Love This Face

Aj has gotten his Marines off on their adventure, and finally got time to Skype! He looked great and it was so fun for the boys to interact with him.

Summer Boredom Bucket

I hate the word bored! I put together a Boredom bucket for my boys. If I hear the word bored, they must pick an extra chore from the bucket. I am also using this for bad behavior. The chores inside are chores they normally would not have to do!

Busy Boy!

Our little guy just turned 14 months! He has been trying to walk since 9 months and yet is to take off more then a few steps. We are into climbing lately. Notice the leg up ?

Deployment Organization

Check out my new deployment organization printables! We all know that we get deployment brain when a deployment hits. Here are a few things that have helped me stay organized!

Deployment Fun List

My kids have been dying to start our Deployment Fun List! The list is hanging center on the fridge and we have a plan! I can't wait to do these things with my boys! I just love that this post has gotten so many repins on Pinterest! You can now dowload the PDF file here!

Best Daddy Beans

I have been looking for something fun and creative to include in AJ's Father's Day box. I came across this super cute best daddy ever beans! I ordered the Jelly Bellies from Amazon. Instead of leaving them in the 4lb container, I consolidated them into a larger Ziploc container and of course took out a few for us! They fit perfectly in a flat rate box. I also found a cheap recordable picture frame on Amazon. It had a place for a photo and a 4 second message. I thought he would get a kick out of hearing the boys and seeing what time it was at home on his desk. It is time to get it out, as I have sent 2 in the past 3 weeks and he hasn't gotten one yet. Frustrating! Probably because I sent mine out right before they left... It is probably sitting on the bottom somewhere. The chocolate covered raisins were probably not the best option to send in the 100 degree plus heat. Oh well. =) It is the thought that counts! 

The Rock

It has been awhile since I have I really sat down and wrote a blog post. I guess I can blame it on the 10 and 5 page papers I have been working on. Yes, the first papers are submitted. Now, I wait. I just want to be reassured that I am grad school material. I am loving every minute of it and love what I am learning. I love that I am going to school with a lot with some type of military connection. In one class, all three of the people in the group are military spouses. One just got back from a deployment, and then two of us had husbands leave on the same day. Many are balancing families and their husband's careers as well.

I got a very touching E-mail from a dear friend yesterday asking for prayers. Her husband was with AJ on active duty when we were first married. We have stayed in touch ever since. Her husband went on to become an officer. They are just a beautiful family. Her husband has been in the heart of the battles going on in Afghanistan. She sent me a video, and I couldn't even watch it. They suffered a few losses last week and she was just praying for strength. We talked about how she was just exhausted. She had been the rock for so many, and there she sat waiting for her own doorbell to ring while sheltering her kids. Ugh... totally get that. My heart just breaks for her. I know that AJ is pretty much on base right now, so yes his safety is on my mind, but I feel that I can relax a bit.

We talked about being the rock and how hard it is. I love that people turn to me during a deployment, but honestly I feel some days I can't be a rock for one more person. I hate that feeling, but I have to leave some of me for me and my kiddos. Not to mention my husband. It is so easy to be consumed by others needs during a deployment.

I was looking forward to getting out of town this weekend to our most favorite place on this earth... Michigan. But, on our way in to town today Brayden let me know he was testing for his marshal arts on Thursday or Friday. Ugh... change of plans Well, I actually prayed about it earlier in the day. I woke up feeling overwhelmed. I had a paper lingering, class to get organized for, a baby up at 5, and a tornado of a house. I asked God to take away what wasn't necessary and sure enough I got my answer. As much as I wanted to get away, do some shopping, and play... It is nice to know I have a weekend with nothing much to do and can get to Service Sunday morning. Then, my Dad and I will take Keegan to Operation Purple Camp in Indiana. It is a camp that is for military kids, especially deployed kids. I am so excited for him to get to make new friends!

I am putting my feet up, watching Real Housewives of OC, and opening a bottle of wine. This momma is tired and ready to watch some mindless t.v.!

Memorial Day Weekend

I was able to enjoy some fun time with the boys this weekend. Reality also hit me when I talked to a dear friend and she asked for prayers for her husband's unit. They had suffered a few losses this week and are in heavy battle. She expressed her own feelings of an anxiety and fear and waiting for her own doorbell to ring. A fear I often hold in my heart. Aj had no celebration in Afghanistan. Just another "working" day.

Mom Of Your Kids' Dreams

In my devotional today, this paragraph spoke to me. When AJ and I first started dating, we vowed when marriage came we would always be in love. People who know us know that we pride our relationship on this. Some think we are silly for being so much in love. As a military spouse, living your relationship is a must. You never know when that could be the last moment. I can't lie that reading this passage made me a bit sad. 24 hours without communication has driven me a bit crazy. I am so ready for him to be home and never let go. I am ready to have someone take care of me. This momma is definitely feeling her age this deployment and is a bit exhausted. 3 crazy boys sure keep me hoping. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Yes G is up at 5 a.m. but that is special one on one time I get with him and I have been trying to use that as my devotional time.

