I love this Country.

I love the USofA. To me this is the greatest country in the world. This is my home. I am proud that my husband serves this great nation and I am honored he chose me to be his wife, that I am able to stand behind him and support him.

And, shockingly because I am Southern after all, I love this video of Faith Hill singing 'America, the Beautiful' at the Super Bowl. Because America, with all her faults, is beautiful.

The Army is a small world...

Have I mentioned lately that the Army is a small world? Daddy is in town for a conference and I went into the city to meet them for a day at the Shedd Aquarium and a visit. While in the elevator we were talking about a family friend and another passenger said, "Hey, I know him! Great guy." I, being me, turned and started a conversation with him explaining how we knew him, etc. etc. Still gives me a chuckle how small the Army really is...

Here's a few photos of the Shedd and my adorable little man with my parents. They are ah-mazing Grandparents! I knew they would be, being fabulous parents it isn't a hard leap to amazing grandparents.

Total spent today: $18.95. Over $92.39 saved.

I did my weekly CVS and Walgreens run and look at my steals! I spent, out of pocket, $18.95 and saved over $92.39 (I also received another $8 in ECB from CVS to use for my next trip).

Walgreens:
Spent - $5.05
Saved - $23.58

CVS
Spent - $13.90
Saved - $68.81
Received $8 ECB

Want to know how I did it? Check it out: Walgreens and CVS

Swagbucks, Swagbucks, Oh, my lovely Swagbucks!

Swagbucks. You might have seen links with that word in them on your wall, it's becoming quite popular. And for good reason!

Swagbucks is a search engine that you earn 'swagbucks' by using their search engine instead of google, yahoo, etc. Once you earn enough you can trade these swagbucks in for giftcards and other prizes. My favorite is the Amazon $5 Giftcard. I earn about two a week now. (I just paid for my husband's book for his Master Course!! And we all know now expensive those are.)

You can also earn free swagbucks by filling out surveys, participating in their daily polls, and codes that are randomly put out.

Your keys to success are:
- Make swagbucks.com your homepage on your computer AND your Smartphone!
- Download the Toolbar
- "Like" Swagbucks on Facebook
- Follow Coupon Pro on Facebook, He puts out when and where the codes are

Get started HERE!

Enjoy!

I spent a $1.68 at Walgreens

Yup, all that for $1.68 at Walgreens. And I even bough an item without a coupon (the Vaseline).

Over $33 saved! Coupons are amazing!!

Yet another reason why the Army Life is AWESOME!

In the words of Peter Griffin, the Army life is "freakin' sweet".

My husband took a Recruiting Company Command not so much because he wanted this job, but so we could get a break from deployments. He just had one of those jobs were he deployed a lot, please remember not every job is like that! He chose that job just like he chose Recruiting Command.

Recruiting is a stressful job at times, but if you work hard, you play hard. And Tuesday night we got to meet the Chicago Bears at their Training Camp.

Da Bear and I!

Robbie Gould, Kicker #9

This hat has over 17 signatures on it, It is going in a case for our son.

Hall of Famer Matt Forte #22

Fabulous Article about the power of Facebook for our Soldiers!

"For most Facebook users, the dialogue is audience to audience. But it is important for Soldiers to remember that our communication can be perceived as Army to audience. Therefore, we must maintain the same professional conduct and discipline in the virtual world as we do in the real world. Army Strong and Victory Starts Here!"

Maj Gen Milano wrote a wonderful article here that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a very eloquent reminder that our Soldiers represent the Army at all times, even on Facebook. We should always remember that the world is watching us. This is a good reminder for us wives, too. We represent the Army just as much as our husbands do.

Battalion Organizational Day

Battalion Organizational Day

A day fill with fun, family, and good, healthy competition! We BullDawgs did our best and had a great time competing. Notice I am a good head shorter than every one else on my team!

New Army Housing Waiting List Procedures

Effective 01 August 2010, the Army has issued new waiting list procedures for all homes in the Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) program. Below are some highlights from the new policy:

• Active duty Service Members with current orders are eligible to apply for on-post housing prior to reporting to his/her new duty station.

• Applications are placed on the waiting list with an effective date equal to the date the Service Member departed the last duty station (as verified by DA-31 (leave form).

• Applications can be submitted in-person or electronically. Applications must include a copy of current orders, a copy of the most recent DD 1172 (DEERS enrollment form), valid identification, and DA-31.

• Applicants will be placed on wait list based on rank and number of family members.

• No home will be assigned without a completed application and all necessary documentation; this must be received within 10 business days of submission.

• Applicants who apply after 30 days of arrival at new duty station will be placed on the waitlist with an effective date equal to the date of application (all documentation must be submitted at that time).

Please contact your installation Housing office if you have specific questions about the procedures.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/army-housing/new-rci-waiting-list-procedures/10150245953530157

Do you coupon?

I coupon. I LOVE coupons! Who doesn't like to save money on things we buy every day?!

Now, I am a big supporter of the Commissary. Best meat prices, decent selection, and hey, it's cheaper than Wal-Mart. I did some quick math and last trip to the Commissary I saved over $100 from Wal-Mart. (I also saved $115 in coupons!)

But is it always cheaper? Nope. Not when you play the Pharmacy game! It took me a few tries, but I think I am getting the hang of it. We're going to be here two years, so when things are a good price, I'll stock up and all extras go to Iraq in care packages.

Plus, the more money I save in our every day expenses, the more we have to enjoy the City!

Commissary Coupon Policy

Do commissaries accept coupons?

Yes. Commissaries accept most types of coupons as part of purchase transactions in accordance with the terms and conditions stated on a coupon.

