Guess What!

My husband will be home THIS YEAR!!!

I'm a little over the top excited about it.  A brand new chapter of our lives will begin.

What do I do before then though?

It's a brand new year, and I should be making my brand new goals.  A half ironman?  A marathon?  Six pack abs?

I wish I knew what the future was going to hold when he gets out, so I could plan accordingly.

I'm a planner.  I'm a backup planner.  I make plans like my daughter changes clothes....constantly.

We are currently stuck in the house due to snow and ice.

This is a video from a street not too far from here.  No I didn't make it, but it's crazy!

I chose to stay off the road, because this Texan does not like to drive in this mess.  Unfortunately with a high of only 14 today, I am going to have to venture out to get some more medicine for Abs.

It's been negative temps every night during dog walking duty, but I continue to take the dog out.  Apparently in this neck of post, I am the only one who does it.  Poor little pups!

Happy New Year! 2011 has to be better than 2010!

A Good Military Spouse Video

Watch it the whole way through....

Let me know what you think.  I had to get over his grammar, but the message was clear.

Christmas

Although I never really got into the Christmas spirit this year, I did make sure that the kids had a great time.

How could Santa go wrong with electric guitars?  I guess that means lessons need to be in the works.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, his pajama top is too small, his bottoms don't match.....it's how we roll.

I finally did it and got the girls each a dsi for Christmas.  

One of the few pictures I managed to catch of Em.

I used the Tag reader in my classroom, but the school had a set.  I scored on the price and got it for less than $30 with 12 books and the pen!  Score!  (Oh, and I got one DSI for free.  Just call me a bargain shopper.)

The kids were happy with everything they got.  I even got a present.  Abs went shopping in Em's room and had wrapped something up for me.....something Em had just received from her teacher a few days earlier.  Never a dull moment with that kid.

After presents, I ran over to the DFAC to see what the hours were for Christmas dinner.

They weren't serving.

At least Denny's was hopping!  We had a friend and her son join us for dinner, and as long as I wasn't cooking, I really didn't care where we ate.

One more holiday down, and a day closer to Gunner coming home.  Slowly but surely.....trash goes out tomorrow night!

Christmas Cards

So I haven't finished sending out all the Christmas cards, because, well, just because.  I will eventually get them out, so don't look if you know you are missing one.  Of course if you are not looking then send me your address immediately!

Not a great shot of the card, but you get the idea.  I found them on etsy.  How can you not like that place?

For all the new readers, there's always last years card that still makes me smile every time I see it (drawn by Abs).

While Christmas is the hardest time to have Gunner gone, at least I know that he took the place of someone who missed last Christmas and that Soldier gets to be home this year.  Next year, he's all ours.  

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

For your reading pleasure (and yes I know parts don't rhyme, but I should be filling stockings right now instead of worrying about rhyming words):

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, except for a military spouse;

The stockings were hung by 550 cord, with care,

In hopes that skype would work and her husband could be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of their dad in camo, danced in their heads;

And me in his sweats, and Army crap,

Had just settled down with lots of presents to wrap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the floor to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the crappy mini blinds and hoped no Soldier did crash.

The moon on the grass that I was glad did not grow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to housing below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature tank, and eight tiny rear-deer’s,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be Sgt. Nick.

More rapid than deployments, his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Alpha! now, Bravo! now, Charlie and Delta!

On, Headquarters! on Scouts! on, S-2 and S-3!

To the top of the main gate! to the top of the wall!

Now convoy away! convoy away! convoy away all!"

As sand during a sandstorm does manage to fly,

When they meet with a desert, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the tank full of toys, and Sgt. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The stomping and clomping of each combat boot.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Through the mail slot Sgt. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in camo, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all pressed with fine spitshined black boots;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a Soldier just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they looked tired! his dimples were there,

But through it all, his sadness he did wear.

His strong mouth was quiet as he wondered how,

She managed to do it without sweat on her brow;

The single white envelope he held tight in his hand,

Was the first thing he set down, all covered with sand;

A single letter sent home, written straight from the heart,

Even if the military did keep them apart.

