Loving A Soldier Blog

Introducing....Me....Kelly Clark

2009-11-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Greetings to my fellow Army Wives! My name is Kelly Clark, a new addition to the Army Wife Network - Post with the Most team. I am so excited to join the group and look forward to learning and sharing with you all.

I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself. I have been married to my Soldier for 9 years and have two sweet girls - ages 4.5 and 3.5 (they add that .5 in these days!) Our Army journey has taken us from Ft. Stewart, GA (1-64 AR) to Camp Casey, Korea (2-72 AR) to Duke University, NC to West Point, NY (History Dept.) and back to Ft. Stewart and the 3rd Infantry Division. While the Army Life offers us plenty of frustration - it also provides us with some amazing opportunities and the best friends anyone could ever ask for - ARMY WIVES! I have been blessed along this journey to meet some amazing women who have become mentors, teachers, confidants, friends and my inspiration!

I am a teacher by trade, but have found myself in many different jobs over the years, some paid, many volunteer. I have worked as a Prevention Specialist for Family Advocacy, an instructr for the Red Cross, an AFTB Master Trainer, Moms & Tots coordinator, Womens' Club President, Parish Council Member, and Parents' Council Secretary.... whew, that's a bunch when I list it all out!

I love to read and spend time with my family. I am a jeans and clogs type of gal. I like to get dressed up for balls and such, but am happy to leave the starched shirts and suits hanging in the back of the closet! I love to cook with my girls and have no will power around chewy brownies. I try to live as 'green' life as possible and hope to make the gym more of a priority this year :) I can't tell you who's winning on American Idol or much about popular TV these days, but will happily share the newest trick I have learned with my digital photography software or recipe!

I'm looking forward to sharing with you all and hope you'll check out all that's new on the AWN message boards and Post with the Most!

Army Strong! Kelly

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2009-11-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

To all of the Soldiers and their families who read this, please know that YOU are one of the things I am most thankful for on this day of Thanksgiving! I appreciate all the sacrifices you make to ensure we are safe!

For those of you who are unable to spend today with your Soldier, please know that both you and your Soldier are in my family's thoughts and prayers! We hope your time apart goes by quickly and that you are happily reunited soon!

I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! Don't forget to take a few minutes and think about the things YOU are most thankful for!!

i'm thankful for being a bad liar

2009-11-26T07:14:00.000-08:00

this morning i woke up next to my husband and listening to the kids playing and i started thinking about how we got to this point. now, in my very first post, i gave a very brief account of how we met but i never explained what led me to the computer where i found him.

you see, not only have i been a bad liar my whole life but i was a late bloomer and my first real relationship was with a guy that my friends warned me about by saying "he's going to chew you up and spit you out". i had no idea what they were talking about because he seemed like such a great guy. as my relationship with him was turning very sour and almost abusive i began to understand what they had meant but was at a loss on what to do because i truly believed this new guy he had become was not really him. it wasn't until i found emails on my desktop he had been sending from my computer to other women that opened my eyes. in these emails he sounded exactly like he had in the beginning of our relationship. i was hurt, shocked, and incredibly ticked off. i broke up with him and it was rough even though he was a giant jerk. enter: one of my best friends.

my self esteem took a big, big hit. he would try to convince me that i was worthy of a good guy, and one night set up a profile online for me. i started to receive emails from a bunch of men and was thoroughly confused as to why. i was telling him about it and he copped to doing it. he and i read some emails together, and some were great for a laugh. i thanked him but told him that i would probably never write to any of these guys. until one night. i read one email and there was nothing profound in what he wrote, but i had to write him back. we wrote back and forth for a few months but i was still on the fence about meeting him. one night he asked for my number, i gave it to him, and minutes later we were on the phone. he asked me out and i lied about having prior plans. we talked for hours on the phone and towards the end, he asked me out again and asked if my friends would mind if i cancelled on them. i stalled and said i'd call them to see what they were planning on doing that night, he said he would call me an hour later to see if i wanted to meet him and go out. we hung up, and i decided i needed to figure out if i did indeed want to meet him. as the hour dragged on i decided against meeting him, but i did not really expect him to call back. he called exactly one hour later. as i started to explain that i was not able to get out of my earlier plans, i heard myself saying i WAS able to change my plans and looked forward to meeting him. my lying skills were seriously flawed.

