Good Morning from HOT Arizona!!!

We've been here since July 2nd but only got our internet connected today.

I'm sure you're wondering how the move went and for the most part it was good, I was able to survive 15 hours in a car with two bored cranky kids.....THAT is a feat in itself.

As for Arizona, well, what to say, other than I don't like it???? I really really don't like it?????

I think being in Idaho for 10 years and getting used to the 4 seasons really spoiled me because I got here and all they have is HEAT and I'm not just talking about 90 degree heat, look if you want to know what it feels like try turning on your oven to about 450 degrees and then walk up to it and open the door and stand right there. THAT is what it feels like everytime I step outside, it's making me cranky and frustrated and I'm not a happy camper.

Unfortunately this is the life that I chose, a military wife, and we don't always like where we go or where we move but we have to suck it up and make the most of it.

We finally got our internet and all our belongings yesterday, right now I'm surrounded by boxes, I don't think there's a space I can squeeze through without knocking one down. I'll be unpacking and redecorating for the next million years, wanna come help???

We didn't get the house that we wanted, they told us they had a few for us to look at including one in the neighborhood we really liked, but when we showed up magically, they had ONE house to look at and it's the one we're in right now. It's not a bad house, I actually like it because it's a one level and has no stairs which you know when you have little ones is a hassle to have around.

I haven't been able to take any pictures, I don't think you want to see all my boxes do you???

I did take lots of pictures on the trip here, we went from Idaho straight down to Nevada which led us through Las Vegas. Man is that place crazy, I'm not a "lots of traffic" driver, I actually cringe thinking of driving on highways and busy roads so when I was slammed into the middle of Vegas traffic I was hyperventilating, trying to stick behind hubby's truck only to have tons of cars just cut in between us. I think I may have cried a few times but for the most part I was really good. LOL

Right after we left Vegas we got to travel through Boulder City, NV which I absolutely fell in love with. I think I'll be retiring to that city, it's a small town, cute little streets, right near Lake Mead and it's just the kind of place I love.


We also got to go over Hoover Dam which is just gorgeous, a little intimidating to drive through but beautiful none the less LOL


I have more pictures to share but I need to get this house unpacked....I just wanted to check in with everyone and say hi. I will be back tomorrow with my Slow Cooking Thursday so I hope you will all join me :)

Have a wonderful day everyone!!!

Slow Cooking Thursday!!!

Welcome to my weekly Crockpot Recipes Exchange. It's such a great way to share your avorite dishes or to learn some new ones to make for your family.

What do you think??? Do You have some great recipes to share, or perhaps you're looking for some delicious ones to give you a reason to pull out the ol' crockpot???

Time to pull out those crockpots and put them to good use. If you want to join in, just grab the banner and add your name to Mr Linky :)

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients

* 4 c cooked chicken, chopped up
* 1 c celery, diced
* 2 tspn herbes (I used chervil, chives, parsley, and tarragon)
* 1 c carrots, diced
* 1/2 c frozen peas
* 1 c onions, diced
* 4 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
* 2 (10 3/4 oz) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 2 c egg noodles, cooked
* salt, to taste
* pepper, to taste


Directions

1. Pull the skin off your chicken and cut up the meat.
2. Put your celery, onions, carrots, peas and chicken in the slow cooker.
3. Stir in your broth, herbs, and mushroom soup.
4. Season with a little salt and pepper (to your tastes).
5. Cover this and cook it for 3-4 hours on *high* OR 8 hours on *low*.
6. When it is finished, mix in your noodles and season a bit.
7. Enjoy!

Image credit: The Augusta Chronicle

SLOW COOKED CORN PUDDING

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 16 oz can cream-style corn
4 large eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Saute onion and green pepper until slightly softened; add tomato and saute for 1 minute more. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, creamed corn and seasonings; add the sauteed vegetables. Lightly grease a 3 1/2 quart Crock Pot (or a souffle dish which fits in a larger Crock Pot) and pour the mixture in. Cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours; add grated cheese to the top and cook until cheese is melted.

