MilSpouse (First) Friday Fill-In #74

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?It's been a rough month at work. We've had a co-worker die, a co-worker's spouse die, and a co-worker with lots of health issues. I would definitely change all of that. It's caused a lot of stress for all of us emotionally and physically.

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in August? 
The fence was completed enough that we could use it in the backyard for the puppies. They love it. Lots of freedom for them to run around. It still needs to be stained and finished but we're close.

3. What did you do to celebrate Labor Day?Not too much I had to work Saturday and Labor Day was spent running some errands I needed to take care of including looking at a new fridge.

4. What do you HAVE to have handy by your bedside?
My cell phone, a bottle of water, a flashlight, and my Kindle

5. What are you looking forward to in September?
A slightly calmer time at work although we're getting ready to start a building project so it will probably be hectic but exciting.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?

I would have gone to the gym more. I kinda slacked off for June.

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in June? 
I got to see my dear friend James one more time before he lost his battle to Leukemia

3. What did you do to celebrate Independence Day?I actually had a very not celebratory day. I had brunch with some girlfriends. Came to work for a bit and then hung out with my girlfriends again. I did watch some fireworks on tv.

4. When you PCS, what items do you take with you and not let the movers pack (and if you do a DITY, what do you take with you and not box up) (thanks to Sespi at And You Never Did Think for inspiring this question)?
I would take a few personal items, clothes, make-up, hair stuff and of course the fur babies.

5. What are you looking forward to in July?
Our Vacation Bible School at work. I think it will be a fun time. Hectic but fun!

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!!

MilSpouse First Friday Fill-In

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?

Getting to talk to my hubby more. We had some communication issues because of the ship and a port, etc so we haven't been able to talk as much.

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in May? 

Getting back to the gym and catching up with friends I haven't seen in a while.

3. June includes the first day of summer… what are your plans for the summer?

Work...some beach time...work...I'm trying to save up my vacation for when my husband comes home on R&R this fall.

4. Do you use the services on base (gym, financial planning, family services, daycare)? And if so, what’s your favorite one? (thanks to Shanon at Modern Meets Traditional for this question!)

I have used the gym once. It was ok but super crowded and not really easy to get to from my house. I've also used the family services to buy tickets to things like Busch Gardens which worked out well. I haven't used too much else. 

5. What are you looking forward to in June?

My YMCA training on their new system, a wine festival, and a belated Cinco de Mayo party.

Thanks for visiting! Now head on over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

MilSpouse (first) Friday Fill-In

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?
Waiting until the last minute to file my taxes and getting my car inspected. There was no reason to procrastinate I just hate doing my taxes and getting my car inspected so I put it off.

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in April? 
Started going to a new Monday night Bible study and game night with some friends. It's been a lot of fun.

3. What are your plans for Memorial Day?I have no idea. I'm just happy to have the day off.

4. Have you ever traveled Space A? If yes, where… if no, would you ever try it?I have when I was 11. I flew from Bangor, ME to Anchorage, AK on Space A. The fun part...it was a 9 or 10 hour flight on web seating. I'm pretty sure my butt still hurts. But it is cheap and it worked. And I'd do it again.

5. What are you looking forward to in May?
Getting some work done around our house. I'm having the front porch fixed and painted as you read this. It is exciting to see the changes.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #69

1. What is your favorite/most unique anniversary/birthday gift from your spouse? suggested by Bel at Being a Better Me

This will sound strange but one of my favorite gifts from my husband was the set of towels on our registry. He sent them to me for our second wedding anniversary (cotton). The reason they are special to me is because of why he sent them. About a month or so before our anniversary I received a big box from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. When I opened it, it was all of the towels we had registered for on our registry. I was so excited because our towels were getting a bit old looking and I loved these towels. Well I read the card and they were from Aunt So&So. I didn't think anything of it because J has a LOT of aunts and uncles on his mother's side she is one of 10 children. Well then I get a call from Bed, Bath, and Beyond telling me that there was a mistake and that a couple with our same names had an aunt who mistakenly ordered off our registry. So I had to give them back. I will admit I was disappointed. I told J the story and he felt bad so he gave me the entire set for our anniversary with a note that said..."this time you get to keep them because they are just for you. Happy Anniversary Baby." So although they may not be the most romantic gift to some they were very sweet to me. 

2. What’s your first thought when you see it’s snowing (or what would you say if you don’t live somewhere with snow? suggested by Poekitten from Many Waters
Snow lots so I don't have to go anywhere and I can stay home and play with the puppies.

3. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?  suggested by Erika from Chambanachik
My dear friend and co-worker had his leukemia come back in February after 6 months of being in remission so I would definitely change that and have him healthy. 