the night we met, i was nervous and spoke to one of my friends before our date. she said "belle, you need to relax. it's not like you're going to marry the guy or anything." . *haha, famous last words.*

it's almost 10 years later, and i am thankful for: my friend who put a profile ad online; my kids who make me laugh and are amazing; my husband who found my ad and makes me wonder what i did right to deserve this wonderful, amazing man.

lastly i am thankful for being such a crap liar, because if i were a good one, i would not be here this morning with this man who has given me so much that my list of ALL i was thankful for would be almost never ending.

a very happy thanksgiving to you all, and a big thank you to all of you out there who are in deployment and missing your special soldier.

Tis the season

2009-11-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for giving. Today I helped my son’s first grade class deliver the canned goods they collected for the local food pantry. It got me to thinking if our kids can get out there and give then why don’t more of us? I feel that when you give of yourself it will always come back and give you a reward. If you don’t believe me …get out there and give it a try!! For those of you who already volunteer ....I thank you and praise you!!! You are Wonderful! As an Army wife I feel I am very blessed and especially during the holidays I want to spread my blessings to others. I encourage those of you who feel blessed this holiday season to adopt an Angel or give to the Food Pantry or volunteer at the soup kitchen….there are so many oppourtunites…..if our kids can do it….WE certainly can!!

Friends For Life

2009-11-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

Our November selection for Book Club is Friends For Life Strangers Brought Together by the War in Iraq by Jennifer MackInday and Patti Donahue. Patti and Jennifer both joined us for our on air segment of book club on Army Wife Talk Radio.

Friends For Life is a moving story of two very different women who were brought together because they both had loved ones deployed to Iraq. Patti's son and Jennifer's brother were both serving in the same unit in Iraq and both women were desperate for information

The result of the women's friendship is a unique book that offers a different perspective on the war in Iraq. The book is full of conversations between the two women and their soldiers ranging from weather and meals, to raw and candid conversations about PTSD and patrolling in combat.

Friends for Life also happens to have an appendix full of ideas for things to do when your soldier is deployed and has a comprehensive list of groups who are trying to help soldiers and their families.

Mackinday and Donahue bring to light the experiences of mother, fathers, sisters, and brothers of those serving their country in Iraq.

Internet Public Library

2009-11-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

Do you need to go to the library and the snow is blowing, or you have sick kids? This is a site to check out. It has a kids section with some stories, your can read newspapers, books, do research on topics, even ask a librarian for help! If your older child or teen needs to do a report, this is the place to go! http://www.ipl.org,

Join Star as Guest (Not co-host this time)

2009-11-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

November 20, 2009 at 9pm EST - Star Henderson will be visiting the CMW Talk Show with Ms. DJ Cupcake (Claire Shackelford). Star serves as co-host of Army Wife Talk Radio, Co-Author of Field Problems, and speaker at Field Exercises as well as Editor-in-Chief of Army Wife Network.

Oh.....and a LovingASoldier blogger.

She is a National Guard Army wife and Army veteran of full-time and Army Reserve components. Since leaving the military, she worked briefly as a budget analyst with the Department of the Army and later returned to school to earn her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling.

Star has been married to the military for 14 years and has two children with MAJ David Henderson, US Army National Guard Georgia, currently deployed to Afghanistan.

All I can say is...chillin' on a Friday night, Christian Military Wives, and someone said there'd be cupcakes...God is Good! Join us: It'll be a unique experience for me for sure.

Imagine...holidays like Rockwell?

2009-11-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking as I plan and prepare for the family to come together next week for our two in one holiday, what was it that I used to hold up as the standard for a great Thanksgiving and Christmas? A Norman Rockwell painting was my dream as a young married wife with children. I wanted the white starched tablecloth, the large turkey, the heads bowed in prayer of all those seated together at the table.Of course all those at the table got along and never complained that the gravy was lumpy or the children spoiled.

As time went on I was more at home with the reality...and now as a grandmother, I positively love the fact that it is not that way at all. It is a relative mystery and miracle that as we gather together with all the imperfections, lumps and bumps that occur in the festivities and the relationships, we all look back on it as the best time we ever had.

