This is a list compiled by some of my dearest friends and fellow military wives. We are women from all over the country, of all different nationalities, and all different ways of life, brought together by one thing…we are all wives of active duty military. The military is more than just a job or a career, it is a way of life. Some of these may bring a tear and some will make you laugh but if you are a fellow military wife you will definitely be able to relate! And, if you are a civilian you may just be able to understand some of what these women go through every day.

Thank you to all of our Veteran’s, Current Active Duty and Reservists, and all of their family members!

YOU KNOW YOU’RE A MILITARY WIFE WHEN…….

…you catch your hubby eating an MRE as a midnight snack!

…you have 6-10 MRE’s in your pantry

…You cry over an email that says nothing more than ‘hey-I love you and I miss you!’

…your favorite ‘man’ to see everyday is the MAILMAN!

…every time you see your husband it feel’s like it’s the first time all over again

…you call his voice mail 100 times a day while he’s deployed, just to hear his voice

…you sleep with the phone in the bed

…you have your own set of tools and actually know how to fix things

…your toddler refers to the computer and cell phone as ‘daddy’

…you see someone, talk to them or email, you pick up right where you left off

…you have the phone company forward all your calls from your house to your cell, and vice versa

…you don’t feel completely moved in untill all the moving stickers are off of your furniture, but know you’ll be finding them for years

…you can match each color sticker to each move

…you finally learn not to plan ANYTHING because it will ALWAYS change

…your 2 yr. old learns how to say ‘my daddy works in Afghanistan”

…you can look back on your life and remember details based on where your husband was stationed, deployed, or TDY

…you leave a half drunk soda on the bookshelf for 15 months because if you leave it there then he has to come back to finish it

…your kids see a man in uniform and automatically start checking to see if it’s daddy

…you can remember your husband’s social security number quicker than your own and are amazed when people actually want to know yours

…you hang pictures before most boxes are unpacked because it will
feel like ‘home’

…people ask where you are from, and for a minute you have that deer in headlights look

…you realize that only other military spouses truly understand what your life is like and you cherish them for it

…your toddler gets mad and tells his sister she’d better ‘stand down’

…Lee Greenwood and Toby Keith can give you goosebumps and bring you to tears in a second

…you start to think in military time

…acronyms are part of your vocabulary

…you surprise people when they ask how you do it, or how you like your life, and reply that it’s not so bad

…when your kids kiss a picture of daddy goodnight

…when you call another military spouse while you have a glass of wine, so that you’re not drinking alone

…you keep your husbands dirty t-shirt in a zip lock bag so you can keep his scent with you the whole time he’s gone

…you keep lots of crap on his side of the bed, so you will be ready for him when he comes home

…the first person you call after having a baby is the red cross so that your husband will know that he has a new son or daughter

Remember that cheap and easy DIY Haunted Tree Centerpiece we made for Halloween?  Well, we’ve made one for Valentine’s Day too!

I’ve been wanting to re-use the vases from this centerpiece for a while and after making my Sweetheart Votives I had an idea.  Glass Vases + conversation hearts candy +  silk tulips!  For easter I think I’ll just swap out the conversation hearts for jelly beans.

 

I made these on a whim after wandering the Dollar Tree looking for some cheap crafting inspiration.  My total cost for supplies ended up being $2.16!  The votive candles came in a two-pack and the conversation hearts candies were 4 box-packs.  All I needed was a hot glue gun and about 10 minutes to finish the project.

This morning when I was getting my daughter ready for school she requested a “Tangled” braid.  We did 3 braids total.  With her hair parted just to the side (her natural part) I braided two small ‘half’ braids.  I then gathered the two small braids in the back together with the rest of her hair and did one long braid down her back.  We decorated with flower clips that are part of my hair accessory line from Too Tutu Cute.

 

This Holiday season, cardgnome.com is giving 10,000 FREE cards to Military members!

Cardgnome.com is a website that allows you to choose a greeting card for just about any occasion, write a message, and they will send it!  You don’t have to go to the store to pick out a card, you don’t have to search high and low for a stamp, and you don’t have to make an out of your way trip to the post office! Does it get better than that?  Well, if you’re active duty military…it does! 

