New ME!

Welcome to the new me! I'm so glad you could stop by. I'm still a Queen of Diamonds and I still love the King of [MY] Heart, but as my blog as grown and adapted I needed a change. So welcome to Altogether Heather. Cause it's all about me. :)

What's on Heather's Phone?

It's that time again!! Tuesday! So let's see what I've been up to this week?? And Head on over to Jessica's Blog to see what everybody else's week was like and to show us your week!!

First up is my really cool/really crappy cell phone picture of the road at night. :) It's like a slow exposure.This was from Thanksgiving night/Black Friday morning. hehe.

Next up we have a plain PX bag

.........right?? Wrong??

That Gracie is such a sneaky little one, but if you're looking for cuddles, look no further than my Memphis. And yes, I cut myself out of the picture.... 

With Christmas coming I got a present early. My darling Mother-in-law surprised me with this warmer and scents that I desperately wanted. :)

Lastly, with Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd share Christmas lights Hawaii style. 

Thank you for spending a week with me, I hope to see you again next week!!!

Black Hawaii Friday

Ok, so the promised Black Friday adventure!! This is my second Black Friday in Hawaii. And the lesson still applies, you have NEVER done Black Friday until you've done it Hawaii style. Every year, the hubs and I gear up and head out early to catch those amazing sales. Last year, in preparation for the 5am sales, we got to Walmart on the other side of the island at 2am only to discover that half the sales start at midnight!!! :( We still got most of what we went for so it wasn't a complete bust.

So this year, we were ready. We packed up and headed out and got there at 10pm!! Only to see that HUNDREDS of people were already there. Seriously? I mean, half the sales (like the TV's and Computers) still don't go out til 5am. These people were camped out and planning on staying there til 5! Thankfully, we weren't after anything big, just some movies, some Rubbermaid containers and some towels. Tame, I know. But it's the adventure that is so much fun!!

Anywho, this year was certainly an adventure!! The hubs, Mrs. R, and I had split up around 11:50 so that right at 12:01 when the items were opened we could grab what we wanted! At around 11:59, screams tore through the store as people decided to start tearing plastic anyways! Items were falling, getting passed around, and people were screaming and running. At this point, the Walmart employees didn't know what to do other than try to calm the crowd and keep the items in the plastic. Shouts of "Put the products back!" and "Hands in the air" were heard as Honolulu Police Department tried to stop the mayhem and protect the employees and shoppers. Over at the $99 Basketball Goals, several people were hit by falling Goals.

It was certainly unlike anything I have experienced before and DEFINITELY worth the trip out this year. In addition, we got 8 movies for $35. Not a bad experience if I do say so myself. :)

Here's the crowd around 11:30, before the frantic incidents happened....

Milspouse Roundup!

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This week's roundup is up! Hop on over to Life of the All American Army Wife and check out this week's blogs!!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and Black Friday early shopping. Stay tuned for talkes of my adventures this Black Friday!

FREE FREE FREE!!

Are you pregnant? Do you want to be? Do you have tons of friends/family who are??

Seven Slings is giving away FREE slings. You just pay shipping! ($11.95) They are really cute, and oh yeah, FREE! Use the Promo Code "Thanksgiving". Go check them out today!!


Seven Slings

Blog Title

I've decided to change my Blog Title. I just want something shorter to be honest. But I'm far from creative. So I need some help. What ideas do you guys have?? I don't want something Military. I respect and LOVE all ya'lls cute Military titles, but we won't be Military forever and while it's a huge part of my life, it isn't the only thing that defines me. So, help ladies?!?!

What's on Heather's Phone??

It's Tuesday again! I'm not even sure I have enough new pictures on my phone for this! Haha. Well, enjoy what I have anyways. :)

*Please note that while my phone is touch screen, it's not snazzy and fancy and barely gets on the internet. Sorry my picture quality is lame-o.*

First up, because we are TMOing our HHG IMMEDIATELY after Christmas, I insisted we break with tradition and put up our tree early. Usually we do it the day after Thanksgiving after our Black Friday shopping, but we will be painting back walls that day so boo.