How do you look at the holidays? I know that when our son was in Iraq, everything took on a whole different feeling. Boxes were lovingly packed, the children encouraged to make pictures and things to send...but there was a loneliness that was just part of the day , as his place was not filled at home. The first time he went, we had Christmas in October...that little event made it into our second book for military kids:..."when winters chill was in the air, Christmas came again, our quiet little Christmas, was lonely without him." The second time he went, we sent the boxes.

How is your family coping with holidays if you have a loved one deployed? If your all together this time, what things do you do that make it special?

Hoping that all of you will be blessed and that you will find joy in the midst of the imperfections!

The German Christmas Gingerbread House

2009-11-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

Well, the furnace went out and so the fire in the fireplace is not just for show tonight! The grandchildren came over and we made the gingerbread house we had been talking about. I felt a little bad about not doing it from scratch, but it seems not to matter to them! We ate too much candy as we decorated, and the kids were head to toe frosting!

Our son (their Daddy) is going to Germany for three years. We decided that Christmas will come two days after Thanksgiving and so the preparations have begun!

A big turkey dinner on Thursday, put the tree up Friday, and Sunday the whole works, stockings, gifts and a German meal to give the kids a taste of where Daddy is going.

Here are the proud creators of the gingerbread house, and then to get you in the mood for Christmas, our beautiful Colorado mountains (I went snowshoeing this week!)

Happy Thanksgiving... and to any other military families with an early holiday...Merry Christmas!

Travel Plans?

2009-11-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

For most of us military families, the holiday season usually means one thing: TRAVEL! One of the downsides of being in the military is that we tend to be geographically separated from our families, thus requiring some pretty lengthy road trips or airplane rides to be with the ones we love during the holidays.

Now that I'm a BIG two year old, Mommy and Daddy have to buy me a plane ticket when we fly. Well, after a few weeks of looking at airline tickets they came to the quick realization THAT wasn't going to happen! Just for the three of us to fly home it was going to cost over $1500!! CRAZY! Therefore, we are going to attempt a ROAD TRIP! All I really care about is being at my Grammy's house...even if it does mean lots of time in the car!

For those of you more seasoned travelers, can you please give us some tips? Have you ever stayed at the on-Post hotels while traveling? Was it worth it? What kinds of things do you take in the car to keep everyone happy and occupied? Thanks for your help...Mommy needs all she can get!!

Position Taken

2009-11-19T07:10:00.001-08:00

I was loading groceries in the car the other day when a kind man helped me load a particularly heavy item in the back of the car. My six year old piped up in the back and said, "Excuse me sir, but she already has a husband, he's a soldier."

Move That Bus

2009-11-19T06:58:00.000-08:00

Between four kids, deployments and seven moves, I have not taken the best care of myself, translation, I have packed on some pounds.

So one of the deployment silver linings is it is the perfect time to lose some weight. I do not have to cook dinner every night and I can eat dinner when I am hungry not at 2100 when my husband drags himself home.

I used the day he left for my cutoff date, and I started the next day. I have already lost almost thirty pounds. I am feeling so much better, and I know that I am avoiding the temptation to eat or drink to make myself feel better during the deployment. I also know that at the end of the year I will be healthier and happier.

I can't wait for the big reveal, you know that moment on that Home Makeover show when they say "move that bus," and everyone screams and cries because the house is so fantastic. I can't wait to see my husband's face! Fortunately every time I put on pants that are a size smaller I get the "move that bus" feeling just for myself!

I want so badly to thrive during this deployment and not just survive. Plus I am doing something for myself everyday, and that feels great! Who's with me?

Don't know what to bring to the table? AAFES Knows!

2009-11-19T06:39:00.000-08:00

My daughter and I are going to try this next week while the kids are out of school. We've been invited to have supper with another family, and we just don't know what to bring, so I thought I'd share...

And there's a contest too...see below!

OREO TURKEY RECIPE SUPPLIES:

OREO COOKIES
REESE’S MINATURE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
WHOPPERS MALTED MILK BALLS
BRACH’S CANDY CORN
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
WHITE FROSTING
ORANGE FOOD COLORING (for feet)
TOOTHPICKS

Place Oreo Cookie as base and place a dab of chocolate frosting on top to attach mini peanut butter cup.
Place a dab of chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter cup to attach the malted milk ball for the head.
Place candy corn in the edge of the second Oreo cookie (tail).
Place a dab of chocolate frosting on the widest part of mini peanut butter cup and attach to Oreo (tail).
Break off the white tip of a candy corn and dip in chocolate frosting and place on malted milk ball for the beak.
Use toothpick with icing to add eyes and feet.
Your turkey is complete!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING
FROM THE AAFES FAMILY!

