Riding the Rails (Clickity Clack to Maryland)

Yesterday, I took my first train ride. I'd have to say overall it was a huge success and I am now pretty much a train fanatic. I could see myself riding trains everywhere!

Reasons why the train is great:

1. You don't have to drive. Just to and from the train station station, that's it.
2. You don't have to go through years of security and metal detectors/brain scanners to board.
3. You can walk whenever you want. No seatbelt sign, no waiting on the captain to say it's ok. In fact, they even start moving before you sit.
4. You can bring your own foods and drinks, there is a place to buy food if you forgot to bring some (or you're tired of the PB&J you did pack).
5. You can stand up and streeeeetch
6. You don't have to put your whole trip on pause to go pee
7. There are outlets at each seat, Hello movies on the laptop
8. Way cheaper than plane tickets and the price for just me was also cheaper than gas, etc. to drive
9. Train stations are really cute!

Reasons why the train is a little sketch:

1. Bathrooms, while numerous, are pretty freakin' dirty and very smelly

All in all the pros definitely outweighed the cons (even though I do go to the bathroom frequently, I found a way to deal) and I am now a big advocate of train travel. Mom and I are riding business class (woah-hoah) on the way back, so we should have bigger comfier seats with more leg room and better foot rests and free sodas.

Now I am just going to enjoy time at home with the fam. Mom and I are about to bake up some cookies (even though she cheats and buys cookie-dough) and the Christmas Eve brings family church time and a big delicious family dinner. Can't go wrong there. I love the tradition of going to mass on Christmas Eve and I am soooo looking forward to Christmas Eve dinner (as you can tell from my last post, I'm looking forward to any dinner...)

Hope you all have wonderful Christmas Eves and Christmas Days!

Thinking Happy Thoughts

Ashley at Kiwis and Cocktails is basically one of my favorite bloggers. Not only are her posts so funny and light, does she enjoy some good drinks and fun nights out, and have beautiful wedding pics in her header, she also nominates me for lots of awards. Go check her out now. I command thee!

Speaking of the award, she has nominated me for this Happy Little Award:

And the rules of this award require me to list 10 things that make me happy and 10 bloggers who make me happy as well.

Thinking about happy things and being positive is part of my First Goal of Deployment, so this is great timing for me to think positively about what makes me happy and not what (or who) I am missing so very, very much at this moment.

So on with the happiness...

1. My Husband. Total duh, but my hubs is the light of my life. He is the one person who just, as cliche as it sounds, completes me. He makes me smile and laugh and feel loved. He thinks I'm beautiful he does his best to make me happy all the time. I am thankful and sooo happy I met him and have him in my life.Before he left
2. My family. I am soooo lucky to have the family that I do. Especially a mom who will sit up and webcam with me until I fall asleep and a dad that will buy headphones to make sure HIS granddaughter can listen to music and an auntie that continues to send me love and support and prayers through a tough time... Among many many other things. They are really an amazing group of people. And if ya met them, you'd totally get me - we're quite a silly bunch.
3. My daughter. Feeling her move is definitely one of my favorite parts of the day. I love my big belly and knowing that my little baby is in there growing away and will be here to meet me in only a couple weeks.33 weeks
   
4. My friends. I could seperate friends into a few categories... I've got my home friends, my Phi Mu sisters, and my USMC friends. They are all equally important to me and do so much to enrich my life. They are all helping me out so much through this deployment, from phone calls and messages to hanging out all day and road tripping to another lonely Marine wife's house - we have a blast. Being with my friends makes me happy, makes me laugh, and helps me to keep on truckin'.
5. Christmas. With everything else that's going on in my life right now, I have not been paying much attention to my favorite time of year! Mr. P and I set up our little 4ft tree and had a mini-Christmas before he left. It was a good time and a nice way to celebrate for a holiday we'll miss together.Blurry pic in front of our little tree
   
6. Webcams. I got to see my hubby last night. It was amazing. I'm telling myself not to get used to it, but am secretly wishing he could get on right now. Webcams are pretty awesome. I also webcam with my mom at night so I don't feel so alone in my house.
   
7. Pedicures and massages. Man do I LOVE being pampered!!
8. Dogs. Mr. P and I are very excited to start looking for a puppy when he gets home. We both wanted one so badly but couldn't have one per our lease, so when he comes home and we're in the house we own, we're going to entertain the idea. We might not get one right off (settling in, new baby, money, etc) but I'm very excited to start looking!!
9. Traveling. I always have so much fun when I am on vacation. I can't wait to go on our next vacation. I think we (Ariana and I) are going to Disney with my family around Easter time. It will be right before we move into our new home and a few months before daddy comes home. I'm very excited!
10. Food. I love eating. I'm a total fatty at heart, whatever. At least being preggo I have an excuse to eat whatever. Haha too bad I'll be on chicken and lettuce once Miss Thang gets here. I have started to enjoy cooking and baking and I looove making things for my hubs - he always thinks it's delicious, even when I screw up. I have all intentions of sending him food, mom says she knows a good way to keep cookies fresh so you can bet your butt that there will be cookies shipped!!

So there is a limited list of the things that make me happy! I am WAY too lazy to tag 10 people right now, so if you would like to list the things that make you happy, feel free to yoink this! Reading blogs in general makes me happy so anyone is free to have at it :-)