MilSpouse Appreciation Day - Blog Hop 2012

Welcome to Our Crazy Life! 

I am Athena, mom to six kiddos and wife to one Soldier - who has recently returned from his second extended vacation to the Middle East (courtesy of the U.S. Army). 

The Soldier with his Army brats

The Soldier and I have been married for almost 20 years. We have one college girl, one high-schooler, one in junior high, two in grade school and one preschooler. We stay pretty busy between sports, dance, 4H and everything else. 

It's a crazy life, but I love it.  

I am a writer (writer just sounds so much better than facebook junkie). I just wish I had more time to do so. I may have to give up housework to devote more time to it. 

Okay, so I am not really a housework kind of girl - there are more important things in life.   

Some of my ramblings... 

How to Help a Mom During Deployment

Building Community - Army Style

Beating the Deployment Blues

I would love to know what you think! 

I live love to read. Most of my blog posts (if I am not griping about deployment) are devoted to free ebooks for Kindle. I will read two to three books a week, so I am saving the Soldier a pretty penny by not buying any. Maybe I can convince him to let me spend it on jewelry instead... 

My latest free book post

BBC 100 Book Challenge
(make sure to double check prices as they change frequently!)

I do a book review from time to time (anything for free books!) and host an occasional giveaway. If you want to be notified when the giveaways are up or when a new free book is posted, feel free to like Our Crazy Life on facebook (it also helps my self esteem to have people like me...). 

My biggest passion is volunteering for Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). I can't even begin to tell you what a difference getting involved with a group of moms - who are experiencing the same things I am - did for me. I now have friends all over the world thanks to MOPS. Plus, I get to travel (sans kids) a couple of times of year for training and girl time. 

And yes, we have groups especially for Military moms that meet on installations all over the world! If you are a mommy, you need mommy time and MOPS can help! 

Note: If you are a mom, come back tomorrow for my latest giveaway -  a copy of "Mom Connection" with a bag of goodies - just in time for Mother's Day!

I have had a blast since I started blogging and have met several wonderful women and enjoy following their adventures in this crazy world we call Military life. When I need a laugh or a little perspective I check out Witty Little Secret (trust me, you will LOVE her), Household 6 Diva or Riding the Roller Coaster. 

I know what you are thinking, this is getting a little long for an introduction ;0)  

Anyway, I love to chat and would love to get you know you! I spend way too much time on facebook so come over and say hello.

And don't forget to link up!

  

Love, 

Semi Wordless Wednesday 11-2-11

So last week, I was flying off to Seattle to see doctors and finally, after five months...

to see the Soldier again!

Thanks to the Army, this has been the never-ending deployment and we really don't know when he will be home.

And of course, 

a Halloween pic of the kiddos!

Linking up!

Love,

Semi-Wordless Wednesday - Murphy Strikes Again

If you are a MilSpouse, you will totally get that every thing waits to break until the service member deploys. In fact, we have already had our share of breakdowns and I even had my own pity party last week.

Such was the case with our hot water heater last night - 2:30 am to be exact...

lovely cell phone pic of our ancient (now dead) water heater

Thankfully, I was up late skyping with my hero and heard a noise when I got up to lock doors and turn off all the lights. (How old do kids have to be before they learn to turn them off?) Because the Soldier was still online, I was able to call him - thank Jesus for the wonderful skype cell phone app!- and have him walk me through what to do. I was able (with a little lot of help from the 13 year-old) to get it drained and pretty much cleaned up.

Now I have something else to add to my list of things I hate about deployment.

Off to do mountains of wet (and now smelly) laundry... 

I hope your week is better than mine!

Linking up with Flip Flops & Pearls: 



Love, 

My thoughts...

I posted something on my Facebook last night and probably offended many: 

"They are cheering the the streets because a man is dead. There is something wrong with that. Maybe he was a bad man, but I can't see celebrating. There has been enough death in all of this."

It was not my intention to upset anyone. I understand that they feel relief and joy on the death of Osama bin Laden.

For me, I see no reason to cheer when a man is dead. There has been so much death and we still have young men and women dying each day in Afghanistan and Iraq and yet, no one even knows their names. Those are the lives we should be celebrating. Thanking their families for making the ultimate sacrifice. 

