The Season of Learning

My favorite time of year is fast approaching and I couldn't be more excited! As a future Kindergarten teacher, the back to school season is pretty much cause for a party in the Liberato household. Husband is helping me celebrate this year with the best back to school gift ever:

A brand new Mac laptop! 

If I wasn't excited to start classes before, you can bet I'm beyond excited now! I have my classes picked out, my pencils sharpened and my thinking cap on. I'm going to kick this semester's ass!

Happy New School Year!

The Man of the House

With Husband gone, I have taken over the role of Mr. Fix It.

First, I changed the shower head in the bathroom, which was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be.

Then, Mom and I built a grill. Not nearly as easy as the shower head, but we still got it done!

More recently, I tackled a much larger project: the car. You see, the AC in the car was broken. The first quote I got to fix it was $150. The second quote, which I got from the place on post, was only $39. Little did I know, the mechanic there thought he could pull one over on me because I'm a girl and would not actually be fixing the AC for that price. Even though I asked for confirmation of the work I was getting done, he only checked the AC for that $39. To actually fix it would be another $200. Naturally, I was not happy when I discovered he had flat out lied to me and I let him know it. I also let him know that I would be taking my business elsewhere. And that place was Checker.

After a phone call to my dad, I decided that I would just fix the AC myself. So one trip to Checker and $35 later, I found myself staring at the engine with absolutely no idea what I was looking for.

[my view]

So I googled it. After I knew what I was looking for, I spent the better part of the afternoon staring at the engine, trying to figure out where the mystery part was. And then I found it. Twenty minutes later, I was in the car, cold air blasting, on my way to Taco Bell for a celebratory taco.

I'm sure Husband never thought he would be coming home to a plumber, builder and mechanic!

I sure hope he knows how lucky he is to be married to a badass like me.

Grown-up Girl

Sometimes being a grown-up isn't fun at all. Like when I have to move 3,000 miles away from my home with only the essentials. As if that wasn't stressful enough, when I got here, I realized that the condo I rented was dirty and disappointing. Then I went to pick up the car and it wouldn't start. So I had to buy a new battery. While I was waiting for AAA to install it, I noticed that the tags were expired. I ended up having to pay for new tires and an alignment before I could get them renewed. Top all of that off with moving our stuff out of storage in the constant rain and the last week has been pretty hard.

Thankfully, I had Mom with me. She's the only reason I didn't have a full blown mental breakdown. She was absolutely amazing and helped me make the apartment feel like a home. She helped me pick out my pretty, new couch and even bought me a dining room table, rug, coffee table and vacuum. My apartment that started out as a disappointing mess ended up feeling a little bit like a home.

[Sorry for the crappy pictures]

Sadly, Mom had to go back home and now I'm forced to become a real grown-up girl and live on my own for a while. Some moments it doesn't seem so bad. Others, it feels absolutely impossible. Hopefully I survive.

Megan Who?

I've been thinking lately that it's about time I share a little more about me. Then I saw Beckie participated in a link up called 100 Facts About Me and I decided to play too. But I can tell you right now, thinking of a whole 100 facts about myself is not going to happen. But some is better than none, right? Ok, here we go!

#1: I am terrible at sharing feelings. In fact, I hate it.

#2: I'm a lefty. But I do most everything right handed because that's the way my brother taught me.

#3: I don't eat anything from the ocean. Or anything with the bones still in.

#4: Water is my favorite beverage. I never go anywhere without a bottle of it. I blame Arizona.

#5: I love shoes. Heels are my favorite but husband won't let me wear them around him because they make me taller. It's very sad.

#6: I am ridiculously naive and extremely gullible. Not a good combination in my experience.

#7: One of my goals was to grow my hair long enough to cover my ta-tas. Now that it is, I refuse to cut it.

#8: Brand New is my favorite band of all time. But country music is my true love.

#9: Husband and I want 3 kids. But we will not be naming one of them Ariel. Even though Husband really, really wants to. Gag. [Sorry if your kid's name is Ariel.]

#10: I've been told that I'm very bossy. But I can't help it that people just listen to me, can I? Husband is the only one it doesn't work with. Even my giant brother listens to me.

#11: I hate being alone. I get lonely instantly and I have no idea how to entertain myself. I'm kind of freaking out about staying alone in Hawaii until Husband gets back. I may not survive.

#12: I have my own waxing pot and we have a love/hate relationship. My eye brows look fantastic but I always seem to forget how painful bikini waxes are until the wax is already stuck on.

#13: My alarm clock is never set for a logical time. In high school, I woke up every morning at 6:27am.

#14: I'm a Chevy girl at heart but I drive a Dodge. And all of my vehicles have been trucks. Unless you count Husband's girly car but I did try to veto that one.

#15: Mom is my very best friend. Even when I'm away, I talk to her every day and I can tell her anything.

#16: Caffiene and I don't get along. And my insomnia has gotten so bad that even my sleeping pills aren't really helping.

#17: I am a giant wierdie and I don't try to hide it at all. I make up words and make wishes on my "birthday minute" and tons of apparently crazy things.

#18: For a class assignment I had to choose my most valuable possessions. I chose family and Husband's love and didn't get full points because my choices were not tangible things. I'm still bitter about it.

#19: I had Invisilign braces for about 9 months because I felt like my teeth were crooked. I still wear a retainer at night because I'm terrified my teeth will move. Husband makes fun of me and asks if I "have my teeth in" like I'm an old lady with dentures.

[Pre-Invisilign and also my 21st birthday]



[After Invisilign and baby nephew, Max]

#20: I have incredible self esteem and think I'm pretty amazing. Nothing can really convince me otherwise, even mean people and drama starters.

