Army Household6

Hard to believe its 2009! What I want to know is where did 2008 go?

I have to say 2008 was a pretty great year for us!

SGT Daddy got promoted to SGT, Kiersten surpassed 2 years seizure-free and 1 year medication free! Becca was evaluated as a Gifted Reader in Kindergarten. I reached some personal and professional goals.

2009 will be a bit different and a more “trying” year for us. I’m sure we’ll have lots more to celebrate and we’ll learn a thing or two about ourselves and our family. We always do during a “separation” whether its a week-long TDY , month long training or the BIG D. (deployment people not divorce)

I’m really looking forward to 2009 and all that it will bring. I have several projects in the works but one I’m really excited about.

I wasn’t going to announce it till launch day but why not do it now?? (you guys know that I don’t have much patience)

Starting January 12th, I’ll be the Editor of the BRAND New Military Life Channel at Blissfully Domestic. (its a blogging thing for those wondering)

How cool is that huh? The channel is still being built on Blissfully Domestic’s website but will be up and ready to go by the 12th. So make sure you still by and visit me over there as well.

So what are your plans for 2009?? Anything major in the works??

Holy Cow! I just realized I’ve been blogging for over 4 years!! As you can see my first few posts were less than exciting. For those that are wondering, no I haven’t been on Wordpress that long. Heck wordpress wasn’t even invented yet I don’t think!  (probably just an idea in Matt’s head still )Yes I was on Blogger like everyone else was back then.I came to my senses shortly after…  : )

Let’s see what’s happened to our family since I started blogging ….

1. Sgt Daddy joined the Army
2. Sgt Daddy has been promoted 3 times (PFC, SPC and now SGT)
3. We lived in MN, TX, VA, and now CO
4. Kiersten is almost done with elementary school (ACK!!!!) and is Seizure-free/Medication Free!!
5. Becca got potty-trained, started loosing baby teeth and started school
6. Lots of techy gadgets and all Mac computers in the high school
7. started working as a Virtual Assistant and ultimately New Media/Social Media Consultant
8. I’ve been on TV a couple of times as well in print, radio
9. got started as a Podcaster
10. developed tons of friendships with people from all walks of life

Thanks for all the fun! Here’s to many more years of me sharing our life, resources and information with each of you and of course the internet!  : )

I hate Spam! (the email and yes the food too…) Email Spam has just became a regular part of our email-checking life like getting our morning coffee, checking our voice mail messages (or in my case Twitter) or I don’t know… breathing perhaps. 

Ya know the spam emails that you get from “nationals” from foreign countries that want to send you millions of dollars, etc. I’m sure you’ve all gotten one from time to time.

Well a couple of days ago, I got one of those but this one had a really different spin on it! No normally, I don’t read them but this one caught me eye.

Why you ask?? This one was from a “3rd Infantry Division soldier who was deployed to Iraq” !! HUH?? What??

Here is what it said: 

Subject: SGT AARON ALLMON II

Hello, my name is Sgt. Aaron Allmon II; I am an American soldier with Swiss background, serving in the military with the army 3rd infantry division in Baghdad, Iraq. With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to move the sum of ($ 2.7 million U.S. dollars) to you, as far as I can be assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here, this is no stolen money, and there is no danger involved. Please get back to me on more details in my private email  

( I took out the email addresses that “Aaron” posted )

Can you believe that ?? I couldn’t believe it and I was a bit ticked off. So you know me… I’m always one to find out the truth. I went over to the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) and looked up “Aaron”.

To my surprise ( and horror) , it turns out there is a SGT Aaron Allmon II but not in the 3rd Infantry.. heck he’s not even in the Army. He’s in the Air Force!

I sent the information to a friend in the Army’s Public Affairs office but haven’t heard anything yet about it.  I just wanted to share it all with each of you.

Well last night our family attended the Military Family Appreciation Dinner at Walter Reed Med. Center (WRAMC). It is part of the a week long celebration celebrating Army families at Walter Reed and all over.

