Old News

I have a few pics and stories I wanted to share, but time and all that kept me from doing so. Just a quick hodge podge post.

Our Christmas was one of the best ever. We usually spend Christmas at home and then on the 26th pack up the car and head out of town. This year was the first year in many we did not do that. While there were certainly things we missed about traveling, I forgot how relaxing not going anywhere can be.

My oldest son and his family came over Christmas Eve and spent the night. It was nice that we had the time to observe all of our traditions.

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Homemade pizza(gluten-free) on Christmas Eve and then watched a Christmas Story.

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Cookies for Santa.

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Christmas morning was, of course, present time!

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Here is TSM putting together my Kerosene heater. Anyone who knows me knows I am freezing all the time. One of my biggest concerns in case of some kind of natural(or otherwise) disaster has been that we would all die from frost bite. Not any longer. Worked beautifully!

On Christmas day while I was cooking my son took the little kids into the backyard to shoot the airsoft pistol. I wasn’t really paying much attention to them because I had a lot to do, but the other day I had a chance to look at the pics and I was one proud mama.

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My daughter, A, listening to instruction with her finger off the trigger. Not sure if you remember, but just a few days prior to that on the range in Culpeper, she had a bit of issue remembering. Oh and E wearing my infamous white glasses. I think she can pull the look off.

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It is possible my son is taking airsoft a little to seriously:) At least he is a dapper dresser.

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Look at those girls turning over possession of the gun in a positive and safe manner!

Good times!

A few days later Old NFO sent me an email letting me know he would be passing through. Lucky me!!!  He agreed to stop by for dinner and we had a wonderful time. He got to meet the kids, see Jayne, eat yummy food and enjoy a cold beer in a frosty mug.

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“A” helping me make the bacon wrapped shrimp that we dipped into a homemade spicy tomatillo salsa.

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The meat browning for Braciole. Honestly that was one tender and flavor meal.

Loved having him over. Now, I have a witness that can attest that even though I have a lot of kids, my house really is calm and the kids are well behaved.

Lets see, what else…I have been doing some canning. So far just a few batches of chicken and several batches of beans with ham.

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I bought a pressure cooker and just dove right in. Pretty easy. My only issue seems to be that I am not putting enough liquid in. I fill it to the appropriate level and then stick a skewer in the jar, move it and poke it around to remove any air bubbles and refill if needed, but still, not quite right. I am having fun learning though.

And last but not least, for those that do not follow my Facebook page, I got a new holster. A little bit ago Devin from White Dog Holsters surprised me with this beauty.2013-01-09_09-16-25_31

I had no idea that it was coming. He made it right handed for my Shield for those days I might want to carry a BUG. He also added the EMS symbol which was just so sweet. Of course, now I do feel a little extra pressure to pass the test, but you know easy peasy right:)

The holster is kydex and leather. The blue is absolutely stunning. Devin molds the leather so it fits perfectly around my hip bone. So very, very comfortable! I have been wearing it off and on for about a month. I have done a lot of fry fire practice drawing my gun from the holster. Flawless. It also passes the retention test. If I place my empty gun in the holster and hold it upside down, the gun stays put!.

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This is me wearing it along with my brand spanking new ‘ol lady glasses. Love the holster…the glasses, not so much, but I can see things, so there’s that.

Ok, I think for the most part we are all caught up. I will be back next week with a training report. I have challenged Arete to a duel in the park.

37 thoughts on “Old News

  1. A nice little hodge podge of holidays, tradition, family, guns, and prepping. You’re doing great! Are you posting a list of goals for 2013?

    • Ya know, my goals are actually to be less focused if you can believe that.

      I am very goal oriented and a bit type A(on things that matter to me, not on everything). I am excellent at setting goals and meeting them. I am not one of those people that buys a treadmill and then it becomes nothing more than a clothes rack. I volunteered to work an Ironman event, fell in love, bought a treadmill the next day, burned the motor out of 2 of them and have been a running ever since. The problem isn’t goal setting the problem is I get tooo focused. For a while there I thought I might be able to beat the Kenyans…lol Not really, but you get the point.

