Reasons We Need a Smartphone

My husband and I just might be the only two people on planet earth who still are not the proud owners of a smartphone. When finally we do get them, something better (possibly the smarter phone) will most likely be released and we'll be left in the dust once again. Until then, I keep dreaming of all the uses for my non existent smartphone. Obviously I have navigated life perfectly fine without a smartphone thus far, but for convenience reasons my husband and I really do need them. Do you see where this is going?

Here are some reasons

why I we need a smartphone:

{ my husband's list would be different than mine...

he would have more weather related and pilot-y things I'm sure }

{ whoa, this photo is old school }

Musical Curiosities:

Take for instance a couple nights ago, my husband and I heard a song we liked on the television and simultaneously asked "who sings that?". We typically try and remember some lyrics to 'google' in an attempt to find the artist name or song.

Oh Shazam, how you would take the guesswork out of learning artists and song titles. We could use you in a grocery store, elevator (depending on our service provider), at a baseball game (that would have come in handy last week), or in the car whenever a new song plays. The opportunities to learn new artists and songs would be endless. Until we got sick of you and downloaded some fun new app. Then we might forget all about you.

Starbucks and Chik-Fil-A Curiosities:

Oh nonexistent smartphone, you would have been invaluable on our cross-country road trip last year. There were times when I feared I may never see a Starbucks ever again. Clearly I had plunged into a dangerous haze induced by lack of strong coffee.

iExit Interstate Exit Guide would have helped us find the closest Starbucks, and I may have become slightly less crazed had I known when to anticipate my next cup of tasty coffee. Not to mention, the endless number of times I've craved Chik-Fil-A as soon as we get in the car for a short road trip. iExit, you would help keep me more calm during road trips.... I need you.

{ clearly this is a mirror shot, hence the "nonaC" camera }

Photographic Tendencies:

Boy do I remember the heydays of the film camera. It was sort of like the days before the smartphone. I often took 5 rolls of film and got 5 great photos. What am amateur! Thank goodness I have a digital camera now. They're much easier on the wallet when it comes to not spending on film and developing.

*Segue* Instagram. I need you. I want to endlessly snap photos of pretty things all around me, make them prettier with your neat-o filters, and I want to share my pictures with people all around the world. Thank you.

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I cannot believe my husband and I are still willingly living in the days before the smartphone. Some day I'm sure we'll each have a smartphone, but I never want to become one of those people who is glued to their phone 24/7. It will be difficult for that first week I'm sure. Like a child with a new toy, I'll probably be excited over ever nook and cranny of my new smart phone. The novelty always wears off though, right? Or will I be a smartphone addict? I hope not. Are you someone who happens to be addicted to using your smartphone? What are you favorite apps or smartphone features? Obviously I already have some favorites. Now I'm just waiting for that perfect iPhone to fall into my lap.

Hello apple. If you would like to send my husband and I free iPhones, we would not be opposed to that. I'm just saying. Or if you're someone who would like to help a young married couple be more "hip", you can email me with details. I kid.... sort of.

Do you remember life before the smartphone? Has life now changed for the better, or do you feel even more obligated to stayed plugged-in? What is your favorite escape (turn off the phone, vacation, etc.) from technology?

Our Mini Vacation to Orlando

Not long ago my husband went to Orlando for work, and I tagged along. We found a cheap hotel room on Priceline, and it was like our own little mini vacation. We even used the hotel pool, which ended up being surprisingly nice and relaxing. All in all we had a nice little getaway from our everyday normal people lives.

{ window reflection self portrait }

During our little getaway to Orlando, we spent an afternoon/evening at Universal's CityWalk. We sipped margaritas at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville outside tiki bar, and we rocked with the best of them at the world's largest Hard Rock Cafe. Okay maybe we didn't rock, but we did eat some rather tasty burgers. Does that count?


After enjoying our time at CityWalk, there is something we did not get do at Universal Orlando. Two words. Harry. Potter. We've lived in Florida for just over a year now, and I still have not been to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I know! "What's holding us back?" you might ask. Well the almost $80/day ticket for park admission has something to do with it. That and our lack of budgeting skills. Obviously we need to work amusement parks into our monthly budget, and hopefully after a couple months years of saving we can go. I'm lobbying for more amusement park budget as I write this. We probably won't even live in Florida by the time we save enough money to go. Gosh, I'm really starting to sound bitter about this huh? Anyway. What I'm trying to say is that I'd really love to spend a day at Universal's Islands of Adventure. All a girl wants is a butter beer and a ride on a Hippogriff. Seriously. I don't think I ask for much.

We did manage to visit a store that had a large Harry Potter section full of all sorts of goodies. I should have at least walked away with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. What was I thinking?! Oh well... that will have to wait for another day I suppose. Someone did seem to take interest in the broomsticks though, so maybe convincing my husband to take me to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter won't be so difficult after all. Hmmm.

