Make a camera strap with Stacie!

Stacie is my other great sister-in law, and she keeps her insanity writing at Undaunted: My Life One Day at a Time! She's a super crafty chick, and just recently delved into the realm of small farming!! Can you say JEALOUS? Ahhh...one day :) Today she's gonna share a little of her craftiness with you and sew up a camera strap! Enjoy!


It is amazing what I can get done when I have some actual quiet moments to myself. Since most of my married life I have spent time as a harried mom, quiet moments have been far and few between. But with the kids in school full time, I get more quiet times than I used to. Today's quiet was more productive than it has been lately.

 

 Like most camera straps, mine is not the most comfortable thing to hang around my neck, besides the great big red letters declaring the brand name, which I just don't like. I have done nothing about this because I am just to clumsy to walk around strapless and haven't had the time to figure anything out. This morning on one of the blogs that I like to look it, The Cottage Home, I saw the cutest camera strap cover.

 As I looked at the tutorial, I thought to myself, Self you can do this! Get up right now and go make a cover. And that is just what I did. :D It took just about an hour and was very easy.

 I started out with some scrap strips and ribbon. I really like the bright colors and the paisley.

 Here are the two sides. The side without the ruffle and ribbon is backed in some thin Pellon to give it some cushion. (No more scratchy neck.)

 Here is the up close of the ruffle/ribbon side. Aaaahhh, so pretty.

 Wa-LA!! Here is the completed cover all turned, pressed and ready to be put on. I think it come out great.

Here it is on my actual strap. Once I am fit for being in front of the camera, i.e. my shower taken, I will try to take a picture with it on my neck. It is just perfect for what I wanted. You can make your own too. Just click the tutorial word up above and it will take right to that link. 

It really is amazing what I can get accomplished with a few quiet moments.

Getting back to Normal

I fell in love with Michelle's blog  The Annoyed Army Wife the minute I stumbled into her little piece of blogland not so long ago! A lot of the blogs I had read so far painted a perfect picture of life as a military spouse, and it wasn't that way for me. The first time I read her blog and she said " I always read bulletin board posts signed by a woman who has "Proud Army/Navy/Marine/Air Force Wife" as a tag line in her signature (I have never seen a Proud Coast Guard Wife, however, I must not be looking very hard). Every single time I think 'Ugh! That is just not me.' I hope I don't offend, as that is not my intention, and I am very supportive of other troops - just not the one I'm married to." I was like....AMEN SISTER! Skunky works hard, and I support HIM in EVERYTHING he does...particularly his job because it's a struggle for both of us. But, am I a 'Proud' Navy wife? I'm proud of my husband...not the Navy. I can't wait to be rid of the Navy!

I asked Michelle to blog about reintegration. She's going through her first reintegration herself, so we're both kind of in the 'same boat' but it was important for me to hear what she had learned so far. So thanks, Michelle, for being willing to share!

When Jenn asked me to guest post for her I was all for it.  You see I owe her a favor/dinner.  As MilSpouses (Military Spouses) we know better than to make plans and write things in pen as those plans will change.  A little over a month ago Jenn and I had planned to meet out for dinner; we had lunch a few days prior so I was really looking forward to our second ‘date’.  My husband, OccDoc, was due back from his 7 month deployment to Afghanistan in a week or so, but since I made plans OccDoc was ahead of schedule.  I had to cancel dinner with Jenn and go pick up OccDoc instead.  Naturally, when Jenn asked me to put something together about reintegration I was a bit nervous considering OccDoc’s only been home for a month and I haven’t made all my mistakes just yet.  

For further reading on reintegration I suggest you check out Sarah  and Jessica’s  guest posts.  I’m just going to list some things that I think I’ve done right (and wrong) to help you along.  And that being said we don’t have kids, so I don’t have any advice on that subject.  When I asked OccDoc about his suggestions for reintegration he gave me two tips: 1. Don’t kill your spouse and 2. Let him do whatever he wants.  Um, OccDoc is obviously suffering from some undiagnosed brain trauma.  Let him do whatever he wants?  I think not.  That’s bad advice, don’t follow that.  

Here are some things I recommend to you:

I assumed an alien was coming home for the first few days.  My mom travels to China twice a year for her job and when she comes home she is completely jet lagged.  She can’t think and is in this haze for a day or so.  OccDoc was no different.  Of course if he stayed on schedule and took a week or two to get home instead of rushing home in 3 days he probably won’t have had this problem, but I digress.  I’m not sure if Skunky will be affected quite so much, but to be on the safe side for the first couple of days be prepared to talk slowly and repeat yourself a lot.  Have patience, the fog will lift and your husband’s brain will be back in a few days. 