Next up is my haul from a recent trip to Borders. Here on island, Borders is the only choice for bookstores. I frequent the used bookstore, the Book Rack, a lot but for anything new, Borders is it. I dug through the discount aisle and came up with all these books! And all for the total price of $22. :)

It wouldn't be my phone if it wasn't covered in pictures of my babies. This is Gracie on our bed. He likes to do weird things like try to fit between the slats in the footboard..... Also, please note that the bed is rumpled because I was washing the sheets and had pulled the quilt over the mattress to protect it from cat hair... haha

In my house, you can't go to the bathroom alone. And if you do, this is what will happen. Yes, that's a foot.

Lastly, I don't have a picture of Memphis, but I have a picture of the destruction he left behind. This is the closet beneath our staircase. It has all the boxes from our belongings, the vacuum, and some glasses. Or at least it used to have some glasses...

I hope you enjoyed this walk through my phone!!

Nutcracker Overload

So I feel the need to share a funny experience in my life. Mostly because it cracks everyone up and yet, somehow everyone forgets and repeats history with me.

Ok, so there is this play called the Nutcracker. And I HATE it. Like more than hate it. I DESPISE it.

In middle school, my class saw the Nutcracker. On ice. The only thing worse than the Nutcracker is when you put it on ice. So when high school rolled around, my theater class attended a play. It was the Nutcracker. I thought, it can't be as bad off ice. I was wrong. I endured.

Finally, the Nutcracker is out of my system! Oh wait, for my freshman year of college, my then boyfriend worked really hard, saved up lots of money and bought really expensive, super good seats, tickets. To the Nutcracker. We traveled all the way to Nashville and big surprise, I hated it.

This is it, never again, no more Nutcracker. Until oh yeah, 2 years later, a different boyfriend surprises me with tickets. TO THE NUTCRACKER. This time I took lots of bubble gum. And again, I sat through this play.

I'm not sure why I give off this vibe that the best Christmas present you could provide me is tickets to the Nutcracker. I have tried my best to explain to people as loudly and as often as I can that I HATE THE NUTCRACKER! It has never helped. What has brought this blog on you ask?? The appearance of 2 very inconspicuous, small, paper thin packages under the tree with my name on them.

I swear, if they are tickets to the Nutcracker....

MilSpouse Weekly Roundup!

Abbey over at Trading Diamonds for Dogtags is hosting this week's MilSpouse Roundup! Hop on over to see some inspiring ladies and read their talented blogs!!

Secrets of Heather Lynn Past.

In light of the upcoming Christmas holiday and Scrooge's dealings with Christmas Past, Present, and Future, I'm gonna share some secret moments of my past. For your viewing pleasure of course! Enjoy.

First we have the first home football game of my freshman year of college. This is definitely the dorm hallway (notice the visitation schedule for when boys are allowed). haha. I am the skinny one in the dead middle. (Oh to be 104lbs again...)

Next up is some classic High School Prom action. I'm 16 in this picture and a Sophomore. That was my glitter dress. And my really TALL hair. Luckily, my date was also really tall. :)













This would be on one of my first outings with my now husband. I let him convince me that a "real woman" would ride the mechanical bull. This is after working a 8 hour shift at the restaurant. I stayed on for 2 of the 3 rounds. Would have lasted the 3rd but my now-husband paid the guy to throw me off. At least the guy came up and told me that B did it so I was ready. haha.

This is a perfect example of a bad idea in the making. On the other side of the camera, my friend Kelly and I are being convinced that we should run through the sprinklers fully clothed and sort of slip-n-slide on the marble. Needless to say, we did it. Kelly ripped off her entire toenail and we had to have the medics (in the ambulance, of course!) come over and wrap it. Oh yeah, and we were soaked.

This would be a group of friends and myself. We are on a bridge in the middle of downtown Knoxville. It isn't actually that late, there are lots of people around.... Please note Jake in the back drop-lockin-it.

Lastly, I'll leave you with mine and Kindle's idea of a rocking Fourth of July. We certainly lit up the sky that Fourth of July.... :)

As you can see, I've had lots of great ideas. I've had loads of help coming up with these great ideas. And I've had plenty of trips to the ER to show for it. But as Mavis Leyrer said (edited of course)-- Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting “Holy [crap], what a ride!”

Shutterfly Final Product!!