As the wife of a Soldier whose "boots are on the ground", the celebrating has me worried. They will retaliate. They won't stop because one man is dead. That will only unite them more. We have to remember that we are not fighting a man, but something much larger. 

Our enemies celebrate when our men and women die. They dance in the streets and wave their flags. Last night's images reminded me of Somalia, when they drug our brave Soldiers' bodies through the streets and burned our flag while the crowds danced. 

Perhaps being a Soldier's wife has made me a pacifist, or maybe it has just opened up my eyes. Senseless killing makes me sick. No one wins when someone dies. 

"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice..." Proverbs 24:17

Instead of celebrating the death of an enemy, pray for our troops and their families. Honor the memory of those who have died so that we may live free.



I am interested in your thoughts, please share.

Linking up today for Military Monday with:

Mrs. Mama Hen 

and 

Army Wives' Lives

Love,

Military Friday 4/1/11

Another Friday, another week and another month down. I can't wait until I am counting in days and not months!

Welcome to another Military Friday! I love spending my Fridays with my fellow MilSpouses and getting to know them better. If you are a MilSpouse, I hope you will join in on all the fun!

 

Here is this week's MilSpouse Friday Fill-In (hosted by Wife of a Sailor):

1) What romance movie scene reminds you of your spouse and the LOVE you share? submitted by Simply Sunshine and Daisy’s

The Quiet Man  ;0) 

2) If you were allowed to deploy with your husband to a war zone would you and why? submitted by I & J

Maybe, but not with children. Probably not a great idea though, they need to focus on mission and family would be a distraction. Distractions in a war zone are not a good thing.

A really old picture...

3) Have you ever done anything (intentionally or unintentionally) to embarrass your spouse in front of his military cohorts? submitted by Marrying the Navy

Well, the first time I pinned his new rank on him, I was putting it on (the right way!) and the Colonel that was doing the ceremony had me turn it upside down because he thought it was on wrong. It wasn’t my fault (who am I to correct a Colonel?), but it was really funny. Can you see the Soldier trying not to laugh? 

4) What is your most irrational fear?  
submitted by Eights on the Move

Answering ‘that’ knock. Probably not totally irrational, since my Soldier is deployed – but you would think I would quit having momentary panic whenever someone comes to the door unexpectedly. The poor UPS guy always gets the worst greetings at our house! 

5) If you could only live in one kind of climate for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? submitted by Many Waters

Warm and humid. I want to go back to New Orleans so bad. It is too cold and dry here. I am going to have wrinkles before I turn 35 if we don’t get out of here fast! 

This week's MilSpouse Weekly Round Up is hosted by
An Expeditionary Family.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Did Someone Say Party?

With prizes? Then count me in!
Come over and join up, the more the merrier!

Welcome to Our Crazy Life! 

The Soldier with his Army brats

I am Athena, mom to six crazy kiddos and wife to one Soldier who is  currently on an extended vacation to the Middle East (courtesy of the U.S. Army). Soldierboy and I celebrated our 18th Anniversary this past fall. We have two high-schoolers, one junior high-schooler, two gradeschoolers and one preschooler. We stay pretty busy between sports, 4H (yes, we live in Hicktown) and everything else. It is a crazy life, but I love it.


I am a writer (it sounds so much better than facebook junkie). I just wish I had more time to do so. I may have to give up housework to devote more time to it. Okay, so I am not really a housework kind of girl. There are more important things in life. 

How to Help a Mom During Deployment

Building Community - Army Style

Beating the Deployment Blues

I would love to hear what you think! 

I love to read. Most of my blog posts (if I am not griping about deployment) are devoted to free ebooks for Kindle (or reading app). I will read two to three books a week, so I am saving Soldierboy a pretty penny by not buying any. Maybe I can convince him to let me spend it on jewelry instead... 

My latest free book post

BBC 100 Book Challenge
(make sure to double check prices as they change frequently!)

I also do a book review from time to time (anything for free books!) and host an occasional giveaway. If you want to be notified when the giveaways are up or when a new free book is posted, feel free to like Our Crazy Life on facebook (it also helps my self esteem to have people like me...). 

