Photo Blog Challenge Day 2-Something I am proud of

I am so proud of many different things this year that it is really hard for me to pick just one. I think the first one would have to be myself. I know that might sound a little selfish, but you know what. I have overcome a lot of things this year and I am really proud of myself for doing that. The first thing that I overcame would have to be that I am happier than I ever have been in my life and in my marriage. I might not always act like it, but you know what. I am really fortunate to have the marriage that I do have. Alex supports me 100% is so many ways that I really can't explain it in words. The picture to the right was taken right before Christmas of just the 2 of us. Since we moved to VA right before the Holidays we really didn't do much for the Holiday this year. We pretty much just spent the day with each other and had dinner at home. This was a gift to each other and there is nothing more than I really want from him right now. Being in VA is going to be the last chapter of his Naval career and I am very proud of what he has accomplished in the last 17 years. I know I don't always show it in my actions, but I am really proud of him and I can't ask for anything more from him at this time.
The picture to the left was taken on Xmas Day. I am so lucky to have these two cats in my life. They came into our live 3 years ago about a week before Xmas and boy are we lucky to have them. They keep us nice and warm when we need to warm up on the couch. The other thing that they do that surprises us is that they will start acting up when we are arguing so we concentrate on what is making them upset and make us forget what we were arguing about. What more can we ask of our kids. We love them a lot and I can't wait to share more pictures of them with you and along with the stories that we have with them. I want to take this time to wish each and every one a safe and Happy New Year. I will be making my next post in 2011. I can't believe I am actually saying that and I am in a different state this year than I as in last year. That's the life of a Navy wife, but honestly I don't think I would have it any other way.

32 Day Photo Blog Challenge Day 1

I know I should have done this yesterday, but I wasn't able to get it done yesterday. Hopefully his won't be a continuation for the next 32 days. This picture was taken about a month ago by my good friend Ashleigh. She took some other pictures of me that I can't post on here for obvious reasons, but this is tasteful enough for me to post.

A Couple of New Challenges

The first challenge that I am going to take part of I have to thank Ashleigh again for it. Girl I don't know what I would do with you sometimes. I have had a really rough time with this move to VA and now that I have this challenge to do it will make things go so much easier for me. So here is the first challenge, for 32 days you need to post a picture that has to do with the topic for the day. I really liked the 30 Day Blog Challenge that I did before and I am glad you put one together Ashleigh for me.

Here are the topics:

Day 1: You! (Starts easy enough, right? ;))
Day 2: Something you are proud of.
Day 3: A view you see daily.
Day 4: Inanimate object that hold sentimental value for you.
Day 5: Your job.
Day 6: Article of clothing. (Does not have to be worn, or even yours! :))
Day 7: The place you feel the most like you.
Day 8: The past.
Day 9: Holiday photo. (ANY holiday)
Day 10: Family!
Day 11: Something that tells something about you most people don't know.
Day 12: Something old.
Day 13: Your addiction.
Day 14: Someone you admire.
Day 15: Your favorite color.
Day 16: Something beautiful.
Day 17: Passing the time.
Day 18: Your future.
Day 19: Your most treasured belonging.
Day 20: Sports.
Day 21: Friends.
Day 22: Your style.
Day 23: Food.
Day 24: Something you are passionate about.
Day 25: Technology.
Day 26: Something that you dislike.
Day 27: Your weakness.
Day 28: Your significant other.
Day 29: Something new.
Day 30: Something you miss.
Day 31: A fear.
Day 32: A dream.

The second challenge that I am going to take part in is not on a blog type situation. I have a friend back home in CA that RSVP'd to a 100 day 30 minute work out challenge. It doesn't matter what kind of physical exercise you do each day as long as you do it. I think that every day I do the picture I am going to do my workout and tell you what I do. This challenge doesn't start until the 1st of Jan but hey I am going to do it. If you want to join Ashleigh and I on the first one then all means. Any one that wants to join me on the other challenge, then just look it up on my events page or let me know you want an invitation and I will invite you to take part.

