Good-bye 2011.... Hello 2012!

2011 has been the best year of my life to date! Although, it started off slow with Jim being deployed until March. I kept myself well entertained planning our wedding during those cold wintry months in Charleston and even purchased my wedding dress in early February.

Jim returned home on March 7th. This was our first deployment and I think we did well with the four months of separation. He missed all of the major holidays... Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. After his return, I got to participate in my first Squadron Dining Out. It was pretty awesome and included lots of tradition.

During late March, we took a vacation to New York. We had such a great time and got to see so many amazing things! I even got Jim to participate in High Tea at the Plaza Hotel with me. We visited the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and took a carriage ride in Central Park. The food was amazing and we tried a little bit of everything. I also got to meet Jim's Grandmother who lives in NJ.

Jim was home until mid-May then he headed out to Altus and stayed until June. On his journey back, he went to his parents to pick up the newest member of our crew, Champ! He is our yellow lab that has made our family complete. Although, it took me a while to learn to love him. I was never allowed to have a dog in the house growing up, but he has grown on me (even with all the fur that plagues my house). He is my best companion when Jim is gone. His official AKC name is Ser Bryant Champcelot. He is our boy and we love spending time with him!

Jim headed out to Altus in August and stayed until October. Major stresser since it was Wedding crunch time and he was MIA. I spent a long weekend in OK with him and got to experience Altus for myself. Let's just say it reminds me a lot of home without the mountains. I did having an amazing burger at Meers... but I digress. 

October brought Jim's return and our annual trip to Tuscaloosa for an Alabama football game! Before we knew it the BIG day had arrived! I married the love of my life on November 5, 2011. It was the best day of my life and the whole wedding was perfect! I could not have asked for a more perfect day. Jim is truly my soul mate and God's match for me. 

We had an amazing Honeymoon to St. Lucia! It was a tropical paradise and the best way to relax after a busy Wedding week. We spent our first Thanksgiving together at my parents in Grundy, VA. Then spent our first Christmas together here in Charleston. It was a quiet holiday at home since I had to work this year, but we enjoyed getting to create our own traditions. 

Tonight is New Years Eve. As I sit here,  cuddled by the fire with my two favorite boys, I look back over the year and see that 2011 was the best year I have had. I know all the years to come will only get better as we welcome more additions to our family, welcome new friends, and move to new places. So I say Farewell to 2011 with love in my heart, but say Hello to 2012 with hope!

Happy New Year to all my friends!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree....

Sunday was Christmas! My most favorite day (& time of the year)! Unfortunately, I had to work since the sick children need medications 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The upside was that I was on first shift so I only had to work until 3:30 pm on both the 24th and 25th.

I love treats! Therefore, I made sure to have plenty of treats for my co-workers and myself! I made a coffee cake for Saturday and brought a meat/cheese tray. For Sunday, I made a four cheese quiche and brought cookies. My co-workers were super happy and it made our day that much brighter to have snacks.

It was difficult to be away from family, but it was very nice to have some quiet time with our little family. Jim & I made calzones for dinner on Christmas Eve. Then for Christmas dinner we had ham, sweet potato souffle, breaded squash/zucchini, and rolls. A moderate feast in comparison to what each of our families had, but perfect for us. Jim built us a fire and we watched a movie. A cozy little Christmas for our family of three.

Champ got a stuffed duck that quacks from his cousin, Patton. He loved it and it only took 2 hours for him to rip the duck's head open and pull out the stuffing. The duck is still intact... for now.

Jim and I went small this year as far as presents. We had a big wedding and an amazing Honeymoon, so we felt that we didn't really need a big Christmas. We got some great gifts from each of our families but overall the theme seemed to be "Roll Tide!"


Although we missed our families, I could not have asked for a more perfect First Christmas with my husband! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Tasty Tuesdays

This recipe came to us with a wine pairing from our Wine Club at WineStyles in Mount Pleasant. I made it for  my work Christmas party then for our Christmas dinner. It has several steps, but it is very delicious!


Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients:
3.5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled & diced (3 very large potatoes)
1 tbsp white sugar (for souffle dish)
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup heavy cream
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add diced sweet potatoes, cover, & cook until soft (about 10 mins). Then drain & set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart souffle dish (I used a 2.5 quart casserole dish). sprinkle dish with 1 tbsp white sugar, shaking dish to evenly coat bottom & sides.

