21 days

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Well, we're going on week 3 of Karl selling things he finds around our home on Amazon. I'm not complaining, with his hard work he has boosted our bank account by hundreds, BUT it does make me slightly nervous when I ask him what he's doing and he responds with, "just browsing," as he rummages thru our closets, cabinets, and garage. He has sold our old iPods, phones, speakers, etc. Approaching day 21 of this, I've come to accept this as a new habit, of sorts, of Karl's. All I know is that I can't turn my back for long or he may ship off my pots & pans and laptop. Tonight I heard, "so uh, what in this pantry do you not want?" and "you don't even have to have all the pieces, you can sell anything!" and "how's the battery life on this?" Oh he makes me laugh.

Hannah K.C. Burton


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

help!

So, I worked on the html code for the font of my blog a few weeks ago... i totally wasn't happy with how it ended up looking (er, impossible to read) but resigned to not care about it and live with it.  Well, obviously here I am, a total perfectionist, and still annoyed with blogger and html.  I'm totally over it.  I gave the old blog a little make under to simplify and get rid of that ridiculous font.  So there's only one thing I cannot get over- making my header stretch out evenly across the top of the blog.  Can anyone help me?  I'm too irritated to keep trying to work on it and figure it out!!  I swear, no more make overs OR unders for a long time... this is far too time consuming.

Hannah K. C. Burton

catching up with the burtons: our weekend in review

Well, I'm never a fan of these lemme-list-what-i-did-this-weekend posts, mostly because we rarely do anything worth listing or discussing via Dynasty Living BUT I do love lists and I haven't indulged in one recently soooo, listen here people...

-Friday Karl & I went to our favorite Japanese place... it's Sumter's equivalent of Shogun (shout out to Fayetteville). There are a few differences between Shogun and Osaka, the first being that it costs Karl & I a combined $10.00 to eat at Osaka vs. the $50 ish to eat at Shogun. The 2nd difference? Well, I could easily eat at Osaka in my pajamas and not feel out of place- not necessarily a good thing. Karl & I noticed a recent addition to the interior of Osaka- plastic wrap on all the windows... questionable for sure. Why not indulge in a Friday night date closer resembling Shogun, you ask? Well that would be because I live in Sumter and there isn't a place where I can't wear my Pink sweatpants that say "sexy" on the butt of them.
-Saturday Karl & I ventured to the big city- Columbia- to spend a few hours at the zoo in the gorgeous weather that has decided to visit South Carolina. Apparently every single person in Columbia that has at least 3 children had the same idea. It was so super packed.




-I am enjoying our church here more an
d more- each week I walk away feeling so challenged- not just encouraged, but like actually challenged. We took communion this week and they played a song that we used to listen to a lot when I was in Shane's youth group in Arlington. It totally brought this flood of memories and thoughts and ideas from the past 10 years. I'm so, so, so thankful for the church that I was raised in and the pastor that was and is still shepherding both young people AND the whole congregation. Shane had this like token list of songs that always seemed to make their way through the speakers during quiet times at camp or on retreats and then again when I asked him to make me a worship CD in high school which is what I listened to during both trips to Africa... anyways, good church time, as always.

-Monday Karl & I tried to enjoy some much needed time outside. We absolutely do not spend enough time outside, well, I don't spend enough time outside and I think it effects my mood and attitude more than I may know. SOOOO, we took a super long walk, enjoyed big huge Sonic drinks, watched a Redbox movie, and I cleaned cleaned cleaned and did laundry laundry laundry with the windows wide open all day long. It was a wonderful day. I should note that it ended with Karl eating a Bison burger- gross. I was reluctant to kiss him for the rest of the evening. My family has been going hippie back home and eating like all organic food so when my mom was here, she insisted we find a natural food store and stock up on grass-fed, organic, and natural meat... so we did. Anyways, Karl wanted to try Bison so he grilled it up last night and he liked it. I obviously refused to try it.