      I think Arete’s biggest frustration with me is my extremely high threshold to do. I am an energizer bunny, both mentally and physically.

      It’s great unless you have a 5 kids and a husband with a very demanding job. Sometimes goals just can’t be achieved and then I get grumpy.

      I now have an general outline of things I would like to work towards without a time limit.

      For example…increase food supply by xx amount and maintain body weight. Instead of can once a week or run 3 times a week.

  2. Your kerosene heater will heat a surprisingly large area but can become expensive to operate for extended periods. I keep mine on hand for emergency use but mostly utilize a wood stove or propane furnace. When time allows go by a local Tractor Supply Store (TSC) and take a look at the wood pellet stoves which are very economical to operate. I haven’t forgotten I promised to make you a couple of holster’s but grad school is taking up all of my spare time for now. BTW great pictures!

    • Yes, that is true. We are looking into other means of heat for any kind of longer term need. Thanks for the tip and no worries on the holsters. I completely get busy:)

      • But, if I understand their operation correctly, don’t wood stoves need electricity to keep the auger running? Good for when times are normal, but useless if the power goes out.

  3. The food was great, the family great, the house clean… Wesson on the other hand… 🙂 Thanks again for putting up with me!

  4. Great pics, but curious on one! Your heater, being put together by TSM, your husband, a marine, an engineer,,,, reading the directions???

    Just kidding! It’s a great heater and puts out a lot of heat.

  5. I love your pictures of the holidays with the kids and family traditions.
    I agree, it’s so much more relaxing if you don’t have to travel over the holidays. We’ve been traveling the last 3 years over the holidays back to Texas for family emergencies. Here’s hoping 2013’s Christmas is much better for everyone!

    Your meals sound and look amazing. Will you provide the recipe for the shrimp wrapped in bacon?

    Now that’s a nice looking holster, I love the fact that it’s molded just for your body. Now I would love to have that body!!! Yep….yep, I just look at food and my body decides to put 2 pounds on, lol.

    You look fabulous by the way 🙂

  6. “For a while there I thought I might be able to beat the Kenyans…lol Not really, but you get the point.”
    I still can’t stop laughing, funny but so true.

  7. I saw the kerosene heater in small photo mode, the wire around the unit and thought “Dr. Kevorkian bird cage?”

    I need caffeine or sleep it seems.

    The glasses are cool. You look like a model, not a Mom of several kids, including grown ones. I think I’ll go eat a rice cake and go to bed 🙂

    • lol, yeah, it is a little freaking looking, but it works well and really pretty cheap to purchase.

      Always kind to me…thank you!

  8. WOW. I love your blog (which i happened upon)…. and your “story” was fascinating, insightful, courageous and encouraging (while unfortunate in some respects). First, I am very proud of you, and I hope you’re proud of yourself (but think you are, which is good). I am also pleased you’re healing beyond the event. But, mostly, I am glad (and grateful) you came out here to tell your story. That’s Big.. Very big. I speak for many in “thanking you” for letting us “share the experience” through your eyes, and your feelings. That does a lot, for many. And it helps … It helps “shatter” many false stereotypes … It helps those that don’t know ANYTHING about guns (nor want to) and those that have not experienced “the worst case” (of why you might consider owning a gun)…. This is the kind of case many ppl need to conceptualize and hear, as to how one (reasonably) gets “from there” to “here”. My wish is for millions more to hear your story. For me, YOU are EXACTLY who (or what) I think of, when I think of EVERYTHING that is WRONG with Gun Control. You are who I aim to protect, when I vehemently defend 2A rights. ‘Screw the Militia!!! … I’m talking about the Girl and her Gun!’ And, To all those politicians, who want to scare me (“us”) with their “what if’s”? and the “worst case” scenarios? Yeah, right, about them…. Let’s run those down: Do I care that YOU (and millions like you) own a gun (e.g, the majority)? Hell No, i feel better (for both of us) knowing you do, safer for sure. Do i care if YOU wanted to buy 10 guns? In a month? Nope (….. Matter of fact, make it 50+, and I could care less … hell, fill up your basement if you’d like). How about this one: Do i want everyone, including YOU, to go thru an arduous process, and wait 30 days before you can buy a gun? Absolutely, and unequivocally NO-WAY! I want You (and millions like you) to be able to obtain “whatever you want”, or “think you need” on the spot, in the middle of the night … and without question (…AR, AK, semi-auto, high capacity magazines? Um, Yep…YOU BET!! Hell, give her a a 50-Cal, if she asks for it),

