I hate red phase!

For those that don't know what red phase is, it's the first 3 weeks of basic training for infantry soldiers. Drill Sergeants work insane hours during this time, sometimes I think he works more now than he did on a line unit, however once red phase is over he does a bit more time off.

That's part of the reason I haven't been blogging much. On top of Rob being in red phase, I started back to school, and we are currently in the process of trying to get temporary custody of our niece. She hasn't had the best life, and we are trying to make things better for her.

On a side note, I am still going to the gym daily, although I did have to miss today because I had to take care of some legal stuff and get a few errands done. That's okay though, I'll be back in there tomorrow working my butt off!

I never thought this would happen....

Are you ready for this? Brace yourself! I, have become a gym addict! Okay maybe addict isn't quite the right word I was going for, but I think it suits me well. I started off just going and doing the elliptical or jogging on the treadmill. But now I have emerged into taking classes!

Yes you read that right!

Today I did my first belly dancing class. I don't think my abs have ever hurt this bad before in my life! It was so much, that while doing it, I really didn't think I was doing anything. But Lord I can feel it now!

I have also been taking Zumba...Freaking LOVE it! Tomorrow I am going to try a new class called B.L.A.S.T, Butt, legs, abs and strength training. The gym says it's a Curve like workout, in where you are doing a circuit, and can come and go as you please. So we'll see how that goes.

I just finished up another term in school, and got a 96 in my math class and a 100 in my criminal justice class. WOOHOOO I was really excited about those grades. I start my new term next Wednesday and I'll be going Contracts and Social Problems. Looking forward to these classes!

How has everyone been in blog land?

I didn't get lost!

I swear! Things have been crazy busy around here. My desktop broke down, so I spent hours on the phone with Dell over the course of 3 days. Thankfully my kids have a computer that I have been able to use to get my school work accomplished.

Today I have the Dell Technician coming out to fix my computer (happy woohooo here). I'll be sooooooo glad to have my computer back. It's true what they say, you never realize how much you use something, until you can't use it.

Other than that, things are going good. I discovered sparkpeople two weeks ago, and I am LOVING it! I've already lost about 4 pounds, but part of that is me adjusting to eating better. Not so much eating healthy, because we already do that, but rather meeting my calorie intake goals. I had truly never noticed that some days I. am. lucky. to get 900 calories in, that is so not healthy. Plus I have discovered that even on days when I don't feel like going to the gym or really really don't have time, I just have to push through it and go, and make the time. I feel so much better after a good workout.

Rob has been home quite a bit lately, but that will all be changing next week, when they pick up a new cycle. For the first 4 weeks we don't see much of him, as that is red phase in OSUT, and the DS's work a lot of hours during that time.

I am still on the hunt for an awesome door to use for my project. Hopefully I'll find one soon so I can get that started.

How has everyone been?

I'm going to try....

And be crafty! I have been wanting a new dining room table for quite some time now, however I just couldn't find anything that really jumped out at me.

I was looking at HodePodge today and seen where Paige had done a table out of an old door. I fell in LOVE!

I managed to talk to Rob about it in between him rushing in from work and changing to head out to woods to get some hunting in. He said it sounded like a great idea and committed to helping me do it. I honestly think he doesn't know what he has gotten himself into!

Anywho, here is the project I am going to attempt, door table.

What kind of crafty things have you done?

Attempt number 1 at Deer Jerky

Was kind of a fail. We cut it right, marinated it good, but it was in the dehydrator a bit to long.

People tend to ask me how I get away with not spending much money at the grocery store. My biggest answer is meal planning, I spend way less money if I have planned out our meals and have my grocery list. A big part in it though is the fact that Rob is a hunter, fisher and crabber. Well we don't crab anymore since we aren't near the ocean to be able to do that. However Rob has got 5 deer so far this year and still has 2 more weeks of hunting.

I know this way of life isn't for everyone, but it works for us, and puts burger, sausage and roasts in the freezer. For Christmas my parents bought us an electric grinder, because for the last 3 years we have just used a manual one, which took hours to get all the meat ground up.

Here is Rob trying the new grinder

Does anyone else have a hunter in your family? I'm just wondering if anyone else catches crap from their friends regarding it.

Nothing like a mom fight

Okay so they didn't actually fight, but some very heated debating name calling took place.

It has been very cold down here in middle Georgia, so I have been driving the kids to school (all 2 1/2 blocks). This morning I pull into the parking lot, and the before school care bus was 3 cars ahead of me. The lady in front of me must have been in a pretty big hurry because you shoved escorted her kids out of her truck pretty far back, and then jumped out of line to get on her merry way.

Slightly before she did this, a van come along side the line of cars and stopped up by the front door. Now let me explain, all the cars waiting to drop of their children get in a line, and move up as cars leave, there isn't two lanes of drop offs going on. Soooo...the lady in the truck proceeded to honk her horn at the lady in the van. At which point the lady in the van sticks her hand out her window and flips off truck lady.

I must admit that itself left me flabbergasted, but what happened next just left me complete speechless. Van lady gets out of her van and walks back to the truck, at which point truck lady rolls down her window and I of course had to roll my window down so I could listen.

I won't even repeat what they said, but let me tell you, those two grown women should be ashamed of themselves for acting like that at any place, to have done it in an elementary school parking lot was just wrong on so many levels.

Kind of makes you wonder how they act at other places.

The definition of speedy

marked by swiftness of motion or action; also : prompt

Prompt...This doesn't mean get in the 20 or less speedy check out line with a cart full of crap. Yes I will make comments to my kids behind your back knowing full well you can hear me.

Example
AJ: Mom this is taking forever
Jo: The sign says speedy checkout, 20 items or less
Me: Well boys some people don't know how to read
AJ: Why don't they?
Me: I suspect they do honey, however they don't care if they inconvenience others by not reading the signs and getting in the correct line when they have more than 20 things
AJ: Well that is just mean mom!
Jo: When I grow up, I will never be like these people

Don't turn around and look at me mean after having this conversation with my kids. I'm teaching them the right thing!