In Case You Missed The Exciting News...

We've been keeping a little secret...

Baby Cote on board! Our greatest adventure begins late-August!

(Also, hi friends! Now that the cat's out of the bag...and the morning sickness has finally left me the heck alone...I'll be back to blogging a little more regularly. Not all baby stuff, promise! Missed you all!)

Emerald Isle Family Beach Vacation 2014

One of the things D and I most looked forward to in moving back to the states was this very beach trip. You see, big family beach trips are our thing. My family's thing. Before moving to Germany, we were going on these family vacations almost every year (as long as no one was getting married or extremely ill). It's always been the same cast of characters...my parents, little sister, my aunt, uncle and cousins from Kansas (the Kansas cousins, as I've dubbed them on this blog in posts past), D (since we started dating), my cousin's hubby (since they started dating), and when they were still living, my MeeMaw & Papaw. In our younger years, we'd settle for a trip to good ol' Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As we got older and my parents realized us "kids" didn't need to be enterained 24/7, we started renting beach houses along the coast of North Carolina. More secluded, more relaxing...how real beach vacations with family are supposed to be. Besides, have you been the NC coast? It's a total dream. Who wouldn't want to spend a week (or forever) there? My home state is the bee's knees.

Prior to this summer, our last big family vacation was this beast of a European adventure. It was crazy, it was insanely fun, and absolutely a once in a lifetime vacation for my entire family. We all feel incredibly lucky to have been able experience Europe that way. Prior to that, our last family beach trip was in 2009...two years before Germany was even a thought. When my mom called this past January to tell me the family wanted to do a reunion beach vacation to Emerald Isle, just like old times, I cried after hanging up the phone. D and I both missed vacations like this. We missed spending time with our family. We'd traveled pretty much non-stop throughout some of Europe's most beautiful countries, but we always longed for a true family vacation...back in the comfort of North Carolina sand and sea.

Our week with family at the "Dreamsicle" on Emerald Isle was nothing short of magical. The weather was incredible (far cry from the sweltering heat & humidity of Florida at that time), the relaxation was abundant, and the time spent reconnecting and goofing off with our sweet family was worth its weight in gold. Tuck even got to join in on the fun. His first beach trip ever. My heart could have burst from being SO FULL after that week! We did almost nothing, too. No, really. Laying on the beach, winning at Bocce ball, watching the boys boogie board in the ocean, sunrise walks to the Pointe, having random dance-offs to beach music, sitting on the front porch chatting about anything and everything as the waves crashed in the distance, drinking wine and laughing until our sides hurt, playing pool pong and riding around in the golf cart for hours looking for deer and turtles, cooking family dinner and watching Dancing with the Stars all huddled up in one king-sized bed...there's about a million and a half reasons this family beach trip goes down as one of my favorite vacations ever. I actually think I only wore make-up one day that entire week. If that's not vacation, I don't know what is! Needless to say, after such a memory-filled getaway, it was a far way to fall during that car ride back to Florida when it was all over. The following week proved to be one of the hardest I've had since moving back stateside, but I chalk it all up to being so blissed-out from all the family togetherness. North Carolina & amazing family will do that to you. I'm living proof.

I wish everyday that we all lived closer together, but one thing always keeps us connected…our love & need for family time and the beautiful NC coast. We're already looking forward to our next Emerald Isle family beach vacation! It's a tradition I hope continues for years and years to come. :)

Do you and your family go on big family vacations?
If so, where to? 

Tips for Moving with the Military: Things I Wish I'd Known My First PCS

In the military, PCS is just a fancy acronym for "Hey, you're moving!" The acronym stands for Permanent Change of Station, but as all military families know, the move is never permanent. Some families will move every 2-3 years, while others may live at one duty station for 4-7 years. Sometimes more depending on the job. For D and I, it's somewhere around the every 3-4 year time frame...and once he gets higher in rank, it'll likely be every 2 years. One thing that's for sure is military families get really good at this whole moving thing. The entire process can be super stressful (and never gets any more fun to do year after year), but after the first 2 moves, you begin to get it all down to a science. Housing office meetings, TMO scheduling, out-processing, packing, unpacking, TLF living...I feel like I could write a book about it all myself! 

{Taken at D's deployment homecoming in 2010}

Since marrying into the Air Force in the summer of 2008, D and I have moved to three different duty stations. Our very first military move was from our hometown in North Carolina to Hampton, Virginia (Langley AFB). I learned a lot that first PCS, and even more when we moved from Virginia to Germany in 2011 (moving abroad deserves its own PCS post!). Just when I thought I'd gotten the hang of this moving thing, then we up and bought a house and moved to our next duty station in Florida after 3 years abroad. Needless to say, owning a new home and navigating a transatlantic move granted us a whole new learning curve for military moves. Just goes to show, every move can be different! Now that we've covered all kinds of moving situations, there are a few things that remain constant throughout the military moving process...

