Halloween 2015

We had a pretty busy and fun Halloween weekend this year! It kind of sneaked (snuck?) up on us but we ended up having a blast. First, on October 25th, the infamous Dup turned four years old. She celebrated with a day at the beach with Ryan and a candle lit cookie that night. The candle freaked her out a bit so we made sure to sing really fast!

The Dup turns 4!

Then we got on to Halloween weekend! On Mischief Night Ryan, my best friend Donna, and I all went to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show on base. I had seen bits and pieces before but never the entire thing. So when the base theatre had a free screening, with props encouraged, we couldn't resist! Especially since it is the 40th Anniversary. We had an absolute blast.

I loved the audience partici-(SAY IT!)-pation. We brought along most of the props allowed, including rice, toast, confetti, noise makers, flash lights, party hats (obviously), and toilet paper. At the very beginning when the rice started flying it went EVERYWHERE. When we got home that night we had rice falling out of our shoes, jeans, hair... it was nuts.

I only took one picture during the chaos, during the flashlight use.

Halloween itself I woke up early not feeling very well, but after lounging around for a few hours watching the marathon of The Librarians on TNT I started to bounce back. We went last minute shopping for costumes and I saw a bad wig that I showed Ryan. I jokingly told him he should be Donald Trump for Halloween and he instantly went with it. I decided to just buy some face paint and wrist bands and wore my good ol' Eli Manning jersey and was a football player.

 

It is kind of scary actually how good of a Donald Trump my husband was. It freaked some people out! Especially when he threw out some catch phrases like, "Make America great again!" and talked about building a wall... scary indeed.

 

Our first stop of the evening was at my co-worker's house where we watched scary movies, ate delicious homemade pizza and played Cards Against Humanity. Jennie made some delicious food and I was bummed we couldn't stay longer than we did. Ryan made plans to meet up with a friend of his so we had to bounce out earlier than I was happy with. We met up with his buddy and girlfriend and went to stop number two, the house of another friend of his. We played cornhole and had some more delicious food before making our way to my friends' house for stop number three. My friends were from the plays we did and they always have something crazy going on and it was a lot of fun. Ryan and his friend Derek tied for funniest Halloween costume too!

A full sized Donald and Eli.

Derek and Ryan ended up having to Rock Paper Scissors battle for the win of funniest costume and they had to duke it out about ten times because they kept throwing the same things!

Finally Derek won and got the fun prizes of a blow up girlfriend and a small beaker from Breaking Bad. Donna met us there too so we all had a great Halloween for sure! 

Even though we bounced around a lot it was still a blast. The extra hour of sleep definitely helped me out when the clocks went back an hour. Sunday we just did some chores and watched movies. We listened to the Giants game since it wasn't on our local channels (GOD what a game. Horrible loss.) and had Buffalo Wild Wings to go. We then watched Toy Story 3 since we've never seen it and I was a crying mess. Really Disney? An incinerator!? Come on! I know I am late on this but geeze, my poor heart.

 



237th Marine Corps Ball

This year our ball was actually held on base. Most people I talked to went to Greenville or Myrtle Beach, but due to some of the regiment being in 29 Palms and then a rifle range, ours was a little later than everyone else's and close to home. There are perks, like a shorter drive to and from, but it would have been nice to walk up to a hotel room and crash instead of just going home... or to a friend's house for a sweatpants party like we did!

My friend Lacey, from The Mousetrap, came over and did my hair and make up for me. I was so grateful as I am very cosmetically challenged! I think she did a wonderful job and it was nice to hang out with her while we got ready. She even drove us to the ball in Ryan's truck and dropped us off before returning to our house to get her car! It definitely saved us a lot of trouble getting cabs or returning for a car the next day.

The hair and make up

Once we got to the ball it was cocktail hour so we mingled and enjoyed seeing everyone dressed up (and naturally the few underdressed. Most I feel bad for but some in particular I knew were wives who had been before and still looked like they were going to the club)! Every year I take pictures of the cake and this one was huge!

