Serious Talk

Every day I log onto Facebook I see mass amounts of propaganda in some form or another. As I was browsing Facebook I stumbled upon a different form of propaganda, non American propaganda. It's interesting to see different forms of "manipulated" pictures, words, ideas. ( I am in no way saying that one form of propaganda is right or wrong.) I guess what I gathered from it all was, everyone just wants their homes, families, loved ones safe and their own free will. I honestly rewrote this blog a few times in hopes to not offend anyone or have anyone think that I am being swayed one way or another. I guess it's just interesting to see.

SOAP BOX TIME:
It's irritating to me that some people voice their opinions so loud and so wrong (factually that is). Ignorance is not bliss, it makes you look stupid and arrogant. I know it's not possible to know every side of every story but it seems that a lot of people don't take ANYTHING into consideration as to why things are being done or why they are a certain way.
Stereo types are intoxicating and poisons. The unknown and fear are the fuel to the fire.

I guess sometimes it's intriguing to take a step outside of our busy little lives to open our eyes to the enormous world around us. It definitely puts things into perspective for me. I realize my problems aren't so bad and that there are bigger things to worry about in the world. 

99 Questions

Well I haven't blogged in a while and I saw watching YouTube videos because I am a loser and saw a bunch of 100 questions videos so I thought I'd answer a bunch of random stupid questions. I don't really expect anyone to read this but if you are bored, or nosey lol

QUESTIONS:
1:Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?  I try to close them but I usually end up forgetting and leaving them open haha
2:Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? I used to but never used them because they all usually suck.
3:Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Our sheet usually ends up on the floor so I finally just took it off the bed. But I do have a fitted sheet.
4:Have you ever stolen a street sign before? Yes a deer crossing sign for my dad with my crazy cousins and sister.
5:Do you like to use post-it notes? I love post- it notes
6:Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? Since we get sent coupons from the states I will grab a bag of them sit there for a good hour and usually forget to use them. Or when I do use them I only save like $2 so it doesn't seem worth it.
7:Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? Um neither.... I don't that's a tough one, a big bear would for sure kill me but being stug by a shit load of bees would probably kill me eventually..
8:Do you have freckles? Yes, not a lot but a few
9:Do you always smile for pictures? Always
10:What is your biggest pet peeve? When stuff isn't where it's supposed to be. There is a reason to my madness haha I have organize clutter. I know where all my stuff is and it drives me INSANE when I can't find it. I also hate when people blatantly ignore me.
11:Do you ever count your steps when you walk? No, but I will try to not step on cracks when I'm walking long distances.. I guess sometimes I do count my steps..
12:Have you ever peed in the woods? Yup
13:What about pooped in the woods? I'm sure when I was little, I don't remember. BUT as an adult I have not pooped in the woods
14:Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing? Sure do
15:Do you chew your pens and pencils? Yes
16:How many people have you slept with this week? I share a bed with my husband so 1 haha
17:What size is your bed? King
18:What is your Song of the week? Big jet plane  Adam G remix
19:Is it okay for guys to wear pink? I don't care. I do think it's kind of stupid but that's probably because I'm not a huge fan of pink. When I think guy in pink I think of a douchey smedium guy.
20:Do you still watch cartoons? Yes
21:Whats your least favorite movie? Avengers, NOT because it's a bad movie. It's because my husband LOVES it and falls asleep a lot during it while I've watching it a bunch. SO least favorite because I've over watched it. (it really is a good movie)
22:Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? A safety deposite box ???
23:What do you drink with dinner? Water
24:What do you dip a chicken nugget in? Honey mustard or Ranch
25:What is your favorite food? Cheese burgers... or Chicken (Or all food in Amsterdam!!!)
26:What movies could you watch over and over and still love? .Step Brothers, What dreams may come, 25th hour is a pretty good movie. At one point in time I was obsessed with Moulin Rouge and watched everyday for like a month AND Blow at another point in time. Haven't watched either in a really long time.
27:Last person you kissed/kissed you? Rene! (duh!)
28:Were you ever a boy/girl scout? Girl Scout
29:Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? No
30:When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? .A week ago when I wrote out my Christmas cards
31:Can you change the oil on a car? No :( My dad would always do that for me.
32:Ever gotten a speeding ticket? Way to many. I think cops like me... since living in Turkey I've been pulled over 4 times... 1. on base for not putting my blinker on 2. Off base at like 3am speeding down the d400 NO ONE WAS ON THE ROAD! Thank you Josh for telling them we were American/soliders (haha) 3. On base to make sure all my paperwork for the car was on me 4. Same as 3
33:Ever ran out of gas? I almost did, my gas gauge was all screwy and luckily I was close to a gas station.
34:Favorite kind of sandwich? MMM California club from Jason's deli
35:Best thing to eat for breakfast? BURRITO!!! With green chile
36:What is your usual bedtime? Um usually midnight-2am :/ I have trouble falling asleep
37:Are you lazy? Yes unfortunately
38:When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? Jack in the box, a die ( Keri and I were a pair of dice), when I was really little I was a purple unicorn.
39:What is your Chinese astrological sign? Dragon (Rawr!)
40:How many languages can you speak? English, I can say a few things in Turkish
41:Do you have any magazine subscriptions? No but I want to get a few
42:Which are better legos or lincoln logs? Legos
43:Are you stubborn? I can be... I don't think I am that much but I think my husband would beg to differ.
44:Who is better...Leno or Letterman? Don't really care....
45:Ever watch soap operas? Yes, in middle school Meagan and I used to watch Passion haha hella cheesy
46:Are you afraid of heights? Um, yeah I guess I am
47:Do you sing in the car? All the time
48:Do you sing in the shower? No, but I don't listen to music in the shower. I'm sure if I played music I would
49:Do you dance in the car? Oh yeah!
50:Ever used a gun? Nope
51:Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? Well Alyssa took our Christmas pictures but other then that it would have to be our wedding pictures
52:Do you think musicals are cheesy? Um kind of but I love the Disney movies and those are musicals so..
53:Is Christmas stressful? Very!
54:Ever eat a pierogi? I don't know what that is.
55:Favorite type of fruit pie? Coconut cream pie or apple pie crust mmmm
56:Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? I wanted to cure cancer. Now that I think about I think it was subconciously because my best friend in elementary schools mom died of cancer. I've never really made that connection until now...
57:Do you believe in ghosts? Yes or at least spirits but I don't like to think about that it freaks me out haha
58:Ever have a Deja-vu feeling? Yes
59:Take a vitamin daily? No but maybe I should
60:Wear slippers? Now that it's getting cold I do
61:Wear a bath robe? Not usually
62:What do you wear to bed? Shirt and yoga pants
63:First concert? Shania Twain with my dad but my 1st concert alone/with friends All American Rejects
64:Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? TARGET all day!
65:Nike or Adidas? Adidas
66:Cheetos Or Fritos? Cheetos
67:Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? Sunflower seeds
68:Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? No
69:Ever take dance lessons? Spanish dancing when I was younger and I did ballet when I was REALLY little I don't really remember it too much
70:Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? Well since I am married I think his future job, after the AF, will be a cop ??
71:Can you curl your tongue? Uh I can roll is ??
72:Ever won a spelling bee? No I was never in one either so
73:Have you ever cried because you were so happy? Yes
74:Own any record albums? No
75:Own a record player? No
76:Regularly burn incense? No
77:Ever been in love? Yes
78:Who would you like to see in concert? The Used
79:What was the last concert you saw? Oh Idk.... T-Pain with Kathleen I think??
80:Hot tea or cold tea? Both
81:Tea or coffee? Tea,Chai tea/spiced teas
82:Sugar or snickerdoodles? Snickerdoodles
83:Can you swim well? No
84:Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? ?? yes ??
85:Are you patient? No I've very impatient
86:DJ or band, at a wedding? DJ
87:Ever won a contest? I don't think so
88:Ever have plastic surgery? No
89:Which are better black or green olives? Neither, unless it's on a schlotzcky's original sandwich then black, and I suppose I'd have to try a dirty martini again to see how I feel about green olives
90:Can you knit or crochet? I can knit
91:Best room for a fireplace? family room
92:Do you want to get married?  Yes... but I am married <3
93:If married, how long have you been married? 1 year :D <3
94:Who was your HS crush? Freshman year, Chris. Sophomore year I won't name because he was an ass hole and I'd rather say he was an ass hole then say his name. Junior and Senior year I don't think I had a "crush" on anyone... idk
95:Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No
96:Do you have kids? No
97:Do you want kids? Yes
98:Whats your favorite color? Green
99:Do you miss anyone right now? Yes! I miss my family very much as well as my close friends. I had a bad dream about my dad last night so I miss him a lot today and my mom because we were hanging out in my dream.
100. So there were only 99 and not 100... WOOHOO I finished...

