Scholarship awards brunch at CNO's home

On Tuesday the Naval Officers Spouses Club (NOSC) had the pleasure of awarding the scholarships to the brilliant recipients and their families at our annual brunch held at the home of Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Gary Roughead and his wife Ellen.

This is what our club works hard all year long to earn money for. This is the big, proud pay off day for the fundraisers, Chinese auction, raffle money, Temptations (our Gift Shop) annual sales, donations, etc. It's all for the kiddos.

Admiral & Mrs. Roughead live in Tingey House on the U.S. Naval Yard, Washington D.C.

Tingey House is a beautiful, historic home built in 1804 (Duh, I'm stating the obvious here) but still, I like you to have all the information. In case you weren't paying attention...

The building has recently gone under major renovation and looks gorgeous and proper as the Navy Yard's official "Quarters A." 

That's Clancy, The Rougheads' black lab. He's the official Navy Yard's "First Dog" and he's so cute! He brought everyone his bone and stood around greeting everyone who stopped by this morning. The admiral noticed me cooing over him and said, "So....you like my dog...."

 "Yes sir, I do, I loooooove dogs...." (Can I have him?) Then I proceeded to tell him all about my 3 Chihuahua girls and before I knew it the Admiral had disappeared {{poof}} into another small crowd of people. I guess he's not a Chihuahua man. That's OK. I had Clancy to keep me company.

The front of the home was all glassed in. Like a very large front porch, but instead of screens, all glass. Very beautiful ~ you can see it in the front view of the home 4 pictures up. Take another look. Go ahead. I'll wait.

See? Isn't it stunning? I want a glassed in porch like that.

 

I want one of these, too. This romantic fountain is in the front of the home.

As we waited for our guests to arrive I was able to walk around and tour the home and take a few pictures.

There's Miss Betty & Miss Cassaundra, in the blue dress, who chaired the scholarship committee this year and was in charge of this event.

And yes, the photographer in the background....we had a nice chat about our gear. He had a full frame, and he liked my half frame. It was a mutual adult camera romance.

And...I had flash envy big time....so you know what that means. I want one too. Even though I rarely use a flash. What does that matter anyways? It will be my next goal to blind everyone in the room. Hey. I dream big. What can I say?

Now, back to the party....

Aaaahh....the food table. My favorite part.

The guest were arriving and CNO was here (in the Khaki uniform drinking). 

I'm sure he's telling everyone how delicious my baked roll ups are and I believe I overheard him telling that man about my Chihuahuas. Or not.

CNO did ask me about my son, Josh. I told him all about his recent decision to join the Army, how he swore in last week and about his Airborne/Ranger slot. My insides get all balled up just writing about it.

CNO told me Josh made an excellent choice, that his service was appreciated, that I would be fine (did I really look that pale?) and that the Army will take good care of him. That made me feel calmer about the whole thing. OK, just a tiny bit. I have 5 months to work this through my head. Leave me alone.

I thought it was nice that CNO, with everything he has going on, you know, with running the entire Navy for the President and all, took the time to open his home to us for a few hours. He & Ellen told us that this scholarship brunch was one of their favorite things do and that it was their pleasure to be a part of it.

One hour after the brunch ended he and Ellen darted off for an event at the War College (in Newport, Rhode Island) and the following day they were flying to Hawaii for 2 days, then off to......who knows what else.

Busy, busy, busy.......back to the party ~

Nice try, Clancy, but she's not going to share with ya, kiddo.



Fancy china and silver for our guests.


And fresh hydrangeas from the Tingey House garden.  Hydrangeas are my favorite flower. I use this photo as my computer wallpaper now.


There are my baked roll ups that I made ~ in the middle on my 3-tiered server. 

I was praying that no one noticed that the bottom plate was my burned batch. My sister called me on her way to work and as we gabbed I forgot about my timer and....well, I put them on the bottom. No one will notice. Will they?

 


The renovations were done beautifully.


The home is decorated with such elegant taste.


Sparkling chandeliers hung in every room.


The home was filled with beautiful antiques...
  ....and exquisite Naval historical treasures.


Cassaundra did an exceptional job chairing the scholarship committee and presenting the awards on behalf of the NOSC.  She said she was nervous, but she looked cool as a cucumber. Beautiful, too!