He was skinny and strong, silent and stealth,

No danger of stealing, as he was used to no wealth;

A wink of his eye and a nod of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And turning and smiling, he straightened his clothes

And giving a salute, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his tank, to his convoy gave a yell,

And away they all flew like a bat out of hell.

But I heard him call cadence as he drove out of sight

Remember he loves you he’ll call you tonight.

Merry Christmas!

I have three children nestled in bed, while visions of their dad, dance in their head.

We hung the stockings from the staircase with 550 cord.  (What military family doesn't love 550 cord?)

Flat Daddy is guarding the tree and the kids also wanted to put him up so that Santa would be reminded about all the dads that are missing Christmas morning.  (So I might have cried at that statement)

Cookies and milk and salsa and chips were left out for Santa. (You have to leave out at least a few German cookies!)

Abs drew a picture of Santa with specific instructions on whose stocking was whose.  Remember the 4 stockings?  Ummmm....yeah.....they gave Sammy one, but not me.  LOL

I think the car was left by Junior because he still isn't potty trained and he was trying to bribe Santa.  Of course Junior had to draw a picture too...

The best present of all came tonight when Gunner got on the webcam and sent pictures of himself.

I miss him.  His one request was for me to take a ton of pictures on Christmas morning.  Guess who can't find the battery charger or the flip.  Luckily I found a backup camera and will use that.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cheer?

All the presents are wrapped, and in keeping with tradition, they will love everything that they are getting.  Thankfully the zhu zhu pets were not as rare as last Christmas, and I even got the kung zhu model.  Junior got one at the USO party and has been carrying it around like a pet.  Abs has been begging for one since last year, so I managed to score one.  

My in-laws had their presents here way before I was even done shopping, and today the elusive gift basket they got me was finally received.  I am not a big of Fed Ex right now, but at least the product arrived.  It's a huge basket filled with wine, godiva chocolates, truffles, and lots of other good stuff.  After the last few months I have had, it was nice to receive.

The Santa presents are ready to be put out--do you wrap yours or just put them out?  We used to wrap them, but now I just put them out for them to play with once they wake up.  

Knock on wood, even Abbie, has never gotten up early on Christmas morning.  I probably just jinxed that though.

Tonight I went to dinner with my friend Erin, then to the movies, and out for a drink.  It was nice to get out of the house sans children for once, before the holiday chaos ensues.  Plus it was low key, which is just what I needed, since we are both hitting crossfit in the morning.  We are doing the "Twelve Days of Christmas".......I just checked the website, and this workout will makeup for us not working out Christmas Day.  Ouch!

So tonight I go to bed happy, with a lot less to worry about over the next 48 hours than I thought.  I do have to hit the commissary, but Abs and Junior like to help, so hopefully it won't be too bad.  

I'm trying to come up with some snack foods to serve on Christmas day before our DFAC dinner.  Any suggestions?  I am really craving brie right now, so that will have to be on the list.

While Christmas is never the same when Gunner is gone, I am glad that I have a husband that loves me unconditionally, treasures his children, and can still make me smile from halfway around the world.  Life is good.

Shout-Outs

Every month or so, the Brigade posts shout-outs from down range.


I watch them.  I look for Gunner.  He's never there.


On FB the other day I wrote:
ABW:  Before I have to be thoroughly depressed that I watch another series of "shout-outs" and you aren't on there, let me know if you ever do one!


Gunner:  Like a camera crew is going to give up their safety to come out to my little chunk of the war.


I should give up, but I noticed they posted a new one.  


I watched it, and no matter what, even if I don't know the guys, they still get me.  I think of all the people left behind.  All the people spending Christmas without their Soldier this year.  It just makes me sad.


But then they post the "bloopers" and I laugh and laugh.  


So....does your brigade, unit, or whatever you want to call it do the shout-outs?  Has your husband ever done one?  I thought for sure after 5 years away from us, someone would want to tape him!


