My Mom is gonna be so mad…

Posted on May 16, 2012 by His Military Wife

I quit smoking… actually Hubby and I both have quit smoking… and we are actually doing really well. Not as hard on us as previous times so hopefully we stick to it. No that is not why my Mom is gonna be mad…

Anyways… I have had tons of energy the last week and trying to stay busy so I am not craving nicotine! So I have started spending time at the shelter because I miss my dog… Hubby knew what this meant as soon as I told him… lol… but he is a good sport!

 

Meet Lily!

Lily is not my Tucker… which I will get back when I get back to the states! No worries mom she isn’t replacing Tucker by far but Lily just stole my heart!

She is some sort of Corgi mix and the shelter doesn’t think that she will be more than 20-25 pounds. She is 5 months old. Potty trained for the most part… the biggest problem is that she has never been inside so she is like WHOA!!!! We had one accident in the house last night because the smells and sounds outside are so new she is distracted from going potty… this morning though we made it outside in the nick of time!

Lily kept coming up to the security forces on base for like two weeks and finally one of the Airmen picked her up and brought her to the shelter. She looks like a Jindo but just the size of Corgi. The Jindo is the traditional Korean dog that is considered sacred! They are beautiful dogs!

Lily has brightened the kids’ face… which is more than I can ask for! Carson has some bounce in his step again… I know leaving Tucker was hard on him but I don’t think I realized it until the last 12 hours of getting on him over and over for sneaking out and petting the dog. He even woke up at like 0545 this morning to sneak into the room and play with her.

Lily is mortified of the TV and the Vacuum… She is pretty sure the dishwasher is an intruder and if  I flush the toilet she seems to have something to say! She is quite the character though… ball of energy, and her and her tail are best friends and worst enemies! She is currently chasing it in the middle of the living room now while all the kids laugh at her!

She is a character and I think a good fit for the family! So I am happy to announce that we are now a two dog family… Yes Mom I will be back for Tucker! Believe me that will not change!!!! So don’t be mad Momma we are giving this little Korean Street Rat a chance at a happy home! WE LOVE YOU!!! And I promise no more!!!

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Mom enough?: Woman Enough!!

Posted on May 13, 2012 by His Military Wife

Have you seen this? I have a big problem with this as a mother, a woman,  and a wife!

I am the mother to three children. I have been a mother for almost 8 years now and I have always been offended by unsolicited parenting advice.

I am not a BAD mom… I am a NORMAL mom. I get frustrated with my kids… especially when they are constantly fighting, getting into things, and eating me out of house and home, leaving the mess in their wake.

I give my children cups to drink out of and quit breastfeeding them by the time they were 4 months old. My daughter was 3 days old… why? Because I had two other small children and no time to breast feed! I couldn’t imagine my daughter pulling down my shirt at 4 years old and drinking! I call this coddling and definitely think you need to save up because your child will need therapy! I got offended with WIC for pushing me and making me feel guilty for stopping breastfeeding each time. It is my choice as a mother!

I got the epidural (thank the lord), had my children in a hospital bed not a coy pond (okay maybe that is an exaggeration….), and I get my kids vaccinated. If this makes me a horrible mom then so what… My birthing experiences were enjoyable, joyous times and I had energy for my babies afterwards! If you want to do it naturally in a bathtub go for it… it is not for me!

I SPANK my children… yep yep… I have no problem grabbing the belt and beating some butt when they back talk me. When they throw a rock at a little girl… when they draw a mural on my wall in Sharpie. Why? because I believe it is effective… it is the way my parents disciplined and I think I turned out just fine! In fact I think I am a stronger person because I was allowed to be independent and was not coddled. I was responsible for my actions… the positive parenting on my part was not getting beat because I was behaving.

I let my children cry them selves to sleep… I let them cry in the middle of the living room while I did dishes, I let them cry in the crib while my husband and I finished some “adult” time… Why? because the world does not revolve around them. WEARING your baby is not for me. I don’t want them attached to me 24/7… I love them but if I am just a MOM then what happens to my life?

My children do come second (sometimes) in my life… they come second to my marriage! If I do not have a strong marriage then they are the ones who lose. When my marriage started to come apart the first thing I did was call my mom and ship my kids home for 3 weeks so I could focus on my marriage, whether it was to save it or come to separation terms. Without a strong parenting base it is impossible to give them the foundation they need. Even for divorced parents you must give the children the foundation and support they need and that cannot happen when you are lost!

