MilSpouse Life
Military life can feel like a lot of pressure sometimes. There are countless ups and downs to navigate, requiring you to adapt year after year. I’ll be honest with you right now: I’m not usually big on New Year’s resolutions. I’m in the camp, where I believe if you truly want to do something, you will make a goal and strive to meet it [...]
Military ResourcesBest Military Life Blog Posts of 2015
It's 5:30 am here in Okinawa. I'm sitting on my balcony today looking out at the beautiful island sunrise. I feel the dew on my cheeks from the warm winter air. It's 70 degrees here, and it doesn't feel anything like the cold bitter Midwest winters I grew up with. Both my kids lay nestled in their beds, while I sit here drinking hot [...]
I’m Terrible at Being a Military Spouse
Last week my husband and I attended an annual military family mandatory fun party. This party included a meal, live entertainment, and of course, a bouncy house for the kids. Secretly, I was dreading it. As a military spouse, I should be more enthusiastic about these “family fun nights,” but often times we get there, spend the [...]
Raising KidsBossy Toddler: How to Keep the Upper Hand
Funny there’s no chapter in any parenting book called Advanced Toddler Negotiation: How to Keep the Upper Hand. I think there should be. Because somewhere between the ages of 18 months and 3 years old your sweet obedient child will turn into a rebellious teenager overnight. Of course it seems cute and funny at first. But after a few [...]
Mom Life5 Easy Ways to Be a More Patient Mom
I finished cleaning up the house, and I took one minute to go the bathroom. I was ready to be a patient mom and connect with my kids. I just needed one minute. And when I returned my son was reaching into the pantry on his tippy toes. Oh man, I knew exactly what was about to happen before it even happened. Unfortunately, I was about 6 [...]
Best Holiday App for Military Kids Far From Family
My in-laws were just here Japan for two weeks visiting us. During their visit, they met our newborn daughter for first time. These are the moments everyone appreciates when you live far from family. The moments where you build relationships and connection. The moments where you share laughs and giggles together. It’s special. It’s also [...]
The Hidden Place Your Daughter’s Self-Esteem Grows
As a five year old girl, you could spot me in a crowd of 200 hundred people in about 1.7 seconds flat. I mostly looked just like every other child in my community. Until you caught a glimpse of my hair. Oh, my hair. My hair was bright fiery red, and it was my nemesis. That bright fiery red hair caused me a lot of grief throughout my [...]
4 Important Words to Help End Power Struggles
As a child, I spent idyllic summers at my family’s secluded lake cabin in the woods of Northern Wisconsin. My fondest memories include swimming with my cousins, cooking with my grandmother, and fishing with my dad. Hello nostalgia. Last Summer I returned that tiny lake cabin to share a week-long vacation with my dad, cousins, and this [...]
My Dirty Little DIY Holiday Gift Secret
I’m a frugal mom. We are a military family stationed overseas and I am a work-from-home-mom, making a part-time income. When the holiday season rolls around, I get nervous. I love the holidays, of course, but my husband gets wide-eyes and likes to spend money. Spending money makes me nervous. Good news is you can create beautiful [...]
Schedule / RoutineWhy You Should Absolutely Wake a Sleeping Baby
Please note this is not prescriptive for something you must do with your baby. Each baby and family is different. If this works for you, I'm glad to share our experience. If this isn't something that will work for your family, I completely understand that as well. A friend of my came over for coffee last week. We were chatting and [...]
