Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

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No Cost Breast Pumps for Military Spouses

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No Cost Breast Pumps for Military Spouses

no cost breast pump through Tricare

This is a sponsored post! All opinions are my own!

I had my third baby in 2010, right in the middle of military life. I was thankful that my husband was home for the birth as he was deployed when our 2nd little boy was born. However, after he was born, we learned that my husband would, in fact, deploy again when our baby was just 2.5 months old.

Breastfeeding has always been important to me, even before I had any children. I knew that was how I wanted to feed my babies. With my first, we struggled a lot, especially at first but I was able to breastfeed him until he was 17 months old. With my 2nd, I breastfed him about nine months, and now that I had my third baby, I wanted the breastfeeding relationship to work. I wanted to be able to give him breastmilk for as long as possible.

The struggle I had was juggling three boys, with a deployed husband, one of them being a breastfed baby. My plan was to breastfeed him for at least a year, but a few weeks after my husband deployed, I started struggling. I was tired and not making as much milk as I could have been. I was stressed from the deployment and raising three kids on my own.

After a few weeks of wondering if we could continue to breastfed, I was able to start using a breast pump. The double electric pump allowed me to be able to give my baby breast milk for longer than I would have otherwise. The pumping allowed me to make more milk and continue to feed my baby what I wanted to feed him. Having a breast pump helped take a little bit of the stress away and made things easier.

These days, getting a breast pump as a military spouse is a very simple process. Tricare will provide female military personnel as well as military spouses with a breast pump as well as breast pump supplies for no cost. will help you do so.

How do you go about receiving a no cost breast pump from Tricare?

  • Get a prescription from your doctor. The Breastfeeding shop can contact your physician for you.
  • Select your breast pump. Find the best one that works for you.
  • Fill out the order form. You can find the form at .
  • Your breast pump will be directly shipped out to you.

Having access to a no cost breast pump is going to help a lot of women continue in their breastfeeding relationship. Visit for more information and to start the process of receiving your breast pump.

 

Military Marriage: It’s Time for a Couple Checkup

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Military Marriage: It’s Time for a Couple Checkup

Military Marriage: It's Time for a Couple Checkup

This is a sponsored post! All opinions are my own!

Pre-martial Counseling

Before my husband and I got married we went to pre-martial counseling. Although this was required before we got married in our church, I am glad we were able to go through the counseling together. When we started the counseling we had to take a special quiz to find out more about our strengths as a couple as well as our weaknesses. Then, during the weeks of the class, we knew what we needed to focus on.

Based on our answers we found out that one of the topics we would probably fight about the most was finances. We grew up in very different types of homes and had different ideas about money. Over the years this has proven to be true although, after 14 years of marriage, we have learned more and more to see money in the same way.

The Couple Check Up

A few weeks ago my husband and I got to use the Couple Checkup, an online customized assessment tool used to help figure out your strengths and weakness as a couple. The Couple Checkup is powered by Prepare and Enrich, the leading relationship inventory and skill-building program used nationally and internationally. This check up reminded me so much of the quiz we took back in 2002. Now, 14 years later, I knew taking another one would be a good idea.Military Marriage: It's Time for a Couple Checkup

This checkup was easy to do on our iPad, but you could also pull it up on your computer or phone. Although we did the quiz the same day, we didn’t have to. Each of us did our part of the checkup on our own and once we both completed them, we received a detailed report. The quiz only took about 15 minutes and was filled with all types of questions about us, our relationship and even specific questions because my husband is in the military.

The three main goals of the Couple Check Up are to celebrate your relationship strengths, identify issues you disagree on and need to resolve and encourage you and your partner to talk about your relationship. The report was 20 pages filled with a lot of great information specific to our relationship. This report goes beyond regular marriage advice and offers you advice based on your own relationship.

The key relationship areas that the report talks about are communication, conflict resolution, financial management, leisure activities, sexual relationship, family and friends and spiritual beliefs. There are also sections on how we feel about roles and responsibilities, children and parenting and military life. There is even a section about our own personalities and how they differ from one another.

As a military couple, sometimes we can get so caught up in the day to day business of life.

For us that might mean a busy week followed by a drill weekend and another busy week. For others, deployments can mean not really being able to talk seriously for weeks on end. You really have to be proactive about your marriage and your struggles.

I think this Couple Check Up is a great idea because the report is a great starting off point to talk about what is going on in your marriage. You can find out where you don’t line up with one another. You can also see where you are on the same page which can also be helpful. Through the years, your marriage will change, especially being a military couple. Finding ways to connect and communicate through these changes is important.

