Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Military Life

Military Spouse Memes for National Guard Spouses

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Military Spouse Memes for National Guard Spouses

National Guard life can be a whole different ball game than active duty life. You might be far away from any other military spouses, your spouse isn’t in his military uniform all of the time, and you have lived in the same place for the last 15 years.

We watch our spouse work hard during the work week at their civilian jobs and then put on the military uniform for monthly drills and yearly trainings. We watch as they go off to schools and even deploy. We feel the same pride our active duty spouse friends do at watching their spouse serve.

Military Spouse Memes for National Guard Spouses

Here are some military spouse memes just for us National Guard spouses:

National Guard Memes

Whether your spouse is National Guard or active duty, when they are gone, you will miss them.

National Guard spouses

Ya, we all know that “two weeks a year” could mean anything. Two weeks is just a starting point.

National Guard spouses

When you rely on your spouse being home for ladies nights, drill weekends can put a stop to your plans.

National Guard spouses

When your spouse is in the National Guard, it can feel like you are not quite in the military world but also not quite in the civilian one either. That can be difficult and it can take some time to get used to that feeling.

National Guard Life

Yep! If something in your house is going to break, it will be drill weekend.
I swear that appliances get together and plan this.

National Guard spouses

Hey, if they have to be away, look at the positives. The remote all to yourself. If you are like me, you have those special shows you watch once a month.

Yep! I get a lot of organizing done when he is gone. Much easier to do things that way.

National Guard spouses

You have to get prepared ahead of time for the long weekend ahead.

My husband has been in the National Guard for over three years now. During that time I have learned so much about this part of military life.

Are you a National Guard spouse too? How long has your spouse been serving? 

We Went to Knott’s Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

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We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military DiscountWe Went to Knott’s Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

Growing up in Southern California, Knott’s Berry Farm was a huge part of my childhood. I have so many fun memories of that place too. Like Disneyland, my mom would take us there during our school breaks, for birthdays, or really whenever she found a good deal. We even went there for our 4th-grade field trip to learn about the history of the area and the gold rush.

When we were in California this past July we decided to plan a family trip to Knott’s Berry Farm. My mom, dad, brother, and boys would all be going, and we planned to meet up with my best friend and her kids who live in the area.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

Where to get your Knott’s Berry Farm military discount

I knew Knott’s Berry Farm had a military discount. We have always been able to use one since my husband joined and the amount of the discount has been different every time. This trip, I went to my local MWR Leisure Travel Services to buy my tickets here at Fort Campbell.

I was able to purchase tickets for my boys and me as well as my mom. When I bought them I didn’t know my dad and brother were going to come too. I paid $40 for each ticket. Regular price is $75.00 for adults and $45.oo for adults, although sometimes they do have sales on their prices.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

If you go to the gate to buy your tickets with the military discount, they will be $48. If you buy them online through Knott’s Berry Farm, they would be $43. On the website they state that the service member has to be there to get that discount, that wasn’t the case when I bought my tickets at MWR.

So if you are planning a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm and you can easily go to an MWR to get your tickets, that would be your best bet. They also have had months where they offer free admission for the military, but that will depend on the year. Last year it was a few weeks in November and then again in December.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

If you have never been to Knott’s, know that it is a different place from Disneyland.

Knott’s doesn’t have all the magic that Disney has, but really, who does? But Knott’s can make for a fun day just the same.

My favorite ride is the Timber Mountain Log Ride. My kids were trying to say they copied Splash Mountain but the log ride has been around since 1969 and I have been riding it for as long as I can remember. When Splash Mountain was built, I remember thinking how great it was that Disneyland would now have a log ride too.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

There are more roller coaster rides at Knott’s and some parts of the park have a very Six Flags feel to it. There is Camp Snoopy for the little kids and quite a few shows to take in. They also have a water park now that would be an extra ticket. I have never been but heard that park is quite fun too.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

Ghost Town is a lot of fun, and we always tend to go there first. They have people dressed up and in character from that time period. Don’t miss talking to the man in jail and visit the old school house.

Food at Knott’s Berry Farm

I have never been too thrilled with the food choices at Knott’s, although I do love their ice cream. We ended up eating lunch at Johnny Rocket’s which cost more than a regular Johnny Rocket’s but felt like we were getting better food than we would at some of the other places in the park. There is also a TGI Friday’s outside the gate that we have been to before.

