tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55770603406760560112024-02-18T17:36:05.970-09:00Musings of the Wife of a PilotJenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.comBlogger481125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-28163872085918039602012-11-06T16:47:00.000-09:002012-11-06T16:47:26.581-09:00The end... or is it the beginning?It's no secret that Aaron and I have struggled to recombine our lives after he started working back in Juneau. After living separate lives for more than 3 years, we both had difficulty in breaking the independent streaks that we had developed. So, after almost 13 years of marriage, Aaron and I have decided to dissolve our marriage...<br />
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Neither of us is entirely blameless in this situation... We both could have done things differently... But, we both also feel that this is the right thing for us both.<br />
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I would like to say that the pilot wife lifestyle that I am used to is not entirely to blame for our situation either... It just brought it to our attention faster than we would have seen without it.<br />
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So, new adventures on the horizon for the both of us... Aaron is currently exploring hobbies outside of aviation and hanging out with his friends. I have moved out of the house and am saving up money so I can move back down south, to be closer to my family and friends. As much as I like living in Juneau, the only reason I am here is because this is where he wanted to be.<br />
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I probably won't post much on this site in the future, as it was primarily based in my aviation world. I have two other blogs that I will post to more regularly - <a href="http://gettinghealthyjustbecause.blogspot.com/">Getting Healthy (my take on going gluten-free and making other lifestyle changes)</a> and <a href="http://cookingwithjenandjessie.blogspot.com/">Food with Friends (my cooking blog with my friend Jessie).</a> Feel free to keep up with me there.<br />
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Thank you all for the support you have given me over the years.<br />
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JenniferJenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-55978079654426683762012-09-21T17:59:00.000-08:002012-09-21T17:59:28.859-08:00Who has the time?I love working over at the airline. It was amazing how quickly I just fell back into that world. But, it also leaves me with little to no time for pretty much anything. Is my house clean? Nope! Is the laundry done? Nuh-uh... Is the fridge full? Yes, but it is full of stuff that has gone bad and needs to be thrown away... What can I say, I wasn't the BEST house cleaner before acquiring a second job, but I'm even worse now... sigh...<br />
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Time after my primary job is spent doing homework. I received such a dismal grade in my last class that I am making myself read at least one chapter a day and do one other thing for school (research, discussion questions, working on papers, etc)... So far, I've held to it (aside from taking the time to write this post anyway)... The best thing about working on the weekends is that it is pretty slow most of the time, so I'm able to work on school work while I work... Hopefully, I'll be able to get ahead on my reading for next week.<br />
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In addition to not having time to do the basic stuff around the house, I also don't have much time to devote to cooking dinner. I love my husband and his attempts at making me dinner, but he has not quite grasped the concept of how to plan a healthy dinner... Lately, we've been taking to buying stuff for sandwiches and buying stuff from the deli that is already prepared... again, sigh... I miss being creative in the kitchen...Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-40027686730241916292012-08-24T21:18:00.001-08:002012-08-24T21:18:53.534-08:00Balancing the Budget...For whatever reason (and I can't seem to come up with one specific reason), our monthly expenses are going up! Partially due to the increase in hanger rent, partially due to my school expenses (tuition, books, etc), and partially due to rising grocery costs and my need to eat gluten-free foods (which are VASTLY more expensive than their gluten-counterparts)... Current options fail at this point - if I suspend my schooling for the time being, I not only delay my graduation date, but I have to start paying back student loans as of now... not a great option. We aren't confident that we can sell the Apache in this market (by far, one of our largest expenses) and break even on the loan, and we still have to put a roof over our heads and food in our bellies (the list goes on and on)...<br />
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So, what happens when your expenses exceed your income and you can't really get rid of your expenses? You find a second job... I know, you all probably think I am insane to take on a second job with everything else going on in my life... But, Aaron already has a second job on top of one that takes up great chunks of his day... Really, the only option was to find a second job that would still give me the flexibility to travel when needed for my full time job and allow me to still work on my homework. Luckily, Aaron's company was looking for PT Customer Service Agents... Awesome, right? Yep.<br />
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I started today, mostly just an introduction to the computer system. Heck, the last time I was a CSA for an airline, we used paper and pencil for the reservations and schedule... Now, I'm no stranger to technology, but it will be a bit of a learning curve to understand the system and it's multiple quirks... I may cross train in other areas, but we'll see where this goes first.<br />
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My first "full" day is tomorrow. Pray for me and my sanity (and that the coffee shop in the airport that always seems to be closed is ACTUALLY open so I can get caffeinated properly... I smelled the coffee that they brew in the back office and it's not good... but, then, I've become spoiled since getting my Keurig).Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-56490094346406859462012-08-09T21:38:00.000-08:002012-08-09T21:55:36.823-08:00Birthday Celebrations and More!First, I want to say "Happy Birthday" to my husband. Today was his special day and I had fun planning it. Although, he kind of almost ruined the surprise. He was "supposed" to go to bed early last night so I could finish preparations and he was "supposed" to be off today. My original plan was to set everything up last night and then let him wake up to it... But, no... He decided that he needed to work today, and since he didn't have to go in at the butt-crack of dawn, that he could stay up with me and get up with me... crap...<br />
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Plan B meant frantically finishing the preparations this morning and (after making sure he was STAYING at work) setting up the surprise on my lunch break... I threw in a sandwich delivery just to make sure he stayed at the airport...<br />
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So, what was the surprise? I set up a little scavenger hunt for my honey. We are in that stage where you don't really know what to get for the other person because (1) he already has pretty much everything he needs and (2) you don't have a whole lot of cash to drop on a present that you know he'd really love.<br />
