night but we also had some today for breakfast. As I started to make the mix Nick asked me if I put _____________ (the secret ingredient) in it. Of course I hadn't put the ingredient in because I hadn't even thought of it. 

Needless to say I mentioned how I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of putting that in the mix and I poured about 1/4 cup of it in and proceeded as normal. The waffles turned out delicious and I couldn't help but rave about the secret ingredient Nick knew about but I hadn't thought of before. 

You might have thought of this ingredient before, but it is coffee creamer! Who would have thought?

Kiss Longer

This morning I was almost ready to head out the door for work when Nick said this.

You know how we always meet each other at the door and kiss each other when we leave and get back from work? Well, I have always wondered why it is so hard for some people to do that. I once was with my friend and his wife was leaving and he told her bye and she left. Granted they were been married a while, but I still asked him how hard it would have been to kiss her goodbye and walk her to the door. Even though they were married a while, I still hope that's something I never stop doing. 

This my friends, proves I have one of the best boyfriends EVER! I know I brag about him a lot, but he is something special! It reminded me of how important the small things are in life and relationships. It even ties back to my date nights post. Never stop looking forward to the small things; and never stop doing the small things that make you smile!

Why You Should Have Date Nights

When the week gets hectic and we are tired when we finally make it home each night, we just want to eat dinner and cuddle up until we fall asleep. The days make the weeks seem to drag by, but we can always count on Friday night dinners. I stay strict to my calorie counting and I exercise daily during the week, but when it comes Friday Night I am ready for our dinner out.

Even though Nick and I don't have kids, we don't live a very stressful and jam packed life, we are both home for dinner together and we go to bed at the same time, but we still have date nights. Although we are young and we aren't even married, living together and spending a lot of our time together gives us a taste of what it would be like to be married.

That's why, at any age, I believe date nights are so imperative. If only to have something to look forward to during the hours that creep by at the office, whether it be a way for you and your special someone to reconnect after a long week, whether it be that you just like to spend money or be social, date nights are where it is at.

Nick and I prefer this great Chinese buffet just a few miles from our apartment. It has a fully sushi bar and a wide selection of American and Americanized(Chinese) food; so good. I promise those ladies will know our names within the next few weeks. Within the last month we've decided this place. We've always had our favorite restaurants to dine at around Charleston, but we've finally found that one we don't mind visiting each Friday night.

Don't get me wrong, Nick and I spend a lot of time doing cutesy things. We watch movies each night, we cook dinner together, we shop together, we vacation together but our Friday night dinners are a highlight of my week because I know when I get home from work we will both be ready to chomp down on some great food all while sharing stories and talking until the waitress pretty much kicks us out the restaurant.

He gives me the honey glows; my date night brown bear! 

I encourage you to take the time and have a date night with your significant other because it is good for the heart, but it is good for the stomach!

My Little Red Dress

Nick and I went a different route this Valentine's Day. Last year he showered me with gifts and I cooked him dinner, but this year we had some cheese, wine and went to dinner at our favorite restaurant. It was the first place we actually went for dinner together and Valentine's night is a must.     

I really liked the dress I wore on Valentine's Day for three reasons. 

1) It was TEN sizes smaller than what I was wearing before my weight loss 

2) I wanted a sexier red dress 

3) The back was really cute and I have a picture to prove it. 

Hope your Valentine's Day, whether in a relationship, married or single, was worth while and a day to remember. 

The Big D

No, I am not talking about Divorce or Dallas; I am talking about Deployment. I am in a fairly new (7 months) relationship with an AWESOME man who happens to be in the United States Air Force.

Yesterday I was grabbing my bags to head out of the office for the weekend when he wrote me and let me know his friend had just got back from deployment and he was eating dinner with him. There have been a few waves of his friends returning from deployment including his best friend (who will be home soon!) so I assumed his friend was in the first wave who got back a week or so ago. Turns out Nick and his friend waited on me to get home from work so I could eat dinner with them!

I walked into our apartment and met his friend for the first time. Little did I know as the night unfolded my eyes would be opened to so much. He stood up to shake my hand and after the initial introductions he said, "I just got back." I casually asked him when he got back and his answer was "today." I was floored; he hadn't even been to his barracks yet! He wanted to drive to dinner because it had been so long since he had driven over 15 MPH and wanted that freedom. So as we walked to his truck, he went ahead of Nick and myself so he could clear the back of his truck. When I opened the door he was shuffling things from my side to his side in order for me to have leg room. He didn't realize what all had been back there because, since he was deployed, he left his keys with his friend (as most do). I then realized he literally hadn't been in his car for over six months. Yet again, opening my eyes.

Over dinner I jumped into the conversation ever so often, but I mainly sat back and listened to him and Nick relive past events, talk about past deployments and his recent deployment. When we finished eating we headed back to base so he could relax so we let him be. As we were driving out of the barrack parking lot there were two men, one in uniform and one in civilian clothes, laughing and walking. Nick told me that the guy in civilian clothes had just got back that day also and that was his best friend walking with him.

As our fingers were intertwined and I was able to sit beside my boyfriend, my Airman, I realized just how lucky I was! I was able to touch, kiss and talk to my boyfriend face-to-face in the same room, the same state and the same country. Not too many people can say that and it is a sad fact. On our trip home I kept thinking about how I would feel if that was him coming back from deployment today and how it would feel if I had just seen him for the first time in six months. I am usually really good at treasuring the time we have together, but as we sat cuddled up drinking our wine and watching TV last night it made me realize I should squeeze his hand a little tighter and hold him a little longer.

So for those of you who have Military spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends or even for those who don't, please cherish the small things in life. Kiss a little more, hug each other everyday and have that dinner date ever so often. Embrace the moment because when it comes down to it, isn't that all we have?

Yawn: Am I Really 24?

I have reverted to infant sleeping patterns

How is it that it's 11:55 p.m. and I can't hold my eyes open? Nick and I had a great night though! We FINALLY got cable earlier this morning and had dinner and a Baskin Robbins dessert date! I haven't had Baskin Robbins since I was a pre-teen!

Going back to the cable topic, we have more channels than we know what to do with! As I am sitting here writing this post he is fiddling with the picture-in-picture(?) function. I have pre-warned him that I will forever ask him questions about how to do the simplest functions. It is OK though, right? I mean he is a man and men understand remotes and electronics... As long as I watch my few TV shows I am dandy! ESPN, Local News and a handful of shows and I am set.

Today was also a very important and special day! I moved to my new office area as a VISTA Leader. I was promoted from an AmeriCorps*VISTA to an AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader.  I was able to decorate the area a little bit, but it is a work in progress. I get to meet my coworker on Thursday which is really exciting!

I have prepared the new VISTA's desk and finally got a look at all the binders and information I have compiled of my work over the past year. Take a look at the photo below if you're curious about that.

I wanted to get a quick post up before I rest my eyes for a few hours. Look for more posts as the days fly by.