We were nominated as an Exceptional Military Family For Headquarters Company,  WRAMC Brigade by one of SGT Daddy’s friends, SGT Z. I’m was surprised that we were nominated as I know there are lots of other awesome Army families there in Headquarters Company. SGT Daddy and I were completely blown away that is was our family that received the honor. I

It was a wonderful event, very laid back for the Army LOL (lots of kids where there too) and the food was awesome. Even Becca ate the food and she’s super PICKY! We were seated with the several members of the Brigade Command Team, including the Brigade Commander COL Roberts, so I was a bit nervous that my kids were going to act up like little bratty kids. They did great and listened really well. I’m really very proud of them.  : )

The Army photographer took some pictures of us and I’ll be posting them as soon as I get them. While we were there, our whole family were also interviewed by the Pentagon channel during the event which was very cool. (I don’t have the link to video on the web yet but I’ll post it just as soon I do)

I thought that girls would be nervous by the camera but they LOVED it!  As soon as the camera and the lights went on, they were very chatty and interacted with the reporter from the Pentagon channel. They are such New Media Kids… wonder where they get it from?? As soon as the camera went off, they went back to being shy. (I wonder if we should start a video podcast for them?? hmmm )

After everything was over, the USO and Army MWR people passed out all our cool schwag! We got TONS of stuff like backpacks, stuffed animals for the kids, phone cards, t-shirts and even a $50 gift card to use at the PX. The thing I’m most excited was that I got our family was given a Commander’s coin.  : )

It was an awesome way to end an already wonderful day!

I know the election is over and we have a new president-elect, but I just came across the video (Hat tip : Spouse Buzz ) of the teacher talking about the elections, Obama and McCain. I understand talking to children about the political process and teaching them how it all works. I believe in teaching them all about the process. Heck, we did this with our own kids and had an indept conversation on the elections, why it was important to vote,etc. I am completely in favor of a “mock election” for them to cast their vote and to have an open, generic discussion about . I think it can be done in a very neutral, benign way.

This however is an example of WHAT NOT TO DO

The Cumberland school district in Fayetteville, NC (where this occured) has issued a written statement on their website as the Superintendent issued this video statement via YouTube

I’m thoroughly infuriated by this as a military parent! I can’t imagine what those kids were thinking and feeling especially that one girl whose father was a US Soldier. Military life can sometimes be hard enough and then you have to endure this at school! There was no need at all to bring up that point especially in the manner that the teacher was saying it.

This is just one more thing to add to the “pro ” pile for homeschooling both of our children next academic year. We were planning to homeschool our oldest due to some special needs and anxiety issues but I’m seriously considering both kids now.

I’ll be posting updates as we come across them… Let’s hear your thoughts, opinions,etc.

Boy you never know how your day will start huh? I got up this morning and did my normal morning routine upstairs. I’m thinking about my to-do list and how much there is on it! As I’m coming down the stairs, I see my husband sleeping on the sofa. So I think — Hmmm why is he home today?

So naturally I wake up him and ask why is he home? (not that I’m complaining mind you its just that he didn’t have a day off planned today or anything) So he wakes up and says ” Honey, the car did a ‘Tommy Boy’ today!” Excuse me? What does that mean?

So he starts telling me how he is driving along this morning to work … then all of a sudden the hood just unhitches and FLIES up hitting the windshield ! There was some additional front end damage as he hit the median bumpers trying to stop the car on the freeway.  His friend SGT Rhoten (who was riding in the car) nearly jumped out of his skin. Luckily they were only 10 minutes away from home and Dan certainly couldn’t drive the car into work, another 30 minutes away.

I think that this is definitely going to be filed under the “you’re not going to believe this one” category! LOL

Off I go to call the insurance company and get this fixed. I’m still laughing about it! : ) I’m sure there will be more to this story.. so stay tuned!

(Photo Credit - Tommy Boy 1995, Paramount Pictures)