HERE I GO AGAIN....

1. Back to the US Embassy today to pick up my newer, newest corrected passport. Hopefully everything is correct. And now, the lady at Matt's work gets to deal with fixing my dependant pass :) hehe
2. Its our 3 month wedding anniversary(hey!). Thats right! So excited, my wonderful husband is taking me out on a date tonight! Awesome. I cant wait!
3. Love my new mouthwash
4. Thanks to Andee for sending the Shopittome
5. T minus 9 days & counting until our vacation weekend get-away to kuala lumpur
6. Made a Tex-mex salad last night for dinner....very very good. And home-made dressing to go! It was soo good!
7. Ventured out over the weekend & even tried a new beer...eat your heart out Matt Dill! This girl likes Hoegaarden!
8. Found 101 uses for white distilled vinegar. Its my new best friend & I use it once a day....seriously. Feel free to tell me your favorite use for it.
9. So happy to have someone take care of our taxes for us
10. Ready to go back to bed!(but I cant, got an important business issue to take care of)
11. Will my allergy/sinus/cold stuff ever clear up?!
12. Have decided I want to do something with my hair & need a new wardrobe. HA!
I am having a greater need for skirts & dresses as it is soo hot over here!!! Denim no more!
13. Name something in Singapore that IS NOT the world's biggest _____.

CRAVINGS FOR...

I love the food here in Singapore. Its awesome. I dont think I have ever eaten anything totally awful. But at the same time, there are some things I have been craving for back home like...
1. Panera Hazelnut Coffee
2. Senor Tequilas and any other tex-mex hole-in-the-wall restaurant
3. Buffalo Wild Wings(like ALL of them)
4. Taco Bueno
5. Arby's
6. Kilkenny's Reuben Rolls(yummm)
7. Steak
8. Panera breakfast sandwich, not recommended if you are on a diet
9. Snow cones(I havent had one in forever, but since its gotten so hot here, I've been thinking that a cherry one sounds kind of nice)
10. Umbertos
11. My Momma's cooking
12. Bill & Ruth's(the pastrami is the best, Matt has even started ordering it!!)
I think I'm hungry!!
Enough talking about it for now!!

THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEKEND...

Its Friday, finally! It seems like this week has gone by so slow. Maybe its just because I havent been feeling well. Thats what I'm chalkin it up to at least.
So I'm 1 more day closer to getting my new, newer passport.
I feel the best I have all week.
I'm ready for my lunch date with Matt & for it to be 5pm & have him home for the weekend.
I am no closer at finding a job over here...hmmm what to do. Not complaining at all here, just giving the facts.
Matt & I LOVE the show called Snoop Dogg's Fatherhood. Hilarious. We are probably getting re-runs but I could watch them over and over. And its amazing what a normal, nice guy he seems to be. Interesting.
I am now a Hill's or is it Hills'? re-run addict. i have been completely caught up with those annoying, catty little rich snots. What drama. I mean, really whose life is really like that?
Found an awesome local show to watch, Dont Forget the Lyrics, just shows how crazy people over here are. But its soo fun to watch & laugh at.
And last but not least, LOVE my husband. He is the greatest. It really is amazing how your love for someone grows every single day. What a gent!
More to come later-basketball has me distracted.

PLANNING

I am busy(ok busy as I can be) travel planning. Looks like we could be headed home over the summer in June or July. And then we will also be doing our trip to NY City & Vermont for Bryan & Hallie's wedding(my brother & his fiance) in September.
Nothing definite right now. As it all has to go through you-know-who and how long that will take to get approved is always a mystery.
But hopefully everything will work out & we'll be able to do some travelin'.
We will definitely keep you updated.
More to come later!

LOTTA LOVE IN HERE!!

I absolutely LOVE my husband! He is the greatest. We had such a wonderful weekend doing all the things we love to do. It makes Monday mornings at the door so hard...I hate saying goodbye. I mean, I know somebody in this household has to go to work, but...I just wish he could work from home at least.

Got lots to do in the next couple of weeks to prepare for his birthday(28). I dont even know where to start! But its sure to be great! I cant wait to celebrate.

