Award. :)

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

Thanks Sarah. :)

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award..
Misadventures in Matrimony

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.

1. I’m 19, and about the graduate cosmetology school.

2. I used to ride horses, and have owned three.

3. I’ve been with my boyfriend since we were 16, but I almost dated his brother first.

4. I always knew I wanted to move out of AZ, but probably wouldn’t be so motivated to do so if Steve weren’t in the military.

5. I only ever had one job. I worked at Kohls from 2007 to 2009.

6. My mom used to tell me I was “too smart” for cosmetology. She is happy for me know, but a part of her still wishes I chose something more academic.

7. I played softball from the time I was 4 until my senior year of high school.


The Ever-Changing Life of a Military Wife

just another day in {our midwest} paradise

The Sand is Different Here

New Girl on Post

The Displaced Texan

That [Officer's] Wife

ACU's, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus

I has the crazies.

Not gonna lie, I'm a little toasted. So... here's my bird's thoughts, put into writing.

Chuck: "Oh, camera? What? I'm not posing. Wait.. is this my good side? Oh shit, it's that dog again!"

Rex: "Wuuut? I'm not doing anything. Stop looking at me. Stop." *bad self image pose*

Chuck: "Can you see me? Are you paying attention to me? Not the dog. Me."

Rex: "Durrrrdurrr. WHAT IS THIS? I'm innocent. I just wanna look."

Chuck: "OMG GET OUT OF MY GLAMOUR SHOT. OOOOUT." *diva*

Chuck: "Ugh. Stupid minions. Ok. Get the shot. I'm beautiful."

Hank: "Yeah, whatever. Don't love me Caitlin. I don't need you. I don't."

Again... I blame this on the alcohol.

My first product review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask

I love this mask. I heard about it online, on some makeup forums, and figured it was worth a shot. I got it at Walgreens for less than $5. I wasn't expecting too much, because I've never used a face product that I noticed a positive difference. Well, I guess all I have to say is that I first tried it about two years ago, and I'm still using it.

I hadn't used it lately, and noticed that my blackheads were out of control. I get them in the middle of my forehead, on my nose, and on my chin. I used the mask two days in a row, and my skin looks so much better. Ah! I love it. The only thing is that it dries my skin a teensy bit, but I have very dry skin anyway. A little bit of lotion and I'm good to go.

From Drugstore.com:

Mint Julep Masque is the original natural home treatment developed by a dermatologist that helps dry up acne pimples, rinse away blackheads and shrink enlarged pores.

Simply apply Mint Julep Masque to your clean face and neck. Within minutes it firms and hardens, drawing out impurities from your pores. After the masque is removed, your skin will feel clean, refreshed and smooth.

Even for individuals who are fortunately free of skin problems, Mint Julep Masque is a refreshing facial treatment that helps relaxed tired muscles and ease tension lines on the face and neck.

No animal testing. No animal ingredients.

Wedding bells... not mine though!

Ok, so my last post was a little bit goofy. I was on the phone with Steve when I wrote it, and we're dorks. I have some awesome news though!

I have a repeat client at school, and she's the sweetest girl. She came in to get highlights a few months ago. She had colored* her hair a light brown, but wanted to go back to blond for her wedding in May. She wanted to go gradually, so each time I've done more and more. Today she came in to do some lighter ones on the top.


And she asked me to do her hair for her wedding! I'm super excited about this. Someone wants ME, just about to graduate from beauty school, no salon experice, ME, to do their wedding hair. To me, that's a big deal. Everyone I know REALLY cares about who does their hair. It's a personal thing. They all want that one stylist they love, the person who gives them amazing hair. And she picked me.

So I'll be doing her hair for her bridal shower next Saturday, and then for her wedding May 1.


*We color our hair, we dye Easter eggs. We tweeze our eyebrows, we pluck chickens.


Here's some pictures of the only other wedding I've done, my sisters. Pictures jacked from her myspace, taken most likely by our mom.