{ I see a wizard in the making... no? }

Here are some more photos

from our visit to Universal's CityWalk:

Have you ever visited Universal Studios or

the Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

Pilot Wife Problems

My husband is a pilot. Hence the title of this blog.

... and together we're piloting our way through this crazy life ...

{ notice that I am in the left seat... sorry honey. hehe }

When I married someone with such a dynamic career, I thought maybe I had an idea of the lifestyle I was getting into at that time. Let's be honest though. I had no idea what adventures, and misadventures, life had in store for us! I'm sure there are still plenty of adventures and life lessons to be had, because change is inevitable after all. If there's one thing I know when it comes to having a pilot husband, it's a constant reminder that life is all about the journey and not the destination.

Being married to a pilot is not always easy. I've had my fair share of time reflecting on change and doing my best to embrace it. Life is a constant push and pull, a balance if you will, of our personal wants and what the world really needs us to do. My husband and I are still in the midst of change, and it's not always easy to handle. A year ago we did pick up and move from Colorado to Florida, and it still doesn't feel like a place to call home. We're even contemplating moving again, but that deserves a post all it's own some day. Until then, we're doing our best (usually) to make the most of our time here.

My husband's job could take us anywhere really. If he changes airlines, we could move again. The fun never ends. (insert sarcasm here) Sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I am learning to have faith that we'll end up exactly where we need to be. Maybe it's Florida. Maybe it's not. Until then, I hope to remember that I ultimately always have control over how I respond to situations.

I'm sure that wives out there, no matter their husband's profession, share some of these problems with me. Having a pilot husband has just forced me into dealing with some of these internal struggles. Being married to a pilot has been a blessing and a curse, that's for sure, but isn't that life in a nutshell. Life isn't perfect, and it has the potential to be messy, but we just keep moving and push through it. I'm so blessed to have the husband I do, pilot or not.

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Visit another pilot wife blog to read about Joanna's humorous take on dealing with the shit that happens while the husband is away. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Shit Happens

Here are some of my old posts relating to

more pilot wife (or any wife) problems:

Missing My Husband

Out of Sync

Anxious Waiting

Our Situation aka Constant Uncertainty

My Exciting Weekend Plans

Seeing how I have a few days in a row off of work,

I have some very exciting weekend plans in store.

Feet up... Harry Potter movies... popcorn.

Don't judge me.

I'm pretty sure my husband is embarrassed to check out at Blockbuster with a Harry Potter movie in hand. It's slightly entertaining watching him squirm over my nerdy choice in movies. As soon as the clerk rang up these two gems, my husband promptly took them and handed them right over to me. Heaven forbid someone saw him carrying a Harry Potter movie. They might think he's the nerd in this relationship.

maybe we are just two nerds in a pod...

Thank goodness my husband is flying this afternoon, because now I have all day to sit and watch movies. Maybe when he gets home I'll try and force talk him into watching the fifth or sixth movie with me. Yeah right. Like that will ever happen.

I know I'm excited about my weekend plans.

What are you plans for this weekend?

An Unheard-Of Thing

Hey there blog friends! I have 3 days off of work in a row. I know! It's unheard-of around these parts, so I figured I'd take some time to update you on happenings in my life. You have to take advantage of breaks from work and a little free time. You never know when 3 days off in a row might happen again. With these unexpected free days, I figured what better time to catch up on blogging than now, right? It's about time I make an effort to author a blog post... or maybe even two. *gasp* I know, I must be feeling ambitious this morning.

... maybe it's the coffee?

You know that quote "absence makes the heart grow fonder"? Well, I actually feel that way about this here blog. I continued reading many of my favorite blogs out there during my blog break, but I just didn't have the energy or interest in keeping up with my own blog. I occasionally opened Twitter and read some of your tweets, but I just wasn't feeling up to contributing myself. It became tiring trying to keep up with it all. Let me tell you, this break was a much needed time to focus on things that really matter, like my marriage, and I even took time to make a few phone calls, and texts, to people I have fallen out of touch with these days. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. That is if the absence makes you realize how much you actually miss something. Absence can have quite the opposite effect too. Time away can also make you realize that you don't need certain things in your life. I realized that I do miss writing and sharing with you all, and not posting for a while has given me some time to think about what's most important in life.

sometimes taking some time off and a step back allows you to see much further than before

I have no idea how some of you blog each and every day. Seriously. In these next few days I'll be doing my best to write a few blog posts. Time management has not always been a strong suit of mine. I hope you'll keep reading, and I'll do my best to make time for writing when I can. I've missed you all!

Have you taken time off from something that made you

realize how much you did, or didn't, miss it?