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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Harry Potter Party




Due to the fact that our men will not be here to celebrate Halloween our neighbors had an early Halloween party. She had just become obsessed with Harry Potter so it became the theme of the party. Due to lack of planning and short on time Travis and I switched and changed characters. Travis went as the lovely Hermione Granger and I was the evil La Strange, but I honestly looked more like a member of KISS. The party went well and the decorations were like the real thing. I felt bad though because I have never been a huge Harry Potter fan and couldn't truly appreciate all the intricate details. Travis and I had a lot of fun getting ready and we are glad we shared Halloween together.

Military Ball

Sweating with the ladies on the dance floor.


Posting of the colors
Ready for the Ball

This weekend Travis and I went to our first military ball. It was in Lake Charles at the La' Berge hotel and casino. We drove down after dropping off the dogs to their favorite spot the kennel. We got ready and then went down for social hour where we took pictures and had a social drink with friends. Next was the receiving line where you shake hands with all the high ranking Soldiers and then you take a seat at your table for the colors to be posted. After that there was toasts and a speech from LTC (Lieutenant Colonel) Albert. Next was dinner which was delicious and then a night full of dancing! I don't think Travis and I left the dance floor until the night ended. We headed back up to the room and changed and then Travis tried his luck at let it ride. Shocker he lost! The next morning we got up, went to lunch, and did some quick shopping and headed home to pick up the dogs. Travis and I loved our first ball and look forward to ones in the future.

Family Visits

Travis and Ryan saying goodbye
Lauren, Travis and Ryan
Jeff, Lauren, Me and Travis
Ryan, Lauren and Jeff (quickly taking pictures so we can prove we were together)

Travis's brother (Ryan), sister (Lauren) and brother-n-law (Jeff) all made the long trip out to see us in Fort Polk. It was one last Park/ Kozak gathering before Travis's up coming deployment. Due to so much fun we all forgot to take pictures. We went bowling, got tattoos (the non-permanent kind), played lots of board games, wii games and spent time sitting around and talking. It was a packed weekend and none of us wanted it to end. We will have to do it again when Travis comes home.

Kids Nap Time

Watson taking a cat nap

Henry really does think he is Charlie size as he has taken over Charlie's bed. This is Henry's new favorite spot to take a nap.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Travis's 2nd Birthday Weekend

Lazy day

Since we were in California Travis and I celebrated his birthday this weekend. Basically Travis got to do whatever he wanted! Sleep in Saturday, go to Thai food for lunch, I scheduled a couples massage after that, listen to lots of talk radio, have sex whenever he wants it. Saturday night go to a co-workers BBQ. Sunday make him breakfast in bed (and I burnt my hand really bad). Lay in bed most of the morning while he read his kindle (another gift I got him that has now become another obsession along with his Ipod). Come down stairs where more laying around with the kindle and ipod by his side. Finally I am over this birthday stuff and am making him make his birthday dinner (wontons) since I am blogging and still icing my burnt hand.
I am having conflicting thoughts on whether I am a bad wife or not for not helping him with dinner, but apparently I don't feel too bad since I am still sitting here blogging.

My dog has Herpes

When we picked Henry up from the kennel Monday we noticed a scab forming on his left cheek. Being a concerned mother I called and made an appointment for him after work the next day. All day long my friends diagnosed my dog with allergies, flea bits and the worst mange. Needless to say I was hoping it was allergies and dreading the diagnosis of mange. Henry and I waiting anxiously for the vet who took a few samples of the scab and left the room. I was sure it was just fleas...but when the doc came back in he laid the bad news on me. He has Red Mange! I immediately jumped to the worst...gone in weeks, but with education the vet informed me that Red mange is an immune deficiency that the dog has against a certain kind of mite. Most dogs can fight off the critter but due to Henry's poor genetic combination he just can't. He said the out breaks will go away after 60 days by giving Henry oral medicine everyday. More bad news though is that he could have this problem forever and out breaks will happen with increased stress. Luckily it cannot be passed on to humans, cats or other dogs so he can still be a therapy dog (in between break outs).
I think it is harder for me to deal with than anyone else because I feel like my dog has herpes with all this out break talk. I am hoping he will grow out of it, or at least be all cleared up for his birthday party this month!

Ps. Travis wants me to inform all of you that him being a man-sician ( that is a man who thinks he is as smart as a physician with no actual formal training) did say that Henry had mange before I took him to the vet.