 

I tried really hard to have no expectations.  The actual homecoming for me was pretty anti-climatic.  I think it was due to the fact that OccDoc was the only soldier on his plane, so it was just like picking him up from the airport after any other TDY (‘business’ trip).  Well, kind of, I guess a really long trip, but there was no running or screaming or really even crying.  We just unceremoniously closed that chapter of our lives and opened a new one.

For the first week I did let OccDoc do whatever he wanted.  If he wanted to sleep in, I was quiet in the morning.  If he wanted to eat out, I asked where.  If he wanted to drive, I said ‘No way, Jose, wait until you’re home to drive your own car.’  Yeah, I didn’t let him drive for a few days.  After a couple of days of me observing him in the car I determined he was okay to drive, but he was out of practice so I let him drive around a parking lot and a neighborhood to ‘practice’ before we ventured onto big roads.  Even then I kept him off the highway for a few days.  I also asked him how he wanted our first few days together to be like.  Did he want my family to welcome him home?  Did he want a party?  I’m so happy he said no to both of those, since I’m selfish and wanted him all to myself.  Again, don’t do a ton of planning, just let your schedule erupt organically and be flexible.  I started questioning OccDoc about 2 weeks before he arrived home, so we both laid out our hopes and desires for the first few days and tried to accommodate each other.  So, I guess my advice is hand over the reins to Skunky for a week or so before wrenching them back and getting back in control.  

I tried to keep the house pretty much the same; I know this might be tough with little ones, but it really helped OccDoc.  We spent just over a week at a hotel near the Army post about 600 miles from our house so OccDoc could in-process; he didn’t actually see the house for over a week after he returned.  When he got home, OccDoc said the house felt familiar, but it still took him awhile to readjust and find his way around.  The first thing I did was take him on a ‘Home Tour’ to show him what had changed.  I showed him the new pillows on the bed, how I arranged my dresser drawers, where I moved the dog food, how I rearranged the family room furniture, etc.  I was pretty much like a 3 year old running around and showing him everything.  We’ve lived in this house for about 2 years, but OccDoc did forget a few things while he was gone.  He asked to be reminded where some weird light switches were and where we kept the mugs.  Again, have patience with Skunky, if he asks a question that catches you off guard just take a breath and give him the answer.  This reorienting will only take a few days, unless you moved the house all around or moved entirely. 

 

I would be remissed if I didn’t mention anything about bedroom activities.  Since it was just me and OccDoc, this was pretty simple, I’m sure with kids thrown into the mix it could complicate matters.  The first thing I did once we got back to the hotel room was force OccDoc into the shower so he could enjoy some privacy, hot water, and cleanliness.  While he was in there I did my best to be romantic (I have never been accused of being romantic) I put on music, lit candles, and changing into something decidedly more uncomfortable.  When OccDoc got out of the shower and saw me in this getup, well, how do we put this so it’s acceptable for a family blog, um, yeah, let’s just say I got a full salute but it was over in a flash.  I’m not saying OccDoc’s an old guy – he’s just in his upper 30’s, but that night we both remembered what it was like as teenagers.  Just be prepared for anything that first night and don’t blink because it might be over as quickly as it came on.  And don’t worry, sex is like riding a bike, maybe a bit wobbly at first, but you figure it out pretty quickly.

I think I’ve only messed up this reintegration thing a few times.  I made the mistake of calling our dishes my dishes.  I didn’t mean anything by it, but OccDoc was pouty after I did that nonetheless.  And I like interject my insight to his war stories because I’ve heard them a couple dozen times by now.  People ask the same questions over and over again.  Pretty soon you’ll be able to tell the story better than your husband, but try not to.  

Lastly, I’ll tell you what I told OccDoc the day he came back.  “OccDoc, I want to hear all about your deployment, but I want you to tell me when you’re ready.  I’m not going to ask questions or pry, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to know.  If and when you’re ready to talk I’m all ears.”  OccDoc appreciated the fact that I was interested, but that he didn’t have to tell me everything right then and there in the first few days we were together.  It’s been a slow trickle of information over the past few weeks. 

 

I know Jenn and Skunky will be just fine if they practice patience, remain flexible, and try not to have any expectations of pretty much anything.  I also highly recommend a weekend away or vacation if you can swing it.  Take your time, get to know each other all over again, and fall in love with those little quirks you forgot about.  Good luck you two!!!