I am hoping that both of these will keep me involved in something the next few days so I am not going nuts like I have been for the last 3 weeks. Alex is still here with me, but I don't know how much longer it is going to be that he is going to be here. I need to start doing something now, so I can keep my mind off of things.

30 DBC Day 30

I can't believe that I am actually on Day 30 of this challenge. I never thought I would finish it. I looked back and realized that I started this challenge on 10/24. I know I missed a couple of days, but some how I was able to catch up and finish it exactly 1 month later. I don't know what picture I should put on this entry. I have had so many neat experiences in my life the last 3 years and some rough ones I don't wish on my worse enemy.

The one above is the one that was 4 years ago when the night we saw each other for the 1st time in 13 years. The night I found him on MySpace I never thought that I would fall in love with some one from my past all over again. We didn't expect us to be together again after all the time that had past, but sometimes people just have to grow up and learn from their experiences before they find the one they want to spend the rest of your life with. I have had so many friends tell me that our story is amazing, but I don't really think so. My feelings of people not finding the right person at the right time pretty much means you need to stop looking and you will find him. Yes it took me a lot of crappy relationships to learn this, but once you do you have an amazing opportunity to be happy. You. just have to be patient.

The one above is on our Wedding Day back in 2007. We had amazing day that day and I still can't believe that we are happily married kicking and screaming all the way now for 3 years. We have been through so much honey, but I wouldn't have it any other way honestly. He has been my life all the way and I can't imagine my life without him. I know a lot of people are amazed that we are actually older than we look, but this was when I was 30 and my hubby was 32. I am a true believer that you honestly need to know how to live with your spouse before you get married. I came from a very traditional Catholic family that didn't like the fact that I lived with my fiance before we got married, but you know what. That was the best thing we could have done to make our marriage last. It hasn't been easy which is to be expected, but we have a system now and we can easily work together as a team and not against each other.


You are probably wondering what my last picture is going to be. I can't figure which one I want to use, but I am probably going to figure it out pretty soon now. My last picture was taken about 2 months ago at our second Navy Ball in total and our last one here in the Great Lakes area. I don't know if we are going to make it to another one at our next station, but who knows. We haven't taken many pictures together since this one that are decent, but I did just think of another one. We went to Adam and Sarah's Halloween party this year and boy did we have a lot of fun. We have made some awesome friends while we were here and hope that we can continue our friendship with each and every one of them. I mentioned something awhile back in regards to something that I have learned in my life. That would be that you will always meet and make new friends, but the thing that you have to remember is that no matter where you go in your path of life your true ones will be there for you no matter what.

30 DBC Day 29

I think 3 wishes that I have are:

1 Making my husband proud of me no matter what my faults and failures are like.

2 Being the strong Independent woman my hubby wants me to be and show him that I don't need him by my side 24/7 to make it in life.

3 Keeping my promise of supporting my husband the next 3 years for the remainder of his Navy career. I know these next years are going to be rough on both of us, but I know we can do it.

30 DBC Day 28

There are quite a few things that stress me out. One of them is this move we are about to do. I think that is my main one. Hopefully we will get everything situated over the weekend for our new place and that will be one less thing. Another one would be my debt. I have made a big dent on my bills, but since I am not working at the moment I haven't been able to do a lot better with it. I am hoping now that I have an awesome camera thanks to my hubby that maybe I can take some more pictures and use it as a side business. I will only be here another couple of weeks in Great Lakes area, but if you are interested in getting a family session or couple session in for cheap just give me a holler. I did a session almost a month ago and seeing the pictures of Ashleigh and Justin make me want to do one for my hubby and I. I just have to get some one that already knows my camera to do it for me. Ashleigh are you interested?

30 DBC Day 27

These are my two cats. Elvis is the one on the right and Lelani is the one on the left. I have stated in my last post that they were my son and daughter of which they are because we don't have any 2 legged kids at this moment. The year that my husband and I got married we moved to WI. I was having a rough couple of weeks and my hubby asked me what would make our place a home. The first thing that came to my mind was a cat and he told me okay as long as it liked him. Two days later, we adopted these two and brought them home. They have been the best thing for us and boy am I so glad I said a cat instead of something stupid. We also have 7 Goldfish, 7 Mollie fish and 9 catfish. We are moving soon, and I know it is going to be a very interesting move since we have them all to move with us.