Funny story, before we had yahoo and instant messanger, when the guys lived in tents during the deployment in 2003, they used to video tape the families at the company.  The girls were 5 and 2, and we got two minutes to talk to the video camera and then clear out for the next family to tape their message.


I showed up with Em and Abs in full dressup garb (their idea).....complete with boas.  Once the taping started, we were at a loss as to what to do for two minutes, so I decided that they should sing the ABC's.  


I'm holding them, one on each leg, boas fully visible, and the singing begins.


A B C D....the girls are sharing the ONE microphone.
EFGHIJ.....the girls are starting to fight over the microphone.
KLMONP....the war has begun.
QRSTUV.....the feathers from the boas are now flying around us as I try to grab the microphone and continue singing.
WXY and Z....the war begins again, I'm grabbing the microphone, feathers still flying, both girls screaming, me singing, and we end with me begging for him to return.


Gunner said he had never laughed so hard in his life.  He wasn't looking for the perfect message, but he did catch a glimpse of his "perfect" family.

Sixteen Years

That's how long the Army Gunner and I have been married, today.

SIXTEEN!  That's almost longer than I lived at home!

We started at Fort Hood, then to Germany, to Fort Lewis, WA, to Fort Hood, then to Fort Carson, CO.

We had three children along the way (one at each duty station, so Gunner wised up and at this place we adopted a dog).

We are on our FIFTH year long deployment, although this last one will be cut short a few months due to his retirement.

We've lost all of our grandparents, and my dad.

I won't even count the number of times he went to the field, JRTC, TDY, or to NTC during our married life.

We've traveled.

We've laughed.

We've cried.

We've made it work.

I'm lucky to have found him on a chance meeting.  

I'm lucky he called the next day--he asked for my number, and I gave it to him, but told him that he couldn't say my name correctly, I would hang up.  Not only did he call exactly when he said he would (a man after my heart), but he pronounced my name correctly.  Whew.

I'm lucky that he loves me. 

(But he better admit, he's pretty damn lucky too!)

Thanks Gunner for a great start with the Army, and a great future WITHOUT THE ARMY!!!

All I Want for Christmas

Well besides a non-crappy school, which would be totally opposite of the CRAPPY one they go to now....(more on that later)...

I'd like:

I went into Target and asked for this type of underwear and she couldn't believe that anyone would make it or wear it.  She obviously didn't workout!

I definitely need some of this soap:

ETSY can be my downfall some days.  I managed to find dog holiday butt covers.  Really?

I need a new tea kettle:

If you can throw in an educational attorney for me to fight the idiots at Ab's school, that would really be a blessing.  Cause apparently people that are less educated than me think that they can decide my child's future with their poor judgement.

If that doesn't work, I'll take:

a week vacation sans everyone.  I had a friend that vacationed at a monastery that didn't allow talking.  I want to go there.

A massage.

A pedicure.

A break.

A case of Two Buck Chuck.

A garage cleaning service.

Gunner home.

A girl can dream can't she?

Disgusted

That's how I feel when I read what people have written about the Sears Heroes at Home Gift Registry, on facebook.

It's a program that they run, people donate, and gift cards are sent out to people who registered and qualified for the program.

They don't have to do it.  It's not something you should count on for Christmas.  It sure as heck doesn't let you bad mouth Sears or the program just because you didn't get it.

Really, they won't have a Christmas this year?  Do you plan ahead?  Have you contacted your FRG?  There are tons of programs put on by organizations that supply Christmas presents to military families that need help.  Operation Homefront does a huge program too.

Most of the comments on facebook have been removed by the administrator of the page, but it was one wife after another bad mouthing anything and everything related to it.  Then there were those that complained because they didn't get as much money as last year on the first gift card, and they were pissed.  Really?

It's an embarrassment.  It's sad to say, but I hope that Sears does away with the program, because why should people give money to support the families when so many are sniveling little bitches?  Get a job, an education, and take care of your own families people, and quit complaining about what YOU think you are entitled to.

