In Case You Missed It...

*Dont forget to enter my Italian inspired giveaway here! 

Hello loves!

While Im traveling and getting over some jet lag, I thought Id share a guest post with you that I wrote a month or two ago for Maranda at My Camo Colored Life. Ill be back to my regularly scheduled blogging soon. Enjoy!



Hi! Im K from Uncork & Unwined. Im a nurse practitioner by trade, a wino and foodie by choice and love. Since moving to Germany last June with my AF husband, we've had a blast traveling the world and navigating life overseas. These days I fill up my time with blogging, planning our next trip and preparing for our new addition, due in September.

When Maranda asked me to guest blog for her, of course I jumped at the chance. She is a doll, a fellow preggo and a fun gal, so why would I not? The problem was, I had no clue what to write about. This happens every time Im asked to guest post. I get writer's block immediately and freeze up when it comes to choosing a topic. Thankfully, a topic did come to me and it was such a simple concept really- getting back to the basics.

For my blog, the basics are all about wine and coffee. So that's what this post is all about- two of my favorite things. Unfortunately, I havent been able to partake in either for the last 18 weeks or so. Like Maranda, I am pregnant and counting down the days until I can have unlimited wine and caffeine again. Until then, I can watch enviously as my husband enjoys the pleasures of both. Oh, and talk to you guys about them.

We currently live in the land of beer and wine- Germany. Good wine is inexpensive, easily accessible and in some cases, locally grown. We've had the pleasure of experiencing many new wines since our arrival here last summer. We plan to continuously stock our supply, to hopefully build it up to 200 or so bottles by the time we leave here so we'll have a nice collection to take back with us.

One of the new wines that we have tried and love is called Dornfelder. It is a German red and usually dry, wine. It's smooth and delicious and since it's made right here, it's also very inexpensive. My favorite is:

A Spanish wine called Finca De La Vega is our current Spanish favorite. 

And for only 2.99 euro a bottle, we buy it frequently.

Another hit is a Spanish wine called Dona Dominga. 

It's a blend of Cabernet and Carmenere. So good.

As much as Germany is the land of beer and wine, coffee is a close second. It is customary to have a coffee drink after a meal. I prefer mine during the day, but they like to drink it around the clock. There are cafes everywhere and many drinks to chose from. These drinks arent your typical Starbucks variety. They are stronger, bolder and smooth. Flavors are not usually available, though some cafes do offer mocha, caramel and hazelnut.

We've tried coffees from all around the world while here in Europe. Dutch, Kenya, Sumatran, Ethiopian, German, French, and Italian are a few. Our favorites at the moment are:

We bought this at a German market in Mannheim. It's a
Guatemalan whole bean.

My brother introduced us to this and we are definitely fans.

I just cant wait until September when I can indulge in all of these again! =)

Guest Blogging Today

I'm a guest blogger today over at the annoyed army wife, so go check it out! She's one of my favorite bloggers, so if youve got time, stay and look around a bit. Her husband just arrived home from a 6 month deployment.
I talk about my recent trip to the States and the interesting travel fashions I saw along the way. My question for you guys is this: when you're traveling, more specifically, flying, what do you wear and why? Personally, Im all about comfort and safety on a plane, but I know other people have different concerns. Im glad because it makes for some interesting people watching!

Guest Post: The Recovering Brit

Today marks the last of my guest bloggers. Ive really enjoyed all of my guest bloggers and hope you have too! Nicky from The Recovering Brit recently took a trip to New Zealand and shares her experience with us. Nicky is fairly new to the blogging world, so head over to her blog and leave her some love! She has a great "How we met" story!

The Screw Cap Edition

Hi folks! I’m delighted to have been invited to Uncork & Unwined today. I just love K’s blog, not least of all because I too have a passion for coffee, wine & travel. So on that note, I have decided to chat a bit about my recent New Zealand trip, where wine played an integral role. My boyfriend & I were there on vacation for two & a half weeks in January, & we particularly enjoyed our wine tour in Marlborough.

Since this was my first visit to NZ, everywhere we visited was new to me. And  everywhere was also fabulous. Reaching Marlborough was no exception, even though we arrived in grey, overcast, misty & tremendously windy conditions – right in the middle of a cyclone that was bringing in some extreme weather! Despite this, however, the scenery remained gorgeous, & I remained excited about our wine tour.