If you have the time and the money, eating at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Resturant can be a good choice. This is right outside the gate. You can also get a meal from there at the Chicken-To-Go place next door.

Shopping

There are also quite a few fun shops to look at inside the park as well as outside the gate. Make time for those to buy a survivor or to just look at what they have to offer.

If you are trying to decide if you should go to Knott’s Berry Farm, think about what your kids like to do. If you have smaller children your day could be spent in Camp Snoopy and watching some of the shows. If you have older children, you can do more of the big rides and roller coasters.

Have you ever been to Knott’s Berry Farm?

 

 

The Deployment Dread

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The Deployment Dread

Deployments! There was a period when deployments were my life. My husband was either preparing for a deployment, away on deployment, or newly home from one. It seemed like as soon as we had a few weeks together, they were talking about the next one.

This was exhausting!

Always feeling like I had to be prepared for a deployment started to get to me. That deployment dread, I hated feeling that way. I didn’t want to feel that way. But I also didn’t want to forget what was ahead.

This deployment dread is that pit in your stomach when you hear about your spouse going overseas.

The Deployment Dread

It is when you hear a name of a country on the news and realize that is where they could be headed. Deployment dread is recognizing that they are going to miss your son’s next birthday or the start of a new school year.

Deployment dread is not a good thing to have. But what can do you do about it? Here are some ideas!

Remember the benefits

Remember that there are benefits to a deployment. Some are financial, and some are emotional. Although most spouses would prefer their spouse not deploy, doing so can bring about positive changes in your home.

From paying off debt to your spouse being able to move ahead in their career. If you can focus on these things more than what they will be missing, dealing with the deployment dread will be easier.

The Deployment Dread

Focus on you

When you start to worry about the upcoming deployment, try to focus on yourself instead. What do you need to work on personally? What will you work on when they are gone?

For some this means going back to school, for others, this means working on a weight loss goal or even reorganizing their home. When you can come up with a list of deployment goals, you have something to focus on and get excited about even if your spouse is going to be away.

Enjoy your time together

Don’t turn the time you have together until the deployment starts into a depressing time. You will have break downs about a possible future deployment but overall, focus on spending time together. Make plans, have family time, go on dates, and talk about what you guys will do to connect the next time they have to go.

During the pre-deployment period, you might argue more than usual. This is normal but try not to let the arguing be your focus. Both of you are stressed because things could change soon. Work hard to make those memories together and enjoy all the time that you have before they have to go.

The Deployment Dread

Remember, this too shall pass

Whatever is ahead of you, remember, you will get through it. Time will pass. Days will go by. And no matter how hard things seem, you will make it through the deployment. Life is filled with ups and downs. Some years will be better than others. Deployment years are going to be more challenging than nondeployment years.

Sometimes the deployment dread can be a lot worse than when they actually leave for deployment. There are a lot of fears associated with a deployment. Some of them are valid, and some of them are not. Keep in mind that your upcoming deployment will probably surprise you, and at the end, you will look back and be amazed at what you have done.

The Deployment Dread

Connect with others

Find other military spouses to connect with. Whenever the deployment dread hits you, make plans with a friend or put something on the calendar where you can get out and meet people. Walking through the pre-deployment season with other spouses who understand will help you more than you realize.

Other spouses have been through this before and can give you good advice a long the way. And then, when the deployment starts, you will have people to depend on. You can help one another out, no matter how long the deployment might be.

Do you struggle with worrying about the next deployment even if there isn’t one on the calendar? How do you deal with it?

How You Can Get A Breast Pump Through TRICARE for $0

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How You Can Get A Breast Pump Through TRICARE for $0

This is a sponsored post by the Breastfeeding Shop. 

How You Can Get A Breast Pump Through TRICARE for $0

We had two of our three children after my husband joined the Military. With these two boys, we had TRICARE Prime which comes with some benefits. Since I have had my boys, TRICARE has added a fantastic benefit that everyone who can take advantage of should. You can receive a breast pump through TRICARE for $0.

“Wait? A $0 breast pump just because I had a baby?” 

Yes! Since 2014, TRICARE will allow any female who has either given birth to a baby or adopted one to receive a $0 breast pump. This will encourage more moms to breastfeed and enjoy the benefits of breast milk. With a pump, they can help increase their milk supply, or be able to continue breastfeeding even after they return to work.

This benefit is valid for any type of TRICARE. This means that as a National Guard spouse I would be able to get the $0 breast pump too if I ever had another baby.