-Yesterday I shopped at the Commissary- that is the grocery store on the base. There is nothing more annoying than people talking in military code and acting like anyone who doesn't understand it is a fool... So, there you go. Commissary=grocery store. Well, there groceries are apparently infinitely cheaper than walmart or anywhere else so I bit the bullet and went and shopped there. I'm always reluctant to try new things on base, especially without Karl. It seems as though everybody is so confident and knowledgeable about do's and don'ts and boy, there are a lot of do's and don'ts. Anyways, my grocery trip went great! I loved the size of the store- not too big but they had everything I needed (except fresh fish). Y'all, get this, I compared my receipt to a walmart receipt with almost identical purchases and I saved.... $40 bringing my budgeted $100 a week on groceries down to $60!! I couldn't believe it. No coupons, no gimmicks... straight up savings. Each of their items are anywhere from $.75-$2.00 less than walmart. A big box of honey nut cheerios cost me $1.29. Woo hoo! I 100% hate to boast about these savings because 99.9% of my loyal and faithful readers can't follow suit and shop on a military base. BUT, when Karl & I move and live close to you all, I will take you grocery shopping on base, promise, and you too can save serious cash money.

Hope you enjoyed this rousing weekend update.
Hannah K.C. Burton

Ames

I know everyone has really been missing my posts the past few days, so sorry for my absence but MY MOM WAS HERE! I had the best time with her! She found a great deal on a flight literally less than a week ago so I only had a few days to anticipate her arrival and prepare this palace of a house for her stay. It was actually really great that she didn't give me much warning because the days leading up to her coming were soooo long- I was so excited for her to get here! Karl & I LOVE to have company (hint hint) and just soaked up every second of her stay. She got here last Sunday and stayed until Wednesday- not long enough! While she was here we toured Sumter, shopped (and found the adorable garden blingies)



, baked, celebrated Valentines Day



, got Bieber fever (in 3-D)



, cooked, relaxed, walked around the base, visited Karl at work, and she took Karl & I grocery shopping- twice (I felt like I was in college again and it felt gooooood). She spoiled Karl & I like Santa Clause. It was so so so so nice to have her here. I can't wait to have more guests and to have the rest of my family come visit us (wink). I think she got a fun peek into the life that Karl & I have here- our quiet, strange, new life. Her being here also made me realize the weird things that Karl & I have to do to give ourselves a highlight to our day... like Karl announcing he sprayed his cologne right on his chest to spice it up a little. Well, come visit us and I will treat you like a queen.