The Marlborough region of the South Island is considered the wine capital of NZ & is famed for its (delicious) Sauvignon Blancs. Since this just happens to be my ultimate favorite wine, I didn’t think I could go wrong! Our wine tour was booked for the following day, & we expected to be enjoying our vino in raincoats since the bad weather was forecast to continue. So imagine our surprise next morning when we unexpectedly awoke to beautiful, cloudless, blue skies & bright sunshine - weather that was perfect for wine tasting, as well as for further accentuating the amazing scenery.

I’d booked our tour with Bubbly Grape Wine Tours (http://www.bubblygrape.co.nz/)  - they had great online reviews from previous wine tasters, so I felt we couldn’t go wrong there. We weren’t disappointed either. Kerry who runs the company was our tour guide for the day. She is a very lovely, friendly & fun-loving Australian, & knows more than quite a bit about the wine industry.

There were only 4 of us on the tour, so it was a really cozy trip. Our cohorts were a slightly older Dutch couple who were so much fun to hang out & drink wine with. Kerry took us all to five local vineyards, including Bouldevines Estate (http://www.bouldevineswine.co.nz/cellardoor.asp) which we really loved – they have a handful of other things on site, in addition to their cellar door for wine tasting - including a nice café, gift shop, ice cream & fudge shop, & liqueur tasting room. All in all, a great stopping point to cover a multitude of evils!

During the tour we got to sample heaps of wonderful wines at each vineyard – many Sauvignon Blancs as you can imagine, but also some other lovely whites, such as Chardonnay, Gewurtztraminer & Pinot Gris (which we took home with us). And although Marlborough is better known for its whites, we also happened upon some of their fantastically aromatic reds – in particular some Syrah as well as a tasty Merlot-Malbec blend which also both found their way home with us!

Kerry extended our tour way beyond the scheduled finishing time – we must have been a well-behaved group! She squeezed in an extra, fifth vineyard for us, even though we were initially supposed to visit just four. I really didn’t want the day to end, it had all been so perfect – weather, wine and company. We couldn’t have asked for a better day all around.

Marlborough was our last stop on the South Island – the morning after our wine tour we headed a north to Picton to catch the ferry across to the North Island. It was very sad to bid goodbye to the South Island, and in particular the lovely Marlborough region – we could definitely have stayed there longer. But we were still excited to see what adventures (& wines) the North Island had to offer us.

If you’ve never been to NZ, I’d highly recommend it if you ever get the chance to visit – and be sure to stop over in Marlborough. Even if you’re not a fan of the grape, the scenery alone is worth the visit.

Guest Post: My Life as his (Air Force) Wife!

Today's guest blogger is a real life friend of mine! We started reading each other's blogs right before I moved to Germany. She's lived here for six (!) years, so I knew she would be a great resource. What I didnt know was what a great friend she would become. Im so happy to have her today and I know youll all enjoy her post. She's a newlywed who just got back from her honeymoon...in the Maldives! So be sure to check out her blog when youre done here and see her gorgeous photos! 

First of all, I want to thank K for allowing me the chance to guest blog for her.  She is a great blogger, a dear friend, and if you think her recipes look delicious, they are absolutely delicious to actually try!  An additional thanks to her for providing samples at various times of her tasty treats.  Thanks, K!

Well, as a first time guest blogger, I had to rack my brain for what to write about.  Back in May of 2010, I said “I do” to the wonderful “J” of the J loves K of my blog!  We decided to take a delayed honeymoon somewhere warm when winter came in order to escape the winter blues.  We just got back, and yes, it was amazing!  But, it got me thinking of how crazy it was that Joel and I actually met.

I never believed in soulmates growing up.  That was just in the movies, and things like that don’t really happen in real life.  But, meeting Joel made me change my view on that.  I know, it does sound cheesy, but stay with me here.

I am a Midwesterner from Indiana whose entire life consisted of staying in the Midwest.  Big family vacations included Nashville, Cincinnati, Louisville, and the fancy city of Chicago!  No one in my family ever left the state for good.  My mother fully intended that I will always live within a 10 minute drive from her, as our house growing up was only two blocks down from her mother’s house.  That is just how her side of the family was.  But, I had different plans.  When I was 20 and still in college, I got a rare opportunity to move and live abroad.  So, with two suitcases and my dog in hand, we flew (by ourselves) all the way to Germany.  I have been here for six years now and I love it!

