Pumpkin-Carving Party

My husband, daughter and I were invited to a pumpkin-carving party earlier this week. What a brilliant idea! Families carved pumpkins side by side on the picnic table and lawn, with the little kids scooping out the seeds and the bigger kids helping their parents carve the pumpkins. Once the masterpieces were finished, the families headed inside to enjoy a potluck meal.

My Traveling Troop had never been to a pumpkin-carving party before. But we are glad we attended! Our pumpkin, which we bought earlier this month during a visit to a farm, had been sitting on our balcony without a design etched into it. The party gave us the motivation we needed to carve the pumpkin. Plus, it was certainly inspirational and fun to see everyone's designs.

Have you ever been to a pumpkin-carving party? What design did you carve into your pumpkin this year?

Cheers,
Kristina

Ghosts At The Naval Postgraduate School

I was excited to meet members of the Monterey Bay Officers' Spouses Club earlier this week for a chance to tour the Naval Postgraduate School's Herrmann Hall. After all, the building was once known as Hotel Del Monte -- the luxurious resort of choice for celebrities such as Charlie Chaplin and Jean Harlow.

As night fell, however, we walked up a winding stair case with only the faint glow of cell-phone lights guiding our way. And, I started to feel nervous. Once we reached the top, I couldn't shake the feeling even as I gazed at the twinkling lights of Monterey, Calif. 

I also couldn't help but turn around every few minutes to see who or what was behind me as I followed the spouses-club members through Herrmann Hall's rose garden, basement and grand ballroom.

Can you blame me? Before our tour of Herrmann Hall started, we watched a short presentation disclosing how people had died in the building, which first opened in 1880. Also, John Sanders -- the special collections manager at the NPS Dudley Knox Library -- was giving us a tour of the building while sharing stories about encounters that military officers, spouses and housekeepers have had with paranormal activity during their time there. According to Sanders, each year there are many reports of paranormal activity -- including strange sounds, smells, lights and other electronics turning on and off by themselves and full-body apparitions.

Let's just say after the tour I broke my record for fastest walk to the car that night! I've been to a pumpkin patch and went to a couple of darling Halloween parties geared towards children this month. But sometimes it's nice to experience some spooky fun like the ghost tour of Herrmann Hall as Halloween approaches!

What are your plans for Halloween? Are tours of haunted buildings on the list?

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Scott Air Force Base Enlisted Spouses Club

*Moving Mondays is a post about issues military families face as they get stationed around the world. Tune in each Monday for tips and stories from military families and other experts aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

The main goal of the Scott Air Force Base Enlisted Spouses Club is to raise funds for charities. However, the club -- which hosts monthly meetings -- is also a great way to meet a mix of active duty, retired and reservist spouses, according to Sherri Madrigal, the president of the spouses club. The other perk? The club can help spouses learn about Scott AFB in Illinois and St. Louis, a city located nearby. Madrigal, whose husband is in the Air Force, kindly agreed to share with My Traveling Troop’s readers more details about how the club can help spouses who move to Scott AFB in the question and answer section below. 

Scott AFB Enlisted Spouses Club members attend meetings with fun themes
such as the Beauty Pageant Murder Mystery Party held earlier this month.

Q: Describe three of the most popular events the spouses club hosts that give military spouses an opportunity to have fun and meet new people.

A: We try to have a different theme each month at our meetings. For example, our October meeting was a Beauty Pageant Murder Mystery Party. Last month’s September meeting was at Scott Lake, and was the End of Summer picnic. Next month for our November meeting we will be having Thanksgiving-type food and will be playing Pictionary. We also have fundraising events on and off base to raise money and awareness of our group.

Q: Describe three of the most popular events or activities, if any, which give military spouses an opportunity to explore and learn more about the St. Louis area.

A: I would have to say the St. Louis Zoo.  It’s free; you just have to pay for parking and any other activities inside the zoo; The St. Louis Cardinals games; and of course the Arch.

Q: What tip or piece of advice would you give a military spouse about to move to Scott AFB?