Commissaries CANNOT accept "in-house" coupons issued by commercial grocery stores or supermarkets.

Patrons who wish to use coupons as part of a purchase transaction must buy the item(s) indicated on a coupon, and-except in foreign overseas areas-must use a coupon prior to or on the expiration date stated on a coupon.

Commissaries located in foreign overseas areas accept coupons up to six months after the expiration date stated on a coupon.

Do commissaries ever have "double coupon" or "triple coupon" promotions like those offered by commercial stores?

No. The "double" or "triple" coupon promotions offered by commercial stores involve doubling, tripling (or otherwise increasing) the face value of a coupon. Commercial stores who offer these types of promotions get paid by the coupon issuer only for the face value of a coupon, and have to absorb the costs of "doubling" or "tripling" coupon face value in their pricing and profit structure.

Because commissaries are required by law to sell goods at prices set only high enough to cover the cost of those goods, commissaries make no profit from which to pay the costs associated with "double" coupon promotions.

Additionally, DeCA cannot use funds provided for the operation of commissaries to support such promotions, because law strictly prescribes the uses of these funds, and "promotional support" is not among the allowable uses of these funds.

Commissaries do occasionally offer a different type of "double coupon" promotion than described above. For these promotions, manufacturers or other coupon issuers agree that commissaries may accept more than one coupon on the purchase of an item, and usually supply large numbers of coupons to patrons in the commissary in support of such promotions. These "double coupon" promotions involve doubling the number of coupons accepted on the purchase of an item, but DO NOT involve doubling (or otherwise increasing) the face value of a coupon.

May I use coupons in combination on the purchase of an item in a commissary?

"No, customers may use only one coupon per item in DeCA commissaries. Even coupons without "exclusionary language," such as "NOT TO BE USED WITH ANY OTHER COUPON, " "NOT TO BE USED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER," "ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE," etc. , may not be used in combination on the purchase of an item. This policy is in line with the policies of other DoD resale activities and our commercial counterparts."

Can I use coupons generated from the Internet in a commissary?

Yes, commissaries gladly accept Internet or home-printed coupons provided they meet the following requirements - the coupons must have a typical barcode and Product Identification Number (PIN) or GS1 DataBar. A Dot Scan Barcode may appear below the expiration date, but is only required if stated on the coupon, e.g., "Do not accept without a Dot Scan Barcode below the expiration date." Internet coupons cannot be accepted for free products, however, "Buy One Get One Free" coupons are acceptable if they meet all other requirements.

Procter and Gamble (P & G) does not authorize Internet coupons for any of their products.

This can be found http://www.commissaries.com/documents/contact_deca/faqs/coupon_use.cfm

How I bought $125 worth of stuff for only $20.91 at CVS

First thing is, Do you have a CVS ECB card? If not, sign up for one!

Several things I do before I go:
- I get two Sunday papers a week. I clip coupons for things that I might or might not want to stash for a sale.
- I constantly search several sites, boards, and blogs for good coupons to print. (I've found some of the best coupons are printable, so get a good printer that doesn't use a lot of ink.)
- Always check out the ad in the Sunday paper and plan accordingly.

Frizz-Ease
CVS price 2/$10
Get $5 ECB (Extra Care Bucks are gift cards that print at the end of your receipt for you to use when you come back, I usually have a stack to roll over to each purchase)
Used 2 $2.50 off coupons (http://www.johnfrieda.com/news_and_offers/special_offers.asp)
Final price = FREE

L'Oreal Studio Gel
CVS price 2/$5
Used to 2 $1 off coupons from last Sunday's paper
Final price = $1.50 each

L'Oreal Ever Strong Conditioner
CVS price $5.99
Get $5 when you buy two
Used 2 $2 off coupons from Sunday Paper
Final price = $1.49 each

Shick disposable razors
CVS price $7.69
Special Buy One Get One FREE
Used 2 $3 from Sunday paper
Final price = $.85 each
(You can combine manufacturer coupons with CVS specials for big savings!!)

Kotex U
CVS price $4.99
Get $4.99 ECB
Use $1 coupon ( http://www.ubykotex.com/get_coupons/print )
Final Price = FREE plus $1 in coupon overage!

Irish Sprine/SoftSoap
CVS price- varies
Get $5 if you buy $15 worth of featured products
Used 2 $.50 off Irish Spring
Used 2 $1 SoftSoap
Final Price for 3 3-packs of bar soap, Irish Spring shower gel, 2 SoftSoap shower gel = $7 or $1.17 each

Aveeno
CVS price - $5.99 for big bottles/$3.49 for small bottle
Spend $20 and get $10 in ECB
Used 2 $2 off 2 Aveeno lotions ( printed, but campaign is over)
Final price for all 4 bottles = $1.86 each

Collgate Wisps
CVS price - $2.59
Buy Two, Get One FREE
Used 2 $.50 off coupons from Sunday paper (Could've used three)
Final Price = $1.39 each

Biore Pore Strips
CVS price - $4.99
Get $2 ECB
Use $2 coupon from their facebook page, under sweepstakes tab.


Websites I use: http://mommysavers.com/boards/whats-store/160386-cvs-deals-coupon-match-ups-7-25-7-31-a.html

http://mommysavers.com/boards/couponing/

FREE P&G Coupon Book for Military

http://familyunitpg.com/Registration.aspx

P&G has partnered with the USO to give away P&G coupon booklets to Military Families. I can't wait for mine to come in!

MyCAA back with some changes...

