Deployment

“Sign us up!” my kids commanded after receiving mail from YMCA’s Camp Carson. Normally, I’d be put off by such demands, but this is one I’m happy to give in to. This will be the fifth year I send my...

Through the years we all will be together, if the Fates allow Hang a shining star upon the highest bough And have yourself a merry little Christmas now No matter where life took me, I always managed to make it home for...

On a sunny December morning three years ago, my kids woke up to the sound of Christmas music and the aroma of our traditional egg casserole filling the house. The warm Texas sun beat through the windows, catching a...

I love the holiday season. Enormous inflatables taking over everyone's lawn fills me with tacky glee.  I love the delicious food I can't stop making and consuming. And I love Christmas music.   I love the music so much that...

One of my favorite Christmas songs is Mariah Carey’s "All I Want for Christmas Is You." We are currently surviving our fifth deployment, but this will be the first year I will be singing that song with honest feelings...

Christmas is quickly approaching, and if you're anything like me then you're now entering panic mode. Between Christmas shopping and budgeting and planning a holiday menu, you're probably feeling pretty wiped out already.  Here Comes the Holidays ... and the stress. Moms...

I love my children. I love their spunk, their personalities, their joy at the little things, their unpredictability, and their curiosity for the world. But, honestly, I cannot spend every minute with them. The same things I love about...

There are three terms usually used to describe the military spouse who has been living the military life for a while: senior, seasoned and experienced. For this post, I'll stick with experienced. There are different types of experienced military...

Ever feel like you’re on a merry-go-round of negativity? Like your gut reactions line up a liiiiittle too well with Debbie Downer? Then you might need a little cognitive restructuring in your life, my friend. ** Essentially, cognitive restructuring is taking...

Nothing says Thanksgiving more than turkey (or tofurkey in some cases). Thanksgiving in the military often means spending the holiday away from family and with friends in a far off place. Here, we've combined that main dish plus service...

Dear Meredith,  You’ve made it. You are now officially halfway done with this latest deployment. You are surviving, your kids are striving, and your husband is doing well on the other side of the world. Sure, some of that time...

Rainy days are the worst when you have an active toddler. By 9:30 a.m., we have already played with all the toys, watched 700 episodes of Sesame Street, and read Brown Bear Brown Bear 52 times. Toddlers seem to get...