Out of the box!!!

I'm literally surrounded by hundreds of boxes, little, medium and humongous ones. I have to say that moving hasn't really been that bad, I mean obviously it's not something you want to do every other weekend but it's also not this horrid affair. I think the way you look at things makes all the difference, if you go into it already upset and dreading every minute I can guarantee you that everything will go wrong.....but if you go into it the way we have, with the "it's just a move, go with the flow", thinks will run smoothly.

So the packers were here yesterday from 10am to 6pm, they got everything done while chatting and laughing and joking around with us.....we were lucky to have such sweet guys here. It's a bit unnerving when you know other people are touching your private stuff....I kept saying to Curt

"are you SURE we didn't leave anything weird laying around?"

"nothing that would freak the people out?"

"did I remember to pack all our clothes, I really don't know how I feel about someone touching my underwear".

I admit, I think I drove my husband kooky with all my questions.

I've got the movers here right now and they've only been here for 2 hours and pretty much already emptied the house, all that is left is moving the stuff into the actual truck. We've been really lucky with the people we've dealt with and I couldn't say enough good things about both the packers and movers. Thank you Lord for sending them our way.

Here's what my living room and kitchen look like....isn't it cozy? LOL


The house feels so empty and it's sad because I already miss seeing my house the way it was, though I am looking forward to starting fresh and redoing a whole new house.

We've already got a couple houses available to us at the new base so next week thursday we're heading over with the housing lady to look at them and pick the one we want...I'm SO excited. Another blessing from God!!
If you're military you know how hard it is at times to get a house on base, there's long waiting lists, some as long as 18 months. Here we are with not only a house available but a few to pick from.....is that not something???

So I'm heading out right now, need to go get some pizza for lunch, it's only fair that we feed the movers while they're here.

I'll be coming by to visit all your blogs soon and say hi to the new faces, I've noticed a lot of new bloggy friends dropping by while I've been busy. I'm so sorry I've missed you all but I promise to make you feel welcome just as soon as this craziness around me subsides.

God Bless,

Know where I wish I was????

Right there, on that chair, looking out into the ocean and feeling the warm sun on my skin, not a care in the world, just getting a tan while sipping a margarita. Doesn't that sound good???

So I'm sitting down for the first time since I woke up yesterday, woke up from a very bad night's sleep. You ever have those nights where you feel exhausted but you can't get comfortable, then you toss and turn all night and keep looking at the clock seeing the time go by, then you get annoyed because that's yet another hour less of sleep??? Isn't that the worst???

Curt was only supposed to go into work for an hour yesterday and then be done. Well sunday afternoon he got a call from his flight chief, they've just started an exercise so he needed him to come in and cover for someone......12 hour shift starting at 4am. 4am?!?!?!?!
It means that he has to be up no later than 3am to get ready and be at work on time, but you know as a wife you never really sleep through their "getting ready" routine.

You shut your eyes tightly and try to drown out the "where's my shirt?"..."have you seen my keys"...."now what did I do with my wallet?". For goodness sake's, just get your stuff ready the night before LOL
I can't complain too much though, he does make the coffee in the morning and leaves a full pot ready for when I get up, isn't that the sweetest thing?

We've got the house ready to be packed and now we're just sitting here waiting for the movers to arrive, I'm getting frustrated because I want them to be here early, get the stuff packed and leave my house before dinner, yes I know I'm being unreasonable but I don't care.
All the dust in this house is making my allergies flare up, I'm cranky, I'm all sniffly and itchy, I have a huge headache and I am already tired of living out of a suitcase and a kitchen cabinet.

Lord give me patience and strength to make it through the next two days, if I can get through these without hitting someone with a stick, I'll be GOOD to go. LOL

Want to know what's even worse than all this for me??? We started moving the couch away from the wall to pick up the toys the kids have been throwing back there and TA DA...mouse droppings all over. I did hear a loud scream come from inside me and I believe I may have jumped and ran into the kitchen, I'm not sure because it's a blur.