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So, starting out with his birthday card - I found a pretty cute one of a dog (he's just crazy about canines) that was blank inside. I wrote a simple little saying and signed it from Me, Noni, & Lijha (had to include the dogs). Then I added a little note to the bottom of the card - "If you think this is all you get today, turn the card over"<br />
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On the back of the card was clue #1 - A quote from one of our favorite books by one of our favorite authors (if we are being completely honest here, we haven't read the book in QUITE some time, but I remember when it was the center of our little world... like back in year 1 of being married). He had to use a little help from Google to "get" what it meant, but it led him to the book where he found a gift card to the local coffee shop.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Herminio Ulibarri</td></tr>
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Attached to the gift card was clue #2 - <i>"A gift given with love! We call it beautiful, others call it creepy... The product of a troubled heart, the nun appeared and restored peace."</i> - I know, not really poetry, but very well meaning. This was to point him to a beloved painting that his grandfather created. It is very special to us because it was given to us the last time we saw him. The story he told of the painting is one of loss and pain and grief. The painting was a kind of therapy (and as a closet artist myself, I completely understood its personal meaning and why he was giving it to us). He painted it after the death of one of his sons. "The nun appeared..." because he hadn't planned on painting her. Just, one day, he was painting and there she was... She helped him overcome his grief. It was not long after we received this painting that Aaron's grandfather died after a battle with lung cancer. We miss him dearly...<br />
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Anyway, I hid his gift around this painting. I have to admit that we have two - the original oil painting and a similar watercolor painting that hangs in our dining room. My original idea was to hide this gift behind the painting but it hangs too high in the living room to do so. Then I tried to put it behind the one in the dining room, but it wouldn't stay. So, I hid it behind the TV underneath the original painting. The gift was the blue-ray edition of "The Last Starfighter"... Yeah, I went there... Bring on the cheesy '80's acting and special effects!<br />
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On the case for the movie was his 3rd clue - <i>"Greetings Starfighter! You have been chosen by the Star League to defend the frontier against Noni and the Lijha armada. Be sure to watch out for the bouncing beast! You'll find you next clue where you'll leash expect it."</i> (Did you see what I did there? I just couldn't resist...)<br />
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This, of course, led him to our front door where we have the dogs' leashes hanging on hooks. The bouncing dog reference is for Lijha... She likes to bounce and jump at her harness and leash when she thinks she is going somewhere... Hanging on one of the hooks was a gift bag with little toy cardboard gliders... The kind you would give out at a 6-year-old's party... I always get him something fun like this for birthday or Christmas.<br />
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What better clue to put on a 6-year-old's toy but a reference to the liquor cabinet! No, he didn't get a bottle of scotch (this time) but I did hide his special dark chocolate there... He got 3 kinds - regular (70% dark), orange, and chili...He tried the chili one first. He says it has a slow burn... The final clue on the chocolate bars led him to our coffee table that is shaped like a large trunk. We keep all kinds of things in there, but mostly extra blankets for when company comes. To make it easier to clean the living room, I added the castors that came with it to the bottom... Aaron hates it on wheels because it pushes away anytime he tries to prop his feet up on it, but to his credit, he hasn't tried to remove the wheels (yet)...<br />
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I hid his last gift under the table, primarily because he would know something was up if I tried to put it inside the table (as was my original plan)... The only time the table is clear enough to remove the hidden top is when we have it cleaned off for company... The rest of the time it looks like a bomb went off and scattered random mail, magazines, cups, and dog toys on it... Had I disturbed any of this, he would have KNOWN something was up...<br />
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His last gift was a set of random coupon cards... Mostly I wrote things on them that I thought he would appreciate... Like "ONE FREE Movie Night" or "FREE PASS from taking out the garbage" or - his personal favorite - "ONE FREE Homework-Free Night"... I required that he give me at least a day's notice when he wants to invoke one of these cards simply because I may need to shuffle things around to make sure I can accommodate the due dates of various assignments...<br />
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Birthday dinner was at our new favorite restaurant downtown - he got sushi and I got Chicken Udon soup. I shared my pot-stickers with him (it was his birthday, after all). We just got back home and need to work in the morning (him at o'crap-thirty), so we won't be doing anything else too crazy... Like breaking out the absinthe (last year's birthday present)...<br />
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BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!!!<br />
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Aaron has been working on a video of him flying at work (well, of him flying - I don't think he would call it "work")... It was taken on a VERY nice (VERY RARE) day here not too long ago. It was a beautiful flight and I hope you enjoy it :) PS - Look for the heart-shaped lake!<br />
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<br />Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-83916345618763873552012-06-25T20:39:00.000-08:002012-06-25T20:39:33.614-08:00Preparations...Due to Aaron's new job (and his lack of availability to get vacation time this summer) we will not be going to Arlington this year... We are kind of bummed about it, but OK with it too... We decided to postpone our vacation to go to the Reno Air Races in September instead.<br />
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But, in the mean time, we are hankering to go camping with the plane. The problem? Most of the camping sites that you can fly to are unworthy of being graced with the presence of our Apache 235 (read: we are not awesome enough to be the Super-Cub that can easily fly in/out of those locations). Luckily, we learned about a fly-in at Atlin, BC, just over the ice-field from us! It takes like 45 minutes to fly there! Which means, that we can fly there for about $250 instead of the $2,000+ that it costs us in fuel to fly to Arlington and back.<br />
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Did you notice that I said BC? As in British Columbia? As in Canada? Yup, we will be camping in Canada this weekend. Glad I got my passport last year!<br />
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We had to do quite a bit of preliminary preparations to go. We are bringing the dogs with us, so that is adding extra challenges. We used to take our old dog camping in Idaho, but neither Lijha or Noni have been camping before. This ought to be fun.<br />
