Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Movies, Television, and Media

Horror Views: Little Nightmares Review

by Leave a Comment

Horror Views: Little Nightmares Review

Horror Views is a creation of DantheMan for movie and video game reviews in the horror genre!

Little Nightmares is a video game developed by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Co Entertainment. It’s a T for Teen Mystery Adventure Horror game with a dark whimsical tale!

You play as a little child named “Six”. You find yourself trapped in a facility known as the Maw, where there are many large monsters living like the janitor and the chefs. I won’t spoil anything but it was great to play!

Whenever one of these monsters appears, the game gives an Uncanny Valley vibe. However, there are a couple of tiny problems with the game. I feel like it is a bit too short and some of the main enemies sometimes glitch. You also can’t seem to get out of some areas. However, these problems are rare and don’t take you out of the game altogether.

The game will have you asking questions about what this world is all about and why you are there in the first place. There are also many puzzles and while fun, you’ll get stuck at times, but other times you should also breeze through it. For me, Little Nightmares is a whimsical, unsettling, but fun horror adventure game. If you feel you want to get scared but not horrified this game is for you 8/10.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem Movie Review

by Leave a Comment

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem 

Most kid’s films make my eyes roll, however, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem was one of the exceptions. The trailers didn’t really grab me but when I heard the movie had the same producer as The Boys, Seth Rogen, I decided to watch the movie anyway and it blew me away.

The story, characters, casting, and music were amazing. The opening was a bit odd. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem starts with a scientist named Baxter Stockman who is played by one of my favorite actors, Giancarlo Esposito. He runs away from a SWAT team of the TCRI research company with a baby mutated fly and other bottles of tiny animals within the ooze. When the swat team comes to get their research back, you see an empty bottle of ooze drop in the sewer.

This was a good opening because it shows that this version of the story will be different. I also loved the scenes where our main heroes the turtles Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo have fun in the streets of New York City. This showed us what the characters are like and what they want to do.

You soon get to see their Father named Master Splinter, who is a mutant rat played by Jackie Chan. This part told the backstory which seems helpful to newcomers to the film.

The turtles meet all types of people which was all fun in the film, especially the villain, played by Ice Cube.

Over all Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem is a good movie-watching experience although at times a bit cringey. The movie is also a bit dark and scary at times but it makes me excited to see what our heroes will deal with in the next film. I give Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem 8/10.

Fort Moore and the Story of a Military Spouse

by Leave a Comment

A few years before my husband joined the military we went to the movies to watch the 2002 film, We Were Soldiers. What I really enjoyed about this movie was that we not only got the story of Lt. Gen Harold G. Moore, played by Mel Gibson, but we also got the story of his wife, Julie Moore, played by Madeleine Stowe. As we watched scenes of the men going off to Vietnam, we also watched scenes of the wives back at home at Fort Benning. Even back then, before I knew I myself would be a military spouse, I could see what these spouses went through and how they needed one another.

As the years went on and I too became a military spouse, I could relate even more to these women. Although my husband was serving in a different war during a different time, my time in Germany felt in some ways similar to the women portrayed in this movie.

My favorite scene of We Were Soldiers is actually a deleted scene. As we start to watch we see helicopters flying, and then the camera goes to the chapel back at home. One of the wives starts to sing the hymn, On the Solid Rock I Stand but is unable to finish as she is trying to hold back her tears. Julie Moore and the other members of the congregation help her by starting to sing the song too. The movie then goes back to the helicopters.

What I love about this scene is it gives us an example of the military community and how we can step in to help each other through. Especially in a time of war, we need each other more than ever. You can also catch the real Julie Moore and her daughter sitting behind Keri Russell.

On May 11, 2023, Fort Benning became Fort Moore to honor Hal and Julie Moore. Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard, Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore commanding general stated, “Together, Hal and Julie Moore embody the very best of our military and the very best of our nation. They were dedicated to their country, committed to their family, and inspired generations of Soldiers to follow in their footsteps.”

Hal Moore served in the military for 32 years after graduating from the US Military Academy in 1945. He wrote the book, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young which the movie was based on. We Were Soldiers depicts the first major battle of the Vietnam War in the la Drang Valley. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross after that fight.

His wife, Julie Moore, who he married in 1949, was an Army brat born at Fort Sill. In the movie, another powerful scene is when a taxi comes to Julie Moore’s door with a telegram, and she knows exactly what that means. She answers the door to see that the taxi driver just needed help finding the correct address and wasn’t there about her own husband. She gets very upset, rightly so, and then asks to take the telegram to the new widow herself. She also tells him to tell the taxi company to bring all of the rest of the telegrams directly to her.

