Cook it, cook it real good!

So, since I've been without el job-o, I've had time to become obsessed with cooking. Like, over the top obsessed. And NOT with the healthy chicken kind, nosiree. I'm obsessed with the fat loaded bacongrease-doublecheese-broccoli-potato soup. But is has BROCCOLI!! ;) Ya, that's what I tell myself to make me feel better about the tasty soup I'm serving up! Or how bout that spicy chili recipe that I came up with all by my lonesome!! Or the divine pizza recipe that now makes it impossible to order pizza from chain restaurants! Fresh mozzarella is your friend, people!!

Needless to say, my waist line is now expanding! I am being a bad body owner! I can't stop though! I feel like it's possibly an addiction! Is that a bad addiction...hmmm....{taps finger on chin} But wait, isn't that my job as a newly wed, to provide good food for my strapping, hardworking husband...Isn't it?!

Along with the totally fat loaded dinners, I've also been working my hand at baking. Yummy goodies like Loft House Cookies (you know the ones-at the grocery store with the soft, whipped, colorful frosting with sprinkles), substituting the vanilla for almond! Oh my goodness, they're heaven! Or, perhaps the berry cobbler I made for Matt and Pop-in-law last weekend served up with a couple generous scoops of vanilla ice cream!

I've got to get the bottom of this, and get this addiction under control! ;) But first, I'll sip my eggnog hot chocolate and share the recipe with you! See? Here I go again....

So, I made this hot choco mix as a gift for a special someone that I'll tuck inside of an ultra cool deep mug, can't share who cause they don't yet have their gift. So we'll sit here and talk about them right in front of them, like it's an inside joke they've been left out of! I mean it with love! :) Are you wondering if it's you?! ;)

So, this hot chocolate is AHHHMAZING! For realz, if I'm gonna take the time to make something that is already pretty good dern prepackaged in the grocery store, it's gotta be good/worth it! This, folks, is GREAT!

*This makes a lot so you can always half the recipe. Or do as I did and store it in a container for later...you never know when you might need a choco pickmeup!

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups  powdered sugar
• 2 1/4 cups cocoa ( I bought Nestle cocoa, but any will do)
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (optional)
• 2 teaspoons all spice (optional)
• Whole milk for serving (or any kind of milk or even eggnog...mmmm....)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa, pumpkin spice (optional), all spice (optional) and salt, and whisk to combine well. Store the mixture in an airtight container.
2. For individual servings, pour 1 cup milk into a microwave-safe mug, and microwave on high just until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa mix, and stir to dissolve. For a larger batch of cocoa, warm the milk in a saucepan set over medium-low heat, taking care not to let the milk boil; as it warms, stir in 2 tablespoons of mix for each cup of milk. Top with whip cream if desired. I desire it therefore I did! ;)

Just think of how great this would be during the Thanksgiving holiday or you can give it in cute little mason jars for Christmas gifts! Simple!

Alright, I guess this confessional ends now. Time to go bake something...errr.. I mean watch tv which is calorie free! YES, yes that's what I'll do! ;)

Heisel Rules {the kitchen}!

Admit One- 'The Gapartment Overhaul'd-a tour'

Finally, it's here- Tour de Gapartment! Ya. It's French. So foreign, I'm sure you all have been wondering, "what the heck is a ga-partment, and why would you want to stay at one anyway?!" Well, lemme tell ya! 

First I'll give the specks of this dream palace-at 1100 sq. ft this palatial beauty consists of 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom with washer and dryer, 1 kitchen/living room combo. Cupboards and cabinets for days, people!! How is it that we lived in a 3 bedroom/2 bath house and didn't nearly the amount of storage options?! Ikea 'ain't got' nothing on this place!

The walls are textured with a fresh coat of this beige-y color and there's new carpet in bedroom and living room areas with ceramic tile in the kitchen, bathroom, and entryway. (Note- thanks to Mrs. Heidi O'Boyle for pointing out how dirty tile and grout can deceivingly be, we spent 2 days cleaning the grout which I like to refer to as cucka, nasty poo! {watch for a post on this soon}) All kidding aside, this place is actually pretty nice! The owners (who live about 50ft away in a very nice, large home) lived in this place for 2 years, until their {now} home was built. I, now, think that's a brilliant idea!

But the best part, my hubs would say, is the 60ft x 100ft garage that is right outside our side door! Yes, I let my hubs move into a garage! ha! Every guy's dream right?! Please, men, no marriage proposals; I'm already taken, and I'd hate to have to break your heart in public! ;)

If you care to watch this spoiler, it's the before vid tour. Lotsa space for activities!!!

So, without further adieu: here's the video....BEWARE-there's music; so CRANK UP, YO! ha!

