Quarters One Christmas Tour of Homes 2012

A Christmas welcome from the Big Red One!

Deck the halls with boughs and boughs of birch and cypress branches! Coming on the heels of a wonderful RandR, and Thanksgiving with all of my children, I was hard pressed to be motivated to decorate for Christmas. I really just wanted to make like Rip Van Winkle and sleep away the rest of the deployment. But...instead of wrapping myself in Christmas lights and drinking vodka while crying to Christmas tunes... I enlisted the help of my friend, Rob and VOILA!  A Christmas decorating miracle! It's amazing what can be done with  birch branches and fresh greenery.  Imagination, along with zip ties, wire, and ribbon held it all together. We used everything fresh outside and fabulous faux greenery inside.  

This sweet reindeer was just passing through but he was a great touch to  our decor!

 The outdoor light fixture was stunning!

Another view of the porch light.

This was really my excuse for not wanting to vacuum on this side...

Everything on the porch got touch of fresh greenery.

 Naughty or Nice, I'm still trying to decide...

Our theme this year was Woodsy Glam.
lots of natural elements mixed in with silver, velvet, and crystal.

 I love to decorate with these old snow shoes.

We had the same Christmas decor on our stairs for the past 7 years, it was time to change it up and we did! The birdhouse added a touch of whimsy and accentuated our outdoor theme.

One of the five fireplaces in Q1...this tile came from Italy and symbolizes our much loved 173d Airborne Brigade.

This fireplace is reserved for Santa!

A little angel reading a "book" we added a few pages of our own to make it a Christmas story.

Italian stockings made by my friend, Aly. The painting is a Rembrandt reproduction found at a market in Italy, he reminds me a little of St. Nick!

A snapshot of our collection of snowmen and Santas from all around the world.

'Tis the season to be Joyful! We decorated both sets of dining room chairs.

 Found these great reindeer candle holders at Tuesday Morning one year.

We staged the dining room table to look like a New Year's Eve buffet!

The dining room sideboard.

An ornament given to me by a German friend.

My very favorite room! An antique corbel makes a great centerpiece and the oyster shells are votive holders.

Over sized sugar bowls serve as mini soup tureens.

We've used the "Duty First" ribbon a lot! It came from StationaryStudio.com.

 More corbels (I love them!) act as bookends for our favorite Christmas books.

This is the island in the kitchen and it is where we always eat when it's just the two of us. The Big Red One glasses belong to Quarters One.

We moved this desk into the kitchen from the living room, it really "cozied" up the big space!

We had over 200 visitors on the Tour of Homes, our Historical Society did a magnificent job!

There goes Leigh, our HASFR president and the head docent for the day at Quarters One. I loved the period costume she wore, it added a great touch to the event. For more Christmas pictures of Quarters One visit us at www.facebook.com/Quartersone!

'Til next time....Merry Christmas!

Duty First!

"Happy Birthday Cupcake"

The past few days all of Fort Riley celebrated Victory Week. Most divisions have a time that they celebrate their heritage and it's usually somewhere around the Army's Birthday which is June 14...Flag Day.  At Fort  Riley the week is full of athletic competitions, dinners, ceremonies, and remembrances for those Soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Fort Riley knows how to do it right, first class.  I was honored to have been able to attend so many events and to meet Chris Daughtry when he kicked off the week with a concert Sunday night.

Back stage with Daughtry

The week culminated today, June 14, with a big cake cutting celebration to honor both the Army and the Big Red One.  The division also celebrated downrange in Afghanistan.

DCSM Charles Sasser and Bill cutting the Army and BRO's birthday cake in Afghanistan with the youngest Soldier in the headquarters!
This picture came from the 1ID Facebook page

June 14 has an extra special meaning for our family because it is also the birthday of our daughter, Margie, our sweet Flag Day baby.

Her first Flag Day!

It's a day of joy for many reasons but I am oddly weepy and melancholy.  I can't shake it and I feel so frustrated that I feel this way. But, quite frankly, I'm tired of spending celebrations alone. Our sons' birthdays are coming up in a few weeks as is our 28th wedding anniversary.  All this happiness makes me sad! I'm sure every spouse of a deployed Soldier, regardless of rank, feels this way. I know I'm not the only one.
I lamented this fact to my friends, Beth and Polly (two of my sister GO wives), on the ride home from the last ceremony this morning. We all agreed that so much celebrating made us feel more cognizant of the miles between us and our spouses.
After a moment of silence and reflection my sweet friend, Polly, the spouse of our British Brigadier, posed a question. In her beautiful, soft British accent that sounds like sparkles and sweet tea she asked,
"So what are you going to do to change the way you feel today?"
At first I thought she may be asking for advice but then I realized it was more of an offering of advice. What was I going to do to change the way I felt? In reality, only I have the power to control that.
So I reminded myself that I was blessed to celebrate the Army's 237th Birthday, the 1 ID's 95th,  and all that it means for our great nation and those of us fortunate to live here. I reminded myself how blessed we are to have three beautiful children, a loving family, and a community of good friends. I reminded myself that Bill is, in fact, coming home one day when so many others are not. I also reminded myself that it's ok to be a little sad amongst the celebrations...it serves as a reminder that you truly love the one you miss.
 ...thank you for that, too, Polly!
So, I end the day happier than I began.  Maybe it's the words of wisdom from a friend. Maybe it's even the celebrations, big and small, that remind us that life is worth living it everyday...but maybe, just maybe, it's the cupcakes?!