30 DBC Day 26

I know it isn't the traditional family that you probably were expecting, but this is my family. That is my husband holding my daughter Lelani and myself holding my son Elvis. We are a small family but we have a lot of love between us all.

30 DBC Day 25

My iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs are as follows:

1 Back in Black
2 Ain't In Checota
3 Says It First
4 Speech Slur
5 Sounds So Good
6 All For You
7 Bomba
8 Better Than Me
9 Stole
10 Some Hearts

You know that if it weren't for my hubby 4 years ago, I wouldn't even have an iPod let alone know how to use one.

30 DBC Day 24

I think the most important thing that I have learned lately would be that everything happens for a reason in your life even if you don't have any control over it. A very good friend of mine Mary keeps on reminding that God will never bring you something you aren't able to handle. I have also learned that your true friends will be there for you no matter how far you are away from them. I have made some really good friends and some really crappy ones in my life and I know they are just a handful of them still around, but you know what, those are the ones I want in my life.

30 DBC Day 23

I think my favorite vacation will be the first one that I take with my best friend and husband after he retires from the Navy. Our lives have been on a Roller Coaster ride for the last 3 years and I know the next 3 are going to just add to it. I have grown up so much since we moved here to Kenosha, WI that know I am different person and I honestly hope that I will continue to grow at our next duty station. We love Wisconsin and love the people we have met here and will never forget them even if they forget us.

30 DBC Day 22

My hubby and I aren't much of city folks. We both grew up in towns close to each other and would prefer to not live there if we didn't have to. I thought about this really hard and the moment I mentioned something to him he reminded me of Huntington Beach, CA. We never lived there, but that was where I was with him 4 years ago and it hit me that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

30 DBC Day 21

I haven't felt like the way I felt like I do in this picture in a very long time. My friend approached me about taking some boudoir pictures of her and a friend of hers awhile back which turned out absolutely gorgeous. I have always been told that I am a photogenic person, but lately I haven't always felt that way about myself. I have some more that are my favorites also, but this one just stood out to me from that night. I am hoping to pick up the hobby of taking more pictures in the near future and starting my portfolio up so I can maybe do it as an income in the future to help offset some bills of ours but until I get my photos out there it will never happen. Any one interested in doing some drop me a line. I will even do couple shots if you would like. I had an awesome opportunity to do my friend Ashleigh and Justin the same night she did this one for me. I could so feel the love they had for each other that night which shows in the pictures.

30 DBC Day 20

I have quite a few nicknames. The ones that stands out the most would have to Babs and that was because that was the nickname that my husband had for me when we were for 1st together back in 1993. When we reconnected I knew I had the right guy because when he asked me if I was Babs and I asked him if he was Buster and we both said yes, we couldn't believe our ears. Since we have been married, I have now come up with Mama, Baby Girl and My Love. Since I was a kid I have always had Boo, Beaker and Becky. My full first name is Rebecca but every one calls me Becky and that is because they always called me by Rebecca when I was in trouble.

30 DBC Day 19

I think what I miss the most would have to be the days that my hubby and I would snuggle up on our couch with our two cats laying near us or on us in the case of Elvis. The last year we haven't had that much of a chance to do that and that is because we aren't always alone in our place. This is Elvis with my hubby watching T.V. one day and I just love this picture because he is sitting like he is chilling with his dad. The other picture is me with my daughter Lelani. She isn't one to lay on our laps like Elvis does on a regular basis, but when she does I cherish the moment. She is one big kitty, but I love her no matter what.

30 DBC Day 18

There are a couple of things that I regret the most would have to be that I am not the strong Independent Woman my family and loved ones want me to be. I have let so many people down in the last 3 years that I have been married including myself. I am hoping that the next 3 years I can correct those mistakes and move forward in the future. I have so much to learn in my life, my marriage and being around other people no matter what they might think of me. I have grown up a lot since marrying my husband 3 years ago and I still have a lot more to do. The other thing is now especially since I have found out that I have High Blood Pressure is to take better care of myself health wise. I am making my New Year's Resolution a little over 2 months before I really need to. I really want to make myself a better person health wise and hopefully can prove to myself and my hubby that I want to be the hot sexy woman I know I am deep down inside.

