Fabulous Army Life

The ladies of our brigade are hosting a welcome for our brigade commander's spouse.  It will be at a local winery with a 'vineyard' type theme.  I'm a total novice at all things wine-related, so I spent some time this morning searching for ideas.  I came across this crazy contraption and couldn't help but share it with you! Truly, I'm all for innovation and creativity.  I think our nation flourishes because of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our people.  But really, a wine glass holder necklace?!  Come on ... are we really so encumbered by holding a glass?  And, honestly, if you're apt to "soak a fellow party guest" as the ad describes, perhaps a little less wine would be a better solution for you than a portable wine trough.  I'm just sayin' ... From the online ad: With the Wine Glass Holder Necklace you can keep your hands free at parties by keeping your wine glass close at heart! If you talk with your hands a lot, you will never...

I cannot fully appreciate the sacrifices made by the parents of our US Army Soldiers.  Mothers, especially, who send their children off to war and pray for their safe return ... have my undying gratitude, love, and prayers.  With two young sons of my own, I can get an inkling of what it might be like, but really, I cannot know. I have seen my husband's mother support him throughout his lifetime, including four years at West Point, and through sixteen years in the Army, including thirty or so months of combat deployment.  She is a stalwart supporter and a sensational prayer warrior. We are fortunate to live close to Family while we are stationed at Fort Hood.  Both sides of our families are in Texas, with Hubby's parents living only an hour away.  This affords us (and them!) with some priceless opportunities to spend time together more often than when we live several states (or continents) away.  His Family is always supportive of us and our Army life an...

Hey, Guys!  Sure would appreciate your clicks and comments for this Military Blogger contest!  I wrote about my son's experience with Operation Purple Camp and would love to get the word out about it! Just click (... and comment, too!).  Thanks a bunch! Military Blogger Contest Entry: This Fabulous Army Life Posted using ShareThis

I read TONS of wonderful blogs every week written by fabulous Army wives and others.  I hope you'll all participate in the Military Mondays Carnival – April 19 Edition today!  Candace at Army Wives' Lives hosts a blog carnival each monday in honor of #militarymon and it's a great way to find the best military blogs AND to share your amazing blogs as well. AND … this week, she is offering a PRIZE for the next two carnivals, courtesy of Susan Wiggs, author of The Ocean Between Us!  From her blog: ■One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive a $50 VISA gift card AND a copy of The Ocean Between Us. ■Two (2) additional winners will receive a copy of the book! *** The only Military Mondays Blog Carnival rules are: *** ■In the “Link Title” field, please place the title of your post, plus the name of your blog and/or your name. (e.g. “Grow Where You Are Planted @Army Wives’ Lives”) ■In the “URL” field, please place the direct “permalink” to the specific post, not to ...

I know, I know ... everybody thinks their kids are the cutest ever ... me included!  I am just loving how precious they are and trying to absorb every moment as they seem to grow by leaps and bounds each day.  One of the things I love most about being their mom is the way they can make me laugh out loud when I'm totally not expecting it. For example, this morning, we're rushing out the door at 7:15 (our crazy school starts at 7:35 ... ugh) when I turn back to lock the front door.  My 1st grader is standing next to me and scans the skies for hints about today's weather.  He takes one look at the gray clouds overhead and says, "Well, it looks like a slight chance of recess today!" Isn't that great?  LOVE how these kids think.  They bring such a sweet, innocent perspective to life and I am so happy to be a part of that.  This is a short, totally random post, but that little comment has kept me smiling all day today. 

I posted yesterday about the amazing traditions in the 1st Cavalry Division and the Change of Command Ceremony last Friday.  Today, I'll post a peek into the reception afterwards, which was equally impressive. There is a semi-permanent tent outside the division headquarters that is used during "Welcome Home" ceremonies; this is where the reception was held after the change of command.  Each battalion set up a 'static display' of their colors, flags, and other paraphanelia to showcase their unit.  They all looked amazing.  There were seven tables lined up against one wall, each with a unit cake.  The receiving line area had the division colors and even had a red carpet!  The first order of events was the receiving line.  The brigade commander, all battalion commanders, new CSMs, and their respective spouses all lined up to greet everyone as they entered the tent.  This was my first time to be in an Army receiving line and I didn't relish the idea...

Last Friday, my Family and I participated in the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division change of command on Fort Hood, Texas.  Hubby became the battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment and joined a wonderful group of "Red Dragon" Soldiers and Families.  It's a dream come true for us ... one of those things you hope in the back of your mind you'll get to do one day, but know realistically that the chances are slim you'll get to do it. When I first saw his name on 'the list' that the Army publishes, I was elated for him.  No one knows more than I do his passion for the Army and for the Soldiers in it.  He is a wonderful leader and cares so much.  We both knew that this would be the adventure of a lifetime.  We explained this new job to our two boys (ages ten and six) as best we could and they kept saying, "We'll have 500 new friends on Friday!" as their summary of the discussion.  =) The ceremony was amazing,...

As an Army Family, we think about our Soldiers and their Families on a regular basis, but I still wanted to send a special HOOAH and THANK YOU to our troops, their Families, and all the troop supporters out there on this "Military Monday."  We could never thank you enough and could never be more proud.  You are what makes this country great! If you're not familiar with "Military Monday," here's a quick-read to catch you up on the details: Happy Military Monday! If you haven't seen the live performance of Trace Adkins and the West Point Glee Club singing "'Til the Last Shot's Fired," I know you'll love it here: Thank you to all our servicemembers, their Families, and all those who support and love them. We'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers ... 'til the last shot's fired ... and they all come home!

June 2009

This Easter Sunday, the boys woke to a fun Easter breakfast.  On the menu?  Blue Peeps on a green sugared nest, two orange cinnamon rolls, and a boiled egg.  Not the healthiest breakfast ever, but fine for a special occasion ... and the dash of protein from the egg got the kids through our worship service before they were hungry again. Love this fun Easter breakfast!

We love Easter at our house.  Not only do we have the supreme privilege of worshipping a risen Savior and celebrating His resurrection on Easter Sunday, it also gives us an opportunity to make some fun memories with our children.  We look forward to the Easter Bunny's visit and welcome Spring with open arms. As I was looking through photos, I found these of my youngest son's first Easter.  They were so cute I had to share them.  I can't believe my babies are growing up so fast!  In these photos, the older son is only four and the youngest is not even a year old.  Crazy how time flies. We loved making this Easter Bunny cake together, although if I remember correctly, the boys didn't want to eat any of it because it was covered in coconut.  Cute for bunny 'fur,' not so good for eating. This baby was not greedy about his Easter eggs.  One in each hand was plenty for him. Our family all dressed up for Easter Sunday. Here is wishing you all a v...

I've never been a huge fan of April Fool's Day, mostly because I'm painfully gullible.  I truly will believe just about anything someone tells me so I'm usually an easy target on April Fool's.  However, there are some really cute ideas of things to do for your kids on this crazy day and I'm all for that! One of my favorite websites is http://www.familyfun.com/ .  Here are some of the best meal ideas they have this year for some tricky April Fool's Day fun.  Can't wait to try out the Shamburgers! Fakin' and Eggs for Breakfast ... Grilled Cheese for Fools  for Lunch ... And For Dinner ... Chicken-Not-Pie