Joel, who is four years older than me, grew up in Oregon.  His dad was retired Air Force, and after he graduated for college, decided during his job hunt that he would follow in those some footsteps and commissioned the same year that I moved to Germany.  In the amount of time I have been here, he has been stationed all over, from Japan to Turkey.  In 2009, he received orders for Spangdahlem Air Base, about an hour from me, and a place I have only been to a handful of times. At the last minute, his orders switched him to Ramstein, the base next door to where I work.

It just so happened that when he moved to Germany in June 2009, we had a mutual friend.  The very first week he was here, she invited him to a movie night that I was putting together.  I happened to be on a kind of date that night.  But, he was very nice and a friend of a friend, so he tagged along.  While it took me a little while to notice him in “that way,” Joel tells me that that night, he just knew that he had to get to know me more.  There was something about me that spoke to him, and he wiggled his way in my circle of friends.  After a little while of flirting, he finally admitted his crush and I knew, then, that I was crushing back pretty hard, too.  The first date was it for us.  I knew I wanted to get to know him more, and he said that he fell in love with me that night. (Of course he didn’t tell me that night.  Then this story may not have happened!)

Of course, our circumstances make it totally possible that we never should have met and our paths never should have crossed.  But they did. And we fell in love hard and fast.  When people say someone completes them, I get that with Joel.  He really does.  And so is the story of how this Hoosier met her Beaver.

Guest Post: A{muse}ing mommy on a pink park bench

Today's guest is Mrs. Mootz from A{muse}ing mommy on a pink park bench. It was on her blog that I first guest blogged and now here she is, guest blogging for me! She's adorable, has an equally adorable son, is crafty and is about to take an amazing trip to... well, Ill let her tell you.

A Wee Bit O' Travel Help, Please

I am so excited to be here at Uncork and Unwined today! Isn’t K just the duck’s quack? She’s always been one of my favorite reads, so I’m psyched that she asked me to guest blog for her!

I know many of you come here to read about her wonderful travels, so I thought this might be the perfect place to tell a little secret I’ve been keeping and ask for some advice.

Stonewall and I are going to IRELAND!

Whoooot! (I totally tried to write an intro to that announcement, but the suspense was just too much for me…)

About two weeks before Christmas I was perusing some travel sites (as I tend to do and dream…) when I saw a headline for one week in Ireland including travel and board for $600 per person.

Sounds a bit too good to be true, hm? I thought so too, but I clicked anyway just to see what was up. The travel site said the same thing: One week in Ireland, including round trip airfare, a car and B&B vouchers for $600 a person. So then I called the travel agency because I figured there had to be small print somewhere. Turns out I was right.

The small print said we had to leave from JFK...totally doable...and travel during certain dates…certain dates that we just so happened to have available…

Maybe I’ve inhaled too many poopy diaper fumes, but that sounds like a pretty good deal to me. So I booked it as a Christmas gift for Stonewall! Stonewall was completely taken by surprise. He knew I had gotten him a pretty big gift, but he was completely clueless. I wrapped smaller gifts as clues for him and put limericks (another clue!) on each gift. He didn’t figure it out though until he opened his final clue which was a scratch off map. I scratched off all the places we’ve been together and I included Ireland in the mix. Needless to say, he’s pretty stoked.

So like I said, I need some advice…

What should our itinerary look like?!

We fly into Shannon on a Thursday (we leave on Wednesday and our flight is overnight) and we have until the following Tuesday to get our butts to Dublin (we leave early Wednesday morning). We spend the first night in a hotel in Limerick, the next four nights in random B&Bs of our choice, and the final night in a hotel in Dublin.

The only thing I know I WANT to do is go to the greyhound races. I’m not seeing the races mentioned in many tourist sites/books, so I’m guessing it’s more of a local thing to do which makes me want to go even more.) They’re only held on certain nights, so I’m having a hard time deciding which day and stadium would be best. Right now I'm thinking Cork, but that means skipping the whole southeast portion of Ireland and I hear that's a pretty beautiful part to miss. There's also Limerick, but the races aren't until Friday evening, so that means two whole days in that area and that seems bit of a waste of valuable sightseeing time. Do you see my dilemma?!

Other than the races I’m at a loss. There seems to be so much to do and see. There are the typical tourist attractions, the Blarney Stone, various castles and famous natural attractions, but there’s also the best local restaurants, the pubs, shopping, all the cool local things most tourists skip. I don’t even know where to start. Add to it that I have no idea how long it will take to get from place to place…

So HELP ME! Tell me where to go, what to do, what we MUST see, what we can skip, and where the best place to find a pot o' gold is. Send the advice my way, please!

