Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Julie

March Fit Snack Monthly Box Review

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fit snack box

It’s time for another Fit Snack box review! I am really enjoying these boxes! I was excited to get a new box so that I could try new foods. I had no idea what would be in the box. Once again I was very happy with it.

My top three favorites!!!

Biosanes-Magic cookies that are perfect for a meal replacement or just a healthy snack. I ate this one for breakfast. I am not a big fan of breakfast but if I skip it I don’t feel well and that isn’t good. I would say this cookie could be an option for me. It was oatmeal raisin and although I am not one to pick that type of cookie if I had the choice, it was good for breakfast.

Mov’It- They are “Mommy’s fruit snacks” and help fight fatigue with energy boosting vitamins, ribose, guarana and taurine. I have been eating them in the afternoons when I have a lot to do and start to feel a little sluggish. For years I would drink an afternoon cup of coffee and these can help get me away from that.

 

Bio Coffee- This reminded me of the coffee you can get in Germany. It was yummy. It is the world’s first Alkaline coffee and gives you a good energy boost without all the harmful side effects.

 

 

fit snack box

It’s so nice they include a nice Product Information list too.

fit snack box

My box also included, Sweetwood Cattle Co. Beef Jerky, Keen One Quinoa Chocolate Nut Krunch, Flamous Falafel Chips, Detour Smart Whole Grain Oatmeal with Blueberries low sugar bar and Wowbutter, peanut butter replacement.

Fit Snack is applying the social model to its partners as well. In order to share exclusive behind the brand views, Fit Snack will showcase a “Brands We Love” interview every month, which will highlight the history of a Fit Snack partner as well as go into detail about how their product is made.

Fit Snack offers several different subscription plans including 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and annual subscription options. Monthly box prices
start at $15.00 (+ $5 S/H) and provide double that value within each box.

Would you like to order one??? You can do so here…

 

 

* I received this box for free as a Fit Snack Ambassador!

My Daddy is a Soldier Book Review

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books for military kids

I love it when Military spouses write books. They can bring reality to the subject they are writing about and have a good point of view on the subject.

I was given the chance to review the book, My Daddy is a Soldier. Written and Illustrated by Brittany Mayfield.

The book is written from the point of view of a child talking about their father who is a soldier. It talks about what he can do because he is one. The illustrations show a multicultural mix of soldiers which is nice to see.

books for military kids

This book is perfect for the Military child. Either those first learning to read or to be read to by a parent or older sibling.

The book is available in paperback on Amazon 🙂

 

 

* I was provided a free copy of the book for review! 

Photography Around A German Village

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Photography Around A German Village

 

It’s been 5 years since we moved back to the states but I have so many photos from my time in Germany that I really haven’t blogged about. Germany is where I got back into my photography. When we were in Germany we lived in Schweinfurt for about 2.5 years and a little village outside of Grafenwoher for almost 2 years. Erbendorf was a small village about 20 minutes from post. We lived in Government leased housing which means we our out in the “economy” but lived in Military housing. We didn’t have a gate around us and lived in a neighborhood with about 70 other American families. There were also a few German families that lived there too.

We could go out for a walk and within 5 minutes would be in a German village. It was nice because we really got a good sense of what living in Germany was like. But we also had access to the Army post where we would go to shop for American foods and products, got our mail, went to church and where of course my husband worked.

Sometimes I would get frustrated being there but it really was a lovely place. I went on so many walks and photo walks. These photos are from January/February 2009. We had a lot of snow!

 

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Have you ever lived in Germany or Europe? What part???

 

 

 

 

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How You Know You Are In An All Boy Family

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How You Know You Are In An All Boy FamilyMy house is an all boy house.  We have no little girls here.  Mommy is the only one sporting the pink.  My 10 year old loves green, my 8 and 4 year old love blue. Walk into our house and you will probably be able to tell pretty quickly that we are an all boy home.

