National Alcohol/Drug Addiction Recovery Month - Sept 2011

I like to try and bring some awareness to important things each month. I haven't done anything the past 2 months because nothing really caught my eye. I had several things to choose from this month - National Sickle Cell Month, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Children's Eye Health and Safety Month...and a few others... but this month I chose to go with...

National Alcohol/Drug Addiction Recovery Month - Sept 2011

There are a few reasons why I chose to bring awareness to this. *Personal moment coming up* -

My first reason for wanting to bring awareness to Alcohol/Drug Addiction Recovery is because my sisters dad was an alcoholic and did many drugs. I use to wish, for her sake, that he would get help and stay clean (he always relapsed). When on alcohol/drugs even the most nice people can become monsters... as did my sisters dad. When he was sober he would do anything in the world for you... he was a clean cut guy who would give his last dime to a man on the street. He loved my sister and I believe he loved my mom as well. We didn't know he had a hidden side...a darker side... finally he couldn't hide his addictions any longer and we saw the part of him that we never wanted to. Long story short, the night he died (out in the cold, with nothing but hospital scrub pants on, no shirt, no shoes, nothing) he was drunk.. he was on his way to kill my mother, according to eyewitnesses. Let me say again, he was on his way to kill my mother... while I'm sorry he lost his life and the chance to get clean and be a good man for his daughter, I think my sister is better off. Now, maybe if he the right people to help him and the right resources, he could have gotten clean... I know you can't get clean unless you want to, but I honestly believe he wanted to.... anyways../personal moment lol

My second reason for wanting to bring awareness to Alcohol/Drug Addiction Recovery is because of the military. Surprise surprise!! Who saw that coming? LOL - We all know that people have problems with alcohol/drugs for various reasons and even military members do... from my own eyes though, I have noticed it more among the military members (specifically army b/c that is what we're affiliated with) who have gone and come back from war. Some soldiers just can't deal with the things they have seen... they won't seek counseling because they think it will ruin their careeer, they will look weak, they are in denial...or whatever reason they come up with... so instead they turn to alcohol and drugs to cope. We all know that drugs doesn't just mean illegal drugs...

In an article I read while googling (I love google!!) I found out that drug abuse doubled among U.S. military personnel from 2002 to 2005 and almost tripled between 2005 and 2008. I wonder what the numbers are now?

I also read in that same article that "A study of Army soldiers screened 3 to 4 months after returning from deployment to Iraq showed that 27 percent met criteria for alcohol abuse and were at increased risk for related harmful behaviors (e.g., drinking and driving, using illicit drugs). And although soldiers frequently report alcohol concerns, few are referred to alcohol treatment. Research findings highlight the need to improve screening and access to care for alcohol-related problems among service members returning from combat deployments. Drug or alcohol use frequently accompanies mental health problems and was involved in 30 percent of the Army's suicide deaths from 2003 to 2009 and in more than 45 percent of non-fatal suicide attempts from 2005 to 2009." ((source))

This alone tells us that alcohol/drug addiction is a problem for some of our military members and they need help. It doesn't just affect them and their careers..it affects those who love them...especially those who live with them.

Getting help isn't easy, but it is the right thing to do. And I believe that if the ones we love have our support, getting help and recovering will be easier for them. Here are some links to point you in the right direction if you need them:

Recovery Month 2011 - great info!!
Army Substance Abuse Program - more great info!!
Army OneSource - great info and more links!!

The Recovery Month Color is purple so I've made this picture for *AWDIWH* for the month of Sept 2011.

Be knowledgable!

Since I have been dealing with so many wives on a regular basis, I have come across something that is driving me insane... this "something" is one of the reasons I had decided to make my fan page on facebook - *AWDIWH*

For me, when I got to our first duty station, I had to learn a lot on my own because my husband was shipped off to Iraq after a few months. Thank God for the women I met who helped me b/c I didn't have access to the internet and my best friend "google" =)...

Here are some things I think are important:

1. Know the location of the Tricare Office, DEERS, JAG, commissary, PX, your husbands company, the hospital, the Army Community Service building...and so on... some places may be found in one single building like here at Stewart we have the Soldier Service Building..either way, know where the important places are at each post you live at!!

2. When your spouse deploys make sure you have access to mypay and the bank account!! Make sure you have a POA (power of attorney) that will cover everything you might need. We always get me specific POA's because some places are just ananl. This last deployment I had a general POA, a special POA, a POA for DEERS, Taxes, JAG and one specifically for housing. Find out what ones you need for your post and get them!! If you need one that you don't have while he is gone it is going to be hell trying to get one with him in another country.

3. For the soldier specifically - DON'T LEAVE YOUR SPOUSE IN THE DARK!! TELL YOUR SPOUSE THE THINGS THEY SHOULD KNOW!!! There are some things that I see and it leaves me wondering "why the hell didn't your soldier tell you these things?!" You soldiers who are married need to realize that we, as spouses, CAN NOT help you properly with day to day things that concern the army or help you with certain things when you're gone if you don't tell us what we need to know!! ((Special thanks to my husband for always keeping me informed!))

