I know, I know, it’s been FOR—EVER since I last posted.  Life seems to do that to ya. I cannot believe that we are in MAY already.  Where has 2013 gone????  I don’t know for sure but I feel like I have been crazy busy since New Years.

Life in a military family is ALWAYS busy!  But then you add “normal” everyday stuff on top of that- WOW!  Some days, I am just trying to keep my head ABOVE water!

Well, let me catch up since New Years. “Not that is too long, let me sum up” (name the movie) I am a BAD mom and missed blogging about my 2 oldest girls turning ANOTHER year older!  My oldest daughter turned 15!  And my second daughter turned 13! Seriously, I am NOT ready for these teenage years.  HOLY COW! They are both totally “into” 1 Direction *the music group* Sydney (the 13 yr old) LOVES to draw, paint and read.  

 Haylee (the 15 yr old) loves to listen to music. And that is about it. Of course she IS a teenager! I am REALLY glad they aren't boy crazy.... YET!

Shortly before Spring Break, Sydney was accepted to Endeavor Charter Academy (the charter school Kelsee – my 9 yr old- goes to) so Sydney switched schools.  The transition was a little hard. She felt VERY behind but has done amazing!

Kelsee, has gotten HIGH Honor Roll for 3 quarters so far and it looks like she will be getting it AGAIN for the last quarter J She has worked so hard this year and her teacher is AMAZING!

Haylee has REALLY struggled with HomeSchool this year.  She was actually DROPPED from the 1^st semester due to her grades.  She promised she would do better and bring all her grades up.  So after a lot of heart to heart talks and prayer, I kept her in the K12 program. It isn’t looking too good for her this semester either.  I think the only class she is passing is Spanish (weird)

My “baby girl” was accepted to Young 5’s (it’s basically Kindergarten for the younger 5 year olds)  she will start in the fall.  She is pretty excited about it.

Well, School is just about over… Last day is June 12^th. The girls can’t wait.  (and neither can I….. I am looking forward to NOT waking up at 5:30am)

So my marine left AGAIN to go to ANOTHER course…. Not quite sure what the name of this one is. I just know it’s the last “check in the box” for promotion.  He has been gone since this past Sunday.  He will be in Quantico until almost the end of June. I talked to him today. He said the school is going good.  They are in smalls groups of about 8 1^st Sgts. Funny thing is, in all the class the 1 guy that is also a member of the church, is in his group. He also works at the I and I station in Las Vegas, and is part of the “saints and sinners” battalion from Vegas/ Salt Lake.

So, by the time my marine gets back from Quantico, the girls and I will be out in California for the summer.  We are all so looking forward to getting OUT of Michigan and having a change of scenery.  My marine actually said Saturday before he left, he is afraid we won’t come back. He said he thinks we’ll find a house in Utah when we go out there. Who knows???? Maybe we will. Lol

So now that I have jumped all around….. I think I will end this post. I have said before that I will try to be better at posting and that hasn’t happened. So I won’t say that again.  I will just say, until next time!

Thankful.... for all the Veteran's

Happy Veteran's Day!

 

To all those who served and currently serve.  THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart.No matter the branch of service.... THANK YOU!

  I am lucky girl.  The 2 special men in my life are both Veterans. My dad served in the US Army, back in the day. He was in the Military Police and served in Italy. He is a HERO to me.  What a great example he is to me. I am THANKFUL for him.

I am also THANKFUL for my marine.... he has now served for 17 years +. Not much longer til we join the "real world" and retire.  It is kind of a scary thought actually.  I am thankful to my marine for his sacrifice and service to this great nation of ours.  He has done his fair share of deployments. He has seen things I would NEVER wish upon ANYONE! He too is a HERO.

(this is the last pic I have of him... he is now a 1st Sgt.  Time to update the pics) 

GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY and THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

I am PROUD to be an AMERICAN! and to be married to a US MARINE!