The Netherlands

There is so much to say about this beautiful country I'm not sure where to begin. First off I was so excited when we flew into Germany and the Captain said the current temperature was 1 degree Celsius and it was snowing!!! It was only a little snow but AHHHH!!! Germany was breath taking!!!   This is a picture while we were driving. All my other pictures are on the camera I lost :(

 I was in awe with Germany, the little villages and the cute little houses! Germany is a beautiful country that is for sure!

Amsterdam what is there to say!! Rene and I had an absolute BLAST! The beer was awesome there and the people were SO nice!!! Rene and I had a discussion as to why the Dutch are so happy all the time. We came up with 3 reasons, 1. They exercise, since driving around is such a hassle it is a lot easier to ride a bike or walk. The people here walk or bike everywhere! 2. Prostitution is legal meaning people are having sex. Exercise and having sex release endorphins which in turn make you feel happy :) and of course, I think this goes without saying, 3. Smoking marijuana is legal. BUT I say the main reasons they are so happy is because of reason 1 and 2. Reason 3 I would say just makes them a bit more passive rather then aggressive...

 Mulligan's, an Irish pub we went to. This place was legit, full of Irish folk dancing and all that jazz. I did not try the Guinness there unfortunately, although I've heard it's the best in Amsterdam!

 This is a movie theater!!! Talk about watching a movie on the big screen. This place is setup like a performing arts center, balcony seating and box seating. It was awesome! We watched 007 Skyfall. Yes we went and watched a movie on vacation :)

This is the better view from our hotel room. I think this was a petting zoo, because they had little ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats and other animals. Just past it is Rembrandt park. I can only imagine what this place looks like during the spring/summer time.

Again there is so much to say about the Netherlands. I am so glad Rene and I decided to make this our 1st European vacation. We both really enjoyed ourselves and would love to go back again some day! Almost forgot to rave about the food!!! OH MY GOODNESS! Everything we ate there was insanely good. The pizza was amazing, the sushi, the steak!, sandwiches and even the coffee! Maybe it's because there isn't much variety of food here but Ahhh! Words do not come close to explaining how delicious the food was in Amsterdam! 

Fact

It's a fact that I am sucker for awesome product packaging. If I am stuck on deciding between two things OR I know nothing about the product I'm buying, 7 times out of 10 I buy the one that looks cooler. When I 1st moved here and I was buying wine to take to a dinner we were invited to. I couldn't remember the name of wine Alyssa liked so I bought the one in a cool blue bottle! Yup I bought it based on the color of the bottle and Rene made fun of me for it. Puckers recently changed their bottles and it makes me want to buy it even though I know puckers is NOT good! A few reasons why I decided to blog about this is 1. I haven't blogged in awhile 2. the other day I bought conditioner because it said ginger on it.

