What do you do before a deployment??

Paul and I have a few small traditions that we always do right before he deploys.  It involves money, or credit cards, fun, and spoiling our kids.
This weekend was Easter.  Paul and I usually go all out for the holidays that he is home, whether it be Christmas or Columbus Day, its a HUGE deal in this house.  The reason being, is that he's rarely home for any holidays.  So when he is, we do a huge thing.  When he's gone, the girls and I do something together, or do something with friends.  Since this weekend was Easter, we went all out, as per usual.  The girls wake up with their Easter "baskets" in front of their doors from the Easter bunny.  They each got a small pillow pet (on sale), a jewelry making kit (clearance for 3.17 at Target), and a memories kit (also clearance at Target 4.48).  The rest of their gift bag was filled with a small lunch box (clearance 1.87, Target), and dollar items like pencils, and a few candies, oh and a tootsie roll bank (because I had one when I was little!!).  Then they got to do an Easter egg hunt, dye 3 eggs each, and we went to the Lake for a goodbye/Easter bbq with friends.  It was a great Easter.  I didn't get to do a big cooking day or anything, but it was still very nice the way it all turned out.  The girls only got a little bit of candy in their Easter eggs, they also found $1, .25, and .10.  But soooo what?  I spoiled my kids.  I enjoy spoiling them, and I don't see what the big deal is.  Some people joke that it isn't Christmas, I know that, and the girls aren't getting as much as they do for Christmas, but they get a few little things that they can have fun with.  What's the big deal?  Especially when you have faces like this....

Anyway, so that also comes into the MONEY thing.  We tend to spend quite a bit right before he leaves.  Not only for the things he needs while deployed, but also for other minor/major things....for instance, do you remember my black fridge in this pic???

Well, our black fridge has been morphed into this.....

Please excuse the mess, and please excuse my camera phone pics...but it sure is pretty isn't it?

It was costly as well, but it will help me during the deployment.  The other fridge really didn't work for us, and it didn't have a built in water filter...plus we replaced the sink, so we can't have our old PUR water filter on our new faucet (which is AWESOME btw).

OLD SINK/ The BEFORE pic

And the NEW baby!!  The AFTER sink!!!  It's MUCH deeper, with a brand new, awesome faucet, oh and a soap dispenser, oh and its composite granite...sweet!

Yes, we spend money, yes we spoil our kids, yes we do as many fun things as possible.  We won't see him for a whole entire year (other than the two weeks for leave that he gets).  We won't be able to spend holidays with him, we won't be able to talk to him as often, we won't be able to hang out with him, or cook for him.  This deployment will be harder on the girls, especially Sierra.  She's going to have a hard time adjusting.  Its always hard on me, I mean it really sucks to say goodbye to your best friend for a year.

Plus...when he's gone.  I save money.  The girls won't get as much during the holidays.  We don't go out to eat very often, we do a lot more around the house, and we save up as much money as we can while he's gone.  Just so we can start all over again when he comes home...

Busy days...

We have company right now, so its been difficult to get online.  We had a great weekend though, lots of fun, and the weekend just keeps going.  Paul is also on leave, so there is another reason I haven't been around.  He goes back to work soon, and I'll have the house to myself, and won't be so busy!  =)

Its just been one of those weeks.

Did you hear about the time the government freaked out all of the soldiers, and their families into thinking that we weren't getting paid??  Yeah well, its a reality.  They have actually remedied this, but it doesn't meant that it cannot happen again.  I'm very grateful that we will not have to go without pay though.  We have bills, like so many others in the military.  I am just glad that things worked out.

We still had the platoon party on Saturday, huge success.  Everyone loved the house, and the food.  Major plus.  Paul smoked brisket, and a pulled pork that turned out perfectly.  I made the sides, and dessert.  I made my pototo salad, bacon wrapped bbq mushrooms, stuffed jalapenos (they were gone in minutes, lol), and a fruit topped cookie.  Paul even made some coleslaw, oh and his own bbq sauce which was amazing!  It was a lot of fun, we played some rock band, scrabble was going on at one point, partini was hillarious, a lil bit of I've never, and all around good times.  There were probably about 20 people total here, but it was awesome.  I'd love to have another party before everyone leaves for deployment, but it may not be in our budget.

After it was all said and done, it was a great, fun weekend.  Paul and I really miss having parties, we love entertaining, and this was as good a time as any.  We put a LOT of time and effort into making the house ready, and making sure it was clean enough, (I will say that people were NOT allowed in my room though, lol).  The food turned out great, and even though there were lulls in the night, it actually turned out to be quite fun.  However, now my house is a MESS, I can't even go into the kitchen without just wanting to walk right back out.  Still, its worth it.

One of our oldest friends (not in age), is coming up from Houston this weekend.  I can't wait to hang out with him too, and have a relaxing weekend.  Paul is going on leave soon, but not for very long, so I may still be very busy in the next few days, and weeks.  I have another friend flying in from Hawaii to visit with at the end of the month.  So it should be a fun next few weeks.

Since Paul is deploying soon, I won't be on my blog as  often.  Posting giveaways or otherwise.  I will still try to post some of the giveaways I'm coming across, lately I just have been too busy to get to them.

Ask any wife, the worst part about the military are the deployments.  The long stretches of time where your spouse is not with you every step of the way.  Nobody to talk to, especially when your spouse is your best friend.  Nobody to hang out with, or vent to.  Military wives are lucky in the simple fact that we have a support system.  We become family to one another.  I have been lucky enough to have many friends all over the world, still it doesn't make the deployments easy.  The hours still suck, the pay really sucks, and friends come and go.  I'm just grateful for my own support system, in the area, and beyond.  If at any time I want to go see someone in Georgia, Florida, Arizona, Germany even, I can get on a plane and go.  Its very cool, because my "family" is all over the place.  I have that support, and it does help.  It is by no means a replacement, but it does help.  Needless to say, I am feeling a little down about this upcoming deployment.  I will get through it, I always do, but I am going to miss my husband.  He's been home for two years almost, I have been very lucky, he's never been home for longer than a year before, and I've had him for two.  That is just nuts!  Either way, I'll get by, I always do, I have no worries that I won't, it may be stressful, it may be hard, but that is why I am his rock.  I put my big girl panties on, and go.  I go into single Mom mode and just deal with it.  This time around I even have my family only a few hours away, and my other "family," is getting bigger every single day.  I have met some awesome new friends, and I can't wait to get to know them all better.  For now though, I need more coffee!!  =)

30 days of giveaways- Day ??

I've lost track of the days.  But here are a few fun giveaways!!

Freebie Junkie's One year blogaversary!

Mommies with Cents Big G and Target giveaway

Survey Junkie Contigo giveaway

Mom to Bed by 8 Tea Collection giveaway