It's been almost a week since.....

I last blogged........ MAN! time goes by quick!

I have been avoiding blogging, well, not really.... I haven't had much TIME lately.  Last monday my marine FINALLY got his orders to Michigan.  You ask WHEN DO YOU HAVE TO REPORT??? Oh May 1st of course.  Yes that doesn't leave much time.  So we have been running around with our heads cut off (OK NOT literally)  The housing office to give our notice (and yes we did NOT give them 30 days... oh well, we didn't get 30 days either)  The hospital to request all the medical records. (since we are going to and I & I duty we will be at a CIVILIAN hospital!) and then TMO to set up our move.  HECK NO we aren't doing it ourselves!!!

I would LOVE to run and hide and bury my head in my pillow.  I am SOOO Overwhelmed with EVERYTHING that has to happen within the next week that I wanna SCREAM! 

NOT to mention our LESS than competent Leadership in Washington who need to get their tails outta their rear ends!  This budget thing and NO PAY for the military is making me LITERALLY sick to my stomach!  I haven't eaten much in the last few days. 

Anyways, I have been sorting through our CRAP stuff and selling what I can on 29palmsyardsales.com (that sight is AWESOME!  Just like craigslist)  But that hasn't sold enough.... SOOO, now I am having a yard sale tomorrow.  Just getting ready for that is more than I can handle.  My body is KILLING me!  I have had a migraine since yesterday and it doesn't want to go away!  I haven't sat down much today.... that is why I am FINALLY blogging~  I needed a BREAK for being on the move CONSTANTLY!

I am sure this is probably not making any sense.  I don't know when I will have a chance to post again.  LOTS is happening in the next week.  We will see where we go from here! All I know is in a week I will be on the road to my parents house with ALL the girls and my marine will be on the road to Michigan to find us a house! (I told him I won't move there until we have a HOME to live in)

Meet & Follow Sunday

Come and Follow along....

MilSpouse Friday Fill In

1. Since most of the country has had nasty weather, what has your weather been like this week?
  I live in the middle of the NASTY desert! It has been down right COLD, in the mornings especially. The highs have been in the 40's & 50's during the day.... NOTHING compared to other parts of the country so I shouldn't complain I guess

2. What is/are your best money saving tip(s)?
Use COUPONS! I use them on everything I can. "stacking coupons" is a BIG money saver too!  Check your store ads and get it when it's on sale and stock up on it!

3. What was your favorite vehicle you’ve ever owned??

My FAVORITE car is what I drive now... a 2006 Ford Expedition.  Maybe one day I will actually get to buy a BRAND NEW car instead of a used one :)

4. What is a question you’d like to see asked in a future fill-in? (Your question & blog just may appear one week!)
What has been your favorite duty station? and why?

5. Fill in the blank: You might be a MilSpouse if….
(I will be including some of your answers in a future post (with a link to your blog, of course!)

You might be a MilSpouse if…you ALWAYS have a current Power of Attorney on hand

If your are a MilSpouse and want to participate, head on over to Wife of a Sailor.

MilSpouse Friday Fill In

Were you named after anyone?

No I wasnt.  My 2 older sisters names started with "J" and so my parents figured my name needed to as well.  I was named Jenifer (yes with 1 "N") Nicol (with No "E" at the end) and they were gonna call me Nicol.  But that didn't happen.  By the time my mom brought me home from the hospital, my 2 older sister knew my name was Jenifer... thanks to my Grandpa :)

(after filling this out and talking to my Marine... he says Ya I was named after somebody... my brother, he was born before me! LOL   He, my marine that is, is WAY faster at things like that than me)

What color, if any, are your toenails usually painted?

They are always painted RED! (unless its a holiday and then I sometimes go with the color of the holiday to mix it up a little

How do you flush a public toilet? Hands? Feet? Something else?

I always use my foot. 

When you were a little kid, which TV character did you have a crush on?