Hannah K.C. Burton

MOPS

Last fall I started working at a local Mothers of Preschoolers meeting that meets every other Thursday.  I knew it would be a great way to continue to be around kids like I always have been, mostly because I knew there was no telling how long it would be before Karl & I made friends with anyone... let alone people with children.  I have such a soft spot in my heart for kids- I LOVE them all and just die everytime I get to spend time with them (especially babies & toddlers).  Anyways, I was initially placed in the 16-24 month room- such a fun age!  Sweet babies, some a little unsteady on their feet, exploring their voices and learning to put words together, starting to share or maybe be selfish... anyways, it was so fun... except for Deb.  I think Deb (slightly changing name for the sake of her dignity) walked right off the SNL set.  I legitimately laughed out loud during my first interaction with her but then had to recover it when I realized she wasn't joking... I actually don't even know how to put Deb's behavior into words.  She walks around the classroom with Lysol wipes in her hands, won't allow the other workers to use waterless hand sanitizer because the children "may touch our hands and then put their hands in their mouths and get alcohol poisoning," and hypervigilantly watches to ensure that not a second goes by that a child's wet diaper sits unchanged... as in, some children will have their diapers changed 4 or 5 times during the less than 3 hour meeting and most of the time they are dry.  waste.ful.  I typically sit back and watch in awe.  I never considered myself super laid back, until now.  I literally prayed that either Deb or I would be moved to another room- she was not tolerable.  I know, that is so super ridiculous.  Well, after about 5 weeks of Deb-suffrage I was moved to the infant room!  YAYYY!!!  I'm in there with 2 grandmothers who know best, oh lord.  It is infinitely better being in that room and who doesn't love teeny tiny babies?!  And I know that these two women have more experience with babies and kids than most of the mommas that bring in their little ones combined but if they take one more headband off of a baby girl because "that mom doesn't know she is changing her head growth and development" I might scream.  I finally got so irritated last week that I said, "well my mom put headbands on me and my sisters and we've all made it just fine." Ha.  I'm not even sure that we wore headbands but I couldn't handle the wiser than thou comments anymore.  Thennnnnnn, a woman comes in to lend an extra hand that isn't normally in the infant room with us and sees a fussy baby.  I know that this baby has horrible reflux issues and I know that this baby is a thumb sucker.  This woman, we'll call her Pat, immediately and dramatically sweeps this baby up and says, "OH MY GOSH this baby is HUN.GRY. she needs to be fed now!  I had this baby one week and I told the mom that she wasn't feeding this baby enough ounces often enough.  Oh this baby is ready for rice cereal.  Yes, yes she is.  Oh poor baby, you're just starving."  Well, actually this baby is on a strict schedule, she just ate and she is suffering from reflux and gas pain.  "OMG look, she's so hungry she is EATING HER HAND."  Are you kidding me??  She sucks her thumb, similarly to half the world's population under the age of 5.  So, Pat proceeds to make a bottle and begin to feel the baby but she is feeding the baby sitting up so the baby is having issues sucking and swallowing.  Well Pat then proceeds with the following, "OH baby, you are just so hungry you are just inhaling this!!"  Well actually, she is sort of choking because she is eating in an unfamiliar position.  "Well I'm going to have to take this bottle away from you if you're going to suck it down this fast!!"  Well that's smart.  Punish the 4 month old for taking her bottle in a way you see unsuitable.  That'll fix the situation.  THEN it was time to change said baby's diaper.  Oh lord.  Pat did the changing, "OH MY GOSH, Momma needs to air this baby out at home!!  These cloth diapers are just HORRIBLE!  All these 'green' people..."  Seriously?  Because I was under the impression that until about 20 years ago, cloth was all that existed and all of our booties turned out just fine.  Needless to say, that was the longest 3 hours of my life... well, since I was in a classroom with Deb.  I'm hoping Pat decides to NOT make an appearance in the infant room for a looonnnggg time.  And her shenanigans carried on like this with pretty much every single baby, "How about Mom worries more about putting socks on her than a headband?"  Were you not listening when the mom said the baby will not keep socks on? And "Nobody wears smocking anymore.  Why can't more moms dress their babies that way?"  Where I come from, smocking still exists and I see it all the time.  Open.your.eyes.  Pat made matter-of-fact statements for 3 hours straight about everything from autism to reflux to headbands and teenagers.  I wanted to die.  She didn't know that I am a nurse and could literally see full paragraphs in my head out of my med/surg textbook stating the exact opposite of what she was saying.  Get outta here, Pat.

Despite what the previous may seem, MOPS is so fun for me and I really look forward to it all week!  ANND I protect the babies AND moms from people like Pat.  Not only that but I suppose Pat (and Deb) mean well and despite what they say, they take very good care of the kids so nobody is in harm or suffering at all.  But, obviously, I know everything and am the ultimate babysitter.

Hannah K.C. Burton

lemons, drama, and pity parties

I hope I can be forgiven for my ridiculous pity party. I was gently urged by the lord yesterday to wipe my tears and knock it off so enjoy the lemonade I made out of Sumter style lemons. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, please review my previous 2 posts and try not to judge me, and grab a Kleenex because it.is.ra diculous.
Happy VDay Weekend,
Hannah K.C. Burton