Asking For Help

As a Marine wife, it is hard to ask for help and take people up on offers to help. I always feel it was showing my weakness. I take pride in my Supermom title. However, I am realizing more and more I can't do this on my own. A quote from my devotional really stood out to me today. " Ask for help-this is not a sign of weakness-receive it when it comes, be proactive,and exhale. There is no such thing as a Superwoman, only Super-friends and Super-families. None of us are perfect,and we need each other desperately (Hatmaker, 2010).

Enjoy Today

I am just loving my new devotional, Out of The Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker. This quote particularly spoke to me today. How often are we in such a hurry for our kids to get out of "that stage". I need to remember to stop and soak it in.

Mary Kay Sponsor

I am so excited about my newest sponsor! Take a minute to learn about Mary Beth Turpen, independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay.

 Hello! I would like to introduce myself to this amazing group!  My name is Mary Beth Turpen. My boyfriend, Paul, and I have been together for 5 years and we have a beautiful 4-year-old daughter named Jasmine. Paul served in the Marine Corp for 8 years.
 I found Mary Kay a few months ago and this company has changed my life in so many ways! I absolutely love sharing these amazing products, because they give the results we are all looking for. Mary Kay comes with a 100% guarantee or you can return it for a full refund or exchange for something different at any time! You are never again going to have that drawer of products that is full of things you either didn’t like after you bought  or it just didn’t work!. There are a million ways to beautiful and I can help you and yours - from skin care advice to free makeovers to shop-your-way convenience. Find Your Way to Beautiful every day with me!
How I will bring beauty to you as my customer is you can create your ideal beauty experience with me! I offer personalized service that fits you. Just tell me if you’d like a one on-one consultation, a party with friends, a virtual party, makeup tips, skin care advice, free samples or maybe you like to browse my 24/7 website or like a catalog mailed. You can always try before you buy. If you prefer to shop online only or order by e-mail or phone, the choice is yours. I’d love to help you with any or all of your beauty needs.
Mary Kay is a great opportunity to become successful .My goal in Mary Kay is to be able to do this full time. I love the flexibility, pay, and all the great gifts you can earn. I have only been doing this for a few months now I am so passionate about this company already! I really feel that my cup is being filled by helping other women feel beautiful and confident. Mary Kay always said to “pay it forward” and I intend on doing just that! When I first tried this set of products I immediately felt so good about myself inside and out… my purpose is to share that same experience with others!  Along with all of that you can advance at your own pace so you can work this business small, medium or large! Or…like myself, I plan on ‘super-sizing’ it since there is no glass ceiling! It all depends on your desired earnings you want to earn for you and your family. There are no quotas to meet and I am my own boss! I have to say, I’m the best boss I’ve ever had too!  You even get a great discount on all your own personal beauty products too. It only cost $100 to get started. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! 
I would love to be your Mary Kay Beauty Consultant! No matter if you live near or far, my business is equipped to offer service coast to coast so I can offer you the best customer service. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I really look forward to meeting new people and blessing others with my Mary Kay products and opportunity! Mary Beth is giving away Satin Hands to one of my readers! THIS GIVEAWAY HAS BEEN EXTENDED! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Deployment Law of Attraction

Yesterday before 8:30 in the morning I had a toilet over flow, water all over my laundry room and garage, and a very sad boy. It is true that when your husband hits overseas, everything seems to break. Thankfully my Dad was able to help because I had class!
I did get to chat with AJ via iMessage . He is doing good. Sounds as if he will be strapped to his desk most of the deployment. I know it bothers him, but I think he is ok with it because he knows it makes me happy.

Communication

This week has completely sucked with communication. I have sent Emails, but one line of one email might get a response. I am trying to remember he is busy. But it is do incredibly hard to know he just doesn't have time for me right now. I can handle the slow down in communication, but when I get it I just want it to be meaningful!

Dirty Girl

Well my fellow Marine Wives talked me into the Dirty Girl 5K obstacle mud race. What did I get myself into!

Source: godirtygirl.com via Jen @ on Pinterest

Words To Remember

"Our children won't remember every paper we forgot to sign, or the week we fed them hot dogs for seven straight days.... What they will remember is how we prayed with them and listened to their dreams and fears." From Out of The Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker.

Moving Along

It's been a long 24 hours. No word from AJ. I have done surprisingly well, but I have been spoiled by a piece of communication everyday. I hear things are nuts there and I am sure AJ is having to deal with a lot getting everyone settled.
Graycen has been sleeping all night for a week! He has been a bear the past few days. I realized yesterday, tooth 11 is in!

Week 2 Religious Journey

Week 2 at our new church was awesome. I really felt that uplifting, go get em feeling I have been longing for. I love that a message is taught and I can work to see how it fits into my life each week. For those of you who may be interested in hearing the message I heard last week. I have linked it here.  I love the series and love that God wants us to be happy with our lives! I struggled a lot the first week with guilt and wondering if I made the right choice. I asked God to confirm this with me. I asked the kids if they were ready to go back to church, and they both couldn't say yes fast enough! I got my answer! The more and more I talk with others about my feelings, I have been finding a lot of people who were like me. Raised Catholic, but struggling to find their place religiously as adults. I am so excited to have some great friendships growing out of this journey!