If you are getting a Christmas card from us this year, DON'T LOOK BELOW! :) Otherwise take a looksie at what a great card Shutterfly produced!

 

You should stop on by Shutterfly and grab some cards of your own!!

What's on Heather's phone...

So over at Jessica The Lowe Family News it's a Tuesday link up! Here is what is living on my phone. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

First we have my lifesource. Since it's the first thing I reach for it might as well be the first thing I share....

 Next, since my life revolves around my babies we have a picture of my adorable kitty, Gracie...

Followed by a picture of my other furbaby, Memphis. (He's smoking his rawhide cigar... haha)

Here is the view from our balcony at the hotel we stayed at following the ball. It was beautiful.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a black thumb. I kill it all, but here is the results of months of effort and plant food. I'm oh so proud. :)

So here was a little view into my life. I'm sorry it's boring and that I'm a lame-o. haha. Hope you enjoyed!!

It's never goodbye, it's always I'll see you later.

So today was a sad day. It was yet another day they don't tell you about when you sign on the dotted line to become a Milspouse. Today wasn't the day that my husband left for training, it wasn't the day I moved away from family to be with my husband, it wasn't even the day that he deployed for war. Today was the day that my first friend left island to soon be followed by others, and then myself.

Today was the last day we will all be together here at this duty station together. It was the last day we will all live down the street from each other and take nightly walks, day trips to the beach, or have lunch in the Keys (Waikiki).

Mrs. G. is the first to go. She is so sweet and kind. She's a fresh breath of air and the kind of friend you hang on to. I already miss her and she's just at the airport.

This is the part of this life they forget to tell you about. The part where you are always making great friends for a lifetime, then moving away. And they don't tell you that you won't always be the one leaving. That would be easier. To pick yourself up and move your family is easier. They don't tell you that sometimes you will be the one left behind. That's harder. Soon I'll be the leaver, but today I'm being left. And it sucks. But I'm proud to tell you that I didn't cry.

At least not until the door closed behind her.

A Different Breed

They've got shiny cars and polished nails
Yeah, those girls they've got everything right
They've got fancy clothes, perfect hair, steady lives
But I don't

They're the first to send out thank you notes
They've got well kept homes to entertain
They'll do anything just to please you
But I won't

If these are the girls that you choose
What make you think I'd be good for you

Can you tell me baby
What do you see in me
I'm a FAST RIDE I'm a crashing tide and
I'm crazy
Can you tell me baby
What do you see in me
You've loved a long line of consistency
I'm a different breed

This is an excerpt from "A Different Breed" by Carter's Chord. It's a great song. I enjoy it because let's be real, 90% of the time I live in a pony tail. Other women curl and flip with their hair. I like Volunteer t-shirts and Soffee shorts when home, they wear high heels. But that's ok, cause my hubby loves me for my frazzled, stressed, waits for the laundry to pile up and I do it all at once, me.

Sometimes we forget that we don't always have to be perfect, or always be trying for others to like us. To impress those around us. We can just be ourselves. If you are always yourself and never trying that hard then you don't ever have to worry about disappointing others when they see the real you. :) Just some food for thought.

Free Christmas Cards??? YES, PLEASE!!!

So, it's finally that time again! The wonderful fun filled, activity packed, Holiday season! In our household, all before the end of January, we have Thanksgiving, Mom's birthday, Christmas, my birthday, brother-in-law's birthday, Dad's birthday, my husband's birthday, and our Anniversary! We have a very busy and expensive few months. But as a blogger, with Shutterfly's help, things just got a little bit easier!! Currently if you are a blogger, and LOVE Holiday cards, they have a deal for you! You can check out their choices, and sign up yourself Here They have some GREAT options! My favorite so far is:

I like a simple card sometimes.

My husband's favorite is:

And one last GREAT idea from Shutterfly?? Take that Beautiful Christmas card picture you had made and turn it into art! That way your Christmas Card can hang in your house, too!!

Hope these ideas help your Holiday season run a little smoother!!!

The finality of mortality

Finality: The fact or impression of being an irreversible ending.
Mortality: The quality or state of being mortal.

