Hickory Farms and Christmas Care Package

If anyone is looking for a Christmas Care Package idea check out Hickory Farms. They have put together a few miltary gift packages and are offering free shipping to APO and FPO addresses. These are a tradition in my family. We get one every year so I know they are yummy :)

Lists, lists, and more lists

As D-day gets closer I find myself making lists. So many lists. To do lists, to pack lists, activities lists, and to buy lists. All these lists are saying to me is "times a ticking!" It's time to kick it into high gear!! Most of my lists are pre-deployment lists. If you're a list person and looking for a pre-deployment check list check this one out! > USAA :) 

I just don't want to forget anything. When my husband went to his 3 week AT so many things went wrong because we weren't as prepared as I thought we were. I can't let that happen this time. I mean this isn't a 3 week trip. This is a 365 day trip! There isn't room to not be prepared.

With roughly 3 weeks left I can already feel a nervous break down coming on. WATCH OUT! haha

Helpful Hints

I want to use this entry as an opportunity to list a few helpful things I've learned or come across during our pre-deployment phase and military life. I want to note though that my husband is in the Army National Guard so some of these may or may not apply to everyone. I'm just writing from my personal experience. Any links will be in blue :)

1. Military OneSource- Military OneSource is provided by the Department of Defense at no cost to active duty, Guard and Reserve (regardless of activation status) and their families. It is a virtual extension of installation services.This site has been an absolute God send. I have gotten so many helpful books, cd's, and DVDs sent to my home for FREE. They provide a 24/7 help line, articles, resource guides and so much more!
2. USAA- USAA offers Insurance (auto insurance, property insurance, life insurance), Banking (checking, credit cards, and auto loans),  Investments, Retirement, Real Estate, and they even have a section for shopping and discounts. We personally use their car insurance and we LOVE it! It's the cheapest we've found. We've only made one claim since we've had it but, the experience we had was better then any company we've used. They were speedy, nice, and really helpful through the whole experience. We plan on looking into their banking very soon so stay tuned. :)
3. Army Wife 101- This is a blog like website that is run by an Army wife named Krystel. If you have Facebook,Twitter, or Youtube you HAVE to check her out!
4. Army Wife Network- This site is exactly what it says it is, a network. Blogs, announcements, and articles are just a little of what it offers. I really enjoy following them on Facebook.
5. Spouse Buzz- I just found this site and I'm already in love. It has some really great articles to read.
6. Military Info- You got a question about the military and it's different programs? This is the site to find it on!
7. Books- Chicken Soup for Military Wife's Soul,  Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families by:Karen M. Pavlicin, Homefront Club: The Hardheaded Woman's Guide to Raising a Military Family by:Jacey Eckhart, Heroes at Home: Help and Hope for America's Military Families by: Ellie Kay, A Handbook for Family & Friends of Service Members (before, during and after deployment)(handbook and dvd) by: Inc.Vulcon Productions,PBS, and NOVA/WGBH. Some of these are provided by Military OneSource for free so please click on the link on number 1.

I know that in my experience, knowledge is power. The more I know about what's going on the better I feel. Our spouses can't always tell us all the juicy details we want to know but, we can inform ourselves on the aspects of this life that we can know about. I know with my SO he doesn't always have the time to explain what I need to know or want to know so I find out for myself. I love the look on his face when he talks about something that I already know about and I tell him things he doesn't know about it. I think it also helps him feel more open about talking with me about his military career because it shows that I'm interested in it and he knows he won't have to explain everything to me. I hope some of these resources will help you all. Stay tuned for more to come! :)