4. What was your favorite thing that happened in February? 
Getting to talk to my husband a lot on the phone because of his schedule. It always makes deployment easier when you get to talk to them.

5. What are you looking forward to in March?
Hmm March brings my first 8K, and although that's a mixed blessing because I want to do it I'm also a bit nervous about it.

Now take a moment head on over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

Secret Santa Thank You!!

This year in my insanity (I only say that because of working in a church this is a very hectic time) I decided to participate in the Secret Santa Gift Swap that Wife of a Sailor was hosting. I received Jen of Jen and Her Marine (she has a great blog you should check it out). I had fun shopping for her gifts! And the post office wasn't too bad when I sent them.

I received a wonderful package from the Happy Wonderer over at For These Are My Mountains she and I share a love of Alaska's beauty since we both have lived there. She sent me a very cool book The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne it's a chick lit book so far so good. And a very pretty glass hurricane with a pretty red candle. It looks lovely on my table! Thank you so much for goodies!!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In # 66

I'm late to this because I thought it had published but it didn't so here it is...

1. One of my New Year’s resolutions is  to get healthier. There are a lot of health issues that run in my family and I'd like to avoid them.
2. One thing I’d like to happen next year is for me to develop a better self care plan as far as exercise. I know I need it but I give myself too many excuses.
3. One thing I’m looking forward to next year is my husband coming home to visit. And knowing that after 2012 we're down to single digits until he comes home.
4. One change I’d like to see next year is my job evolution continuing...they've been working toward getting me into more advanced communication but I still back up the phones. I'd like to see us hire a receptionist or at least a set of volunteers.
5. My plans for NYE include I’m not sure… probably going to a friend's New Year's Eve Party but not too late because I'm thinking of doing the Hair of the Dog 5K.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #65

1. If I could be on any reality TV show, I’d want to be on "Pit Bulls and Paroles" because I think the work they do with the dogs and the paroles is great and I think it would be a cool experience.
2. This past Thanksgiving was the second Thanksgiving with just Mom and I and it is still an adjustment to not have my hubby or my father involved.
3. I’m looking forward to December because I love Christmas and my birthday is in December too! Plus I get extra time off from work!!
4. One thing I’d like to accomplish this month is  to get my head back in the game so to speak regarding my exercise and eating. I realize this seems crazy with the holidays but I don't want to undo everything I've done so far.
5. To me, winter is  a long time of not fun weather and short days. Although I'm not a huge fan of the heat of summer I do love the sunlight. Coming home in the pitch dark isn't fun. (although after living in Alaska these Virginia winters are nothing)

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #64

1. Freedom is not free.
2. Veterans are often taken for granted.
3. This country is a great country that gives us much to be thankful for. It has it's issues like everywhere else but we are afforded many freedoms that we take for granted.
4. Veteran’s Day means a time to take a moment and really think about the sacrifices men and women have made to give us our freedom.
5. A hero is someone who sets their needs and wants aside to stand up for those who cannot or will not stand up without asking for recognition.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

1. The best part of October was getting a surprise phone call from my husband when I thought we were in email only mode.
2. The worst part of October was  three funerals in three days at work.
3. For Halloween, I’ll be going to a Halloween party this weekend and probably in a Yoga class on Halloween itself.
4. I hope that in November  the cold weather doesn't come too fast and too hard. And that Mom and I have a good Thanksgiving.
5. Wifey has posted MilSpouse Secret Santa. I  will most likely be participating.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In # 61

1. A word that always makes me laugh is snarky. I think it's funny because it is really saying someone is being mean but it sounds funny. 

2. If you looked in my refrigerator right now, the oldest thin you’d find would be  hmm probably a bottle of dressing or a jar of pickles.


3. If I were written about in the newspaper today, on the front page, the headline would say “Exhausted Woman Does Her Best to Get it All Done”

4. The last movie I saw was Bridesmaids...friends recommended it so I thought why not. It was funny.

5. The best thing that happened to me in the last few weeks was I had a mind switch about working out and eating better.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

Mil Spouse Friday Fill-In

1. My favorite thing that happened this week was getting an amazing night's sleep and actually waking up rested. (I know this sounds boring but when J is deployed I don't sleep well)

2. Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll feel like I have better luck even if I don't.


3. Autumn is officially here and my favorite part of the season is the cooler weather and the leaves changing. I love the Colonial Parkway this time of year...just wish J were here so we could ride the bike.

4. One of the things I’d like to do before winter arrives is get my front porch painted. It has taken a beating thanks to the weather and needs it badly.