DOD to Resume Restructured Military Spouse Career Program

                The Department of Defense announced today the resumption of a restructured military spouse career advancement account program - MyCAA, following a comprehensive review.  The program will be available to spouses of service members in the pay grades of E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 beginning October 25 at 8 a.m. EDT.
                “The changes announced today reflect a return to the original intent of the program which is to help military spouses, with the greatest need, successfully enter, navigate and advance in portable careers,” said Clifford Stanley, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.  “We fully support the program and are committed to ensuring the program’s sustainability.  To that end, we are making several critical operational changes.”
                Amongst these changes, eligible spouses will receive a total of $4,000 in DoD-funded financial aid, with an annual cap of $2,000 per fiscal year; funding must be used within a three-year time period from the start date of the first class; and must be used to obtain an associates’ degree, licensure or certification.  A waiver may be granted when fees for licensure or certification require an up-front fee greater than $2,000 and up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000.
                “The MyCAA program popularity grew beyond our expectations and became too expensive to continue.  Therefore, we are returning to the original intent of the program in a way that is attainable and fiscally responsible for the Defense Department,” said Stanley. “As we look to the future, we envision a program that is much broader than DoD’s financial assistance component.  Military spouses will be guided along a more holistic approach to career planning.”
                Under the long-term program guidelines, career counselors will continue to work with all military spouses to help develop career and education goals and plans, and assist them in identifying and accessing available federal education benefits toward these goals.
                “Families play a crucial role in supporting our men and women on the battlefield.  When service members are confident that their families at home have access to resources and support, they are better able to focus on their mission,” said Stanley.  “The Defense Department is committed to investing in military families.  When we invest in the well-being of the family, we invest in the well-being of the force.”
                More information can be found on the MyCAA Web site:  https://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/FindInformation/Category/MilitarySpouseCareerAdvancementAccounts.aspx.

http://www.defense.gov//releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13725

Do you have an emergency plan?

Every one should have an emergency plan. Depending on where you are stationed will decide what types of plans you need.

When we were stationed at Fort Stewart, we had a Hurricane evacuation plan. Now that we are stationed in the Midwest we have a Tornado plan. You should have plans for floods, fire, and other natural disasters. Always be prepared!

Does your family have a safe word? This would be an every day word that only your family would know. What if a Police Officer has to rescue your child, but your child is afraid because they are a stranger. Simply tell the Police Officer the safe word and your child will know that Mom or Dad sent the stranger to help them.

For more good ideas visit: www.ready.gov/america

Military OneSource is offering FREE Life Coaches for Military families!!! (This includes teenagers!!!)

Military One Source FREE Webinar: The Healthy Habits Coaching Program has three areas of focus:
- iCanChange uses a personalized, flexible, and supportive approach to help you reach your weight and health goals.
- iCanThrive can help you learn how to fuel your body with healthy foods, begin a program of enjoyable physical movement, and relax more.
- iCanRelax can help you become aware of stress and how it affects you, and gain skills for handling your reactions to stressful demands and changes.

The programs feature an optional telephonic or online personal health coach, a personal homepage with a tracker, interactive tools, and much more!

DATES: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 11:00am Eastern Time and Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 1:00pm Eastern Time Dial in to the teleconference at: Toll Free: 1-888-299-3723 (toll +1-720-239-5801) conference code: 8479050209. www.militaryonesource.com

Brookfield Zoo!

Many attractions are free to Active Duty Military... and it's nice! We certainly take advantage (but we're always sure to be good guests!!). Brookfield Zoo, the 216 acre 76 year old Zoo, is one of such attractions. It just costs $9 for parking. Such a fun time!! We've already been twice, in fact.

Need to cancel your cell phone without paying the cancellation fee?

You can only cancel if your Soldier is deployed or you PCS.

Here is how you do it:

1. Have a copy of orders (deployment or PCS).

2. Call your current cell phone providers. They are going to hassle you. They are in business to make money. Just stay firm and read the below to them:

SEC. 305A. [50 U.S.C. App. 535a] TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF CONTRACTS

FOR CELLULAR TELEPHONE SERVICE.

(a) IN GENERAL.—A servicemember who receives orders to deploy outside of the continental United States for not less than 90 days or for a permanent change of duty station within the United States may request the termination or suspension of any contract for cellular telephone service entered into by the servicemember before the date of the commencement of such deployment or permanent change if the servicemember’s ability to satisfy the contract or to utilize the service will be materially affected by such deployment

or permanent change. The request shall include a copy of the

servicemember’s military orders.

(b) RELIEF.—Upon receiving the request of a servicemember under subsection (a), the cellular telephone service contractor concerned shall—

(1) grant the requested relief without imposition of an early termination fee for termination of the contract or a reactivation fee for suspension of the contract; or

(2) in the case that such servicemember is deployed outsidethe continental United States as  described in subsection

(a), permit the servicemember to suspend the contract at no charge until the end of the deployment without requiring, whether as a condition of suspension or otherwise, that the

contract be extended.

(c) CELLULAR TELEPHONE SERVICE DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘cellular telephone service’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘commercial mobile service’’ in section 332(d) of the Communications

Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d)).

FREE Museum entry to Military families!!!

From Memorial Day to Labor Day over 600 museums across our Great Nation will be opening their doors free of charge to those that serve in the Armed Forces.

http://www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index.php

The link above lists all the museums that normally are not free to Military members and their families.

My husband and I have found that a majority of museums are, in fact, free! Don't be afraid to ask for that Military Discount where ever you are, ladies. Most retailers feel that is there way of giving back to those who give so much for the Good Ole USofA.

Medieval Times

There is a Castle in Chicago... That's right, you heard me, a Castle! A Medieval Times Castle, but a Castle none the less.

Luke and I had an absolute blast! Dennis will never admit it, but he had fun as well.

