The Brosius': 2008

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Ahh.... Staycations! By Matthew

Okay, we said that we were going to update this more often, so here we are for the 2nd day in a row! Here's what has happened since yesterday's post. Last night on a whim I decided to make dinner for the two of us. We had chicken legs, so I made Spiced Beer Braised Chicken Legs with glazed carrots and Parmesan seasoned rice. Despite the fact that it tore my stomach to a thousand pieces, it actually turned out pretty well. After dinner Rory wanted to make Angel food cake with a plum sauce for a topping. While that baked we had a Pacman tournament which I of course won! Just don't mention it or ask about it. I know what you're probably thinking, but no, we are not LOSERS! Because we did go out as well. One of Rory's former co-workers was having her "Last Night Out" with a couple other girls before she moved across the country. Rory and I met up with them in Carlsbad and hung around for a while before returning home and retiring for the evening.

You may be wondering what I meant by "Staycations." Well, I will tell you then! Staycations are when you are vacationing at home. That's what we did today! Have you ever woke up and thought to yourself "I just want to clean the whole house today!" If you have, then you are boring. Because today we woke up and took Boomer to the dog park, AGAIN! Today there were many more dogs than yesterday. And they were all bigger! We found that Boomer is a little attached to his parents. He seems to hang around Rory and I even when there are plenty of things for him to do. We tried walking him over to get some water after we had been there for a half an hour or so, but he was scared away by the other dogs sniffing at his butt! He loves to sniff other dogs, but as soon as a bigger dog turns around to sniff him, *whoosh* he's gone with his tail between his legs! The way it looks, the dog park is an every other day activity due to Boomer being exhausted within 15 minutes of us showing up.

I still haven't explained the "Staycations" aspect of our day. As soon as I mentioned it, I was typing about the dog park. That's not at home! How would that be a "Staycation" when it's not even staying at home? I apologize for the confusion. Our staycation started today after the dog park. Rory and I donned our swimsuits, our sunglasses, our towels, our SPF Ozone Sunscreen and walked down to our pool. That's right. We have a pool! Not only a beach, but a pool! We didn't mention that about our new apartment, but we have a pool and a hot tub! Now you see what I mean by staycation! We both laid in a poolside bed and began relaxing. Within minutes I felt the smog in the California air burning a hole in my personal ozone layer, aka my sunscreen, but we continued to lay, baking, for around an hour. Thankfully the sunscreen did it's job for the most part. Rory and I are not crispy, just pinkish. Tonight the plans are to make dinner, maybe rent a movie, but just "stay" around the house. Relaxing with each other really has been the best part of my time off. I hope you understand a little bit more of why staycations are so awesome now. Imagine just spending time with Rory. That really is everything you could ever want. I know it is for me! Hope to talk to you soon!

Friday, August 1, 2008

Yes, it has been almost three months. I KNOW!

Okay Okay, I knew we would not be good at this whole blog thing. This is because between the two Brosius' we have about this much follow through (x<0).>

Here's what has happened since April :

1. We moved. After being broken into and robbed at our lovely little abode on Oceanside Blvd, we picked up and moved about a mile away to Carlsbad. Don't worry visitors...we are still one mile from the beach. (I know this is the only reason you people want to visit..mooches).

2. I started a new job with the Marine Corps (I really don't know how this happened). After years of making bad Marine Corps jokes, I MARRIED a Marine and now I WORK for the Marines. Anyway, its a relatively fun job, I get to train Marine Corps Families on Readiness issues. My office has no air and I realize now that the Air Force would have been the way to go. Kidding.

3. Matt went on pre-deployment leave for the month of July. His parents came to visit and we took a few fun mini-vacations to LA, Washington DC, and Temecula. Pictures will follow in another post, because there are so many.

4. Thanks to Tessa, I started and finished my first scrapbook as a birthday present to Matt. This is a slightly embarassing, extremely expensive, time consuming habit, which I hope to continue while Matt is deployed (mainly because it takes me HOURS to create one page).

5. We joined a winery when we visited Temecula. I know I sound like a win-o, but it was really fun, and gives us something to do every few months when we pick up our shipment, plus the winery we joined has a lovely resort and we now get 10% off when we go to stay.

6. Boomer is socializing with other dogs (beginning today) at the dog park in Carlsbad. We were very excited to find a place where we could let the little neurotic one off of his leash.

Okay, I think these are all the really important things that have happened (again, we are not win-os) And again, I will really work hard to update more often..

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Padres, Crepes, and Soccer, OH MY!!!

Today I made the statement that someone's blog was boring. I was graciously reminded by my co-worker Tessa that, "Frankly Rory, your's is getting there". So here I am. I will try very hard to maintain a weekly post :-).