I may not be MOM ENOUGH!!! But I am Woman Enough… I am not just their mother, I am their role model. They learn to love through me, they learn how to handle those stressful situations, they learn their social actions through me… to have a child who cannot be patient while I am talking to a friend. Who interrupts conversations, sleeps in my bed, cannot be left alone, or believes they are the center of the universe to me is the WORST form of parenting!  They should see the love I give to their father, to family friends, they should experience my humanity!

Attachment Parenting to me is simply coddling a child and setting them up for failure! And I ask that if you chose to breast feed your 4 year old please remove yourself from the food court and take it to the bathroom… I don’t need my 7 year old asking questions!

I am not here to cast the first stone but how dare you challenge my parenting… Mom Enough? You have no idea! Strength lies in the parent who can raise respectful children who turn into respectful adults that will be a contribution to society! Strength is not devoting 24/7 to making sure your children are coddled!

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Ziplining and Nami Island

Posted on May 13, 2012 by His Military Wife

Mother’s day and Hubby’s birthday fell on the same day so we made weekend plans to go to Nami Island. It was so much fun… we almost got in 4.. 8… 25… crap I lost count in Seoul traffic! Hubby took an exit off the expressway and it is not like it is in the states… You cannot just go down and turn around to get back on the right road! So as our GPS updated we found ourselves driving through windy roads along the river bank in the middle of nowhere Korea! Very peaceful and pretty… and driving trough the mountains was breath-taking!

The Korean Hotel was different but very accommodating! We found the very high end shops in their ville and also found that bar is definitely an Americanization of the post towns. They only had brothels and business rooms… so we settled for some Soju and went to bed… and such a hard bed that was!

The next morning we drove the 30k to Gapyeong Wharf. There was no wait time for the Zip Line and we got right in! Totally an awesome experience! 240 feet in the air almost 3000 feet down at 35 mph. My ride was exactly 90 seconds! It was exhilerating!

After the zip line we walked around Nami Island and it was beautiful! Granted a lot of people but still amazing. Bugs, Bees and Wasps were out in force but if we avoided the Azalea bushes we were fine. There were awesome pieces from the Korean drama “Winter Sonata”… the island is about love and recycling! Very cool environment. Except for the little statues all over the place. In fact there is a huge statue of a big lady breastfeeding two kids. She is holding one breast over her shoulder so a child on her back can feed. It was odd to say the least!

There are wild birds everywhere… even ostriches! The trees are neat and there are photo opportunities everywhere! I hope you enjoy the photos!

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Hubby and I before the Zip Line

 

The view from the zip line! 80 meters High at 35 Mph!

 

Hubby video taping the zip line!

 

Zip line tower from Nami Island Ferry terminal

 

Wild Ostrich and a random Korean's Peace sign...

 

The beautiful flowers and one of many bees

 

Walking down lovers lane

The huge weird breast feeding statue

Photo Op

Kisses at the fountain

My favorite picture of the day!

Hope you enjoyed them! Happy Mothers day to all the Mom’s!

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Open Letter to America

Posted on May 9, 2012 by His Military Wife

Dear American People,

Or should we call you that? Our country was based on men that fought for what was ours, who cared about family and friends… who might as well of been our family. In the last 10 years I have seen the American people come together in times of need but I have also seen the ruthlessness that lies in our souls.

We are not the greatest people in the world but we do live in the greatest country… a country that at one point in time was proud of who we were. A country that other people wanted to be part of because our starrs and stripes stood so proud. Now we are nothing but a media blaze of horror.

We have hate in our hearts and we have malicious intent in our minds! We do not care about our neighbor, our brother, our friend. Each one of us is on the road to make ourselves better. Where has our humanity gone?

They say that the American people are so far detached to our military members, they say that our wealthiest are detached from our poor. And I agree that we are… we are not people to look up to. We take and take always to get a buck. How many of you in the last 4 years have thanked the man standing outside of Walmart for the VFW collecting money? Who has helped a complete stranger who was short cash on their groceries? Who has taken the time not to judge each other but to walk that mile in their shoes?

If we can’t make it rich we run to our government to support us. If we don’t like the economy we cut the one thing, the people, that have kept us safe… we fight over race, planned parenthood and gay marriage. We keep dividing ourselves in the hope of a better life for us. Not a better life for those around us… we are selfish!