Mommy and the military

McDancer formally resides at McDancing Through Life and I have really enjoyed getting to know her through her blog! I have found her to be really optimistic, and has an affinity for all things Irish, much like me! ( I wish I was Irish!!) She and her husband have a young son, and I was curious to know what her take on being a mom married to the military was. Here are her pearls of wisdom, enjoy!


First of all, I am so humbled to have been asked to write for Jenn while she is enjoying some homecoming bliss! She posed an interesting question to me, what is the most important thing I have learned about myself as a mom with a military husband? Immediately I thought of this quote:

Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
A.A. Milne
I think that it is an excellent representation of what I have learned about myself.  Sometimes it can feel like I’ve given up one life and its goals in order to be a part of this world, but truly I’ve found that I have just evolved and quite frankly, I am proud of the person I’ve become. In the time I have been a military spouse and mom I have learned some lessons. I really think these apply to all MilSpouses, not just the parental variety, but they are particularly relevant to all you moms {or dads} out there.

*Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
This does not make you weak; it only makes you human. When my husband and I found out we we’re expecting it was quite the surprise. Moving home during the deployment seemed like the most logical option. This is not always the best for everyone, but it’s important to acknowledge that everyone is different. Moving home enabled me the security and comfort I needed to get through the time my husband was away. I was able to reconnect with friends and allow my son extra loving from his grandparents. While grandparents don’t replace a spouse, they help shower your child with extra love needed. For some, asking for help is as simple as finding someone who will watch their kids for an appointment. The biggest thing to remember is that you don't have to be supermom; it's ok to ask for help.

*Don’t wish away the days.
It can be so hard not to focus on that date in the future when your spouse comes home, but it is so important not to wish away the time. It’s true you miss that time with your spouse, but you don’t need to miss it with your child. Be present. Appreciate the special bond you can create while your spouse is away. Just because you are enjoying your time with your child does not mean that you don’t miss your spouse; you’re just making the best of a tough situation.

*No news can often mean good news.
It can be hard to wait for letters, e-mails, or magnificent phone calls. The times of silence can be nerve wracking and lonely, but if something is truly wrong, if your worst fears are realized, you will know right away. In those horrible stretches of silence, no news is in fact good news.

*Change is a way of life.
I don’t always deal well with change, but being a mother to a toddler and adding the uncertainty of MilSpousedom to that, it can be stressful. My mantra has become, “Let Go, Let God” or for the less religious one, “It will all work out in the end” {notice how much I love quotes ;) } I’ve learned there is no point trying to force things to stay the same. Change can be good as long as you don’t fight it and you learn from it.

The greatest thing I have learned is that I am a wife and mother. Yes, the military lifestyle is different and at times difficult, but every path in life has it’s obstacles. You can either rise above them or let them consume you. I learned through moving, giving birth, and raising our son for 7 months that I am strong, proud and never, ever alone.

A mother's wisdom...

I LOVE My sister-in-laws! They are both such great people, and write such interesting blogs of their own, that I knew they'd be willing to help me out when it came time for Skunky to be home! This is Meg, my younger brother's wife, and she resides at Roughin' it in Alaska where she blogs about her kids, the local wildlife in Alaska, her photography, and just her general insanity! Here she is to give us a few tips on what it's like to life with three crazy kids under the age of 5. Enjoy!!


Lucky for all of you who read Jen's blog....you get to read my super-fantastic-awesomeness! Yah...that just happened. OK. To the point. Jen asked me to write a little do-dad for her while she is melting into a puddle with her hubs. She gave me a choice on two things to write about and I chose...the easier one?

Kids. Please...it's ok, you can come out from hiding...they can't get you here! I've got three of them. The first two are a few years apart and then baby number three came as a big surprise 15 months after. I haven't quite figured out how I feel about this, as I am too busy keeping our 19 month old from driving us all to grampa's cough syrup!

Yes, I am well aware that all children go through stages. I am here to give you some safety measures to survive the three different stages I am in now.

For the 5 year old boy: patience! I have none so please don't ask me how to get it. I spend the majority of my day avoiding the daggers he's throwing at me with his eyes. A sense of humor is a must also. But be careful when you feel the need to bust a gut at his dance moves( because you know he got them from you)  it will crush his little heart to know he will not be Rico Suave on the dance floor. Pick your fights! Yes, while I know he looks like a complete dork with his pants rolled up above his ankles, or tucks in his shirt and then tucks his pants into his cowboy boots, he likes it. There will be bigger fish to fry so his choice of silly wardrobe malfunctions should not be a concern!