30 DBC Day 17

Something I am looking forward to would have to be the day that I can bring my hubby home from the ship or the Navy for the last time. I know people ask me why that when he is home right now, but you have to remember there have been a few cases that Military Wives don't get to bring their husbands home when they have been away. I have been to many Military Funerals and can feel the pain of the spouse and family members since I have been there before. I hope that day never comes for my NOW VERY EXTENDED FAMILY no matter what branch you might be part of. We are always going to be family no matter where any of us might be right now. I love you guys all and respect each and every one of you for all that you have done for our country no matter what your job in the Military might be.

30 DBC Day 16

I have a little bit of time this morning and I think I am going to try to catch up on some of the Day Challenges that I need to do, so here I go.

I think my dream house would have to be somewhere here in the current county that I live in. Believe it or not, my hubby and I were both raised in the San Fernando Valley of Southern CA, but we both don't want to live there after he retires from the Navy in 3 years. I don't want a very big house but something that gives me a nice amount of space and not be on top of everything. I don't really have a style in mind yet, but something out in the county would be nice with a good amount of property so every time I look out my kitchen window I don't see my neighbor in their living room. Also, I would love to make sure that my cats can have a safe place to be able to hang out in the sun and nibble on some grass if they choose to. I sometimes think they have cabin fever just as much as I do during the winter months out here. I know I would love to also have the garage that my hubby really wants. No ladies not a garage that is full of clutter but a garage that has every kind of Auto Mechanic item someone needs since that is what his dream job is after he gets out of the Navy. I also would want to have enough property for our future kids to be able to learn how to garden and maybe take care of some farm animals. Not asking for much right.

30 DBC Day 15

I am not one to really read the Bible on a regular basis even though I was born and raised as a Catholic. I can't find the passage right now, but I know there is one that always sticks out in my brain. "Treat others as you would want to be treated." In fact, I don't even know if it is a Bible Verse. In the past 3 years, my hubby and I have gone through some things that we question our faith because we wonder if God wants what is best for us, then why does he throw us for a loop sometimes with our situations. I do admit to believing that everything happens for a reason, but sometimes he can throw us out on a limb. I am growing in this part of my life and hope to continue to do so when we get to our next Duty Station.

30 DBC Day 14

I know I am so behind on this challenge but I do want to complete this challenge even if it takes me to the end of the year to do it. With all that is going on I think the picture to the left is my favorite. You are probably wondering where the heck this was taken, but all I can say is that I love it. This was taken the night my hubby and I met for the 1st time back in 1993. I loved him so much then and I love him even more today. I love you honey and the more times I see this picture the more I am so lucky to be your wife.

30 DBC Day 12 & 13

I believe that you can be the best person you choose to be. I do believe there is a God, but you don't physically have to be in a church to believe there is one. God is always with you even if you aren't any where near a church building. I know people that know that I was raised born a strict Catholic would think wow that is a change. A lot has happened to me over the years and I have come to believe that you don't have to go to church on a regular basis to believe. You can worship in your own way and not have to have someone trying to tell you what to do and not to do based on something that is a very old belief. I believe that as long as you are true to yourself and be the best person that you can be is all that matters.

My goals are very simple. My first one would be to finish my Associate's Degree to make myself happier in life. My second one would be to become debt free which I am just about done doing because I got one of my last bills today for a debt I had for 3 years now. My final and most important one would be to make my husband happy with me for being myself. As try to make him proud of me but sometimes it is difficult especially if he isn't always reciprocating what I am doing for him. That is a work in progress though and that is all that matters.

30 DBC Day 11

Favorite TV Shows are so many and I am going to try to list them all. Some of them are still on the air and some of them aren't.

JAG
NCIS
NCIS LA
24
Emrergency
CSI
CSI Miami
CSI NY
Criminal Minds
Black Gold
Operation Repo
Little People Big World
Extreme Makeover Home Edition
House
Southern Fried Steak
American Pickers
Mythbusters
Dog the Bounty Hunter

I think I got most of them.