Doogie Howser M.D.

Let's say you had to lose one of your five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell). Which one would you choose? Why?

my sense of smell I think.  Then I wouldn't have to smell stinky diapers, stinky trashcans or my hubby's stinkiness when he comes home from work! LOL

Thank you To ALL those that serve

 I am so grateful for those I know that have served or are serving now....

My dad, David AC Lightbourn,  US Army Military Police in Italy 

My Husband GySgt. Conrad, US Marine Corps

and MANY friends and loved ones.
THANK YOU! for your service to this great Nation!

FREEDOM Is NOT Free!

Happy Veteran's Day

Things NOT to say to a Military Wife/Girlfriend

Ok so I read this post off a friends Facebook page and had to steal it to post here.  I am so sick and tired of people making comments like these.  I mean COME ON PEOPLE!  I am PROUD of My Marine and grateful he is willing to step up and serve.  We've now done 15 years in the Corps and MANY deployments.  

All I have to say to those that make these kind of comments is.... IF IT WASNT MY HUSBAND, WOULD IT BE YOURS??? SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO THE JOB!

(this is the original article:    http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Am-A-Military-Wife/487046)

Things NOT to say to a military Spouse or Girlfriend!

1. "Aren't you afraid that he'll be killed?"
(This one ranks in at number one on the "duh" list. Of course we're afraid. We're terrified. The thought always lingers at the backs of our minds ---but thanks brilliant, you just brought it back to the front. Maybe next you can go ask someone with cancer if they're scared of dying.)

2. "I don't know how you manage. I don't think I could do it."
(This is intended to be a compliment. Though, its just a little annoying. Here's why: it's not like all of us military wives have been dreaming since childhood of the day we'd get to be anxious single moms who carry cell phones with us to the bathroom and in the shower. We're not made of some mysterious matter that makes us more capable, we just got asked to take on a challenging job. So we rose to the challenge and found the strength to make sacrifices.)

3. "At least he's not in Iraq."
(This is the number one most annoying comment for those whose husbands are in Afghanistan. What do they think is happening in Afghanistan? An international game of golf? Guys are fighting and dying over there.)

4. "Do you think he'll get to come home for Christmas/anniversary/birthday/birth of a child/wedding/family reunion, etc?"
(Don't you watch the news? No! They don't get to come home for any of these things. Please don't ask again.)

5. "What are you going to do to keep yourself busy while he's gone?"
(Short answer: Try to keep my sanity. Maybe there's a military wife out there who gets bored when her husband leaves, but I have yet to meet her. For the rest of us, those with and without children, we find ourselves having to be two people. That keeps us plenty busy. We do get lonely, but we don't get bored, and drinking massive amounts of wine always helps keep me busy.)

6. "How much longer does he have until he can get out?"
(This one is annoying to many of us whether our husbands are deployed or not. Many of our husbands aren't counting down the days until they "can" get out. Many of them keep signing back up again and again because they actually love what they do or they VOLUNTEER AGAIN and AGAIN to go back to Iraq b/c there is work that needs to be done.)

7. "This deployment shouldn't be so bad, now that you're used to it."
(Sure, we do learn coping skills and its true the more deployments you've gone through, the easier dealing with it becomes. And we figure out ways to make life go smoother while the guys are gone. But it never gets "easy" and the bullets and bombs don't skip over our guys just because they've been there before. The worry never goes away.)

8. "My husband had to go to Europe for business once for three weeks. I totally know what you're going through."
(This one is similar to number two. Do not equate your husband's three week trip to London/Omaha/Tokyo/etc. with a 12-15 month or more deployment to a war zone. Aside from the obvious time difference, nobody shot at your husband or tried to blow him up with an I.E.D., your husband could call home pretty much any time he wanted to, he flew comfortably on a commercial plane, slept between crisp white sheets and ate well, paying for everything with an expense account. There is no comparison. We do not feel bonded to you in the slightest because of this comment and, if anything, we probably resent you a bit for it. Comparing a 12 month combat deployment to a few weeks business trip is like comparing a ****** ford taurus with mercedes convertible.)