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We picked up the necessary documents for the dogs. There was some conflicting information available on the internet. Some websites stated we just needed vaccination records and others stated we needed health certificates that had been certified by the USDA... After a couple of phone calls to customs on both sides of the border, we were told that current rabies certificates will suffice, as long as they clearly identify the dogs by their colors, size, etc. Sweet!<br />
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Another thing that we have to contend with is the EAPIS requirements to fly in/out of the US. Aaron set up an account with customs (that I forgot about) last year when he flew with a couple of other pilots ferrying two airplanes to Alaska. Aaron got our EAPIS stuff done and we have our authorization emails already... Check that off the list!<br />
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All we have left is to gather our camping gear that is spread between the hanger and the garage and get it prepped and ready to go. Oh yeah, and we need to do some grocery shopping to accommodate my dietary restrictions. We leave after I get off work on Friday!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-46044219922267839202012-06-14T22:10:00.000-08:002012-06-14T22:10:25.310-08:00Wow....Just wow.... It has been a REALLY long time since I posted anything... I blame school and Aaron, in that order... (School first, all other free time is spent with Aaron, now that he is home every day)...<br />
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So, since February, we (finally) bought bedroom furniture. Aaron had to fix the headboard to make it stronger (so we didn't break it while sitting up against it). This is what happens when you buy the "cheap" furniture rather than the 3-times-as-expensive furniture also available at the same store. But, $20 bucks at Home Depot will fix that right up for you :)<br />
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We also bought a new car. I FINALLY got rid of my crappy Ford Focus (nothing personal against the car - it was a great car that never let us down - but I really hate Fords... "Fords SUCK" was a constant phrase in my house growing up - but I digress). The driving force behind getting a new car was that Lijha kept hitting her head on the ceiling of the car. We test drove a bunch of cross-over vehicles (Subaru, Dodge, Jeep - mostly to get the 4x4 capabilities for the winters here) and didn't like any of them. We knew we did not want a full-sized SUV (WAY TOO HIGH MPG). On a whim, we test drove a mini-van AND LOVED IT.... So, now, I am the proud owner of a 2010 Chrysler Town & Country (oh, yeah, and Aaron is too)...<br />
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Now that Aaron is back home, we do stuff together on Saturdays (our one day off together). Recently, we were able to take a trip up to the Herbert Glacier by helicopter.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jen & Aaron on the Glacier :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep pool that we landed next too :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a very good picture of Jen, but proof that I was there</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ride to the top!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenic!</td></tr>
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<br />Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-27267132370436936202012-02-17T09:19:00.000-09:002012-02-17T09:19:24.548-09:00Home again!Aaron is home! I am excited! He is done with Bethel and we have all next week off together for when his parents come visit us. <br />
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He came home yesterday and we went out to dinner last night. What a change "coming home" has done for us, at least in the short term... We usually go out to dinner several times while he is home, but it seems that we just don't have anything to talk about. He usually pulls out his iPhone while we are waiting for the food. It's actually quite sad... But, last night, he didn't pull out his cell phone once in the almost 2 hours we were at the restaurant. He would tell me stories about his last few days at work. I would tell him about my new diet that the doctor put me on, why I'm on it, and what results we expect to see... We talked about the upcoming visit with his parents. We talked about the errands that we will do this weekend. We just talked... It was so nice! <br />
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I'm so glad to have him home again. :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-21722355972759534042012-01-27T20:31:00.000-09:002012-01-27T20:31:56.328-09:00Changes lead to adjustments...Shortly after Aaron came home this shift, he had an interview... with a local company... That starts at the end of February... We are both ecstatic! and at least a little bit scared (at least I am)<br />
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After 3 and half years of him being away half the month, every month, I have gotten used to spending time by myself, taking up as much of the bed and blankets as I want, and have my own schedule where I don't have to answer to anyone for anything... That will all change on February 16th (Feb 15th if I'm lucky)... Then, he will be home for good!<br />
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I need to remember back to a time when we were both here, both contributing to the household, both responsible for what goes on... It's hard to remember back that far...<br />
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Aaron's going to have to get used to a regular menu each month (or else I won't cook). When he's been home, I've overlooked his avoidance of planning for dinner. He usually doesn't even think of food until 8:00 PM or so... When I need to adhere to a specific grocery budget (and I will, starting this month), I NEED to plan what is for dinner so that I know what to buy and when, not to mention to relieve the stress of cooking meals after work and before school work... <br />
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I am looking forward to his help around the house more often. And the dogs will appreciate his presence as well... Lijha gets depressed when he leaves... She curls in a ball and mopes when she sees him pack his suitcase to leave...Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-69539203817426940462012-01-03T15:45:00.001-09:002012-01-04T12:08:14.868-09:00Back to the crazy thing that I call life...Back to work... back to school... said hello and goodbye to some friends... sent my husband to work... didn't burn down my kitchen... all in all, I'd say it was a successful break. I took some time to read a book (Water for Elephants... haven't seen the movie, but the book is great!) I cooked a bunch... Basically, Christmas was pretty nice.<br />
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I did make my apple/pear butter. It was AMAZING. So addicted to that crap... I now have to keep myself supplied in english muffins so that I can snack on the awesome goodness that is apple/pear butter... I'll post the recipe and experience on my <a href="http://cookingwithjenandjessie.blogspot.com/">new project/blog</a> (yes, another one) that a friend and I started... It will be a place where we can post recipes and stories of those recipes... Since she lives across the country, it should be a way for us to stay connected through food.<br />