What a whirlwind, but the best news is this place will allow us the potential to be debt free in a year! We love that! Simple sacrifices now mean more opportunities later! Now that's what I call using the 'ol noodle! ;)


Hope you all enjoy! Check back for the video on cleaning tile/grout, it's a good'n!

{hugs}

Heisel Rules!

The Gapartment: A garage called home?

We have arrived! Well, actually we've been here since late Thursday night/early Friday morning. We arrived only knowing that we'd be staying at the hotel on post for a couple days and no other plan beyond that. However, we soon found a new home that will allow us to be able to save money, which is always a good idea! :)

It was a hard decision not to rent the typical 3 bed/2bath home, but with the prices for rent coupled with the sketchy area, particularly right outside post, we opted for this apartment that is in this HUGE garage. The owners built this garage and apartment and they lived in it for 2 years while they were building their {very nice} home on the property. Now, they rent this space out, primarily to military tenants.

this is the entire garage; notice I had to get this entire pic using a panoramic app. the Gapartment entry is on the left. Told ya it is HUGE! Promise its so much nicer inside than it looks on the outside!

country road leading back to main hwy

massive flagpole on the property

I must admit I wasn't sold on this idea at first, and since this is so a-typical {to live in a garage}, I feel like I need to defend our decision. Well, it's very private and not connected to their house, 1100 sq ft, 1 bed/1 bath, large kitchen and living room combo, plus the use of half of the huge garage. I've playfully nicknamed the place the 'Gapartment'. This was the best decision financially since rent is low, all utilities are included, so we will be saving a good bit on that alone. Plus, it's sorta out in the country so we can use his 10 acres if we so desire and we will feel safer.

In reality, we don't need the standard 3/2 combo; this will suit us just fine for now. The owners repainted the entire inside and they are installing new carpet this week! It'll feel brand new! :) We should be good to start moving our stuff in later this week! I'm hoping we can get our household goods around the same time! Fingers crossed!Let the decorating begin, I guess! I'll include some more pictures when we get our stuff in! Wish us luck!

In between frantically looking for homes, we have been exploring the city and surrounding areas. They have a QT for a gas station which has this amazing slushy drink called Rooster Booster Energy drink (we first discovered these in Atlanta and they are so worth it!) We ate the BEST mac n'cheese for dinner last night. I had this the last time we visited and it's soooo amazing. Just look at the pic. 

Warning: your mouth will water!

They have a grocery store called Price Chopper, which is comparable to a Publix. They have motion activated coolers!!! Motion.Activated, PEOPLE!!! Check the vid below:

Before you ask, yes, that is my husband, and yes I do claim him. :) Serisously, never a dull moment, never! ha!

Today we toured Atchison which is an old, historic town. Most of the house rentals claimed that these houses are haunted. This town is the birthplace of Amelia Earhart (sp?).

We stopped by the local WalMart where I discovered these red beauties. It was only suitable to try them on given that we are now in KS and there's truly no place like home. ;)

And just cause she's too cute, we had to document what a rough life Bella is living..

So far, so good! Just looking forward to some normalcy, whatever that may be. For now, we'll enjoy the hotel room with a REAL bed and the complimentary breakfast every morning! It's like having a mother to cook breakfast every day! It totally ROCKS! :)

Ta-ta for now!

Heisel Rules!

Heisel Rules the Road!

Well, it's about that time...to move it on out {mid} westward. We're packed (almost) and ready to hit the road in the am. Both excited and nervous, we're certainly glad to have each other!

Beware- lots photos below!

We had a wonderful trip to Washington DC (and surrounding areas) this past week. We stayed with one of Matt's Army buddies for the first couple days. They were such gracious hostesses and even had a sweet lil 2 year old boy that was down right darling. Glad to call them all friends of mine now as well! I love the people that the Army introduces us to! Makes me feel proud to be a part of the Army family! :)

sweet mr Dylan

During our visit to DC, we got a personal tour of the White House! It was a tad smaller than I expected/thought, but still very nice nonetheless! I'm so grateful to our special tour guide and for taking time out of his (and his family's) day/weekend to do this for us! We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe DC and then got to see Ford's Theater.

before White House tour

Rock it Hard, baby!

Ford's Theater

We also got to tour the Capitol with Matt's Congressman's office . This is by far the best way to go if you are in the area and want to tour the Capitol!  We even got to go to the Congress floor!! The tour was a little over 2 hours, but honestly, this was our favorite part! Sooo worth it, and did I mention, FREE?! Actually, most everything we did on the trip was free!

P.S. Matt wanted me to mention that while visiting his Congressman's office, he visited Ron Paul's office and got to sit in his chair. (Silly, Matt!)

neat view from one of the tunnels under the Capitol Building.