A: For any spouse moving to any base, whether you are a new or seasoned spouse, definitely get involved in the spouses clubs on base, the squadron’s spouses club or the base clubs. These help the spouses get to know the other spouses on base and in different squadrons. They also help the spouses get involved in different activities around the base and the community… One of the best ways to feel at home with any assignment is to become involved in base and local activities.  The (Enlisted Spouses Club) is a great way to get involved and expand your military family by providing camaraderie and support to one another in a fun and loving atmosphere.

Q: Is there anything else you wish to highlight about the spouses club, or what it’s like moving to and living in St. Louis?

I’m a southern girl, so living in the Midwest is definitely a change for me…be prepared for the inconsistent weather here.  Scott AFB has many commands here (TRANSCOM, AMC HQ) so there are a lot of generals here.  That is also something to get used to. But because of that, the base is a really nice base. 

Pom Poms For Triathlons

I was looking through pictures taken during my first triathlon and noticed that I took a photo of a bright blue tissue paper pom pom. Why would I do that? I wanted to remind myself what a great idea it was! A woman used it to help her easily find her bike in a sea of bikes that day. Luckily, my bike was located near hers. So, the pom pom ended up helping me too. Perhaps I'll try to make one for my next triathlon. I found easy how-to instructions on Martha Stewart's website.

Do you compete in triathlons? How do you find your bike on race day? 


Cheers,
Kristina

Dining In Napa

The Napa Valley in California attracts its share of people looking to taste wines. But after swimming, biking and running in my first triathlon, I was focused on eating. I wasn’t alone. Accompanied by my food-loving husband and daughter, we dined our way through wine country. Below is the list of places My Traveling Troop tried and our dish about each place.

Azzurro Pizzeria E Enoteca. 1260 Main Street, Napa Valley, Calif. My Traveling Troop needed a place to eat in walking distance of the Ceja Vineyards tasting salon. The other criteria? With my triathlon taking place the next morning, I wanted to fuel my body with Italian food. As a result, a Ceja Vineyards employee recommended Azzurro Pizzeria. I loved the sleek, blue and white decor as soon as my eyes laid on it. But the question was: would my family adore the food too? To answer that question, my husband, daughter and I happily shared three dishes. First, we dove into a cherry-tomato bruschetta, a special that day. The vibrant yellow tomatoes were cool and refreshing, exactly what we needed after a three-hour drive from Monterey on a warm day. Next, we tried the rigatoni -- a hearty dish made of hot Italian sausage, bite-sized mushrooms, tomato and mozzarella. My husband and I usually don’t add salt to dishes when we dine out. But, we both felt a dash was needed to perfect the bruschetta and rigatoni. That said, the pizza we ordered didn’t need any extra salt. Perhaps it was the salami and olives on the pizza that added the right touch. What was our daughter Bella’s verdict? The olive fan devoured her pizza as she sat in her high chair, a sign of a good meal.

V. Sattui Winery. 1111 White Lane, St. Helena, Calif. All I wanted for a post-triathlon reward was a trip to a winery for lunch and a soothing glass of wine. However, the winery needed to be family friendly because Bella was in tow. Unlike our previous trip to wine country, we didn’t have time to do much research. My Traveling Troop had to rely on a quick Google search. We discovered V. Sattui had picnic grounds and offered a variety of food options such as barbecue, wood-fired pizza and deli items -- foods that Bella loves. We decided to give it a shot. My Traveling Troop went to the picnic area and dined on grilled pork ribs and Pacific prawns topped with salsa verde. We also tried grilled jalapenos with cheese and salsa. The ribs, which were coated in V. Sattui’s chipotle barbecue sauce, were sweet and peppery -- a combination of flavors we couldn’t resist. The ribs were quickly devoured. The rest of the food was delicious too. The picnic area, shaded by a canopy of trees, was lively with the chatter of young singletons, couples and families. Yet, the atmosphere was relaxing too. Bella was even having a great time chatting with other kids at our table. We could have easily spent the rest of our day in the picnic area. Now, My Traveling Troop wishes we did. Instead, we ventured into the tasting room, which wasn’t kid friendly -- a disappointment after our time at V. Sattui’s sister winery Castello di Amorosa on a previous trip to the Napa Valley. The V. Sattui tasting room was packed with couples and tipsy singles ready to mingle. There was no seating for adults or kids. An employee helping Clayton and me with our tastings offered Bella a highlighter and paper to keep her entertained. Unfortunately, she also offered our daughter grapes from a cardboard container that previous patrons had spit their pits back in. Yuck! Clayton and I ended up taking turns walking Bella around the tasting room and deli. What we should have done was bought a bottle of wine and enjoyed it outside in the relaxing picnic area while Bella ran around with other kids there that day. And, I should have followed my own advice by calling ahead to see if the tasting room was kid friendly.