What's a blog?

So Steve just found my blog and he's like... "You... blog things?"

"Duh, that's what I told you."

"Oh... Well I didn't really know what it meant."
"Uh.. Ok."


And now he's reading it to me. Ok.....


And then he sent me this picture...

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

A year ago, the weekend Steve graduate BMT.

YAY!

He's not going to Iraq! BEST NEWS EVERRRRR.

Today was a good day. I had class, and then tonight I did a full head of highlights, color correction, and haircut. Nice.

Oh, and it's cool how my Wednesday post got posted early. I didn't mean to post wordless wednesday on monday. I'm smarter than that, I swear.


Dear Air Force,
I'm sorry for momentarily hating you. I'm sorry for saying you're ruining my life.Thank you for not sending my boyfriend to Iraq. You rule.
Love, Caitlin

PS. I'm still a little peeved at you. I can't move to be with Steve until October. That's almost two years of being apart. You should make it up to me.


Dear Steve,
I'm really sorry for being bitchy. I complain to you about things because you're the only other person that is going through this with me. I love oyu so much and you're my best friend. ilybb.
Cait

Dear my freaking school,
You blow. I just want to graduate.
I hate you,
Caitlin

Rantfest.

Today is not one of the good days. I'm so tired of dealing with crap.

First off, my whole plan got screwed up. I was going to graduate, go see Steve, come back, and work here until August. I would save as much money as I could, and then I would move up there with him. Well, that's not going to happen now, because he's going on a deployment for 345234523453245 years. Or 4-12 months. Something like that.

Second, I've always known that Steve's family talks shit about each other. If someone isn't around, they are talked about. His aunt talks about his mom being a horrible parent. His grandma complains about his aunt. His brother doesn't know what he's doing in live. Blah blah blah. Like I said, I've known this for awhile. I always assumed they talked about me too, but I never knew what was said. Well, here are a few things.

1. I have a drinking problem.
2. I need to get away from my mom.
3. Steve promised his mom he wouldn't marry me because he likes the attention he's getting from her.

I don't know wehre theses people come up with these things. Obviously, none of them are true. They heard about one time I got pretty smashed at his cousin's house. I never talk about my mom with them. Nothing negative at least. How horrible that I didn't move out the second I turned 18. Honestly. I told Steve about that last part, and he was pretty shocked. I guess since he's used to it, it doesn't get to him, bit I'm pissed. Anyway, vent over.



I've been a really crappy blogger lately because our internet got shut up. Boo. I'll try harder!

Difficult times.

Today was a really hard day. I need to be with Steve. This sucks. Six months is a freaking long time and this is hellish.

I want to cuddle. I miss being touched. I miss backrubs. I miss holding hands. I miss sprawling across his body and falling asleep.



He's the love of my life and I hate that I have to be apart from him

He's my best friend and I hate not having him around.

He makes me feel better than anyone else and I hate that he's not here to destress me.


I am so sick of school. 13 school days left. It isn't long at all but time is dragging ass. GAH

I don't even know...

I don't have internet at home for awhile so I "blogged" this in Microsoft Word on Monday, and now I'm at the library, and have nothing else to say. Ugh.


I’m good at school. I know that’s sort of a weird thing to say, but that’s pretty much it. I’m a good student. I always got good grades. I never had to try very hard either. I think this was a blessing and a curse. When I was younger, I was so far ahead of the curve that I could put in average effort and got above average results. I never had to study for tests. I always finished homework in no time at all. Because of this, I kept it up through high school. Once I got to high school, I had those same habits, but they didn’t get me as far. Yes, I still got good grades. But I didn’t excel. That was fine for me. I had gotten so used to not having to try, that I didn’t want to put in the extra effort.




I wish I had tried more. I wish that I had the drive.

Teary!

Everything makes me cry! Not sad sobbing crying, but tearing up.

Military proposals? Understandable.
Some chick winning some event in the Olympics? WHY!?