To Sears, thank you for making this program happen, taking the time, energy and money to run the program (which can't be easy with all those sniveling little people calling all the time and bitching), and for making some military families life easier for providing this program.  I for one appreciate all that you do to support the troops.

I'm in a crappy mood tonight, can you tell?

Regrouping

I ordered more presents, but have yet to wrap one.  I did have a friend that offered to come over and wrap with me, while we drink wine.  That I might be able to handle!

I hired an advocate so I can work towards getting an IEP for my Abs.

Junior wore underwear to hourly care this morning and stayed dry.  (Cross your fingers and everything else that you can!)

I started addressing Christmas cards.

The house is clean.

I did my crossfit today.

It's 66 degrees and I am in a tshirt and sandals.  Heaven.

I have a Christmas party to go to tonight, and while I have no desire to go, I am trying to talk myself into it.

I'll overlook that there are piles of laundry in the hallway upstairs, that I pulled the front of a drawer off of the shrunk, and that the girls start Christmas break this friday until January 5th.  (Seems awfully long to me!)

We have snow possibly coming in a few days, my mom might visit after Christmas, and while the school wants to argue with me over the law, our new advocate helped write the law and is ready to go to bat for Abs.

I've decided that my outlook always changes on Monday because I put Junior in hourly and have my workout and some time to myself.  I'm never productive, but that's okay, every once in a while we need to regroup.

Holiday Slump--Need Help!

I need your best advice.  I don't ask for help much, but I am finally admitting I need it.

I have no holiday spirit.  I bought a few gifts, but I just can't bring myself to leave the house and do anything (other than crossfit).  I was supposed to go to a dinner tonight put on by Operation Homefront, and ordering pizza sounded like more fun.

It didn't help that I am apparently at war with Abbie's school.  I have hired an advocate, and she is going to save my sanity I think.

I feel like the last month I have been put through the wringer and then doused in ice cold water a half dozen times for good measure.

My question to you.....how do you get out of the holiday slump when your Servicemember is deployed?  The last 4 times he was deployed over Christmas, I was on top of my game.  This time.....not so much.

The kids are excited about Christmas, but there is nothing under the tree because I can't even bear to wrap presents this year.  So let me know how to snap out of it and get it together, I could really use the help this year.  I guess 5 Christmases alone is my breaking point?

Funny Abs story--Jr wanted to watch Dora, and Em was less than excited and exited the room.  Abs proclaimed "I may be too old for Dora, but I have a soft spot for Spanish people."  It reminded me of when we were at Epcot this past summer.  We wanted to ride the Test Track cars, and it was faster to go as a single rider, but then you can't ride with your family.  Not a big deal since the girls are older and Grandma was watching Junior.  Abs got placed in a car full of big burly hispanic guys talking in Spanish.  She was so excited, yelled out "Hola" to them, and they were immediately smitten by the pint size gringo speaking to them in Spanish and were so nice to her during the ride, even when she screamed.  If you've heard her scream, then I assure you, the guys should have qualified for some military award!

A Visit To Santa

The clinic where Abs receives OT a million times a week, decided to have pictures with Santa today.  Dealing with kids with special needs, sensory issues (like Abs), or children with an assortment of other struggles, it makes it hard to get in line at the mall, with all the lights and sounds that can affect them more than the normal child.

It can be sensory overload for some (like Abs) and so we just opt to not do it.  We jumped at the chance to reserve a slot, have a bit of time with Santa, and he played his part well and talked to each of the kids (well except Em, who cringed at the thought of seeing Santa).

Santa invited Abs to sit on the arm of the chair.  She told him she wasn't allowed to sit there, but he finally convinced her it was okay this one time.

I managed to get Em to sneak in for one picture.  Oh the joys of having a teenager in the house!

Junior was asking Santa if he was on the naughty list. He must not have gotten the memo that I had to change dirty pants several times today.  Ugh.

I'm hoping that their photographer got a better shot than I did! 

The Winner Is....

The TWO winners of the Hallmark Recordable Storybooks are......

Charity at A Day in the Life of 5 and Casey at The Ever-Changing Life of a Military Wife.