Twenty is good, don't you think? How about this: If there is anything else you really want to know about me, just ask. Email or comment and I promise I'll answer because I'm really not shy and besides sharing feelings, I don't hold back either. 

Oh, You Know

This morning I woke up with nothing to do, so in a fit of boredom, I accidently joined Twitter.

Now you might be thinking, "How do you accidently join Twitter?" And I really don't have an answer. One minute I was thinking about cinnamon raisin bagels and the next I was tweeting. It was a common sense blackout. But now that it's over and done with, there's no going back. So, do you want to be Twitter friends?

I can't garauntee that I'll be all that interesting but if you're brave, you can follow me at MrsLibbysLife.

In other, slightly more exciting news, I'm get to move myself back to Hawaii in 50 short days. [You know your husband is in the Army when 50 days is a short period of time.] In all seriousness though, I can't wait to move back to this:

[My pretty street]

Is it a little over ambitious if I've already started packing? Maybe. But it's never too early to start tanning. I better go do that before I do something else crazy, like try to use twitter from my new smartphone.

Welcome to the 21st Century

When it comes to technology, I have the skills of an 80 year old woman. I am, without a doubt, technologically challenged. I've had my Nook for about 3 weeks and I'm just barely learning how to use it. I take all of my pictures with my cell phone camera because I can't figure out how to get the other one to charge and checking my Facebook is pretty much the extent of my social networking skills because Twitter is absolutely impossible. [How the heck do you work all of those # and @ signs, anyway?!]

So, with my skills completely lacking, there was no way that I would be able to work a smartphone. Until my old, easy to work phone broke. Three times in the last week and a half. In my last trip into the Verizon store, the salesman lured me in with a promise of a better camera and talk of SkypeMobile. [Husband is deployed after all.]

So as of today, I am the proud owner of this beauty:

[picture from Verizon.com]

It sure is pretty, but I have absolutely no idea how to even make a phone call, much less Skype.

I need a technology tutor.

Am I the only one with this problem?

Santa and I

A little known fact about Santa: He is not very good at assembling the presents. Good thing I was there to lend him a hand! After a few hours of professional direction following and expertise with a ratchet set, everything was ready for Christmas!

All thanks to me.

Sorry Santa.

Do It Yourself

I love HGTV. You know, the channel where all of those regular, every day people take on big, home improvement projects? It amazes me how those people can effortlessly complete projects obviously meant for professionals. So of course, after watching countless hours of do-it-yourself-ers take on projects meant for the pros, I thought to myself, if they can take on a whole house as a do-it-yourself project, then surely I can take on a much smaller, less serious one! 

Not my best idea.

Do-it-yourself eye brow waxing is a lot harder than it looks.
Just so you know.

Running, Running, Running

As you may have heard, I made myself a list of things to accomplish while Chris is gone. I've already crossed some of the things off that list, like quilting and pie making. Running is also on that list. Unfortunately, I have this problem where I hate running. I'm not exactly sure why but it probably has something to do with the fact that I'm not very good at it and it makes me sweaty. And I really don't like being sweaty. But, since my Donut of Misery looks like this now:

[Exciting, right?!]

I decided that it was time to start on my running goal. I've been putting it off for weeks and weeks, but now that we're 30% through deployment, and more than 50% of the way to R&R, it seems like a now-or-never kind of thing. So, yesterday I gathered up all the enthusiasm I could muster and went on my first running adventure. Surprisingly, it wasn't so bad. Well, besides the being sweaty part. But I got to wear my pretty pink running shoes so that kind of balanced it out. Good shoes really can  make any situation better, don't you think?

Anyway, I'm two days in and I'm feeling pretty good. Apparently, I'm a much better runner than I originally thought. This is nothing compared to the horror of my hiking adventure. At the rate I'm going, I'll be running with Chris before I know it!

You can call me Martha...

Before Chris left he told me to take my year apart from him to do something I've always wanted to do. Well, we all know that I successfully made a quilt. [If you missed that you can see it here.] So now, I have moved on to goal number two: learn how to make a completely homemade pie.

I've never had pecan pie. Honestly, I think it looks rather gross. However, since every man I've ever met loves this not-so-appetizing flavor, I decided to learn how to make it!

I must say, for my first try it turned out really pretty. The crust came out perfectly golden, much to my surprise! It really was a lot easier

than I thought. Since I'm not exactly sure how it's supposed to taste I can't really say how well it turned out in that department though. That's one of the many down sides to having Chris gone; no one is around to taste the man food! Oh well, at least it looked pretty! Look out Martha Stewart! There's a new girl in town! Except next time, I think I'll stick to good 'ol apple.

Camo Quilt Project

After Chris deployed, I dove into projects. One of the first things I wanted to do was learn to quilt. Imagine my joy when I found Camo Quilt Project! They are wonderful! Within a week, I had my [free!] quilting supplies and instructions on how to make a camo quilt!

Naturally, I was so excited when the box came in the mail! Of course I had to start right away! I layed everything out on the dining room table and was on my way!

Little did I know, the sewing machine was not ready to cooperate. After a ton of trial and error, a trip to the sewing store, and a few curse words, things were up and running again!

I must say, the whole project was a lot more challenging than I though it would be. My biggest struggles were definitely trying to keep the material from looking bunched and making sure everything stayed lined up. I had to start over a few times.

But, [FINALLY] my camo quilt is finished! It was definitely worth all the struggle. I can't wait for Chris to get it. I hope he loves it as much as I do!