    But ya see, “YOU” unfortunately are not in the (mass media) “narrative” … Nor is your “story”. Nope. Ya see, “they” don’t want to discuss YOUR STORY…. in this “reasonable conversation”… they claim to want to have (about “controls”). No, they only want to talk about the .01%, and remind you (us) of the Columbines, the “Newtown’s”, the Fort Hood’s….. and from what I’m seeing …. it works, in manipulating the masses . Your story is NOT one they even want told (nor mentioned), b/c its casts doubts .. Its breeds “logic”, responsibility and it completely grounds out terms like “gun nuts”. It reminds people (or draws them back) to thoughts of “…better to let 100 men go free, then….” mentality. And THAT kills the “narrative”. But, Your story needs to be told, its needs to be shared, far and wide …. to those who are found of parroting the parity of “why would anyone need a Gun” ….

    So, Good for you! And PLEASE Keep up the good work! (oh, and great pic btw — You look wonderful, happy …. proud… (and ready). Again, I’m proud for you, and of you! (but I think the Gun makes you look Skinny. LOL)

    • Wow, backatcha… unbelievably nice.

      And your right, the gun grabbers and politicians do not want my story being told because it does not fit there agenda to scare people into submission.

  9. First, and I say this with the utmost respect, no red blooded, American, heterosexual male is going to notice your glasses in the photo above. I seriously doubt we would even notice you had glasses if we saw you in person. You have a nice figure with a gun strapped to it. That pretty much locks down the attention of most men (there are exceptions to the rule).

    Second, homemade gluten free pizza is the bomb.

  10. I have to agree with Daddy Hawk. I need to start being careful reading your blog if you keep posting pictures of yourself like that, lest my wife question what I’m looking at on the internet! Keep it clean, AGirl! 😉

    • lol, Well I know Daddy Hawk to be an upstanding family man who adores his wife, so I knew the spirit in which he meant his comment. I assume you are commenting in the same manner.

      I can assure that jeans, a long sleeve shirt and glasses is about as racy as I get, unless you are The Sexy Marine(TSM) I man I am married too…:)

      I appreciate your stopping by and the kind comment.

      • Yes, I am commenting in the same manner. I have a large family (6 kids), and a wife I am crazy about (the 6 kids should, hopefully, be proof of that). I used to read your blog consistently when it was on your previous blog provider, and I’ve just recently gotten back into it on the new provider. After reading some posts from the previous few months, all I can say is keep up the good work! As I think I said on your old blog provider, as a man who is relatively new to the gunnie world, I prefer the insight of women new to the field over men who think they know it all. I look forward to your future posts! Also, I looked for a link to your facebook profile, but I didn’t see it. Is it somewhere I’m missing, or are you pretty private about it? If you keep it private, I totally understand. Just thought I would ask.

      • A Girl, I’ve been known to stand up on occasion, but I’ve never thought of myself as upstanding. I do adore my wife and soon to be daughter. God knows I’ve run out of imaginary places to bury the guys that have made real life passes at my wife, and I almost feel sorry for the first bow to break M&M’s heart.

        As to the raciness of your outfit, do not underestimate the allure of a well dressed woman. I have seen many a modest outfit that is far more attractive than a see through teddy.

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