5. I (((would/would not/might))) be willing to participate in MilSpouse Secret Santa. (sorry folks, just trying to get an idea here on how many would participate, so please circle/underline/bold one)

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and Link Up

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

This week’s questions are:
1. If you could have a private concert with any singer, who would it be?  submitted by An Air Force Wife’s Blog
Hands down it would be Brad Paisley. His song "Then" is our song. I would love to dance with J to a live private concert.
2. Is there anything you do to supplement your family’s income? submitted by Our Life, One Adventure at a Time
I work full time at a church.
3. During your pregnancy (whether past, present, or future), what did you nickname your unborn baby before you knew the sex? submitted by Explosions of Love
I don't have kids. I love them but I don't plan to have them.
4. Have you ever won a blog giveaway?  If so what did you win? submitted by Mrs. O’s Life
Not so far but I always cross my fingers.
5.  If I looked into your refrigerator right now, what would I find? submitted by Married to the Army
Umm...milk, eggs, beer (left from his R&R), wine, take out boxes, leftovers, and cheese. It needs to be cleaned out again.

Mil Spouse Friday Fill-In

1. Does your Significant Other read your blog? Why is this a good or a bad thing? submitted by Mrs. Alana’s Miscellany
No he doesn't and I don't really think this is good or bad. Everything on there I would tell him. But he would probably be surprised at some of what I share.

2. What is one item in your house that holds the most sentimental value and why? submitted by The Albrecht Squad
For me it would be our wedding album. I love looking at our album.

3. When it comes to water fun in the summer do you prefer the beach, the pool, a lake, or the sprinklers? submitted by The Turvo Times
Either the beach or a lake. It depends on my mood.

4. What is the one special thing that you do for yourself to get you through the first week of a deployment/separation? submitted by A Creed and a Psalm
I usually give myself a couple days of freebie eating and I usually try to go do something special for me like a manicure or a pedicure. (that didn't work out so well this time)

5. What is your biggest guilty pleasure website? submitted by Christine’s Little Blog
Hmmm...Facebook followed closely by the People of Walmart

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

This week’s questions are:

1. Underwear Parties, how old is too old? submitted by Wookie & Co.
Not sure about this question but I'm thinking it is slumber parties so I agree with Wife of a Sailor never!

2. What was your favorite class in high school? submitted by Adventures of M-Squared
English because I loved writing

3. Have you ever convinced packers/movers to pack something they aren’t supposed to for a PCS? submitted by Ground Control to Major Mom
I've had movers pack all sorts of things just because they were there.

4. Blogging plays a growing roll in the media. If you were asked to embed as a blogger with a deployed military unit, would you go? What do you think your blog would be like? submitted by To the Nth
Yes I would go. I think the blog would be tricky because you'd have to balance public vs private

5. Do you think kids should attend year-round school? submitted by Marrying the Navy
I think this would be a good idea because kids would have more breaks throughout the year instead of a long summer breaks and information would remain fresh in their minds.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

This week’s questions are:
1. When you vacation what type of vacation do you like to take (beach, historic, adventurous, food oriented, etc.)? submitted by Megan Dub-Yuh
I like the destination not the journey. So I like the beach but adventurous would be good too.

2. What is your best memory associated with a song (you know we all have tons!)? submitted by Ramblings of a Marine Wife
I have two...our first dance song which is Then by Brad Paisley. It makes me tear up.
Then my second is Don't Stop Believing by Journey. It reminds me of us because I'm a small town girl and he's a Detroit boy.

3. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with your time? submitted by Married to the Army
We would travel. Particularly we would end up in Ireland and stay for a month or two. My heart longs for Ireland.

4. What is one thing about you that people do NOT typically notice at first that you wish they would? submitted by Our Motto is Patience
Hmm this is a tough one. I guess I'd say I wish more people would realize that just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I don't know about typically male based things ie. cars, house repairs, etc

5.   …. submitted by The Three Turners: It’s a summer of sequels, and if you had to live in one of each of the following “worlds” (there are three total) which would you choose and why? 

–X-Men: Be a Mutant, what would your power be? I'd say I'd want the power to read minds like Dr. Xavior.

–Harry Potter: Be a Witch or Muggle?  Witch...the ability to do spells would be great

–Twilight: Be a Vampire or Werewolf? Having never watched this series I'm not sure how they are depicted but I'd say Vampire because I like their abilities better

 Now head over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!!

MilSpouse Weekly Fill-In

 {Imagine the logo picture here}

This week’s questions are:
1. It’s now June (woot!)… what plans do you have for the summer?
Well my hubby is coming home for R&R so that is my big plan for the summer at least the month he's home.

2. What is your favorite summer memory as a kid?
Going to the pool/lake to go swimming. I loved spending the day swimming then on our way home we'd stop and get pizza.