30 DBC Day 10

I think the most thing that I am afraid of would have to be that I am not going to be the strong Navy Wife I have to be. I have a hard set of shoes on with the title of being a Navy Wife and I sometime feel I am not strong enough to do so. Every one keeps on telling me that it is a learning process and you will have your good days and bad. Boy have I already had a little bit of both of those in the 3 years that we have been married. The best thing is that I have a great group of friends that can help me get involved with programs and activities for the wives when the husband are on deployment.

30 DBC Day 9

am a couple days behind, so I am going to catch up a little bit today.

A picture of my friends is really easy these days. I have made some really good friends in the last 3 years that I have been in WI and I have made some really shitty ones. The ones that means the most to me are my true friends. The couple to the left are Mary and Lee and they live in CA. They have been there for me through thick and thin, no matter what I do or they do they are there for me. I have my friend Kristy who was there for me when my hubby was underway in WA and haven't met any really good friends yet. I can't find a decent picture of her right now but she knows who she is. When it comes to WI, I would say Nancy Goforth, Cheryl Schneberger, and many more from my former work Hillcrest are pretty special to me also. My friends here in Kenosha that will be with Alex and I forever has to be Sarah and Adam, Frank and Laura and we can't forget Joshua. You are all amazing people that will never be forgotten about in our lives no matter if we don't come back here to live. There are few more in this picture to the right that I am forgetting about but you get the picture. You also can't forget John and Christy Castle, Deb and Ed O'Donnell, and Asheigh Jansen from our Navy Family. There are so many more that I am forgetting to mention at this time, but they all know who they are and how much we do love them and cherish their friendships.

30 DBC Day 8

I think my most favorite place that I have traveled is really hard to pick. We have gone to some really pretty places together and unfortunately none of them have been over seas or to an island like Hawaii, but that is okay. We have been to 28 states together since we got together back 2006. We are going to be going through some more in the next couple of months when we move to VA, so who knows what will come are way. If I would have to pick at this moment would have to be when he took me to a place called Lake Geneva here in Wisconsin. I didn't get pics because we did it last minute and I didn't bring my camera. I will have to do that the next time we do though.

30 DBC Day 7

My favorite movies. There are so many to list. I think the first two I should list would have to be Hocus Pocus and Sleepless in Seattle. Those were one of the first 2 dates I had with my hubby. The other ones are Jurassic Park I, II, III, Transformers Movies, Terminator Movies, Freedom Writers, World Trade Center, Harry Potter Movies, Twilight Series and many many more.

30 DBC Day 6

A picture of what makes me happy would have to be my husband and my kids. My two cats Lelani (short haired) and Elvis (long haired) were my first Xmas present from Alex as husband and wife. They both know when we are down about something and are always by our side whenever we are home. In fact, Lelani likes to block me from being on the computer by laying on my keyboard. She also tends to hit my wi-fi key and disconnect me from the Internet. The funny thing that Elvis likes to do is when Alex sits on the couch he curls up on his lap and falls asleep for hours like that. There has been sometimes that they have both fallen asleep on the couch looking really cute. By the way, this picture of us was taken at the park across the street one Sunday. Yes they do like it outside and when we get a chance we do take them outside. Lelani likes the snow which I think is just too funny since she is a cat.

30 DBC Day 4 & 5

Since I skipped yesterday by accident I am going to go ahead and do 2 days worth today.

Day 4: My parents

I have to admit I probably have the two best parents any one could ask for. They are Caryn and Lawrence Murray. My mom was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of CA and my father was born and raised in Detroit Michigan and came to CA right after he got of the US Army after the Vietnam War. The reason why I feel my parents are the best ones is because if it weren't for something my father told us to do 17 years ago Alex and I would probably gotten married to young and made the biggest mistake in our lives. We had to grow up and I thank them for that every day. My parents have both taught me to reach for the sky when it comes to things that we want in our lives. They have both been through so much in life as a married couple and as individuals and I admire them for that. My sister and are very lucky to have these two people in our lives which then brings me to my siblings which is today's subject.