Jefferson Monument

We topped our last night off with the Nats vs. Braves baseball game. So much fun to hang out with the fam while watching the game. Below is some of the shenanigans that we couldn't help but get into! ;)

Special Congrats to the newlywed couple!! We are so blessed to be a part of your very special day!  Here's to a lifetime of many happy memories!! Muah! We love you!

We came, we saw, we conquered need to come back to see everything! Great trip, though, and so glad we took the time to see what we did!

Well, I think that's about all for one night. The sound of snoring alarm will sound early, gotta get my beauty rest for the long drive ahead. ;) We will miss this city and all our friends here, but we're ready to get the next chapter started. Wish of tons of luck and love!

Heisel Rules!

Update on the move

Hey friends!
Since it's been a minute since I gave you an update, I thought it was due time! This past Wednesday I got to experience for the very first time a Military pack up. The Army contracts with local moving companies and we got to use Covan. A team of 3 people arrived Wednesday at 9am and finished up around 2pm.

Here's a pic of the living room in shambles right before they got started:

We had some entertaining moments while they packed our things. I walk into the living room to  check the status and I see this picture:

Yep, you're seeing that right. That's actually a wreath. Ya, that really happened.

So later on that day when they had left, we go into the garage where our 'outside' type stuff was packed and we saw this:

Once again, this is an Xmas wreath. Hey, if you're gonna be wrong, be consistent. ;)

Another crew of 2 men came back on Thursday at 8:15am and they were done at 1:30pm. There wasn't any entertaining moments to account for, sadly. Just a little anxious watching strangers load our things an take them away.

But, alas, we are now living the high (albeit bare) life! The house is bare and we can now hear the strange echo that comes with an empty home. I'm actually quite surprised by how little we can live without! We've managed to "camp out" with minimal household goods and we're still whipping out pretty good meals! :) Priorities, right?!
Pic of said camp site:

And even though our bed now consists of an air mattress and our bed time story is the sound of the nightly air pump inflate, we are in pretty good spirits. Getting excited for the DC trip and then the big drive out west after that. Life is good. We're together and we're healthy, so we're counting our blessings. Thankful to have this dude by my side.

Heisel Rules!

Stay tuned...tomorrow is my love's birthday! :) :)

Mission: Move for the Military

Ready. Set. Activate Super Woman Cape.

What’s your super power? Mine is being able to juggle many incredibly stressful life changing events at one time, all while keeping my cool and my makeup intact. No, really. ;) Try moving to a new city, finding a new job, finding a home in said new city, all while selling 2 houses in a down market. Ya, about that.

They say one “gets used” to the military move and all it entails, but I find it extremely difficult to say goodbye, and not to mention the dreaded search for a new job. Just when I started to feel comfortable and capable, we have to leave. {Yes, I’m confessing that this is the first PCS for this chick. Don’t hate, mmkay?} 

So, like it or not, Mission: ‘Move for the Military’ adventure is soon to be in full swing. And where I think of an adventure as the beaches of Hawaii, the towers of London or even wine tours in Italy, well folks, I’ll take what I can get. ;)

Will you join us as we saddle up and head out to the wild wild (mid)West?! Ohhh I hope so! I.sure.do.hope.so!

Heisel Rules the Wild, Wild (mid)West! Coming soon!

Independence Day

As many of you know, my mister is a history nut. I don’t mean your average sunflower seed sized nut. Nooo siree, it’s way bigger. More like a planet sized walnut. So, it would only figure that the fourth around here isn’t just about the red, white and blue. Nope, it’s history lessons of the founding fathers that gave this country her firm foundation, and well, her name.

So, to pay homage this post is dedicated to Mr. Adams, Mr. George Washington, Mr. Thomas Jefferson, and the other 53 Declaration signers (in no particular order) who seemed like rebels of their day for their “outlandish” idea of fighting for America's independence from Britain. I know, crazy, right?! Fools of their day, maybe, but heroes of today. 

{Think of how different life would be had they not been the rebels with a cause they were, “Long dresses, big wigs and perhaps a British accent…maybe still no free trade and impeding taxes. Thanks to them, we will never know.} :)

Also, a big thanks goes out to all the soldiers of yesterday who bravely fought for independence that seemed so foreign, but knew in their heart it was right. And also for those that currently fight for our freedom. Yesterday it was independence and today it’s freedom; same cause, different word.