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Meltdown moment

Sitting in my car outside the Sumter "mall" having a meltdown worth documenting. All I want is fresh flowers. Is that really so much to ask for? Shockingly, there are multiple florists in this town but I've called 4 so far to ask what they have in stock and have received the following response, "roses & carnations." Really? REALLY??? Or they pause, take a deep breath and sigh loudly like i am asking them to spell Zsa Zsa Gabor's name correctly and process to slowly and meticulously list off 5 different variations of awful. Now I knew better than to order an arrangement; I was going to buy a bunch or two of something and put them together myself... But can't we get a little creative here, people? Roses and carnations. Where I come from, florists keep peonies and garden roses in stock and they have more filler flowers than just baby's breath. I know, I know, peonies are grown in Cali and have to be flown in blah blah blah...SO DO IT! FLY IN THE PEONIES. I've been brutally reminded several times this week that I don't live in a convenient city anymore. It's challenging me this week. I refuse to back down- I will not, will not be filling my house with roses or carnations.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Todo, we're not in Kansas anymore

I was so excited to decorate for Valentines Day.  I scoured the internet looking for inspiration and found several fun DIY things that I wanted to make to decorate with.  I think I was so looking forward to decorating because it's one holiday that I felt like I could go all out for our dining room table and maybe a wreath and then be done with it, as opposed to Christmas where I am genetically obligated to throw up Christmas on every flat surface in this house.  Anyways, I was harshly reminded that I no longer live in a city of convenience when I went to our ONE craft store (the smallest Michaels I have ever, e-v-e-r seen) and totally struck out on the bulk of my DIY shopping list... So I totally quit.  Our house has no hint of love in the air.  Or pink or red.  Or hearts.  Or fabric scrap bags filled with candy and homemade cookies for me to force Karl to take to work tied with raffia.  It makes me feel inadequate, I know that is TOTALLY ridiculous but like, this week I had this one homemaking goal and it didn't happen.  blah.  Whatever.  Bite me, Hallmark.
I'll leave you with this inspiration I gathered and am not using so, have at it.

Sincerely,

mail-order child

Karl and I have ordered our first baby.  We are the proud new parents of a Kitchenaid!!  I am super super excited to add this charmer to our kitchen and can't wait until she comes... in 4-6 weeks- woof.  This was one of the first things I registered for but because of how pricey it is, I was pretty sure this would be a Christmas/birthday gift or something we splurged on for ourselves post-wedding.  Then, my sister got engaged and was gifted the exact same mixer I registered for- hello green eyed monster!  Well, thanks to basically everyone Karl & I know, thanks to our friends and our friend's friends, our family and our family's family, we won 3rd place in the Crate & Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest and scored ourselves a $2500 shop card to C&B so here I am, 6 months post wedding, with a solid chunk of our C&B card left, still pining for a mixer.  Well well well, time to purge some of that shop card on my pistachio green Kitchenaid stand mixer.  Yes yes yes.  I'm not exactly sure why this colored is referred to as 'pistachio' as these nuts are clearly not the same color as the mixer... whatever.  I am so excited to get it and have fun with it!!  Reminds me how thankful Karl & I are for friends, family, and strangers alike and how fun that contest was for us during our engagement.  Well, I will definitely report back once the new member of our family comes.  Have any great recipes I should try once the kid gets here??  Desserts?  Pastries?  Sauces?  Breads?

Please & Thank You,

eggy egg eggs

i have a love/hate relationship with eggs. love/hate in that sometimes i love them and sometimes i hate them, not that i love to hate them- that would be weird. i recently bought cage free, organic, vegetarian fed, brown eggs... i have never eaten/bought an egg with any, let alone all of those characteristics and let me tell you, you get what you pay for with eggs! man! i'm on the fence with organic stuff and going with trial and error on what to splurge on and buy organic and not. for what my opinion is worth, i would say that eggs are totally worth it! normally, i will crave a fried egg or omelette about once or twice a month but about halfway thru my plate, i want to throw up. not this time ladies and gentlemen! these eggs are so so good- i would say "mellow" is the perfect word to describe them! so, fork over the extra $2.00 and go buy your dozen eggs in the fancy plastic container. you won't regret it. not only are they delicious, but i picture very happy chickens roaming about in a sunny field eating vegetarian stuff. if any of you are aware of my last semester of nursing school, you know it was spent in the confines of tyson chicken plant in springdale, arkansas aka hell on earth. i thoroughly enjoy thinking of happy chickens.

enjoying my 63 degree weather here in SC while my friends and family brave single digits
happy snow day,