TRICARE will also pay for certain breast pump accessories such as tubing, bottles, and storage bags. This will allow you to have everything you need to start using your breast pump.

How You Can Get A Breast Pump Through TRICARE for $0

“But wait, I can get this pump, but how do I do so? Do I have to fill out a form?”

The good news is you can head on over to the Breastfeeding Shop, and they will help you receive your $0 breast pump. This is what you need to do:

  1. Get your prescription from your doctor. This must be from a TRICARE authorized provider. Your prescription should show that you can get either a basic manual or standard electric pump. The Breastfeeding Shop can also contact your physician directly, but the process will be faster if you can get that prescription yourself.
  2. Pick out the right pump. At the Breastfeeding Shop, there are quite a few pumps you can choose from. Read the reviews, talk to friends, and decide on the right pump for you and your baby.
  3. Fill out the Insurance Form at the Breastfeeding Shop and submit. Once they confirm your insurance, they will ship you your breast pump and breast pump accessories.
  4. Receive your breast pump and accessories, learn how to use your pump, and get started with the benefits of using a breast pump with your baby.

“That sounds awesome, can I do this before I have my baby? Or do I have to wait until they are born?”

You can do this before your baby comes. That way, you can have everything ready to go when they arrive. Of course, if you have already had your baby, you can still use this benefit too.

Head on over to the Breastfeeding Shop to see what breast pumps they have to offer and to get started. They would be happy to help if you have any extra questions and will work hard to make sure you can get your $0 breast pump in a timely manner.

Have you received your TRICARE breast pump benefit yet?

Win a Waiting for my Soldier Pillowcase With Oh, Susannah

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Win a “Waiting for my Soldier” Pillowcase With Oh, Susannah

Oh, Susannah will be giving one of my readers a pillow case for this giveaway.
There are also affiliate links used within the post. 

Sometimes it is the little things that help us through deployments and time away from our spouses. We want to feel close to them when they are away, and sometimes we can find a cute product to help us with that.

I am super excited to have a giveaway with Oh, Susannah. They make super cute pillowcases will all types of themes.

Oh, Susannah was started by Ben and Susannah O’Brien. They started making these gifts for their loved ones and grew their business from there. Ben brings his technical knowledge and Susannah is the master designer. After the two were married in South Carolina, they moved to North Carolina and started their Oh, Susannah Etsy shop.

These days you can purchase their amazing pillowcases in their Amazon store. This makes for an easy buying experience since most of us are used to shopping on Amazon already. They have quite the variety to choose from whether you are a military spouse or just want something fun for your own bed.

Here are some of Oh, Susannah’s handy work:

Cute Pillow Cases

Super cute, huh? Most of their pillowcases are 20 by 30 inches and made with 120 Gram, silky soft microfiber. They also use a permanent fiber dying process that allows you to sleep on the decoration and not feel it. These pillowcases are not only cute but also useable.

 

How would you like to win this pillowcase?

Waiting for my Soldier is perfect for the Army spouse. Please enter the giveaway below and I will pick a winner using Rafflcopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also use the coupon code SOLDIER2 to receive 20% off your order. Head on over to Amazon, decide which pillow case would be right for you, and place your order 🙂

These pillowcases would also make perfect gifts for friends, family, or other military spouses that have started a deployment.

6 Ways to Travel With Kids and Not Lose Your Mind

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6 Ways to Travel With Kids and Not Lose Your Mind

6 Ways to Travel With Kids and Not Lose Your Mind

I collaborated with Expedia.com to share my travel experiences to help get the word out about the Expedia Military Offer. The military offer provides complimentary Expedia+ Gold Status to anyone that signs up by verifying their military status. It’s available to active duty, veterans, military spouses, and dependents. Expedia + Gold Status is valued at $10,000 and includes benefits like bonus points, complimentary upgrades, and exclusive amenities. Visit the Expedia Military Offer page to sign up.

This past summer I took my three boys from our home in Tennessee to my parent’s house in Southern California. We spent three weeks with them, making memories and enjoying family. I was so glad that I decided to take the trip even though the idea of flying alone with my three boys made me nervous.

I have done it several times before, but they were a lot younger. This time the flight would be four hours and then an hour drive to and from the airport. When I got home, I thought back to that trip as well as other trips I had taken with them and figured out how I got through the travels without losing my mind.