Alright so let me explain myself. Since it's been a year since I've cut my hair the ends are getting a little on the dry side. Not to mention the shampoo and condition I was using made my scalp feel weird and just bluh! Any way, I bought the shampoo that Rene likes which works fine except the conditioner sucks for my hair ( I have to use A LOT of it). While I was at the store looking for conditioner I saw the nifty looking Organix bottles. I've ALWAYS thought they looked cool, because they were different. BUT I have used 2 different types before and I wasn't overly impressed with them. Well I saw the dark purple one and it said Ginger on it! Of course I read the label and it is for dry hair, but that's not the point, the point is that I was attracted to the shape of the bottle and the fact that they wrote ginger is a bright pink color! Even though I've never had an amazing experience with the products I still picked it up and bought it! So all that money spent on labels and how packaging should be made is totally worth it as far a selling something... Oh and the conditioner works great by the way :)

Holidays

The holidays are right around the corner and I am so excited to start some new traditions for the Brady household! With that being said in all my 24 years of existence I have never spent the holiday's without my family and I'm not sure how I feel about missing Christmas eve dinner at my sister-in-laws house either. So I thought since Thanksgiving is the 1st "family" holiday on the agenda I thought we could have Thanksgiving dinner at our house, oh you know, since I've become quite the cook and all (haha). Then I thought about who exactly we'd invite ( You know since we are so popular and have a gazillion friends, yes that's an accurate number too, I counted! *sarcasm* in case no one picked up on that.) . Well it is Yardley/Muniz family tradition that after dinner (well more like lunch) we would play poker till all hours of the night. Football and Poker. Since we have poker night at our house usually every weekend I thought why not just invite the guys that come over for poker and play poker after! Thanksgiving and Christmas has always been a big family affair and if a friend was alone for the holiday's my parents home was always open for them to come join. Why should that be any different for mine and Rene's home! Now all I need to do it run this idea by Rene and buy a turkey...and a ham :D

What's been going on..

Well I've realized it's been awhile since I've filled you all in on what has been going on over on this side of the world. For me, work is work but it has definitely opened my eyes to a few things that I do not want to pursue in life. Rene is busy busy with work like always.

 

 Unfortunately Rene and I didn't get to go to Germany this week. Although we did decided on where we were taking our 1st vacation. We are going to Amsterdam the last weekend in October!! I'm so excited to get out of Turkey I can hardly wait! 

 

I bought me a bicycle that way I could ride my bike to and from work. I'm not sure how I feel about it but... yeah haha. I feel like a little kid riding it. Especially with my backpack and goofy helmet I can't help but laugh at myself while I'm riding it. Which is why everyone who sees me riding it says that I look so happy.

Awe Yea Summer Camp!

This past week was Wet and Wacky week at the youth center and I was super lucky and got to go on the field trips with all the kids! Which basically I got to go hang out, swim and tan like the coppertone kid! Yes, I Pamela, GingerFace, tanned! Shocking to most of you I know! Don't worry I'm sure it won't last long and my pastie whiteness will be back with a quickness. Any who back to what I did this past week!
Monday we went to Agacpinar, the cold water springs that we usually go to all the time. 

 

 Tuesday we went to Yumurtalık which is a beach that is about 25 miles from Adana. It's a Mediterranean port. The beach was all sand and no rocks it was pretty awesome. Also I've never been able to walk out into the water at a beach and not have it drop off. 

 Wednesday we went to AQUALAND!!! Which is a water park here in Adana. Nothing special, wave pool, lazy river and like 3 slides. 

Thursday we went to Kızkalesi on a boat trip! This beach was BEAUTIFUL! I didn't get any pictures while I was there because I was trying to not throw up because the guy who was driving the boat was doing a terrible job. We will probably be going next weekend or the week after and I'll be sure to get pictures then. This water was so blue and clear it was insanely beautiful! Super salty too haha.

This is a picture from google but we drove out and swam right by the castle. AWESOME!

Hooligans and Hipsters

24

I don't feel it nor do I look it. Awesome!? Not always... When you have a 11 year old girl tell  you that you look like you are 13 and then a 12 year old girl says, "No, she's at least 16, 17." Then I have to explain to them, no I work at the youth center and I am twice their age. A lot of the parents that come in to the youth center think that I am one of the kids. Well I definitely get it from my parents, neither one of them look their age. I'm sure I won't complain about this later on in life but right now while I work with teenagers it makes my job twice as hard.

It also gets old when people ask me why I've spent so much on my glasses. Funny thing, I spent so much on my glasses because I like them and because I wear them everyday! It's even funnier that AFTER I tell people that they say, "Oh so you can't see?" Sometimes I want to bonk (yes I said bonk) them right on their forehead. I usually just give them the "you're an f'n idiot" look and say yes I cannot see with out my glasses. Or I get the people that like to argue and tell me that I don't wear them everyday... LOL I'm pretty sure I would know if I wear them everyday or not...

Meal Planning

I am not be the most organized person on the planet. I am more of a organized clutter type of person, if you will haha. I have my mess but I know exactly where everything is :) 95% of the time I a 100% right :)
Okay back on track, Meal Planning! So at some point this weekend, either Friday but probably Saturday I am going grocery shopping. I need to remember to eat before I got because I usually end up buying crap I don't need. I also need to have an organized list of exactly what I need. In turn this means I need to figure out exactly what I'm making for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the week. Today or tomorrow I'm going to buy me a crock pot. I want a pulled pork sandwich so I guess I will just have to make my own.... if I can find a recipe for it that is. This is where all of you wonderful blog readers come into play :) I need some new dinner ideas. Since I've been working a bunch I don't have time to sit on Pinterest for hours and find delicious meal. Please and thank you in advance!

Naps

Pretty sure taking a nap at 7pm probably wasn't the best idea I've had but it was lazy Sunday! Any way I'm awake and feeling like my head is inside a giant glass bowl, I feel like poop.

So like I had mentioned before our table is done!!! Want to see pictures?!?!