3. Place the sweet potatoes into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter, 3/4 cup of sugar, heavy cream, eggs, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. Process until mixture is smooth. Pour into prepared souffle dish.

4. Bake the sweet potato mixture in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

5. Bake the sweet potato mixture until edges are slightly browned, about 40 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.

**Courtney's critique: This dish was an amazing find! It takes the core ingredients of a sweet potato casserole but gives you this smooth sweet potato dish. The original recipe doesn't list the vanilla or cinnamon in the ingredient list, but called for it in the preparation. The quantities I have listed are what I felt would be appropriate. I think those quantities season the dish well without being to overpowering. I have prepared this dish both times on the day before I served it. It reheats very nicely.**

Introducing Tasty Tuesdays!

I am new to blogging, so I struggle with things to write about it. I have spent the last few weeks brainstorming something that would give me at least one post per week. I finally realized that I should combine my blog with my love of cooking! Cooking is very relaxing for me. Although, I hate the clean up that comes with cooking ;-)

Jim loves to eat, but likes variety. I have been scouring for new recipes that are not super complicated to add to my arsenal. I have found several that were easy to make and tasted really good. So, I have decided to share these recipes with my blogging friends including my critique and what I would have done differently. The recipes will be posted every Tuesday thus giving us "Tasty Tuesdays".

I hope everyone finds this enjoyable and perhaps finds a new recipe (or two) that they can add to their arsenal!

Happy Cooking!

Tacky is an Understatement...

Date: December 16, 2011

Setting: The Three Lions Pub at Blackbaud Stadium

Mission: The 16 AS Annual Christmas Party

It was that time of the year where the Lions of the 16 AS gather together to celebrate Christmas and try to out "tacky" each other. The theme was "Tacky Christmas Sweaters". The Airmen were required to sport a tacky sweater, but the wives had the option. This wife did not get an option since my husband said we were in it together. 

Jim and I searched high and low for tacky sweaters but came up empty handed. We found matching cable knit V-necked sweaters at Goodwill. Jim's was green. Mine was red. We found some red and green stockings along with some Gingerbread people stickers and Silver sparkly puff paint. I created a Gingerbread scene on the stocking with lots of sparkle and then attached them to our sweater. I added some sparkly yarn to the cuffs. They turned out hideous which was our goal :-)

We made our entrance at the party and people immediately noticed that we matched. We tried to stay together so people would see that we were a set. We thought we were in the running for the "Holiday Flame" award, but we were edged out by another couple. Awwww shucks!

There were all sorts of tacky sweaters present. Colonel Hahn had Lion slippers attached to his shoulder and real lights on his sweater! Several guys had real lights burning on their sweaters. The best was there were two (not one, but TWO!) people dressed as "Uncle Eddie" from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! One of the Uncle Eddie's was even drinking out of a Moose head cup! 

We had a great time. I met some new wives that live in the Mount Pleasant area not far from us! But, I definitely missed my favorite (former) 16 AS wife, Lauren Coburn! 

Merry Christmas!

A Day of Thanks

Not long after our return from St. Lucia it was time for Thanksgiving and our first married holiday! We traveled to Grundy to celebrate with my family as Jim and I both have to work on Christmas. We loaded up Champ after I got off work on Wednesday and started our 8 hour trek to the mountains of Southwest Virginia.

"Mommy can I jump in these leaves?"

My parents live in the house that I was brought to after I was born. My room is the room that I have had my entire life. It still holds small momentos of my childhood including my beloved Samantha doll. The room itself has been updated through the years from Pooh Bear to pink frills to flowers complete with a cloudy sky to regal Toile. A few years ago my parents upgraded my bed from a twin to a Queen size! Which comes in handy now that I have to share my room with my wonderful husband! I love our house and cherish every moment I get to spend in it. I digress from my original thoughts...

The guys at our first overlook

We spent Thursday with the family and eating lots of food. On Friday, we took my nephew, Zay, and Champ to the Breaks Interstate Park. It is known as the Grand Canyon of the South and has many hiking trials. It was great day for hiking- not too hot and not too cold. We picked a small trail that lead to an overlook to start. Champ had to take the lead and would not let anyone else be in front. Zay wasn't so sure of the whole hiking thing until he saw the Overlook! Then he wanted to go on every trail! We did about three trials total including one that had a very scary overlook at the end with no rails provide security. We also passed over a small stream that Champ had to jump into so he could test the water out. He was such a happy boy running up the hills and smelling all the trees. Friday night was Iron Bowl time! We made lots of yummy food and settled in to watch the game. It was great! Alabama won at Auburn!

