Bird's Custard Disaster

A couple weeks ago we made a trip up north to Temecula to look at some couches (that's a whole other story) and we stopped in Old Town to look at the shops. Sean found a store that sold international foods and bought a few treats from England/Australia. Skip to the present. Melissa wanted some pudding tonight so Sean offered to make Bird's custard (kinda like pudding). The stuff he bought was instant, just add boiling water and mix. Thinking he could simplify the mixing process, Sean poured the powder and boiling water into one of those plastic salad dressing shakers, despite the counsel of his wife...that's where his innovation ended. The steam expanded, blowing the lid off the container and sending half mixed custard and boiling water everywhere!!! On the microwave, over the counter, and down the side of the stove to name a few places. While Melissa attempted to salvage what was left, Sean rearranged the kitchen to clean up the now thickening goo. In the frenzy of the moment we forgot to get pictures of the disaster. The end result was runny yellow stuff and a cleaner kitchen. Listening to the wife might pay off in the future, but it's doubtful he learned his lesson...

And, just for the record... She still wants pudding!!

Baseball and Garlic fries...

Sean got free tickets to a Padres game from someone at work so we got to go to watch them play the Twins yesterday. It was really fun, even though we sat in the cheap seats. The Twins killed San Diego 9-3! Someone had recommended to try the garlic fries, so we got some... 6 bucks later and a few clogged arteries... not even kidding, they were pretty much gross! The idea is a good one, but there was honestly more grease than there was fries. Long story short... they were left unfinished and we were left with some stomach issues. We still do love America's favorite pass time though!!

Walking into the park

sad that we have to go farther up

it was pretty cold up there

This is a picture of what NOT to eat...

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

We have been working on getting our 72 hour kits together. They aren't really that close to being ready yet, but at least we are working on them right? I think the only thing in mine right now is a pocket knife yay! But Sean's is almost done, he pretty much had one already so we just updated it. Sean was taste testing 4 year old food to see if it was still ok to eat! I wasn't. We are excited about our survival kits though. It's good knowing that we are prepared, just in case.

Sean has been teaching me how to tie knots. I get tested on the knot, and which one to use in certain types of situations... He says things like... "so you are at the bottom of a cliff, and need to tie a rope around yourself so I can pull you up. Which knot do you tie?" Then I have to show him by tying the knot as if I were in the scenario. I usually only remember how to tie the ones that have stories like 'the bunny comes up the hole, around the tree' kind of stories, but I try hard. :)

Up, Up, And Away!!

Sean finally got to ride in a helicopter, the saltiest thing he's done in the Navy (salty - military related).  The higher-ups at his clinic were able to arrange for a number of the junior enlisted to go for a training flight on a CH-46 Chinook, a Vietnam era bird still used by the Marine Corps for cargo and troop transport. Unfortunately there was no door mounted .50 cal machine gun to play with--surely the fine citizens of San Diego would not have appreciated that.  All in all it was an 'uplifting' experience.  

Giving the universally understood 'Good to go' sign...check out the head gear called a 'cranium'...doesn't it do wonders for his ears?!

The ol' work horse of the USMC, CH-46 Chinook...check out how those blades bend!

Dining room furniture 7 months late...

In March when Sean's dad came to visit, he brought our table down for us (Sean's uncle built it for us). And now two months later, we actually get to use it... we finally got our barstools! It was hard finding chairs that would look good with the table. These aren't exactly what we had in mind but barstools aren't exactly cheap either. We are hopefully going to get to re-cover them eventually, if we find a color/fabric that we like. The metal part is actually a brown-ish color, you can't really tell in the picture. It's great not having to hold our plates on our laps anymore!

cookies?!

*** This post is mostly for my sister because I think she will understand the best....

In my family, I am known for my chocolate chip cookie making skills. Everyone says that my cookies are the best, baked perfectly, soft, tasty... etc. I have never messed up cookies in my life, they always turn out really really good... so with that said... Sean had been asking for cookies for a couple of weeks (seriously that was all he would talk about!) So I thought that I would make some while he was at work and surprise him with homemade chocolate chip cookies when he got home. I had lost my 'award winning' recipe (according to the family!) between moving to Oregon, back to Idaho, and then California, if I knew which move... maybe I could track it down!! So I thought I would try the recipe on the back of some no name chocolate chips that we bought... and I figured, no big deal, cookie recipes are all about the same right? So I made the dough using all of my special touches and thought about how excited Sean was going to be when he got home! Everything was great when I put them in to the oven... not so great when I pulled them out!!! I was so sad, and really confused because I hadn't ever made bad cookies! They were completely flat and didn't look good at all! As they were cooling on the racks the middles of some of them were just falling out because they were mushy but were also over-done at the same time! It was a horrible experience to say the least!! 

For the record: Sean has been eating them (he is such a great husband!) He says that they don't taste as bad as they look. I think he is just trying to make me feel better... 

And I currently have someone working on getting me another copy of the recipe (I had to go all the way back to the source!) so my family doesn't need to fret, I will be back to making good cookies soon!

Nikes

Sean got me new shoes! I love them! Since we get to go to the gym on base for free, (and because I am getting chubby!!) I thought that I would start working out more often... But I didn't have running shoes, so I got to get new ones. I was going to have my sister send me her old ones because she just got a new pair (I am seriously SO cheap) but Sean didn't like that idea because Tifani and I don't even wear the same size... I didn't think it would be a big deal, but he just wouldn't have it. It took awhile to pick the ones I wanted because I wanted them to be perfect since we were going to spend money on them. I really love these ones, they are way comfortable and fit great, plus they are cute too!! They totally make me run faster and jump higher :) And maybe soon I will fit back into that dress that I could wear six months ago but can't seem to zip up at the moment... wish me luck! 

Half way through a year!

Six months... wow! It actually feels like we have been married longer than that! Sean had to go into work this morning to check the freezer temperatures that the meds. are kept in. When he got home he had grocery bags and wouldn't let me see what he bought. He made me stay in bed and watch t.v. while he was in the kitchen. He made me french toast (which I love!) with strawberries and brought it to me with presents and a card! It was so sweet! I got 2 pearl bracelets and a pearl necklace. I love pearls, I told him that a long time ago before we were even married, and he remembered. Sean had one of his friends from work dive for some for me when was home on vacation in the Philippines! How sweet is that!? His friend got all the pearls and made them into what Sean had asked him to get. Sean had the jewelry for awhile too and kept it a secret so he could give them to me on our 6th month anniversary. I have the best husband in the world! I am so lucky!