I loved hearing all your stories, but I used the random number generator, which I still can't figure out how to post on here.  I should probably ask my daughter and she would be able to do it in no time at all.

If these two can please send me an email, I'll forward your information on so that your books can be on their way (although I don't know about delivery to Turkey before Christmas!).

Twas the Night Before Christmas...(Giveaway!!!)

I didn't even know that they had recordable story books, but then the thought of venturing out to the mall, with three children in tow, just seems overwhelming before it even begins.

Hallmark sent me a sample of The the Night Before Christmas, recordable story book, to try out.

My original intention was to send the book to Gunner to tape for the kids.

The problem with this were:
   1.  He doesn't get his mail in a timely manner, in fact on post on fb was "Gunner thinks the Taliban is stealing his mail."
   2.  It would have to be relatively quiet.
   3.  I would have to go to the post office.  (This is yet another one of those overwhelming tasks for me)
   4.  Would I get it back from Gunner?

I decided to bypass Gunner this time, and wait for him to do one when he gets home.  (Sorry babe!)

My mom was staying on a week after she got back from Japan with Emily (or Emily got back from Japan with my mom), so I asked her to record it one day while I was at crossfit.  (Yes, I am still hopelessly addicted)

Recordable Storybooks feature voice-capture technology that records the reader’s voice, which is then captured within the Storybook. When a page is turned, the book automatically plays the text on that page in the reader’s voice. It’s a great way to capture a special moment that can be shared with a child over and over again. And since the recording lasts for the life of the book, it can also serve as a lasting memento of a loved one who is away because of duty or other circumstances.

I didn't get a shot of her taping it, but she said it was easy, very user-friendly, and took no time at all.  After the recording is done, you have to use a screwdriver to remove the battery/speaker area, and "lock" the recording so the kids can't accidentally erase it.  A very nice feature, but meant I had to track down a screwdriver, which is no easy feat with one Abs in the house.

Junior got the first peak at it, and was hooked.

He was so excited to hear Grandma read him the story.  Let's be honest, at this age, he wants the same stories over and over and over again.

He kept reading it.

He continued time and time and time and time and time again.  Finally after about the hundredth time, my mom had him put it away till she left to go home.

They have so many different stories to choose from here.  My dad passed away 4 1/2 years ago, what I wouldn't do to have a recording of him for the kids.  The story Guess How Much I Love You is a favorite in our house, and I would have loved to have had that recorded by their dad before he left for Afghanistan.

So........

Hallmark has agreed to give TWO Christmas recordable storybooks out to my readers!!!  Imagine being able to have your husband record the story for this Christmas while he is home, and to have available to the kids next Christmas while he is overseas.

Entering is easy, and you just need to tell me about your favorite Christmas memory!  I'll randomly draw a winner on Monday, December 6th.  Good luck!

Also, be sure to check out the following video, and around the 2 minute mark is a military family from North Carolina that used the recordable storybooks in their family!

Thankful?

Besides my love of the DFAC--I offered to take the kids there tonight, and they declined--I am thankful that Gunner is on the other side of the world tonight.

If anyone knows me, I don't handle sick well.  While I am sad that he is gone, sick, and having to work, I am thankful that won't lead to an additional 4 people for me to clean up after.

Is that wrong?  Fortunately he loves me and laughs when I tell him things like this.

I think we will need to add immodium, pepto, and some chicken soup to his next package.  What do you send your husband when he is sick so far away?  (I really do feel horrible that he is sick.)

Also, we have a date for his return.  He will get to come home early, and he will be out of the Army sooner than I expected.  Total freakout has begun.  More on that later though.

One more thing I am thankful for????  That Sammy the dog has not become violently ill (knock on wood) from the amount of cornbread that he ingested.  It's the small things around here.

I'm in love....

I did crossfit first thing this morning, and then we headed to the DFAC for our Thanksgiving dinner.  The place was beautiful, huge, packed, and most of all, filled with GREAT food.

I admit, I am in love with the DFAC.