Saturday passed quickly. Sunday brought time to pack up and head back to Charleston.

The guys at the scary overlook

Things I am thankful for:
1. An omnipotent God that has blessed me with so many things
2. My wonderful husband, Jim, who is truly my soul mate and best friend
3. My family whom I love very much no matter how far apart we are
4. My amazing friends who I am always thinking about and praying for no matter how far apart we are
5. Our puppy, Champ, who is teaching me how to be a good Momma
6. My house (our house) which is perfect to start our family
7. A paycheck so that I can help support our family and our dreams.
8. My husband's career that he loves and enjoys


What are you thankful for?

If you like Pina Coladas....

Bright and early on the November 6th, we boarded a plane from Charleston to the ATL. From there, we boarded another plane to the tropical paradise otherwise known as St. Lucia. After all the wedding craziness, we were looking forward to 7 days and 6 nights of relaxation. Mental picture of me on a beach with an umbrella drink in my hand ;-)

Several hours later, we arrived in St. Lucia and made our way through customs. We checked into the Sandals lounge and waited for our names to be called. We were herded into a taxi with four other couples and whisked away to our resort. The taxi ride was very interesting and took FOR-EV-ER! First, there must not be posted speed limits because the driver went however fast he wanted. Also, people would just randomly pass each other even if there was a solid line. The highlight of our ride was when we encountered a "political rally" where it was Red vs. Yellow. I don't know all the platforms involved but these people get quite heated about their "sides". It really makes me further appreciate the established democracy that we have in America.

We checked into our Honeymoon Hibiscus suite at the Sandals La Toc Resort and set out to find food. We ate at the "Cricketeer" which served good ol' pub food. After our bellies were full of grease, we called it a night. We fell asleep to the Steelers/Ravens football game (yes, we did have ESPN... Jim was happy).

Monday morning brought sunshine and gorgeous weather. We enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation by the pool. Tuesday, we did an excursion with "Joe Knows". It was awesome! The crew really know how to have a good time and we got to see some amazing things including the Pitons!

Wednesday-Friday included more relaxation and lots of sunshine. Jim convinced me to take a small Catamaran out in the cove. I somewhat enjoyed it and Jim loved being the captain. We also took out a two person sea kayak... which was awesome! Throughout the week, we definitely got our share of the sun, sea, and sand.

The food on the Resort was so-so. I enjoyed not having to wait on a check or bother with a tip. I thoroughly enjoyed a few of our meals, but just a few. I do not eat fish or like to smell it, so being on an island surrounded by fish was not ideal. Jim loved every minute of it! He would capitalize on every meal and order multiple courses. We even splurged on a romantic candlelight dinner for Wednesday night. It was amazing and my dessert was to die for!

Saturday was upon us before we knew it, and it was time to pack our bags. The return trip the airport was just as crazy minus the political rally. The plane ride home seemed to be in slow motion. But, before we knew it, we were back in CHS. Our time on the island was great, but we were ready to come home and sleep in our bed.

St. Lucia was a wonderful experience and I could not have imagined a more perfect honeymoon. We are already planning a trip back for our 5 year anniversary. Good Vibes!

The Best Day of My Life

November started off with a bang! I finished my last day of work on November 1st and had nothing but two weeks of freedom in front of me! I spent the next several days cleaning and finishing up the last minute Wedding stuff.

Thursday was momentous because Jim had his Bachelor Party that night. I won't divulge the details but I will say that we are not short one nice dress shirt. Insert laughs from Wedding party here ;-)

Friday was a big day. I got to pick up my wedding dress... Hooray! We also had our rehearsal and it was FREEZING! The temperature decided to drop on Friday and wind was blowing like crazy. Luckily our Wedding party are all good sports and toughed it out. We made it through rehearsal with no major bumps. That put us one step closer to big show!

After the Rehearsal, we went to the Rehearsal Dinner at R.B's Seafood. It was a great place with good food and an excellent atmosphere. We had a great party and enjoyed warming up! I called it a night after this, but my husband and a lot of the wedding party went for Round 2. But I am happy to say that no shirts were lost on this adventure.