Cielito Lindo. 1142 Main St., Napa, Calif. My husband and I went to the family owned and operated Mexican restaurant for dinner and decided to order several antojitos (appetizers) instead of platillos fuertes (main courses). Each antojito was beautifully plated, like the ceviche of diver scallops nestled in sea shells and topped with a cilantro-jalapeno dressing and a side of vegetable chips. More importantly, each dish tasted good too. The ceviche was light and fresh, as if the scallops were served straight from the sea. Meanwhile, the rest of the dishes we tried -- the mole enchiladas, braised pork belly tacos and a queso fundido of melted jack and manchego cheeses, chorizo and bay shrimp -- were hearty and a medley of rich flavors. Bella fell asleep on the way to the restaurant and continued to slumber for most of the meal. Clayton and I felt like we were on a date in the small, beautiful restaurant -- a rare treat! But, when Bella woke up she treated herself to some of the queso fundido and chatted with our friendly waitress until it was time to leave.

Moving Mondays: If Anything Can Go Wrong, It Will

*Moving Mondays is a post about issues military families face as they get stationed around the world. Tune in each Monday for tips and stories from military families and other experts aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Have you ever heard the saying “If anything can go wrong, it will”? Kristen, the blogger behind My Life as his (Air Force) Wife!, knows the saying all to well -- especially after her move to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois from Kaiserslautern, Germany. Thankfully, the arduous journey -- which Kristen writes about below -- was worth it. Scott Air Force Base is located near St. Louis. And, Kristen -- a sports fan -- has been enjoying the home of the NFL Rams, NHL Blues and the MLB Cardinals, who are on their way to the World Series. Kristen also loves that there is a lot of free things to do in the city, like the zoo, science center and history museum. And, she said the city hosts “tons of yummy food fests like the Soulard Oktoberfest, Taste of St. Louis and the Best of Missouri Market.” 

Want to learn more about Kristen’s journey to the city of sports and excellent cuisine? Check out her guest post below!

Cheers,

Kristina

If Anything Can Go Wrong…

When you are traveling 4,576 miles for a move, you may repeat this statement more than once.  And if you have a move like mine, you may also pull out your hair in the process.  The good news?  I believe that this kind of a move can’t get any worse, so at least I can only go up from there, right?

By the way, my name is Kristen and I am a new-ish Air Force Wife that blogs over at http://jlovesk2.blogspot.com/.  I worked for the Army in Germany for seven years, and met my husband, Joel, during that time.  We just PCS’ed this past summer to Scott AFB in Illinois from Kaiserslautern, Germany, and this story is about our PCS disaster process.

When you fly from OCONUS (overseas) to CONUS (the states), or vice-versa, you have to fly on military air, or MILAIR.  So to start off our PCS, the first leg of our flight got delayed about 36 hours.  That was bad for multiple reasons.  One, we had a connecting flight that we procured ourselves, so since it was just a 12 hour delay to start with, well...let's just say that we paid a few change fees out of pocket.  Note to self: let the military procure all future travel.  We booked our hotel for another night, since we had nowhere to go.  Don’t ever do that unless the military says to.  Since it was delayed further, they set up a hotel nowhere near the terminal, but we had to stay there if we wanted any kind of meal vouchers.  After our new hotel stay, the bus took us back to the airport, where we were stuck for what seemed like forever.  We also had screaming kids on the plane. Not crying or upset, just screaming! And parents that decided they would rather ignore their child for the ten hour flight than actually parent.  Yay.  I understand that the kids were probably more frustrated than we were, so we did our best to understand.  We were finally packed in the old and dated aircraft, which by the way had a malfunctioning in flight entertainment system, and were on our way.  But wait!  We had another hour delay once on the plane because they forgot to gas it up.  After that, we were finally off to Baltimore, and then to Indianapolis, where we had more work to do.