1. Make sure to organize and prepare

The number one thing I do when I travel with my kids is to get organized before we leave. This trip, each child had their own backpack with anything they would want to play with on the plane, an extra change of clothes, snacks, and an empty water bottle. Doing this freed up space in my own bag and made them responsible for some of their things.

I also make plans for the trip. How long will we be traveling? What will they need? What about food? Snacks are a big deal. When you have snacks, you have something to give your child when you need them to think about something else besides being in the car or plane.

6 Ways to Travel With Kids and Not Lose Your Mind

2. Traveling will not be as difficult as you think

I always get so nervous and anxious about traveling with my kids, but in the end, the trip is usually never as bad as I expected it would be. Sure, we might run into issues and frustrations but overall, we get to where we need to go and do so all in one piece.

I try to remind myself of this before we leave for our trip. I think about the good times we have had in the past and all the fun memories we will make while we are on our travels. That helps my mood and keeps my anxiety low.

3. Let people help you

When I flew over to Germany to join my husband, I had my 18-month-old with me, and luckily I sat next to a nice woman with four boys of her own. She offered to keep an eye on him when I went to the bathroom. When you are traveling with kids, people might try to help you, and it is a good idea to let them.

4. Ask for help

In some cases, you will have to ask people to help you. One of my boys has autism so before every flight, I tell the flight attendants, and they allow us to board before regular boarding begins. This helps my son out to be able to find the right seat without being rushed to do so.

If you feel stuck, ask a flight attendant or someone working at a desk for help. Depending on the situation, you might want to ask the people who are around you to help. Most people would be happy to help you out during your travels.

6 Ways to Travel With Kids and Not Lose Your Mind

5. Let some rules go

When traveling with children, you will have to let go of some of the rules you might normally have in your home. The middle of a flight isn’t the best time to enforce the “one hour a day” rule for screen time. Your children should be able to understand that you are not at home, that you are on vacation, and that things will be different.

6. Keep your sense of humor

Remember to keep your sense of humor during your trip. You will need it. If you take everything too seriously, you are going to stress yourself out. You want to get from your home to your destination without losing your mind and having a sense of humor about the situation will go a long way.

If you are frustrated by a delayed flight, try to make things fun and turn the waiting into a game. If you have a crying child, know that you are not alone and that plenty of people have flown with a crying child. Do what you can to calm them down and make it to your next stop.

When Grandma Can’t Be There: The Reality of Living Far From Home

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When Grandma Can't Be There: The Reality of Living Far From Home

When Grandma Can’t Be There: The Reality of Living Far From Home

I just got back from three whole weeks in California. We did so many fun things. We went to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Sea World, the Beach, and more. We also spent a lot of time with family.

We stayed with my family and my husband’s family came down to see us so we got to hang out with them too. My boys got to spend time with both Grandmas, Grandpa, their Uncle, their aunt, their great aunt, and their cousins.

Being able to spend this time together was very much needed. In February of this year, my family suffered a tragedy and lost my sister-in-law to suicide. I knew I wanted to visit in July before this happened but once it did, I knew I had to.

Life is shorter than we realize and nothing is guaranteed. I thought I would have plenty of time in the future to see my sister-in-law and I didn’t. So I planned a three week trip to California this summer and I hope I can do that again in the future.

When Grandma Can't Be There: The Hard Truth of Living Far From Home

We live over 2,000 miles from both of our families.

We moved away because of choice, we stay because we haven’t figured out a way to afford to move back. California is one expensive place.

If you are an active duty military family, you most likely will also be far from home. Maybe you are a few states away, but life makes visiting difficult. Maybe you are on different coasts, and visits are few and far between. Maybe you live in Europe, experiencing an overseas PCS, but part of you is still back home in the states.

We have been lucky over the years. Family has been able to visit us. When we were in Germany, all three living grandparents were able to visit with us there. They have also been able to take trips out to Tennessee to see us where we live now. Hopefully, there will be more in the future.

Right before we left for the airport to return to Tennessee I made a comment on Facebook about how I was looking forward to going home but I didn’t like that it was so far away from my family.

When I was in high school I couldn’t wait to leave. Two months after graduation I moved nine hours away to go to college. I have always wanted to live other places and experience how other people live.

When Grandma Can't Be There: The Hard Truth of Living Far From Home

But all of this independence comes with a cost.

Not living close to family means you can go years without seeing them. Yes, years.

Not living close to family means you are the cousins the rest of the family doesn’t really know, and that sucks.