Compromise :) I got my table and Rene got his poker table, along with his black and grey that he likes so much :)  Now getting it delivered is a whole other story. They only deliver during the week and Rene and I both work during the week. Not to mention one of us has to escort/"sponsor" the delivery guys onto base. But hopefully we can get it here some time this week before I got to work... finger crossed.

Random Pamela thoughts:

1. I'm pretty sure when I go back to the states I'm going to chop my hair. I forgot what a hassle it was to deal with long hair! Not to mention the amount of shampoo I use! Plus I keep choking myself out in my sleep with my hair it's getting a bit ridiculous.
2. I was trying to remember what sheets I had on my bed at my parent's house because I want to buy a new bedding set. Any way I found some that I liked but I'm not sure what Rene will say to green sheets lol. Poor guy didn't get a say in the plates I wanted lol and those bad boys are REALLY green. I may need to converse with him before hand...then again he is a guy and he may just say I don't care. I'm sure as long as it doesn't look like a unicorn took a shit in our room he will be happy. :) 
3. Found a job posting for substitute teachers here on base, well actually it's for a few bases... it's a bit strange the amount, or lack, of school required to be a substitute teacher. Granted I do remember my substitute teachers, not very impressive.
4. I really hope I'm not getting an ear infection! I haven't had one since I was little and if I do remember correctly they were not fun at all!

Pictures!!!

I lied, I do have pictures!! 

The one below is of the mosque in Adana. I am sure I've posted pictures of the outside of this thing a few time but I'm not sure if I've posted one of it in the day time.. 

We have yet to go inside and look at it but I've heard it's beautiful!

Here are a few picture of "the alley" this is right as you walk out of the base gates.

Blue Angel bar is the bar Rene and I like to go. The people who work there are always nice to us and so is the owner. 

We get a bunch of these gecko guys around the house.

RAINBOW WIG!! My sister and brother in law got me an awesome pink wig for my birthday!

They also got me the awesome shirt I am wear a long with another shirt that looks like it but with owls on it :) 

Ahhh!!

I have legitimately been trying to write a new blog for over a week now. Every time I start I realize how lame it is and that a lot of the stuff I want to take about I can't post on a public blog. Then I just get to flippin tired to even want to continue. Not to mention I don't have any new pictures to post! Reading a blog with no pictures is boring... Sorry guys... maybe next time! So what I have been up to in the almost month that I haven't blogged.

Well if you hadn't heard I got a job. I am working at the youth center here on base. I was hired on at a flex position which basically means that I am not guaranteed any hours. Well this has turned into a full time job. Granted I'm not REALLY complaining now because it's money and gives me something to do, but I'm sure if my hours stay this way it is going to be tough going to school ( I'll talk about that next).  I (usually) work with kids from ages 9-17, gets a bit confusing because a lot of these kids think I'm one of the teens lol. I'm sure it will very flattering later on in life but right now it makes things a bit difficult for me. Just another obstacle I will need to over come. I did get to go camping a few weekends ago with a group from my work, that was interesting... lol. I think it's really funny that kids think they are so crafty and sneaky lol I don't remember being that obvious with things when I was a kid.. but then again I'm sure everyone as a kid thought that they got away with just about anything or did things that they thought adults didn't see..

Mom, Dad, I have to hand it to you. I have no idea how you guys did it. After spending 8 hours a day with kids and then coming home to make dinner and clean the house and fold laundry...ugh I envy you! You guys made it look like a walk in the park! I now know why you made US do the chores.. haha!!

School! I am registered at an online university, UMUC ( University Maryland University College) Yes that is the real name of the school lol. I start in may and I will let you guys know how it is. But for now YAY I'm enrolled!!! Lets cross our fingers I can get a scholarship so I don't have to take out loans to pay for school :)

So that is basically what's been going on on this side of the world... work work work work work! This job is very exhausting, my weekend seriously don't feel long enough.

OOH and we got a call the other day and our table/poker table is FINISHED! We are going to check it out tomorrow and if all is good we are going to setup at time to get it delivered :) I'll post pictures soon of our new table :) :)

Kitchen and Dining room

I cleaned the kitchen today! Yay! slowly but surly I will get picture of the house up lol

 

Yes we do have a convection AND a microwave lol

 My not so lovely sink....

And for my birthday Rene bought me a kitchen table!!! It is being built so hopefully in a month or so we will have it :)

15 Random 2am thoughts

1. Realized I promised pictures of the house with all of our stuff in it.... I will get right on that! But like I said last time... I need to clean 1st lol
2. Wondering when the Thank you's will get to everyone. Any time now ...
3. I really need to make a recipe book of all the delicious new dinners I've been making. I've realized all my best stuff comes out when I guess-timate (wonder where I got that from lol)
4. I miss home. There I said it! You guys happy?! Haha I don't like to worry people so I try not to say it too often. I don't want you guys thinking I'm moping around all day! I am enjoying my time out here I just wish my friends and family could be here too!
5. More then excited that Rene and I are starting to talk/plan trips out of Turkey! My poor husband needs it, he's been working so much lately. 
6. Jobs here are weird... and that's all I'm going to say, maybe you can try and pry to get the scoop about my job.
7.  Who would have thought Bartending and working at a youth center would have so many common qualities.. All I need to do is tweak the language I use and BAM! With a few minor additives.. like screaming kids....
8. I really need to crack down and finish reading Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Good book, just long, especially when I'm tired. 
9. I need to order more pictures to fill my picture frames so I can get them put up on our blank wall.
10. My AC is goofy. It's either hot or it's freezing... Eh I can always put a sweater on
11. Mmmmm What I would give for a Dion's turkey and provolone sub with green chile, no onions and ranch instead of greek :) Or I could settle for a Duke City pizza. :) 
12. I am glad I don't have to work tomorrow. It's going to be a busy summer at the youth center! At least I will be getting hours and can save up some vacation money!! 
13. I miss my puppies. 
14. It's amazing how good un-friending a FB group feels! 
15. I have met some truly amazing people since I've moved here. I am so happy I've been able to bond with some of you ladies and look forward to getting to know some of you more!