"Happy Birthday Cupcake" from the Gatherings on the Prairie, designed by Rob Dudley. I love to give these in lieu of cards for birthdays.
Happy Birthday, Margie!

  Til next time...
DUTY FIRST!

Asolare

Packed and ready to go...again

Ahh, another deployment... 4 weeks down already.  The past few weeks have been busy but right now, at Quarters One, it's quiet.  I'm alone, except for our dog who guards me diligently as she has for each separation.  At this moment, the year ahead seems too long to tackle.  I can't believe we're beginning our 5th year-long deployment.  Our boys, now Soldiers themselves, graduated from high school during deployments 1 and 2. Our daughter went off to college during 3 and I bought our first house during 4.  Andrew graduated from Ranger school and Margie will graduate from college during 5.  Somewhere in those years, once overlapping with his father,
 our oldest son, Chas, deployed twice.

Bill visiting Chas in Nuristan, Afghanistan

My dear friend, Melissa, tells me I'm sighing a lot without even realizing it.  I wonder why? Could it be that I am settling back into that other life? Last week my husband told me it felt normal to be deployed and I, sadly, had to agree.  Neither of us like the feeling but unfortunately it was easy to slip back into our separate lives...back to a normal that is uncomfortable and ill-fitting. I didn't marry my best friend like some say. I married a good looking young LT that I was madly in love with and, over the years, he has become my best friend. 

 I'm sad and I miss this man with all my being.

Bill and I always have our picture taken on this spot every time we return to West Point.

"Asolare" a strange and little used Italian word coined by the poet Cardinal Pietro Bembo in the 15th century. Used to describe the life of exiled Cyprus Queen Catarina Cornaro, the word translates "to live in bittersweet exile".  I first learned this word when we lived in Italy and I visited the romantic town of Asolo where Catarina lived out her life in "asolare".  Living in bittersweet exile.  I felt that way in Italy during deployments 1 and 2 and I feel that way now.  Fort Riley is an amazing and warm community.  I am surrounded by wonderful neighbors, who have also become my dear friends.  I live in beautiful quarters...and those gifts are the sweet part. But, I am also far away from my children and  family on the East Coast, my home at the shore, the one I love most.... and that is the bitter part.
Asolare.

Seems like there's always someone missing in an Army family's photos, this year it was our son, Andrew.

I'm often asked by friends and family not in the military how I endure these separations. I explain that I just do, there's no plan B or acceptable alternative. To me I have no other option but to be strong and move forward, calling on faith, family, and friends for support. I believe that is my duty to hold down the home front and preserve the life here that my husband entrusted to me when he went to war. It's my duty to keep his place in our lives safe and ready for his return. I never sleep on his side of the bed or use his closet space (even though I'm sure he has more than me). I never sit in his favorite chair to watch tv (although I do happily wield the remote at will). His reading glasses and books are still where he left them ready to be picked up again. I preserve his physical "space" in my life, our life, so that he knows it still belongs to him when he redeploys. 
Living this way I have found that it is easier when he comes home to be released from "asolare" and return back to a life that is truly normal.

Til next time...Duty First

Almost Like Breakfast at Tiffany's...

Dorothy Mayville, my mother in law, at an Army wives' coffee circa 1962.  She is next to the end on the right.

I come from old school Army. Back in the day when my husband was a young LT it was routine to write your spouse (we were referred to as WIVES back then) into an officer's evaluation report (OER).  Much to my husband's chagrin I was indeed written into his first OER after we were married. Luckily, my report was favorable and this practice is forbidden today with good reason.  I mention this old fact because there was a method to the madness of  some of our Army sisters "raised" back in the day. They came from a time when they were at risk of being evaluated by the military and their performance, or rather their contribution to "the team", was perceived to be almost as important as that of their Soldier's. Today we can be ourselves and not be evaluated (in writing, at least) and honestly I think that's why we have become a little more laid back and casual.  This is good for me because I make mistakes easily but, like most people, take criticism to heart.

Recently, Fort Riley had the honor of hosting our FORSCOM (Forces Command) Commander and CSM and their spouses. We began our day by meeting at the airport and returning (wives only) back to Quarters One for coffee. Even though I have known the FORSCOM commander's spouse for many years, I still had butterflies anticipating a visit from a senior ranking officer's spouse. That quickly passed when we sat down to chat. I want everyone to know that no matter where you go in your Army life you are going to feel a little intimidated by someone and someone is going to feel a little intimidated by you! Always be yourself, as long as that self is kind, and judge not!

Here are some photos from our coffee. I am a big fan of casual elegance. That's a new "buzz word" for anything goes if it's on pretty dishes...well, that's my interpretation at least!

Keep everything simple, these French Breakfast Muffins were served warm with coffee.

