Keyword: trying

So I come from a mother who is extremely crafty and witty! She is great at making things look cute! For example, she did ALL the decorating for my wedding...flower arrangements and all. You would think that some of that talent would be passed on to me....well I got about 0% of it! Most of it went to my brother! He is an artist! Anywho, I, like most of you have been on pinterest and though about making super cute projects and bake delicious looking foods. I get so excited when I go to Wal Mart of Hobby Lobby to pick up the supplies, I rush home and get started. My first attempt was to make a canvas picture. I didnt want just a white background so I got some scrapbook paper and cut and snipped the paper to fit the canvas. I applied the Mod Podge and put the paper on (all while chevy is running around me screaming and the hubby is nowhere in sight to take the crazy child off my hands) so I took the canvas and stuck it in the spare room and left it overnight...the next morning I went to see my creation and I was....no so pleased! The paper had bubbled and such so I figured the canvas was out. I went to Lowes and got a 12"x15" board, then to Wal Mart to print off a big picture of my parents with Chevy. I then covered the edges with scrapbook paper and put the picture on the front....it turned out alright! I should have had the board cut a little bigger so you could actually appreciate the borders but oh well....you live and learn right?! My next project was the Birthday in a jar....cake things! I should have bought the neon food color but I didnt. So the colors I got were more pastel colors. I can say though that I had lots of fun mixing and coloring and all that! I would love to work in a bakery! Im a huge fan of D.C. Cupcakes and Cake Boss....all those shows! They amaze me! I think I will try more of the baking pinterests!

Before baking. I liked the colors!

After baking, they didnt turn out as expected but I was still pleased with them!

You cant really tell the designs on the edges. Now I know better for next time! Hope my mom likes it!

Other than these we have not been up to a whole lot! Finally settled down here in El Paso and so far we really like it! I am able to decorate the house how I want and I am loving it!!!!! We have a big fireplace in our living room and cathedral ceilings so lots of wall space! Our centerpiece for the living room is a poster that Felix got from their deployment. It has lots of centimental value to him so we got a custom frame made for it. We will get that in December. Being an Army family you tend to steer towards patriotic decor...well I do anyways! I love being an American and I love being an Army wife! I wouldnt trade it for anything! Til next time.......Adios!!!!!

Our last few days...

So as of today (August 5, 2011) we have 1 week left in Italy! The movers came today and packed up all of our appliances and kitchen stuff, and a few duffle bags of Felix's stuff. While watching them load it into the truck it really hit me. The past 3 years have gone by in a flash, I really dont know how it passed by me that quick. Alot has happened since the day I arrived in Italy. Lots of new friends, became a volunteer, pregnancy, softball coach, a baby, year long deployment, lots of training rotations, lots and lots of traveling! It seems like we were always on the go but now that I sit and think, we didn't see even 1/3 of the stuff we wanted to. The few places we were lucky enough to see includes Vicenza (since thats where we live), Verona, Venice, Milan, Rome, Garmisch...and there are others up in Germany. I would have loved to have gotten to Pisa, Cinque Terre, Paris, and there are so many I cant even remember! Its been a fantastic 3 years! I think the main thing that is making me the most sad is Chevy leaving the only home she has known. Big changes are coming our way and I am so excited for them! Lots of stress comes with these changes! I just need to relax and roll with it! I will try to update again soon!

Its been awhile!

Chevelle is ready to move!!!!!!
Chevy and mommas cake! (now that I look, I dont think its smart to have an open flame next to a large can of hairspray)