My siblings are Cynthia Murray-Davis and David Lawrence Murray+. My sister lives in New York with her husband Bryan Davis who she met when she was on tour overseas quite a bit of time ago. The year that my hubby Alex and I got engaged was the year that every one expected them to get engaged. Boy where they in for a surprise. My sister got engaged the day after Alex and I did. We knew that he was going to propose, but everyone else didn't and for me to keep a surprise is amazing. I also, we have a brother by the name of David. Unfortunately David was killed in a car accident back in 1986. The time that we had with him will never be forgotten. Alex and I are true believers in that things happen for a reason and I truly believe that he had a part of us reconnecting after 13 years of being separated and being able to spark that relationship like nothing has ever changed in the years apart.

30 DBC Day 3

This is an easy one for me. I can honestly say that my first love would have to be my husband. Yes I had puppy loves when I was younger, but it doesn't not compare to the love I felt for him. The picture to the left is the night that we met at his Grad Night in 1993. The picture on the right was taken at the Navy Ball a little less than a month ago. This was our second Ball together and boy did we have a blast. A little bit of a story about us. We met back in 1993, dated for a while and after that we lost contact with each other because he went into the Navy and I just started High School. Go ahead 13 years to when Myspace became very popular where in 2006 I found him on that website. We have been together for 4 years now and married 3 years this 11/10 which happens to be his birthday. We have had a rough couple of years because we are Navy marriage, but we are doing great. We are going to be moving to VA after we have lived in Kenosha, WI for 3 years. We are going to miss all the friends and family that we have made here. We wish we didn't have to leave, but we have to go where ever the Navy sends us. If all goes well, then in 3 years we will be back here to raise our family and retire. People think we are nuts for wanting to move out here when we grew up in CA all of our childhood years, but there is something about Kenosha we love and it isn't the weather by all means.

30 DBC Day 2

Okay I failed at this challenge already so now I have to catch up. I was really going to be on top of this, but then I got food poisoning the 2nd day so now I am going to continue it today.

The meaning behind my blog name is actually a really story. See back in 2004 I still lived with my parents in CA and had a regular Monday through Friday job that I wasn't really happy, but heck it paid the bills. What more can a single girl ask for right except for a million dollars and a man that loved her for who she was and didn't try to change her in any way.

My mom one day was outside in our front yard and saw a stray mommy cat with her kittens and noticed that she was moving them from the roof our house to another safe location. My mom thought nothing of it because we had strays in the neighborhood and just thought maybe the mommy cat was getting too warm up there with them. The next couple of weeks went by and then one night after it got dark my mom heard a little kitten meowing. At first, I thought she was going nuts and she then told me I am going outside. That is when she found this really small kitten sitting there in the grass crying for his mommy.

My mom brought it into the house and noticed that it's eyes were still closed and it still had the umbilical cord attached. Us being the cat lovers that we are said we can't leave this little guy outside all by himself, so with a little coaxing with my dad we kept this little guy. When we found him his ears were folded over a little bit, but all of the sudden they popped up like a mouse's ears did and that is how he got the nickname of looking like a mouse. We found out through my mom's boss that Meechi means cat it Kechwan and we thought it was perfect.

For the next 2 months I helped bottle feed this cat every night like it was my baby. He would sleep with me and wake me up when he got hungry. Now it is 6 years later and he still wants to be a baby. He is a big 15 pound baby but whenever I go back to visit my parents he is there waiting for me to snuggle every night with me.

30 Day Blog Challenge

I have honestly been avoiding blogging.

Tragic, right?

Well, with the madness in my life lately, I haven't had much I have really wanted to blog about.

And yet, I miss it.

While on Facebook, I noticed my friend Ashleigh has made a few posts on this 30 Day Blog Challenge. It looks like a lot of fun, and a great little distraction. The original blog came from Katie at Katie's Journey which is where I got this following list of blog topics for the next 30 days:

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

So much has been going on with my life lately and with another move that we have coming up in December I thought it would be a good idea to start this up again. Looking forward to sharing my new path in life with you readers.