Here are some basic things I wish I had known my first PCS with the military:

• Don't pre-pack anything in boxes. The movers will just unpack it and re-pack it to their liking. The reasoning behind this is because the movers are liable for any items they break during your move. If you pack it and it breaks, that's on you. It's their way of protecting you (and themselves) should anything happen along the way. If you have anything in large Tupperware bins (i.e.-holiday decorations, keepsakes, old clothes, random storage items, etc.), they likely won't re-pack those. It is a good idea, however, to organize your belongings and throw out anything you know you'll never use at your new duty station. Downsizing & simplifying are two of the perks of moving every few years!

• It's always a good idea to have a few snacks and drinks (like water, tea, gatorade) on hand for your movers. It can be a long day (or multiple days depending on your moving poundage) packing up and labeling all of your precious belongings, so snacks help to keep their energy up and crankiness low. If you're feeling extra sweet (hint: just do this anyway!), buy the movers lunch. Nothing fancy or expensive, just something to show them you appreciate them taking good care of your stuff. And after they're full and happy, I guarantee they'll be extra careful with your grandmother's antique vase. 

• Anything you don't want the movers to touch, LABEL IT! You can even go as far as placing all those things in a closed-off room and telling them whatever's in that room...stays. Believe me, if you don't tell them or show them what NOT to pack, they'll pack it all. I've heard horror stories about folks getting their household goods weeks or months later and realizing the movers packed their garbage as well. I'm sure that smelled lovely! If you're a super organized Type A-mover, you may also want to color code your boxes with tape or stickers to designate what boxes go in what room when you get to your new home. I've yet to try this, but I hear lots of good things from fellow milspouses who've tested this technique.

• Keep a watchful eye, but don't hover. It's a tough thing, watching strangers touch your personal belongings, but hovering over them and dictating what you'd like to have in what particular box is overkill. There's a fine line for helpful monitoring and nagging over-protectiveness. Nit-picking and having unrealistic packing ideals won't make them go faster and it sure won't make for a happy packing environment. I know, I know...it's YOUR stuff. You want to make sure it's packed away safe and sound (and that no one's stolen anything), but have a little faith that your movers know what they're doing. I'm sure packing your house isn't their first go-round. If you want them to take particular care of precious items or see something you rather them pack differently, then politely ask them. Or better yet, find a way to get those items to your new location yourself. We kept all of our fine china in my parent's basement for our move overseas. Just didn't want to chance it. If you do notice your packers completely disrespecting your belongings, call the moving inspector and let them know immediately so they can remedy the situation. DON'T take matters into your own hands!

• Put your bedding, sheets, curtains, pillows, towels...anything fabric (aside from clothing) folded nicely in those giant Ziploc moving bags. They are absolutely wonderful for keeping moisture out and dirty hand prints off your linens. That way, when you finally get them back, you can just pull them out and not worry that they're moldy or soiled.

• You'll have to take down everything of your walls (the movers won't do that). For all the screws, bolts, photo hangers, curtain tiebacks, mounting fixtures, etc. (the little things that help hang something to your wall), place them in labeled baggies and store them all in one box labeled "DECORATIVE HARDWARE". Then you'll easily find them all in one place ready for hanging. Such a timesaver!

• Have the movers and packers lay down moving cloths or cardboard boxes for them to roll their dollies over and pack (or unpack) heavy items on in your home. This way, you'll save your precious floors some serious scratches. If you do find any damage to your home, address it with the movers and with the moving inspector before the movers leave your home.

• Make sure to pull out any important papers, passports, bills, password sheets, medical info...anything you might need to keep your life going while your stuff is moving, don't let the movers pack those! It's a good idea to have a "PCS Binder" full of all the important paperwork you might need in one organized place, that way you won't be wracking your brain looking for Sally's shot record when you register her for school in your new town. 

• Make sure to talk with your moving inspector pre-move to find out what items the movers will or will not pack. Most moving companies will move any non-perishable food items (i.e.-boxed dry food, flour, rice, pastas, canned goods, etc.), but anything half-opened they'll leave for you to discard. I've had moving companies tell me they won't move candles, batteries, alcohol, opened liquids/toiletries, lighters, cooking oils, aerosol cans/sprays or anything that could be flammable. In our recent transatlantic move, alcohol was permitted (as long as the state we were moving to allowed for it) and they packed my candles & batteries. Proof every company is different...so ask before chucking them out! Hiding half-opened toiletries wrapped up in Tupperware bins is also a trick of the military moving world, but you didn't hear that from me! ;)

• If you're moving abroad (OCONUS locations), the second you can start making plans (scheduling movers, out-processing, being medically cleared, no-fee passports, etc.), DO IT! Don't wait until the last minute to do any important things that will help you get abroad. You know the military works on their own schedules, so being ahead of the game on your end can save you a headache later. Also, it's wise to stay ON TOP of whomever you need to to get stuff done. Don't be afraid to pester the housing office, TMO, your sponsor, EVERYONE...if you need something done ASAP. Sometimes things fall through the cracks during peak PCS season. Don't let that something be you!