They just replayed it and I felt it again. Oh goodness.


I think this means I need a good cry.

Blogger is my therapy.

Here's an interesting read: Not even labor contractions could keep a woman from driving to meet her husband as the guardsman returned home from Iraq.

I keep thinking of things to write about, but none of them are sticking. Since today is Valentine's Day, I've been thinking a lot about all of the holidays that I've been without Steve. Two Christmases, two New Years, two Valentines, The Fourth of July, and many other little ones.

Since I've seen him?
158 days.
22 1/2 weeks.
6 months.
That's half a year. My goodness.

I've had all of this weighing down on me in the days leading up to today. I got a text from Steve just past midnight wishing me a happy Valentines Day, and saying that he loved me. Then, the first thing I saw when I got on the computer this morning, was an email from a fellow blogger. She just thought to send me an email because as a fellow mil-spouse, she knows what it is like to spend holidays apart. That really lifted my spirits.

It really reminded me of why I blog. It helps to get all of the feelings out, and it is so nice having a community of people that have been through what I'm going through. I've had a few friends who were mil-spouses, but they either moved to be with them or the relationships ended. A lot of people at school are sympathetic, but it doesn't mean as much when they don't know what it is like.

When I see how many other women do this, and do it with strength, it gives me hope. I want to be a strong person. I want to be successful, have hobbies, have friends. I want to be busy. I'm getting there.

Being with Steve is worth all of this. Even when I just get to see him for a week, it is worth every day of waiting. I think Mrs. G.I. Joe  says it the best in her post at ACU's, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus
"If he were only able to be home 1 single day a year for the rest of our lives I'd still be happier with him then I would be with anyone else. "

But I still can't wait to see him every day. To wake up next to him. To spend holidays together.

Our Story Part II

See Our Story Part I

Anyway, it was getting to the point where I was ok being alone. I still missed him, but I could deal with it. We still talked all of the time and he was my best friend. Next thing I knew, it was time for me to graduate high school. His brother, Scott, and Lauren were my closest friends. We set it up so Lauren and (her now ex boyfriend, but still good friend) Dylan would walk together, and Scott and I would be right behind them. I got my dress, got my shoes, all of that. I was so excited to finally be done with high school!

So the day of my graduation was finally here! It was in a local hockey/event stadium, which was cool. I remember walking out, holding Scott's wrist with a death grip, since my heels kept slipping on the floor. I looked in the first row, and saw Steve, for the first time in 6 months. Oh my gosh. It all rushed right back, every feeling that I had held down. After graduation, Lauren was going to go to my house to get ready for the grad night party. We went outside to her car, and it was super cold and raining. We passed by Scott and Steve in the parking lot, and as I stood there shivering in my dress, I told Steve his jacket looked really warm. He said, "Yeah, it is." and walked away. What a charmer.

So eventually it worked out (I think it was Lauren's doing) that Steve went to our grad night party. I knew right thten that we would end up together again. We stayed at the party until it ended, at 3am. I'll just say, I have no interest in hypnotists. But I sure stayed and watched. After the party, me, Steve, and Lauren went to Denny's, until finally going home at about 4 or 5 in the morning.

The next day, we made plans to hang out soon.

So once we finally fit our plans together to hang out, I went over to his house, and I brought Juno and The Notebook. We ended up watching The Notebook, then Juno, and then A Goofy movie. Being me, I started a tickle fight, which resulted in us wrestling all over the bed. Eventually, I got him pinned, we had a movie-worthy-moment of eye contact, and then he leaned up an kissed me. That kiss changed my life.

Our relationship started out slow, but once it started to get serious, it took off from there.

So I found this article, 15 More Things Your Hairstylist Won't Tell You, and decide to do a little editing to make it fit how I feel about things. Again, I didn't write it, I just added somre thoughts.

1. If you want a new cut or style, I'll work hard to make you happy and I'll want you to like it. After you leave my salon, I'll worry about what you think. (I work on people, not on cars on an assembly line.) And if you feel like calling to tell me how happy you are with my work, you will make me smile.




