7 tips for transitioning your kids back to school
It’s that time of year again – time to get the kids ready for school. Maybe you just PCS’d or you’ve been living at your duty station a while, but kids always start the year with new teachers and a new routine. Here are a few tips to help them in their transition process. Visit […]
Top 20 military phrases used by military families
You just can’t help yourself. After several years of hanging out with service members, you begin taking on certain sayings and catchphrases that are used in the military and integrating them into your own lingo. Ever find yourself using a few of these when talking to friends? “Roger that” – instead of “got it” or […]
How To Be A Happy Marine Corps Wife
Marine Corps wife? This life was scary to me when I first encountered it. Sure it was fun to get dressed up for my first ball, but then came the reality of what being married to a Marine was really about. It’s about Semper Fi–Marines are always faithful to the each other, to the Corps, and […]
Do’s and don’ts for successfully celebrating the birth of America
Independence Day is a day to be celebrated with our colors flying proudly. Most of us choose to celebrate our nation’s birthday gathered around friends and family, decked out in red, white, and blue and watching brilliant displays of fireworks dance across the sky. But sometimes the best holiday intentions can lead to disastrous outcomes. […]
How to safely road trip your next move
It’s time to move to your new duty station and you’re planning out your route. Maybe you’re looking to get there as fast as possible. Or perhaps you’re looking to take in the sights as you go. No matter your intention or destination, there are a few things that you should do before you leave. […]
21 tips for avoiding rental scams during your next PCS
The military has given you orders to relocate to a new duty station. Your first family mission? Find a new home. The enemy? Online scammers. The first place that most of us look for a new home is on the Internet. Unfortunately, that’s where scammers lurk. One of the latest schemes circling the market involves scammers […]
Getting to the real meaning of Memorial Day
It’s May – Military Appreciation Month – and Memorial Day is upon us. There’s no doubt in my mind that these two events coincide in the same month because of the continued sacrifices made by our service members and the families of our service members. My kids have grown up for months on end with […]
An Open Letter to the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Michael P. Barrett
4.14.14 Update: The Marine Corps Times recently interviewed Sergeant Major Barrett regarding my open letter below. Discover my response to that article here. Sir, Let me start with stating that I have a lot of respect for you. I think you are without a doubt, one of the best Sergeant Majors this Corps has seen. […]
25 ways you know you’re a military spouse
You have a shotgun wedding because your servicemember just received orders to deploy and wants to set you up in base housing. Your kids begin to call out ‘daddy’ any time they see a man in uniform at the commissary. You always find ear plugs in the dryer after doing your service member’s laundry. You […]
10 ways to survive your service member’s first deployment
It’s your first deployment and you’re not sure what you’re going to be up against. Maybe you’ve heard about the deployment curse? You know, the one where once your service member leaves, something’s going to break. That one doesn’t always come true, but if and when it does, now you know who to blame. Fortunately, there are […]
Got the Winter Blues? Maybe You Should Cruise!
You’re a military family, so many of your vacations come in the form of holiday leave blocks or for pre or post deployment leave. I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t consider ‘going home’ a vacation; it usually winds up being a series of appointments which oftentimes results in family member or friends […]
6 Tips for Flying During Winter
Normally, I’m traveling with kids… which means that I have to bring a lot of stuff with me. For me that means one big suitcase with all of their clothes and gear, and another large suitcase with all my gear and anything leftover from theirs. For years, I’ve just gotten into the habit of checking […]