Have other creative cookie, cake, or cupcake ideas?
Share it for your chance at $2000 and inclusion in the Patriot Family's 2010 Holiday Creations Baking Guide.

USAA: "Every day is Veteran's Day!"

2009-11-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 18 million U.S. military veterans and their 17 million family members who are looking for competitive alternatives to their current insurance, banking and investment providers now can take advantage of USAA and its 87-year record of strength, stability and performance in service to the military community.

Citing steady growth in financial strength and operational capacity, USAA announced that effective immediately, membership now is open to all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who served honorably, regardless of years of service.

The change expands USAA’s potential customer by an estimated 35 million, including 18 million veterans, and 17 million spouses and children who also would be able to access USAA services after their veteran relative becomes a member.

“We believe everyone who served honorably in the armed forces should be able to manage their financial well-being with USAA, a company committed to caring more about the unique needs of the military community than any other,” said retired Army Maj. Gen. Joe Robles, USAA’s President and CEO. “Today, USAA is stronger than at any time in our 87-year history, and we are thrilled to open our doors wider to offer the benefits of USAA membership to more military families than ever before.”

USAA began as an officer-only association in 1922, opened to enlisted personnel in 1996, and today serves 7.3 million current and former military members and their families. Throughout its history, USAA has played an important role in helping military families with their financial security, providing them with insurance, investments and banking products as well as financial planning and advice.

Operating without commissioned sales agents, the company has earned numerous customer service accolades, including winning BusinessWeek’s #1 Customer Service Champs award in 2008 and 2007. USAA is the only company to be ranked in the top two each year since the list’s inception in 2007.

More recently, through innovations such as the banking industry’s first mobile check deposit service, USAA Deposit@Mobile™, USAA is leveraging technology to enable its eligible customers to manage their finances anytime and from anywhere a mobile signal is available.

“Having served as an Army private and many ranks along the way to major general, it gives me great personal satisfaction to know that another 35 million former service members, their spouses and children now have access to all that USAA offers,” said Robles.

Who is eligible for USAA P&C Group membership?

Military personnel •All current members of the U.S. Armed Forces, active duty, Guard and reserve, as well as those who retired or honorably separated in the past, regardless of dates or branch of service (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard).
•Cadets, midshipmen, and officer or warrant officer candidates in government-sponsored programs leading to a commission.

Family members •Adult children, widow(er)s, and un-remarried former spouses of USAA members.
•Widow(er)s of officer and enlisted personnel who were killed in action while eligible.
Additionally, USAA life insurance, investment, retirement and deposit products are also available to members’ extended families and others who are not eligible for USAA membership.

Today, with heightened concerns about the economy and the solvency of financial institutions, USAA is recognized for its conservative approach to financial management. In 2008, the company’s net worth increased to $14.6 billion, and USAA earned $423 million in net income. In addition, USAA’s Property & Casualty Insurance Group maintains the highest ratings for financial strength from Standard & Poor’s, A.M. Best and Moody’s rating agencies, making USAA one of a small, elite group of companies to retain the highest possible ratings. More current mid-year 2009 results are available on usaa.com.

About USAA

USAA, a diversified financial services group of companies, is among the leading providers of financial planning, insurance, investments, and banking products to members of the U.S. military and their families. For the past three years, BusinessWeek magazine ranked USAA among the top two “Customer Service Champs,” highlighting its legendary commitment of providing highly competitive financial products for 7.3 million members. For more information about USAA, or to learn more about membership, visit usaa.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6089464&lang=en

Feel free to share the news!

Crock Pot-luck

2009-11-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight we are hosting a crock pot-luck for our November coffee. I know alot of you out there have some fabulous ideas that you do for coffees so I thought I'd post this as an opportunity for us to share!

At this event, everyone is bringing a dish made in their crockpot with copies of the recipe to share! I know this morning when I made mine up it smelled (and tasted) heavenly! I figure as long as I don't burn it ...I'm golden!

