Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Movies, Television, and Media

10 Gifts for the MilSpouse Book Lover

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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.

The Newbie’s Guide to Military Life: Surviving a PCS and More by Noralee Jones and Julie Provost.

Mrs. Navy Mama and I wrote a book last year, all about military life. In the book you will find: 10 Chapters based on the most frequently asked questions from new MILSOs, handouts and worksheets to supplement chapters and bring solutions, a resources list with links and specific posts broken down by topics, guides for Acronyms, PCSing list, and more!

Purchase your copy here!

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

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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

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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???

7 Shows to Binge Watch When You Are Stuck at Home

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Shows to Binge Watch When You Are Stuck at Home

I love to binge watch shows. I started doing this during our first deployment. Back then I didn’t have Netflix streaming, what I did have was an on post library with DVDs of TV shows, YouTube, and other not so great streaming sites. We would have to load an episode, go do something for a while, and then come back to watch.

It’s so nice that these days there is so much to binge watch and that it is as easy as signing up for an app. Binge watching can be a good way to get through those lonely nights during a deployment, or to fill the time when you are stuck at home because of what is going on in the world.

Looking for something new? Here are 7 to add to your list:

1) Love is Blind on Netflix

Okay, if you haven’t watched this one yet, you should. I used to love to watch a lot of reality TV and these days I am pretty much over it but this one sucked me in. And it will probably suck you in too. And allow you to forget that everything is closed.

The show is a dating show, where men and women have dates in pods. Yes, pods. They can talk but they can’t see each other. The goal? Find someone to marry. No really. And it’s a crazy ride.

2) Locke and Key on Netflix

This show, based on the comic book series by Joe Hill, will suck you right in. You will want to know what is going to happen next. And wonder what is going on.

Locke and Key is about a family who recently lost their father. They return to his home town and live in his family house. The kids, two teenagers, and a young boy find keys that well…are actually magical keys. I loved the mystery of this one and felt part Stranger Things, part Goonies to me.

3) Virgin River on Netflix

If you want something a little more low key, check out Virgin River. This show is based on the books by Robyn Carr, and will warm your heart a little bit. It reminds me of a non-southern version of Hart of Dixie.

The main character is a midwife and moves to Virgin River to basically start over. The town doctor isn’t happy about this new arrival. And well…there is a handsome local of course, as well as a backstory we slowly learn about in each episode.

4) Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu

This show is new on Hulu, and so far, there are four episodes out. So if you want to binge the whole thing, you will have to wait a few weeks or watch the four now, and get hooked. The show is based on the novel by Celeste Ng.

The show is the story of a family of four children, with Reese Witherspoon playing the mom, and Joshua Jackson AKA Pacey, playing the dad. Kerry Washington plays a single mom, with her teenage daughter. This one is pretty deep but will also make you think about different things. Which is always a good thing.

5) Looking For Alaska on Hulu

Looking for Alaska is based on a John Green book that takes place at a boarding school. I read the book years ago and enjoyed it, and was excited to see a show based on the book.

Although this is a high school show, they don’t go to your typical boarding school. It’s more like a camp and about a boy, who falls in love with a girl, makes friends, and has to make sense of everything as they go through a tragedy together.

6) The West Wing on Netflix/HBO Max

I love the West Wing. I have binged the whole thing twice already and plan to do it again. This show can give you a big break from our own crazy political climate, and allow you to lose yourself in some late 90s, early 2000s drama.

The show is all about fictional President Bartlet, and his dedicated staff. The show will have you laugh a bit, draw you into the different relationships between the characters, and keep you entertained when the real world is a little too much.

7) Cheer on Netflix

This is a reality show based on the nationally-ranked 40-member Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team from Corsicana, Texas. The show will suck you in and warm your heart a bit.

You get to hear backstories from a few members of the team, learn more about their coach, Monica Aldama, and watch them train for nationals. This show will also give you a bit of hope for the future 🙂

While there has been news about Netflix and other production companies having to pause their filming, there are still new shows that will be coming out this spring and into the summer. And we can watch them all from our own homes!

What new shows are you loving during this time at home???

Is the Regal Unlimited Pass Worth it?

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Is the Regal Unlimited Pass Worth it?

Last year I bought a MoviePass. At first, that meant that I would pay around $10 a month to see unlimited movies. I could watch one movie a day, every day for the whole month. This sounded SO amazing!