Lincoln Park Zoo

One big thing you need to do as a Military Family is enjoy the local flavor. You should always see what the area you are Stationed at has to offer. Chicago offers TWO zoos! One is a massive size ordeal and there is a smaller one, that is FREE, right by the lake. We went to the latter one, the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was pretty fun! A little cold, but tons of fun.

Dennis and Luke with the Rino

The Rhinoceros

Luke and I riding a Hippo!

Luke and Dennis watching the Zebra.

It was a fun day!

White Sox Game!

One of the perks of living in a big city: Major League Baseball. And if you live in the City, you can a great deal on tickets. Yup, Our seats were literally 16 rows from 1st base. I could see the sweat on the players brow!

The night we went was US Army night!

Hooah!

Future Soldiers swear in on White Sox Field

My friend, Amanda, and her Princess joined Luke and I for the game. Gotta love a girlfriend who is game for anything! God has blessed us with some amazing friends here in Chi-town.

Luke and I with a Sox security guard. Pretty cool!!

The family at the end of the game.

I highly recommend baseball games of any caliber. 

It is as American as apple pie and good time to be enjoyed by all. 

God Bless the USA (and the White Sox)!

IRS Grants Military Spouses Six-Month Extension to Pay 2009 Tax (MSRRA)

I've already filed our taxes, but I didn't work last year. For those wives getting a little nervous, here you go! I know this year is beyond confusing with the passing of MSRRA, but the Government is meeting us halfway.

Good Luck filing ladies!

"IRS Grants Military Spouses Six-Month Extension to Pay 2009 Tax

On April 15, the IRS issued Notice 2010-30, which gives certain civilian spouses of service members on active duty an extension of time through Oct. 15, 2010, to pay their 2009 federal income taxes. However, civilian spouses were not granted an automatic extension of time to file a return.

The extension applies to civilian spouses of service members who were away from their tax residence during 2009 to be with their service-member spouse serving on military duty in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands and who maintained their tax residence in a state or in D.C. under the terms of the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (PL 111-97), which was enacted Nov. 11, 2009.

To be eligible, the civilian spouse must have worked in a U.S. territory and claimed tax residence in a state or D.C.; however, federal employees working in American Samoa, Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands are not eligible for the extension and neither are individuals working in Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands to whom IRC § 935 applies (under which taxpayers may treat amounts withheld and paid to the relevant U.S. territory as being paid to the IRS).

The notice provides procedures for eligible taxpayers to follow. These include marking “MSRRA” in red ink at the top of the tax return and attaching a signed and dated declaration, using wording specified in the notice.

Under the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, the fact that a military spouse is present in or absent from a jurisdiction in the United States will not affect that spouse’s residence or domicile for tax purposes, as long as that presence in (or absence from) the jurisdiction is due to the service member’s compliance with military orders. In addition, any income the military spouse earns in a jurisdiction will not be treated as income from services performed or sources within that jurisdiction if that spouse is not treated as a resident of the jurisdiction under the act.

According to the notice, certain taxpayers who worked in a state or D.C. in 2009 and who claimed residence in a U.S. territory in 2009 under the act can apply for a refund of federal taxes that were withheld by the taxpayer’s employer or for estimated tax payments. The notice outlines the procedures civilian spouses should use to submit a refund claim under these circumstances."

http://ow.ly/1zbRt

Airplanes and Infants

This Easter weekend, Dennis and I flew down to Savannah to spend a long weekend with my parents. It was such a wonderful vacation! The wisteria and azaleas were blooming, Savannah was lush and green... Plus Luke was such a cutie in his little Easter outfit that his Nana got for him.

I will tell you this about the trip; it was a learning experience about flying with a baby. I learned:
- You need your child's birth certificate, shot record, and SSN card to fly according to the FAA.
- TSA will not tell you that you need proof of your child's identity if you call them asking about flying with a 4 month old.
- You have to take your child's coat, sweater, and shoes off to go through security. Yes, I will repeat that: You must remove your 4 month old child's shoes, coat, and sweater to go through security.
- Buy your child a seat if you are flying alone. Holding my 18 pound son for 4.5 solid hours wore me out! Though my biceps do totally rock now.
- Fly Southwest if you can. They are fabulous and you can check two bags (under 50lbs each) for free!
- Don't check a bag if you are flying US Airways. They sent my husband's bag to Miami instead of Chicago. But I can see how anyone could make that mistake.

This is why I love my life. It is always an adventure!

Fear, worry, disappointment.... ANXIETY!

Wikipedia says: "Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry. Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often occur without an identifiable triggering stimulus. As such, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of an observed threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable." 

Did you ever just feel down? Anxious? Then you stop and wonder what do I have to feel anxious about? Most Army wives carry anxiety around as other wives carry their purses. Our husbands are deployed to combat zones every other year, being anxious is part of the life. But when the guys are home, there are other issues to be anxious about; Money, Marriage, Kid Rearing, Moving, Friendships. Extended Family Drama. It never seems to end.


Yesterday morning when I woke up, I felt fine... and now... I just don't know. Anxiety seems to hit from all sides. I guess I feel weird that I have nothing to really worry about any more. 
- I worried my entire pregnancy. I hated being pregnant. I was so afraid something would go wrong. Carrying a child and not being able to raise or hold your baby is the hardest thing in the world to go through. Luke is a healthy, bouncing boy!
- I was worried I would be a terrible Mom. I think I am doing an okay job.
- I was worried about moving to Chicago. But everything has worked out.
- I was worried about Dennis' career. But his BN Commander has really taken care of us.
- I was worried about Dennis being deployed, but he came home in time for Christmas! We've spent a whole year of Holidays together. 