What kind of fun ideas have you done for coffees or meetings?

Apple Peanut Crumble (Crockpot)

Ingredients
• 5 Cooking apples -- peeled and
• Sliced
• 2/3 c Brown sugar -- packed
• 1/2 c Flour
• 1/2 c Quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/2 ts Cinnamon
• 1/2 ts Nutmeg
• 1/3 c Butter -- softened
• 2 tb Peanut butter

Preparation
Place apple slices in slow-cooking pot. In medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in butter and peanut butter with pastry blender or fork. Sprinkle over apples. Cover pot and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Serve warm; plain, with ice cream or whipped cream.

A Story Before Bed Time - Military Promo

2009-11-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

http://www.astorybeforebed.com/

Military servicemember coupons
http://www.astorybeforebed.com/milpromo

"The idea behind A Story Before Bed is that you choose one of the stories in their library, then you record yourself reading it using a webcam. You can then send a link to your child's caregiver, who can then open the book on their computer, and watch as you read the story to them. They see the full pages of the book with your face inset, and the experience even includes animated page turns. To make sure that what you are reading relates to the page being displayed, the video of you reading is actually split up on a page-by-page basis, so you can only ever be listening to the correct voiceover for a given page.

A Story Before Bed is not a free service, but recording a story is free. The service charges $6.95US if you want to keep your recording so that you can pass it along to the young people in your life."

Army Wife Life: November 16, 2009

2009-11-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

This edition of Army Wife Life discussion is brought to you in partnership with Lucky Army Wives! (www.LuckyArmyWives.com)

Please leave your answers to the questions below by commenting on this post. Listen for Tara & Melanie's answers on Show 240: Week of Nov 16, 2009 using our AWTR Player in the right sidebar!

Excerpt blog post: Congratulations! You've made the move from the thong to "Big Girl Panties"! The bottom line (aren't we witty?!) is that you own your decision, actions and resulting consequences. Be true to yourself, but also be mature in your adventures! And here is how the adventure started.........

Pearl and Mercedes became lucky Army wives as follows – sound familiar?

You fell head over heels in love.

Your soldier proposed to you in a wonderfully romantic manner.

You married – and possibly exited the chapel under an Arch of Swords.

You put all of your dearest possessions into the trunk of your car (or truck – lucky you!) and the precariously attached U-Haul trailer.

You moved to a completely unknown geographic location (eg. Ft. Wuchuka, Ft. Polk, etc.) rarely referenced in travel magazines.

You devoted years to understanding and navigating military jargon, traditions, and events (although – to be honest – you still struggle to differentiate among companies, batteries and troops).

You were nominated – without any deliberate intent on your part - as your post’s “Volunteer of the Year” due to your significant commitment to your husband's unit.
You managed to have and rear children and/or raised one hell of a well trained dog.
HOOAH! Welcome to the Army, Mrs. Jones! And, by “Army”, we’re specifically addressing you and your soldier/family.

Discussion Point 1: Dolphin, heart or butterfly tattoo?

Discussion Point 2: Plan or spur of the moment?

Discussion Point 3: What is your favorite place you’ve lived? Least favorite? Where do you hope you never have to go?

Discussion Point 4: If you volunteer for the Army family, what/where/how do you serve?

Discussion Point 5: I support my soldier always – even when I’m completely stressed that he can’t seem to make it home prior to 10PM. Did I really sign up to be a single parent?

Fort Carson Spouse Field Exercise........ Read All About It

2009-11-16T06:52:00.000-08:00

USAA Enlists Army Wife Network to Encourage and Empower
Fort Carson Military Spouses
Fort Carson’s military spouses will be the target audience for Army Wife Network’s deployment survival workshop and care package extravaganza this Military Family Month. To empower military spouses, USAA enlisted Crooks & Henderson, the two founders of Army Wife Network, to facilitate an event where spouses can share information, trade ideas, network, and learn about resources, which Army Wife Network recommends and has contact with daily.

The two identical events are November 30th 5-9pm and December 1st 10-2pm. Space is limited, so reserve your seat for either, now through the Army Wife Network’s homepage. Visit ArmyWifeNetwork.com, click Events, and click Register for Field Exercise™.