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I kept with tradition for Christmas... I usually make Chinese food for Christmas Eve dinner... It hearkens back to a time when I didn't live near a Chinese restaurant so I was forced to make my own if I wanted it to be tasty... I did sacrifice the normal recipes for something quick and easy (still having flashbacks from Thanksgiving)... I bought some Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken (not a fan, but it was good in the moment). I also usually make fried wontons, but I wasn't feeling that ambitious (see my previous statement about Thanksgiving). Instead, I found a recipe for baked spring rolls... Another post for my food blog... They were AMAZING and simple... although, it probably wasn't the best idea to use lumpia wrappers instead of spring roll wrappers... But what can I say... I couldn't find spring roll wrappers to save my life and the lumpia wrappers were right there... They tasted good, I've just never worked with lumpia wrappers before and some of the wrappers were thicker than they needed to be, causing us to eat the spring rolls with a knife and fork...<br />
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For Christmas Dinner, I took a page from my husband's family. They are from the American Southwest (ABQ, to be specific) and always make Posole for Christmas... So, I had a pot of posole going on the stove, a tasty pork roast cooking away in the crock pot, and taco fixin's in the making (my addition to the family feast... I just love tacos)... Although, after our day at the firing range to play with my new toy (yeah, that's right, I am the proud new owner of a Smith & Wesson 22 Pistol), we were so wore out (and cold) that we kind of skipped dinner and fell asleep mid afternoon... Best thing about this kind of mexican food? It keeps really well and kept us fed for days :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmHvTf6qigoBlJ84yvv4o192KIqCSVdLA-HLmiQDBlzjvPwr5-VrR0V07uKZzeEk7UDrAJxXlyX9dFWu8yHt6GgBF9YJ-7tjODigCMMgBreKV-pEAdH0ANvd5nuEezMdHixkvcA-NPl6T/s1600/Christmas+Coma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmHvTf6qigoBlJ84yvv4o192KIqCSVdLA-HLmiQDBlzjvPwr5-VrR0V07uKZzeEk7UDrAJxXlyX9dFWu8yHt6GgBF9YJ-7tjODigCMMgBreKV-pEAdH0ANvd5nuEezMdHixkvcA-NPl6T/s400/Christmas+Coma.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Aaron and Lijha, passed out on the couch... Noni is passed out on the floor behind the table... Christmas Comas all around!</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
Spent the days around New Year's experiencing copious amounts of liquor... I don't usually drink to that excess, but sometimes, it must be done. Side note? I'm apparently really fun when drinking margaritas :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-59159207590433162662011-12-21T17:02:00.000-09:002011-12-21T17:02:05.827-09:00What to do... what to do...I am on break from school until January 3rd... Seriously... I have so much time to myself it's not funny. So, I'm left wondering what to do with all my "free" time... Sure, I COULD work on those projects that I NEVER have time for (like organizing my spare room/office) but where's the fun in that?<br />
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I have something on my agenda for the next few days at least... I am going to attempt to make some apple/pear butter. Why? Because I have a crap ton of apples and pears, some of which I've been receiving in my weekly produce box, and some of which were given to me for Christmas. I know, it is sacreligious to even think about cooking a Harry & David pear, but I don't care... I'd rather puree it into pear butter than watch it go to waste on my counter because I can't eat them fast enough. <br />
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I'm not sure if I'm going to start this project tonight or tomorrow, but sometime soon. Maybe I'll clean out my kitchen tonight and make it tomorrow. I'll have to document the process, though... You know, for posterity :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-17948995642254963812011-12-12T09:23:00.001-09:002011-12-12T09:37:11.979-09:00Insomnia, my (unfortunately) constant friend...When Aaron is home, I fall asleep early in the evening (usually between 10:00 and 11:00 PM). However, the last time he was home, he decided that he needed to wake me up because I was snoring (apparently, a lot). What he didn't know at the time is that it usually takes me a while to fall back to sleep, especially when I'm woken up in a way that is disorienting... He felt bad for disrupting my sleep pattern. I forgive him (now... I wanted to gouge his eyes out that last week he was home, but we'll just chalk that up to the sleep-deprived monster that lives in my skull and gets bitchy at times like this)...<br />
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When he is gone, I have insomnia... bad... I go HOURS and HOURS, tossing and turning in bed, trying to fall asleep. This is one aspect of life that I am looking forward to going away when he transfers back to Juneau for work in the spring (and will thus be home every night). I'm lucky if I get 5 straight hours of sleep at night...<br />
<br />
Because of my disrupted sleep pattern at the end of his last shift home, my usual insomnia and the constant waking up at night several time pattern merged into one really bad night of sleep (over several nights, let's just be clear). I would fall asleep later, around midnight or 1:00 AM and then proceed to wake up again about every hour or two... sigh... I'm just now getting back into a pattern where I can sleep uninterrupted (and actually feel rested). Until yesterday...<br />
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I had a migraine brewing for most of yesterday and it got to a point where I had to close my eyes for the pain of it all. I ended up sleeping for about 4 hours straight, and when I woke up, I was EXTREMELY disoriented (thought it was 10:30 PM on Monday and that I missed work entirely, when it was actually 7:30 on Sunday), but my migraine had receded enough that Excedrin was able to chase the rest of it away. Relief... Until later that night when I couldn't sleep... Until about 4 AM... This morning... And I had to get up at 7:00 AM to go to work...<br />
<br />
So, thanks to my insomnia, I HAD to go get a latte (and resist the urge to add multiple shots of espresso to the already spiked brew, in case it made me sick)... Pray that I make it through the day...Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-34418919255530651652011-12-09T13:18:00.000-09:002011-12-09T13:18:57.350-09:00Contacts... Round 2A couple of year ago, I tried contacts for the first time... Within a month (or maybe 2), I had stopped wearing them every day and only wore them when I felt like it. Primarily, because my eye doctor insisted (at the time) that extended wear contacts were not available for people with astigmatism and that my best option were the daily wears... Ok... Well, I tried. I really did. When you aren't used to wearing contacts, your eyes protest for a while, but after a few hours (sometimes, all day), you eyes seem to get used to the invasion and you are at peace again... Usually this would happen about the same time that I had to take them out every night... It got to where it was a "chore" to put in and take out my contacts every day, so I saved them for special occasions (like when we would fly the Apache to Washington and I needed sunglasses, and my transistion-lenses on my glasses don't change when I'm inside the plane - or car for that matter). I was also extremely afraid of falling asleep in the dailies, because the doctor said I couldn't sleep in them... A "rule-follower" such as myself gets anxious when given those kinds of instructions - What could happen? Would it permanently fuse to my eyeball and I'd never get it off? (in hindsight, I guess I could have ASKED these questions to aleviate my anxiety, but it was easier for me just to not wear them)<br />