Think back to your family roots and tell me that not one of your ancestors fought for this country… I am sure there are very few families who do not boast about someone that has defended our freedom or about someone who has held out there hand to someone in need. I know a man that is raising 7 kids because his sibling died in a car accident… he doesn’t care if it costs more he just wants to give them a good life, would you take in your siblings kids and raise them on your own? Even if you can barely afford the family you have?

Would you donate your brand new truck to help a neighbor move across town for just a thank you and a smile? Would you give up your weekend to just sit and talk to that friend who is down on their luck? I know people here that do it all the time but the difference between them and the general civilization is that these men and women are military. They have a bond that keeps them strong. Most of them have not become detached from this great nation and what it stands for. They know that making millions is not an option and so they choose to make the world around them better.

Even those who are no longer in the military still have a part of them that reaches out to others in times of need. People who do not turn another away. No, I do not expect people to start giving handouts. Instead I would love to see people give a helping hand to those who are working hard. We have to stop expecting the government to save us and start to save ourselves. No matter who we put in office we will continue to expect the free handouts. We will ignore those who work hard for what little they have. We will continue to walk by the kids bullying the others because we don’t care.

As Americans we should care… at one point in time the whole world looked to us… now many people can barely stand us. Not for our wars but for who we are as a people. The only humanity our country shows is through our government with aide and arms around the world. I think it is time to take a step back people and look to your neighbors and friends and help them.

We must help ourselves become a better nation, a role model for the rest of the world! Quit being selfish!

Fellow American,

His~Military~Wife

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Book Review: Fifty Shades Trilogy

Posted on May 8, 2012 by His Military Wife

So I finished my ‘blushable’ book! Not only did I read Fifty Shades of Grey but I also read Fifty shades of Darker and Fifty Shades of Freed. So I am going to break it down for you WITHOUT SPOILERS of what I thought about the book.

I know this book is very controversial with many libraries pulling it off the shelves but honestly I didn’t think the book was horribly bad for a mature adult to read! Yes it talks about sex! Okay so it talks about really hot and bothered sex… but we are adults right? There were moments reading the books I gasped out loud and there were moments that I put the book down and tore Hubby’s clothes off!<— that I don’t think he minded much ;o)

The book is mainly controversial because it is about a really rich man who meets a young sweet college girl and tries to convince her to sign a contract and become his submissive. Yes it is a bondage book. The man spanks and whips and canes his submissives… This whole basis is the evil that is fought throughout the book! It is meant to be shocking but the love story that comes from her trying to understand this man, this incredibly rich and handsome and wrecked man, is the meat and potatoes!

Best supporting characters has to go to her ‘inner goddess’ and ‘self conscience’! The way the author wrote about these feelings of hers was unique and fun! It really put a view to it all! I was sad that the inner goddess did not make much of an appearance in book 3.She was my favorite! I even picture my own inner goddess strutting around topless doing ballet leaps!

The transformation of the characters is very pronounced through the trilogy and it was neat to see the growth! I think it helps that Christian Grey is the mysteriously handsome, rich man that we crave to fall in love with! Me on the other hand could not handle a man as intense as that, even with all that money! But it was sure fun to read about him and his sexual ti-raids!

If your read this book make sure you read the emails, all the way through! There are cute little things in the subject lines and in the signature blocks!

I always say read the first 100 pages of a book. If you don’t do the romance novels that is fine, but if you get the chance to pick up these books do, they will take you on a miracle ride through Seattle with Anastasia and her “50 Shades”! I am left wanting even more! I read all three books in less than a week. Would have been 3 days but the weekend interrupted it! Well worth the read and I actually think Amazon has the books cheaper in paperback than what you can buy it for on kindle!

Have you read the book? Tell me what you think?

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Oh Sunny Day… My weekend plans

Posted on May 7, 2012 by His Military Wife

Why Hello!!!!

I am thoroughly protesting writing this at the moment as the sun is beaming into my window, the birds are chirping, and I can see the Koreans decorating the little temple to honor Buddha’s birthday! … But it has been a few since I have written so I thought I had better sit down and write!

Korea in May is beautiful! I am loving it, they all keep telling me that Monsoon season is starting soon but oh I don’t want to see this wonderful weather go away! So I am capitalizing on it any way that I can.