Last Friday, Matt and I went to the Padres game, only to see them lose to the LA Dodgers. I am convinced when I attend sporting events that the team I am cheering for always loses. After attending both a Cubs and a White Sox game in the DC area last season and now the Padres, my theory of the "rory brosius losing touch" has been solidified. This means, don't take me to a game if you want your team to win; that is unless, they are playing the Cubs, White Sox, or Padres.

The experience itself though was very fun, and the Padres organization is very military friendly. I'm pretty sure if they weren't, they wouldn't be welcome in what seems to be the military capital of the United States, but that is another story for another day. Desert camo jerseys were worn by the Padres, and the ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by the Commanding General of MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot-San Dieg0), Brigadier General Angela Salinas. There were also pretty great fireworks after the game. If I figure it out, I will post the video here.

As usual, the highlight of the entire event for us was the food (I'm sure this is not a surprise to anyone reading the blog). San Diego's ballpark has about the best French Fries I have ever tasted in my life. They were COVERED in garlic herb butter. I'm quite sure that the two of us continued to smell like garlic for a full 5 days following the game.

Following the game we were welcomed home by the dog, who was sick for the next 24 hours. After this experience, which involved getting up every 1.5 hours to clean up the mess and take the dog outside, Matt and I tacked an additional 5 years on to the "we're not having kids for X years" total. The sick dog was enough for us. Because I will be 87 by the time we decide we are actually ready to have children, perhaps we will post stories about our "fur baby" Boomer (as I have heard obsessive pet owners refer to their pets) as if he is a child.

Sunday we drove to San Clemente to have crepes at La Galette Creperie. They were amazing and the weather was beautiful! We sat at one of the tables on the sidewalk facing the ocean and had a really lovely brunch. We finished our with a gigantic Smores Crepe for desert. I'm not sure if brunch really includes a desert course, but I think it should. We walked off (yeah right) our crepes by taking a leisurely stroll down the pier.

We finished up the weekend with my first soccer practice with my new adult co-ed team. It was really fun to be back on the field playing again even if I am out of shape! We'll be playing in two tournaments in June and July.

In other news, Matt is continuing the Intelligence Course at Pendleton, and is really enjoying it. He is making alot of professional connections and is getting his feet wet in a career he may pursue outside of the military.

Check back next week for another episode of "As the Brosius' Turn...." :-)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

So It Begins....

I've noticed that lots of members of my family, namely my cousins, are blogging. This seems like a good opportunity to begin one for Matt and I. So here it goes!

Recently (by recently, I mean three months ago) Matt and I moved to his new duty station, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, just north of San Diego California. Since arriving we have settled in nicely--moving and settling into our new home, getting jobs (okay, so he already had his, but it is technically a new job), getting older (the big 2-5 for me....Matt's 22nd is coming at the end of April) and most recently....adopting a dog.

Boomer was adopted on March 22nd and came home on March 24th...he's a mutt, we think a mix between a terrier and a corgi. This post will bombard you with pictures because we have taken so many since we have arrived.

Matt has been assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines. So far he is enjoying being a "grunt", though the hours are very different than the hours he had while a member of the Silent Drill Platoon. It has been very different for me to see him in Camis every day, as I was definately a sucker for the "Pretty Marine" (he hates when I call it that) dress blues he so often wore while at 8th & I. Just recently he found out that he was selected to be the Platoon Intelligence Representative, a very cool new position. We know that the training he will be receiving will translate into civilian job skills too, always an added bonus.

As far as free time goes, Matt took up surfing almost as soon as we got here, and seems to enjoy doing that, though work hasn't left much time for it during the last month or so. I think this proves that he is crazy, as I will not be setting foot into the water until the weather gets warmer. Oh, did I mention we live a mile from the beach??

Although it took me a while, I am warming up to Oceanside/Camp Pendleton. I started an research administration position at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research at the beginning of March, and I think my transition is going well. Right now, the position is temporary (I'll be filling in for another admin who is about to go out on maternity leave) so until July, I'll be commuting to La Jolla for work.

Matt and I have really been enjoying our "honeymoon" and settling into our new life together. Even though his hours are strange we are much more able to have a "normal" domestic life as far as having dinner together everynight, entire weekends together, etc., which we were not used to in DC. While the impending deployment has provided quite a bit of stress (mainly because I am a big whiner) it has made us a stronger couple. We have absolutely LOVED exploring California together and so far we have taken day trips to so many beautiful places. We've gone to Temecula to visit the wineries, driven up the Pacific Coast Highway to LA, visited Kodak Theater the day before the Oscars (see picture with Oscar, below), gone to Magic Mountain for my birthday, seen the sunset, and taken lovely walks on the beach.

I know being 3 hours behind most of our friends and family has made it difficult to keep in touch with us. I'm hoping this blog will keep you up to date! I'll be posting pictures, as well as any interesting tidbits, and probably, quite a few rambling entries in the months to come. :-D

The Brosius'