Guest Post: My Goal is Simple

Today we have Karen from My Goal is Simple. I simply adore her and her blog so I was thrilled when she agreed to guest post for me. Her husband recently returned from deployment and they are about to embark on a whole new adventure: moving to Oklahoma! She has the most adorable little boy, loves wine and just got her Master's Degree. Sounds awesome, right? Go check out her blog, after you read her post here!

My Goal is Simple

As a first time guest blogger, I am typing this post with just a tiny bit of fear. What if I ramble about nothing you have no interest in reading, therefore causing you to curse my blog and pray I receive a bad case of writer's block, just so you don't have to worry about ever stumbling across my musings while combing through your reader? The horror! So while I am a bit scared, my ego can handle this rejection; after all, I blog. Which means I am conceited enough to think other people want to read my thoughts. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know there are some out there who blog for themselves and themselves only but (surprise!) I am not one of them. Because if I were, I would just write in my private journal (which I do, but we're just going to ignore that little factoid) and call it a day without leaving my mark on the Internet.

I am not afraid to admit that I am a tad obsessed with my quest for contentment and satisfaction. I want it all. Leaving this world without sampling every sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell frightens me. Questions concerning I am doing enough to ensure that I am living to my fullest potential race through my head at night – bouncing back and forth like Charlie Sheen in a New York hotel room.  I just want a long and happy life…is that too much to ask? Ruth Bernhard didn't think so.

If you're not familiar with Ruth Bernhard, I suggest that you check out her work. Some of her work is arguably among the most famous contemporary photographs of female forms. Breathtakingly beautiful. By all accounts, she was feisty. How can you not love that? I recently came across her Recipe for a Long and Happy Life. I thought I would share because it is too good not to. I tried to find the original source where Ms. Bernhard first wrote/said the recipe, but my search was unsuccessful, otherwise I would link it. If you know it, please share!

Recipe for a Long and Happy Life

1.    Never get used to anything


2.   Hold onto the child in you


3.   Keep your curiosity alive


4.   Trust your intuition


5.   Delight in simple things


6.   Say 'Yes' to life with passion


7.   Fall madly in love with the world


8. Remember: Today is the day!

Easy enough, right? If I pray hard, dream big, and follow this recipe for a long and happy life, there is nothing that can get in my way (cue inspirational background music). And maybe, just maybe, I can have a long and happy life. Or least prevent you from cursing my blog.

Guest Post: Tomorrow is Another Day

Today's guest is one of my absolute favorite bloggers! Angela is the kind of girl that I would be BFF with, and yes, I know that just from reading her blog. Im completely envious of her writing style and wish I had her way with words. While I may be living in the land of her dreams, she is currently living in one of mine. Ive always thought the Charleston, S.C. area would be a wonderful place to settle down...eventually. 

Hi, I'm Angela from Tomorrow is Another Day, and I first discovered Uncorked and Unwined through the MilSpouse Friday Fill-In.  I was drawn here by the allure of vino, and kept here by K's beautiful travel stories, delicious recipes, and adorable personality.  I also have a teensy obsession with her, because she is living My Dream.

You know how some people have a dream job when they're small?  Something that drives them their entire life toward greater accomplishments?  Well, I've never really had that kind of ambition.  When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina.  Things didn't really work out in that direction once I dropped out of ballet class at age 9.  Then when I got older, I wanted to be a psychologist.  Until I found out you had to take a Stats class in college.  Nixed!  My lifelong ambition has been to live overseas.  And once I joined the military, then married a fellow military man, that dream became more focused on moving to Germany.

My husband and I love to travel internationally, but the part that makes it most challenging to do on a budget is buying that plane ticket.  I love that living in Germany, so much of the world is just a train ride away.  There are castles around every bend.  More cathedrals than you could visit in a lifetime.  Ruins for everyone!  BMWs are the cars of the common man.  Schnitzel!  Strudel!  And the chocolate is SO much better!

Of course, this is just my dream world.  In reality, I know the snow would crush my soul.  Being on the other side of the world from family and friends would be difficult.  There are plenty of quirks that would probably drive me to drink, including laundry facilities in the kitchen and tiny bathrooms.  But still, I think the adventure would be so worth all of the little... pits in the road!

We've still got about two years left in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina, before we get our next assignment, and I'm loving our experience here.  So for now, I'll continue to live my German life vicariously through K's adventures!  Have you ever wanted to live overseas?  If you've already had the experience of living in another country, did it live up to your expectations?