Little Miss ray of 19 month old sunshine: a padded room. She has only just gotten her legs and will fall, trip, or smash into anything that you may or may not be able to see. Yes, even that piece of fuzz from the carpet will send her flying. Also, practice whispering. I know...this is really hard since you will think she can't hear you when you tell her not to climb on top of the back of the couch eight...hundred... times...but, trust me, she can! (you will know by the sly look she gives you with her eyes)The whispering comes in handy when you are trying to teach her that screaming at the top of her lungs will not get desired results if you  CAN NOT understand what she is saying. At least that's the hope. We're still working on this one.

Mr oh-so-cute 4 month old: Really....the only advice I have here is to take this baby into another room, close the door, and stare at each other. Bask in his radiant smile and his happy go lucky nature...because before you know it, he'll be the 19 months old, then the 5 year old. And all those nights that he woke you up at 3:30 in the morning because (if he could talk would tell you he's starving) he needs to eat, you will miss those moments.

And when it comes down to it, enjoy the insanity. So, while I'm wishing away this summer so I can send my boy off to kindergarten, and wanting our daughter to talk so I can understand her, and my baby to roll over because I'm worried his largeness is holding him back, I need to remember all of it. Because it's quickly passing me by.

A little Inspiration...

I have really enjoyed getting to know Meg at The Impatient Military Wife . Her sense of humor has always really resonated with me, and she has this uncanny ability of taking a crappy day and making light of it! Now she's gonna divulge her little secret to this, so I hope you take some notes...I know I did!

When Jenn asked me to guest post for her, I was simply blown away. I’m such a huge fan of her blog and I get so excited when one of her posts pops up in my reader. I’m also so incredibly happy that her husband is HOME!! Congrats, lovely lady! (And thanks for letting me take over your blog for a day.)

So anyway… Hey guys!! My name is Meg. I live in paradise, no really. I’ve been married to TC for almost two years now. (Wow, two? Really? Time flies when you’re having fun I guess!) No kids… neither one of us are ready for that adventure just yet. We do have two dogs, both black lab mixes (read: mutts we adopted from the Humane Society) and they are the greatest dogs in the world! Ok, so I might be a little biased. But they really are awesome.

Jenn asked me about my favorite quote and how it changed my life. I’m a “quote person.” I love them. I have sticky notes in my office, on the mirror in my bathroom, in my kitchen and even a virtual sticky note with a quote on my computer desktop. To say I have an addiction and a small OCD about them is putting it mildly. While I have a ton of quotes hanging out, there’s always been one specific quote that stuck out for me. I keep repeating it to myself when things aren’t going the way I want them to:

“Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden

I learned a while ago that things will not go the way you want them to go 90% of the time.  Sometimes they will go horribly, terribly wrong. The “oh my gosh, how will get out of this one alive or without maiming someone” type of wrong. It’s a given during deployments. Call it bad luck. Call it Murphy’s Law. Call it life.

Let’s face it. Sometimes? Life just sucks. Hard. Core. The washer breaks merely HOURS after the husband leaves. Dogs (and kids… but I don’t know anything about that) get sick. Work makes you want to cry and throw things. The deployment that you thought would only last a few months keeps getting extended. Homecomings, vacations and coffee breaks seem like they’re eons away. Sleepless nights, loss of appetite, and illness magically appear. These things can pile up and take you to your breaking point. (Unless you’ve figured out how to avoid any and all of these things… then we need to chat. Pronto.)

But honestly, things will be fine… if you keep telling yourself they will be fine. You can sit and wallow in your own self-pity about how much things suck and how “NO ONE ELSE, EVER, HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS MUCH CRAP AT ONE TIME.” But that’s a lie. Hundreds of people have done it before and will continue to prosper through life’s tough times in the future. The key is to simply change your attitude about what’s going on and where things are headed. Things will turn out all right.  So the washer broke; this gives you the excuse to wear yoga pants for the next few days… right?  The dog is sick; but at least he’s alive and probably super cuddly. Work sucks; at least you have a job. That deployment extension? Be proud that your husband/significant other is providing for your family and is protecting your country. (And, in my case, it’s another week/month of having the bed to myself.)