(Download the flyer here.)

Registered guests can expect numerous giveaways and well-stocked gift bags (for them and their soldier) provided by a variety of sponsors and supporters that include USAA, AAFES, Kaplan University, K12, Marcal, Military By Owner, TriWest and more. These groups are all working to combine a night of appreciation and pampering with real life solutions for our “heroes at home.” A complimentary meal, dessert, and refreshments will also be provided.

The previous success of Field Exercises™ is measured by the rave reviews of prior attendees. “The goodies were fabulous, but the 'icing' has to be the 'normal' showcased in our shared experiences,” said one Fort Bragg attendee. With many years of deployment experiences of their own, Crooks & Henderson blend the perfect amount of fun and information to encourage spouses and guide them to become empowered for this military lifestyle.

“USAA is extremely proud to support military spouses through events such as the Field Exercises™ and our hope is they will take advantage of this fulfilling evening,” said Mike Kelly, director of military communications at USAA. “The bond – the feeling of family - between military spouses is unmatched and USAA is happy to be included in that family.”
END

About USAA
USAA, a diversified financial services group of companies, is among the leading providers of financial planning, insurance, investments, and banking products to members of the U.S. military and their families. For the past three years, BusinessWeek magazine ranked USAA among the top two “Customer Service Champs,” highlighting its legendary commitment of providing highly competitive financial products for 7.3 million members. For more information about USAA, or to learn more about membership, visit usaa.com.

About Army Wife Network
The Army Wife Network (AWN) is devoted to changing the lives of our warriors and their families through a sincere desire to help military spouses where it matters most – in the field. Tara and Star both sport a lengthy and diverse background as members of the military community leadership, and understand firsthand the challenges faced in traversing the journey of life as a military spouse. AWN is also the home of Army Wife Talk Radio, the only internet talk radio program for Army wives, by Army Wives.

Behind Every Good Soldier...

2009-11-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

is a good woman...sometimes it's his Army Wife, sometimes it's his Army Mom.

I handed off a copy of Elaine Dumler's I'm Already Home...Again book to my mother-in-law a while ago. She loved it. You know Mothers look for ways to connect with their little Soldier Boys as much as we do.

So, she had hilarious stories to share about doing the photo transfers backwards or having the sticky parts stick together and having to redo. But all-in-all, I thought this a valiant effort.

The book is the one we give out at our Field Exercises. (Just so happens we have one coming up at Fort Carson; Register Here!)

But if you can't come or you can't bring your mother (in-laws) with you, then I think you should click through and get one for awesome ideas to stay connected with your soldier. It'd make a great "Thank-you Mom!" gift or even a great Christmas stocking stuffer!

Elaine even has a more recent book out for you all who are going through a redeployment: The Road Home - Smoothing the transition back from deployment.

Have a great weekend!

It's Veterans Day...the kids need to know

2009-11-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day is a special opportunity to thank those who give so much, a token of thanks. We can never give back to the degree that they give, but a thank you means a lot.

Our children need to know that there are those that sacrifice daily for their freedoms. Teach them that as we mow our lawns, go to school, eat our peanut butter and jelly, people are protecting us.

As we sleep in cozy beds, others bear the heat, the cold. Children like them are missing a deployed parent, perhaps they are too. Help them understand the honor and the gratitude that Americans have for the warriors who stand and protect. Maybe you can tell them stories of those who have served, or maybe the kids can write a letter of thanks to be delivered to one who has served. Take them to hear the celebrations and speeches. Let them hear the songs, and see the waving flags. Have them experience the pride of being American.

To all who are veterans, of all generations, thank you, so much, from all of us.

Happy Veteran's Day!

2009-11-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Veteran's,

Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you from the bottom of my little heart for all that you have done, and continue to do, to protect this great country of ours! I spent the better part of this morning trying to think of something eloquent, something beautiful, something profound to say to you that might, in some small way, covey my gratitude. However, it all kept coming back to the fact that I am thankful, SO thankful for all that you do!

So, today and every day, know that you're appreciated for all that you do, for all that you sacrifice and for all that you stand for.

With Sincere Thanks and Gratitude,
DeDe

Sweet Victory for Military Families!