Jeans

Dear AE jeans,

I understand when I bought you my butt was bigger, this is why before I left the U.S of A I bought another pair of you to fit my unwelcomed tiny butt. At what point during your making did you, or your company, decided that it was a good idea to keep the butt the same size and only change the size of the waist and the thighs? I now look like I have a muffin top with a weird duck bill  looking thing going on in the back of my pants! You (all three of you!) and I will not be talking for sometime... enjoy my closet floor.

Once your friend,
Pamela

Hair

Since the last time I cut my hair really short I have been trying to grow my hair back out. Since it took me just about 20 years to find someone that cuts my hair amazingly and she lives in New Mexico I figured now would be the perfect time to let it REALLY grow out. Well I cannot remember the last time I have had my hair as long as I do now.

I can tell you this much I don't remember my hair being so heavy! haha I do remember being able to do a lot more with it when it was long but isn't that what everyone thinks about their hair at different lengths?? Any who with this humidity here I'm not sure how much longer I can keep my hair at this length...I won't lie I am afraid to get my hair cut out here. A friend of mine was getting her hair cut and the guy told her "Oh I've never gone to school for cutting hair." Keep in mind he told her this WHILE he was cutting her hair!! Eeep! I may just have to wait til I go back home and have Stacy cut my hair 

But I found some old pictures... Here is one when I went to Chicago,

 LOOK HOW LONG MY HAIR IS!?!?

 Keep in mind I have a pea coat on and a big ol' scarf because it was FREEZING in Chicago. 

I believe this was back in 2007...

This is how I want to cut my hair again... or do an a-line cut.... I guess I have time to decide considering I have no clue when we will get to go home to visit.

Hmmm.... Rene thinks I should cut my hair, but I think it's just because the ginger monsters have doubled in size since my hair is longer now. 

What is a ginger monster you may ask?? You know the hair that falls out of your head and it makes weird little knotted balls or sometimes you think they are bugs and they are really knots of your hair?? Well Rene calls them ginger monsters because they usually get caught up in all of his clothes when I do laundry. Actually they are usually everywhere haha.

Mad cooking skills

For those of you that know me you know that I am more of a baker and not so much of a cook. If I do cook it's normally pastas or breakfast. I have never been good at cooking meat. Let us skip the whole me becoming a house wife part and jump straight to what this post was intended to be. From the time I left New Mexico I have become obsessed with Pinterest and have found some super awesome and some not so awesome recipes. But who wants to talk about the not so awesome stuff, let us get to the good stuff.  

**NOTE: These are not my pictures nor are the any of my recipes! Click on the hyperlinks, they will take you to the actual webpages with the recipes!**

So tonight I made chicken rollatini with spinach and it came out insanely good!

This is one of Rene's favorites jalapeno popper inspired grilled cheese but instead of using goat cheese I just used cream cheese. (I also didn't use the apricot spread) To tell you the truth I didn't even read the recipe I just saw the picture and made up what I thought would taste awesome! haha

I LOVE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP! I tried to make some a while back and it came out TERRIBLE! I found this recipe and figured it sounded simple enough and it was. Not to mention the soup tasted AWESOME!! I did not put nutmeg in it nor did I blend it but I am going to make the soup again tomorrow and I will try it with the nutmeg and I might blend it... we will see how I feel :) 

Chicken cashew lettuce wraps, I made it for myself for lunch one day, because I thought that Rene wouldn't like it! There was some left over when Rene came home for lunch and he actually really liked it! I was surprised. But they were delicious!

 

Mini Cannoli's  Delicious! haha

Lemon poppy seed bundt cake The most amazing bundt cake EVER!

Whhhaaaaattttt??

Oh geeze, Rene just reminded me that my birthday was in a few weeks! More like 11days to be exact, but who's counting anyway :)  My days are all messed up, I was out with Alyssa today and could have sworn it was Tuesday the 21st which makes no sense because Monday was the 21st! That still doesn't change that fact that I seriously didn't think my birthday was coming up so soon! I FEEL LIKE I STILL HAD TIME!! haha  I don't know that I am ready to be 24.... I don't feel like I am old enough to be 24 either. I am dreading the day that my metabolism decides to slow W...A....Y..... D....O....W....N and then I will actually have to worry about what I eat :( But UNTIL then maybe I should make this ULTIMATE FAT KID dessert Tell me that this does not look delicious!! (click on the link!!!) This lady even used double stuffed oreo's... Oh My Goodness!

You know what I also can't believe?! That we've been here for 3 months already! I feel like we have been here longer...
 And our baby Bean isn't a baby anymore, she's 2 years old with a litter of pups that aren't going to be puppies anymore! I remember when we drove to AZ to go get bean, she was so freakin cute! She still is, and I love her with all my heart!  This is a picture of Bean the night we brought her home 2 years ago!

ALL MY BABIES ARE GROWING UP! MAN I wish I were back home to throw Bean,  Mitts, Don Vito, Penny, Gus, Bella & Gracie Lou a big birthday bash! I don't know that I can contain myself and with hold the cute pictures of the pups when they were born... BUT I will. HA! Guess you guys will just have to come back in a few days to see them :)

Oh and if someone would send me a sonic drink (cranberry limeade or an apple cherry slush) THAT would be fantastic lol

I promised a happier post!

Although this past week has been terrible with Rene out of the country and silly Turkey being.. well just plain silly, I did promise a happier post. So with that being said Rene is back home and I couldn't be happier, luckily the week he was gone went by quickly. Even though the last few days of last week were the worst! We did get our car this past Thursday and unfortunately need to wait a week before we can get it registered, since I "wasn't allowed" to do so >:(  This is still a sore subject if you couldn't tell

So while Rene was out of the country I was able to get a few of the rooms put together and most of the boxes full of stuff that we really don't need put away. I also got a few picture printed and some pictures up as well. Definitely starting to feel more like home!