-- 
“I love people who make me laugh.  I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh.  It cures a multitude of ills.  It's probably the most important thing in a person."  ~Audrey Hepburn~

Guest Post: {Mis}Adventures of an Army Wife

Today's guest post is from one of my favorite bloggers. I know if I ever need a laugh, I

can get one from reading her posts. She's funny, sarcastic and isnt afraid to speak her

mind. Her post today is a very creative one that I would love to try one day. She did

a great job and it looks beautiful!

Enjoy!

Beer Can Butterflies

About two months ago, I had this brilliant idea that I was going to make my own wall art.  You see, we had just moved into our new apartment, and it hadn't occurred to us that our gorgeous, vaulted ceilings also meant a 20 foot wall that needed to be decorated.  In the photo below, you can see just how bare the wall looked.

We brainstormed for a few days about what to use to decorate that space.  I didn't want to buy anything too expensive (because I'm way too poor for that!), so I decided we should make something.  Then I realized that not only were my craft skills comparable to that of a second grader, and I had no ideas.  An episode of Gossip Girls rescued me.  If you're a Gossip Girls fan, you know that above Serena's bed, there's a crazy piece of art work made from butterflies.

 

 

 I did some googling and discovered it was an installation by NYC artist Paul Villinski.  He, literally, cuts butterflies out of beer cans he has collected in NYC and mounts them to the wall.  When my husband heard the term "beer", he was immediately on board with the project! Shocking, right?

We actually went out and purchased a 24 pack of canned beer.  I was determined that we were going to cut out the butterflies I needed for my wall art just like the artist did.  Let me tell you, that didn't last long!  Do you know how disgusting canned beer is?  Thankfully, due to my awesome research skills, I discovered you can purchase a roll of aluminum that is very similar in weight, composition, thickness, etc.. as a beer can.  Not only did I save some calories, but I saved tons of money!

I downloaded some butterfly shapes from the internet and got to cutting butterflies of various sizes.  After a trip to Walmart for spray paint, I had beautiful, blue butterflies!  

I was really excited about my blue butterflies until I realized I hadn't thought about how to get them on the wall.  We ended up trying (probably) every solution known to man - different tapes, adhesives, etc.  The answer was actually in my sewing box.  I just used sewing pins to pin the butterflies on the wall just like a butterfly collector would pin a butterfly in the display case.  

Here's a photo of the partially completed project!   

Here's a closeup of the butterflies.

Technically, the project is only half-complete.  I had planned for the butterflies to really fan out over the TV.  Unfortunately, I'm just too lazy for that!  The completion of the project would include getting up higher on the ladder (which is too high for my comfort!) and moving the TV.  Maybe if the Army keeps us here for longer than 5 more months, I'll finish the project.   

If anyone's willing to come over and cut out butterflies, let me know!  There could be free (and terrible) canned beer involved!

Guest Post: Wife on the Roller Coaster

Today I'd like to welcome Wife on the Roller Coaster from Riding the Roller Coaster. 

Her blog was one of the first that started reading when I jumped into the blog world

almost a year ago. She's a MilSpouse, runner, reader & wine lover. In other words, 

a lot like me. (Well, except for the runner part.) Her family experienced an 

overseas tour in Japan. Japan! I simply can not imagine how crazy that 

must have been. Germany & Europe are one thing, but Asia and Japan?

Another kettle of fish all together. Today she shares a little of what

life in Japan was like. I cant wait to hear more! 

Living Overseas and Turning Japanese

 Before I start, I just want to say how excited I am to be guest posting at Uncork and Unwined today!  I love living vicariously through her adventures abroad, and I so wish I could fly over to Germany and have a glass of wine with her!  Her stories and pictures inspired me to share a little bit about my own adventures abroad.  So here goes…

“Jacksonville or Japan?”  I stared at the phone in disbelief as my husband told me the options for our next duty station.

“What happened to California or Virginia?” I whined.

At the time, we were already living in Florida, and I had little desire to stay in the Sunshine State.  On the other hand, Japan didn’t top my wish list either.  I had never traveled outside the US before, I didn’t want to move a half a world away from my family, and I wasn’t exactly known for my adventurous personality.  All signs pointed to Jacksonville.

But somehow, I heard myself blurting, “Japan.  Let’s go to Japan.”  And 5 months later, I was living overseas and turning Japanese.

