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Operation Stay Young
So we are a month in to our New Years Resolutions or Goals. How are you doing? I’m feeling pretty good. Hubs bought me a pedometer, a basic Fit-Bit, for Christmas and it has been a wonderful motivator for me. It reminds me if I want to meet my goal by the end of the day I need to move. That may mean doing a little running in place while I fold laundry, having a mid-afternoon dance party in the kitchen with the kids (making sure I move my feet to keep those steps going) or just a couple extra jogs up and down our steps. For me it’s the…
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Home for the Holidays #HickoryTradition
Home for the Holidays. It can mean so much to the mobile, military family. Sometimes it means having your spouse beside you as you celebrate a quiet Christmas, just the two of you. It can mean jumping in the car and travelling thousands of miles to be home with Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters. Then there are the holidays when your kids surround you as the anticipation mounts for such a fun day all the while talking with their mom or dad on Skype while they serve over seas and in foreign lands.Pin this image for an additional chance to win a Gift Basketfrom Hickory Farms. Further details belowSo tell us: What does…
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Staying Safe while Christmas Shopping
The Christmas season, rather synonymous with “the shopping-season”. We grab the lists, grab the keys, and head to our local department shops to buy gifts for loved ones. But what can be a time of merriment and fun can quickly go south if we become unsuspecting victims. Here are five quick tips to staying safe and protecting your belongings while hitting the crowded malls and department shopping stores. 1. Situational awareness. Be aware of those around you. Put down your phone, keep an eye on other shoppers, watch your 3 o’clock, 9 o’clock and even your 6 o’clock. (Can you tell I’m the daughter of a pilot?). Don’t be so focused on your shopping that…
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The Insecure Military Brat (That’s Me)
I started a wonderful book over Spring Breaktitled ‘The Artist’s Daughter’, a memoir by Alexandra Kuykendall. MOPS International gave it to me and I have a hard time putting it down each time I pick it up. If you ask me about my identity (a key question in this memoir) I struggle to answer. I have grown a lot through the years. Especially now, as a mom, wife, a resident of the same city for the last 12 years. But years before that? I was (and still remain) a Military Brat. I was always a little awkward. I had a SUPER hard time making new friends. The shy introvert who just wanted…
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Another PCS? Or Your First? Some great Moving Tools to Assist You!
It is PCS Time AgainAre you excited about this next move? Or is it the wrong move, at the wrong time? Ready to jump into research, house hunting, finding the best schools, how to get those utilities hooked up, a new local bank maybe, etc. Or maybe you have put it off and now the time crunch is upon you and you need to get started in a hurry? We faced all of those situations during a career that spanned 18 PCS type moves and some college students being hauled across the continent as well. The internet has opened some great new avenues to help and MilitaryAvenue’s Moving Tools is…
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Money Saving Idea: Getting Comfortable in the Kitchen
Throughout the next month the focus is going to be on saving money. No pressure on my part as that leads to nothing but guilt, and therefore failure. However, when I do find myself doing ‘the right thing’ I want to focus on it and think about how I can make it that much better. (My motto, “Little Drops of Awesome“) There will be a lot of trust. Trust that this focus is important, necessary, part of managing the household. It helps with some of the stress on my marriage. It helps me feel like a better manager of God’s provisions. Money doesn’t bring happiness but I’d sure like to try peace…
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Military Discounts Around Town
Hubs and I had a wonderful weekend in Annapolis a few weeks ago with college friends. We laughed, chatted, caught up, got to know spouses, ate, ate and ate. We did a lot of eating. We even got to dress up like adults for a wedding Friday evening. Life was good! You know you are in a militarytown when there is a USAAFinancial CenterWe also toured the town, just hubs and I. I had never been on the Naval Academy and knew it was steeped in military pride. Since we were within walking distance from our hotel we strolled the campus. It was still Christmas Break so it was pretty quiet, but there…
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The Christmas Tree – Military Family Style
O Christmas TreeO Christmas TreeHow Lovely are Your branchesIsn’t it amazing how many different styles of Christmas trees there are? The Country Christmas Tree The Patriotic Christmas TreeSource: Uploaded by user via MilitaryAvenue.com on Pinterest The Family Christmas tree filled with handmade ornaments and other special memories The ‘Ammuntion Tree’!Source: twitpic.com via MilitaryAvenue.com on PinterestEven the Camouflage Christmas TreeSource: treeclassics.com via MilitaryAvenue.com on PinterestWe have one Camouflage Christmas Tree to give away from TreeClassics.com! I think it would be perfect for a Family Readiness Group or Military Spouse Group to display. It would be lovely in an office or in an armory. It would look splendid in a home or perhaps the home away from…
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The Home Depot Celebration of Service 2012 – Meet a military family.
The Home Depot Celebration of Service 2012 – Meet the Purvis family! I had the pleasure of meeting the Purvis family in GrandRapids, Michigan last week, as a part of The Home Depot Celebration of Service 2012. The Home Depot provided them (that we delivered) with decorations, a corner Christmas tree, and an opportunity to meet a wonderful family. Throughout my time with the family we shared plenty of laughs and a few serious and emotional topics. Mr. Purvis has been in the Army National Guard forabout 11 years. He has been deployed 3 times,to Egypt, Iraq and Afghanistan. The family’s living room wall is covered in pictures and memories…
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Commissary Gift Card for You
It is that time of year. When we have a hard time finding air because the schedule is so busy. Parties, kid-concerts, shopping, meal planning, travelling and so much more. It is easy to get lost in the festivities and forget to take a moment to remember the joy in the season. Start your membership today – www.sittercity.com/dod To help encourage and empower our military families SitterCity has presented us with four $50 Commissary cards to give to military-families! Wow, what a wonderful gift! To be entered for our random drawing tell us something you love about the holidays.(This one is a must in order to be entered!) To be entered again Like…