Seeing that this coming weekend is Mother’s Day and I have to share my day with Hubby since his birthday falls on Mother’s Day this year I decided that we should do something fun! My original plan was to go stay in Seoul and shop (since I love to shop)… but of course the hotel is completely booked!

So instead I did my research and found out about Nami Island, or lovers island. It is a half moon shaped island in the middle of the Han river… General Nami is buried there. It is a place that Korean couples go and swoon over each other. I’m not Korean but I am always down for Hubby swooning over me! So we are driving to Chuncheon, Korea Friday night when he gets off work… I have a wonderful friend who is taking the kiddos for a night. Then the next morning we are driving the 30 kilometers to the wharf of Gayeong. From there we could take the Ferry across and get to Nami Island but what fun is that! We are going to take the adrenalin filled means of transportation and Zip-line from the mainland over the river to Nami Island. Hubby loves stuff like this and since I am not completely terrified of heights what a better memory to make on Hubby’s last birthday of his 20′s.

Then the plan is to take the Ferry back after spending the day exploring Nami Island and hopefully getting tons and tons of pictures! We have a few friends going with us so that should make the trip even funner!

Amazingly enough the hotel cost us $62.00 or W70,000. And the Zip-line is $32.00 or W38,000. So for $126.00 we will have a fun filled weekend! Nothing to complain about here. All we have to do is cover gas and food and for my budget it is definitely worth our time for the memories!

Our goal here is to at least go sight seeing once a month, so this will be our May trip! The drive is going to probably take some time since we have to drive on a Friday night so I am figuring about 3 hours but who cares! I could drive forever in the car without the kids!

I am really looking forward to it! I plan to take lots of pictures for everyone! It is so cool that we get to check off Zip-lining in South Korea off our bucket list! How many people really get that experience!

Posted in adventure, Birthday, Busy, Hubby, korea, Love, Marriage, South Korea | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Korean Tombs!

Posted on May 2, 2012 by His Military Wife

Oh how I would love to sit here and write to you about our adventures here in Korea today but honestly my house is over 85 degrees and the laptop is just making me hotter so here is the quick of it!

Today we, being the ladies and I, went to Suwon City and located the Tombs of  Crown Prince Sado and his son! The park was beautiful, the bugs not so much… here are the pictures! I have so many I am just putting them in a gallery!

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Why am I blushing over a book?

Posted on April 29, 2012 by His Military Wife

For the last few weeks on all the morning shows they have been talking about this book. I didn’t really pay much attention, after all if it isn’t about murderous criminals and a heroic detective I have never been too interested. But the book just kept popping up. On web sites, on TV, and so I finally looked it up!

50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James

The book was supposed to be a fan-fiction of Twilight. Which I have never read, nor seen the movies so I have no clue. But this book is “blushable”!

My Grandma would read those romance novels, Grandpa called them “smut”! I have picked a few up when there was nothing else to read and they aren’t horrible but they are predictable! Never really held my attention but then I listened to Dr. Oz (I have no life) talk about this book and I figured… “what can it hurt?”

I’m an adult, and even though I am sure my family would like to believe I am the Virgin Mary… I have had sex… I had 3 kids in 4 years! I think we got pretty good at it! So this is supposed to be the book of the year (Trilogy I found out today!!!)! They wouldn’t put it on NY Times Best Seller list if it was just about naked people right?

It’s not just the “smut” in there it is supposed to be a great love story! … I always thought great sex was part of an awesome love story! So I am going to give it a shot and I bought it today! I stood in line at the BX/PX with the book, hiding it from the other patrons. You would have thought from my behavior that I was buying condoms, a pregnancy test, and KY!

You would never know from looking at the book that it contained adult material, but yet I was still thankful I saw no one I knew!

Now I am just hoping that I can get through the book. I hope it isn’t like Brokeback Mountain… I got about 20 minutes or so into that movie and I just couldn’t finish it!

Has anyone else read the book? Even heard of it? What are your thoughts?

 

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Ball Fiasco

Posted on April 29, 2012 by His Military Wife

Friday was the ball… and it was a lot of fun! Unfortunately lets just say that we had some issues with our sitter. I don’t really want to get into all that happened because then I just get upset and I am trying to just let it go. Circumstances were what they were! We got to stay for the whole ceremony just didn’t get to after party so I can’t complain too much! We had a wonderful friend who helped us out for the ball, and I owe her big time!