This Holiday season, Card Gnome has made it easy to send your sentiments over seas.  The price of their cards are $4.99 and will be sent via the  American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes campaign.  And, if you are an active duty military member you can send your loved one a card for FREE, making it easy for our deployed members to send Holiday cards home.

Here’s how it works:

·       “For active military that would like to participate: Simply sign up with their military email address, select any card, include their personal message and Card Gnome will take care of the payment and shipping. The first 10,000 cards sent by military members in this manner are free.”
 
·      ” For those of you that are not active members of the military, Card Gnome has rallied around the American Red Cross “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program, allowing individuals to send a holiday greeting to a member of the military. Each participant will select a card, include a personal message and hit “Send to a Hero” at checkout and Card Gnome will relay the greeting to the American Red Cross who will then distribute it to the military member. ”

 
·      ” All cards sent to military members are $4.99, which includes shipping. The program is already underway and ends December 31^st, 2011.”

For more details visit the Cards and Heroes Program at www.cardgnome.com

 

 

*disclaimer:  the opinions expressed in the post are solely that of my own.  Cardgnome passed on information for me to share with my readers, I was not compensated in any way*

I just may be as excited as my 3 year old, who has been asking every morning since Thanksgiving “Is it Christmas?”.  The tree is up, the house is decorated…I LOVE this time of year! 

I have decided to bring you 25 days of Christmas, through Tutus and Tantrums.  Each day I will have something new up relating to the Holiday season.  Plenty of recipes, crafts, and decorating ideas.  I may even have a guest blog or two! 

I hope you’ll join me!

Along with the traditional Turkey, Stuffing, and Mashed Potatoes, there are two other staples that you will find on our Thanksgiving table every year…Broccoli Casserole and Potato Rolls.  The Broccoli Casserole may sound different but  is a fabulous alternative the the green bean variety that everyone serves.  And after you’ve had these potato rolls, you’ll never try another roll recipe again!  So, if you need to add an extra dish to your spread you might just want to give these a try.

Broccoli Casserole

• 2 packages frozen chopped broccoli
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup mayonaise
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheedar cheese
• onion powder
• white pepper
• Salt
• Crumbled Cheeze-it crackers

Combine all ingredients (sorry I do not have amounts for the onion powder, white pepper, and salt~most of my holiday recipes are kind of by taste/smell~add just a dash of the pepper though), bake at 350 for at least 45 minutes.  Consistency should be soft but not gooey when knife is placed in the center.

 

Potato Rolls

• 6 tbsp sugar
• 6 tbsp butter
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup hot mashed potatoes (instant are fine if you are making these ahead of time)
• 1 1/4 cup scaded milk
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4-6 cups flour

1. mix yeast w/warm water in small bowl
2. combine first four ingredients
3. add milk, beat on medium speed and let cool to luke warm temperature
4. add yeast, baking soda, and baking powder
5. add flour, let rise 15 minutes
6. add more flour until dough is no longer sticky
7. kneed dough until smooth
8. place in a buttered bowl and trun to coat
9. refrigerate for one day, punching dough down once
10. shape dough into small balls and let rise on baking sheet for one hour
11. bake on 425 for approximately 15 min.

Happy Thanksgiving! Gobble, Gobble!

 

 

 

Welcome to the second week of What’s For Dinner, Wednesday where I’m sharing a new recipe each Wednesday.  This recipe is from Pillsbury and is a great variation of Lasagna.  The best part, you refrigerate it overnight.  Make it the day before you know you’ll be busy and at dinner time all you have to do is pop it in the oven.