Julie supported her fellow Army wives and families by changing the way the Army delivered the casualty messages. The Army was not prepared for all of this as you could see in the scene. Because of Julie, the Army changed its policy to what we see today, uniformed soldiers delivering the notices.

Julie wrote a letter to the director of We Were Soldiers in 1996 about her experiences as a military spouse. In the letter, she says, “It is really hard to describe the special closeness that Army wives have to each other. Even though I was lucky enough to end up a General’s wife, I never forgot that I started out as a lieutenant’s wife and the burdens they carried of raising young children with never enough money or husband.” You can read the rest of the letter here.

The change to Fort Moore recognizes both Hal and Julie Moore. They are both buried at the Fort Benning Cemetery.

You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse by Jen McDonald

by Leave a Comment

You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse by Jen McDonald

Exciting news!

Jen McDonald’s book, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse has an updated version!

Since its first publication in 2016, You Are Not Alone has resonated with military spouses, both new and experienced, and ranked as a bestseller in the Military Family and Christian Devotionals categories. Each of the 30 daily readings is written from the perspective of faith.

Readers will find practical tips (“Basic Training for Spouses”), related Scripture, and journal prompts for further reflection. Whether it’s a deployment, move, the challenges of military spouse life, or raising military kids, you’ll find real-life inspiration and hope from someone who’s been there. The 2022 edition has been updated and reformatted for a better reading and journaling experience, along with having a beautiful new cover design. It will be coming soon on audiobook, as well!

Jen McDonald sent me a free copy of the book for review, and I wanted to share a little bit about the book.

First of all, I love how the book is set up. There are 30 days of readings and each day starts with a quote. There is then a bit of a story section, and then actionable advice. This is followed by a scripture, and then some questions to ask yourself. The chapter ends with a prayer.

There are 7 parts:

  • My Identity as a Military Spouse
  • Military Spouse Friendships
  • Military Marriage
  • A Life of Transition: Moving With the Military
  • Dealing With Military Seperations and Deployments
  • Military Family Life
  • God is There in the Small Moments

She has also included some amazing resources in the back of the book.

I would have loved to have read this book as a new military spouse. Back then, I needed all the encouragement I could get. I still do sometimes today!

If you are interested, Jen is also hosting a book study, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse in the Christian Military Spouses Facebook group that started Feb. 9, and anyone is welcome to join. She will be giving some behind-the-scenes insight and comments on each section as well as providing extra questions and journal prompts.

You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse by Jen McDonald is published by Little Things Press and is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book outlets.

Whether you are a new military spouse, have been one for a while, or even getting ready for the retirement years, this book will encourage you, allow you to put things in perspective, and have a better military spouse life.

Top 20 Fiction Books of 2021

by Leave a Comment

Top 20 Fiction Books of 2021

Last year was a GREAT reading year for me. I had the goal of reading 100 books and I read 112. This was the first time I had hit my goal of 100 books for the year. As the year wrapped up, I wanted to figure out what my top books were in 2021. I couldn’t narrow down my list since I read so many amazing books during the year, so for fiction books I have a list of my top 20. All of them were 5 stars for me!

This post contains affiliate links!