9. "Wow you must miss him?"
(This one also gets antoher big "duh". Of course we miss our men. There are some wives who do not and they're now divorced.)

10. "Where is he exactly? Where is that?"
(I don't expect non-military folks to be able to find Anbar Province on a map, but they should know by now that it's in Iraq. Likewise, know that Kabul and Kandahar are in Afghanistan. Know that Muqtada al Sadr is the insurgent leader of the Mahdi Army in Iraq and that Sadr City is his home area. Know that Iran is a major threat to our country and that it is located between Afghanistan and Iraq. Our country has been at war in Afghanistan for seven years and at war in Iraq for five years. These basic facts are not secrets, they're on the news every night and in the papers every day ---and on maps everywhere.)

11. "Well, he signed up for it, so it's his own fault whatever happens over there.
(Yes, ignorant, he did sign up. Each and every day he protects your right to make stupid comments like that. He didn't sign up and ask to be hit by anything, he signed up to protect his country. Oh, and by the way, he asked me to tell you that "You're welcome." He's still fighting for your freedom.)

12. "Don't you miss sex! I couldn't do it!"
(hmmm, no i don't miss sex. i'm a robot. seriously...military spouses learn quickly that our relationships must be founded on something greater than sex. We learn to appreciate the important things, like simply hearing their voices, seeing their faces, being able to have dinner together every night. And the hard truth is, most relationships probably couldn't withstand 12 months of sex deprivation.)

13. "Well in my opinion....."
(Stop right there. Yo, I didn't ask for you your personal political opinions. Hey, I love a heated political debate, but not in the grocery store, not in Jamba Juice, not at Nordstrom, not in a bar when I'm out with my girls trying to forget the war, and CERTAINLY NOT AT WORK. We tell co-workers about deployments so when we have to spend lunch hours running our ***** off doing errands and taking care of the house, dog, and kids, they have an understanding. We do not tell co-workers and colleagues because we are giving an invitation to ramble about politics or because we so eagerly want to hear how much they hate the President, esp. while we're trying to heat up our lean cuisines in the crappy office microwaves.)

last but not least....

14. "OH, that's horrible...I'm so sorry!"
(He's doing his job and he's a badass. Don't be sorry. Be appreciative and please take a moment out of your comfortable American lives to realize that our soldiers fight the wars abroad so those wars stay abroad.)



If you want to say anything, say thank you. After all, we are sexually deprived for your freedom.

a few more questions......

Military Spouse Survey

ok So I found this on a blog that I follow and thought it would be fun to do it on mine.... so glad that these other military wives come up with great ideas that I can "borrow"

Name:
Jenifer (yes it REALLY is spelled with 1 N)
 

Age:
35.... wow its scary to actually put that in writing 

 

Sex:
Girl
 

Name of spouse:
Matthew
 

Age of spouse:
36

What Branch of the Military is your spouse in?
Marine Corps, Semper Fi!

Have you ever been in the military or are you currently in the military?
No

If you have ever been or are currently in the military, what branch?

Has your spouse ever been deployed, if so, when and where to?
yes.  He was deployed 1 time to Okinawa, right before we got married. then he has also gone to Kuwait, Iraq 3 times and now Afghanistan

If your spouse was deployed, how badly did you miss them?
I miss him like Crazy! But it is mostly the "little" things I miss the most.

If your spouse was deployed, how long were they gone for?
he has been gone for anywhere from 6-8 months at a time, times that by 6 deployments = ALOT of time GONE

If your spouse was deployed, did they get R&R, and if so, what did you do for it?
NOPE.... no R&R for him, just training training and more training!

Where are you and your spouse currently stationed?