One by one, she called the scholarship recipients up.
 They received their awards and told us where they would be attending school and what their studies would be. 

I was in awe of these kids. This is my favorite time of the year in the NOSC. To see their faces. To see how enthusiastic they are to conquer the world. So much hope in their eyes, wonder in their souls; joyous to get out there and lasso their moon. We were all so proud of them.

The pretty lady in the red shirt is Sam Kristensen, a fellow NOSC member. Her son Erik Kristensen, a bright young man who served his country honorably as a Navy Seal, was sent into Afghanistan as part of the Global War on Terror.

"On June 28, 2005, LCDR Kristensen led a daring mission to rescue a four-man SEAL reconnaissance squad engaged in a fierce firefight with overwhelming Taliban forces in rugged 10,000 foot mountains. Kristensen, seven other SEALs, and and eight Army “Nightstallker” commandos died in the heroic attempt when their MH-47D Chinook helicopter crashed after it was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade."

We lost 11 Navy Seals that day. Sam's son Eric, only 33 years old, was among them.

In his honor the NOSC established the Eric Kristensen Scholarship Award. Sam personally chooses the recipient from among the applicants and presents it to the winner herself. 

This is John, Sam's choice for her son's scholarship. She loved that he was studying music and Eric loved music. He felt it was the life of one's soul. It was an emotional moment in the ceremony and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. My heart goes out to Sam; she is a strong woman and I respect her so much for getting up there every year, keeping her son's memory alive.

Please take a moment to read Erik's bio. He was a true American Hero.

Admiral Roughead & Cassaundra Jackson.  Have I mentioned that she did an amazing job?


So after the ceremony the admiral invited us to tour the back of the house....the kitchen!


It was awesome....I had MAJOR stove envy. I love it. I want one.
TWELVE BURNERS! Heart. Be. Still.
 If Johnny were CNO I'd make him an egg on this stove every morning. No lie.
 I'd put a pot on each of the 12 burners and boil water. Just because I can!


You think I'm kidding? Oh, the casseroles I could make on this counter. Look at all that space!


They noticed.  Hahahahaha! No, I did not bring those burned up baked roll ups home.

Let's just say I gave them to the Navy Yard squirrels and be done with it, shall we?

Betty (the heart and soul of our club), Carolyn (who runs our Temptations gift shop) & Pauline who will be our Vice President next year.

And on the far right, we coaxed and begged and pleaded for our current NOSC President Kelly to get in the picture and she finally agreed after I blackmailed her. Those details are between the two of us and since she got in the photo I won't have to pull out the big guns in the future. She is so calm, cool and collected. I am always amazed around her; our fearless leader.

Our NOSC year is done for the year. We'll have our Welcome Coffee at the Army/Navy Country Club in September and until then we are adjourned for the summer! What a great year! Good luck to all of you graduates.

Now go find your moon & take on the world!

PJ Johnny working from home. Again.

Dear God,

       You know how in love with my husband I am. I adore him. He's my best friend in all the world and I love spending tons of time with him....but.....we just have one teensy problem.....

WE DESPERATELY NEED A HOME OFFICE!!!!

                                                                                           Love, Brenda

For my Facebook friends who asked for a picture to go along with my post this morning:

Facebook status update:  "It's raining, it's poring, my old man is working from home again for the 2nd day in a row. Translation: His crap is all over the house, I can't get anything done around here & the phone AND television are tied up all day.

Lordy, help me finish that home office fast! He's in his PJ's, his feet are on my coffee table and ...some military movie is playing as I write. Send help immediately. For his sake."

P.S. If anyone wants to get ahold of me....call or text my cell phone. The other phone is....achem....tied up. And if anyone wants to go to lunch. Just come by and get me. No need to call. I'll be by the front door. Just looking out. Hoping. Wishing. Please. Come. By. And. Get. Me.

Josh joined the U.S. Army!

Well, last week I said we'd have news, but we had to wait an extra week while my "Lead Footed" son went to pay a speeding ticket he got 3 weeks ago....Once he and Sgt. Nurse went to pay the fine THEN, and only then could Josh drive to Ft. Meade to.....