I love this one! I got the idea from pinterest of course. It's our first dance with the lyrics to the song :)

I did get my sewing machine out and started reconstructing a t-shirt which would have turned out pretty cool if it wasn't so tight...haha. Now I just need to figure out what stitches are for what and I'll be golden! I guess I should start reading the sewing book, my Grandma Pat and Cheryl gave me, instead of just looking at the picture :) Since I can't just go to the nearest Hancock Fabric store and finding a fabric store here is deeming to be a larger task then anticipated I was able to find a website with some fabric I think will work great for the dresses I want to make. I know what you are thinking, Pamela in a dress? wait wait wait did she just say she was going to MAKE a dress?.  I know it's crazy talk! But I found a blog with an awesome tutorial on how to make a maxi skirt ( The skirt has a flap like yoga pants! And don't laugh I understand the lady in the picture is pregnant, but these dresses are super comfy. Hmm now I sound like one of those girls that makes up excuses to wear stretchy pants all the time...)

We also got the Thank you cards in and I've been working on getting them all put together and hopefully will get them sent out within the week! Which also reminds me that I need to get these puppy treats sent out to the pups for their birthday! I can't believe my little furbabies are going to be a year old and Mama Bean is 2!

I am not sure if I made it known but I did get a job here on base but the paperwork and amount of shots and blood work needed is insane! I am still waiting on the blood work to get back to prove that I have the antibodies to fight off chicken pox... If it weren't for that I would have started orientation today. Lame fish fo sho!

The things I've taken for granted

I never understood the craze about New Mexican cuisine. It never made any sense to me that people who moved away ALWAYS wanted New Mexican food, or why when they came to visit that was all they ate the entire trip!! I mean don't get me wrong it's pretty flippin delicious but seriously?! I lived in New Mexico for 23 years, I loved the food but was never too crazy about it. It is probably because it was so easy to get while I was there. Pretty much every restaurant you go too in New Mexico, even the sushi joints you can get green chile. For shits sake you can get a green chile beer! Again I love me some green chile but isn't that taking things a little too far? Now that I live roughly 6958miles (if you are just measuring it on a map) or a 5-6hr flight to Baltimore, then a 10-13hr flight to Frankfurt, Germany and then a 7-9hr flight to Adana, Turkey. I have come to really appreciate what I had in New Mexico. I know I miss the food so much because I can't get anything like it out here. Not to mention the blandness of the food here does not help in the least bit. I now understand completely what all those people who moved away from NM feel when it comes to green chile and the food in general there. How I miss those sloppy plates drenched in chile.

We all bitch and complain about gas prices in the states and how the cost keeps rising. I now understand why people here drive tiny little beater cars and their version of a full size truck is no bigger then a Toyota Tacoma. The average price is roughly 4.20 Lira per liter which equals to about $2.30 per liter. Do a little math and 1 gallon is equal to roughly 3.8 liters, do a little more math and you get $8.74 per gallon. Aside from not wanting to get lost in a foreign country that I can't speak the language, so if I get lost I can't ask for directions nor can I read the signs. I miss being able to just drive, for no reason, to just clear my head and drive. Road trips almost seem silly because of the gas prices lol.

It is pretty awesome to be given the opportunity to experience a different country but I've realized in the few months I've been here all us American's cling to anything that is American. When I found out we were moving here I freaked out about being able to use all the same products I used on a daily bases. I have found many stores here that carry the things I used in the states and many new ones as well. But for some reason I can't help but miss the stores I used to go to. I miss Target lol I miss getting groceries at Smith's. I hate going into new stores and not knowing where anything is. Not to mention not being able to read what exactly they are. I still forget things after I go grocery shopping even if I wrote it on my list lol. It is irritating that there are certain things that I want that I can't get here. Equally as irritating that I can't ask for something specific because of the language barrier. 

I also took for granted the internet speed we used to have back home lol I know it sounds silly. I hate that I have an iPhone and I know that I can iMessage people who have iPhones in the states for free but because of my silly stupid internet in my house I am unable to do so.

I miss 110v plugs and I hate the transformers in my house lol

I think that is more then enough bitching for at least a week! :)

Settling in

The rest of our stuff FINALLY got here!!! YAY!!!

I was really impressed with the amount of kitchen appliances I own. 
I will definitely get some picture up soon once my house is nice and clean and there aren't dirty dishes in my sink haha.  But the house is coming together nicely. We really don't have a lot of stuff so for now we have 2 fairly empty rooms. Rest assure that in the time we are here we will accumulate enough stuff to fill them. I really regret not bringing my bed :( Oh well, REALLY didn't think we would get a 3 bedroom house so I guess better safe them sorry!
Since we have this extra room Rene decided that we should turn it into a poker room and wants to get a custom poker table made.. HA! I told him not until I get my damn kitchen table made! lol So we may need to meet in the middle and get a kitchen table w/ a poker table underneath it! That is what marriage is all about right? Compromise? lol. He also thinks that we should get a bar built and we have the PERFECT spot of it in the house. I am all for getting a nice bar built, that would be awesome. Only down fall is what if it doesn't fit in our next house. But 1st thing is 1st we need a new coffee table, since the one we have got messed up in the move..

Well,  I got a job!!! I will be working at the youth center here on base, well as long as I pass all my pre-screening employment stuff on Thursday. Rene just informed me about 5 minutes ago that we should be getting our car in a few days. Which means that the car gets to sit in our drive way for a few weeks until we get our plates. I am super excited that we will soon have our car and will be very excited to return our Hyundai rental car :) I have enjoyed our time together Hyundai but unfortunately you will not be missed.....

Social Networking

Oh dear oh me oh my!