My biggest passion is volunteering for Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS). I can't even begin to tell you what a difference getting involved with a group of moms - who are experiencing the same things I am - did for me. I now have friends all over the world thanks to MOPS. Plus, I get to travel (sans kids) a couple of times of year for training and girl time. I recently spent five days in Denver with some of my besties :) If you are a mommy, you need mommy time and MOPS can help! 

I started blogging about a year ago and I have had so much fun! I have met several wonderful women and enjoy following their adventures in this crazy world we call Military life. When I need a laugh or a little perspective I check out Witty Little Secret or Riding the Roller Coaster.

I know what you are thinking, this is getting a little long for an introduction ;0)  

Anyway, I love to chat and would love to get you know you! I spend way too much time on facebook so come over and say hello.

P.S. Prize patrol... if I win, I would love any of the Amazon gift cards. I *may* have a small addiction to their ebooks :) 

Love,

Military Friday 3/11/11

* If you have entered yet, don't miss my current contest! Also, I joined a new 'link up' this past week and I am looking forward to doing it again. Click here to see my Traveling Tuesday post.

I am just thankful that I survived this week. It was so bad that I forgot about Friday ;0)  The kiddos have been sick and being the wonderful children they are, they shared it with me. Sickness should not be allowed during deployment. Thankfully, my mom is close and is a huge help. I don't know what I would do without her.

Before I head back to bed with a pot of Irish tea and my Kindle, I wanted to link up today with the Friday Fill-In and Weekly Round Up. 



Wifey at Wife of a Sailor is so awesome to do this every week. I always look forward to reading what everyone has to say.

1) During military separations (whether short or long) how do you keep yourself positive and motivated?
submitted by Married/Single Parent

You mean I am supposed to be positive and motivated? I lose… (Kidding really, well mostly anyway.)

2) What is your favorite concert you have ever been to?
submitted by Young but Not (Completely) Dumb

Big concert - The Irish Tenors - I love their music. It works better than any blood pressure medication to keep me relaxed and sane, especially during deployment. 

John McDermott

Small concert - We got to see John McDermott perform at the Veteran's Memorial here in our little town one Memorial Day. He is an amazing artist and such a neat person. I love all that he does for our Veterans. He makes me cry every time with The Wall and Bringing Buddy Home.

3) What do you miss most about your “hometown”? 
submitted by A Florida Girl and Her Soldier

I grew up here - I wish we could leave, so I could miss it…
Unless you want to count the place I was born as my hometown, then I would say I miss the sunshine and warmth and people saying “ya’ll”.

4) If you could run in any race, which charity would you choose to support?
submitted by Wookie & Co.

Well, I probably wouldn’t run. I don’t like having to break a sweat ;0)  But if I did, it would be for our Wounded Warriors.

5) You find out Willy Wonka is your father, what 3 course meal do you INSIST he create in that stick of gum? 
submitted by A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench

My Colcannon last year...

Ugh, too many choices!! How about a cheese board with Irish Cheeses and brown oatmeal soda bread  (so amazing!) with Irish butter for an appetizer. 

Then a yummy steak (aged of course) topped with sauteed mushrooms and real colcannon dripping with butter. 

For dessert Raglan Road’s Bread & Butter Pudding with a whiskey sauce. I have been dreaming about that since August. Now I am hungry… 

This week's MilSpouse Weekly Round Up is hosted by Three Hands Full. Come over and join in on the fun! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

MilSpouse Friday 3/4/11

It's Friday, which means I survived yet another week. This one was a close call though... I pretty much hit my wall yesterday when I had just arrived at the commissary (military grocery store) -with a 3 year-old that had to go potty. right. now. - and the 17 year-old calls me from across town to say she locked the keys in the truck. A few weeks ago, the truck 'broke', only to find out, once I paid to have it towed, she had ran it out of gas.

Unless you are a MilSpouse, you would think this was normal teenage stuff, but it isn't. It is Murphy's Law of deployment and I could pretty much write a new chapter to his book after these past 7 months.

I don't remember so much fun and drama the last deployment. Maybe my memory is shot, or maybe it is like childbirth and you forget all the bad stuff so you will do it again.