My husband and I will celebrate our 15th anniversary this year. Knowing we have a jumping off point to talk about the things in our marriage that need a little more attention is going to be a good thing. I learned more about him and he learned more about me.

You can visit the Couple Check Up and learn more about this great tool to help you and your own military marriage. Cost is $19.95!

 

Share a Cup~A Coffee Date with my Veteran

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The Folger Coffee Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

Share a Cup~A Coffee Date with my Veteran

My husband and I are big coffee drinkers.

 

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We have spent many mornings and afternoons drinking coffee together, talking about our day or whatever else is on our minds. There is something about that cup of awesomeness that makes for sitting down, relaxing and enjoying one another.

I have always enjoyed hearing about his time as an active duty soldier. I remember when he told me about the group of guys he was deployed with during his first trip to Iraq. How going through the long 15-month deployment bonded them together, just like it did us spouses back at home. How in some ways they became family and would always have that bond. He has shared some stories about funny things that happened during that deployment, in the middle of the stressfulness that comes with being in a war zone.

After four deployments, having that time to talk together is so nice. Time to talk about us, the kids and everything we have been through. We also enjoy talking about the future, our jobs and what we hope to accomplish in the next few years.

Since we spent so much time apart during his active duty years, we never want to take time together now for granted. As our kids are getting older, spending that quality time together gets even easier. We can sit out on the porch and talk or just sit and enjoy each other’s company.

My husband left the active duty military in the summer of 2014. Sometimes it is hard to believe it has been almost 2.5 years since that day. During that time he and I have tried to figure out what our post-Army world is going to look like. He wants to find his place in this civilian world and we need to figure out how we can both make a living in order to raise our boys.

Leaving the military is never easy and can take a lot of planning and discussing. During our coffee talks, we bring up where we see our family in the next few years, what are goals are and the best way to get to them. Being able to talk like that helps me know that we are on the same page and that we are working towards the same things.

Thinking about where we have been and where we are going is exciting. Life can be funny and you never really know how everything is going to work out. I am enjoying being on this road of life with my husband and going through everything we go through together.

Veterans Day

With Veterans Day approaching, we need to be going beyond a simple thank you to our Veterans. Sometimes Veterans can be a little uncomfortable with hearing, “Thank you for your service,” over and over again. We need to be recognizing them and listening to their stories, no matter when they served. We should also be sharing stories of the Veterans we know in our own lives. They all have a story to tell. About how they came to be a service member and what they are doing now that the Military part of their lives is over. Asking a veteran about their time in service is a great way to show that you care.

Folgers and Walmart have the opportunity to inspire shoppers to go beyond the customary “thank you” by illuminating Veterans in the local community and encouraging meaningful moments that bring people together.

Share a Cup~A Coffee Date with my Veteran
 

Folgers and Walmart have a very special “Share a Cup & a Story” promotion going on right now. They want you to take the time to listen to the Veterans in your life. To spend some time listening to their stories and to hear what they have to say. We can all learn a lot from what the Veterans in our lives and community share with us.

I am excited to be working on this post for Folgers and to share a little bit about me and my Veteran.

Walmart is the place to shop for Folgers coffee!

Share a Cup~A Coffee Date with my Veteran
Walmart has quite the selection of Folgers coffee!

The other day we went to Walmart and I bought “Classic Roast.” One of our favorites. We always make sure we never run out of coffee and Walmart is a great help with that. You can find Folgers coffee at your local Walmart in the coffee aisle.

Head on over to Walmart and learn more about the Share a Cup & a Story program!

Do you share stories with your veteran over coffee? What is your favorite morning drink?

Share a Cup~A Coffee Date with my Veteran
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Every Veteran Should Be Allowed To Vote With Access To Polling Places

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Every Veteran Should Be Allowed To Vote With Access To Polling Places

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own! 

fb-4Voting Matters

We are deep into election season and as a military spouse, woman and American, my vote is important to me. Voting is my way of being a part of the process and allowing me to have a say in my own government. Voting is something that every US citizen has a right to do.

I remember one of the very first times I was able to vote. I was in college and I had to go to a home where they had set up voting booths in their garage. I remember doing this with my Dad when I was a child and now it was my turn. My turn to make a choice and be a part of the election process. I was able to walk into their garage, go into the booth and vote just like everyone else that was there.

