Nov 10 - my first pedicure

I had never had a manicure or pedicure before.  Ever.  I always did my own nails, even for my wedding I did my own french tip nails, with some help from my mom for my right hand, lol.  Anyway, when my friend Lacey found out, she insisted on treating me and rectifying the issue.  She had gotten a gift certificate for a nail salon for a pedi and mani, and decided to split it with me because she said it's more fun to go with someone.  So, I met with her, and another of her friends from school tagged along, and I officially got my first pedicure.  And I must say, it was definitely indulgent.  The gift certificate was for the ultra-deluxe pedicures, and I had no idea how much they did beyond just painting my toenails.  By the end of the 45-minute session, my feet and legs (up to my knees) had been soaked, washed, lathered, scrubbed, exfoliated, lotioned, oiled, massaged, and even were given a massage with hot stones and wrapped in heated towels, all while I sat in a huge massage chair with my feet in a miniature whirlpool hot tub.  Of course they also cleaned, trimmed, shaped, painted, decorated and shellacked my toenails, complete with (much to Danny's dismay) rhinestone details.  The fumes in the place were pretty strong, and the people at the store didn't speak much english (the lady with me kept smiling at me and asking, "you like?"), and to do it regularly would get expensive really fast, but otherwise it was kind of fun, they looked great for weeks, and it's kinda nice to get pampered once in a while, I guess... makes me which I had done it for the wedding, haha.  I could've used the time to just sit and relax.  Oh well.  Now I can say I've done it at least once.  Thanks Lacey!

... my camera's sad attempt at taking pictures ... well, they were a dark burgandy sort of red but with a hint of gold that showed up in the light.  The design on the big toes were white flowers with gold rhinestone centers.  ... it was a little weird having something glued onto my toenail, but it was pretty funny watching Danny's reaction when I showed him.  He's not really big on dark colors or lots of ornamention.  He just looked at me and asked, "... are those rhinestones?" I laughed and nodded yes, and it took every part of him to just smile and say, "...okay."

  ...on the bright side, now when I paint my toenails blue or purple, he's a lot better with it because it's so much more subdued than the bedazzled flowers, haha.

flowers

One of the ways Danny likes to spoil me is by surprising me with flowers.  They really are a cheery way to brighten up a room and my day.  Danny made sure I had fresh flowers before he left for LTC, but of course no cut flowers can last for four whole weeks.  But that's okay, I appreciated them all the same.  Anyway, about a week before he got home, I was having a pretty rough day and just really really missing him when I noticed a voicemail on my phone (I have to keep my phone off at work).  It was from some flower company I'd never heard of, asking me to call back regarding my order. (?)  So I call them back and they inform me that my order was ready but they didn't receive an apartment number.  Confused but intrigued, I gave them my apartment number and told them they could just leave it by the door since I wasn't home yet but would be soon.  On the drive home I couldn't think what was going on.  I didn't think Danny could've sent me flowers, he's been in Ft. Knox with limited phone and no internet access for weeks... but who else would've sent me anything?  Lo and behold, right on my doorstep I was greeted with these:

The card reads:
Almost there!!!
Wanted you to know I love you
and am thinking about you :)
Can't wait to see you!
Love,
Danny

:D :D :D  Aren't they gorgeous?!?!  I absolutely loved it, they totally made my crummy day great even if they made me miss him even more, and I got so overwhelmed, I even started crying, lol.  I found out later he had been planning this before he even left and enlisted the help of his brother, David and his wife, Geneveive (he is in the Marines, so they can relate to Danny and I being apart due to military pretty well).  Danny knew he wanted to send me yellow roses (my absolute favorite flower), but needed some help getting it sent, and needed "a girl's perspective", as he puts it, on what would be prettiest to get me, haha.  So thanks David and Viva too!

I'm so lucky to have Danny in my life, even if we are sometimes apart.  Thank you and I love you Danny! :)

why I don't multi-task...

A little explanation... one, I didn't realize the oven was still on (the burners were all off).  two, I didn't realize at the time that the oven vents through the back right burner leaving the burner hot enough even while off to simmer soup.  and three, I really just should never try and multi-task, especially when food is involved... otherwise, this happens:

... that was one of my plastic cutting boards ... with a new hole melted right through it.

... how I found it once I smelled something burning... thankfully it didn't catch fire or smoke or ruin anything else, too much at least.

... all the plastic melted onto the burner... luckily, once it cooled it popped right off fairly easily... it was a bit harded to get the melted plastic out from the vent pipe that goes into the oven.  We eventually got it all off ... I think.  and now I'm *very* careful about putting things on the stove.  (Case in point, while waiting for the oven to heat up, I had a tray of muffins on the stove, and the muffins above this burning starting cooking before I even put them in the oven! whoops.)