I am glad I survived it and so thankful for the Friday link ups with my MilSpouse friends. It is nice to know that I am not alone.

If you stopped by for the Kindle books, you can find the latest freebies here and the bargains here.

Now for the MilSpouse Friday Fill-In. A big thank you to Wifey at Wife of a Sailor for putting up questions each week. It is so much fun! 

borrowed from tvrage.com

1) Do you ever wish your spouse was in a different branch of the military? submitted by The Turner Family

I probably shouldn’t answer this, just in case he is reading it… However, ever since JAG, I have really liked the Navy uniforms ;0) 

2) What duty station(s) are on your “No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied” list and why? submitted by Every Branch

Well, since we are National Guard, we don’t really worry about this. But if I had a list like that, where we are would be at the top… I really want to be near a city and in a much warmer place. 

3) If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why? submitted by Three Krakens

I have been 29 for a while now, so we will just go with that! 

4) If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be? submitted by the C.W.

Lucky Charms. No creative reason, other than I love the marshmallows!

5) What is your morning beverage of choice and why?  submitted by NH Girl Displaced

Diet Coke. Used to be regular coke, but I am trying to cut back on sugar. I hate coffee. I have never been able to drink it, but don’t worry, Soldierboy drinks enough for the both of us. 

And don't forget to come over and link up for the MilSpouse Weekly Round Up! Hosted this week by The Lily Pad. 

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Book Review: The Pirate Queen (Win your own copy!)

I seem to be always starting a post off with a disclaimer, but once again, here it is: 

I do not usually read books like this. Give me a sappy romance - ride in on a white horse and rescue me from the tower and live happily ever after in a castle - kind of book. 

However, from the time I started The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman. I couldn't put it down and finished it in one night (once again, staying up way too late!). It was not anything that I had expected.

From the publisher: 

"The envy of all her friends, wife and mother Saphora Warren is the model of southern gentility and accomplishment. She lives in a beautiful Lake Norman home, and has raised three capable adult children. Her husband is a successful plastic surgeon--and a philanderer. It is for that reason that, after hosting a garden party for Southern Living magazine, Saphora packs her bags to escape the trappings of the picturesque-but-vacant life.

Saphora’s departure is interrupted by her husband Bender’s early arrival home, and his words that change her life forever: I’m dying.

Against her desires, Saphora agrees to take care of Bender as he fights his illness. They relocate, at his insistence, to their coastal home in Oriental—the same house she had chosen for her private getaway. When her idyllic retreat is overrun by her grown children, grandchildren, townspeople, relatives, and a precocious neighbor child, Saphora’s escape to paradise is anything but the life she had imagined. As she gropes for evidence of God's presence amid the turmoil, can she discover that the richest treasures come in surprising packages?"

The Pirate Queen is packed full of emotion from the very start. I found myself laughing, crying and even wanting to yell at the characters. Patricia is a very talented author and her writing drew me right into the lives of Saphora and Bender. It is a heart wrenching story about love, forgiveness and finding God in the midst of life's circumstances. A lesson that I need over and over.

I am looking forward to reading more by Patricia Hickman, but next time I will stock up on the Kleenex!

(Download a sneak peak of The Pirate Queen here.)

Now for the contest!

How to enter:

1. Main entry - Leave a comment sharing your favorite type of book (do you like romance, mystery, etc?) and the last book you read.

Bonus entries - Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

2. Like "Our Crazy Life" on Facebook (or if you already do, leave a comment letting me know!)

3. Share this post on Facebook - or any other Social Networking Site using the "Share the Love" buttons below the post. One Bonus entry per 'share', make sure to leave a comment for each entry!

4. Follow me on Google Friend Connect (or if you already do, leave a comment letting me know!)

5. Add my button to your blog (Worth two entries, leave two comments!)

Make sure you leave a way to contact you, either by having your reply-to email address set or by leaving an email in your posts.

Contest will end Friday, 1/21/11, at 10:00 pm CST.

Winner will be mailed a copy of Patricia Hickman’s Pirate Queen via media mail.

*Fine Print: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed are all mine and I was not required to give a positive review.


I hope you win ;0)

Hooking up this post for the Military Monday blog hop hosted by Marine Parents. Come on over and link up!