I love going to the movies. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I will even go by myself, and I find doing so very relaxing. But the cost of tickets, even with a military discount, can add up. But MoviePass was going to solve that problem. And I was here for it.

I got my MoviePass in May of last year, and it worked well at first. But then, sometime in July, things fell apart. That was the beginning of the downfall of MoviePass. After that, they kept changing how the pass worked and would only let us see movies from a list. At first the list idea wasn’t too horrible, but eventually, when the movie for each day was the same all week long, I knew I was done.

I also had heard that Regal was going to add their own subscription plan. I couldn’t wait, and then, about a month ago, it finally happened! I signed up the first day I could.

I am now at the month mark and I am in love with this Regal Unlimited Pass. I saw eight movies during the first month, and I hope this is going to be around for a long time.

I do have to pay almost $20 for my pass. Depending on where you live, you might have to pay a little more. I can see any movie I want, even more than once. I also get 10% off of concessions.

I can easily buy my ticket on my app, and pay a $.50 charge or I can buy the ticket at the theater, showing them my app. I can also buy tickets for my family or friends when buying my own ticket. They make it all super easy.

If I want to see an RPX or 3D movie, I just have to pay a small fee to upgrade my ticket. If I go to Nashville, or even home to California where the theaters are more expensive, I would just have to pay a $1.50 charge for them. If I lived near those places and went often, I could upgrade my pass to pay a little more each month.

For us here in the Fort Campbell area, once I see two movies a month, I have paid for my ticket. I go a lot more often than that, and with the pass, I can go even more than I usually do.

You do have to be 16 years old to have a pass, but hoping they might come out with a family plan in the future. I don’t receive Regal Rewards points for my movie, but I do for any other tickets I buy as well as concessions.

So what did I see in August?

Here is my list:

  • Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (saw this twice)
  • Ready or Not
  • Aladdin
  • The Kitchen
  • Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
  • The Art of Racing in the Rain
  • Angry Birds 2

I am looking forward to this fall and all the amazing movies coming out. I love love love having a Regal Unlimited Movie Subscription Pass and think it is 110% worth having.

Should YOU get one?

Well, how often do you go to the movies? Is cost an issue for you? Check out how much your local Regal Unlimited Pass would be and decide for yourself. It quickly pays for itself if you are a movie lover like me.

If you don’t have any Regal Theaters nearby, AMC also has a pass. The AMC pass is a little different but could be worth getting if you like going to AMC. Keep in mind too that both AMC and Regal has a small military discount of $1 off. At our local theater, it is a special, military ticket.

Now, go enjoy some movies! I know I plan to 🙂

Why You Should Dive Into Books During Your Next Deployment

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Why You Should Dive Into Books During Your Next Deployment

This post does contain affiliate links!

Twilight. I read all the Twilight books during one of our deployments. A friend told me about them, and even though I was already 30 years old, I dove right into that series.

I am a huge reader. I usually average about 70 books a year and would love to read more. I always have a couple of books going and always aware of some of the newest books that are out there.

I love most types of fiction, from a sweet romance to a crazy sci-fiction story. I read paper books, on my Kindle, and audiobooks. I always have at least one book with me. I also enjoy certain types of non-fiction, such as memoirs or fun topics that interest me.

There is not one day that goes by where I don’t read some part of a book, I just can’t do it. Reading is like brushing my teeth for me. Reading is just something I always do.

During deployments or any time my husband has been away from us, books have become even more important. I love to get lost in a series, read about some other time in history, or another place that I can’t physically visit at the moment.

I love a good binge-watch but there is something about getting lost in a good book that just takes me away from what I am dealing with and heals my soul a little bit. Stories are so very therapeutic and perfect to dive into during a deployment.

A good book can warm your heart, allow you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and distract you from something you would rather not think about.

Reading a good book can be a form of self-care and as military spouses, we know how important that is. Reading can keep you busy and staying busy is a must during a deployment.

If you haven’t picked up a book for a while, maybe now is the time? There are so many good ones. So many books to get lost in. So many books that will take you to another place.

If you are feeling lonely and missing your spouse, a book can put you in a better mood. If you are having a rough time with the kids, a book can make you laugh, and help you feel better. If you are dying to be somewhere else, a book can take you all over the world.