We packed up a U-Haul of my stuff from Indiana, which went pretty well, and headed out for our five hour drive to our new home.  Things were going great! I was driving behind my husband in my car, and about an hour away from our destination, the drive shaft on the U-Haul literally broke off in the middle of the interstate, which I subsequently ran over.  It busted not one but two tires, and bent both of my rims.  This was at 7pm on a Sunday.  After an hour on the side of the road and pulling multiple ticks off of us (eww!) we were finally taken to a Holiday Inn until the morning when both the U-Haul and my car would be repaired.  Monday around 7pm, we were back on the road.  We made it to the house that night, unloaded a mattress, and passed out!  The next day we unloaded the U-Haul, which gave us enough stuff to survive until early August when we get our household goods from Germany.

We survived our PCS and are loving our new duty station.  I started grad school, and if anyone is in the area, I am still looking for a job.  Stupid government hiring freeze!  Well, I hope that if you learn anything from my story, repeat “this too shall pass” and know that while it may suck at the time, it will all be worth it and hey, your story can’t possibly be as bad as mine, right?

New Design!

Hello everyone! Do you notice anything different about My Traveling Troop? Thanks to Laura Jane Designs, My Traveling Troop is sporting a new design!


I love that it will be easier for you to find posts that interest you. I'm also a big fan of the travel icons at the top of each page, which reflect destinations My Traveling Troop has been (like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Statue of Liberty in New York City), places we hope to visit some day (exotic beaches dotted with palm trees in Asia, the giant ferris wheel in Singapore and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy) and cities we hope to see again (Paris' Eiffel Tower and Big Ben in London).


So, stick around and explore the new website. I would love to hear what you think!


Many thanks to Laura Jane Designs for creating a blog design fit for a military family who moves, lives and travels around the world!


Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Bargain Fair In Monterey

*Moving Mondays is a post about issues military families face as they get stationed around the world. Tune in each Monday for tips and stories from military families and other experts aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have moving and deployment related questions, or tips and stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

As you can see, My Traveling Troop still has some major decluttering to do! Luckily, I recently learned that the Monterey Bay Officers’ Spouses Club will host a bargain fair on Dec. 3. The fair allows military families to rent a spot at a parking lot in town and sell anything they need to get rid of -- whether it's toys and clothes or furniture and appliances. The bargain fair, which is like a yard or moving sale on a much bigger scale, is held four times a year and it’s about time My Traveling Troop participate!


Are there bargain fairs where you live? How do you declutter and get rid of stuff?


Cheers,
Kristina

Pumpkin Patches In California, Virginia

Hello everyone! What is your favorite part of Halloween? Is it the candy? The costumes?

My Traveling Troop loves kicking off the Halloween season by going to a pumpkin patch. It’s a tradition that we started the year Bella was born. Below are some pictures from the pumpkin patches we have visited over the years and a brief description of each place in case you live close enough to visit.


Borchard Farms. 142 Rodgers Rd., Salinas, Calif., 93907. We couldn’t resist going to Borchard Farms on Saturday after hearing about its charm from a military spouse. At the farm, we discovered more types of pumpkins than we ever knew existed. The types of pumpkins ranged from baby bear, which the cashier said was great for making pumpkin pie, to red-warty thing, which didn't sound or look as appetizing. The farm also displayed pumpkins of a variety of sizes, including the giant pumpkins it’s known for. Our daughter Bella, of course, loved the area set up for kids. Bella tried a bounce house for the first time, loved it, then happily tried another bounce house that featured a slide and a basketball hoop inside. She got her face painted with a rainbow, then helped herself to shaved ice. Apparently, the farm had more activities to offer such as a corn maze and haunted barn. But alas, we were tired and it was time for us to leave Borchard Farms. On our way home, we got an up-close view of farm equipment waiting to be used and workers picking and packing what looked like romaine lettuce. No wonder Salinas is known as the Salad Bowl of the World.