This is why…

1. Legos Legos everywhere.  Lego Star Wars, Lego Avengers, Lego Harry Potter…I think we have a little bit of everything. Girls love Legos too, I played with them as a child but they are all over the place here. Sets and figures and video games.

2. We won’t be selling any Girl Scout cookies.  My oldest was in Cub scouts and I learned pretty quickly that it is different from my experience with Girl Scouts.  Either that or things have changed a lot since I was a kid. The Boy scouts sell popcorn. While the popcorn is good, it isn’t like Girl Scout cookies. No one is waiting for them to come out. You can pretty much buy the same thing at a grocery store. I always buy from two or three little girls because I was a Girl Scout for 12 years and the cookies are just that good!

3. No shopping in the pink aisle.  I love Barbie and girly toys but that isn’t what my boys want.  I go over to the pink aisle to shop for friends and family but not my own kids.  It is like going to a foreign land.  An area I am not a part of anymore. I have always been open to having dolls and girl stuff around but my boys? They don’t want it.

4. Everything is a gun.  I am not too big on toy guns but we have a few.  Mostly Nerf guns.  But what I have learned is that little boys turn almost anything into a gun.  And if they have nothing else, a finger also works. Everytime friends come over they want to grab the Nerf guns and head outside where they pretend to be Star Wars guys or whatever else their minds come up with.

5. Potty training is difficult.  Yes, I know there are boys out there that train early and there are girls out there that take their time, but taking an informal poll of friends with both sexes, boys are usually harder to potty train than girls.

6. The Boys bathroom. Any mom with a boy knows how messy their bathroom can get. Whenever I look at houses and think about searching for one with just 1.5 baths, I just remind myself about having boys. I need my own bathroom. Boys are messy.

I have heard that boys are harder as young kids and then as they get older they are a little bit easier. I have also heard that it is the opposite for girls. I am not sure if that is true but it kind of seems to lean that way. Either way, kids are hard and I love being a mom of all boys.

Are you a mom of all boys?  How many do you have?

 

* This post contains affiliate links.

Searching For Sunday By Rachel Held Evans Book Review

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Rachel held evans

I am a big fan of Rachel Held Evans. I read her first book Evolving in Monkeytown and then I was a part of the launch team for her second book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood. When I saw an opportunity to be on her team for her third book, Searching for Sunday, I was excited to sign up!

When it comes to faith and religion, to what I believe and what I understand, I enjoy reading about how other people come to their own faith. I especially find this helpful when someone was raised similar to me. Rachel Held Evans is one of these people. She was raised in an Evangelical home and attended Evangelical churches. I did too. A lot of her church past is very similar to mine.

searching for sunday

 

As I try to figure out what parts of my faith are important, how to live out my faith and what I need to let go of, I look to people who have been there and have been through it.

Searching for Sunday is a book about church. She centers it around seven sacraments. Baptism, Confession, Holy Orders, Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the sick and Marriage. The book takes you through all of them with stories about each topic. Some are personal, some are more general. A lot of the chapters will cause you to step back and think a bit about what you have experienced in your own church life.

searching for sunday

 

The point of the book is to find hope. To get back to believing in church if you don’t anymore. To see that your faith walk is a journey and you will have ups as well as downs.

This book reminded me of the things I have always loved about the church and allowed me to get excited about it again. It let me mourn and deal with some of the icky parts I have experienced. It was just a good way to connect with another Christian and take part in her journey.

It’s about how God’s Grace is always enough, about an unraveling faith and finding your way back again, about how you don’t have to choose between your Christian faith and science or between doctrine and compassion. That doubting is okay and searching for answers is a part of the journey.

Beyond that, it was just nice to read more about Rachel’s story. About leaving her church, trying to start a new one and where she ended up. About what she went through, what she learned and where she is now. It was a great breakdown of what her church experiences have been like the last few years.

The book is out TODAY! You can buy it at your favorite online bookstore or, enter to WIN a copy for yourself here.

The giveaway will run until next Monday! Enter the Rafflecopter below…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to visit the Searching for Sunday website too. If you submit a proof of purchase by April 18th, you can also receive a free musical album which goes along with the book.