On a practical level, reading a book before bed can make you sleepy. If you are having trouble falling asleep when your spouse is deployed, try reading in bed. My Kindle is right by my bed so if I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, I can read for a bit in order to do so. Works about 90% of the time 🙂

If you would love to read and feel like you don’t have any time, let me make a few suggestions.

  • Try audiobooks. You can listen to these while you are doing chores, while driving, or going on a walk. Use your library card with either Overdrive or Hoopla to check them out for free.
  • Always have a book handy. Put one in your car, put the Kindle app on your phone, or stick one in your purse. There are so many times you might have to wait somewhere and if you have a book on you, you can read a chapter or two. Jessica Turner’s book, The Fringe Hours: Making Time For You is a great read all about finding those extra moments.
  • Don’t think you have to read a book all in one sitting. I think part of the reason I can read so much is that I don’t feel the need to finish a book all in one sitting. If that were the case, I would never finish anything. Be okay with a chapter here and there, whenever you have time, and you will be able to get your reading done.
  • Read in front of your kids. Reading in front of your kids is totally fine. Just make sure they are safe, and you should be okay. You can read while you nurse, read while they are at the playground, or whenever you feel comfortable. Obviously, this is going to be an age thing and things will change as your kids get older but I don’t think kids growing up watching their parents read is ever a bad thing.
  • Join a book club. If you are really struggling, join a local book club. Usually, a book club will have one book you are supposed to read each month. Beyond that, at your book club, people will be talking about all the amazing books they are reading, and that can get your inspired too.
  • Join Bookstagram. Did you know that there is a name for all the accounts that share books on Instagram? Bookstagram is a wonderful place. I started an account just for books called The Fiction Book Cafe last fall and so glad that I did. I can talk about all the books I am reading and learn about what other book lovers are reading too. Make sure to join me over there 🙂

Need some suggestions on what to read?

For a sweet love story, check out One Day in December by Josie Silver, One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid, or The Bride Test by Helen Hoang.

For a book with a twist, check out The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, or Lock Every Door by Riley Sager.

For an amazing story that spans many years, check out Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, the Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, or Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane.

For a fantastic historical fiction book, check out Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly, or The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner.

For an emotional story, check out An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, or The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne.

For a really amazing memoir, check out Educated by Tara Westover, Becoming by Michelle Obama, or Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land

For a book about time travel, check out the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, or 11/22/63 by Stephen King. 

Looking for more suggestions? Check out my Goodreads and connect with me there too 🙂

How has reading helped you during a deployment?

Can You Feel The Love Tonight? My Review of Disney’s The Lion King

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Can You Feel The Love Tonight? My Review of Disney's The Lion King

I can remember spending the night at one of my best friend’s houses in the summer of 1994, right after watching the original movie. The songs, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?” and, “Circle of Life” were now stuck in my head. I fell hard for this movie as a young teenager, and I couldn’t wait to see the new version as a 40-year-old.

The Lion King holds a special place in my heart!

When I was pregnant with my first little boy in 2004, my husband and I went to San Francisco to watch the Lion King Musical. Again, I fell in love with the songs and the story.

We just got back from watching Disney’s newest Lion King movie and I LOVED IT!!!

I started to tear up during the opening sequence and again watching Simba and Nala fall in love. Timon and Pumbaa were pretty hilarious and the storyline pretty much followed the original scene by scene.

I think my favorite part about this re-make is how stinkin cute the Simba and Nala cubs were. I just wanted to hug them. I was even a bit sad when they grew up.

I did have a hard time wrapping my mind around how they filmed this movie. The movie looks like they used CGI animals with a real background, and in some places real animals. But the truth is, they used what is called, “virtual production” which is a mix of CGI and live-action techniques. Jungle Book was done the same way.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight? My Review of Disney's The Lion King

This new Lion King is not an animated movie but also not a live-action movie. And while sometimes the animals looked a little computer created, that didn’t take away from the film as a whole. Maybe this is the movie-making technique of the future?

In this 2019 version of The Lion King, directed by Jon Favreau, you will find Donald Glover as Simba, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Alfre Woodard as Sarabi, Billy Eichner as Timon, John Kani as Rafiki, John Oliver as Zazu, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, and James Earl Jones coming back as Mufasa. Shahadi Wright Joseph plays a young Nala and JD McCrary a young Simba.