In church this morning, the Chaplain asked those in the congregation who would soon be deploying with 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines (My husband's battalion) to come forward so that as a congregation we could pray for the safety of them and their comrades. As I sat in my pew, comfortable next to my husband, I was safe and content in my knowledge that this time my husband isn't going. I was elated that finally our time has come that I didn't have to beg and plead for time to pass slowly before he leaves and quickly once he was gone. And I was guilty, as I am fully aware that although my husband is grateful he is not going, a rather large piece of him wishes he was going because he feels like he is leaving his brothers to head into danger alone, and that does not sit well with him.

Looking around at the congregation, I was struck with the realization that every single person in the Chapel has felt the same as me. They have stressed, worried, probably cried over the unfairness that is deployment; and they have relaxed when others left as they realized they or their loved one was not counted amongst those leaving. I felt companionship to those wives sitting in the pews around me, and understanding for those Marines and Sailors who were only in those pews temporarily. I realized that some of the people around me might not come back from their next deployment. That some of the people sitting around me previously didn't come back. It was a grasping of my own and my loved ones mortality for me. These people were so close, yet so far.

And the closest, sitting directly in front of me, a young Navy couple with 3 small children and 1 more on the way. As Dad held the two little girls, one in each arm, little brother stood tall and strong at his side. No more than 5 he was the spitting image of Dad's structure and calm, leading by example for his two little sisters. And as Mom dug through the baby bag for a juice I was unfortunately graced with an image of Dad overseas. I realized he, along with all our other Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Coasties, etc. live in a world of hand grenades while dreaming of sippy cups.

It was the finality of the moment for me. The this is really what this life is like, part. It's not all glamorous Dress Blues and formal dresses. It's much more than that. It's learning to live in the here and now while praying for a future that may never come. It was praising the Lord in that moment knowing we could be seeing Him face to face the next.

It had nothing to do with the glory of being a military wife, and everything to do with the sorrow of it.

Books Galore

So Everyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with books. My husband intends to build me a library to house my mountains of books. Because he loves me.

So today, while perusing the used book store, my husband holding my chosen treasures, I considered the fact that I would LOVE to own a bookstore. A used bookstore where people can trade in books they don't care to keep and buy books at a discount. Because sometimes books are just too darn expensive.

While this might be a distant dream intended to only ever exist as a dream, what is reality without dreams??

Halloween Blunders

So for Halloween this year, the hubs and I had people over and we had a "Party". Parties for us are not typical and this time consisted of us, and our friends sitting on the front porch in costume greeting Trick or Treaters. We know we're lame, we accept it, and we're ok with it!

But, there is a growing danger in Trick or Treaters nowadays. Do you know what that danger is? Getting the costume wrong. Here are a few of our BIGGEST blunders.

Me to little boy: Oh, a Power Ranger!
Little Boy: *stamps foot* I'm Bumblebee the Transformer!

Husband to young teenager in all black street clothes: What are you? A robber?

Mrs. G: Oh look Tigger!!! (Once she see's tag on costume) Oh, I mean Garfield....

Little Kids: Trick or Treat
Mr. G: Smell my feet, give me something good to eat, if you don't I don't care.... (realizes he has to talk about children's underwear and stops)

Just a few laughs for you today!

Secrets, Ball, Halloween (with loads of pics)

So It's finally that time! This has been a very busy weekend for our crowd! On Friday we went to a late movie, didn't even start til 9:30!!! That means we were up past midnight on Friday. Wow. :)

Saturday found us prepping for, and attending the ball. This year it was at the Sheraton Waikiki, so the hubs and myself got ourselves a room at the Hale Koa. So the big surprise is about to be revealed. I changed my hair color! (I know, kinda a let down for some of you, but momentous for me!)

You are looking at Mr. and Mrs. R on the left. Mr. and Mrs. G in the middle, and the hubs and myself on the right! (No more blonde!!)

The view from the balcony at our hotel.

So guess where our table was? That's right, front and center. Literally

So that made Saturday also a night past midnight. :) (wow, 2 in a row!)

Then came Last night, Halloween. :) We had peoples over and that made night 3!!!

Clearly my husband, the cowboy, and me! Belle, my favorite!

 Unfortunately of all the pictures of Mrs. R. and myself this was the closest to "good" I could find. haha. So here we are shoving our faces. lol

Hope you enjoyed my weekend!!