2. For stylists, tips should be 15 to 20 percent of the total cost of your bill. They are a significant portion of my pay. If you stiff me, I'll remember.



3. Sure, you can bring your child or your dog in, as long as you control them. If your baby or your dog starts bothering me or the other people in the salon, I won't be so easygoing.



4. I need to charge you for my time, no matter what you're having done. I am a trained professional.



5. When you leave my chair and walk out of here, you represent me. So it's in my best interest for you to look good.



6. I don't have manicurists or masseuses in my salon because I am not all things to all people. I'm a hairstylist. I really like doing nails. Waxing is ok. Manicures and pedicures are alright. But hair is my main thing, and what I’m best at.



7. I'm not in this business to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. I just want to make a decent, comfortable living, and at the end of the day, go home. I want to make as much as I can, and I’ll work to do that.



8. Men will tell you things they won't tell their wives—"my throat hurts," "my back aches." They want a little sympathy, which maybe they can't get at home because their wives have heard it all before, or they're not listening. So they tell us. It's the only place they can unload. Women like to share their problems. Men like to talk about work and hobbies.



9. Hot water removes color. The sun can dry your hair. So protect it as you would your skin. Cover it when you're outside in the sun. Wash and condition it properly. Spend a little money on the right products. I don’t know why this is on a things your stylist won’t say. I tell people this to insure their color.



10. When a client says she's in a rush, I tell her she needs to schedule her time better. My work takes time. But I will do what it takes to cater towards my clients time constraints. If the service won’t fit in the time, I’ll reschedule them.



11. When a client is unusually whiny, most of the time it's because she's having a hard time with her husband or boyfriend, or she's having problems at work, or she's not getting along with her kids. She should leave it at the door. I don't want her problems. I don’t mind hearing your problems. Just don’t treat me like a shrink.



12. If you cancel at the very last minute, that's lost money to me because I can't fill that appointment with little or no notice. This one is spot on. You suck.



13. The market is saturated with every possible product to make thin hair thick, dull hair shiny, and curly hair straight. But putting too much junk in your hair will almost always kill a look. More is not more. Your hair wants to be healthy. That doesn't mean trying to totally recreate it every day. Just help it a little. Let it do its thing. I’m not a product whore. I don’t really even use any in my own hair.



14. Do not attempt hairstylist-speak. Do you really know what "thinning" or "graduation" mean? Leave the terminology to the professionals. If you use terms like this, I will rephrase to make sure we’re on the same page.



15. Some people are just too large or their cheeks too round for the style they want. They should look at themselves in the mirror sometime.Or too something. But I can usually give you what you want, and still make it work for you.

