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The Real Reason We Celebrate

I've been hearing gun shots and fireworks all weekend long. I know for most it seems like Memorial Day weekend is another excuse to get drunk. No, it's not.

Tomorrow marks the 4 year anniversary of my husbands close friends death. He was killed in Afghanistan on their first tour. They has been to basic together, stationed at the same base and were in the same platoon. I'll never forget when I heard it was him. 2 months into the deployment and already lost two soldiers?

My husband has not been the same ever since, and I don't think he ever will be. He's forever changed. His PTSD seems okay most days but then he thinks of his friend and breaks down. I can't take away that kind of pain and hurt that he feels. I don't even remotely know how to begin if I could. Brendon finally opened up to me about it in the last few weeks. Our first deployment was back in 2008, so he's been holding back for SO long.

RIP Trimble.

Five Question Friday!

http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/

1. Are you a napper? 
I used to be, but ever since I had kids? No way! I'm lucky if I get to nap. Jacob and Wyatt takes naps at least, but Braden has decided naps are for the birds and won't do it. I do miss them, though.


2. What was your favorite subject in school? Most hated? 
My favorite subject in school was always science. Especially earth sciences! I'm SO fascinated how our planet works and how it interacts with us. Truly amazing. My least was math. Do I really need to spend a semester trying to figure out what X is? 


3. Did you have the something old new borrowed and blue at your wedding? What were they?
I had something blue, but not something borrowed. Brendon and I had a justice of the peace wedding since he was home on Exodus during basic training. I felt more comfortable in jeans because I am NOT a dress type of girl. 



4. What one thing are you determined to do this summer?
I would at least like to spend one week reading a book of my choice. I'm usually reading children books, and I want some adult interactions in books instead of the magical world of Dr. Seuss.


5. Ice cream or Popsicles?
Oh, this is tough! It really depends on the mood I'm in. Usually if my throat hurts and it's super hot outside, Popsicle are my choice. Otherwise, ice cream all the way. 

2 months.

Tomorrow, Wyatt will be 2 months old. I can't believe it. Time has been flying by, it makes me a little sad, but it's amazing how much things can change in a month. Brendon missed most of this last month with him due to being support at JRTC at Fort Polk. He started smiling, he's rolled over once to his back from belly, and he sort of laughs. It's amazing.

I finally got a call last week about getting Braden evaluated for Autism. That's a cluster of a mess really. Braden's PCM at his pediatricians office is a doctor who specializes in special needs patients, but because Braden is four, he won't do his evaluation. He only does them for kids 3 and under. The front desk lady told me that he could see any of the doctors in the office and get a referral for the eval and I said okay. I was then transferred to another woman who makes the appointments, and she confused me more. She asked me questions about Braden and I told her he was special needs and what he was already diagnosed with. She went on to say his PCM was a special needs a doctor and that he could see him but then told me to hold on a minute. She came back on the line and said she talked to her supervisor and they said for them to send the doctor a note and that he would call me back personally. We'll see. If he doesn't, I'm going to be pissed because I do not like to get the run around, especially on something like this.

Jacob's 15 month well baby appointment is set up, so maybe we can get finally get his tongue tie fixed. You never really notice it until he's talking super loud and has his mouth hanging wide open. Seems like we have all these "problems" with our kids, and somehow it makes me feel at fault. I have some more personal thoughts on the situation but that's for another post.  


How was your weekend?

Being Proactive!

Over the weekend, I saw a amputee out jogging. I was amazed and truly inspired. What was my excuse for not trying to get in shape and be healthy? And why do I keep making excuses? So, I went with Brendon to the gym to work out and I felt so embarrassed. I might just start out at home, doing smaller things until I feel more comfortable. I want to be around for my kids, and at my weight, I know I won't be. So I'm doing it for bettering myself. How are you being proactive?

Mothers Day

Mothers day for me was spent traveling and being sick. I've caught something, I thought was food poisoning but the more I think about it, it's probably a stomach bug or car sickness. Pretty disgusting, but as long as my kids are healthy, that's all I want.

My husband came home from JRTC that night, so that was also a gift in itself. He's been gone for a little over a month filling a support role for another brigade here at Campbell.

I hope all you moms out there had a great mothers day!

One Step Forward, Twenty Backwards

When we first PCS'd to Fort Campbell in October, Braden's sensory issues got worse. We tried to keep doing what we were doing back in Colorado, and certain things his OTs and SPL was working on with him. Just until we weren't living in a temporary place or a hotel, which by the way, was horrible. In December, we finally moved to our home in Hopkinsville, and hoped we could get another steady routine down for him. Things were fine, going amazing actually. My husband, Brendon, left for JRTC and all hell broke loose. I didn't think it would be too bad, and we would deal with it. It's been total hell. His routine is disrupted. Wake up, do the usual during the day, daddy comes home, spend time with him, bath, bed. For those who don't know what sensory processing disorder is, click here to read about it.