I wonder if Army wives just have to anxious in order to survive? And when we don't feel anxious we don't know what to do...

You know you're an Army Wife when....

We've all heard of these little sayings... Here are a few I've made up in my own day-to-day life:

You know you're an Army Wife when...

... You have a conversation with another Army wife that consists of only acronyms and you understand each other perfectly.

... You can put toys together faster than your husband.

... Your language could make a Sailor blush.

... You can push a stalled car out of a busy intersection while carrying your child in a sling in front of you.

... You would rather move 36 weeks pregnant than to have your Soldier deploy again.

... When you can, without hesitation, tell another the time differences between not only east and west coasts (because you have friends on both) but also what time it is in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.

... You can read a Reg better than most Civilians can read a Map.

... You can read a Map in German/Japanese/Italian.

... You've driven on both sides of the road, legally.

... Though you can change that tire without problem, you know it's easier to call USAA and their fabulous Road Side Assistance.

... You know what grade of oil both your vehicles take off the top of your head, where as your husband does not.

... You get care packages from "home" full of grits, Vidalia Onions, and seeds from the other part of the country where your family lives.

... You're excited to live a place where you can fly home for only $300 round trip.

... You like to PCS because it gives you a chance to clear out all your junk

Tricare and the Healthcare Bill

I don't know your stance on the Healthcare Bill. This is not a debate nor an opinion about what was passed and signed into law earlier this week. No, no, no. I know better than to start that mess.

I just want to share some information our Battalion has released today about TriCare.

"TRICARE is not affected by the health care reform provision to cover dependent children in health plans up to age 26. By law, TRICARE covers eligible dependent children up to the age of 21, or up to age 23 if enrolled full time at an accredited institution of higher education and reliant on the sponsor for more than 50 percent of their financial support. Coverage ends on the child's 23rd birthday or at the end of that school year, whichever comes first."

Under the new Bill, dependents (non-Military) can stay on their Parent's/Guardian's insurance until they are 26 years old. This is not the case with TriCare. It remains to be seen if TriCare will change in the future as this Bill takes hold. 

Disney Deals for Military!!

I love Disney World!!! Happiest place on earth for sure... And now Military can get a discount for the theme parks. So pumped.

Here are the details copied and pasted from an AWN Blog. Notice the dates. It is now through July 2010.

DISNEY DEAL

Military & Civil Service Ticket Discounts

2009 Special Ticket Offer for Military

Walt Disney World has rolled out a special ticket deal for military guests, valid 1/4/09-12/23/09. Each qualifying Military Service member* will receive a complimentary 5-Day "Disney's Armed Forces Salute Ticket" with Park Hopper and Water Park Fun & More Options. To receive the FREE ticket, visit any theme park Guest Relations window and show proper ID.

In addition, up to 5 guests of the Military Service member can purchase a $99 (plus tax) "Disney Armed Forces Salute Companion" ticket. This is a 5-Day Base Ticket. Companions can add on Park Hopper and/or Water Park Fun & More Options for $25 (plus tax) per option, which is half the
regular price.

Guests can pre-purchase the companion tickets (in the form of an exchange
voucher) at Shades of Green or at a military base, TAX-FREE! The exchange voucher is then taken to a theme park Guest Relations window, where it is exchanged for the actual ticket.

The companion tickets can be purchased at the theme park Guest Relations windows, but if you do this, you must pay tax.

*This offer is available to anyone on active duty in the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard or Reserve, and retired military. Activated members of the National Guard and Reservists must present active duty orders in addition to valid military ID. You must
have been active for any length of time between 1/1/08 and 12/23/09. Dept of Defense (CIA, FBI, Secret Service) and Coalition Forces are excluded.

Entire party must be present at time of purchase, except that spouse and military dependants can receive the companion discount without the military service member being present, if they can show proper dependent military ID. Offer available once per service member during the offer
period.

Tickets expire 12/23/09. No Expiration Option cannot be added to these tickets. Complimentary tickets cannot be upgraded in any way. Companion tickets may be upgraded to Premium, Annual or Seasonal Passes. (Seasonal Pass upgrade requires proof of Florida residency.) No other upgrades,
such as adding additional days, will be available.

Active duty and retired military, DOD civilian employees and their dependents qualify for discounts on Walt Disney World tickets. The savings mainly come from not paying tax (6.5%).

Disney has the right to check ID at the gate. Military personnel may bring in non-military guests with the military discount as long as they accompany the non-military person(s) and at least 50% of the group are qualified for the military discount (i.e., active duty, retired, DOD and dependents). If military personnel purchase tickets and give them as gifts to non-military users that they will not be accompanying, they risk having the recipient denied entry and the tickets confiscated. Discounted military tickets are available through your local base MWR office. The prices and the exact passes that are available will vary from base to base.

Another place where active duty and retired military can get discounted tickets is a small Navy Exchange in Orlando that has an ITT/MWR office. It is located near the airport on Tradeport & Earhart Drive. The MWR office phone number is (407) 855-0116 or (407) 851-4396, or you can email them at mwrorl@aol.com for current hours and prices.

Those with Military ID (and their dependents) can purchase discounted tickets (including Annual Passes) at Shades of Green (SOG), the military-operated resort located on Disney World property.

Active duty or retired military, reservists, National Guard and DoD personnel can order discount tickets by mail order by calling the Navy Region Southwest at (619) 767-6000 or the Air Force Central Ticket Program at (210) 652-2855.

Civil Service employees of certain branches of government (such as NASA) can purchase discounted Disney tickets at their exchange shops at the same rates as military. Typically the tickets must be ordered and will take a couple of weeks to arrive. While the employee must purchase the tickets, reportedly anyone can use them.