 And a wife in the unit also made a cake that was displayed as well. Very cool!!! I was too full to try both cakes but this one did look awesome.

 After the cocktail hour we made our way into the ballroom on the right side for the ceremony. One ballroom was for the ceremony, the other for dinner. While we ate the ceremony room was cleaned out and set for dancing. Both bars were set up in between... interesting layout but it works!

Waiting for the ceremony to start. Luckily we had decent seats and I could actually see what was going on this year!

Ceremony

This year Ryan's Master Sgt was the oldest Marine in attendance, so I made sure to get a picture of him getting the piece of cake! The youngest Marine was born in 1993 (the same as last year's youngest) but it still makes me feel old.

 After the ceremony we made our way to the other ballroom for dinner. Unlike last year we knew everyone at our table, including some very good friends of ours, and it made a big difference! We were all talking and laughing and had a great time. We had a salad, then the entree of steak and chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes and then of course the cake. All the ladies received roses when we entered the ballroom and we all had unit coins and glass mugs at our place when we sat down. Bonus points for them not being stolen this year!

Ryan and I at dinner

My good friend Chelsea and I

Outside by the river... it was chilly!

The four of us

We also managed to get a few pictures of the entire shop where my husband works. A few serious ones, and then the guys got bored and started goofing off! We were just waiting for the next part of the ceremony to start after dinner so we had plenty of time for pictures.

One of my favorites



I realized I never saw the back of my hairstyle so Chelsea took this for me! I love how it came out!

After the pictures and a small break we went back into the ballroom for the guest speaker. Sgt Major Featherstone is now retired and working at the Pentagon. He was an extremely motivated speaker and definitely exemplified "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" quote... both in person and in his speech. I enjoyed listening to him and the room was ringing with OOHRAHs!

After the guest speaker we went and danced around a bit and talked to our friends. I got to meet some terrific people (and bloggers!) and really enjoyed myself. We only danced a few songs, one slow one and a few line dances and a ridiculous attempt at a tango that literally had me out of breath and made us the only people on the dance floor! But we are getting old now so we didn't cut a rug too much. My friend Jess took this picture of us on the way out and it is definitely one of my favorites from the entire evening.

After the ball Ben and Chelsea drove us home and we changed into sweats, jumped back in the car and went to their house to hang out and relax a bit. I was a little older than a lot of the other girls there but Chelsea and I are about the same age and get along great so I had a wonderful time. By the time we collapsed into bed at 4am I was out like a light!

Happy Birthday Marines! Thank you for giving my husband and I an amazing and meaningful night together.

Leave - 2 Weeks

Before being married to someone in the military I never imagined I would like the word Leave. It usually means someone is going away, saying good bye... but in the military it is an awesome thing. It means my husband is home and not just home, but home for more than 48 hours! I had two whole weeks of having Ryan home. Man did I get spoiled!

Not only did I have my husband home, but he did so much around the house so when I came home from work we could just spend time together. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, dry cleaning, grocery shopping... see? Spoiled! We went out to dinner to some of our favorite restaurants, we played Monopoly at McDonalds (anyone got a Boardwalk? :P), watched Netflix and movies, watched the Gamecocks, went shooting, hiking... we had a busy two weeks! A lot of weekdays were low key as I did have work the next day but coming home to snuggle on the couch with Ryan and a glass of wine made my days worthwhile.

Of course Ryan flew into BWI, 45 minutes away, and his flight was due to land at 12:45 am. Yea. And it was delayed. So I didn't get him until almost 2am! It was so wonderful to see him again, I amy have jumped on him in the airport. It is becoming a trend.

We kept it low key Saturday but Sunday we went to the Renaissance Festival!



I wait all year for Cheesecake on a Stick. AMAZING



I am convinced the food makes it. Macaroni and Cheese on a Stick, Scotch Eggs... oh no I am getting hungry!



The Hubby enjoys Mac N Cheese on a Stick too!



Then we went to juggling school. Ryan was pretty good.



I on the otherhand look terrified of the tennis balls.



But my concentration was totally there!!!