Not living close to family means that each visit has a time limit and you can’t help but be aware of it.

Not living close to family means you will miss birthday parties, Christmases, Thanksgivings, and important events you otherwise wouldn’t have.

Not living close to family means you have to work that much harder at staying connected through the miles.

Someday we will hopefully live close to our families again. Someday we won’t have to miss them so much. And that is what I keep in mind when we say goodbye.

 

I am happy with my life here in Tennessee. We like our neighborhood, we like our church, we like the boy’s schools and the military community that surrounds us. This place has a lot to offer, but my family is simply too far away for me to be able to fully dig my roots into it.

If I think about everything we are missing, I can get pretty sad about the situation. I know my family is missing so much about my boys growing up.

I don’t even know what it would be like to have Grandma in the same town as us. I don’t know what being close to family on a day to day basis would be like.

I do know that so many military and even non-military families are living their lives away from their loved ones.

Those of us that are living far away have learned what we can do to make that distance a little bit closer. Calls and Facetime can help. Care packages can send love over the miles. Visits with one another are a must. And there is always hope that you will be able to move (or get stationed) close by them in the future.

How far away are you from your family? What do you do to stay connected to your family from miles away?

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

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We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces SaluteWe Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

I love Disneyland. I have been over 100 times. I had a pass from the time I was ten until I was eighteen year’s old. Disneyland is one of my favorite places.

I was able to go with my best friend back in February. It was a random, last minute visit and I am so glad we did it. I thought that would be my only 2017 Disneyland experience, but I was wrong.

I was planning a trip out to California with my boys when my husband mentioned that I should take them to Disneyland. My six-year-old hadn’t ever been, and it was time. I realized we could use the Disney Armed Forces Salute to buy a three-day pass.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

I started doing my research and found out all about the discount. And man, the discount was a good one. We could get a three-day park hopper pass for just $156. I paid over $100 for my one day pass back in February. I also found out I could buy a ticket for my mom. My brother was going to come to, but he had an annual pass.

On July 11th, we headed to my favorite place to start our Disneyland adventure. Being the nervous person I am, I was a bit anxious about buying the tickets. I was told that at Disneyland, you should just buy them at the park (this is different from Disney World.) I had my ID, and when I got to the window, that is what I did.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

I paid $780 total for five of the three-day tickets. I could have gotten six if I needed to. I did not need my husband (the service member) with me. We are also a National Guard family and still qualify for this discount.

Once we got the tickets, we headed into the park. At the gate, they needed to see my military ID one more time, and then they took photos of all of us. After that, no one needed to be with me to use their ticket. My mom only spent two days with us and will use her other day another time with my brother.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

Day one, we went to Disneyland. We spent the whole day there. We figured out Fast Passes, which had just switched to a new type of system. We rode a bunch of rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, the Matterhorn, and Pirates of the Carribean.  And although my son with Asperger’s got pretty worn out by the end (he had a melt down on Main Street,)  overall the day was good.

Day two, we started off at California Adventure. I ended up running into an online friend that day. I knew we were both going to be at Disneyland and just by chance we ran into one another. We met online back in 2001 and had never met in person, so that was fun.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

We did the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride, which was pretty amazing but came close to making me sick. We had an ice cream break at Ghiradelli’s, yum. Cars Land was amazing, and we got to see the Pixar parade.

After dinner, we went back over to Disneyland for the Main Street Electrical Parade. I love that parade and so glad they brought it back and that I got to watch it twice this year. Pete’s Dragon is my favorite float.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

Day three, we started off at Disneyland again riding a lot of the rides we did the first day. In the afternoon we went back over to California Adventure for more Ghiradelli’s and some rides. Then we ended our day.

This trip to Disneyland was different from any other trip I had taken there. For one thing, we had a lot more time. Usually, we just go for one day. For another, my six-year-old wasn’t a huge fan of the rides like his brothers were.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces SaluteLuckily we had Grandma and my brother there to be with him some of the day. It was busy, being July, and hot. Usually, we do not go in the summertime.

I am not sure when we will go again. It depends on when we will be in Southern California again, if there is an Armed Forces Salute, and what we can afford to do.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

We are all excited about Galaxy’s Edge: Star Wars Land that will open in 2019, so thinking 2020 could be an excellent year for another big trip. But we will see. I was thrilled to be able to share my love with my boys this summer 🙂

Have you used the Disneyland or Disney World Armed Services Salute discount?