It is...

that time again.  Moving time.  I confirmed that my moving company will be here next Wednesday and Thursday.  Holy cow, time flies!

I have been packing the essentials from my "how to" series.  You can read my madness here.  Today I concentrated on the clothes and uniforms part of it.

I need to do the admin, other, bathroom, stuff, etc.

I feel okay I guess..but with a final exam in between all of this, the stress factor goes up a bit.  Just trying to stay on a roll today, and get as much done as possible.  Thank goodness I am in a furnished house!

I just have to go through the stuff that has to go with me to Florida, and the rest goes into storage.  So sad that I haven't seen my stuff since last July, and I won't see it until next Spring.  It will be like Christmas morning unpacking my storage unit!

I will post all of my lessons learned on here later!

Atlantic City in Pictures!

Boardwalk

Boardwalk

Supporting local law enforcement

Sightseeing

Compass Rose

Freedom Is Not Free

Partying it up for the Bachelorette!

Weekend Recap

What a whirlwind weekend!

Pics will be posted after I sort through them..

• Drove to AC..Atlantic City for short
• Got stuck in NYC traffic
• Made fun signs saying "At Least it is Friday" on an IPAD to cheer up our fellow drivers
• Listened to some jams
• Laughed.  A lot.
• Gambled in our resort.  Woohoo penny slots baby!
• Walked on the boardwalk
• Basked in sunny, gorgeous weather
• Ate at EVO.  Great salad, better convo, stiff drinks.
• Walked around some more, enjoying our "Jerseylicious" scenery
• Gathered our group of 6 to go to dinner at Caesars
• Went to a male review
• Laughed even more.  
• Stayed up and chatted about work and life
• Drove to a Jersey diner
• Laughed some more

I realized I am blessed to have opportunities like this to travel to a new place for a weekend, and spend it with some close girlfriends.  Half of us deploy soon, the other half later.  One standard is we will always have each others backs, no matter what. 

To the Bachelorette:  my lady.  Love you tons.  I have known you for 12 years, and we run into each other so much in our careers.  I have decided that it is fate, and I am so glad we got to spend this one last crazy fun weekend together!  

Travelling with a Pet

Has anyone flown with a dog before?

I ask this question, because I have to move my lil precious pup soon, and it has been a total friggin nightmare.  I almost cried on the phone because I was so frustrated.  All of the customer service reps from the airline are not from the US, so I can't understand them, and they wouldn't book her.  I was on the phone with the "pet people" for that airline for 1 hour, each day for a few days until finally someone answered.

I don't have hours to be wasting waiting for someone to answer a phone!  I missed a ton of stuff that I have to do, including studying for my final.

Has anyone flown with a pup, or have any recommendations in the future?  The moving, new job, deployment is stressful enough without having to worry about the welfare of my best bud.

Project Life

I love to scrapbook, make photo albums, etc.  This process always took me forever.  Then I found a few bloggers that use Project Life.

I am hooked.

It is easy, fun, and I actually make 2 pages for each week.  Sometimes it is tough for me to figure out a layout, but that is because I am a perfectionist.

I showed my binder to some friends, and they love it.  I wish I had thought about this "easy" way to scrapbook earlier.

I am looking forward to documenting the every day on my blog and with Project Life.  I also make photo albums on snapfish that encompass every year.  I tried a few other websites, but Snapfish is my favorite.  Easy to use, and great service.

Which reminds me, my 2011 book still isn't done..ah hem.  That may be a project soon!

Do you use Project Life or any other format of scrapbooking?

Weekend Recap

I had a wonderful, low key weekend in Newport, RI.

• Laundry
• Baked tilapia and steamed veggies
• Watched an episode of Blue Bloods
• Made baked blueberry and banana oatmeal for breakfast
• Cleaned the house
• Revamped my closet.  Making sure I only take what I need to Florida.
• Washed Bella
• Took Bella for a billion walks (ok, maybe 5)
• Snuggled with Bella (she moves away soon )
• Had birthday drinks with a dear friend
• Sushi take out.  Love me some 007 rolls:)
• Baked oatmeal and vanilla biscotti coffee for breakfast
• Cleaned the car  (upcoming roadtrips)
• Walked around Newport enjoying the weather
• Watched Midnight in Paris
• Reminisced about my summer in Paris
• Made pot roast, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted veggies
• Read my book.  I need to finish so I can start the next book.  

Just a low key, must needed, recharge the batteries, weekend.  I am traveling a lot and moving soon.  Just trying to take one day at a time!