The Colosseum

My mom and aunts came to visit us in May

Ok so I seriously thought nobody ever read mine so I never updated....glad to see someone does (kelly) Lets see.....things have been crazy lately! Softball ended in May and I am so relieved, I dont think I would have coached much longer. This year was just totally and completely different. It amazes me how little respect the younger generations have. I understand people get upset sometimes but you dont call your coaches stupid and say they dont know how to play the sport. Then some of them had problems not being the "captains" of the team. Kinda takes me back to my senior year when people just thought they rocked and had to be captain. What made it even more difficult was having Ms. Chevelle!!!!! She loved being out there with all the girls but if I walked 10 feet away from her she would throw herself on the ground and start crying. She knows how to get my attention. But anyways, the girls ended up doing horrible at Europeans so....thats that. Soon after that, about 2 days before my birthday felix had to head to Germany to do some training. I was so bummed that for the 2nd year in a row he had to miss my birthday. So me and Chevy baked a cake and did the whole shebang just us! She had fun taking the candles out of the cake. Its weird, when felix is home we go to bed at a decent time and I usually wake up about 8. When he is gone I cant seem to get myself to bed before midnight and wake up around 9. I dont know what it is. For the 4th of July here they had 1 food booth....which was ridiculous how expensive the food was!!!! 11 dollars for a hamburger, small thing of fried, and a teeny tiny drink.....OUTRAGEOUS! then they had a few rides for kids, which you had to pay for in euro to ride. then they had some booths where you could do kid projects for free but the lines for those were super long. I understand we are living in Italy and this is Italy's base but the 4th of july is an AMERICAN holiday, I dont understand why the Italians were invited onto post to celebrate this. The people here can be so mean, they do not know the purpose of a line!!!!!! felt like i was in kindergarten again "hey, you butted!!!" good thing i had a stroller, i could push my way through, people dont like getting hit in the back of the legs with a stroller! There are so many people here (americans) that didnt like the idea of them coming onto post. The terrorist threat level was high, great way to increase it more! Luckily no one was harmed! The fireworks....those were a different story! This was the first year that they have had fireworks in a few years so everyone was so excited. They were going to set them off on top of this big hill about 3 miles away from post....well as soon as they started it was a huge disappointment. There was a huge building in the way so you couldnt even see them. I was so sad. Chevelle is almost 2 and has still not seen fireworks, poor deprived child! A few days after the 4th Felix had to leave again to go do more training in Germany, he said it was so cold up there with lots of rain. Sounds not so fun to me! Then again I would have traded him, here in Italy it was soooo hot and humid. I dont do good in humidity, I get really cranky! He just got home a few days ago and then they will leave again soon to head to Ukraine to do training up there. I guess this is going to be a super cool training. They will get to jump out of planes with other countries. Its hard to describe all this Army stuff to others that dont know much about it. Felix is just really REALLY excited for this! As soon as he arrives back home we will start clearing. We already have appts for the movers to come and pick up our stuff. I love that the Army pays for all this stuff. The movers come in, pack EVERYTHING and send it off. The only downside is that you wont see your stuff again until about 2-4 months later. So you have to pack your bags ahead of time to make sure you have everything! I guess the only thing I really have to do is pack mine and Chevelle's bags, clean the fridge and oven, and sell the car. Thats the big thing for me is selling the car. I am just so excited we are finally to this point! It has been awesome living in Italy, we have gotten to see some cool places we probably would have never seen before. Chevelle will be able to say she was born in Italy! There have been ups and downs. Im sure I will cry the day we leave our house and friends but its going to be the end of one chapter, and the beginning of the next...which I am absolutely stoked for! In the next chapter of life we will be doing some vacationing in Utah and California to see both of our families, weddings, finding a place in Texas, and just being so much closer to all the people we love! Wow, this was my longest post ever!!!!! Hope whoever reads this enjoyed hearing about my life! I will try to keep it up to date!

La vita di recente in Italia

Ms. Chevelle being the little diva she is!!! She always has to have shoes on her feet, some kind of weird obsession! I think she is going to be an addict to shoes, she already has more shoes than me and felix put together....although, i am to blame!!! A girl can never have to many shoes!

Amanda showed me the Picky Palate website and lately I have been trying out some of the recipes! This is one of the chili recipes on there...my first time ever making chili. It was DELICIOUS!!!! I altered the recipe a little but it was still great!

Some of our friends over here in Italy asked us to watch their girls for a few hours. This is Gabriela (8 months) she is such a cutie!!! And she is sooo tiny! But I believe that Chevy was getting a tiny bit jealous of her daddy holding the baby, so she took over his lap when she had the chance! She is such a daddy's girl!

Not sure if many of you watch news and stuff with the President and all of that. I believe in November he announced the first living Medal of Honor recipient, Sal Guinta. Well, Sal is in the same company as Felix so we have had the honor to know him personally. At our 2nd battalion ball in January we got a picture of him and felix together! We are so proud of Sal!

This picture was taken in January when Felix reenlisted to stay in the Army. He signed for another 3 years on needs of the Army. We finally just got our orders this week and we will be moving to Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas later this year! We couldn't be happier! I have enjoyed life here in Italy, alot of good things have come out of it but we are ready to be close to our families! I will GLADLY take a 10 hour car ride over a 10+ hour plane ride!!!! I cant even begin to tell you the stress I have trying to fly back to Utah with a 17 month old child. So hopefully we will get to see all of you more often!

Here in a few weeks the softball season will be getting underway. I am excited. We lost one of the coaches this year so its going to be alot different. He was the only male coach and alot of the girls are not happy about him moving but hey, its the Army!!!

I also have family coming to visit me in May, I cant wait! I have been dying to have people come and see my life here in Italy!

Anyway, that about all for now!!!! Ciao Ciao!