Wednesday, April 27, 2011

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...



2 comments:

  1. awwww, I grew up a military brat and was a military wife. I totally know that life and it isn't easy. You deserve new things and more! :) I hope his deployment goes by super fast! Take care! Erin

    www.healthybranscoms.com

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  2. this makes me cry steph! we too are gearing up for the next depolyment and its super hard on me knowing we will be in germany without him :( we are tough chickys we can do it!

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