Saturday: THE BIG DAY! I was up early and in desperate need of Starbucks. After I was caffeinated, it was time to begin the beautification process. At noon, I met up with all my lovely ladies and we headed to Strawberry Blonde to get our hair done. Two hours later, we headed back to the resort to put on our dresses and start photos.

Jim & I are not superstitious so we shared a private moment prior to the wedding where he got to see me in my dress for the first time. It was a great moment and I will never forget his face. From there, we went down to start pictures. That time flew by and before I knew it, the ceremony was starting!

It was quite chilly on that day as well. Luckily, we opted for a short ceremony :-) It was all so wonderful and we went with more updated vows to fit our personalities. The ceremony flew by and before I knew it.... we were officially Mr. and Mrs. Jim Lambertsen!
Then it was time to party!



The reception was great. Good music, great food, amazing cake, and liquid warmth for most of my friends! The party was hopping and everyone seemed to have a great time! The highlight of the night was when the DJ played "Sweet Home Alabama" and my husband took off his jacket to reveal custom Alabama party sleeves! The crowd loved it especially all the Bama fans present. Before I knew it, it was time to say our good-byes and make our exit.

We had such a wonderful time celebrating with our friends. We felt so blessed to have so many people make the trip to come be a part of our special day. To steal a line from my nephew, "That was the best night of my life!"

The Return and Roll Tide...

October was a great month! Apart from all the fun things I listed like my Bridal Shower in Grundy, my Bridal portraits, my Bridal Brunch in Charleston, and the return of Ser Bryant Champcelot.... October was especially wonderful because my fiance (now husband... augh!) returned from Altus! After being apart for a extremely long short time, it was so nice to have Jim home especially since we were getting close to the BIG Day! Being apart is part of our lives, but it is always nice when he comes home!

Not long after Jim returned, we made what has become our yearly pilgrimage to Tuscaloosa, AL to see the Goodbread family and watch some Crimson Tide Football! We chose the Alabama vs. Tennessee game this year (one of my favorite games to attend). We got to see Tuscaloosa in late October and we also got a first hand look at the devastation caused by the horrific tornado struck Tuscaloosa in April. You don't realize how awful it truly is until you see it with your own eyes. Shout out to my brother-in-law Chase Goodbread for all his efforts with "Forget Us Not Tuscaloosa"! (Check it out on FB friends!)

We had an awesome weekend with Chase, Michelle, Pierce, Peyton, Layne, and Bella! We had delicious grilled porkchops (courtesy of the Big Green Egg which my husband now desires) on Friday night. On Saturday we had lunch at Mugshots (delicious fried pickles) then headed to Willehagen's for Chase's Podcast with TideSports.com. Then it was time for the game to begin!

Joe Namath was the Honorary Captain

Let's Get Ready to Roll Tide!

 
We had amazing seats... Bama sideline Row 1 around the 35th yard line! Joe Namath was the honorary captain for the night, so it was a once in a lifetime experience to see him on the field. Bama had a slow start, but I was never worried! We are second quarter warriors and we rallyed to destroy the Tennessee Volunteers.

We love Tuscaloosa and spending time with the Goodbread Family! Roll Tide!

The Rundown!

Dear Blogger Friends,
I am so sorry that I have been so slack on my blogging! The last two months have been quite eventful for me and my little family! Therefore, I am going to spend the next several days catching up on the rest of October, all of November, and get this blog up to date. I promise to be a better blogger from now on! Thanks for being loyal readers.


Much Love,
Courtney Lambertsen

Let the countdown begin....

Now that October is in full swing, I can start counting down to some very  important dates.
1.) Jim coming home from Altus! Currently he is scheduled to be home on October 15th. I know this is subject to change, but we are in the single digits!

2.) My Charleston Bridal Brunch hosted by my very best friend Lauren Coburn. This is also taking place on October 15th, so I will be in sensory overload all day!

3.) The Alabama/Tennesse game on October 23rd. Jim and I have started going to one game per season and this year we chose the Tennesse game. I am super stoked for multiple reasons. A) I get to see Michelle and her family. B) I get to go to Tuscaloosa and spend time at Bryant Denny Stadium C) I get to watch Alabama football from the Alabama sideline since we splurged on AMAZING tickets!

