Raising Kids
If you came to our house during dinner time a few years ago, you’d see me reminding my kids to "sit down in the chair" several times. You’d also see some food on the floor. Maybe some chair rocking. Slow eating. Getting kids to listen at the dinner table is a HUGE challenge point for families. And it turns [...]
Archives for August 2016
Military ResourcesHow to Find Stunning Military Ball Dresses Under $100
This is embarrassing, but I am going to tell you anyway. Because you can do military ball dresses under 100 dollars the right way or you can do it the wrong way. Last Spring--and a several times before it--I absolutely did military ball dresses the wrong way. My husband called me from work and announced that there was a military ball in [...]
7 Surprisingly Simple PCS Tips That Will Decrease Your Stress
My bag bulged with ALL of the things: iPad, iPhone, child headphones, over a dozen small wrapped toddler toys, and just a few snacks. "Where is your passport?" asked the nice man behind the counter. Oh, just with my husband that took the toddler to the bathroom fifteen minutes ago, while I waited in this long (but deceptively fast [...]
The Big Problem With Over-Praising Kids – And What to Do Instead
“Mom, mom, MOOMMMMMMM!!!” This is how every other minute of my day went. Kids live completely in the present moment, and it’s elegantly beautiful, but it can also feel very emotionally draining to a parent. Before I knew It, I fell impatient with stopping the whining and started using a lot of empty praise. I wanted to raise a [...]
How to Overcome Military Spouse Career Challenges
After 3 years in a long-distance relationship, my military boyfriend and I made a big decision: I would move to the East Coast to join him at his current duty station. This decision carried a lot of weight for us. Obviously, it took us 3 years to pull the trigger. I was optimistic about the move and the transition to life as a military [...]
DeploymentWhat Really Goes Down on FaceTime During Deployment
My husband has deployed multiple times. He's gone to Korea for a year. He's been away on countless TDYs. So we've depended on programs like FaceTime and Skype to cope with deployment separations. It allows the kids to see their Daddy. It allows me to see my husband. But the conversations don't always go smoothly. This is, after all, [...]
How to Balance Motherhood and Deployment as a Work-at-Home MilSpouse
As if being a mom wasn’t enough work on it’s own, YOU ambitious military spouse, are also running a business and dealing with a deployment. You are SUPER MOM. But some days, I bet it doesn’t feel that way. You might feel stretched too thin or feel conflicted between your work and spending time with your children. Or maybe you have a [...]
MilSpouse Life5 Things MilSpouses Want Their Far Away Friends to Know
My throat felt tight. I hugged my soon-to-be long distance friend one last time in the parking lot of a local breakfast joint. I chocked back the tears as best I could, but it was a losing battle. They started to stream down my face, mingling with the sweat from my morning run. My friend and I half-smiled as we watched our kids play [...]
2-Year-Old Not Listening? Try This Remarkable Tip
I’m not going to sugar coat this for you. I struggled horribly with my 2-year-old not listening. As a mom who researches things like how to make kids listen and how to be a positive parent to a strong willed child, the twos about did me in. Yes, really. (That's why I started researching why parents yell...) But here’s the real [...]
10 Things Military Spouses Don’t Need to Do Anymore
I've been a military spouse for fifteen years. I enjoy it for the most part. I've gone through multiple deployments. TDYs. Daddy dolls (using this daddy doll tutorial). PCS moves. Having a baby with a service member. But I notice I'm different in what I choose to do. Maybe it's because I'm an introvert. Possibly it's because I'm rather [...]