A lot of Americans don’t have to think twice about where they are going to vote. They know where they need to go and do so on election day, however, for some Americans, this isn’t possible. Americans with disabilities including Veterans and paralyzed Veterans can have trouble getting to the polls and voting. Whether it is because there is no way for them to get into the polling place or because it is impossible for them to physically vote because of how the voting booths are set up.

Laws to protect the voting rights of Americans with disabilities.

The good thing is that laws do protect the voting rights of Americans with disabilities. The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984, the National Voter Registration Act and Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) have all allowed those with disabilities a better chance at getting to the polls to vote, however, there are still challenges.

In 2008, only 27% of polling places were accessible to people with disabilities.  46% of polling places had an accessible voting system that could pose a challenge to certain voters with disabilities. For example, those with wheelchairs could not use the voting stations.

A report by the National Council on Disability called the “Experience of Voters with Disabilities in the 2012 Election Cycle” found that 40% of those who responded to the questionnaire had encountered physical barriers at their polling places. 45% reported barriers inside the polling place involving voting machines.

54% of people with disabilities reported barriers to voting in the 2012 elections.

There are even more barriers for those with disabilities and getting to vote. From parking to having to wait in a long line to voter registrations can all make it that much harder for people to vote.

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What We Can Do

It’s so important that every American, every veteran, every person is able to vote. That they can do so even with a disability. So what can be done to help? What can we do to change things? What can you do if you have a disability and are worried about being able to vote this election day?

To start, you can sign the petition with Paralyzed Veterans of America to add your name and join them in the fight toward protecting voting rights for every American. You can also get a Voter Access Toolkit with 5 free valuable resources:

  1. Get a guide to voter registration
  2. Find out tips for voters with disabilities
  3. Know the facts about available voting methods
  4. Learn about polling place access – from parking to ramps to entrances
  5. Find out how to file a complaint if you have polling place problems

Let’s work together to make sure all Americans are able to vote on election day!

How Deployments Taught Me About the Importance of Family Time with DAV

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How Deployments Taught Me About the Importance of Family Time with DAV

Military Couple

Deployments

My husband has been home from his last deployment for almost three years now. He deployed 4 times to both Iraq and Afghanistan within 7 years. He left for the first time in 2006, returning at the end of 2007. He then deployed again in 2008, 2011 and 2013. He returned from what might have been his very last deployment in December of 2013.

Over the years since then, we have been able to get back to a more normal life. Although he has worked in civilian jobs where he has been away at times and he has his monthly guard duties, he has not been away for an extended amount of time since 2013. As a wife, I am very happy about this. As a mother, I am glad my boys don’t have to miss their father anymore.

During all our deployments, I learned a lot about myself. I learned how to be more patient, that the little things don’t matter quite as much and that family time is precious.

Family Time is Important

Now that deployments are in my past, I look at our time together as something we sometimes had to go without. Whether we are all just hanging out together at home, going to the park or the movies or out on a day trip, I never want to forget what it was like to not have that.

There were plenty of weekends where I sat in my house alone with little children while I watched friends and even family spend time together. There have been plenty of times I have turned down invitations and not been able to go places because it was too difficult to do as the only parent. My husband has missed anniversaries and all the other holidays at one point or another.

These days, I try to plan for our family to do something together every weekend. We take advantage of what our community has to offer and enjoy going to parks and sometimes out to see a new movie. We took a lot of pool trips together this summer. We haven’t been able to travel too much lately but I’m hoping for a trip in the future that we can take together.

When you are able to spend that family time together on a regular basis, you are able to create memories with your children in a different way than when one of their parents is gone.

After four deployments, I am always aware of how special family time can be. I hope that I will never take advantage of being able to have my husband home with us on a regular basis. When he isn’t home, the days are just not the same. Deployments can be hard on a military spouse but I have learned that they can also help you become a better person with a different perspective on life.

DAV Victories for Veterans

America’s veterans achieve personal victories overcoming challenges great and small each and every day! DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is a nonprofit organization that is on a mission to help veterans succeed after military service and get the benefits they were promised.

Here is a little bit about what DAV is doing:

  • Each year, DAV helps veterans file more than 300,000 claims for VA benefits and stays with them through every step of the process.
  • DAV volunteers provide more than 700,000 rides each year to help veterans get to and from medical appointments at no cost to the veteran.
  • With nearly 1.3 million members, DAV’s powerful voice ensures that veterans are heard at the local, state and Federal level.
  • With nearly 1,300 chapters, DAV provides a national network of local support for veterans and their families.