We are loving being married. And for those of you who dont think its cheesy, you should get the book "Night Light" by the Dobson's. Its a great book/devotional to read together & we are both truly enjoying it. It has been one of the best gifts we've received!

Love to all-hope you are all well!

*^%$($*$&^%#$#

So....I got the best of all news yesterday from Matt. My name on my new passport is spelled wrong. Lovely. Just freakin' absolutely wonderful. So its back to the Embassy for me( next week though). It was definitely NOT GOOD NEWS.
I had a bit of a good fit about it. And now I'm over it...sort of, maybe. Ok not really. Cant I just be Natalie Elizbeth??
At least its Friday & the weekend is here. I can deal with my rage on Monday :)
But it definitely sucks. I've had a bit of a hard time with all my name change/ banking stuff. etc, etc... And looking back we havent really had the easiest time being newlyweds. Here is a re-cap:
1. The 2nd night of being married, my new husband has to dumpster dive for my belongings & our honeymoon information at The Colcord Hotel(NEVER STAY THERE) because a maid apparently thought it was a gift we left for her. Yes, my fur wrap, my wedding bouquet, and our honeymoon travel plans. I kid you not. Then acted as if we should fall at their feet with gratefulness since they found them. Hmmm...can anyone say theft? Not to mention, they told Matt he could go look through the trash, which he did with the head janitor....because it had all our travel information...it was keepsakes from my wedding!! Come on!! I will never recommend anyone stay there. And I will continue to trash them in a very classy way, as I have now.
2. Arrive at our honeymoon destination, some things are wrong with our room, we have problems with a cruise we take, and on our way home in Atlanta(crap-lanta as I like to call it...sorry to offend anyone) it takes 3 hours to get our luggage at the airport. Oh and in Antigua I had a friend show up several days early (TMI...maybe? But it just helps emphasize how un-fun I felt) Although we had a wonderful honeymoon together, and it was truly amazing being Mrs CMD!!
3. two trips to the tag agency in 6 months for a drivers license
4. two trips to the social security office to get my card changed
5. Now it will be 4 trips to the Embassy for a passport....yikes.
6. A VERY large mistake at the bank, causing tears & frustration....you dont even want to know. Its all resolved though, thankfully.

Sounds like I am complaining a bit, which I'm not. We've had bad news and sad news and frustrations of daily life. However, we have managed to get through everything: together and with dignity & class. We are the best partners & I would never change a thing. Its our crazy life & that why I love it; cause it OURS. And I couldnt ask for a more amazing man the past couple months than Matt. He has truly been a perfect husband. And I'm so excited to get to spend many , many more months & our lives together. I have loved every moment so far...
Cheers!

I'M NO FAMOUS COOK OR ANYTHING BUT...

Here is my latest recipe: MOROCCAN SALAD
1/2 C dried brown lentils
1 C couscous
2 Tomatoes diced
1/4 C red onion
1 oz of feta cheese(or more if you like...I used reduced fat feta cheese)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs lemon or lime juice(I used lime)
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
I cooked the lentils & couscous first(but in separate pots) then combines in a bowl
I mixed all the rest of the ingredients together in another bowl.
Combine 2 bowls, let sit in refrigerator until cold & serve when ready.
I also put some mixed salad greens in the bottom of our bowls to make it more like a salad. It was really good & refreshing on such a hot, humid day! Plus, its fairly healthy and the lentils & couscous are great for fiber!

BECAUSE I LOVE MY HUSBAND...

My husband has been working sooo hard lately and because I love him so much....
1. I made hamburgers with the fixins on Friday...mmmm tasty, tasty
2. I walked all the way to East Coast Park with him, got sunburned, and even used the nasty toilet/facilities when I wanted to cry.
3. Had a pint or 2 at Scruffy Murphy's
4. Rubbed our nasty sweaty socks in his nose....only after he threw them at me first
5. Took him to the Manchester United Bar at Boat Quay for the Liverpool/ManU game(only to be told they were full of reservations,so we sat outdoors at the restaurant next to it called Dallas Star, only to watch ManU Bar's big screen tv from there....SO take that!)
6. Drank 1 for 1 pints & ate chicken wings(cause thats what guys like, right?)
7. Stumbled home and ate cookies n cream ice cream...YUM!
8. Had a lazy Sunday and then ate at Norther Chang Mai Palace Thai restaurant for some yummy green curry.
9. And bought groceries afterwards so I could pack him a lunch this week.
10. And even took a nap together :)
Ahhh...what a wonderful weekend!