Then Mr. Show Off did it one handed :P



Jousting!



Kyndra, Tim and Boyfriend Bentlee joined us too. Check out those eyes! He is such an adorable baby!



Husband and Boyfriend bonded a bit. The last time Ryan saw Bentlee he was only a few weeks old!



We're dorks and had a blast. We have gone the last two years now, and I hope wherever we PCS next has one close by! I need my Renn Fest fix, if nothing else then for the food!!!



I think Tim and Kyndra had fun too (:

Sadly I did have to work during the week when Ryan was home. We need to save my time off for the ball and holidays, so Ryan enjoyed sleeping til noon and running errands and watching Mad Men until I got off of work! We'd go out to eat or shopping (many shoes were involved in the process!) and then try and go out for definite on the weekends.

Like to Great Falls. It is a special place for us and we go every fall. It was here Ryan first told me that he loved me, so it is definitel uber special.



Plus with the leaves changing it was gorgeous. We grabbed some Subway sandwiches and made our way out to the park and enjoyed lunch on a giant rock in the ravine.



A lot of these are sort of dark, the sun was setting and on my camera display these looked a lot lighter than when I uploaded them :( One day I will know how to take pretty pictures darnit.



Ryan had to give me a heart attack and climb sheer rock cliff faces. No rope, no gear... just him. High in the air above the churning river. He went camping out in Joshua Tree Park while he was in school and climbed one big boulder so now he is an expert.

Oy.



Some perspective... the kayaker in the water, then Ryan, then me zoomed in way up top taking the darn picture.



But he made it. Thankfully!



I made him have to sit for a picture with me after scaring the bejeezus out of me on the cliffs! Self timers are a wonderful thing sometimes!


Insert another work week here. Then Halloween! (Well, a party Friday before) I used Color Oops to take the red out of my hair (sigh, I miss it) for Halloween and the Ball. My red hair just did not work with the dress I have so I knew I'd be stripping it anyway. The Color Oops got most of the red out, but it is definitely strawberry blonde ish more than straight blonde. I think it will get there though. I mean, I used washable dye in the first place!

What were our Halloween Costumes?



Alice and the Mad Hatter!!!



Alice is my favorite costume, this is the third year I have been it! Once I was about 5, then in college, and now. And probably next year. We actually spent money for costumes this year, they will be worn again!

Sunday we went to the shooting range. Because that is how we roll!



I did better this time! Even some bullseyes!



Of course Mr. Marine blew me out of the water. As it should be! There would be a problem if I could shoot better than a former infantryman!



I did ok though.



We also got a fun card game target and tried to get high scores... I just tried to hit the darn things!



After shooting we went to church and then to our favorite Italian place, Trattoria Franco. It was the same place we ate the last time he left... but we do love it. That cannoli was awesome. We also had calamari, veal, and wine. We even got to meet Franco briefly.

As we got home we realized it was Mischief Night and decided we wanted to cause some Mischief.

"What should we do?"

".... Tape Adam into his apartment?"

Genius. I surprise myself sometimes!

We had some painters tape/masking tape stuff that has sat in our closet for over a year, so we used that. Ryan cleaned the gun and I made long strips of tape to hang from our doorway and bookcase. Once we used up the roll we carried them upstairs. Sure some got tangled and we were whisper fighting up the stairs trying to be stealthy, but we did it! Adam said later he thought he heard something, but we didn't alert him or his neighbors dog!



Adjusting the first layer.



We ran out of tape so we thought we could use something more...



Paper towels and duct tape it is!!! Job well done!



Adam was a little surprised when he got Ryan's text asking him to come outside and smoke! We just heard "What the ****?" And saw him slowly punch his way out!


Saying goodbye was hard as usual, but at least we don't have to go too long. I go out to 20 Palms on the 17th for the ball. Cannot wait!

OH! We got IPHONES! No more flip phone for this girl! I am so addicted... and Tango is the best app ever, it is like facetime/video chat but it can use 3G or wifi, best ever!

Sorry for the picture heavy post, I had some ground to make up!