Any move is stressful, but moving with the military can be a different beast of its own. You might think you're out of control, but take heart, you're not! You have many military entities in your corner during the moving process, so don't let the stress get the best of you. PCS season can be exciting, too! Moving to a new city, starting over, experiencing new places and making new friends...think of the possibilities! Take a deep breath, make lists, and go forth with minimal worries. It will all get done! And if you've got any PCS questions (abroad or otherwise), don't hesitate to email me! Always happy to help a fellow MilFamilies!

Any more tips you'd add to this list? Share the wealth!

Where in the World is Casey Cote?

Granny's 80th birthday party

It feels like forever since I've typed a sentence on this page. I thought that after coming back from vacation I'd feel refreshed and ready to jump into all things blogging again, but I've literally had no time to think about this space. Well, until now, of course. Today is the first day in 3.5 weeks that I've sat down for more than 30 minutes. No joke. When I said I'd be go, go, go after the cruise, I halfway thought I'd really have a handful of days where life would be busier than usual and then a smattering of days where I could veg out and watch Boy Meets World re-runs. Turns out, when I could have used a vacation after my vacation, instead I got hopping a 9 hour flight to NC and driving a billion hours around America and vet appointments and family functions and literally no time to eat a home-cooked meal or sleep a full 8 hours. I've eaten out every meal but breakfast and haven't slept past 5am since coming home. I'm as gross and as out of my routine as I've ever been.

I guess I should back up and tell you that our cruise was AWESOME. It was hands down the most perfect way to celebrate the ending of our time in Europe. We visited Venice, Slovenia, Croatia (Split & Dubrovnik), Montenegro, Greece (Corfu & Olympia), Malta, Sicily, and San Marino...a total dream Adriatic itinerary. Our ship was luxurious, the weather perfect (warm, and no rain until the day we left!), the company most enjoyable (hi Chin & Glory!), and the views we saw...unparalleled to any other vacation we've taken. It was the cruise of beautiful vistas and charming walled cities. I've been giving myself a hearty pat on the back for booking such a brilliant sailing...and high-fiving Celebrity Cruises for, once again, giving us one of the most memorable vacations of our lives. In fact, we loved it so much that we went ahead and booked a 2015 cruise with them. This time to the Caribbean! I'm already counting down the days. ;)

In case you missed the post on Instagram, you might be wondering why I'm even currently back in North Carolina. On day 2 of our cruise, I got an email from my mom letting me know that my grandma had passed away. This is the grandma that just 2.5 months ago went through cancer surgery. She was cancer free post-surgery, but her frail 83-year-old body just couldn't recover from the strain of the procedure (and then subsequent infections from having a low immune system). Before we left for our vacation, I'd gotten word that she'd been moved to Hospice care, but they wholeheartedly thought she'd last a while. At least until our cruise was over and I was able to come home to see her one more time. Unfortunately, her body had other plans and she went home to be with Jesus just 3 short days after being moved. D and I contemplated canceling our cruise (I was pretty distraught about the thought of missing another grandparent's funeral--I missed my MeeMaw's service in 2010 because I was stuck in Cuba with D during his deployment R&R), but of course, like all loving families do, they reassured us Granny wouldn't have wanted us change our plans, lose money, and miss out on our last trip abroad (and neither did they). We reluctantly went on our way, but after hearing of her passing while sailing, I'll admit it was hard to fully enjoy our cruise knowing my family was back home dealing with grief and funeral plans. It was a bittersweet, to say the least. I attribute the lovely weather we had to my sweet Granny smiling down on us from above. She was a special part of my life and I'll cherish her always! Hence why I'm typing to you from my parent's couch. 

 

The day after arriving back in Germany, I dumped out my cruise suitcase (literally dumped it, clothes are probably still all over our bedroom floor), haphazardly packed another suitcase, kissed D goodbye (he had to get back to work--sad face), and hopped a flight back to NC to spend some time with my family and to take care of some super important moving things. Which I CANNOT WAIT to tell you about...but have to because it's just not quite the right time yet. You should know it's big, though. Big and exciting and totally life changing. No buns in the oven, so holster your ovaries ladies! They'll be time for that later. Anywho...since coming home, I've been enjoying spending time going through old photo albums, reminiscing with family about Granny, visiting with aunts and uncles I haven't seen in years. It's been nice. Incredibly busy, but super nice. This impromptu trip home also provided me with the opportunity to snuggle my BFF's new 3 week old bundle of joy (I bottled up some of his baby smell for later) and put my arms around a family member who's recently been diagnosed with a life changing disease. While I'm physically, mentally, and emotionally drained from the non-stop nature of my life as of late, I know I'm supposed to be home right now. Divine placement, if you will. The Lord knew I couldn't carry on with all I have to do with this move until I knew my family was good and my heart was centered again. Proof that His plan, once again, is always much, much better than mine.