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So, it's been a while since I've been back in to see the eye doctor. This time, there is a new doctor in the clinic and I happened to get her. I told her about my issues with the daily wear contacts and asked if there is an extended wear option available. There is! And they had my prescription on hand in the extended wears (well, they had my right eye on-hand, my left eye prescription is close to the one they gave me but not spot on, so they have to special order that one for me). The doctor promptly put the lenses on my eyeballs and told me to leave them in for 1-2 weeks, at which time she will re-evaluate my progress with the lenses. Awesome :)<br />
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This, however, left me with a few minor issues. (1) I hadn't planned on actually WEARING contacts today, so I didn't have my case for my glasses with me. Luckily, they gave me one of their spare cases so I wouldn't mangle my glasses in my purse. (2) My re-wetting drops that I left in my desk drawer expired in 2009... Luckily, the convenience store I walked to for lunch had some. Not the brand I'm used to (but, let's face it, I'm not used to the one in my desk anymore either).<br />
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After the 10 days is up (when my next appointment is), I will decide if I will just get the contacts or if I'll stay with my glasses (my insurance will only cover one or the other)... In the mean time, does anyone have any good remedies for dark undereye circles? My glasses camoflage mine pretty well, but I lost that camoflage today...Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-61548344731532156402011-12-03T12:08:00.000-09:002011-12-03T12:08:45.148-09:00Amazing Pumple Pie RecipeSo, my mom's version of this pie is extremely easy... You take a deep dish pie pan and put a pie crust in it. Take a can of apple pie filling and layer it in the bottom. Top it off with pumpkin pie filling and bake like a pumpkin pie. Easy, right? I grew up on this recipe and it is quite good.<br />
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My version is a little more complicated, but the texture is much improved by making the filling from scratch. I say "make the filling from scratch" because I can't make pie crust to save my life, so I use Pillsbury's prepared pie crust, or Marie Calendar's pie crust (this one comes with the pie pan and is found in the freezer section). If you have a favorite pie crust recipe and have the talent for making it from scratch, feel free to do so. Another alteration I made to the recipe is to make it egg-free because of my egg allergy. I can eat some baked goods that include eggs (cakes, cookies, etc), but pretty much anything that is custard-based causes me to itch.<br />
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So, to make everything from scratch, it takes several hours (I won't lie to you). You must start with the pumpkin. I used <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/make-your-own-pumpkin-puree/">The Pioneer Woman's recipe for Pumpkin Puree</a>. The only deviation I made to it was to use my stick blender to puree the pumpkin after it was roasted (tried mashing it first, but the texture was too chunky). The good thing about this website is the exact step-by-step instructions that she gives (and the permission not to be thorough). It also comes with recipes for Roasted Pumpkins Seeds (Pepitas) and awesome Pumpkin Butter (another post for another time).<br />
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Once the pumpkin puree was prepared (and set aside to drain as it was rather moist), I started on the apples. The canned apples are rather slimy, but they are pre-cooked, which helps the texture of the pie. I found a recipe for a pre-cooked apple pie filling in my Joy of Cooking cookbook, but it needs some modifications before I can use it in the pie (primarily, a reduction in quantities). So, here's what I do for one pie:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Peel, core, and chop 4 apples (Braeburn, Fuji, or a mix of the two)</li>
</ul><ul><li>Saute the apples in 2 Tbsp. butter for about 4 minutes.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Add about 1/4 cup of brown sugar and about 1/4 tsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice, and a dash of salt.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Continue cooking the apples until the sauce thickens, then remove from the heat and spread the apples in a thin layer on a baking sheet (or glass cake pan) to cool.</li>
</ul>While the apples cool, the pumpkin pie filling can be prepared with the drained pumpkin puree. I found a recipe for an <a href="http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1937,159168-252205,00.html">egg-less pumpkin pie filling Cooks.com</a>. The comments on this recipe claim that it makes a very liquidy filling batter, but I found that it was about the same as when I make pumpkin pie the old way. I followed this recipe pretty closely, but I did use lactose-free milk, pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, and vanilla instead of lemon extract.<br />
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To make the pie, layer apples (without a lot of the sauce from the apples) in the bottom of the pie pan. Top off the pie with the pumpkin pie filling. IMPORTANT - Put the pie pan on a baking sheet before baking - the apples will bubble up and it will make a mess of your oven if you skip this step. Bake the pie according to the pumpkin pie recipe. When done, let cool.<br />
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I make the pie the day before I want to eat it, but this is primarily because I don't have time to make it on the day I make a big feast. It doesn't need to be refrigerated (at least, my family has never refrigerated the pie, we just let it sit on the counter with a clean cloth over top.. I've never gotten sick, but if you worry about it, feel free to refrigerate it)<br />
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Serve with your favorite whipped topping :) In my experience, those that do not like apple pie (like myself) and those that do not like pumpkin pie (like Aaron) enjoy the combo in this pie. And it does make a difference to make it from scratch. You can make a very good pie by using canned pumpkin and canned apple, but the texture and flavor of ingredients from scratch make the pie PHENOMENAL! Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the pie, but I will when I make it again for Christmas :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-55577688203393253222011-12-02T16:24:00.000-09:002011-12-02T16:24:07.341-09:00Some success, some failureSo, I'm a little late in writing this blog post, but I'm in "whatever" mode at the moment... Not to be rude, just realistic (I'm tired, cranky, and overworked)... <br />
Thanksgiving Dinner had some levels of success and some (epic) failures... I will post the recipes that were flat out AWESOME in a later post (read: I need to go home and find where I put the recipes), but I wanted to mention what went wrong...<br />
<br />