• 1 tablespoon butter
• lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped red bell pepper (2 med)
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup choped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pint half and half
• 1/2 cup Progresso chicken broth
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 7 oz Gouda cheese shredded (I used a mixture of mozarella and colby-jack because i forgot to get the Gouda)
• 1 container (12 oz) small curd cottage cheese (again, I substituted and used ricotta)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips
• 1 egg, beaten
• 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 package (16 oz) sliced mozarella (I just used shredded)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

 

1. 1.  Spray 13 X 9 inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.  In 4 quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic; cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center.
2. Reduce heat to low.  Add half and half, broth and cream cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted.  Gradually add Couda cheese, stirring until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat; set aside.  In bowl, mix cottage cheese (or Ricotta like I did) 1/4 cup fresh basil and the egg until blended.
3. Spread 1 cup chicken mixture in baking dish.  Top with 3 noodles, 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture and 1/2 of the mozarella cheese.  Repeat layers once, starting with noodles.  Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with Parmesean cheese. Cover with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 350.  Bake lasagna covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until noodles are tender and casserole is bubbly.  Cover; let stand 15 minutes before serving. 

This recipe is a bit of work to prep so you have to plan ahead.  Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did! 

And Please feel free to leave a link to your favorite recipes in the comment section!

 

 

 

Celebrate all that your child is Thankful for with this cute and easy handprint craft.

You will need:

• White Paper (thicker paper or cardstock is better)
• Brown Paint
• Red, Yellow, Orange Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Glue Stick

Start by painting the inside of the child’s arm and palm with brown paint.  Press onto the white paper to form the tree trunk and branches.  Let dry.

Cut leaf shapes out of the consturction paper.  If child is old enough have them write things they are thankful for on the leaves.  I also did this project with my 1 and 3 year olds.  The 3 year old dictated to me and I wrote for him and the 1 year old’s tree has blank leaves.

Have child glue their leaves onto the tree branches.

Frame and display for the Thankful Season!

 

 

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for something new to spice up your “go to” dinners during the week.  I often find myself making the same dishes over and over again.  Even though I have a plethera of delicious looking recipes in a file folder that I have taken out of various magazines.  So, over the last month I’ve made it a point to start trying some of these recipes, and let me tell you, they’re delicious!

I’ve had several friends request that I share them so I will start posting a new recipe that I’ve recently tried, every Wednesday.  Starting with Chicken, Wild Rice, and Mushroom soup that EVERY ONE in my family ate and asked for seconds!

Chicken, Wild Rice, and Mushroom Soup: (from Southern Living Magazine March 2011)

• 2 (6 oz. ) packages long-grain wild rice mix~ (I didn’t read this correctly and only bought 1 so I added about 3/4 c white rice)
• 10 cups chicken broth, divided
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I used 8oz package sliced baby bell mushrooms)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery (oops! I didn’t have any so I just made it with out)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup half and half (surprise, surprise I didn’t have this eaither so I just used milk)
• 2 Tbsp dry white wine
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

1. Bring rice, 4 cups chicken broth, and 1 seasoning packet fromt he rice mix to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. 
2. Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms, onion and celery, and cook, stirring often, 10-12 minutes or until tender.
3. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat (I just used a saucepan); whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute, or until thickened and bubbly.  Gradually whisk in remaining 6 cups broth, and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Whisk in half and half and wine.  Stir in mushroom mixture, chicken, and rice.  Cook, stirring occasionaly, 5 to 10 minutes or until throroughly heated (do not boil.)

Hope your family enjoys this one as much as mine did!  And please, feel free to link up any of your recipes below! 

 Be sure to come back next week to check out What’s For Dinner?  Wednesday.

 

 

Yes, this mom of three, who hasn’t thought about herself before anyone in a LONG time, is celebrating her very own day.  ME!  MOI!  MINE MINE MINE MINE MINE! (okay, I’ll stop now)

Yes, it is MY day.  My day to be featured by one of THE most fabulous group devoted to female bloggers.  It’s my SITS day! 

What you ask?  SITS!  The Secret is in Support!  A group of THOUSANDS of femail bloggers all supporting one another.  How awesome is that?!  Now…GO CHECK THEM OUT!

 

AND, for all of you that have come on over to visit little ol’ me from SITS, I am truly honored! 

I began blogging over two years ago (yikes! where does time go?) and almost simultaniously found The SITS girls.  They really opened my eyes to the world of blogging and gave me the confidence to continue writing and sharing my experiences.  Needless to say, I was so surprise and super excited when I finally got the email saying that it was my turn!

WELCOME!  and thank you for coming over to check out my little piece of the World Wide Web…I hope you’re wearing your Tutu!