  • #20 Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan – this novel is a dual timeline with one time in the 1800s, about a ship that sank off the coast of Savannah, called the “Titanic of the South” and modern times where Everly, a researcher, tries to figure out the mysteries of the ship and the sinking. I loved the dual timelines and the history of Savannah in this one.
  • #19 We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz – this book was about best friends Emily and Kristen who take annual trips around the world. They are in Chile and Kristen ends up killing a man in self-defense. The odd thing about this is, something similar happened the year before, to Emily. This was a fast-paced thriller, making you wonder what is going on the whole time.
  • #18 People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – Poppy and Alex have nothing in common, but they are the best of friends. They take a vacation together every summer…until two years ago when they ruined everything. I loved this romance and the timeline.
  • #17 The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed – This story is about a black high school student in LA in the 1990s. She and her friends just like to have fun but everything changes when the four LAPD officers were acquitted after beating Rodney King. I loved this one because although I was about an hour away from when this really happened, I do not have the same perspective of what it meant as the main character, Ashley, has in this book.
  • #16 The Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland – This is the story of two families, the Goldmans, and the Weingolds, who have owned the Golden Hotel together in the Catskills. However, the Catskills have changed, and so have the families. Can the hotel be saved? This was such a fun summer read!
  • #15 A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas – This is the 2nd book in the ACOTAR series, which starts off as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The 2nd book was my favorite in the series, and I loved it so very much!
  • #14 When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain – This book is about a missing girl in Northern California in the 1990s. This book takes place close by where I used to live and mentions the real-life Polly Klaas case that happened in Petaluma in 1993. This is a must for any true crime fans!
  • #13 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand – In the summer of 1993, Mallory inherits a beachfront cottage on Nantucket from her aunt. She then agrees to host her brother’s bachelor party. His friend Jake attends and a bond is formed that lasts decades. I loved how this book went year to year from the 1990s to modern times, sharing the story of Mallory and Jake.
  • #12 Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Nina is the daughter of legendary singer, Mick Riva. It’s 1983, and the day of her annual end-of-summer party. The book is all about Nina, her parents, and her siblings, all coming together on an unforgettable night. I loved how we got to go back and forth from the party to the Riva’s past, and learn about their family dynamics.
  • #11 The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – Avery Grambs just wants to get through high school, but all that changes when billionaire Tobias Hawthrone dies and leaves her almost all of his fortune. Only, she has no idea who he is. I loved the puzzles and mysteries with this one.
  • #10 The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner – Sophie is a young Irish immigrant, who answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she has never met who needs a mother for his 5-year-old daughter. This all takes place around the time of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. I loved this book because of the setting and the characters. Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors too.
  • #9 Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson – Pheby is born on a plantation in Virginia and has lived a pretty sheltered life. She is shielded because of her mother’s position as the medicine woman on the plantation. She is then forced to leave her home and finds herself at the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a jail in Richmond. This book was tragic and heartbreaking, but such a good read and an important story to be told.
  • #8 Kindred by Octavia E. Butler – Dana, a modern black woman is celebrating her birthday with her new husband when she suddenly goes back in time to the Antebellum South. I love this story of time travel and survival and the realities of the past.
  • #7 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – Ryland Grace is the only survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission. If he fails, humanity is doomed. Except, he doesn’t know any of this and can’t even remember his name. This book drew me in and I didn’t want to put it down. What a fantastic story!
  • #6 Falling by T.J. Newman – This heart-stopping novel is about a pilot whose family gets kidnapped and he is given a choice. Crash the plane and save his family, or not and they die.
  • #5 The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke – Two sisters go missing on a remote Scottish island. 20 years later, one is found, only she is the exact same age she was when she left. I loved the setting of this book as well as the plot.
  • #4 Legendborn by Tracy Deonn – 16-year-old Bree Matthews ends up in a residential program for bright, high school students at UNC-Chapel Hill after her mother dies in an accident. She soon finds out there is something magical going on there. This one was such a great story, within the setting of an older college. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
  • #3 The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah – Elsa Wolcott, who is looked at as too old to marry in 1921, meets Rafe Martinelli, and decides to change the direction of her life. It is then 1934, and the world has changed. Elsa works tirelessly to help her family survive and has to decide to fight for the land she loves or travel to California to find a better life.
  • #2 From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout – Poppy has been chosen from birth to be a Maiden. The entire Kingdom is on her shoulders. But…that isn’t what she really wants, is it? I LOVED this fantasy book and so glad it is a series.
  • #1 The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – Olive Smith is a 3rd year Ph.D. candidate who doesn’t believe in long-lasting romantic relationships. Adam Carlsen is a young hotshot professor. Olive convinces him to become her fake boyfriend. I loved this romantic comedy so much!

What did you read in 2021? What were your favorite books???

10 Gifts for the MilSpouse Book Lover

by

I know many of you love to read like I do. There is nothing better than diving into a new book. So whether you have a gift card burning a hole in your pocket, or shopping for another milspouse friend or family member, here are 10 gifts for the MilSpouse Book Lover:

I get commissions for purchases made through some of the links in this post.

Book of the Month Subscription

I have been subscribing to Book of the Month for almost five years now, and I love it. Book of the Month is a book subscription service where each month you get to chose a hardback book from five selections. One of the things I love about the Book of the Month subscription is that if you don’t like any of the books on a certain month, you can easily skip. If you like more than one, you can add up to two add-ons. And after 12-months as a subscriber, you become a BFF with special perks. I LOVE being able to pick out a new book once a month. You can sign up here, and if you love books as I do, you will be glad you did 🙂

Bookmarks

I LOVE cute bookmarks. There are so many amazing creators out there, making bookmarks based on anything. From favorite books to favorite phrases. Just head on over to Etsy and see what you can find. I have ordered some cute bookmarks from BOOGandBEAN and BookmarksAndBites.