Good Lawd it is insane the amount of social networking sites out there. I will admit I have my fair share of them and that I am trying to figure out how to get links to all of my different pages setup as icons here on my blog. I found the code for one of them but I have no idea where I am supposed to put it haha. 

Well lets see here...

Pinterest:

• When used correctly, this site can be an awesome tool on the internet. It has definitely allowed me to organize my blogs that I like and more specifically the different crafts I want to do and the yummy recipes I would like to try to make! Although it has added some crazy ideas of wanting to be insanely crafty! So a big thanks to my mother in law who is helping feed my inner creativity by sending me a sewing machine! I have so many ideas for things so make I can't wait to learn. I also have this crazy itch to start knitting my own scarfs! So thanks to Miss. White I have some new knitting needles and some pretty awesome yarn (which ironically was made in Turkey LOL)! I also can't wait to get the rest of our stuff so I can REALLY start cooking and baking here.

Instagram:

• I love this app turn social networking site! But it does give people an excuse to take random pictures and upload all of them and have people follow your pictures. Haha I'm not really sure what to say about the app, but I really do enjoy it!

Twitter!:

• Twitter has to be the most mind boggling social networking site I've ever partaken in. I've attempted to "get into it" for years now and I still don't get it. I don't understand the whole # sign followed but a cluster of words... I don't know. Maybe now that I have a twitter account, because Mark made me, I will get the hang of it. For the most part I've used my twitter account to just say stupid shit haha. I guess that's all it's good for?? Some one fill me on this while Twitter nonsense. 

Google+:

• This is one that I feel hasn't fully caught on, or it has and I'm just outta the circle... Ha! See what I did there?? {If you have a Google+ account you'll know what I'm talking about. If you don't have one, well then maybe you should get one and then you can laugh at my dumb joke :) } The only reason I check it is because my homepage is Google and my gmail account is always logged in on my computer (maybe I shouldn't say that on here... eeep!) and the Google+ app is in the toolbar. 

FaceBook:

• My main source of communication with AMERICA and the people here on base. I think it is INSANE how big Facebook has become! But I will have to say those 2-3months without a Facebook account was pretty nice. Now not having one isn't an option haha I wouldn't know what was going on on the other side of the world! {Like the moth invasions in NM, or the Rise against concert!}

Blogger:

• Last but not least my new best friend! I want to say Thank you to Jamie for inspiring me to start a blog! I really enjoy reading her blog and want to get in on the action.{http://www.bloglovin.com/m/2970034/450029950/fb}  I find that this is such an awesome way to let all my friends and family know what's going on in my life out here. Although not much has happened since we moved into our house, I still try to write something. :) It's also nice to know that a lot of you guys tell me that you like reading my blog!  I wish I had some cool picture to put up this time because I think pictures MAKE the blog, maybe that's just my inner child haha! 

Adventures of PanPan?!

So everyone here talks about how CRAZY it is to drive off base. They generally describe it as organized chaos. Which I would totally agree with them on that... there are no rules of the road here. People drive in the middle of lanes, off the side of the lanes/road, park your car in the street..anything goes! If they think their car can fit they will fit it, 2 lanes can turn into 5 lanes. It's pure madness lol (You don't even want to get me started on the pedestrians, they have no fear!) They also like to give you a "courtesy" honk to let you know the light JUST turned green and/ or is about to turn green. Apparently it's supposed to be a friendly gesture and we were told to not take offense. Honestly it kind of irritated me a first but now I just laugh and joke with Rene, telling him that he needs to pay attention to the light! All fun and games until you enter the dreaded ROUNDABOUT!!!!

 I made this picture nice and big for you all so you can see the traffic lights that are INSIDE the roundabout. WHAAAAATTT???? I have no idea why anyone would think this is a good idea. It literally turns a cluster fuck into a Mega cluster fuck! And heaven forbid you get caught in that circle and the person to your right wants to turn right when you want to got straight... BAHHHH!

So I'm sure you are curious as to why I am writing about driving out here...{just like my last blog about flippin fruit and food, who does that!?} Today was my first day driving off base!!!

 IT WAS AMAZING!

I felt like I was in a video game or driving a go kart! I LOVED IT!

I had a blast, I was so scared that I would get all stressed out driving defensively since, in my opinion, I've tamed down as a crazy driver :)

Psshhh! I put all those aggressive driving and defensive driving class, that New Mexico made me take for all my speeding tickets, definitely paid off!! 

My friend Alyssa and I had talked about going to the mall in Adan to go to a walmart like store to get a few things that were a heck of a lot cheaper there, then buying them on base (paper towels, tp and junk like that). Plus I wanted to have a chance to drive off base in our crappy rental car before we got our car, JUST in case I did freak out and accidentally hit something :). So I suggested that we should go to the mall today, after the Thursday market of course! So me, Alyssa and 2 of her friends came a long with me on my AWESOME DRIVING ADVENTURE! *insert epic echo voice* Anywho with both mine and Alyssa's awesome observation skills we managed to get to the mall without the help of our handy dandy Garmin navigation. So proud of myself! Oh and not to mention I got us there safely! 

I got a little worried about the drive back because 1. it was just around rush hour time (weird they still have rush hour around 5-6pm in Turkey lol) 2. I had to go through the FULL roundabout in order to get home. I thought I did an awesome job, but I think I scared Roxy a little when I got pretty close to another car. I was just trying to avoid getting stuck going around and around in the roundabout (HAHA!) Alright so I can't find a picture of what their "organized chaos" looks like so I'll make sure to get a picture of it the next time we go out!

Gıda(GOO-Dah)

So one thing people keep asking me... "How's the food out there!?" to be quiet honest it's okay.  It's just like any other type of food, it's starts to get repetitive and rather boring. Not to mention that the food here is pretty bland. (sorry just being honest) It's a lot of tavas, shish, chicken doners and kebabs. Needless to say I'm over Turkish food.