Hubby did his best to make it up to me and I know that it was no ones fault… but still dancing in my living room in my pajamas isn’t quite as fabulous as dancing in my ball gown, but there will always be more! And it meant so much to me that he came home and insisted that we dance in the middle of the living room! I had a wonderful time with the people that attended and I know you are all anxious to have pictures so here are a few!

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Sarcasam and News

Posted on April 26, 2012 by His Military Wife

Instead of a Dear So and So today I am going share a blunt and forward view of the news in the military world right now!

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Dr. Phil,

I didn’t write you on your “Heroes to Monsters” post because there was so much publicity around it. I do however find you cowardly and pathetic that it took two weeks for you change the name to “heroes in pain”. Your team really had it’s head up its (insert body part) or you were enjoying the publicity caused by your ill placed words. Your apology on your blog is too little and too late. I want to see an on air apology!

You aren’t always right…

His~Military~Wife

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Dear Lance Corporal Cory Kilgore,

I am sorry for your loss, but dude I can honestly admit that my friends are not as good as yours. I am assuming that the marine who was recently charged with murdering your wife and the other woman were your friends. Maybe your wife wasn’t being faithful, maybe you had marital problems we may never know, but if my awful suspicions hold true, it takes a heck of a brotherly bond to kill a military wife that is filing for divorce from your battle buddy!

Hoping there is more to the story…

His~Military~Wife

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Dear Gary Stein,

While I do believe that the lack of free speech for our military members is sad, I do believe in following the rules and regulations that are set forth! I am not surprised that you have been discharged! Heck you were warned last year about all this crap! We are told over and over than you cannot use your rank or position to effect a political election! We have responsibilities to hold up to! If you hate the president, do it in your home… don’t start a rampage on FACEBOOK!!… that now has effected your military career!

Hopefully others learn from your mistake!

His~Military~Wife

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Dear Military Wives Notified Incorrectly,

Feel free to read back on my last post that I addressed this… but lets think objectively. If you or your soldier doesn’t believe in OPSEC or in the tradition of the notification process than maybe you enjoy having Facebook, internet and phone use. After this rush of wives not being notified incorrectly because spouses and soldiers are being plain stupid I wouldn’t be surprised if the military said screw technology and started making us write letters again. Scheduling time on the internet and no longer making it available to troops in their bunks. Monitoring calls. No more “web cam dates”!  I sure do hope the entitled soldier who thought it was her duty to notify the wife is DISHONORABLY discharged!

Your gonna screw it up for everyone!

His~Military~Wife

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Dear North Korea,

Honestly you don’t scare me… you worry me because you think you are way smarter than you really are! Ignorance in the military world is deadly but you don’t think that people are going to notice fake missiles? Are we supposed to fear you and your threats that you can take out the US Military in one blow? Ummm last I checked you couldn’t even launch a rocket! And by the way are you feeling okay because I was totally expecting you to jump up and down and say that the US and South Korea shot down your rocket!

I think you’re slipping…

His~Military~Wife

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Dear Husband of Kelli Bordeaux,

Are your friends as good as the Deployed Marine? Or did you do this yourself? I was surprised to learn that PFC Bordeaux, who went missing last week, was married and that you would let her go out partying without you! I am sure she didn’t go missing because she was in the Army but because she was a 102 pound female out by herself and found herself a victim of bad timing. Although the guy who “dropped her off” is not telling the whole story, there is more going on and it will come out over time!

Sucks for the $400,000 in back child support the bar owner owes, glad something good came of it!

His~Military~Wife

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Dear BET,

You can kiss my (body part)… for you to mention that female African-American Service members (who make up a quarter of the female force deployed) are at a disadvantage because they won’t admit to having PTSD! Are you freaking kidding me… you cite that they are at risk for sexual assault and that are seen as “strong care givers” so they won’t report it. For you to put a color into this mix is frustrating. This isn’t African American Women in the military this is ALL MILITARY MEMBERS. Remember there are men being rape too… and shocker white and Latino women being sexually assaulted! It is because of writing like this that race wars still live on in our country!

I will not let you divide a race line over females suffering from PTSD! Get over yourselves!

His~Military~Wife

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Well that is it for today… tell me what you think about the new way to cover the news! Also I want to hear what you think about the news stories I covered…

 

 

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