Each year, they help more than one million veterans of all generations in life-changing ways. You can visit their website to learn more.

DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is a non-profit organization that is on a mission to help America’s veterans achieve more victories. To learn more about DAV, visit dav.org.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of DAV. The opinions and text are all mine. While I am proud to support DAV and their mission, I have not been a beneficiary of DAV services.

The Hallmark Channel’s “For Love & Honor” Movie Premiere Saturday, July 30th at 9/8c With Visa Card Giveaway

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This is a sponsored post! 

For Love & Honor

 

For Love & Honor

For Love & Honor

The Hallmark Channel’s new movie, For Love & Honor, premieres on Saturday, July 30th, 2016 9/8c.

When a by-the-book army veteran takes over as commandant at an ailing military academy, he instantly squares off with the school’s free-thinking new Dean of Academics. But when they are forced to work together to help save the school–or risk closure–sparks fly, romance blooms and lives change as they attempt to save the town’s longtime centerpiece. Stars James Denton, Natalie Brown,Sheppard Denton, and Rebecca Liddiard.

This looks like a great movie with a creative story! Make sure to tune in on Saturday night to watch. Please visit http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/for-love-and-honor for more information on this movie.

She Wasn’t What I Thought

After I graduated from college I struggled to find my first job. I had majored in Sociology and a lot of the jobs I wanted in that field didn’t pay enough, wanted you to speak Spanish or have a Master’s. I ended up at a temp agency and through them, I ended up as a Receptionist at a local business. When I first started, my boss, who was the Office Manager was pretty amazing. I found out she was just temporary and filling in for someone who was on maternity leave. After a few weeks, the regular Office Manager came back and everything changed.

The tone of the office changed, the way people acted changed and how I felt about my boss wasn’t too great. I wanted to like her but she was a bit harsh and I really didn’t know how to take her. I always struggle when I can’t seem to figure people out and that was how I felt about her. Time went by and over the weeks and then months that I worked with her, I started to see another side.

She was a first-time mom trying to balance work and family life. She wanted to do good in her job but she was frustrated by the information she was getting from her own boss. Over time I realized that she really was just doing the best she could. I started to feel better about working with her and we even shared some fun times. I worked at that company for about 15 months and when I left, I realized I would miss her. I would miss her rushing around the office, telling me what needed to get done and just being with her every day.

As I look back on that time in my life I wonder how she is doing now. I wonder how long she worked for that company and if she moved up or decided to work somewhere else. I will always admire her for the work she did and how hard she tried.

Have you ever had an experience where you had to work with someone that you were not fond of and then grew to like them in the end?

I am also going to be having a giveaway!

One of my readers will win:

(1)$25 Visa Gift Card

(1) Hallmark Channel Summer at the Shores Beach Tote

(1) Hallmark Channel Chesapeake Shores Towel

Just enter the giveaway below 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please join in on the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtags, #ForLoveandHonor and #SummerNights!

My Military Spouse Gift Guide With UncommonGoods

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This is a sponsored post!

My Military Spouse Gift Guide With UncommonGoods

My Military Spouse Gift Guide With UncommonGoods

During my years as a military spouse, I have learned that sometimes a nice gift, either from a friend or family member or something I bought for myself can make my day. Whether the gift is something to help me feel better or something for my home, adding something new that really speaks to me is nice.

As military spouses, we can go through a lot of stressful situations. Our husbands can be deployed, we can be stressed about a pcs or we can be having difficulties with our children. A great gift can help with that, Whether we are buying the gift for a friend going through a difficult time or for ourselves.

Here are some great gift ideas for military spouses from UncommonGoods. You can see a lot of their home and garden products here. This company was founded in 1999 and has its headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. UncommonGoods features unique jewelry, designer décor, tabletop items, and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment without harm to animals or people.

I also love that the UncommonGoods CEO Dave Bolotsky is passionate about the role of business in implementing a fair minimum wage. They run all of their operations out of the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal and the lowest-paid seasonal worker starts at 50% above the minimum wage.

Check these fun gifts out that would be perfect for military spouses.

Literary CandlesLiterary Candles-“Named for the locations in literary classics, these soy candles evoke the book’s most memorable moments.” $16 each.

