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Care Packages & the USO
My deployed-Hubby is quite frequently asked by family & friends for things he might want sent to him in care-packages. He has told me on several occasions that they just don’t have a lot of room out there. His ‘choo’ (aka room) doesn’t have a lot of room & the Army does take pretty good care of their food-needs. I frequently ask what was for dinner and it sounds like the Army has come A LONG WAY from the days of *MASH* and their chow-hall. Apparently they have quite a few ‘critters’ over there. This was news to me. I think of the desert and I think of cactus, lizards…
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Before A Deployment
One of the hardest times for a military family is preparing for the deployment of a loved one! Talk about multi tasking skills for a family! The military spouse is busy getting their military duties accomplished like training, locating the necessary gear and planning for their required duties while gone. The family is working out details of how to function without them and all the things they do for the family! For some it is a frequent occurrence with little thought but for many it can be a first or second with a long turn overseas. It does not matter if experienced or not; it is tough for all involved…
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Summer’s End Tomato Pie
Our tomato plants are looking tired. VERY tired, but they are using all their gusto and are still pushing fruit out. These tomatoes are not the big round beauties of early August, but there they are, and I love them! We have worked these beauties: canned, frozen, eaten tomato salad and stuffed tomatoes. Now I am thinking something warm. Roasted Tomato Pie2 lbs tomatoes2 T olive oil2 T crushed garlicsalt and pepper1 (9″) pie crust1 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese1/4 cup fresh basil (1 t. dried)1 t fresh oregano (1/4 t dried)3/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated3/4 c mayonnaise Preparation Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking dish with…
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Golf Anyone?
Recently I had the chance to go miniature golfing with a couple of very enthusiastic golfers! It was a beautiful day on the course with numerous interesting holes including dinosaur, cave, water and other hazards! But the best part of the game was watching and playing with the younger guys who as the picture shows were running the holes! I learned some new rules from these two which made play very interesting: #1 Never let the ball stop enroute to the pin–it’s easier that way#2 If that stick in your hand doesn’t work–just pick the ball up and throw it in! #3 Play a hole twice while waiting for the…
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Once in a blue moon …
I think my kids had to pick themselves up off the floor last night … I baked.It happens, oh once in a blue moon, and almost all my baking involves a box. Cake from a box, muffins from a box… add the egg and the oil and wa-la you are done. Last night actually involved a recipe 🙂 We had fun. The boys each took turns adding the ingredients to the mixing bowl. They took turns whisking, there was not one fight involved. It was beautiful! (My only complaint was the clean-up … but you can’t win them all.) I did have to do a little research in order to…
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Laughter
It has been a rough week in the Kocsis Household. I am not sure what to blame it on. I am not sure if it is the fact that school has started and “our routine” isn’t routine yet. I am not sure if we just plain-miss Hubby. I am not sure if I am just exhausted and my patience level is a little bit lower then it needs to be. Or maybe its just a huge combination of those with other things mixed in that I haven’t figured out yet. Whatever the case may be church today was the ‘balm’ to heal my aching mental-state. I don’t want to get…
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A Time for All Seasons
Last night we canned peaches! We had worked pretty hard all day on the site, printed and sent MilitaryAvenue brochures to Ft Campbell for a MSCCN meeting on Friday, approved a large group of new partners and updated ads with some wonderful MilitaryRewards. Overall a very successful day! But the evening started with a half bushel of peaches staring back at us with a “I need to be canned tonight look”. They were fresh, ripe and ready to go! The time was right and the preparations were in place (we had the jars, lids, pressure cooker and the little manual giving us the help we needed) so we got started.…
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Sitting Back and Taking a DEEP breath
Yesterday evening I sat on my front porch and just took the moment in. The kids were on their scooters & bikes playing with neighbors, racing up and down the sidewalk from driveway to driveway. 95% of the time when I am outside with the kids I’m DOING something: reading, outside with the laptop, weeding, sorting through a pile of papers from the kitchen counter, etc etc. But last night I just sat there. My boys are at a good age: 5 and 3. They are mostly independent, but still love to hold my hand. They love to RUN and play, but will still sit on my lap at the…