Did I mention the food was great?  Maybe it was because I didn't have to cook it or look at it over the next few days and try to rearrange it into something else my children would eat.

I had suckling pig, prime rib, turkey, king crab legs, shrimp......I had to try all the meats.

There were tons of veggies.

My pecan pie, while not like my mama makes it, it was still good.

The kids ate.

The atmosphere was festive.

The bigwigs were out.

The people were nice.

Most of all, it cost us $7.  SEVEN DOLLARS!

I will never ever, and I mean never ever, cook Thanksgiving dinner again (for the record, I can't really cook and surprisingly have made it 38 years without having to cook a turkey).  I already asked Gunner if they served Christmas dinner, because I want to make sure we hit that too.

I wonder if they would notice if I showed up every night for dinner.

Christmas Cards

How in the world can it be time for Christmas already?  Don't get me started on how I walk the dog and see half the people have Christmas trees up.  I'm never that together, and especially when Gunner is gone playing GI Joe halfway around the world.

Operation Gratitude has come out with a series of Christmas cards, that are being offered through CafePress.  Operation Gratitude is a non-profit organization that sends packages to troops that are deployed.   How can I not support an organization like that?

I was contacted to review some of their Christmas cards that are being offered this year, with a percentage of the proceeds to benefit Operation Gratitude.

They sent me a dozen to sample, and I love them!  Of course it helps that I have such a cute subject to include on them.

This picture was taken when Gunner was deployed the second time to Iraq.  He returned home two days before Junior was born on R&R, left when he was 13 days old, and then resurfaced when Junior was almost 6 months.

If you are looking for Christmas cards this year, make sure you check them out here.

Cleaning House

My mom is still here visiting, and today we tackled Ab's room.  What a mess.

While we are cleaning, she is cooking, which means I am eating what I don't usually eat.

It won't counteract it all, but I am hitting crossfit 5 times a week right now (well that and Abs doesn't have OT one morning like she usually does).

Not a great picture, but I was about to do half a million squats.....or at least that is what it felt like.

Have you seen the new plans that they want to have for retirement?  Now they want to change them to apply to everyone with less than 15 years of service.  We won't fall into that category, but I would be upset.  I'm looking forward to that retirement check coming in every month.  We won't be using it to live off of (I hope!), but one of the main reasons Gunner stayed in was for the retirement pay....It just frustrates me because it does affect a lot of people that I know.

I am switching my plan on MyCaa.  We'll see if it gets approved.  I need to use it up before Gunner retires.  I wasn't aware of that little caveat, but rest assured I'll put it to good use.

Oh, and we have ONE more IM appointment this week and then we are done!

War Shamoor

I think one of the hardest things about being a military spouse is not hearing from your Soldier.

I was miserable about a week, but not about to complain since it had been a month for a friend.

How long do you go?  When the war first started, the first 6 months, we had 3 ten minute phone conversations during that time.  That was hard.

While I will never complain about not hearing from him too loudly, I still miss him terribly.

Gunner's facebook status tonight.....

Gunner "is just thinking of home".

Sometimes I like to pretend that I have it harder.  I don't get packages, bills are all that come in the mail, and seriously, I have the three kids.  There's crossfit, cooking, cleaning, laundry, appointments, schoolwork, potty training, changing diapers because someone refuses to potty train, and  a million other things.

On the other hand, while I deal with snow, crazy drivers, walking the dog in the cold, and doing mountains of laundry.......I am not going through what he is, or even close.  But, cause there's always a but.....he loves his job.  (Mine's not so bad either of course, but Junior potty training would make my job much, much, much, much better)

While no one likes to be deployed, how many of your husbands love what they do?

He keeps telling me that one day he will have to grow up and quit playing GI Joe.  Heck, every Halloween he was a Soldier when he was growing up.  So what he once pretended, he has been living for the last 23 years.

But soon it will end.

In the meantime, if the war could slow down every once in a while to let me GI Joe call, I would really appreciate it...

What's the hardest part of deployment for you?