Weekly Happenings- Zero Week

Things look a bit different around here lately...

The first two weeks of TBS (The Basic School) are called Zero Week. They call it that, because they don't officially start training until Week 3, but I'm convinced they call it that because it means you get zero sleep and have zero energy left. Oh, and zero idea on when to expect arrival at home :)

Keagan’s training so far has been pretty busy. We were told that his schedule would be filled with long and unpredictable hours.They were right. He usually leaves before 5 AM, and doesn't return until 9-10 PM. On his first day, he got home at 10:15 PM, had to read 60 pages for homework, and then was up at 3:15 AM to leave for base. Yikes. This will be a challenging six months for sure, but what he is learning will be invaluable. I'm already beyond proud of his work ethic.

I had "spouse orientation" on Thursday, so I finally got to meet some of the other spouses. It was great to get to know some new people and hear some solid answers on what I can expect and should be prepared for. I'm quite thankful for the advice passed down and the connections made. I even met several ladies whose husbands have the same MOS (job specialty, basically) as Keagan, so we'll get to see them even after we leave Virginia.

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. I've continued to enjoy our windows. It may  be silly to get excited about windows, but seriously, you guys, I love keeping our shades open all day. Also, I got bored one day and made chocolate chip cookies (yes, again). I really need to start getting more adventurous in my desserts, but my cookie recipe is so no-fail that I never risk wasting effort. Thanks mom, for teaching me how to make the best cookies in the world!

I've also been watching storm clouds rise above the apartments, only to be disappointed and watch them pass on by. I'm going to miss the intense midwest thunderstorms that I love so much! Our weekend allowed us to catch up a bit, although it was still quite busy. Keagan had to shop around for some supplies and that took most of Saturday up. On Sunday, we found a church that we really appreciated and we're excited to go back next week. That filled a need!

Now, in case you need to fill a snacking need, but don't want to feel guilty about the ice-cream you've already eaten...make some carrot fries! I'm a vegetable lover, so these are like candy to me, but even if you're not huge on vegetables, give it a try. They're perfectly between crunchy and soft, and beyond delicious. For real. It's unbelievable how good carrots can taste.

Carrot Fries

-Thank you, Summer for the inspiration!

Carrots

Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, and Minced Garlic (or Garlic Salt)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Wash and peel carrots, then cut into shoestrings with the thickness of your choice.

3. Toss with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and garli to taste. Lay out on a baking sheet.

4. Roast for 20-25 minutes (watch carefully, as the thickness will affect bake times). If you like them like I do, they should be just a bit blackened. 

5. Eat a lot of them.

6. Be proud of your vegetable-eating.