Marine Corps Base 29 Palms, CA (aka THE STUMPS)

Do you like the benefits you recieve as a military dependant?
Yup! With the country with the way it is today... there is no way we can beat the free health care and military housing.

Do you appreciate what your spouse's job entails?
He is always gone taking care of other people's responsiblities.  He puts his heart and sole into being a MARINE and is the best at what he does.

Do you support your spouse as member of the United States military?
Of Course!

Do you like military life?
I actually love it.  I am kinda worried when my Marine retires in 5 years and being in the "real world".  Besides the deployments back to back... I really love being a Marine's wife

Do you and your spouse have children, and if so, how many?
4 girls (12, 10, almost 7- in Aug. and 20 months)

Do you think your spouse looks good in uniform?
He looks HOT in his uniform!

Do you think military life is more advanced then civilian life, why or why not?
I think as military we have to improvise, adapt and overcome MANY challenges.... like little pay, long seperations and nasty duty stations.  We have to figure out how to make the best of each situation. But it is very hard to compare them both.

Do you think your spouse's job in the militay is respectable amongst other people in the military?
My husband has been 0369 (a grunt) without the ground pounders... not much happens on the battlefield.  I think as he has moved up in the ranks... he has earned the respect of many others who he works with and have even been superior to him.

Do you ever use your spouse's rank to your advantage?
I would never do that.  But being enlisted side not officer side, its useless to try.

What do you think about other military spouse's?
There are some that give the rest of us a bad name .. but there are a number of them, that are some of the strongest women I've ever met

What do you think about people who have gotten out of the military during basic or AIT for reasons on injury?
the military isn't for everyone.  But I also know after my husband was on the drill field... there are MANY that join thinking it will be a piece of cake and quickly realize they were mistaken. The Marine Corps is very physical that is for sure.  no need to keep those that are
"Broken"

What do you think about women who get out of the military after becoming pregnant?

this is a good reason for women NOT to be in the Corps.  If you wanna be a Marine, be a Marine.  If you wanna be a mom... then be a Mom!  I don't think you can have it both ways.

 

What do you think about people claiming to be gay to get out of the military?
I dont agree with it at all.  I heard it happen a number of times at Parris Island. They just cant hack it so that is an easy out...

Did you know that it is military law that you can only have sex with your spouse and only in missionary position, but it is not an enforced law?
No I didnt know that.

What would you want civilians to know about the military or military life?
We dont make a Ton of money and dont live for Free!  We earn every bit of what we get.... and still barely scrape by at times.  And to remember those who have lost their loved ones to protecting the country.

When you see movies about the military, do you notice when things aren't right?
Sure do and I LOVE to point them out to "civilians"

When your spouse sees movies about the military, do they notice when things aren't right?
Of course! and he usually points them out to me, if I dont tell him 1st.

Are you and your spouse currently, or have you ever been stationed to overseas Europe?
No.  We have only been stateside.  CA, SC and back to CA

Where did your spouse go to Basic Training?
My husband went to MCRD San Diego

Where did your spouse go to AIT?
  He went to MCT at Camp Pendleton, Ca

Do you know where Fort Lewis is, if so, where is it?
Washington

Do you know where Fort Benning is, if so, where is it?
Georgia

Do you know where Fort Hood is, if so, where is it?
Texas

Do you think being a military spouse allows you to travel easily?
No... not with 4 girls in tow. :)

If you and your spouse are stationed away from home, do you miss it?
We are only 3 hours from "home" right now so it's not so bad. But when we were in SC I only made it home 1 time in 3 years. Way too expensive!

Where are you and your spouse originally from?
Simi Valley, CA

Did either you or your spouse grow up as a military child?
No but both my dad (former MP in the Army) and my FIL (former Marine, medically discharged) were in the military at one point.

If you or your spouse have grown up as a military child, what branches?

Do you have any other military spouses as friends on Blogger?
I now follow a number of blogs from lots of military wives.