I used to be the Debbie Downer who thought life was just out to get me. It took a while (and a lot of wine) but I finally changed my thinking and realized that, honestly, life wasn’t as bad as I was making it out to be. When things start to suck… I can make it through; I just need to have a positive outlook. Things will be as bad (or as good) as I let them be. I still have bad days, everyone does, but they are fewer and farther between. When things get to be too much? I rant about it (sometimes just to the dogs), do something productive, (maybe throw back a glass of wine,) and move on. Life’s too short to be angry and upset all the time!

Since I am such a “quote person,” I have a few others that have been pretty big influences on my life. I hope they reach out to you if you need them and that you find some words of wisdom in them as I have. J

‎”Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

‎”Never regret. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience.” - Victoria Holt

Sew a Tabby Baby Blanket with Poekitten!

I'm excited to have Poekitten from Many Waters here today! She's a crafty girl ( like me!) and I really enjoy when she features projects or recipes on her blog! She's gonna share a great project today, hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

 When Jenn contacted me about writing a guest post I was excited and said of course!  I love being able to help out bloggy friends in this way.  She asked if I would be willing to do a tutorial since I'm crafty (or pretend to be anyway).  I had to think for a bit before I figured out what I wanted to make.  I decided on a tabby baby blanket.  I had seen some for sale in a consignment shop for $20.  I KNEW I could make it for less.  I looked around online very briefly and saw them selling for around $32.  That's crazy for an easy to make blanket!  They make great shower gifts and I have several pregnant friends.They need tabby baby blankets!

Materials:
1/2 Back material (I used minky fabric)
1/2 Front material (I used flannel)
Assorted Ribbon
Sewing Machine
Thread
Silk pins
Rotary cutter, mat & rulers



 Super Simple Steps for a Tabby Baby Blanket

Step 1.  Cut material to desired size.  I cut them into 18 inch squares using my rotary cutter, mat & rulers.

Step 2.  Cut ribbon into 6 inch strips.  This will make them about 2 inches sticking out.  you can make them longer/shorter if you'd like.

Step 3.  Fold the ribbon in half and pin to the right side of the material for the front.  I am not a perfectionist so to help myself out I placed my square on the edge of my cutting mat.  I then pinned ribbons on at the 3", 7", 11" & 15"  marks.

Lined up against the cutting mat ruler.

When I had one side done I would turn it and line up the edge again.  This way the ribbon was evenly spaced around the whole square.  I use silk pins because they are thin and you are able to keep them in while you're sewing.  As you come up on one, slow down just a little but if you sew the pin it's ok.  The pin will bend but your needle should not break.  This is how I line up my seams and they are usually perfect!

All the ribbons pinned on

Step 4.  Place the material for the back on top with the right side facing down.  Pin together.  I pinned in between the pieces of ribbon.  Because I use the silk pins, I don't have to take them out while sewing.

Step 5.  Sew the pieces of fabric together.  I start at one end and go all the way to the other edge.  I used a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Step 5 1/2.  Don't forget to leave an space so you can turn the blanket.  I put mine on the bottom in between the two middle ribbons.  It's not a huge space but it's enough to turn it.

Step 6.   Take out the pins and turn the blanket, making sure to push out the corners.  Snipping the corners makes it easier to get crisp corners.

Step 7.   Iron the blanket.  I like to iron it here so that it's easier to sew it in the next step.  I also make sure to iron the opening to match the rest of the blanket.

Step 8.  Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew all the way around.  This gives it a finished look as well and helps the ribbons stay in place.  Also, because I used a 1/2 inch allowance when sewing it together, I can now use the 1/4 inch and it will close the opening left to turn it.  I hate hand sewing it closed and this eliminates that step.

I use a 1/4" foot to get a perfect allowance every time.

Step 9. Step back and enjoy the finished project.

Finished Tabby Blanket

I hope you find this helpful!  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me!  You can find me at Many Waters!

You can find me at....

Not too long ago, Michelle at Annoyed Army Wife ask me ( if you can believe this!) to be a guest blogger for her while she is spending her days filled with bliss at OccDoc's return!!

I was INSANELY happy for her, because of OccDoc's homecoming, and flattered that she wanted me as a guest! I LOVED Michelle's blog the minute I stumbled onto it!! She is a girl after my own heart, and stepping into her little piece of land at Annoyed Army Wife I felt like " now HERE is a girl that I can relate to!"

I've also had an opportunity to meet her in person, and she is just ( if not more!) as charming in real life as she is in blog land. So it really is awesome that I get to help her out a little by guesting on her site.

So head on over to the Annoyed Army Wife, where you can find me today, and her for always...I promise you will not want to leave once you get there!