Cox Farms. 15621 Braddock Rd., Centreville, Va., 20120. My Traveling Troop visited Cox Farms’ Fall Festival in October 2010 and was immediately struck by its size. While Borchard Farms’ pumpkin patch is small and charming, Cox Farms’ Fall Festival was massive and action packed. Giant slides snaked over and around hills. Tractors carted families on hayrides. And, talented-music groups entertained the crowd as they dined on barbecue and other goodies offered at the festival. Bella loved dancing to the music. She was also a fan of the kiddie zone, which featured a wooden train to climb in and out of and a slide that was perfect for her age and size at the time. Her favorite part, though, was the opportunity to pet, feed and chase goats. Cox Farms’ Fall Festival proved to be fun for the whole family, and it was worth the long drive from where we lived in Alexandria.

Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill. 3606 Seminary Rd., Alexandria, Va., 22304. Clayton and I were new parents in 2009 and excited about taking Bella to her first pumpkin patch. First, we went to a Halloween event hosted by the USO at a nearby base. The event featured free food, drinks and gift bags for kids. There were also animals families could pet. Overall, we had a lovely time. But, they only had baby pumpkins available the day My Traveling Troop went and we dreamed of something bigger and carve-worthy for our little girl’s first Halloween. So, I researched local pumpkin patches and found one at a church near our home in Alexandria. It was easy to get to and I loved the video on the church’s website, which explained that proceeds from the pumpkin patch goes to help the community. Just one problem: my husband and I waited until Halloween weekend to visit Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill’s pumpkin patch. Apparently, we should have picked an earlier weekend to visit the popular patch because all of the beautiful pumpkins had already been snapped up. We ended up turning a couple of sad-looking pumpkins around so we could take pictures of Bella, donated money in exchange for decorative corn and squash, and headed to the local Safeway to buy a pumpkin. Silly parents! Lesson learned.

Is there a pumpkin patch you love to visit where you live?

Cheers,
Kristina

A Family-Friendly Day In Napa

My Traveling Troop recently spent a weekend in Napa Valley, Calif., mainly so that I could compete in my first triathlon. But, we managed to fit in a day of fun for the whole family.

Our first stop: Playground Fantastico located at Old Sonoma Road and Freeway Drive in Napa. 

As we got out of our car, we were greeted with the sight of a rocket arch.

Bella was ready to run through the arch and start playing on the castle, swings and other play structures located on the other side. But first, we enjoyed a picnic at one of the playground’s colorful tables.

To be sure, the playground doesn’t offer dazzling views of vineyards or the rolling hills that Napa Valley is in known for. Rather, it overlooks a middle school football field. 

That said, I highly doubt your kids will care. Bella surely didn’t. She was more interested in climbing up and down the castle’s rope ladder, sliding down the slides and dangling from monkey bars. And, after a three-hour drive from Monterey, that’s exactly what she needed.

The playground also makes a great stop after a long car ride because it has clean bathroom facilities. Just sayin’.

After some serious playtime at Playground Fantastico, it was time for a dessert of wine for Clayton and me and ice cream for Bella. 

Our next stop: Ceja Vineyards’ tasting salon at 1248 First Street in downtown Napa. Located just a mile from the playground, it was easy and quick to get to.

The tasting room looked like a lounge with its myriad of sitting options. There were cushy-leather couches and sets of bistro tables and chairs for My Traveling Troop to choose from. Our family sat at the bistro table and chairs, so Bella could easily play with her bag of Halloween goodies while we tasted wine.

Plus, the table offered a view of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store next door. Clayton planned on taking Bella there once she was done playing with her Halloween goodies.

Eventually, two friends that were also going to compete in the triathlon the next day showed up to keep me company while Clayton and Bella ventured off for ice cream and a walk downtown.

Apparently, there are toy and ceramic-painting stores within walking distance of the tasting room. If we had time, I bet Bella would have enjoyed picking out a toy or painting ceramics.

Alas, it was time to mosey over to a nearby restaurant for dinner -- an experience I’ll write about in another post -- and get some shut eye before the triathlon.

Have you ever taken your kids to Napa? What are some of your favorite things to do there as a family?

Cheers,

Kristina