SparkleShan

A few days ago we had a sand/dust storm for two days. You couldn't see a thing. The roads were red, and no one was allowed to drive off post. Even the sun looked like a white ball (yes I thought it was the moon at first). My hair was full of sand and it took two washings to get it all out. My Chief said sandstorms mean its almost time for us to go. It can't come soon enough, I've had my fill of this place. I am eager to get home and relax for the summer, go to the beach whenever I want, and best of all not go to work! This will be my first summer off since I was 16! The morning started out a little foggy and the sun looked like a little white glowing ball. By Mid afternoon it looked like this and stayed this way for two days.

I took my first ride in a Black Hawk last week over Kuwait. It was fun and a lot less scary then riding in an airplane. Our Shadow in the Sand Me freezing my butt off, it was actually cold that day and I forgot my fleece! Mr. Bowdy laughing at me, Shouldn't you be watching where you are going!! My home for the past 7 months from the Air The coast of Kuwait and the Persian Guld areial shot

So I must say that we have one of the best First Sergeants that our unit has ever had (and I am not just saying that because we have been friends for years before he was the Top Dog). His lovely wife JoAnn emailed me a few days before his birthday and asked if we could do a little something for him over here. Unfortunately we couldn't do it on his actual birthday because he got delayed on a trip to Iraq, but we did it a few days after that. A bunch of us chipped in and got him his very first IPOD. Welcome to the 21st century! Opening the card from his wife.

For lunch we went to the chow hall and they had some amazing butter and ice sculptures. Complete with christmas dinner, I was a bit sad they were all out of egg nog though! In the evening our unit organized a unit Christmas Party.

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I am here in Kuwait...still. This is my first Christmas away from my family and my little bean pie, Emma. I miss all my family back home, but I am thankful for a few good friends I have over here that were kind enough to spend Christmas Day with me. On Christmas Eve a few of us got together and watched Christmas movies to try and get into the Christmas spirit. Then this morning Amy and I exchanged gifts. Then at noon a few of us got together and exchanged secret Santa gifts. Our Secret Santa group (minus Amy, she's taking the picture). Perkins opening up her gifts. Amy looks happy with her gifts! Perkins got the perfect present for B, which he loves as you can tell. First Sergeant showing off his Lions presents from Rogers. He got pictures of what he got because the mail is a bit slow here around Christmas time! Natalie modeling the hats I knit her (below and above), she was my secret santa lady! Rogers showing o...

Every year around Christmas time the Sergeant Major of the Army gets famous people/performers together and brings them to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain the troops. This year they had a bunch of country singers I've never heard of and LeAnne Tweeded and Louis CK. All of of us in the crowd laughing at Louis' jokes. Velez and I being silly (it was so cold out!) Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders LeAnne Tweeden (I really have no idea who she is, lol)

We had to spread some Christmas cheer through the AVCRAD in this hell forsaken country. So the First Sergeant wanted us to set up a Christmas Tree at our Airfield. Amy crocheted some snow flake ornaments for it and the rest came from the PX (yes I find it a bit ridiculous that they have decorations on deployment!). Today we got together and had a pizza lunch and then set up the Tree in the outside break area of the airfield. Everyone got involved, well mostly the girls decorated the tree while the guys sat around and watched. The Crew after we decorated the tree. We forgot to get a star or the top of the tree so someone improvised and put two blue balls as the topper.

Yesterday was Kristen's 21st Birthday. Unfortunately for her we are not allowed to have alcohol over here, but we wanted to make it as special as possible for her. So the crew got Neer Beer and Sparkling Cider. We decorated and had a cook out at the airfield and off course there was some fake drinking going on. Chug, Chug, Chug.... Someone's going to have fun tonight!

November 3rd was Amy's birthday. She is now an offical member of the dried up old lady crew. We got her cake and presents and had a good old time. One of the gifts was a bottle og Lube, actually she got two bottles from different people (you have to see the movie Superbad if you don't get it), Dillis got her a few pictures, one which included a picture of Kyle (her future husband) with a mouth full of 12 regular size marshmallows. Pretty, yummy Cake Amy Cutting the Cake

Today we got a new member to the AJ crew. One of our own, SGT Velez came down from Balad to help out the SSA and she is staying for good! Now I have a another girl to drag to Salsa with me! 1SG, SFC Zalewski and I went to pick her and SGT Carter (who is staying for a few weeks) up from Ali, it was quite an expendition. We had a cook out later on that night to welcome her to here new home. It ended up raining (go figure) but we didn't care! Amy, Velez, Shannon and First Sergeant

It was a last minute thing, but some peeps from the unit decided to have Halloween "Party" Cook out. No one really got costumes, but Kyle and Amy were able to put together costumes with the available clothing. We grilled out at the airfield and ate tons of candy and played uno and jatzee. Kyle as a Russian Polock/Bouncer. He wore an under armor shirt that was WAY to small and Amy's Jeans. The hat is from the Polish Army! Amy dressed up as Mish We played Jatzee and Uno, it was a great time, the only thing missing was the alcohol

We have entered the rainy season in the desert! About 3 or 4 days ago was the first rain that I have seen since we have been in Kuwait. Now when I say rain, its probably not what you are thinking, its more like sprinkles. I need sit outside and watch an awesome lightning storm in the distance the other day, it was beauitful. Last night I was laying in bed and it was actually hailing. It sounded like it was going to bust through our metal roof. When I got up this morning it seemed like rain, ahh. I normally hate rain back home! The things you grow to apperciate when you are stuck in the asshole of the earth. On another note my wonderful roommate, Amy, has returned from her R&R trip to Germany, so now I won't be lonely when i go home tonight! Very soon is my turn to go home and I can't wait. I am literally counting down the days (really I have each day numbered on my calendar)!

Sick of the constent chow hall food that seems to be getting worse and worse. My gym crew and I including the 1SG decided to start having cook outs. We aqquired a grill and a burn permit from the fire station and started grilling out by our PCBs (the buildings we live in). Or first grill session was the night before Kyle and Amy left for Germany. It was a great hit so we did it again a few days later, this time we decided to roast marshmallows and make s'mores. The grilling will continue through out our time here. Everyone hanging out. Roasting Marshallows, yum!

Am I weird or something for not wanting to use plastic bags, because they are bad for the environment ? Is American the only country that recycles? Well the other day when I was a the mall in Kuwait, I was at the American store Forever 21 and they had reusable shopping bags so I decided to buy one to put my purchases in. When I told the girl at the counter that I wanted to use the bag for my purchase and not a plastic bag, she looked at me like I had 3 eyes! She said "what? how many bags are you going to carry?" I wanted to say just put the shit in the bag dumbass ! With the amount of litter I have seen all over Kuwait in their cities, I have come to the conclusion that they don't recycle or know anything about taking care of the environment ! I wanted to share a picture of the wonderfully stylish reusable shopping bag that I carried all over that Kuwaiti Mall.

As some of you may know, I love cute shoes. Well heels actually I don't care much for other types of shoes, but I love heels. A few days ago I got to go to the biggest Mall in the world, the Avenues Mall in Kuwait. And I found a store with the cutest shoes ever. I immediately fell in love when I saw these great pink satin shoes! So I had to get two pairs. One in pink and one in black.

A few days ago I had to go on a mission to Kuwait City to bring a fellow soldier to the dentist. My job was the guard the car with the 1 SG . So we took along Ned and it was the prefect opportunity for a Gnome photo Op. Below are some of Ned's adventures in Kuwait City... Of course Ned had to stop for a Bucks while out on town! And of cou rse Ned couldn't resist the Golden arches!