The worst thing that everyone dreads while cooking any poultry happened - my turkey was still pretty raw (even after I double-checked the temperature with a thermometer... which shall be promptly replaced before I make another turkey). I put the turkey back in the oven. It took an additional 3 hours to cook... Not sure that my oven is working properly either... Hmmm... After it was (thoroughly) cooked, it was AWESOME because of the brining and seasonings, so I guess this one wasn't SO bad after all, we just didn't get to eat it FOR Thanksgiving Dinner...<br />
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I tried making homemade rolls... they sucked... I'm going to stick to Rhodes Freezer Rolls from now on... I know I can't mess those up...<br />
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Brussels sprouts weren't good either... I had one, Aaron "tasted" one (spit it out, so I'm not saying he "ate" it), and our guest abstained... Oh well, at least I used them in the meal...<br />
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Everything else came out good. The boys wouldn't stop talking about the stuffing/dressing. The pie was the best I have ever made - and that is saying something! I will definitely post the process at a later date (a combination of several recipes that is quite time consuming, but the results are SO WORTH IT).<br />
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Can't mess up potatoes and gravy... The gravy was good enough to make my rock-like dinner rolls somewhat edible (but I was the only one "brave" enough to try them).<br />
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I think I'm going to make Roast Beef for Christmas dinner... I KNOW I won't mess that up!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-66269435172546146552011-11-21T20:34:00.000-09:002011-11-21T20:34:44.808-09:00A rare treat!As any pilot's wife will tell you, holidays spent with pilots are few and far between. I do have to say that, over the almost 12 years that Aaron and I have been married, we have spent most of the holidays together. The last few years, however, have quickly been lumped into the "missing pilot" file. His schedule has been one where he missed pretty much every holiday for the last couple of years. This year, he is home for Thanksgiving and will be home for Christmas! What can I say, I'm feeling rather spoiled at the moment.<br />
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So, since we aren't moving (like we have over past Thanksgiving holidays) and he is home, I'm going "all-out" for Thanksgiving dinner. We have invited some stranded pilots that live in the area (can't make it back home for T-giving) and I am making a feast! This is not without its challenges, however.... Do you know how many years it has been since I have made a full turkey? Um, let's see.... I think it has been at least a decade, give or take a year or two... In fact, the last time I remember roasting a full bird was the first Thanksgiving we spent in our house when we were first married. If I remember right, I thought it was too much work for just two people to eat, so I decided not to do it anymore... Every Thanksgiving since then has been spent either moving, apart, or at someone else's house. If I made anything at all, it was a Jenny-O Turkey Loaf and a box of Stove-Top.<br />
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Anyway, here is my plan for Thanksgiving:<br />
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<b>Apple-Brined Turkey</b> (that I picked up today at the store for about $10 - would have been $35, but they were running a special - my original dinner plan involved a Brined Turkey Breast, not a whole bird... I figure that I can use the leftovers during the week)<br />
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<b>Sausage Stuffing/Dressing </b>(Aaron calls it "stuffing," but since I won't actually be stuffing the bird with it, it is technically "dressing")<br />
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<b>Mashed Potatoes & Gravy</b> (it is not Thanksgiving in my house without it!)<br />
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<b>Asparagus w/ Bacon-Gouda Sauce </b>(I haven't decided if I'm going to grill them or steam them... I guess I'll make that decision on Thursday based on the availability of my broiler) <br />
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<b>Grilled Brussels Sprouts</b> (only because I'm getting these in my produce box this week... they are a last minute addition to my menu and the first time I will be using a recipe to grill them... I hope they are tasty)<br />
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</b><br />
<b>Cranberry Sauce</b> (the jellied kind - Aaron's favorite)<br />
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<b>Fresh Rolls w/ Sweet Cream Butter</b><br />
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<b>Pumple Pie</b> ("Pumpkin/Apple Pie" - old family recipe with a few modifications to accommodate my egg allergy and using REAL PUMPKINS, which I ordered, thinking I wouldn't find a good egg-free pumpkin pie recipe so I was going to make a Pumpkin-Apple Crisp so I could still get my favorite combo for dessert)<br />
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That's it, so far... But I keep adding to the menu... Maybe, if I get ambitious enough, I may take pictures of the meal before it is devoured... And since it is such a "special" occasion for me, I might even dress up a little... But, then again, with such an ambitious menu, maybe not...Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-29611293165877526162011-10-31T22:37:00.000-08:002011-10-31T22:37:43.888-08:00How to deal with your pilot...When your pilot is away for some time (like mine is for two-weeks at a time), integrating him into the daily household routine is difficult, usually causing arguments and nastiness the longer he is home. Looking at both sides of the issue:<br />
<br />
The person who is home all the time is used to doing things one way and she has to alter her routine to fit the pilot back into it. When the pilot comes home, the person who is always home is looking for some help and understanding after dealing with all of the household issues that came up while he was gone and her own professional responsibilities. What she usually gets is frustration and more stress.<br />
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The pilot comes home after working long, stressful shifts and is looking for a break. He takes his time, relaxing and focusing on his projects that have been sitting for two weeks. He does not appreciate the nagging wife. He feels unwelcome at times in his own home.<br />
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So, this seems like a big problem, doesn't it... How do these two people have their individual needs met, while making sure that the other person is seen to as well? What is the correct answer? Is there a correct answer? Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-22785567509884027082011-10-03T21:43:00.002-08:002011-10-03T22:04:45.036-08:00How do dogs fit in with homework?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j6UuOFBV9AtBSdlCKCKDvs4VeE9xxQJCewziJ0GEgRi2BE3uYYB2gJyCfGqBMEDYwKQcWtrD0pW5jI12n105lZNgDzoLHFj3y4eWxhMVbsQSPOJVnaUVGBVOToE4-WqpChbs4FefSAQl/s1600/photo-722795.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659508575310906322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j6UuOFBV9AtBSdlCKCKDvs4VeE9xxQJCewziJ0GEgRi2BE3uYYB2gJyCfGqBMEDYwKQcWtrD0pW5jI12n105lZNgDzoLHFj3y4eWxhMVbsQSPOJVnaUVGBVOToE4-WqpChbs4FefSAQl/s320/photo-722795.JPG" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Like this, apparently... </div><div class="mobile-photo"></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-25718879751587273832011-09-07T09:49:00.000-08:002011-09-07T09:49:37.996-08:00And so it begins...School started for me again yesterday... Already, I have one assignment completed and I have started my outline for my paper due this week... Hopefully, I will be able to keep it up!<br />