Blessed

I had a fabulous stroll with a dear friend of mine. Our little one's are just a few months apart, and it was funny watching them try to communicate stroller to stroller. I feel so blessed to have so many dear friends in my life. It certainly makes a yucky situation so much more bearable. I also have been getting the sweetest E-mails and messages from my blog readers. I love you all so much. It is nice to know I am not just talking to myself some days! Although, it is cheaper then therapy I guess. Pretty ironic since I am going to school to be one. Anyway... this whole experience has taught me who and what is important. I have really had to step back and reevaluate some people and things in my life. It is times like this that you see who really needs to be in your life. Not the ones that are just curious and there when they want to or it is convenient for them. I have no patience or tolerance for those who are conniving or manipulative. I decided to clean up my Facebook page, and it felt freeing. Letting some of those negative energies go. It is a gorgeous 70 degree day. Both boys play baseball in two different cities at the same time tonight. Thank God for my Mom who can sit with one, while I go with the other. Again, so blessed!

Week 1

One week down! It has been chaotic and my stress level was very high. AJ made it safe and we have been able to communicate in some form everyday. The boys have been acting out and not listening. 3 more days of school, then they are all home ! I am not going to lie I am excited about the more lazy days of summer and having more hands for G.
G has been sleeping awesome. I have been letting him fall asleep on his own for naps and night. He has been sleeping 10 hours at night. Still up between 5:30 and 6! It is a good thing I am a morning person.
The boys have started baseball. I am headed to sit in this glorious 90 degree weather!
School is going good. I have finished my first paper. It has definitely been a change of pace and my house reflects that.
We went to our new church again this week and I left feeling amazing. I really think God led us there for a reason. It is so fun to have a group of friends to go with and talk about things with!

Day 4

See You Later Video

iPhone LOVE

I got the best surprise ever today. I decided that today, I was over my tears and that I was going to get up and get the things done that I have been putting off. G and I were out on a mission to get all of our errands done. I did the dreaded oil change today. While I was sitting there trying to make sure G didn't escape, my  phone went off. It was a text from AJ! I was so surprised because I had turned his phone off yesterday. Love military vacation suspension! Anyway, I could not for the life of me figure it out. He was able to connect to the wifi where he was and we could text. If this texting thing lasts, it will be a god send and this deployment will be a breeze. Of course I still won't be able to text him when I want to, but we can have a conversation and the chances of me missing it on my phone are slim! It was a moral boost we both needed.
Today as a good day. I felt great after getting a lot of things done that had been on my list. I got our first care package out and did some Target shopping. Keegan had his first game and is nursing a black eye from yesterdays practice. Tonight I must get going on next weeks homework. I have been bad this week and need to get back into my groove. =)

Black eye!

Running Errands with Mom!

First Care Package. A special message from Brady!

My surprise text photo!

My happy and surprised face after getting my text! 

Panera cookie. Today's reward! 

CourageCakes

I am so excited to tell you all about one of my sponsors! They sent me the funnest addition to a care package! In just a few minutes, your service member can have a homemade cake!

Cake in a Jar was started by six University of Washington business students in Seattle, Washington with the goal of keeping its customers closer to the ones they love by offering a simple taste of home. All net profits benefit the University of Washington.

The original idea, and our main product, is CourageCakes. This product is designed for those with family and loved ones in the military, whether they are training cross country or serving near the front lines. CourageCakes are a way to recapture moments lost due to distance, to bridge the distance between the front door and the front lines, and to help those united by love, but divided by duty to stay connected.

We appreciate our military and CourageCakes are just a small way we can demonstrate our support. We hope that many will find CourageCakes a great way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or just say "I'm thinking about you" to those serving our country.

Upload a personal photo or message and make the golden lid a keepsake forever!

To order visit www.couragecakes.com! Stay tuned for a fun giveaway from CourageCakes!

Care Package 101

I have been getting lots of questions on my favorite care package ideas. I typically try to send one every other week. Using USPS Flat rate boxes is the way to go. You can get them in the Post office or here. Remember to pick up your customs forms. A great site on how to fill them out is here! I also have sent padded envelopes with magazines and small things. They tend to get there faster sometimes. Remember to keep the boxes small. The smaller ones do seem to travel faster. Another tip I have learned along the way is to number each box and letter. That way if they get out of order, your loved one can figure how which order to read them. I have also found it is a great way to keep track of boxes. I always include his favorite treats and a guilty pleasure. They often include:
* Protein Bars
* Granola Bars
* Propel or Gatorade packets
* Gum
* Magazines. My hubby loves his gossip!
* Peanut butter
* Tuna
* Crackers
* Small Coffee packets and non dairy creamer
* Trail mix
* Beef jerky
* Phone cards- AT & T Universal
* Newly released DVDs and CDs
* Little Debbie snack cakes
* Cereal
* Toiletries

Off US Soil

AJ is finally out of country. They had mechanical problems in Alaska and were there longer then intended. It was horrible to hear it was the last text 5 times. I am not sure I believed him when he really said bye. I cried on and off last night and this morning. After some reminders, I have put my big girl pants on and I have to keep growing during this time.

First Haircut - Deployment Day 1