After only a few days in Japan, I wondered how in the world I’d last 3 years in this country that was so foreign that I couldn’t even pretend to blend in.  As a taller than average, blonde American woman, it was impossible not to stand out in a Japanese crowd.  Besides my physical appearance, I could neither speak nor understand the language, I was rendered illiterate, and I was terrified of driving on the left side of roads that were half the width of the roads I’d driven on since I was 16.  What had I gotten myself into?  Was Jacksonville still an option?

It’s always difficult to try something new and jumping into a foreign culture is no different.  I was tempted to barricade myself within base housing, to hide within the microcosm of America that we called the fishbowl.  But I couldn’t hide.  Not only would my adrenaline junkie husband not allow it, but the housing office wouldn’t allow it either.  There were no openings on base housing when we arrived, and we had to move into a Japanese neighborhood while our names slowly crept up the waiting list. 

For me, moving into a cho house 20 minutes away from base was precisely the push that I needed.  Before I knew it, I was exploring Japanese stores and restaurants, driving with ease, and using Japanese phrases without hesitation.  The chorus of the song “Turning Japanese” played in my head like my own personal mantra: I’m turning Japanese, I think I’m turning Japanese, I really think so.

Once I shed my training wheels, I graduated to more challenging feats.  I became a regular at a local onsen (essentially a spa where everyone soaks in hot springs naked), I sang karaoke while drinking chuhais (a fruity Japanese mixed drink), and my husband and I tested out love hotels (that’s a blog post in and of itself).  I joined a spouse club that went on monthly excursions, I signed up for Japanese craft classes, and I joined a dozen other Americans to compete in a Japanese half marathon.  Our family traveled to Thailand and Korea and numerous locations throughout Japan.  We toured castles, we saw geisha, we cheered at a pro baseball game, we admired cherry blossoms, we ate exotic food, we rode the Bullet Train. And the ultimate practice in cultural immersion?  I welcomed my baby girl into the world in a Japanese clinic surrounded by non-English speaking nurses.   I truly did turn Japanese.

Living overseas is a unique experience in one of two ways.  It’s either a dream you hope you’ll always remember or a nightmare you pray you’ll soon forget.  You either love it or you hate it.  And it’s up to you which experience you end up having.  I chose to make the most of our time overseas, and I will always cherish the memories and friends (and furniture!) I left Japan with.  I can’t imagine hiding through an entire tour.  I can’t imagine missing out on all of the amazing things I experienced.  I can’t imagine choosing Jacksonville.  I can’t imagine not turning Japanese. 

Guest Post: Army of Two

Today we have Natalia from Army of Two. She is such an interesting person! I have a feeling that we would be friends in real life, if ever we met. She is about to embark upon a huge adventure and 2011 is going to be a big year for her. If you havent read about it, head on over to her blog now! I promise you'll thank me that you did. 

As American as a Lint Screen and High-Speed Internet

When I moved to New Zealand in 2008, I had lots of expectations.  I was so excited to be an ex-pat living in another country, experiencing a new culture and exploring the beautiful South Pacific.  However, I definitely didn't expect to miss American life so much.  But I did. A lot.

Hell, I would watch shows (on our huge, Soviet-era TV with 4 ft rabbit-ear antennas) that I would never watch back home (or at least admit to watching) just to hear the American accent, see American cities and landscapes, and laugh along to American humor.  It was like going home without the cost of a plane ticket!  Yeah, living in New Zealand is not as different as say, living in China or Kenya, but living so far from family, friend and a familiar way of life really teaches you to appreciate the little things and realize how good we have it here in the United States.

Take the clothes dryer for instance.

I didn't have one in New Zealand and it sucked.  And I'm embarrassed that it sucked.  Electricity is very expensive there so a lot of people save money by forgoing a dryer.  We hung our laundry on clothes lines in the backyard and on two huge drying racks in the living room.  This worked out great on warm, sunny days, but drying often took 3 days or more when it was cold and wet out, which was VERY often. On extremely sunny days you had to keep an eye on your clothes because the sun was so intense that it didn't take very long to sun-bleach colorful laundry.  Life without a dryer led to lots of stretched out, un-wearable T-shirts from the washer's turbo spin cycle and without a dryer’s lint screen, I was a walking ball of lint. Where does all that stuff come from anyway?

Of course hanging clothes out to dry isn’t that bad.  There are many worse things in life and I'm sure something like 80% of the world's population hang their clothes out to dry.  I probably sound like a whiny spoiled brat. But not having a dryer really put American life and our choices into perspective and made me appreciate our way of life a whole lot more.  You have no idea how excited I get what I clean out the dryer's lint screen.