Luke, the dancer

About two weeks ago, Dennis and I noticed Luke was starting to get bored with his toys. You could tell the "I've already figured this out Mom!" look. So we bought him a Jumperoo. Best. Invention. Ever.

Can you have pets in On-Post Housing?

Short Answer: This is the Army... You should know better! There are no short answers.

**Each Post is different. You should always call your current Housing Office for the most up to date information.**

Generally, you can have cats and dogs. You shouldn't have an exorbitant amount, no more than three cats or two dogs. Ferrets are usually banned, but Hamsters and Gerbils seem to be alright.

There are breed restrictions for dogs, I am sad to say. The good news is you can get around this. Just have your dog pass a Canine Good Citizen test with the AKC. It is a very simple test, but requires your dog to be well trained, which they should be any ways.

This is from the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program website (http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm):

"AKC’s Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) Program
Training/Testing: CGC Test Items

Before taking the Canine Good Citizen test, owners will sign the Responsible Dog Owners Pledge. We believe that responsible dog ownership is a key part of the CGC concept and by signing the pledge, owners agree to take care of their dog's health needs, safety, exercise, training and quality of life. Owners also agree to show responsibility by doing things such as cleaning up after their dogs in public places and never letting dogs infringe on the rights of others.

After signing the Responsible Dog Owners Pledge, owners and their dogs are ready to take the CGC

Test. Items on the Canine Good Citizen Test include:

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
Test 3: Appearance and grooming
Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
Test 5: Walking through a crowd
Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
Test 7: Coming when called.
Test 8: Reaction to another dog
Test 9: Reaction to distraction
Test 10: Supervised separation"

Just find an evaluator for your area (http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/cgc_bystate.cfm) and take the test! We own a beautiful Rottweiler who is the sweetest dog you will ever come across.

My SoBe! He looks like he is laughing!

The Army is a small world!

As those of you who have been in the Army for longer than a month, you know the Army is a small world. Growing up stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, there were two other families with girls close to my age. We all became best friends. We would walk to school together, play in the snow, play in the sun... our Moms would hang out and chit chat while we played or took turns babysitting so they could run errands kid-free.

A few months ago, through facebook, I reconnected with the other girls. Sarah and Lauren, who are sisters, and Jenny. Jenny married a Military fellow and is now living overseas. Sarah is teaching Kindergarten. And Lauren moved to Chicago!!!!! SO excited to have a great old friend so close. Tuesday night Lauren and her father stayed the night before moving her into her new apartment in the city. It was wonderful to catch up and reminisce about the past.

They also gave Luke the most beautiful set of baby dishes from Germany. Luke will never use them but we will pass them along to his children.

This is why I love the Army life.

Today was a bad day.

For some reason, today was a bad day... It started off so wonderfully! COL and Lauren Shufelt got off without a hitch (story to come later). Luke slept okay... but he was in a good mood this morning. Somewhere around 10am it just took a dramatic nose dive.

First Luke wouldn't take his bottle.

Then I had to change my outfit three times because of spit up (come to find out I didn't need to go where I was getting ready to go. Very frustrating.)

Next: (Here is the story behind this) My phone isn't working properly, I don't receive text messages until hours later, I miss phone calls all the time. I get PISSED when I miss phone calls because of device failure. So we called T-Mobile and got a replacement. They sent the wrong phone. The. Wrong. Phone. So now I have to wait another week for a crappy phone I hate.

Continuing on: It's St Patrick's Day. And I did nothing. I have never done nothing for St. Patrick's Day. So depressing.

To be the ultimate pessimist. I HATE Chicago. It's expensive, cold, no other Army wives, cold, snow blows, and when I reach out over Facebook I get completely beaten up by my fellow wives. Everyone has an opinion on my parenting or the fact I am a Stay at home Mom. I choose to stay home with our son. It is my choice. I choose to vaccinate my child. I choose put him in a Jumperoo (He just laughed and laughed today in it). I do not appreciate any one attempting to make me feel less of an intelligent female because of my choice. That is utter crap.

I guess I am frustrated because I don't get to go out in the sun like I used too... I miss my Mommy. I miss Savannah. I miss my iPhone. And I miss my friends. They support me and show me so much love that I don't know what to do when I am in this vortex of hate.

Dennis came home and gave me a hug, so I do feel better... but if I am cranky this weekend when it is supposed to SNOW you know why.

MSRRA; An email to my husband from the Office of Legal Policy

Recent email from the DOD to my husband about MSRRA:

"In November 2009, the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) became law. This new law changes some basic rules of taxation that could affect you and your spouse. Now, a military spouse who is present with a Service member (SM) in a particular State under military orders does not have to pay State income tax on wages earned in that State as long as that State is NOT the spouse's domicile (permanent home). However, the spouse would have to pay taxes to the State of domicile, if the laws of that State required such payments. Some States, of course, don't have State income taxes.

The MSRRA does not allow a spouse to pick or chose a domicile in just any State. Domicile is established, not arbitrarily chosen. The spouse must have actually been present in the State, established it as his or her domicile, and maintained it by forming and maintaining the necessary contacts, such as registering to vote, owning property, registering vehicles, holding professional licenses, declaring a homestead, or indicating a State of probate in a last will and testament. Similarly, the MSRRA does not allow a spouse to "inherit" or assume the SM's domicile upon marriage without the necessary contacts with the State.

DON'T WAIT TO GET HELP! The law is complicated, and because its effect will depend on the interpretations of each State, SMs and their spouses are encouraged to seek free, confidential advice from a military legal assistance office. Legal assistance offices can be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/content/locator.php .