We set our serving up on the coffee table in the living room. It was accessible to everyone but I did serve each guest. We had eight ladies that morning. I find that one recipe is plenty at a function such as this.

Can you tell I love white dishes? I love anything French Country or Italian. Having a set of white dishes and accessories allows you to mix and match easily even if the whites aren't exactly the same. It also gives the opportunity to add colorful pieces when you want to do so.

Here is the recipe we used for the French Breakfast Muffins    
French Breakfast Muffins

makes about 30 mini muffins

• 1 ½ C plus 2 T flour            
• ¾ sugar                                
• 2 t baking powder               
• ¼ t ground nutmeg              
• ½ C milk                             
• ½ t vanilla                   
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 C butter, melted
• 1/2 C sugar plus 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/3 C melted butter, additional for topping

Combine first 6 ingredients. Add milk, egg and 1/3 C melted butter.  Mix thoroughly, batter will be thick. Grease and flour mini muffin tins. Fill ½ full and bake at 400 degrees for 20  minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from tins while hot and immediately dip in remaining butter and roll in mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Best served warm!!

We make our own vanilla flavored sugar by storing fine baking sugar with several vanilla beans...we use this sugar in most of our baking at Quarters One.

Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/QuartersOne) for more photos and recipes from  Quarters One. 'Til next time...

Duty First!

.

Come On In...

"Jack fumed when he saw it, and declared we could not take it all, as it exceeded our allowance of weight. I declared we must take it, or we could not exist." Martha Summerhayes, Army wife, 1874 I adore this quote and wouldn't you know, nearly 134 years later,  Army wives are still saying the same thing! Seriously, though, don't we all dread moving out, moving in...what's going to fit, what should have been tossed years ago and why did I throw out those things I really need now?! Welcome to 9,000 square feet of design dilemma!  I have photos of all of my furniture and artwork so that I can place everything either with a floor plan or during a quick walk through before the movers get there. I agonize over this for weeks, it's just in my DNA. But I recommend making a plan and sticking to it. I had a floor plan of Quarters One and a few photos before we moved in, but the night before we got our key that was me peeking in the windows with a flashlight! Here are some photos of Quarters One on moving day...eek! The historical photo above is Quarters One circa 1900.

This is the grand hall. Really, I don't know what to say about it, it's just big! There are double french doors to the front porch and transom windows all original to the house.  The chandelier is one of 2 Maria Theresa chandeliers that belong to the house, added in the past few years. The fire place is one of 5...4 of which share the same chimney.  Those 4 are non-working. Originally the house was heated with radiators, some of which they left for historical reasons...there's one here in the hall.

The bench on the staircase gives a good respite for the long walk up to the sleeping floor, just kidding, it's not that far! It is an interesting feature and it looks onto Forsyth Avenue and the Cavalry Parade Field.

Our daughter calls this the Harry Potter closet, it's storage under the stairs. The closet to the left was turned into a WC in the 1930's. Quarters One has 6 original bathrooms and this is the 7th. (Yes, 7 bathrooms...who needs that many?!)

 So what did I do with all of this? It was indeed overwhelming and I needed some where to start (you always need a starting point). There was a large mirror donated by a previous occupant hanging in the dining room that we moved over the fire place, that gave me a direction to go with. Here are the photos...

I gathered some artwork that matched the mirror and to hang in the hall. The photograph was taken of a church in New England by my husband's aunt.  I love this simple montage!

I love layering...even lighting. We always have candles lit when we have guests and even when we don't! Be sure to check and double check your candles when going to bed though, I've been known to leave one or two on by accident but don't tell housing that!!

This buffet is one of the few pieces that belong to Quarters One.   A humidor and our guest book find a home here. We always have guests sign the book, no matter the event. It is so much fun to look back over the years and remember happy times. I know we'll be glad we have this book when our lease is up!

The grand staircase..these are the only military themed pieces of artwork we have in Quarters One. For me, I believe that type of artwork belongs in an office. We have a long tradition of West Pointers and military in our family and this wall reflects that history. The sign on the top right reads  "EAT DRINK AND BEAT NAVY"! The bench on the stairs has become a lovely place to reflect on the beauty of the house and it's intriguing past.

The front hall looking into the living room.

Vintage photos that came with the quarters I added the capitol to give the grouping detail.

This historical plaque also came with the house and is maintained by the Historical and Archeological Society of Fort Riley. It lists all of the occupants of Quarters One for the past 123 years. It's quite an honor to have our family name here!

The Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard often stops here on their tours.

Bill and I always greet our guests at the front door together. We offer drinks, take coats, do all those things that make our guests feel welcome in our home.  Another tip, when we entertain in the evening, I always like to turn on all of the lights in the house all the way up to the fourth floor. Because Quarters One is so imposing I think it makes the house seem warm and welcoming. That's a good tip for anyone having guests over, you just want the whole house to seem happy to see you when you walk up. 

Thanks for visiting! The house is big and the tour may take a while but I hope you enjoy it. Next time I will tell you about my trip to the set of Army Wives and how Quarters One helped inspire some of the sets for season 6!
(www.facebook.com/QuartersOne)

Til next time...Duty First!

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