Matt will tell you that this day also serves as a memorial of Mr. Thomas Jefferson and Mr. John Adams- who were dear friends, lost touch, then rekindled their friendship via letters. Both passed away on this very day in 1826 (on the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independency) only hours apart and in completely different cities. They were the last 2 of the founding fathers and when Mr. John Adams was about to pass he muttered his final words, “Thomas Jefferson still survives”, he was unaware that Mr. Thomas Jefferson had passed away only hours before. They were always connected by virtue and by heart, til the end.

Matt wondered what the founding fathers would think of all the commercialization of the fourth of July with fireworks and whatnot, but he found his answer when we were watching a documentary. Mr. John Adams actually wanted this day to be memorialized with “Pomp and Circumstance”! So, go celebrate- watch some fireworks, roast some wienies and drink one for the founding fathers who made all this possible! Mak’em proud!

Happy birthday, America!

**Red text are Matt's official historical recollections/corrections! ;)

P.S.Exactly 4 years ago, I met my love. Here's one of our first official photos together- I love you babe!

Heisel Rules!

I'll wear white & you'll wear out the words I love you

He stole my heart, so on June 9, 2012 I stole his name. As we honeymooned on the white sandy beaches of Florida, we got to reflect on all the new wonderful memories that we made on our wedding day! To sum it up in one word would be hard, but spectacular comes to mind.

I had dreamed up this image of a beautifully elegant, yet simple wedding day complete with:
1. a barn,

2. simple, rustic charm,

3. DIY projects galore

4. a handsome groom,

5. and most importantly, all the love of family that 2 people could ask for.

You all made our day so very special. We are so so blessed to be surrounded by people that love and support us. My favorite part was during our vows when we requested Pastor Don to include each of you to say 'I do' along with us, to offer your unending love and support for us, all the days of our lives. I'm humbled, truly humbled.

So, as the song goes, "I'll wear white and you'll wear out the words, "I love you"" we did just that, on a beautiful June evening, with all of our favorite people as witnesses. We love you more than words can say!

Here's to many more years as two families join together. I'm so proud to be a part of your family! As the newest member of the Heisel family, I can now honestly say, Heisel RULES! :) {Big hugs}

the beginning.

Photo credits- Bonita Buckley Photography. Thanks for capturing our special day so beautifully. 

Good food, good friends, great time!

This last weekend my amazing aunt Amanda and super awesome future sis in law Courtney threw a bridal shower for me in Illinois. It was hosted at this adorable tea room complete with handmade decor by Amanda. My favorite decor item was the napkin that was sweetly embroidered with, 'I love you to the moon and back' which is what I would tell Matt when he was in Afghanistan. Don't even get me started on how caauuute the invites were! Compliments of Courtney!

I had such a great time meeting a few of Matt's aunts that I hadn't met prior and a great, great friend of his mom's. I always enjoy time with great ladies, but these ladies are super special as I will be joining their circle of family in June, and I couldn't be more honored.

Thank you ladies, for your support and kindness. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such caring people. A special thanks to Amanda and Courtney for all their hard work and efforts in making this special day so much more special than even I could have imagined. I love you girls!

Can't wait to see my Chattanooga friends in just a couple of weeks! :)

{future} Heisel Rules!

Oh For the Love of DIY

So, anyone that knows me (closely) knows that I am DIYer to my core. I'm talking all the way to my DNA. Not because I'm too cheap, but because I get so much satisfaction when I see something that I made. It's a high, but a safe one, and one that lasts longer than any other! ;)

This weekend was no exception on the DIY front. I finished 2 very large (time consuming) wedding projects over the weekend and I'm thrilled! Just as excited to see them done as I was to start them. Simply because they felt never ending. Those who know me also know that I am not great with decision when given too many options. I freeze up and it never gets completed. But these projects, they came with another layer of excitement as they will make their debut at my wedding this June!

Here's the long awaited chandeliers, countem...one aaaaand 2! Yep, the sweetie let me err gave me permission umm highly encouraged another chandy once the first was completed! The second was my creation nearly from scratch! I'm so lucky right? ;) Love you, babe! hehe What in the world am I gonna do with all these chandy's when the wedding is over?! :)

Their temporary home, humbly hung above Matt's beloved 4wheeler. I personally think it's  a nice touch! ha!

The next 2-month project was my brooch bouquet. This made its first appearance in my mind late last year. So, the next few months would find me collecting brooches, earrings, rings, basically anything that I could glue or wrap a wire on/around. It's only after countless hours on this baby that I can fully appreciate why they go for hundreds $!

I'm thinking it was very much worth it! I LOVE it! The funniest part is when I tell people that my bouquet is made of brooches, I get this comment, "Wow that's gonna be heavy and hurt someone when you throw it!" haha I've got too much time wrapped up in it to throw it! Oh, and I guess I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt either! ;) 

Hope you all had a fab-tastic weekend full of DIY goodness!

Heisel Rules!