4.) THE WEDDING! November 5th is fasting approaching! Only 27 more days to go. I have so much to do like rounding up the last of the RSVPs, finalizing the menu/bar, wrapping the attendants gifts, assembling the favors, printing the programs.... Augh! I get stressed just listing it all. Luckily, I am a type A personality and I have gotten almost everything taken care of with the exception of several last minute things. Most of which require a final head count. As my other married friends know, rounding up your wedding guests can be frustrating! But all in all, it will all turn out to a great party!

Other fun things of note:
A. Champ is returning from Grandma camp on Tuesday. I have really missed him, but I did enjoy having a clean house :-)
B. My Household shower in Grundy took place on October 1st. It was amazing. I got so many nice gifts and got to see lots of people that I haven't seen in years.
C. My Bridal portraits were on October 7th. Thanks to my awesome hairstylist, Kami, I looked just how I had pictured. Then my amazing photographer, Nadean, went all out for some (what I hope to be) stunning shots. I can't wait to see the proofs!
D. Alabama is still undefeated! Roll Tide! Unfortunately, the biggest game of the season is on our wedding day! AUGH!

Welcome October! I am so happy to see you!

OKLAHOMA!

I finally made the trek to Altus Air Force Base in Altus, OK. Given all the negative comments I have heard from Jim, his Pilot friends, and other Air Force spouses... I was NOT super excited about this trip. Well, other than I got to see Jim, who had been away for a month. But, being the dutiful Air Force-wife-to-be, I felt that I needed to experience this place at least once. Especially since we could very well get stationed there in the future.

I flew into Oklahoma City on Wednesday. (One of the best commerical landings I have ever had.) Jim picked me up and we stayed in OKC that night. We spent the next day exploring OKC (the art museum and the zoo). I was not impressed by this "big city" at all. It just lacked character that said "Hey, you are in Oklahoma! Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains!" But, OKC did offer us a reprieve from many days at Altus.

On our way back from OKC, we stopped for dinner at Meer's. I have to say if you are ever in southwest Oklahoma... you must stop here! Although it doesn't look like much from the outside... the food is delicious! By far the best fried green tomatoes I have ever eaten and homemade peach cobbler for dessert!

Altus is a small base with not much to offer. Jim's room was even smaller, but it was just cozy enough for the two of us. The base does have a bowling alley, a pool, and a fitness center. There is also a golf course and a 2-mile walking trail. All of which I consider to be perks.

The town of Altus is pretty small. It reminds me of Pikeville, KY where I was born. They have a Wal-mart and a few other interesting stores. I saw one gym facility and one coffee shop. Sadly, there is no Starbucks. I wasn't appalled by Altus like most people. I grew up in a town smaller than Altus, so it just felt like going home. If I can survive 18 years in a small town, then I can survive 3 more with Jim by my side.

So bottom line... I would gladly call Altus home for the small price of Jim being home more.

Its so hard to say good-bye...

One of my best friends (and fellow Air Force spouse), Lauren,  recently announced that she and her husband will be moving to Alaska at the end of 2011. I am super bummed about this. Lauren is my best friend in Charleston as well as my constant source of strength and companionship when our significant others are blazing a trial around the world. I realize that as an Air Force spouse that this will be part of our lives... making wonderful friends and having to say good-bye when the Air Force deems it necessary.

I do not handle good-byes well at all. I never know what to say and I always end up crying. If you know me, you know that I absolutely HATE crying in public. So, this becomes a challenge when I say good-bye to someone that means so much to me. I am so lucky to have met Lauren and had the opportunity to share so many wonderful memories. Our best memory is yet to come when she gets to stand beside me when I officially join the ranks of an Air Force Spouse on November 5, 2011.

Watch out Alaska, here comes the Coburns!

Time Marches On...

Tomorrow my parents will celebrate 38 years of wedded bliss!

I am lucky girl to have two wonderful parents who love each other and loved their children. My parents provided my sister and I with advantages that they were not provided in life. My sister and I are both college graduates with a Masters and a Doctorate respectively. My parents instilled in us ethics and values along with a sense of religion. My sister was recently married to a wonderful man and I am getting married in 3 months. The example that my parents have set through the years have provided with me with a list of "Do's" and "Dont's" that will help me to succeed in my own marriage. I hope that 38 years from now that Jim and I are still as in love as we are in this moment.