Bookish Socks

I love cute socks! And there are some super cute socks for book lovers out there. These Lavley Nerd Socks are SO fun!!!

Military Spouse Fiction

Are you a fan of military spouse fiction? Here are some authors that write about military spouse fiction or military life fiction:

A Kindle Paperwhite

I LOVE my Paperwhite. If you are going to get a Kindle to read on, the Paperwhite is the best choice. You won’t feel like you are reading on a computer or phone, which is so nice. The newest version is waterproof and I use the light every night when reading in bed.

A Kindle Paperwhite case

If you are going to get a new Kindle, you need a pretty new case. And there are many to choose from. Most of them are pretty affordable too. Just make sure the case you are buying fits your model of Kindle. I just bought myself this pretty one.

100 Books Scratch Off Poster

This is such a neat idea! The 100 Books Scratch Off Poster- Top Reads of All Time Bucket List. Put it on your wall, and once you read the book, scratch it off.

A Bookish Tee

What’s better than a bookish tee? There are so many to choose from. I love this “My Weekend is All Booked T Shirt.” It pretty much describes my life.

A Reading Journal

Tracking what you read can be a fun way to remember your reading year. And they make some amazing reading journals. For example, this Bibliophile Reader’s Journal by Jane Mount, with beautiful illustrations.

Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life Interview with Conrad Palmisano, Vietnam Veteran turned Hollywood Stuntman, as seen in the docu-series Faceplant on MillionStories.com

by

This past week, I had the privilege of interviewing Vietnam Veteran, Conrad Palmisano. After his time in the service, he went on to become a prolific Hollywood stuntman. Conrad is featured on the series, Faceplant.

Faceplant is a series that shares personal stories from people who discovered the value of failure in pursuit of their dreams. Hearing other people’s stories can be so encouraging, even if they have lived a life so different from our own. We can learn so much from other people if we take the time to listen.

Vietnam Veteran Conrad Palmisano

The Conrad Palmisano: From High School Dropout to Stuntman and Filmmaker episode follows Conrad, who has over 250 credits to his name. We hear about how dealing with being bullied as a young child, the Vietnam War, and the Marine Corps prepared him for future career challenges.

Watch my interview with Conrad as he talks more about his life including some of his favorite jobs as a stuntman, how one decision can totally change your life and lead to better things, and some amazing advice for all of us.

You can check out Conrad’s story and many others in the docu-series Faceplant on MillionStories.com

Getting Through COVID-19, With the Office

by 1 Comment

Getting Through COVID-19, With the Office

Raise your hand if you are going through a challenging time right now???

I know my hand is up. There is a lot going on right now with military families. We are trying to get through COVID-19 and the pandemic, possibly going through deployments, waiting on a PCS, and just dealing with added stress from everything going on.

During times like this, it is a good idea to find the humor in things. From a silly television show to a funny GIF. And today, I decided to combine the two. One of my favorite TV shows is the Office, and I am on my 3rd watch of the series.

This show makes me laugh and puts me in a better mood. I love the Pam and Jim storyline and have enjoyed listening to the new podcast, the Office Ladies.

So as we are all going through this together, I figured, the Office can always make us feel better.

During all of this, at least we are not going through this alone. We are all in this together, no matter where we call home.
When you hear that school isn’t going to be open again until the fall. How did this happen???
When you are a news junkie and there is so much going on but you don’t want to share too much because well…you don’t want to bore everyone but really, there is so much going on!
When all you want to do is PCS to your new duty station but now it has been delayed even longer, after having to go through a regular old PCS delay last winter.
When the gym is closed and you can’t go to any parks, you have to find other ways to get your exercise in.
When you wake up in the morning and there is still Coronavirus and it doesn’t seem like it is going to go away anytime soon…
When your kids get all their online schooling done without any fighting or tears, from you…or from them. Let’s do it again tomorrow kids!
When you told yourself if you just had more time at home you could get so much done but you still feel like you are so bored you don’t know what to do with yourself.
When you are just going to keep watching the Office to feel better and laugh and forget about how crazy things are right now.

Who is your favorite Office character???