Every day is a struggle, even with things being "normal". What's considered normal these days? I realize our life with Braden will never be what is deemed "normal"... It's a challenge, but I know with all the support we have, we can make things comfortable and easier for him.

Some Chicken Thing

So, on Friday night, I decided to do something different with chicken than the usual and did a bunch of as I go, throw-in-whatever. I have to say it turned out pretty good! So here's the recipe, feel free to try it out. This recipe was for 6 people. Feel free to estimate lower to make for smaller guests/family.

What you'll need:

• French's French Fried Onions, original
• Ranch dressing, any brand(we used Great Value because it was all I had at the time)
• Two heads of broccoli
• Fresh carrots
• Ground black pepper
• Salt
• Crock pot
• Chicken breasts(we used wings, but I prefer boneless breasts)

 

 So, you'll start off by cutting the crock pot on low heat. Just to get it started. Drop 1/4 cup of ranch into the crock pot. This will be the basis of the soup part of the recipe. (Note: you still need to use this even if you decide not to use this as soup. It can be eaten dry AND soupy.)

Next, you'll throw in some fried onions, gives it a little more flavor down below.

Stir it around a little bit, get the fried onions blended with the ranch decently. 

Chop the broccoli and carrots into pieces. I put them in two separate bowls until I was ready for them to be put in. 

Now, you put the chicken in and add 1/2 cup of ranch dressing in on top. Use your utensil to spread the dressing around and cover the chickens. 

Add in another 1/2 cup of fried onions. Yum. 

Now we're ready for the rest!

Pour in the carrots and broccoli. Make sure you get them all throughout the crock pot. 

Cut your crock pot on high and cook for 3.5 hours. It'll be soupy from the ranch, so you can decide whether or not to use this as a soup or serve dry. We served dry, so we drained it in a colander. 

Voila! Enjoy happy eaters.

Thank you, Dave Ramsey.

 

Image courtesy of Clker.

 So, after reading Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover, I definitely see how our finances need to change. We are starting the envelope system. I'm super excited to start this and come out of debt. I'd love to buy a house, and we're just right below where we can, but we want to make sure we are completely debt free before starting that process. I would love to be in Clarksville, especially for Braden since he will be starting Kindergarten next year, and the home school program I want to use through K12 doesn't have one in Kentucky, and the one that we could use cost almost $5000. Also with the possibility of Brendon getting out of the Army, I think this will help a lot.

I'll post about how successful this works for us as progress happens. Stay tuned!

Post Army Life?

So, as you can tell by the title this will be about our life dealing with the military could be coming to an end. It's not for sure and it depends on a lot of things. Brendon is working super hard to earn his leadership position and finally get sent to the E5 board. Things haven't been easy. He comes home and goes to sleep which is frustrating to the kids. Once he's home, they are all daddy, daddy, daddy. I do feel responsible that Brendon hasn't gone to the board before though. He was supposed to back in Colorado when he came home from JRTC but I had a miscarriage, so he didn't go because he just wasn't in the right mind to think straight. Understandable. Of course, after that he kept getting screwed over and people who were just the worst possible choices for NCOs were sent. Don't get me started on his "friend" who stayed with us who basically trashed, drank, and smoked in our downstairs spare room.

Anyway, if Brendon doesn't get promoted, he'll most likely be forced out. He's a great soldier. Amazing really. Always getting ACMs and complimented about his good conduct, ect... so the plans are to send him to WLC sometime after JRTC and hopefully he would get sent to the board. I'm crossing everything I can cross in hopes he does. He deserves it. And now that the Army is downsizing, it seems like ANY and EVERY little thing that can mess you up will get you out. It's a scary thought. I'm not sure what to do outside of Army life. I'm working on getting a certificate for medical administrative assistant with MyCAA so I can go ahead and start working. Eh. I'm just rambling now...

The boys will be meeting with their new pediatricians soon. Wyatt has already seen his, but Braden and Jacob have not. I'm SO glad we finally found someone I approve of. We'll have to see what they want to do about Jacob's tongue tie. You can see it when he hollers. Braden... he'll be seeing a doctor who specializes in autistic children. He's been showing a lot of signs of PDD lately, I've been trying to get my ducks in a row before taking him in to make sure I have every question I have answered and not going in looking like an idiot. It doesn't mean anything IS going on, but it's better to get things checked out. We've adapted very well to him having sensory processing disorder. He's getting better it seems, he actually lets me touch his head in the bath tub now. Granted, I can only wash his head with a wash cloth and soap but that's progress.