3. If wild animals could be made pets without fear of them ever being dangerous, what kind of exotic animal would you want as a pet?
I'd say a lioness.

4. Is there anything about deployments that you do like? submitted by The Thrifty Military Wife
Being able to watch what I want and learning that yeah I really can take care of it. (whatever it may be)

5. I’m starting to run out of questions again… so please give me a question you’d like to see (off-the-wall will most likely make it because we seem to have used a lot of the “traditional” ones).
If you could pick any career for your spouse (other than the military) what would it be and why?

What part of military life can you just not imagine your life without?

If you could live any place in the world where would you live?

What is one thing your spouse understands about you better than anyone else?

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

This week’s questions are:

1. What is one of the things you always do special when your husband returns from a deployment? submitted by Keep Calm and Soldier On
This time I have a lot of special things planned...a special outfit, special pictures, special meals, date nights, etc.

2. What do you do to help your spouse and/or yourself re-adjust after a deployment or long separation? submitted by Diapers, Dogs and Deployments
Include him in things, when he's gone I do everything myself and I find it works best to include him.

3. Are you a crazy coupon clipper (I’m becoming one, so share your secrets with me)? submitted by Married My Airman
 I clip them and forget to use them so sorry I don't have tips.

4. What’s your most treasured memory of you and your spouse (not counting your wedding – that’s a given)? submitted by Scrubs, ACUs and One Crazy Ride
Our first kiss...it happened in his kitchen (which is now our kitchen) and it can only be described as movie worthy...I had butterflies, sparks, fireworks, etc.

5. If you could live anywhere overseas, what would you pick and why? submitted by Little Moments Like This
I'd say Italy or England. Italy because I've heard good things. England because my brother lives there.

Now head on over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

A big thanks to Wife of a Sailor for giving us this opportunity to connect to each other!

1. How many pets do you have? And what type? submitted by Life and Times of a Displaced Jersey Girl  

We have two dogs both beautiful pit bulls that would lick you to death. They also think they are lap dogs even though they weigh 65 lbs. They have truly helped keep me sane (well almost) during this deployment. We also have four cats. They are all mixed. Two of them came from rescues and the oldest two came from outside my apartment door one afternoon. Love them all!!

2. What are your favorite projects to do while hubby is away? submitted by my-inspired-nest
Lately I'm my favorite project. I'm working on losing weight and getting into an exercise routine. I also like beading, sewing, reading, and I'm working on decluttering our house. My project for this weekend is to clean out my clothes and shoes. It is time to switch from the winter to the summer wardrobe so it is a good time to do it. 

3. What are the must-haves in your deployment care packages?  submitted by Christine’s Little Blog
He loves sour patch kids so those are always in there. Phone cards. Axe body wash. Pictures of me and the "kids." John Clancey books. And usually a surprise or two. 

4. If you could star in any TV show, which would it be? submitted by Just a Girl 

Hmm this is a tough one...I'd say I'd like to be on Criminal minds as part of their team.

5. What was the biggest hurdle that you faced during your/your significant other’s first deployment? submitted by The Pavlik Perspective
Hmm...getting him on the plane. But seriously he grounds me in a way I never fully understood and that was a major hurdle when he left was figuring out how to ground myself.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in

Head over to Wife of a Sailor to link up!

1. What romance movie scene reminds you of your s/o or spouse and the LOVE you share? submitted by Simply Sunshine and Daisy’s
The Notebook the scene where the children ask an older Noah why he stays in the home with her. And he tells them that she is the love of his life and he'll be with her through it all. That is the love my husband and I have for each other that we will be next to each other until death t
2. If you were allowed to deploy with your husband to a war zone would you and why? submitted by I & J
I think I would for a time. To get a better picture of what he goes through. I think that is one of the hardest parts of being a military spouse is that during deployments you don't know what he is doing, going through, or what impact it has on him. (He says the same thing about me) I think it would be nice to have a better understanding of his time over there.
3. Have you ever done anything (intentionally, or unintentionally) to embarrass your spouse/significant other in front of his military cohorts?  submitted by Marrying the Navy
No thankfully. Although part of that is the fact that he is in another country right now...makes it a little trickier.
4. What is your most irrational fear? submitted by Eights on the Move
Hmm...I don't know. I would say someone breaking into the house while I'm home. I admit watching Criminal Minds, Law and Order: Special Victims, CSI: NY, etc doesn't help this. This is why I have two pit bulls...it makes me feel safer...although the reality is they would lick you to death before hurting anyone.
5. If you could only live in one kind of climate for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?  submitted by Many Waters
I would say a moderate climate with warm but not hot summers and nice cool falls and springs.