JOIN THE ARMY!

 

Josh got up at 3am to head back to MEPS, Ft. Meade, a place we've gotten all too familiar with in the past 6 months. Doesn't Josh look awake, excited, alert, in a good mood, well dressed & freshly pressed?

Not.

Yes, I washed that shirt. Yes, I ironed that shirt. Yes, I hung it in the closet for his swearing in ceremony. Yes, he probably thought he'd save time and just put it on the night before and sleep in it. Yes, we argued about it and that's him in the photo arguing back at me. Yes, he's a man. Enough said.

My two boys at 3:45 am. Looking a bit shell shocked. Ten minutes after this photo, Josh took off to MEPS with Sgt. Nurse & Johnny and I were back under the covers to spit out some more ZZZZ's for 2 hours.

Well hello, Joshie, you cutie patoootie. How did your day go? Anything fun happen?

I see you're still wrinkled.  DOH!


Whatcha got there? A new Army backpack?


Hurry up, soldier boy, change your clothes and let's see what they gave you. I love freeeeee stuff!


An Army t-shirt! Hooah!


Then Josh says to me - and I quote:  "Maaaan, it's HUGE! What is it, like, an extra large or something? It's waaaaaay to big for me.....YOU CAN HAVE IT MOM." Gee, thaaaaaaanks, Josh.


I finally understood why some animals eat their young.


Cool....a new bumper sticker...


A fitness book...like you'll be needing that.


Another sticker?


For us? Show me!


Oh yeah. That is SOOOO going on my car window!


A book?


Yeah, we're going to need that. 

Is there a chapter in there on how to detach your wailing mother from your leg on the night you fly off to boot camp?

Or how many letters your're supposed to write to your mother while you're in boot camp?

Or about that special program where your mother gets to come to boot camp during the day to "do lunch" with you. Afterall, I'm sure it won't be a long car ride from the hotel I'll be staying in right outside of Ft. Benning's main gate.

What? No lunch program?


What about the come home once a month to visit your mother program? Or the take your mother to work on Friday's program? And mother/son field trips! Those would be so fun! I'll have to look them up. I'm sure they're in that book somewhere.


Awww.... Dad got you a new hat. My soldier boy. You're in the Army now.  Army strong. Army proud. But Navy WILL kick your mule butt at the Army/Navy game, you DO know that, right? You might be my blood and my world, but come game day I know who pays our mortgage.  Sorry, son.  Unless you want to do that, too. Pay the mortgage, I mean. I won't mind.
I can get you my banking info. Then I'll sit on the Army side any day. Mules rule! Goats drool! I can be bought. I'm not ashamed to say it.


So in 5 months you ship out. What are you doing to do in the meantime? Uh-huh. Thought so. 

Congratulations, Son. We are very, VERY proud of you. I still think you're nuts for going airborne, though. Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane....it must've been that time you fell out of the cart onto your head at Home Depot when you were 2 that's got you wanting to do such a thing. Crazy kid. Sorry. This is what you want and Dad and I are 100% behind you.

But you will have to pry me off of your leg the night you ship off to boot camp. I'm just warning you. And if you see a crazy woman at Ft. Benning crouching in the woods watching you & your platoon do your morning PT, stand down. It's just.....some crazy woman crouching down in the woods. Please don't shoot. Please.
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P.S. Lori, my Army wife friend, wants to teach Josh her favorite cadence (but I have to warn ya, I think she fell on her head when she was 2 also) ~

ARMY, ARMY, ARMY.... GO ARMY! ARMY STRONG, ARMY TOUGH, ARMY ROCKS!!! 


"I don't know but it's been said, Navy wings are made o lead.... I don't know but I been told, Army wings are made o gold!" 


BE ALL YOU CAN BE....ARMY, ARMY, ARMY!!!
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Thanks Lori, as promised, I passed it on. Now stop sniffing glue. GO NAVY!

Memorial Day at the pool

Josh & I are relaxing at the pool for awhile. He's in there somewhere.

I'm not quite sold on the idea of wearing my swimsuit just yet. And I don't think our community deserves it just yet either!

All I can think of is the delicious crockpot full of bacon baked beans that are waiting for us at home, along with Johnny's delicious BBQ!