Candles are the best! These candles are awesome and perfect for any book-loving military spouse. Here are the different scents: Sherlock Homes/221B Baker Street: Black currant tea and leather books, Alice in Wonderland/A Mad Tea Party: Bergamot, lavender, mandarin, thyme, and ylang ylang, with a touch of jasmine, Jane Eyre/Thornfield Garden: Roses and rain water, Pride & Prejudice/Pemberley: Lily, lilac, rose, hyacinth, and ivy.  They also have a collection of creative bookends that you can see here.

Hand Embroidered State PillowsHand Embroidered State Pillows-“Celebrate your favorite state with a pillow embroidered with its famous sites, cities, and cultural icons.” $168

These pillows are amazing and perfect for a military spouse. Most spouses have moved away from their home state and it would be nice to have a pillow to remind them of home. You could also get them for any country you have been stationed in.

Gift guide for military spouses

Scratch Off Map-“This scratch-off-where-you’ve-been map displays your past adventures in a dynamic and eye-catching way.” $26

This map looks like a lot of fun. You can scratch off the places you have been. This is great for a military spouse who has been able to visit amazing places because of her spouse’s career. You can also get one of just the United States.

gift guide for military spousesIllustrated Hobby Journals- “These illustrated journals offer prompts that encourage reflection on your favorite hobby.” $14.95 each

Journals are an ideal gift for the military spouse. Writing in a journal can help with your stress levels. These journals are based on popular hobbies. You can get a gardening, cooking or nature related one. These journals go well with popular hobbies and can be a great way to stay busy during a deployment.

gift guide for military spousesPacific Ocean Gift Set- “This set of luxurious bath goods is handmade using elements harvested from the Pacific Ocean.” $53

Fun gifts for the bath are always a good idea. I love to take baths when my husband is away or when I have a rough day. Something about the water is soothing. This set comes with everything a military spouse would need to have on hand for a nice and relaxing bath.

Take some time to visit Uncommon Goods to find the perfect gift for your friend or family member. Or maybe you want to pick out something just for you. You can also look for host and hostess gifts here if that is something you are looking for as well. Enjoy!

What the 4th of July Means To Me

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I was provided free product to write a review. All opinions are my own!

4th of julyWhat the 4th of July Means To Me

When I was a child, my neighborhood had a 4th of July parade every year. These were so much fun for us kids, and the parents too. Some of the streets got together and came up with different themes. The kids could decorate bikes and ride them along the parade path. Then they would give out prizes for who had the best decorations. This was a time for our community to get together and celebrate America. When I was about 9 years old I won 1st place and my brother won 3rd. That was an exciting year!

After the parade, we would usually pick up something like fried chicken and end up going to a picnic which would lead to fireworks once it got dark outside. The places we went for this varied but the experiences were the same. Spending time together as a family in our community, celebrating our nation’s birthday.

As an adult with my own family, I have spent Independence Day in different ways. Sometimes we would go to a city event, other times we would be on vacation. Some years we would bbq at home and others we would spend with friends. Whatever we end up doing, thinking about what the day really means is so important.

When I think about what Independence Day means to me, I think about America and how she began. About all the people who gave up their lives to fight for her freedom. To all the people who came before us to make our country the great place that it is today. I think about everything that has happened over the years. The good, the bad.

As a military spouse, I look at the 4th of July as a day to remember those who have fought for our country. Those who went to war and those who stayed home keeping up the home front. The fact is, people had to take risks and give up so much so that our country could become what it is today. And for that I am grateful.

This independence day I plan to enjoy the time with my family. Last 4th of July my husband was at AT with the National Guard and this year he is home with a few days off. Yay!

4th of july

My Independence Day tree

Do you like to decorate for the holidays? What about for Independence day? The great people at Tree Classics sent me one of their trees for review. I received a Brentwood Glistening White Pine-A shimmering tree with glistening clear lights and I decorated the tree for Independence Day this year.

I found some red, white and blue ribbon, stars, garland and flag ribbons to decorate my tree with. I love how everything turned out.

4th of july

4th of july

This tree really does look like it is glistening. The clear lights make the tree look so pretty, especially at night. I also love the size. We don’t have vaulted ceilings and the 7.5ft tree fits just right. As my 5 year old said, “Wow! This tree is way taller than me.”

Right now the tree is decked out in red, white and blue but I am already thinking about ideas for Christmas.

You can learn more about this tree and other trees that Tree Classics has to offer. Although we are in the middle of summer now, the holidays will be here before you know it and you want to make sure you have a good tree to decorate with.

How do you like to decorate for the 4th of July?