If there is one animal on earth that I really can not handle are mice, they turn me into a blabbering screeching fool. You should have seen me trying to get rid of the mess...I looked like someone walking out of a hazardous material area, mask and gloves and the whole shebang.
I also managed to spot the hole the little frigger had made to get in and out of the house.....just the thought that he's been allowed to roam free is enough to make me sing halleluiah for moving out of here.

Do I sound very bitter or annoyed??? I really don't mean to LOL
Going through the move almost makes me not want to buy our own house in a year or two....maybe I can buy the house on base and pay a nifty sum for it so I don't ever have to do this again. Think the USAF would go for that??? Nah??? Didn't think so!

Well my friends the movers just arrived so I'm going to skidaddle on out of here, I'm sure they're thrilled to walk into a house with a frazzled, allergy laden, glove wearing lady...all I need are a 20 cats and I'm sure I could scare them all away LOL

Have a great tuesday, I'll be back tomorrow,

Pack a box or clean up doggie doo doo????

Oh how great it is to be me, I swear things happen that make me shake my head and wonder if the universe is just playing a cruel joke......this is just an example of how things usually go around here.

Today we have to dismantle both trampoline and swing set and I find myself coming up with all sorts of excuses to not do it.
Funny thing is that most of the time I don't even have to try and find something else to do, I just bring it upon myself.
Like this morning I went into the kitchen and started up the coffee machine.....if you know me at all you will understand the love I have for that thing. (hence why I'm taking it with me on the move, if a mover comes at me with a box for my coffeemaker, I will seriously hurt somebody!)

I get the coffee going and then look around the kitchen and remember "I need to finish packing that instant aid box". I walk over to it and notice that one of the dogs has pooped right next to the box, so I walk into the bathroom to get toilet paper and notice that the seat is up, before I set it down I decide to just go ahead and give the toilet a good clean, which I do. When I'm done I figure the whole bathroom might as well get a once over to match the sparkly clean toilet.....yeah you know where this is heading, I cleaned the bathroom.

When I was done I walked into the living room and sat at the computer chair to check my email, the dog poop and the "instant aid box" completely out of my mind. Then I realize that I haven't had my coffee so I got into the kitchen and pour myself a cup. Now I'm sitting there sipping the coffee and start looking around again trying to remind myself of what needs to be done, lo and behold I see the box again, which prompts me to walk towards it only THIS time I wasn't as lucky because I stepped RIGHT into that doggie doodoo.
Moral of the story??? ALWAYS WEAR SLIPPERS AROUND THE HOUSE!!!!

I am happy to report that the poop has been cleaned up, my feet washed, the box has had some more items added to it and I'm happily sipping on the now cold coffee, not sure why I'm so happy about that but I guess anything is better after you've literally stepped in it.

It's pretty much crunch time and from today until thursday morning we'll be busy and exhausted and overwhelmed and stressed. It's going to be a rollercoaster of emotions but I'm fully prepared for it, I even bought some kleenex in case I have a little meltdown LOL

Since we'll be staying at the house until we leave, we won't have anything but our clothes, a small tv, the kids video games, our computers and an air mattress to sleep on. Sound like fun???
See I thought that I would be freaking out but then I realize that this will be an adventure, when do you ever get to camp out in your living room and eat out of paper plates on the floor???
Other than the times mommy is too tired to use actual dishes for dinner and couldn't care less if they sprawl out in front of the tv, though in my defense that has only happened when I'm really sick or lately with all the packing.

Well Curt just woke up and we need to get things under way, can't wait until the whole house is echoing because that will mean everything is gone. Watch out Arizona, here comes trouble LOL

You all have a wonderful sunday, have a glass of iced tea for me will ya??? I'm going to be sweaty and cranky by the time the day is over. Oh the joys of moving!!!