Deployment Etiquette

Now that I am a military spouse and am about to have Travis and I's first deployment I feel that I could do a great service by educating civilians on how to painlessly ask military families about deployment.

Number one:
When asking how long will you be gone never guess low.
Example:
How long will you be gone...a few months (this is wrong!) Because when the person responds,"No I will be gone a year." You will not be able to filter out the response..."Oh that's a long time!" Believe me this only feels like salt on a wound. Therefore guess at least a year and if they are gone longer say well something about how liberals just don't get it. That always works :)

Secondly:
Do not say...well I am sure you will be safe over there, things are really calming down.
This is true of Iraq but Afghanistan is quite a different story.
Instead say "Be safe and our prayers will be with you." Oh and "those Liberals just don't get it"

Lastly:
When someone tells you they are deploying this is not the time to inform the military personal of friends, family and emails you've read or just heard of, of soldiers being wounded or killed in Afghanistan. If you wish to share this with someone please at least wait for the spouse to leave or better yet keep it to yourself and call a civilian friend and tell them.

I hope this helps so the next time you run across someone in uniform. Just say "Thanks for your service......oh and those liberals just don't get it."

One Last Visit

Nathan, Chris, Ameen and Travis about to hit the dance floor
Travis in his blues
Jonny, Travis and Estvan

Ready for Rehearsals

Last weekend Travis and I flew to Fresno, CA for our good friends Aaron and Kim's wedding. It is also the last time Travis will see his parents and friends before his deployment. Lastly it was Travis 25th birthday (our first of his that we have spent together). Needless to say I knew going into it that this would be a weekend to remember. We arrived Friday afternoon and had lunch with Susan and just got time to catch up. Soon Travis was on the phone with friends making plans and getting together and the weekend started. That night we went to the rehearsal dinner which was really wonderful. They had Panda Express (The grooms favorite) and Travis relizing this would be his last Panda in awhile didn't hold back! I must admit it was a treat for me too since we are very far from Panda here in Louisiana. After the rehearsal dinner the after party started at the Park's house. Of coarse with the boys all back together it was like they were all in college again. Beer pong was played and after that rock band and deep conversations which I think have matured. It was a long day for Travis and I because we had been up since 2am west coast time and we didn't make it to bed until 3am Saturday morning. It was so much fun hanging out with everyone.
I feel so lucky that Travis's friends have become my own. They are one of the best groups of people and in some ways I am so jelous that I didn't have friends like them growing up. Every time we hang out with them and I get to know them better I like them more and more! I know Travis will miss them all in Afganistain but it comforting to know that when he comes back and they all get together they won't miss a beat and be right back where they left off.
The next day a group of us met for pizza and then soon it was wedding time. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. I have never seen adults who love to dance so much! After the wedding again the late after party was at the Park's house! More games, rock band and political conversations were had until 5am! Sunday we celebrated Travis's birthday with his mom and dad. He got lots of money and gift cards and his new love his Ipod.
No joke he is like the rain man with this thing. He goes to work, goes to bed, heads to the bathroom with his trusty ipod by his side.

New and Improved




Finally after much pondering and deliberating (aka several phone calls to my mom) I picked out furniture and now it has arrived. I must say at first it was rather shocking because it filled up the whole space. Did I panic...YES! Since my mother and sister are across country I called all my female friends who will give me the truth on whether my first grown up purchase of furniture was a disaster. They assured me it was very cute, and Travis loved it as well there was no way to return it so I have learned to love it. I am finding in my old age of 24 that change can be very difficult for me. The style and size were very different than my old couches, but after having them now for a few months I have really fallen in love with them. They are still huge, but seating is never an issue and they are very comfortable. Watson has found his new favorite spot which is always the second top cushion in. I swear some day he spends 10+ sleeping or staring at us from that spot. The only con is that there is a lot of wasted space behind the curve of the couch and our coffee table doesn't really fit, but we have adapted and over come and made them part of our ever changing home.

Finishing the Vacation

Bromance

Too bad Travis Camryn found you on a fun game of hide and seek....maybe next time you'll get her

Travis catching a little sun by the pool

Well I guess it is better late than never to finish my vacation that happened all the way back in July....
The best part of the trip although Travis couldn't be there physically he was there in spirit or cardboard image however you want to look at it. My mom enlarged a picture of Travis so we could awkwardly have him in the annual family picture. It started out that way and then soon Travis was joining us at the pool, playing with his nieces and nephews and going out to town with us. It was rather humorous and made all of us miss Travis a wee bit less.