For members of the Coast Guard, more information is available at: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/la/Legal_Assistance_Home.asp

For all other Service members, more information is available from Military OneSource at: www.militaryonesource.com/taxfilingservices, under the heading "Find out about the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act."

P.S. This email is for informational purposes only. Responses to this email will not be answered. Please use the links listed above for more information."

Discounted Flights!

American Airlines will give the Military a discounted rate apparently! I have not personally used it yet, but another wife told me about it.

Just call 1-800-433-7300 and ask them for the Active Duty discount. They also will wave your baggage fees.

I would double check on Kayak.com to make sure you are getting the best deal before you call, but still every dollar counts!

(US Airways wave all baggage fees too)

Homewood BullDAWGS!

Dennis with his Company. 

Today was Safety Standdown day for BN. While they were in briefings, I and my friend Kristena were outside selling candy bars, sodas, and chips for our FRG. Dennis and I are hitting the ground running. We hope all our dreams for the Bulldawgs come into fruition.

Huggee

You've heard of Daddy dolls... Here is a really cute website that has them: http://www.huggeemissyou.com/

You can even record your Soldiers voice for your children. I am definitely getting these when Dennis deploys again. A huggable picture frame! So cute!

MyCAA is coming back!

A Message from DoD:

In the days following the announcement of a temporary pause of the Career Advancement Account - MyCAA - we have heard your feedback, suggestions and concerns.

We are pleased to announce that the MyCAA program will resume operations on March 13, 2010, at 12 p.m., noon (EST), for military spouses who currently have existing MyCAA accounts. Those who have an existing account will have access to the entire Web site, including the ability to create and have financial documents approved.

We are currently developing options for the long-term management of the program and expect to be able to announce the details soon. Until then, no new accounts can be created. During this time, Military OneSource Spouse Education and Career Consultants will continue to be available to provide education and training, career exploration, assessment, employment readiness and career search assistance.

Tommy T. Thomas
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Military Community and Family Policy

https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx

PCS and Money

PCS – Permanent Change of Station – or moving. Relocating. Completely uprooting your entire family and trucking across the country. It is one of the things that are certain in the Military life; Death, Taxes, and PCS’ing.

Let’s talk money. Moving is expensive. No one is disputing that, but the Military has a few extra allowances to assist in the cost of moving.

DLA (DisLocation Allowance): The purpose of DLA is to partially reimburse a member, with or without dependents, for the expenses incurred in relocating the member's household on a PCS, housing moves ordered for the Government's convenience, or incident to an evacuation. This allowance is in addition to all other allowances authorized in this Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR) and may be paid in advance. (http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/dla.html) I highly recommend taking this in advance to help ease the cost of moving. This allowance amount changes every year. Always look up on the DOD Travel website for the current rate.

POC (Privately Owned Conveyance) Mileage Rate: Since you have to drive your car(s) to your new duty station, the Military will pay a Mileage Rate. As of January 1, 2010 the rate is 0.165/Mile/per vehicle. (http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/faqpovpast.html)

TLE (Temporary Lodging Expense): If you have not found a house when you are due to report at your new Duty Station, you will live in the on Post lodging for a few days until you find a place. To help cover this cost there is TLE. TLE is very complicated, so make sure your Soldier/Airman/Seaman clears everything with S-1 first.

For more FAQs go to http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/faq.html

Want free samples?

Who doesn't like free stuff? Here are a few samples I found today:



Free sample of Huggies Snug'n'Dry:
https://www.shoppersampling.com/orders/index.php?sid=86674&lang=en

And this is a wonderful resource for more free samples: http://mommysavers.com/boards/samples-freebies-offers/

What do you do about TriCare when you move?

(The credit for the idea for this post goes to one of my very good friends, who asked for this advice)

So, you're PCS'ing (that's Army talk for moving). On top of deciding how you are going to move, finding a house, taking care of the previous house, enrolling your kids in new schools, you have to transfer their TriCare too... Because if it was easy to do, then it wouldn't be the Army.

My experiences have varied COMPLETELY from the two moves we did last year.

1. Fort Stewart- Fort Jackson: (If your husband is still on 10+ days of leave when you arrive at the new Duty Station, this is what you should do.) I was about 8 weeks pregnant by the time we got there. I had to get in the system to see an OB. What we did is we went physically to the Hospital on Post and told them we needed to sign in. Since my husband was still on leave and would not in-process for another month, we had to do this ourselves. It didn't take too terribly long, but still rather annoying.

2. Fort Jackson - Chicago (Recruiting): This was easy. We simply called TriCare and the hubby took care of everything during in-processing.

I would recommend calling TriCare and asking them what you should do. http://www.tricare.mil/contactus/

Every Post is different. Good Luck!!

IF YOU ARE STANDARD: I HIGHLY recommend personally hand walking your Medical Records to your new Doctors. Don't trust any one to do anything for you that you can do yourself.

Dennis earns his Gunners Badge!

Dennis has held quite a few different jobs while in the Army. After 27 months of deployments in 4 years of Marriage, he decided, after the Career Course, to take Command of a Recruiting Company. Though he the Commander of a Recruiting Company, he isn't a Recruiter... though it is tradition that he Recruit one person into the Army.

Yesterday, he took a young man to MEPS to clear Medically and join the Army. Today he will have his Gunners Badge pinned on and all the Soldiers in our Family/Company will get to beat it into his chest (Another Army tradition).

I am so proud of Dennis. He has always done his duty.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Today is my parents 31st Wedding Anniversary. They have been married for 31 years, 18 of those years my father was Active Duty in the Army.

