Monogram Love

I'm sure you've seen my new monogrammed cup posted on my Instagram & Facebook pages and it comes with quite exciting news.  One of my favorite crafty ladies (who also happened to be one of my beautiful bridesmaids) finally started a shop of her own!!  Check out Initial It Gifts' page here and I promise you will not be disappointed. 

I'm beyond excited for Brittany & this new adventure!  I was lucky enough to enjoy her craftiness during my wedding planning days and all throughout my time spent in North Carolina.  Brittany was kind enough to etch all of our glass beer boots to personalize our groomsmen gifts and one of our wedding gifts was a monogrammed plate (with my new last name initial!!)  Last year I got a wine glass decorated with wedding colors & a cute "K" as well, so as you can see I have shared in her monogram love for several years.  Brittany & her cute shop, Initials It Gifts, can monogram anything and everything!  I'm excited to see what great ideas the shop will continue to come up with.  As for me, I can't wait to enjoy my new monogrammed cup this week on the lake for 4th of July!  Cheers!

Book Review: Sergeant Rex

www.barnesandnoble.com

I love dogs.  You all know that.  So I am totally a sucker for books about dogs, but I was still completely surprised when this book was part of my Christmas gift from Carl.  Who knew he could find a dog book I had never heard of?!  Well, he definitely did and he picked out an amazing tale.  I brought it along on our Rose Bowl trip and I had finished it by the time we landed in Chicago on the way home.  I.could.not.put.it.down.

Sergeant Rex, written by Mike Dowling, tells the story of a Marine dog handler, his dog, and their amazing bond.  The pair was sent to Iraq in 2004; the first time the Marine Corps had sent dog teams to the front lines since Vietnam.  Dowling details firefights with Rex and raids in which his dog sniffed out weapon caches, IEDs, and bomb-making materials while dispersing short family and initial dog-training stories throughout.  He also excellently captures the camaraderie among the Marines deployed together.  The book gives the reader a glimpse inside the Iraq war while simultaneously building an attachment to Rex and his likability.  (While writing this blog I googled for a review only for an article to pop up stating Rex passed away in December; I teared up.)  This book was both captivating and well-written; I definitely recommend picking up or downloading a copy! 

The San Francisco Chronicle said it best: "The best kind of nonfiction -- an impossible-to-put-down true life story." 

A Moment in Time

The other day my friend Liz over at Tales from the Coast blogged about her happiest moment in life thus far.  Which got me to thinking about mine and wondering about Carl's.  So naturally, we discussed it.

Carl told me his was our wedding day.  And of course I love that he chose that moment because it was an absolutely magical and wonderful day.

Photography by Alex Goykhman

Surprisingly, my happiest moment was different than his.  I did not chose a part of our wedding day or the day he asked me to marry him.  Those days were amazing in their on right.  My happiest moment was on January 4th, 2011 when Carl wrapped me up in his arms at his homecoming from his first combat deployment in Marjah, Afghanistan.  The deployment was long and scary and the brave Marines of 2/6 came home without 17 of their brothers.  Military homecomings are indescribable.  It's such a mix of feelings; anxiousness, excitement, nervousness, happiness.  I don't think you can ever truly explain that feeling to someone who has not experienced a homecoming first hand.  For me, I really was just as happy that day as on our wedding day.  The daily worry turned into relief and excitement to see the love of my life again and get back to living our lives together, which brought us to where we are today.