I will say this though, I absolutely LOVE going to the market(s) here. They have a few throughout the week but I have only been to the Thursday market. Most of the 'stands' are produce but there are a few that have clothes, dishes, soaps...  It's almost like a tiny version of the flea market except with a lot more produce :) 

Why I love the Thursday market:

• The food is cheap ( <20TL!!)
• The food tastes DELICIOUS!
• The food is fresh!
• They will usually let you try the produce before you buy it (AWESOME!)
• Forces me to learn Turkish (or at least learn to say a few things)
• Better yet forces me to TRY and speak Turkish!
• It can be a nice social gathering!

Now for some reason I have had this crazy obsession with blood oranges. I have never tried one until I moved here, since they were non existent in New Mexico. Well when one of the wives told me you could get blood oranges at the markets I nearly peed myself from excitement! (not really but I was super excited!) So my 1st trip to the market I found 1 man that was selling blood oranges, well I have never picked blood oranges before so I had no idea what I was looking for as far as picking them out. So I bought 4, which quickly turned into 5 since that made a 1/2 kilo.. Well when I got home I was super excited to taste my 1st real blood orange. I cut it in half and realized that this perfectly round orange...was simply that, an orange. Talk about disappointment! 

So I cut another one in half, well this had a few red freckles in it but it wasn't a blood orange. I went to the bag, pulled out ANOTHER one and almost cut it in half but quickly opted not to since I had committed to eating 2 oranges already. Don't get me wrong they were the best oranges I've ever had in my life! But I was a little sad that they weren't blood oranges. Just as I finished the last piece of my freckled orange, Rene came home! (YAY!) I told him the story about my oranges so he went to the fridge grabbed an orange, peeled it and guess what! YUP a beautiful blood orange, go flippin figure! So I did a little research on picking blood oranges out and have had fantastic luck with them ever since! {I just googled how to pick out blood oranges and what I gathered was that the rind is supposed to be a little darker and a bit firmer then a normal orange. I just try to stick to finding ones that the rind is darker then a normal orange.}  Blood oranges will definitely be the one thing I will be sad about when we leave here.

 

So if you follow me on Instagram you've already seen this picture of my beautiful delicious blood orange :) 

^^^ This up here is a delicious salad with fresh Strawberry's from the market and Romain lettuce from the market as well. (also some almonds, feta and a yummy raspberry vinaigrette that I bought at the commissary in case you were curious as to what else was on it)  

GIANT MUSHROOM!!!! They were delicious as well, I put them in my lasagna that we ate for dinner tonight :) 

Oh and one other thing that I think is pretty awesome that I can get at the market is fresh eggs! It reminds me of Ali when we would go to sunflower market and she always buy local stuff things and ALWAYS ALWAYS cage free eggs :) Some of the eggs here still have dirt on them lol, or at least I think it's dirt....*dun dun dun!!!*

One year ago

One year ago today my amazing big sister married the man that quite frankly is the only man that I think can handle her at her best times and he worst times. I have been fortunate enough to witness a love that I thought only existed in fairy tales. I couldn't think of any two people that were more perfect for each other then these two. I wish them both many many more happy years of marriage! 

I love you guys and miss you! Happy Anniversary Keri and Matt!

Oh how I wish we were all back in Vegas :)

Is this real life??

• HOLY shit Rene and I are married!!!
• OMG I live if freakin Turkey!!
• OMG I'M MARRIED!!

Alright alright alright so we all know this is not new news! It is still just crazy to me. Never in a million years did I ever think that I would be living in a different country! I always figured I would end up staying in New Mexico forever! Granted Turkey was never on my list of places to live BUT this is an opportunity of a life time! Even more so that I get to experience is with the man I love oh so very much! Which by the way who would have thought that 3 years ago when Rachel introduced me to Rene that he would be the man I would spend the rest of my life with :)  {well I guess she did lol}

 

**GET READY FOR AN AWE MOMENT** 

I'd have to say one of my favorite things about being married are those moments that I fall in love with my husband over and over again. <3

Month 1!!

I can't believe we've been here for a month already! As silly as it may sound I don't think that it really started settling in until we got our unaccompanied baggage on Wednesday. My pots and pans, and a few place settings came with it, along with the rest of my clothes YAY!!! Now that we have some of our stuff it's really starting to set in that this is home.. eeeppp!!

 

So my house is a disaster and as you can see the important stuff was unpacked first. Our little TV, Rene's Xbox and of course my heels lol. To be honest I wanted to make sure they weren't smashed in the boxes. Lucky us the guy who packed our closet was the sweetest man ever! He individually wrapped each pair of our shoes!! So my heels weren't any different from when I left them in NM! 

 I know I know it's spring, but I couldn't help but put on my ubber comfy uggs (I missed them so!!) and right after that I unpacked the pots and pans! Priorities people! Well now that all of our clothes is here I cannot wait to get the rest of the stuff, since I have no where to put all the clothes. Yippy Skippy! 

So last Wednesday I went on a day trip with a few of the wives from Rene's squadron to Gaziantep. I had a lot of fun. We went to a mosaic museum which was a lot of fun and very interesting! I have all of those pictures posted on my Facebook since I think I took a picture of literally EVERYTHING in that museum! After the museum we went shopping in the bazaars in Gaziantep which was SO MUCH FUN! You walked down tiny roadways that are designated for these shops. I unfortunately didn't get any pictures but it was such a cool experience to say the very least.

So I didn't do a ton of shopping there BUT I did get a kilo of pistachios and some baklava from a restaurant, where apparently they have the best baklava in Turkey... it was delicious! So I brought some home for Rene to try. (Go figure he didn't like it lol) I'm thinking I will have to send my dad some pistachios since I was unable to send him a birthday present.

I also got me a mini strainer, for my tea when I make my London fogs! And that is the Baklava that I got.  Yummy Yummy Yummy!