My mom was a small-town, farm girl from Mississippi when she met my father. They got married and off they went on the Army Life Adventure. She raised two kids across two continents, dealt with multiple deployments, field exercises, PCS moves, and budgeting for a family of 4 on a single income.

My father is an Army Brat himself, turned Army Officer. He served in Germany in the early 80s, Gulf War, and the Haiti UN Mission. Through it all, he made time for my mom and their marriage.

By example, they've taught us kids how to be man and wife. How to have a good, strong, Christian Marriage. I am truly blessed with such Parents.

Hopefully you can read the article... But as I prepare for a busy day of errands, I think of what was written. How it takes twice as long now because I have Luke. I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world but I do sure miss being more efficient and only taking 15 minutes to get ready.

Saying Goodbye...

Homecoming 2nd Deployment

Homecoming 1st Deployment

Well, this morning I said Goodbye to Dennis as he went to work...

As I sit on the couch while Luke is happily batting at his toys on his mat, I think back on all the times I have said Goodbye to my husband. There were a few times I honestly didn't know when or if I would see him again. Saying Goodbye at 4am with his rucksack obstructing that one last hug is much harder than a light peck on the cheek as he goes into to work, I know he will be home around 1800 (that's 6pm for you civilians) today. It was still hard to see him go.

Man, I do not envy any wife going through a deployment right now... They are so hard. During his second deployment he did not get R&R (the two week vacation all soldiers get if they are deployed for over a year) until a year after he left. Imagine not seeing your husband for a full year... You put your life on hold almost, waiting for him to come home.

I guess that is the life of an Army Wife... You have to say Goodbye a lot. On the positive side, our Hellos are so much fun!

Okay, Luke is done playing and wants to be held.

HOPE Scholarship for Georgia Military

Just found this out:

"For anyone stationed in GEORGIA...check out the Early HOPE Scholarship. The state legislature has expanded the program to include military (AC, AGR, RC, and NG). If your child is presently attending or will be attending a "poor performing" school, you would be eligible for a voucher ($5k-$9K per child per year) to send your child to private school."

http://www.educatedgeorgia.org/foradvocates-q10167-c1-What_is_the_Early_HOPE_Scholarship_Program.aspx

What should do if the check engine light comes on?

So how many of you have been in this situation: You are driving along, picking up the kids or some other important errand, and your husband is deployed. All of a sudden the check engine light comes on. You call the dealership, they tell you to take the vehicle in then you pay close to $2,000.

I personally feel taken advantage of as a woman with little mechanical knowledge. The Dealership could lie through their teeth about what needs repairing. Even if they do need to fix something it is still going to cost an arm and a leg because of labor costs.

Well, there is something you can do! When ever your check engine light comes on go to Auto Zone, or a similar store, and have them check the code. This code will tell you exactly what is wrong, decoding the problem.

This will save you thousands of dollars in the long run and save some serious headache!

http://steve-olson.com/what-to-do-when-your-vehicle-check-engine-light-turns-on-and-the-warranty-has-expired/

MyCAA is shutdown! Where is all the money going?

You know, I always try to be positive. I am a pretty upbeat, albeit sarcastic, person. But I am starting to get pretty freakin' pissed.

First, Education Centers close.

Second, Congress takes forever to approve the Defense Budget.

Third, though the Defense Budget is the largest in recent history, not much of the money is going to the Military. Most of the money is earmarked for special projects. Thanks Congress!

Forth, Our COLA is cut. We are living in Chicago. With a 11.25% tax rate. No Commissary. Now, what makes me so furious is if you are living somewhere and they lower your BAH rate, it's alright. You get to keep your original rate. Not with COLA! (Cost Of Living Allowance). And they didn't just take away twenty bucks or so... NO! They cut it in half. IN HALF! Guess we aren't eating beef for awhile.

Fifth, Now MyCAA is shut down. This is a program for Spouses to go to school to have a career that can move with their Soldier. It is very difficult to live on a single income nowadays. No explanation why MyCAA was shut down... Not much information going out... Such crap.
Here are a few links about MyCAA shutting down:
http://marnemessages.blogspot.com/2010/02/dod-halts-mycaa-program-unclassified.html
http://military-education.military.com/2010/02/new-faqs-for-halted-mycaa-program/
So many Spouses are now scrambling to pay for their classes that they assumed were covered.

I am very frustrated at, what I feel, is a complete lack of support from Congress. They are really sticking it to us this year. Guess who I'm not voting for in 2010!

New wives and Identification Cards

The Military ID. When you have one with the worst picture even, your features blurred from the awful government lighting, your Social Security Number for everyone to see.... It is the right of initiation for Military Spouses.

But for those wives with their Soldiers as they go through the grooling enlistment process, where do they go? For some, the closest Military Installation (Post for the Army, Base for Navy and Marines) is over a 100 miles away. Especially when you have kids, where can you go?

The good news is a lot of Reserve Stations offer ID Services. You simply look up the closest one, call and see if they do offer ID Services or, if they don't, the closest one that does.

You can also ask your Recruiter.

Bet you never thought a white-washed photo would look so good, huh?

Where should I go?

So I have no idea what I should do with this blog... Where should I go with it? Should I allow my personal opinions into my posts? Should I write about my daily life and struggles not just as an Army Wife but as a Wife and Mother?

I think I am going to allow my personality to shine through this blog... and write about not just the technical know-how of Army stuff, but about me. My life.

Hopefully, it becomes more entertaining to read!

2010 BAH Rates

Finally, the 2010 BAH rates are now available.

http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/bah.html

Remember, if BAH amount goes down for your duty station, you will still receive the higher amount you originally received.