Here are some other simple, daily things that I no longer take for granted:

Unlimited, high-speed internet access-In NZed you pay according to how much bandwidth you use, both downloading and uploading. If you go over your monthly limit, you are punished with dial-up speed. Say goodbye to podcasts, YouTube, Skype, Netflix and streaming radio. I think this actually might be a human rights violation.

Cheese-Unless you're Bill Gates or Oprah, cheese is a luxury. My choices were big bricks of Mild, Tasty, Edam, and Vintage. It was hard to contain my excitement.

A real good bagel-Oi

Pounds, Ounces, Gallons, Calories, Fahrenheits and Miles-Let's see, it's was often 14 degrees Celsius outside, I put 24 liters of petrol in the car, my ice cream bar contained 13025 kilojoules, I don't know how many kilograms I weighed, but I got to drive 100 kilometers an hour. Huh?

Hot water pressure-My pee has more pressure than my shower did in NZed. Sorry, probably TMI.

One faucet on the bathroom sink-You have no idea how amazing it is to have the hot and cold water come out of the same spigot together until you try to wash your face in New Zealand.

Mexican Food-I’m sorry, it’s just not Mexican food if broccoli or beets are involved.

That said, living in New Zealand was an incredible adventure. I traveled all over the South Island, saw some amazing animals, forests, beaches, rock formations, and rainbows, met some wonderful people, experienced new language, food, music, holidays and culture, lived outside my comfort zone and learned a lot about myself in the process.  New Zealand truly is a spectacular country and I look forward to traveling there again someday.

Funnily enough, when I came back to the Good Ol' U.S. of A, I experienced reverse culture-shock and I was overwhelmed by all the choices and mass consumerism.  Driving on an 8-lane highway (back on the right side of the road and left side of the car) and a trip to the grocery store was scary. The land of plenty had become the land of too much! But I quickly got used to it and settled in nicely with a new iPhone.  I just try to be thankful everyday for our freedoms and way of life and support those who dedicate their lives to protecting them.

If you’re interested in reading more about my adventures in New Zealand, check out my New Zealand Blog.

Kia Ora!

Guest Post: the annoyed army wife

Today marks the beginning of my guest bloggers! Im so excited to have each and every one of them. Their posts are awesome and I know you all will love them too. Up first we have the annoyed army wife. She is one of my favorite bloggers. She's sarcastic, sweet and crafty! She's also going through her first deployment, so be sure to stop by her blog and leave her some love. I promise, you'll be happy you did! 


Hobby Time With the annoyed army wife


I’m so excited to be guest blogging on one of my favorite blogs, Uncork and Unwined.  For those of you who don’t know me I’m an army wife supporting my physician husband, OccDoc, during his first deployment to Afghanistan.  My little slice of the interwebs is the annoyed army wife. 


I learned how to sew before I learned to read.  I made my own skirt to wear in first grade from a pillow case.  It was my ‘butterfly skirt’ and I loved that thing!  My mom was a custom dressmaker that taught me just about all I know about sewing.  Through the years she mentored me in my 4H days and eventually I helped her in ‘the sewing room’ on her professional projects which included ice skating outfits for a semi-pro skater, random tailoring, prom dresses, bridesmaids dresses, wedding dresses, and a whole host of other projects.  In high school and college I started pulling away from sewing to pursue other interests, namely boys.  I spent a few years away from the sewing machine, until recently.  I got a sewing machine for Christmas in ’09 and have been busy whipping up home decorations like pillows, curtains, table runners, aprons, etc.  Now I want to get back to clothing construction, but I kind of need a refresher.  Enter my latest pursuit keeping me busy while my husband is deployed. 


A couple weeks ago I signed up for a t-shirt sewing class, aka Knits for Beginners.  I was a bit nervous about it, since lots of time has passed since I’d put a needle to a garment.  I found a great local sewing shop that offers fun classes.  The classes are super small; this one only had two students, me and another girl.  During my class, I realized a kindred spirit, a funny, sarcastic, giggly girl my age, shared the sewing table with me.  Our poor teacher, who is the cutest 22 year old with an old soul, tried in vain to silence the giggles of her two 30 year old students.  With comments like “I think a drunk monkey would have stitched a straighter line” she was hard pressed to keep us quiet.  We all had so much fun that by the end of the first class, we agreed to sign up for the next class, Intermediate Knits: Dress Making, at the month.  Here’s my shirt.