2009-11-11T11:10:00.001-08:00

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON S.475

Today I have signed into law S. 475, the "Military Spouses Residency Relief Act". This Act, among other things, would provide that when a service member leaves his or her home State in accord with military or naval orders, the service member's spouse may retain residency in his or her home State for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that State to accompany the service member.

When the military orders service members to move, spouses who move with them often have to pay taxes in a new State or locality and lose the right to vote in the place considered to be home. This legislation will alleviate these and other burdens on our military families. As the Congress has recognized, and as the legislative history reflects, this legislation is an important means of maintaining the morale and readiness of our Armed Forces and significantly enhances the ability of our military to effectively recruit and retain these highly valued service personnel.

It's About Time

2009-11-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

Don't know if you caught all the wonderful prizes that our 2010 HH6 was awarded last night on Army Wife Talk Radio. What a boon-doggle! There are so many great military supporters out there. Here's the complete prize package and links, so you can check out all that our special Janet was awarded.

 Family Manager University Scholarship
 Army Wife Network t-shirt & prize package
 USAA Diamond Merchandise valued at $500
 AttaGirl Bracelet
 thePatrioticWife Household 6 (HH 6) Sparkly Pin
 3A Watch Group w/ U.S. Army Watches

The last listed, 3A Watch Group, has invited us to extend their appreciation for military spouses and families even further. Janet and each of our HH6 runners up, Sherri and Kelly, all received watch sets from their new line of U.S. Army Watches.

They've asked us to award some other Army couples from now through the end of 2009!

We are happy to oblige with our next contest, "It's About Time!"

This contest will be much simpler, but no less meaningful. We think "it's about time" some of you are recognized for the ways you give back to the military community everyday. Tell us about your experiences and exchange your ideas in our message boards topic: Volunteering! From FRG to USO - it wouldn't get done without volunteers.

Share tips, advice, & ideas. Each week our team will recognize someone who has shared a great tip, inspired us, or engaged others in a meaningful discussion on Volunteering. Winners will be announced in the message board and on Army Wife Talk Radio.

3A is excited about this new line of U.S. Army watches, which will be available nationwide November 20th. The watches are INSPIRED BY OUR BRAVEST AND GREATEST AT HOME AND ABROAD. We know that includes not just the soldiers, but their spouses as well.

Best of luck; we're looking forward to hearing about your volunteer efforts!

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!!!

2009-11-10T07:15:00.000-08:00

As some of you may already know, today Sesame Street is celebrating it's 40th birthday! Here at our house, we really love Sesame Street, particularly Elmo and Ernie! We are especially grateful for the work Sesame Street has put into creating the deployment video for military families. Any company or organization that helps make deployments easier on military families gets 2 HUGE thumbs up in our book!!!

Who is your favorite Sesame Street character? Do you remember watching the show when you were little? I love to watch Ernie sing his song about living on the moon with my Mommy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SESAME STREET!!! Here's to 40 more years of great shows and support for military families!

Military Spouses Residency Relief Act awaits the President’s approval

2009-11-10T04:43:00.000-08:00

Washington, DC –Tuesday, November 3, 2009. A comprehensive military family legislation, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (S 475 and HR 1182), which will legally recognize military spouses by providing them the option to claim the same state of domicile as their active duty spouse, passed through the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support, and is now being brought before the President to become a law.

The bill was introduced by Congressman John Carter (R-TX), who represents Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the country. “This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” says Carter, who has been pushing the legislation for the last three years.

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the companion bill into the Senate, which passed unanimously in August. The legislation will amend the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA) of 1940 allowing military spouses to share a home state with their spouse, the service member.

Currently, military spouses experience impediments in voting and property ownership as well as deterrents in employment and education. The bill offers fair treatment of the military spouse and improves the quality of life for military families by allowing the stability of a single state of domicile to call home.

Over 8,000 military spouses, friends and family members united to support the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act on Facebook. They shared their individual stories as they contacted Congressional representatives to ask for support. Initially, Army Spouse, Rebecca Poynter and Navy Spouse, Joanna Williamson, approached Congressman Carter with their request to petition. “It has been a grass roots effort by thousands of spouses across the country, who have campaigned to get this passed, by telling their stories,” explains Poynter.

“The support from Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) and the Veterans Service Organizations who testified in our support is greatly appreciated,” said Williamson, “and together we claim this victory for all military families.”