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On the plus side, I woke up to a blue-sky morning today. I haven't seen blue sky for several weeks. It is cool outside, so it is a nice, cool, autumn day. The sunshine is nice, though. It's amazing what a little sunshine will do for your mood.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-7910981845690657472011-09-05T21:51:00.000-08:002011-09-05T21:51:34.960-08:00A bad case of the "What Ifs"I have taken my time with this topic, but I feel I must share it with other pilot wives. It is something that most (if not all) of us will need to handle at some point in time.<br />
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As the wife of a pilot, different scenarios are always in the back of my mind. I tend to let everyday life distract me from these thoughts, but sometimes, everyday life brings them forward...<br />
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A good friend of my husband died the other day as the result of a mid air collision. Due to the circumstances surrounding the crash, Aaron was the second person on site and identified the airplane as the one his friend was flying that day. He is, understandably, upset.<br />
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As a wife, I was grateful that he wasn't involved and that he is OK. As a wife, I suffer because I can't be with him to comfort him. All I can do is listen over the phone as I hear him grieve for his friend. I can offer comfort through my words as he deals with the helplessness he feels about being on scene and not being able to do anything to help his friend or the other pilot involved. I cry with him because of the personal relationship we had with his friend...<br />
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As a wife, I also feel my own helplessness about the situation. Helplessness that the only thing I can do is talk on the phone when all I want to do is hold him close. The nagging thoughts in the back of my head are screaming "What If?" I know these thoughts are not worthwhile, but after an incident such as this, it is hard to turn that voice off...Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-8396889777745572852011-08-24T16:42:00.000-08:002011-08-24T16:42:27.033-08:00Cutbacks...Cutbacks in flight hours means cutbacks in my monthly budget... I am getting creative to deal with it, which isn't easy when you are a pilot wife with no children. It is easier to go out to eat a single meal rather than prepare a bunch of food that rots in the fridge/freezer before you get a chance to eat it. It is not, however, less expensive than buying ingredients and making it yourself (I haven't calculated the cost of the ruined food, so I may be wrong there). So, the question is - how do I feed myself individual meals (that meet my unique eating requirements) without anything going to waste?<br />
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I came across the solution while reading my Rachael Ray magazine this month (before the dog peed on it, but that is another story)... There is an article in there inspired by her recent make-ahead meals that prepares individual ingredients that are frozen in individual quantities... This got me thinking.<br />
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If I can buy large quantities of chicken, beef, and pork when it goes on sale, then I can roast them in my favorite method, shred, and freeze the meat in Ziploc baggies in 1 cup portions. I can also make brown rice ahead of time and freeze the same way. Combining this method with other ingredients from my pantry and organic produce delivery, I should be able to feed myself (and Aaron when he is home) and save money in the process. I can use the meat to make soup as I want it (in the quantity that I want, rather than a large pot that I won't finish), or make enchilada/burritos/tacos, or toss with pasta or risotto, or make sandwiches... You can see where I'm going with this! So much versatility, with weekend efforts. <br />
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If you are a member of the <a href="http://www.pilotwivesclub.com/">Pilot Wives Club</a>, I'll add my recipes there (along with some variations, for those with different tastes). I'll also add them to my other <a href="http://gettinghealthyjustbecause.blogspot.com/">blog</a> for my own record or to satisfy your curiosity... <br />
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I don't know why I didn't think of this before!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-61326484232988756752011-08-12T23:57:00.000-08:002011-08-12T23:57:25.436-08:00I see the light...... at the end of the tunnel! I have less than 3 weeks to go before I get my Associate Degree! I am excited, and exhausted at the same time...<br />
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The last few weeks of my final class (Algebra) are very complex and time consuming calculations. I've always been able to process the equations and such, so they are not really hard, but it can take 15 minutes to work through a complicated equation... Most of the time, when I get an answer wrong, it is because I didn't enter the answer in the EXACT way it wants it... Like, this evening... I spent 30 minutes working a problem and getting frustrated when the answer I came up with wasn't correct... After working through the tutorial for the problem, I found out that I DID have the answer correct, but it was missing a comma... A FREAKING COMMA!!! Seriously? And, once I found out that the problem I worked was correct, the program gave me a different problem to work in order to get credit for it... I had to spend another 10 minutes solving a new problem... (sigh)... I'll be so happy when this class is done.<br />
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I thought that 4 hours would be PLENTY of time to get my assignment completed and turned in on time, but it wasn't... It was turned in 15 minutes late, which is an automatic 10% reduction in my grade.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-83919758112530788672011-08-10T00:24:00.000-08:002011-08-10T00:24:24.097-08:00Day by day...That is the motto of my life right now... Just taking one day at a time. Every day is busy and stressful and eventful, especially this evening. But, I'll start by recapping the last few months since I haven't posted anything since June...<br />
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In July, we went to the <a href="http://www.arlingtonflyin.org/">Arlington Fly-in</a> again. It was eventful, kind of like last year, but all the excitement happened at the beginning of the trip, as opposed to the end of the trip. The weather was crap when we flew down there. We filed IFR all the way, but arrived after the TFR went in to effect... Which was funny in and of itself... The weather was so bad that they couldn't have the airshow that afternoon, which is what the TFR was for. No one thought to cancel the TFR and the controllers in the area wouldn't clear us to land in Arlington because the airport was "closed"... So, we diverted to Skagit to wait out the TFR. Oddly enough, when we had problems with our door last year, we landed in Skagit to meet up with another Apache owner to get it repaired. Anyway, by the time the TFR expired, the weather was good enough to get to Arlington VFR, so we scooted on over there to set up camp.<br />