This was a wonderful cast and I think everyone did a decent job. Having James Earl Jones back as Mufasa connected the two movies in a way which I really appreciated.

I loved the songs! I couldn’t help but sing along to them. My favorite was, Can You Feel The Love Tonight by BeyoncĂ©, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner. Their version of the song was beautiful.

While I love Elton John’s version too, this one will stick with me for a while. I have already added it to my playlist 🙂

As a HUGE fan of the original Lion King, this movie hit the spot. If you weren’t a huge fan of the 1994 animated version, I am not sure if you would enjoy this movie as much as I did. I guess that depends on how much you enjoy these types of films in general.

As far as the scarier scenes go, they might be a little much for some smaller children. Remember that while these are not real animals, they look like real animals and that can be difficult for some people. Knowing the full story of what happens helped with that but for small children and those that are very sensitive to that type of thing, those scenes might be harder to watch.

I didn’t feel like the movie was as different from the original as the live-action Aladdin was. But, I think that was okay. I think this was an entertaining movie where those of us that fell in love with it in the 90s can take our own kids and share a little bit of that magic with them.

Will you plan to go see this 2019 version of The Lion King?

We Went to See the New Live-Action Aladdin and We Loved it

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Aladdin Was So Much Better Than I Thought

I am here for every single Disney live-action remake. I love that they are doing this. I find them so much fun and love taking my kids.

That being said, I wasn’t super excited about this new Aladdin after I saw the preview. I was worried the movie just wouldn’t measure up for some reason. I was worried I would be disappointed.

I was in junior high when the original movie came out in 1992 and I remember loving it back then. I have seen the movie a few times since then but it has been quite a few years.

We went opening night to see this live-action Aladdin and walked out of that theater super impressed. Sure, the movie was a bit cheesy, and Aladdin is a musical, so if you don’t like musicals, you won’t like this movie, no matter what else I have to say about it.

The Plot

The plot is pretty much the same as the cartoon, with some changes. One of the biggest is the reason why Jasmine needs to find a husband. In this one, her father, the Sultan wants to marry her off for alliance reasons. However, she wants to be the next Sultan, even though she is a woman and not allowed to do so.

They also make some clothing changes and have added characters, such as Dalia, who is Jasmine’s handmade.

The Cast

Overall, this was a pretty amazing cast. Since the movie takes place in an Arabian setting, although fictional, most of the main cast is from Arab, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Southern Asian descent.

Aladdin is played by Mena Massoud, whom you might have seen in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. I enjoyed him as Aladdin, and I felt like he brought personality to the role. He very much became Aladdin for me.

Jasmine is played by Naomi Scott, who was the pink power ranger in the new Power Ranger movie. She was truly amazing in the role, showing us a very strong Jasmine who knew what she wanted, even if it seemed impossible that she could have it. She sings a new song, “Speechless” which is pretty amazing and I think the lyrics were pretty perfect.

The genie is played by Will Smith. He was pretty funny in his own way and he really worked as the genie for me. I wasn’t a huge fan with the way he looked like when he was in his genie form, something was a little off about it, but not enough to ruin the movie. I think the late Robin Williams would have been happy with the way he played this role.

Dalia was played by Nasim Pedrad, who you have seen on Saturday Night Live. She brings some of her humor to the role and allowing Jasmine to have a friend was smart. And I loved her storyline!

Jafar, played by Marwan Kenzari was okay in the role. Some have said he doesn’t seem scary enough but I thought he was, although a lot of his power came from his staff, not from him himself.

Navid Negahban as the Sultan was also a good choice. He played Jasmine’s father as supportive but also someone who felt a bit stuck in his choices because of tradition, and of course, influenced by Jafar.

My Final Thoughts On The Movie

The setting did look like a set in some ways, but it works and I couldn’t help but start singing along to the lyrics during the songs. I loved too that they kept the same animal companions and there were many laugh-out-loud moments.

If you have small children, they will probably do okay in the movie but there are just a couple of darker scenes having to do with Jafar.

One of the things I love about these Disney re-makes is remembering the original movies, and watching the stories in a different light, and this movie checked that box. I loved how much more modern Jasmine was, how she went after what she wanted, and what she brought to the film. I don’t want to spoil anything for you, so I will stop there but I think if you are a Disney fan, you will like this one.

Have you seen the new live-action Aladdin yet? What did you think?