What kinds of new or resurrected hobbies have you gotten into while your husband is away?  And how did you keep up with your hobbies when he came home, or did you drop your new interests?


The Annoyed Army Wife 

On Pause, Push Play

I've been a bit MIA from blogging lately. No real reason except that I just havent felt like it. I feel as if Im in the in-between. The hubs is away on a TDY (and has been for 3 weeks) and I am going to be leaving on a trip soon. I feel like I'm in an apathetic pause. Does anyone else feel like this when your significant other is away? Maybe it's just because he's been away for three weeks and Ive finally reached my boredom limit. I know that I have things that I need to do, things that need to be done. I just cant summon the motivation to do them. This is how Ive felt for the past five days, but today was much better and turned out to be a very productive day.

Interesting things have been happening in the Uncorked household. I promise soon Ill be able to share with you. I can tell you that we have a resolution to the infamous tire saga, as of today, yay! But now we have a whole new awful car problem in its place. Ill blog about it soon. Maybe not before I leave, but soon. The rest will have to wait until Im back from my trip.

Starting this Friday I will host a series of guest bloggers. Please dont be shy and leave them some love. They were all so sweet to guest post for me while Im away and their postings are awesome. I hope yall enjoy them as much as I did!

Until next time, Happy Monday!

It must be guest blogging week for me....

Today I am a guest blogger over at Juli's blog, It's A Dog Tag Wife Life. If you havent checked out her blog, you really, really should. She is adorable, about to get married and features some yummy recipes on Tuesdays. Plus she has the most adorable pets!

Today Im talking about the differences between a Christmas spent in the States vs. one spent in Germany. After the holiday hub-bub settled down I was able to sit and reflect on how this year was different than my twenty-seven last Christmases. I hope you enjoy it! Happy Wednesday!

Recipe of the Week

I am a guest blogger today over at Jolts and Jollies and my featured recipe is below. I was so flattered when Maranda asked me to be a guest blogger for her. I've been a fan of hers for a while now, but I only recently found out that she has a cooking blog. Most of you know her from My Camo Colored Life. Well, she also has a blog devoted to cooking and she features some really delicious recipes. If you are ever wondering what to make for dinner or looking for a special dessert that's going to wow your audience, be sure to check out her blog! Dont forget to head over there today and check out my post, because, as always, there is a good story involved.... ;)

Oreo Truffles
Courtesy of: Kraft

Ingredients:
1 pkg. of Oreos
1 pkg. of Baker's white chocolate baking squares
8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Three simple ingredients

I took this picture prior to burning the semi-sweet chocolate. Ha!

1. Crush the Oreos in a medium bowl. I used a food processor,

but you can use a freezer bag and a can of soup. 

2. Mix 3 cups of Oreos with the cream cheese.
Reserve the rest of the crumbs for later.

3. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper lined cookie sheets.

4. Dip each truffle in white chocolate and place back on wax-paper lined cookie sheet.

I used a fork to dip them into the chocolate.  

5. Sprinkle each truffle with remaining Oreo crumbs. 

6. Enjoy! 

 Happy Monday!

Guest Blogger

Today I am guest blogging over at A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench. Be sure to head over and read my post and while you're there, check out her awesome blog! It's my first time as a guest blogger, so be gentle! =)

Winner & Update!

The Winner of the Sweet September giveaway is.......

#2: The Annoyed Army Wife!

Congrats! Send your mailing info to me at kendra143j@yahoo.com.

(I figured out how to get the Random.org widget on here! BUT I can't figure out how to type underneath it. =/)

It's been a whirlwind birthday weekend! We left on Friday night for Paris to celebrate my birthday and got back late last night. It was an absolutely fantastic trip and Paris is my new favorite city. I will blog about it this week! I was without internet for two days, so I've got a lot of catching up to do this week!

Also, I was so busy last week that I didnt get a Wine of the Week up, but I promise that I will this week. Ill be adding in all of your recommendations!

I wanted to have the next giveaway up today, but I just don't have the time, so Ill get it posted later this week!

Lastly, I will be a guest blogger (my first time!) this week over at a{muse}ing mommy...on a pink park bench, so stop by and check it out! =)

Ps.....I actually put in a max of 9 but when I copied it, it changed the max to 100....(shrug)

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max:

Result:

2Powered by RANDOM.ORG