Today in Photos

Bella.  Megan Gill 2012

Easter Flowers.  Megan Gill 2012

Bella.  Megan Gill 2012

Sun Bathing.  Megan Gill 2012

Perfect.  Megan Gill 2012

April Flowers.  Megan Gill 2012

Murphy.  Megan Gill 2012

Good Boy.  Megan Gill 2012

Delilah.  Just hanging out.  Megan Gill 2012

I love my new camera, and figuring out new settings, and new ways to capture every day life.  I was lucky enough to have a gorgeous day out, and neighbors with photogenic dogs.  Bella has to pose every time though.  She loves sunbathing in the nicer weather.

Port Tenderloin

I made my sister in laws famous Pork Tenderloin recipe for Easter dinner.  The recipe is below.  I guarantee you it will not disappoint!

Ingredients:
1 Pork Tenderloin
1 Package of Phyllo Dough/Puff Pastry
1 Package of cream cheese, softened
Green Onions, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg for egg wash

Preheat oven to 425, and bake tenderloin for 30 mins.  Allow to cool.  Prepare the stuffing for the tenderloin, saute the onions and mushrooms in the butter.  Mix the saute mixture with the softened cream cheese.  Coat the cooled tenderloin with cream cheese mixture, and wrap with phyllo dough.  Coat with egg wash, and bake at 400 for 45 mins or until brown.  Cool for about 10 mins to allow cream cheese stuffing to cool.

Finished project.  I made two of these for Easter.  

April

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  This month the Navy is ramping up a campaign to spread awareness of sexual assault.  I am glad that my shipmates and I are getting this training, because one assault is one too many.  The Navy's PAO office is putting out a lot of these videos to augment the training.

Family and Faith

I was definitely stressed out last week.  You ever have those days where everything goes wrong?  I mean, literally everything?  I hate those days.  The days where you want to just sit in the tub and soak it all out.  The negativity, the drama, you name it.  I am so lucky that I could call someone to vent.  My brother listened, understood, and let me just hash out why I was upset.  I am so grateful to have family like him in my life.
I don't like venting to my friends sometimes because I feel like since they are going through similar stuff, it is just drama.  Luckily for me, one of my ladies listened, and gave me a huge hug.  She knows that it isn't just "drama", it is my life.  I took my future schedule to heart last week when I realized my timeline for "life" got a little shorter.  The deployment preps sped up a bit, and it took me by surprise.  I am so excited to go to my next job.  New place, new people, new challenges ahead.  I know God has a plan for me, and I am excited to see where it goes.

Weekend Recap

I had an amazing weekend with one of my best friends from Chicago.  So glad she came to visit!  

Zoomas, O-Club, walks around Newport, shopping, Alex and Ani, lobster sightings, Black Pearl clam chowder, Wine tasting and tour, Rhumbline, Easter mass, White Horse brunch, Easter dinner.  

Bowen's Wharf.  Thames St. 

Newport Vineyards

Tasting after the tour

Meghan and Megan

Easter!

I was so happy to have had such a wonderful weekend after such a stressful week.  Nothing beats spending a holiday with friends, especially friends that have become like family!

Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

I found this recipe on www.skinnytaste.com.  So unbelievable.  You can find the recipe here.  Pretty easy, healthy breakfast, perfect for a Sunday morning.

I have made this twice in the past two weeks.  Can't wait to make it again.  It tastes great as leftovers, and my friend Meghan taste tested and approved it!

Happy Easter!

I have a lot to catch up on posting (recipes, restaurants, photos), but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter!  May your Easter be full of great food, great people, and even better memories to come!

Keep Calm and Freak out a little bit..

I came to a realization today.  I am moving.  Soon.  I am starting a new job.  Soon.  I am moving to 2 different states in a week.  Ugh.  Plus, I can't see my family like I wanted to. (I.e. vacation was cancelled).   Enter freak out moment.  I am used to separations.  But not like this.  Seems like this one will be about a year, and that is unusual op-tempo for what I normally do.  The Navy has started a steady strain on longer deployments.  This is tough because of the 24-7 nature of what we do out at sea. So, my response was freak out.  Breathe.  Plan.  Trips booked, calender sent out to family.  Now I just have to finish my organization and what to pack in my car.  I am only taking what I can fit, so I have to be smart about it!  Bella won't fit, so she is flying to my brother.  I won't see my girl for a year, but when I get her back, I am sure I will have an awesome place in Florida for her to come back to!

I am off to class once again.

Breathe.