 So, that's where in the world I am right now. Whole lotta crazzy, whole lotta busy, but a whole lotta love covering all of us this week. I've got 2 more days left in NC (quick trip, obviously), then I fly back to Germany and have 1 week to get the last few moving things squared away before the movers come. $&@*#!! Needless to say, this blog might continue to be kind of blank from now until July. I had every intention to come back from cruising and schedule dozens of posts to hold me over while we move..but Superwoman, I am not. For the time being, I'm cool with that. You guys understand, don't you? Of course you do. If you want to keep up with me, Instagram is your best bet. I can totally manage an occasional 30 second insta post of my pup or some cardboard boxes. Riveting stuff, I tell ya. They'll be time for travel posts and fun stuff when we're settled in Florida, right? 20 days!!!! Oh...and thank you, by the way, for all the love you all have floated my way in emails, comments, and tweets upon hearing about my Granny. You guys are always keeping my blog love tank full. Much appreciated. With that, I'm off to find something to eat other than Bojangles. Wish me luck. ;)

Our Wiesbaden Photo Session with Ashley Ludaescher Photography

Germany has absolutely stollen a piece of my heart. Our hearts, really. The adventures we've faced, countries we've explored, the experiences we've had...this place has become such a defining chapter in our book of life together. As our 3 years living abroad has started to come to a close, I knew I wanted to do something special to commemorate living in Wiesbaden, our beautiful adoptive home away from home. That's when I contacted Ashley of Ashley Ludaescher Photography (also a dear blog friend of mine) and asked if she'd be willing to hop a train from Berlin to Wiesbaden and spend the day photographing D and I around town. She happily jumped at the opportunity and made the 5 hour train journey south one lovely November morning! To say that we had the BEST FALL DAY EVER would be a total understatement. Germany is known to have some pretty finicky weather, but the day Ashley came to photograph us, the sun was shining, the air was warm (55°F in November?!), and the leaves were still clinging to the trees in the most beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow I'd ever seen. It's as if Germany was smiling upon us, knowing how much this fall shoot meant to both D and I. 

After eating lunch at one of our favorite Italian restaurants downtown, we made our way to all the best parts of Wiesbaden to snap some photo memories. We stopped at the Marktkirche in the Marktplatz (the backdrop for every major festival & Christmas market we attended), the larger-than-life cuckoo clock that chimes twice an hour, and the Wiesbaden Staatstheater (Opera House) where we marveled at its architecture our first venture downtown. We walked the tree-lined street of Wilhelmstrasse that we stroll down often and still wonder why they prune the trees to look so haunting. We also snapped a few shots at the Warmer Damm Park where we've fed the ducks on Sundays and the famed Wiesbaden Kurhaus where we've attended squadron holiday parties. But as the sun hung low and dripped golden rays all over Wiesbaden signaling the end of the day, we stopped at our favorite park, the Kurpark, to capture the beauty of our favorite spot to picnic in. Each landmark we visited that day holds some special moment D and I shared together...just the two of us in a foreign land. I want to lock them in my mind forever. Not because I think I'll forget...it's hard to forget such an adventure as this...but to one day have something to show our children. To tell them about the amazing adventure mommy and daddy went on when they were young, carefree, and had the whole world at their fingertips. I know once D and I make the inevitable move back to the states next summer, we will look back at these photos with such happy memories of the time we spent here in Germany. As you scroll through the photos, be on the lookout for each of these special places! 

Truth be told, I had such a hard time narrowing down to sharing these select few photos. Every single image gave me goosebumps! Not only was Ashley an absolute sweetheart to work with, but she captured us and our amazing host city so perfectly. D and I gained a forever friend that day, and some amazing photos to boot! Thank you so very much, Ashley, for spending time with us in Wiesbaden, for making us feel so special & comfortable during the shoot, and for sharing in the joy of our most favorite city in Germany. If you live in Germany and want some spectacular, jaw-dropping photos taken...call Ashley. She's one in a million!

OH! Of course, we used a few of these photos in our Christmas card this year (how could we not!?). See if you can guess which 3 images made the cut (and if you've already gotten the card in the mail...shhhh! No cheating! :)) Enjoy!

Photos by Ashley Ludaescher Photography

Blog | Facebook | Twitter