Trader Joe's

I know that many of you live on post so you probably shop at the commissary.  However, I must write a plug-in for Trader Joe's!  What a great store; the food is of terrific quality, the workers are so friendly and the prices are great.

They carry everything there.  Looking for olives?  How about some Soy IceCream?  They even have Korean BBQ ribs for $7.99 a bag (perhaps not worth it for me, since I can make my own).  Need to buy gluten-free flour?  How about vegan meatballs?  Kosher items?  Low Sodium?  They even have their own brand of pet products including doggie bones and cat kibble.  They have sushi, a large assortment of cheese, granola, and even cuts of meat!  There is no need to go to your local grocery store.

Around the holidays they stock up on the "Peppermint JoJo's."  They are the Trader Joe's version of the oreo, with crushed peppermint candy mixed into the cream.  They are so delicious!  As my DH knows, I am in love with all this peppermint (shampoo, soap, and definitely the candy).

So please check out their website: Trader's Joes.  Find a store near you!

Criticism

So my husband wanted to comment on my Korean wives post (the one I wrote several days ago).  Apparently there is something wrong with my post but I have no idea what it is because I asked my DH not to tell me.  I was in a really bad mood today and I didn't think that I could handle listening to his criticism.

Criticism vs Concern: Criticism is when you disapprove through the expression of fault or shortcoming.  A concern is an interest where you express what is important to you or affects you.  I hear his comment towards my blog entry as a criticism.  Yes, I understand that he cares about me and he wants me to get the facts straight.  However, this is due to my obvious shortcoming (in his opinion) about my knowledge surrounding the topic of other military Korean wives.  ::sigh::  maybe he's right but honestly,  I don't want to hear it.  I am extremely shy about my writing and I did not ask for a critique on my writing style or the subjects that I am writing about.

I feel judged by my DH's comments.  I guess in my head, I just always want to be right and perfect in his eyes.  Yet, when I don't live up to that expectation (because of something he said) then the insecurities begin to fester inside me.  I begin to question everything he is says to me; minutely analyzing each sentence, trying to figure out if there is a hidden meaning behind his words.

I guess it's important to me that my DH finds me well informed and educated about many different topics.  I want to please my DH by showing off my intelligence.  Craziness huh?  Pretty insecure you say?  I am ok with it.  I'd rather be completely honest about myself.

*Enchante*

5 Year Anniversary

Today is my five year anniversary!  I can just see it now; my DH is shaking his head at me from 5,000 miles away....

Alright, so our wedding anniversary is in June but today marks the first day we decided to date.  This is incredible for me for I have a huge fear of commitment (I also have trust issues but that's another subject altogether).  My DH has stated that he no longer wants to celebrate this day because he just wants to focus on our wedding anniversary.  However, it's difficult for me to let this day go because it proves (in a weird way) how much I love my husband.

For the last five years, I have dated the same man.  I've changed and aged so much but yet my DH continues to love me.  I think that's incredible (for me anyway).  To my DH - hunnie, even if you don't want to celebrate this day, I'm going to continue to remember this day in some fashion for the rest of my life.  So next year, don't forget to get me a gift =D

*these are the earrings that match the necklace that my DH got me for our first year anniversary

*Enchante*

Army Football

I love the Army, Black Knights, Football team.  I do.  I really really do.

I don't care about the NY Giants or the Jets (even though I'm from NY originally).  Both my undergraduate and graduate education did not have a football team, so I didn't really have a team to root for... until I got married!  So I adopted and embraced the Army Football team as my own.

I've watched them play for the last five years and each year has been more and more heartbreaking.  They are terrible!  No, seriously, they really suck.  They have lost the Army Navy Game SEVEN years in a row ... 7!  Last year, they lost the game 34 to 0.  They couldn't put ONE lousy point up on the board.  Of course, this was the year that I went to the game with my friends and DH* ... while sitting on the Navy sideline.

From 2003-2004, Army lost 13 games in a row!  That means that fans did not see a win for over a year!  However, they are 2-2 this season (thank goodness) and they will be coming to Philadelphia on the 17th of October, to fight against Temple University. 

My plans are as follows: 1. Wearing my army shirt, army sweatshirt and my new army pullover with my army earrings!  2. Bringing a posterboard that says "Go Army, Beat Temple" and make a fool out of myself.  3. Bring a camera, so that we can record my hilarious behavior.  Then I will proceed to sent it to my deployed DH.

Anyone else interested in joining me?  If not, tell me about your crazy sports obsessions!

Why I love being a Military Spouse ... sometimes!

Last Sunday, a close friend and I made the trek from my house all the way to Fort Dix.  This was the first time my friend had been a military base, let alone a PX, and I knew that she would be delighted with the discounted prices.

We were just chilling and looking at different perfumes when the makeup lady at the Shiseido counter made eye contact with us and started to chat us up.  As soon as she found out we spoke Korean, her face lit up and rapidly began to tell us about all the new products that Shiseido carried.  Soon we both ended up purchasing the "Pureness Start Up Kit" which comes with the following products:

From top to bottom: Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam, Pureness Balancing Softener, Pureness Matifying Moisturizer (Oil-Free)

As I was purchasing the start-up kit, I was really starting to regret my decision.  I really felt pressured into buying the product because the makeup counter lady was so nice to me and because she tried so hard to convince me about the product, I just could not refuse her!  For $27 bucks, was the kit really, truly worth it?

So I went home that night thinking "this bad boy better work..." and went into the bathroom to see the miraculous effects that the makeup lady promised me and my friend.  After I removed all my make up, I used the deep cleansing foam all over my face.  I followed the directions on the label (concentric circles) and washed my face off.  Strangely enough, this foam really seemed to help my oily skin.  What I mean to say is that the foam literally SUCKED the oil off my face.

So far so good.  Next, I dried my face and used a cotton round to apply the Balancing Softener.  This left my skin feeling very clean and red free (like using toner).  Nothing too special here.  Then I proceed to the final step: Matifying Moisturizer.  This moisturizer absorbed into the face and my skin felt dry after one application.

The results: after using these products for almost a week, I have noticed a HUGE difference in my skin.  My skin is sooo soft!  As soft as a baby's bottom (I mean that literally).  I never thought that my skin could go back to the way it was more than 10 years ago.  However, I am truly grateful to the pushy makeup counter lady because she was right, my skin looks and feels years younger.  I love that I was able to purchase the start up kit for only $27 vs. $50+ at the local mall.  Yes, sometimes being a military spouse definitely has it's perks!

So the next time you're at the PX, please check out the Shiseido MakeUp Counter.  The products are definitely worth your notice.

*Enchante*