GURKHAS....A LITTLE EDUCATION HERE

So, these are the guys I encounter when I got to the Embassy. Or when I'm running errands & they are practicing some drill in the train station. They usuallu scare the everloving crap out of me. They wont even make eye contact with you. Its a bit tramatizing I must say. But at least they're keepin' us safe!

Here is some info I pulled about about them:

Gurkhas guard Singapore from terror
ReutersApril 17, 2002SINGAPORE

THESE days, Nepalis not Singaporeans guard some of the city's most sensitive sites.
Gurkha soldiers -- widely regarded as the most fearsome fighters in the world -- are on the front line in the city-state as Singapore clamps down on Islamic militancy in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States.
The soldiers, raised in the foothills of the Himalayas and recruited by the Singapore police, have seldom been in the public eye here although their contingent has been based on the wealthy island for more than 50 years.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Gurkhas helped quell racial riots, strikes and trades union disputes in Singapore and won praise for their ability to bring calm and be impartial in any dispute.
Such turbulent times are long gone in Singapore, but with tension high in the wake of the September attacks and the discovery of a plot to attack targets in Singapore, the Gurkhas are replacing local policemen at some of Singapore's most sensitive buildings.
These include the US embassy and the American Club -- both the target of a foiled bombing plot by a regional Islamic group -- as well as the huge Jurong island petrochemical complex and Changi international airport.
"I think it's right to say that the Gurkhas, as part of the Singapore Police Force, have become more important here after September 11," said Commander Bruce M. Niven, head of the Gurkha Contingent in Singapore.
The Gurkhas' main strength is their impartiality in the multiracial city-state of four million people.
"In the local context, impartiality is one of their unique attributes," Niven said.
"Not being influenced by the local scene is part of their concept in Singapore. They just don't get emotionally involved in anything they may get caught up in."
It is the absence of political or religious roots in Singapore that has granted the soldiers a reputation of utmost objectivity -- key to success in Singapore which is inhabited by ethnic Chinese, Malay and Indian communities.
ON A KNIFE EDGE
The Gurkha Contingent was officially created in Singapore in 1949 from ex-British Army Gurkhas.
The city state has expanded the Contingent in the past few years, according to a source with knowledge of the Gurkhas, but the events of September 11 could result in further increases.
"Before, you just never saw them on the streets (of Singapore)," said the source, who did not want to be identified. "But the government is pushing them more into the public domain, which is a very interesting phenomenon."
The recent arrests of Islamic militants suspected of plotting bomb attacks have cast a shadow over the security-conscious island republic.
"We are a police force and we respond to what our republic requires of us in times of peace or in time of tension in the world," Niven said.
"We are unique here in the sense that our Gurkhas are police officers... While a soldier is perhaps out there to kill people, Gurkhas here are essentially present to maintain the peace, and protect people and property."
Yet, a Gurkha cop is still a Gurkha. According to legend, once his kukri dagger has been drawn in battle, it must "taste blood". If it has not, its master has to cut himself before returning it to its sheath.
Descended from the Rajputs tribes of North India, Gurkhas conquered the small Nepali region of Gorkha after being forced out from India in the early 16th century. Settling down in their new home, they called themselves Gurkhas.
A CITY IN A CITY
From there, Gurkhas have travelled widely, serving the British empire in many parts of Asia but particularly Singapore and Hong Kong.
The Gurkha Cantonment in Singapore is like another world, with its own shops, schools and playgrounds.
"This is a small township, and I am like a mayor," Niven said.
Stationed in Singapore on a temporary mission, the Gurkhas do not sink deep roots into the city's soil. They are not allowed to.
The principle of impartiality forbids them to marry Singaporean women.
Most end up returning home to their villages in the hills where most people grow rice and wheat.
So far, only two or three of them have broken the tradition and chosen to stay in Singapore instead of returning to Nepal, one of the world's poorest countries and torn by a six-year-old Maoist rebellion that has claimed some 3500 lives.
Niven said they are mainly recruited from the Hindu and Buddhist villages and begin their careers at the age of 18 to 22.

