Friday Family update

Last week I mentioned that I wanted to start doing a weekly family update. With everyone off doing various things, now is the perfect time to share.

I found out last week that Ben would be returning on the 18th, but wasn't allowed to say anything online. Some people knew through phone calls/emails/texts etc but for the most part, no one knew.

We spent most of the weekend, and Monday and Tuesday preparing for him to come home.


My friends husband was also coming home on the same flight. Unfortunatley, they were arriving at LAX at 7:00 which would put us in LA traffic at 5:00. Yuck, sooo not happening.

Instead we decided to eat an early dinner at a nearby mall. Besides running into some traffic, everything was smooth sailing. We were doing great on time. No one spilled dinner all over themselves. We were doing good.

Until we left the mall parking garage. I was following my friend when she broke the cardinal rule about someone following you..."don't run a yellow" especially when it is a left turn. I completely lost her. Even worse, I hadn't bothered to look up directions for myself, because I was the one following.

We went the wrong way. Harmony gps'ed it for me and we had to turn around. Then we got a little mixed up near the airport. Then we had to find our parking garage. Then we had to find where to go. We ran around like crazy, with me freaking out the whole time, when my friend called to say that they had landed and where was I?

You guessed it, I started to cry. :( I had wanted soo badly to be there. We went to baggage claim, and the next thing I see is Ben walking towards the doors. More tears. We laughed, hugged, cried...and all was right in the world.

After getting all the bags but one, he was told one of his bags was on a different flight coming in within a few minutes. So we all waited very patiently for the bags...

We finally got everything, had crossed the insanely busy crosswalk at the airport, when Ben turns to me and says, "oh yeah, Happy Anniversary".


Yep, it was our 14th wedding anniversary. We were so excited to be together. It was the best anniversary gift I could have asked for!

Feelin' Feminine Friday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I sure did and I am enjoying all my leftovers (:

Feelin' Feminie Friday  has been on hold for the past few weeks but is back up again today. So I am taking the chance to join in again. If you are interested in participating, head on over to The American Homemaker.

Over Thanksgiving, I sat down with my husband and watched Captain America. The movie takes place during WW2. I have always loved this era. Something about the Greatest Generation, just gets me everytime. I love to read books, watch movies or hear about that time period.

I think what I love the most is how everyone supported the troops, in any way that they could.

I can not even tell you how many times I have tripped over these!

You might be thinking what on earth does a Super hero movie and war have to do with feeling feminine, right? Well I will tell you why...

Tomorrow my sweetheart leaves for a military field exercise. I don't know how long he will be gone, or when I will hear from him.

While he is gone, not only will I be Mom and Dad, I have that added job of keeping his morale up. While I can't send any pkgs, I have spent the past few days getting him magazines, snacks and movies to take with him. Taking care of my soldier, makes me verrry feminine (:

While you are here, please sign up for my giveaway. Currently there are only 6 entries so your chances are very good! You can find the link here

Couponing to Spain...

In late January, or early Febuary, my sweet husband will be deploying...again.

 While I look forward to this deployment like I would a root canal, at least this time he will not be heading back to Afghanistan. This next deployment will have him headed to Rota, Spain.

Doesn't that sound nice? Well while I am looking forward to him being in a much safer location, it is a place that I would love to go and visit him. And because it is not a war zone, I can.

Since he will be gone over the summer, we figured that it would be much easier to find babysitters, if the kids weren't in school or on a structured schedule.

I really, really, REALLY want to go. My hubby said it is fine...as long as the cost does not go on the credit card. So what does that mean?

image taken from http://www.usmilitary.about.com/

That means I am couponing my way to Spain! Drawing inspiration from the site Couponing to Disney, I have a savings account that will have all of my refund & rebate checks, money gifts, and all my coupon savings.

Because I will not be taking my children with me, I only have to save enough for myself. I checked on flights and with all the tickets, tax and fees it will be around $1300. Plus food, a hotel, taxi, souveniers...well it starts to add up. So I am thinking right now my goal is to have $3000 in savings.




image taken from idbg.com




Of course that has to be saved by June. Yikes. It is about 8 months to save that money or $375 a month.

I have to get busy. What about you, are you using your coupon savings (or other kinds of savings) for anything fun?

Those dreaded D's

Over the summer, I shared this post about deployment and depression. While certainly not the most UPLIFTING post I have ever written, it is a necessary one.

My Seabee has now been gone for a month. Some days have been verrrry long, while the weeks have flown by. He has already missed so much and it amazes me at what all can happen in a month!

I was talking to a friend of mine, whose husband is in the same unit (NMCB3) with mine and it was funny how we both have been going through the same feelings.

The first week, I ran this house with a no nonsense attitude. It was my way or the highway.

The second week was full of tears, anger and frustration.

The third was hard but a routine was getting under way.

The fourth, brought preparations for Thanksgiving and sick kids.

I spent Thanksgiving week/weekend surrounded by loved ones. Yet at times felt very lonely. Half of my heart is in Afghanistan.

With Christmas coming up, I know this month will be another rough one. HOWEVER I am determined to make the best of it. Life is what we make it.

I just wanted you to know that I am still here. I appreciate all the sweet comments, prayers and love that we recieve. They are all felt and much appreciated!

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If you are looking for a way for you or your family to perform some service this season, think of the military families who are home without their loved one. Maybe a plate of cookies, an offer to babysit for an hour or two, a shoulder to cry on or just lend an ear. Make sure to have tissues close by! Our soldiers need support but so do the hometown hero's. It doesn't have to cost a penny but can mean so much!

woot, woot!!

I got a wonderful phone call today. My hubs is coming home! Hurrah Seabees! They are done with their training.

I can't give specifics, but he will be home tomorrow sometime. So you might not hear from me over the weekend. Although, he will be worn out and sleeping a lot...so maybe I can sneak on! (: I just want to have some cuddle time with my sweetie.

My kids are going back to school next week, so you know I am going to be enjoying the quiet! I have a lot planned for this week to share with you...

2 product reviews
back to school lunch box (although I posted an insanely long list the other day!)
chore charts
my weekly shopping trips
organizing after school activities
meme's
blog hops
freezer cooking recipes...

So much going on, and MAYBE just MAYBE I will get some crafting done?!

the big D's

D is for...deployment and depression.

I am a military wife. I am very proud of my soldier. I love and miss him. Right now, he is currently out on a field exercise in the mountains. I honestly have no clue where he is. I only hear from him when the signal is good. Even then it is a quick phone call, or a 1 line text.

This is not the first time he has been away. He has actually been away quite a few times. For months. But I always had a way to communicate with him.

Every time, I go through a sort of depression. I am not in the mood to cook or clean. "I don't have a husband coming home so who cares?" is often my attitude. My children could care less if the house is messy, and often prefer pancakes for dinner instead of roast or something.

Then, we get into a rythm. Life moves on and we get into a routine. We miss him, but it isn't the hard, lonely time that we went through. The end of a deployment is rough too. It wouldn't seem that way but it is.

Right now I am on my way out of that depression. I am not sure when he is coming home, I haven't heard from him in days. When he gets home, he will be here for a whole 11 days before he heads to Afghanistan. Luckily that is a quick trip and I will have him home. November is the big one. I know it will not be easy.

I am not sure why I am sharing this. Ecspecially on this blog! I am just feeling kind of like a hypocrite. Talking about cooking, organizing etc. while my house is a wreck!

Whew, that felt good to get out. I know my family needs me and it isn't just Ben that counts. The kids are watching me too. If I don't put out the effort for them, they might think that they aren't as important. I don't want that!

Being a wife and mother is my MOST important calling!