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The next morning, we woke up early to the sound of an intense downpour... Just awesome! The door on the plane doesn't seal completely at the top of the door when it is locked from the outside. There is a latch on the inside that seals the top of the door while in flight... This had Aaron crawling through the baggage door at 6:00 AM to flip the latch on the door to keep the plane from flooding... Then the rain stopped and we thought the coast was clear. We headed to the showers and started cooking breakfast... Part way through cooking bacon, it started downpouring again! Seriously? Yep... Now, I had purchased a shelter to sit in for shade and protection from the rain and to keep our camp kitchen while at Arlington... I thought that it would be fine.... Nope! The sides are mesh for bugs... Sideways downpour rain cuts through it... I'm sure it was quite comical to anyone passing (but no one did due to the storm) to see us huddled in a 3 sq ft area in the very center of the shelter trying to eat bacon without getting drenched... It was raining so hard that we couldn't even make it back to the tent! (Next time we try to use the shelter, I'm going to bring some extra tarps or sheets or something to tie to the sides for rain protection...)<br />
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Luckily, the rain stopped and didn't come back the rest of the time we were there. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit this year, getting to meet up with my aunt and uncle that live near there. We also got to eat funnel cake (missing from the experience last year) and play at the carnival (a new installment this year, probably won't be there again). We got to tour a DC-2 and met Mr. Paul Hajduk, the man who flew the glider during the airshow (amazing performance and he and his wife are super nice!). All-in-all, it was a good trip.<br />
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So, that was my summer vacation/weekend... Ever since I got back home, it's been "business as usual"... Busy at work, busy at home, busy at school... Busy, busy, busy....<br />
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One little bit of excitement (and not the good kind) happened this evening... Miss Lijha decided to ignore the command to go to the house (after a car ride) and took off after another dog on the other side of the highway that we live on... during a moderately heavy traffic time... She ignored my recall commands and my heart stopped... Thankfully, the dog she was chasing after was accompanied by a jogger, who recognized my frantic attempts to get a hold of Lijha (including dropping my groceries, purse, & keys and taking off through a drainage ditch as a direct line to the dang dog) and held her until I could catch up... Lijha got in LOTS of trouble and I was so upset by the ordeal, I put her in her kennel so I wouldn't beat her... I could tell I was getting <u>that</u> upset... Long story short? Lijha's off-leash privledges have been revoked and we are stepping up/revamping our recall training with Lijha... Thank goodness she didn't get hit by a car, but I could have killed her myself! (hindsight - when I noticed the dog go past the house, I should have taken the groceries into the house and grabbed her leash before I let her out of the car... lesson learned!)<br />
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Today was Aaron's birthday, which he got to spend in Bethel surrounded by LOTS of drama... I won't go into detail in this forum (at this point, but the story may come later) but it wasn't a GREAT day for him... He'll be home in a week, so we'll celebrate his birthday then.<br />
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If I end up not posting for a while, you will know why... I'm a busy girl :)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-83470845646118209032011-06-12T22:08:00.000-08:002011-06-12T22:08:52.284-08:00Planning...It is almost time for our annual trip with the airplane. That's right, folks... We are going to the Arlington Fly-in again this year. It should be a lot of fun...<br />
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So, we have a few days this month to get everything ready while Aaron is home. Then, we need to solve the problem of what to do with our fur-kids. Unfortunately, we cannot take them with us unless we get a campsite away from the airplane and we kennel them over there... Not fun for the puppies. Especially since Aaron LOVES to go from plane to plane and drool. Yep, he's a typical pilot who can be lost for hours in a sea of aircraft. Last year, we had friend that were here and they house-sat for us and took care of Noni. They live in Mississippi now. Our options at this point are to board them, but we'll be gone for about 5 days so it will not be cheap...<br />
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In the mean time, we'll be getting the camping gear dusted off and plan our shopping list. I can't wait. I really enjoyed myself last time, mostly because I got to sit by the plane as much as I wanted, didn't get dragged around the whole site, and got to take naps when I wanted... It was AWESOME! This year, I'll be representing the Pilot Wives Club as well, so hopefully I see some other members there. Less than a month to go! Sweet!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-42801038542091852592011-05-25T20:16:00.001-08:002011-05-25T20:16:44.060-08:00My Girls (in a rare moment)<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_dAjEXVR9_RyNfxpvfWED9inCgAtnLe7bAhnATjkmVxemTbXoq0ws9YnYSVcaU6-Fm82PrSuYN6pV5N1Fc1pX0rJjjAHIjVr3T1LW06_AUv3SpzWk1jP7dNmxs0pfGQbrsGr3F8-Ron4/s1600/photo-704061.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_dAjEXVR9_RyNfxpvfWED9inCgAtnLe7bAhnATjkmVxemTbXoq0ws9YnYSVcaU6-Fm82PrSuYN6pV5N1Fc1pX0rJjjAHIjVr3T1LW06_AUv3SpzWk1jP7dNmxs0pfGQbrsGr3F8-Ron4/s320/photo-704061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610873999895888386" /></a></p>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577060340676056011.post-49635198616458780622011-05-22T17:19:00.000-08:002011-05-22T17:19:18.562-08:00When is a King Size not really a King Size?When you have a German Shepherd...<br />
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Aaron lucked out in getting us a king-sized bed when we moved to Hawaii. He got one cheaper than the queens that were on sale, so he got it... We vowed never to go back to a Queen Size...<br />
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When it was just the two of us and Noni, it was perfect. But, then, Noni is small. There was always plenty of room, with Noni curling up in some random corner of the bed. Ah... those were the days...<br />
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Now, with Lijha, there is no more room at the inn... Sure, we all fit on the bed, but not comfortably. Realistically, there can only be 2 large bodies and one small body on the bed at any given time for anyone to be comfortable. I have woken up in pain every morning this past week... This morning was worse than the others... Twice this week, I swear she was trying to push me out of bed... She knows just how to work it too... She'll sleep on the floor in front of the door until we go to sleep... Then she inserts herself between us and pushes against one or the other until she is taking up half the bed... Of course, we don't notice until we wake up just what positions she has put us in...<br />
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I wonder if we can purchase anything larger than a King... Like, maybe an entire padded room for the times when all four of us are home... Yeah, that could work!Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01061551763153913273noreply@blogger.com1