IT'S LIKE THAT!

The hubs & I went to a networking thingy last night. I joined the American Association & they had this little event at Brewerks(yea to free flow pizza & beer!). Anyways, we met some interesting people. Matt even got invited to play rugby from an English guy(really perked him up cause if anyone knows rugby, its the English right?). I met a nice girl from the east(New York, Vermont, etc..) She lives really close & hopefully we'll be able to meet up & have coffee or lunch.
All in all it was so fun for us to get out and socialize, a hard thing to do here in Singapore. And we were such a great team, definitely the "IT" couple of the 50 people there(try to beat that-hehe). Anyways, just reaffirms for both of us how truly well we get along & worked together...definitely made to be together, thats for sure!

SO LITTLE TIME....

Well, apparently a close family friend is in the hospital with endocarditis...so prayers for him are greatly appreciated.
I made tuna casserole for dinner last night & it was horrible, but we ate it anyway. My first big cooking flop....never using THAT recipe ever again.
Went to the US Embassy on Friday(see Pineapple Rice blog for details) to get my passport changed to my new name, I was told it would be March 20th when it was ready. I got an email from the Embassy yesterday saying my passport is ready to pick up at my convenience. HUH? Go figure. Of course they could not have done it Friday, everyone was too anxious for the weekend to work, and they said 20th to give themselves plenty of time. Oh well. At least its ready! Hooray. I'm totally done with the name change business!
Going to a networking workshop tonight with the hubs...should be interesting. Maybe we'll actually meet some new people.
More to come later, lots of errands to run today. Hopefully I wont get stuck out in a downpour like I did yesterday(and yes I even had an umbrella with me).

FOR THE RECORD

I made meatloaf for dinner last night, ate it, and it was good.

NEW RECIPE

I have had a goal to cook every night for S$10 or less. Most days I go to the store I cant handle it, but some days I do go over just a tad. But, it means we are eating smaller portions & very healthy.

So with that said, I thought I'd share another great recipe I found.

FISH TACOS:(the mango salsa is too good!)

1. Mango Salsa:

1/2 C mango-diced

1/2 C red bell pepper

1/4 C small red onion

1 small Chile pepper

cilantro

1 Tbsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients & let sit at least 30 minutes before serving or for 1-4 hours before serving.

2. Fish Fillets(I used red snapper, but Talapia would also be a good choice)

1 Tsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp olive oil

Spread cumin, olive oil over fish fillet. Cook ~4 mins on each side. Add salt & pepper if needed.

Cut fish into chunks

Use wheat wraps or tortillas and add either red cabbage or cole-slaw. I used cole slaw I found at the store, it was dry, meaning no creams or dressing in it.

Serve as soon as fish is done cooking, while still warm! You cant go wrong with this recipe, the mango salsa is awesome! If you pre-make the salsa a couple hours ahead of time, your actually cooking time is very short since all that has to cook if the fish. Everything else can be served refrigerated or at room temp. Clean up is easy as well.

And healthy too!

BTW-I dont think I'll be needing any more cooking classes :)

MEMORIES...

Ah...memories. Some are wonderful, others are just, don't even want to go there.

Anyways, I was playing different music this weekend & was brought back to the good ol' days in Stillwater of country/red dirt music, cowboys, classes and the AX house. Ahh...good friends, good food thanks to Kathy, Marsha & Angie the housekeepers, and of course Momma Jane(the best housemom) and my wonderful AXO sisters.

What a great time & what great memories!

But thats all behind & I love the more recent memories I have now like meeting Matt, our first date, meeting each others friends & family, seeing him in Singapore last Feb, our engagement, my move, our wedding & so many many more!

Here's to the Memories!!