Lessons of the Military

Here are some things I've learned about myself since Steve has been in the military.
1. A 4 am phone call never bothers me.
2. When I can say he’s ‘only’ been gone a month.
3. The smallest text or call can make my day.
4. A text or call when I’m not expecting it makes me giddy.
5. The preview for Dear John made me cry, and I watch the military commercials
6. My pajamas consist of Steve’s t-shirts and some shorts.
7. I wasn’t keeping track, and I realized it had been 4 months since I’d seen Steve
8. I’m love his voicemails.
9. Since BMT, it has become a habit to check the mail.
10. I still write letters, I just keep them.
11.A phone call to say goodnight makes me smile.
12. If I don’t hear from him OF COURSE something is wrong. I’m growing out of this one.
13. I can honestly say the time apart gave our relationship strength.
14. I feel bad about things like Steve not going to a Super Bowl party.
15. When people complain about not seeing their spouses for a few days or a week, I just want to go off.
16. ABUs are the best thing in the world.
17. I’ve never dealt with this range emotions. I can feel a thousand different things in five minutes. And I can’t stay mad at him.
18. I’ve developed a habit of never being without my phone.
19. I feel like a failure if I miss a call.
20. I’ve developed a love for uniforms.
21. I have to remember that people might be a little shocked when I tell them what Steve does. And I’ve told so many people in “dummy” terms that the other day I blanked when telling an AF vet.
22. Seeing each other for a weekend is amazing.
23. I’ve learned military time… kind of.
24. Staying up until all hours to talk on the phone is a given.
25. An “I love you” over the phone makes all my problems go away.
26. I’ll be mad at him for not calling, but when it’s because of work, that’s no problem.
27. Listening to the same voicemails never gets old.
28. I love military movies.
29. I reread letters, texts, emails, and myspace messages.
30. It doesn’t shock me when plans are changed.
31. I’ve set my alarm for 4 am so I can call him before he goes to work.
32. I have to fight to not snap when someone asks me if I miss him, when they say “I couldn’t do it”, when they tell me about their sister/friend/cousin with a military spouse.
None of these things make me feel better. Really. No, I don’t miss him. I really like the space. He was getting a little clingy. You don’t think you can do it? I wonder that often myself. You know what? It’s because he means everything to me, and he loves the Air Force. Oh, and even if you think so, it doesn’t make me feel better to know how long it has been since your sister has seen her husband.

The Dating Game

When I was in 6th grade I moved from AZ to MT. My dad’s family was in MT, but I didn’t know anyone there my age. I started school in the middle of the school year. They “assigned” me to another girl, so I would have someone to show me around, help me meet people, and all of that. Anyway, I quickly became friends with her friends, and a few of them decided that I should have a boyfriend, since I hadn’t had one before. Since this was the world of complex dating, they picked the guy for me, only wanting to know if I thought he was cute. His name was Garrett, he was super cute, and one of the most popular guys in our grade. I would stand by the field during lunch while he played football, and then he’d call me every night. Big romance, I know.




So, three weeks later, I’m informed by two girls that he’s breaking up with me. This was right before Christmas break. That night I told my mom I had a boyfriend and needed to get him a Christmas present. I got him a box of chocolates, and gave it to him the next day in PE, saying that I already had it, so I figured I would give it to him.



Yeah, I was smooth.

Something I needed.

These are the times I live for. These are from last May. I left my laptop charger at school, so I'm on my parents' computer. By chance I looked through the pictures and found these.

I needed this today. I can't wait until the day we can fall asleep with eachother whenever we want.

Oh, and happy 1 year out of boot camp to Steve today. :P

Foggy.

I'm a little out of it right now. I'm so tired!
I"m currently doing a night in with my brother. We've got pizza, gummi worms, and movies. I might not ever be able to eat again.
I just wrote about two paragraphs bitching about school, but I'm not going to even go there. Main thing of the day, I graduate March 15, and that includes taking off 4 days to go to Chicago. I won't have to go in for any more Saturadays, I'll just have to do every Tuesday and Thursday night. No problem, I've been doing it for months anyway.
This post has no point. I'm stuffed, and now I'm going to watch The Taking of Pelham 123. I love John Travolta and I love Denzel Washington.

Here's a bit of my portfolio. It isn't in any order, but there are pictures from my first week to the last few weeks.

Haircut

Highlights/haircut. This client has naturally blond hair, and she came in with it colored a light brown. We've done highlights a few times, since she wants to be blond again for her wedding in May.

Haircut. This girl dances with fire. Yeah. I was shocked.

Haircut. My friend's boyfriend. Said I did this better than when he got it done in a salon.

My friend Lauren. Cut and color. We've since lightened the blond in her hair and toned it to a gorgeous super light neutral blond.

Haircut. I go to school with her.

Updo/highlights. My friend Cayla. Did this style for a wedding she did the photography for.

Cut.

Updo. Won a contest with this within my first three weeks of school.

Updo. Did this same thing on my sister for her wedding, I'll find a picture later. Gorgeous on her, with her veil.

Highlights. Looked awesome braided.

Color. Lightened the top, did hot pink underneath.