 

* This post contains affiliate links!

* I was given a copy of the book for review!

 

 

What You Might Miss The Most During A Deployment

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What You Might Miss The Most During A Deployment

We all know that there are positives to every deployment. We also know how hard they can be and how badly you might miss your spouse when they are away. Sometimes it is just the little everyday things that you miss the most.

This is my list of what I missed the most when he was gone on a deployment…

* Being with me when the boys have activities like soccer practice/games.  I video tape but still…not the same!

* My weekend “break”- When my husband is home I am able to get out for a few hours all by myself.  Even if it is a 15 minute run to the store.

* Sundays after church- I just want to go out to lunch with my husband, I miss that when he is not home.

* Sundays at church- I miss sitting by him & holding hands during the service. It is just not the same sitting there with just the kids or even by myself.

* Having someone to bounce little ideas/questions off of.  I like hearing his opinion about life and whatever might be on my mind. I can also ask him if I am just being crazy about something or just his thought on the subject.

* Watching a movie with him.  I end up watching more movies when he is gone but I love it when we can watch them together. And then talk about how weird or silly they were.

* Hearing his opinion on shows like the Bachelor or Army Wives.  He just cracks me up with his thoughts.  I always miss that humor.

* His jokes.  My husband is a very silly man and always trying to make a joke.   Even if they are pretty corny, I miss them when he is not around. I find myself craving his jokes because they are very much a part of who he is.

Distance is hard, and missing the day-to-day can really get to you. On the other hand, it can really make you appreciate your time together even more. When he is home, you can be thankful for all those little moments that you have together. I know that since my husband joined the Army in 2005, I have been able to really appreciate all the little things when he is home.

 What would you add to this list? What do you miss the most during a deployment???

 

 

 

 

Summer 2015 Plans

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Summer 2015 Plans

Summer? Already? We have just 45 days left until summer vacation begins. Every year I think about my kid’s ages and I am VERY excited about this summer of 10, 8 and 4. Very. For one thing, NO ONE IS IN DIAPERS!!! Which means, NO ONE IS IN SWIM DIAPERS. I can’t tell you how excited this makes me!

I am looking forward to bbqing, plants growing, wearing shorts, long nights, sleeping in, fun memories and time with the boys.

It is also possible that this will be my last summer home with the boys. Next summer I could be working and they could be in daycare or with their Dad instead. So THIS summer is going to be awesome, I am going to make sure of it.

This is what is on our list so far:

  • Time at the pool. I think for the first time ever I can handle taking all three boys by myself, as long as the pool is set up the right way and I think I know of one that will work.
  • Splash Park. The easiest way to get wet in the summer and hang out with friends.
  • Water Park. We have a tiny one here that will be fun for the boys.
  • Camping. Yes, we want to attempt it again.
  • Park Time. This gets harder to do once we hit July since it is SO hot and the bugs so we will go more in May and June and in the evenings.
  • Day Camps. I already have them signed up for one each so I am excited about that.
  • Overnight Camp. This will be for my oldest.
  • VBS. Hoping to volunteer this year since all three will be able to go.
  • Swim Lessons. All three will do it this year, hoping they can all go at the same time.
  • Walks. I love walking or a mix of walking, bike riding, scooter riding depending on the kid. Either around the neighborhood or somewhere with more to look at then just houses and lawns.
  • Adventure Science Center. We have a pass now.
  • The Movies. I can now take all three to the movies so plan to do that. We really want to see Inside Out and Minions. My oldest wants to see Jurassic World.
  • Movies at the Park. Hoping we can take in a few of these too.

What about you? Are you ready for summer yet? Planning any trips? Any camps?

 

 

It’s A Dog’s Life

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It’s Friday and I am ready for the weekend to begin!

Here are some photos of our dog Gwen and her best friend playing together in the snow. I love watching them run against the fence. They are so cute!

 

life with a dog

 

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dogs jumping

 

gwenfriends

 

Have a great weekend 🙂