4. OPSEC/PERSEC - just read it..and follow it lol

5. Please please please!!!! make sure you have a support network!! You never know when you will need it for an emergency or just your sanity. =)

Hurricane Irene aftermath..

I'm reading about the death toll with Hurricane Irene. Sitting here just confuzzled at the lack of common sense when it comes to fooling with Mother Nature. I'm reading that at least 28 deaths were in connection with this Hurricane. Some of them have me saying "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" -

"In Bristol, 46-year-old Shane Seaver died after he and another man went canoeing down a flooded street and the canoe capsized. Seaver's body washed ashore late Sunday night in Plainville. The other man survived." (in Connecticut) - What in the hell possessed these men to get in a canoe and think it was a good idea to take a "stroll" in the flooded street? If this were one of my family members I would be pissed off that they died this way because it was completely preventable.

"In Volusia County, 55-year-old Frederick Fernandez died Saturday off New Smyrna Beach after he was tossed off his board by massive waves caused by Irene. The Orlando Sentinel reports the high school teacher had a large cut on his head, apparently from hitting the sea floor." (in Florida) - Huh?! You mean to tell me this guy was actually surfing in the ocean with a freakin' hurricane?!! And this man is a teacher so you would think he would have known better! I understand surfers live for the waves and all but did he really think this was a good idea? Come on... my 12yr old has more sense than that.

"Celena Sylvestri, 20, of Quinton, called her boyfriend and then 911 early Sunday seeking help getting out of her flooded car in Pilesgrove, police said. Her body was found eight hours later in the vehicle, which was about 150 feet off the road, police said." (in NJ) - This one really hits close to home.. This is right near where I'm from. I got married in Quinton, NJ. I know the roads and I know you don't drive in them when they are flooded!!! Another death that could have been prevented if she used her brain.

"Police in Suffolk County say 68-year-old Joseph Rocco of East Islip drowned while windsurfing in Bellport Bay." & "Two men were swept down the Croton River on Sunday evening after their inflatable boat capsized, and one of them died after being pulled down river by heavy currents, Croton police said." - Really? Do I even need to touch on this? I think I've said enough with the above examples.

Now, I'm sorry that these people lost their lives and my heart really does go out to their families despite how heartless I seem, but these deaths were completely unnecessary! Why don't people listen to the warnings that are issued with these Hurricanes? and other things like Tornadoes and Earthquakes... these are not things to mess with because they are seriously unpredictable events.  It bothers me to see people lose their lives over senseless things. /rant

 

Hurricane Irene

It seems Hurricane Irene is going to miss us here in GA. We may get some wind and rain but nothing major unless she decides to change course at the last minute..and we all know how women like to change their minds ;)

I have a small concern about Hurricane Irene. My concern is that people will not take the chance to evacuate certain areas while they can. I'm pretty sure there are people who wished they had left when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans...There were so many who didn't take the warnings seriously and lost their lives.

I'm not sure that Hurricane Irene will be as bad as Katrina, but she can, and she will, do some damage. When she hits, make sure you are prepared. If people need help afterwards, understand that because of the amount of people who may need help and your location, people might not be able to get to you right away... We all know how this will end up... "Obama hates the American people so he isn't helping!" - now I don't think that but you know there are people who say everything that goes wrong under the sun is his fault...lol He is telling people to be prepared!!

So, here are some links to help you prepare for a Hurricane..Irene or any other one in the future -

Hurricane Preparedness
How to Prepare for a Hurricane

Contest for reaching 10,000 fans =)

I'm so excited that we reached 10,000 fans on *Army Wives Do It With Hooah*!!!

I've decided to do a contest with a prize. We've had a few contests in the past, but not many. The prize will be something Scentsy from me (Jamie Lynn Independent Scentsy Consultant).

The Contest - Those who wish to enter will write a "Haiku Poem" about the military/army...this can be a wide range of things...from your soldier to the flag..deployments to PSCing... it doesn't have to "patriotic" but it has to be military related.

In case you don't know what a "Haiku Poem" is, you can read about it here:
How to write a Haiku Poem

Send your entries to me at:
enchantedfragrance@hotmail.com
Put "poem" as the subject so I know exactly what it is.

I will take poems up to August 31, 2011. I will then take all the poems I get and put them in a blog post. The members of *Army Wives Do It With Hooah* will vote.

Depending on how many poems I get, I may break the voting into groups of poems and then vote among the winners of each group.

Voting will take place in the middle of September 2011, not sure of the exact date, but I will keep you updated on it. ((Not sure of exact date b/c of my Surgery on the 9th))

Let's have fun!!! Can't wait to see what we get!!

Write those poems and email them to me by August 31st!!!
enchantedfragrance@hotmail.com - "poem" in subject line

GOOD LUCK!!

Military Formals & Balls

What exactly does one wear to these functions? Well, obviously not sweats and a t-shirt, the way I like to lounge around... lol

Seriously though, I've had a few posts about this on *AWDIWH* and I figured I'd address it. My bestie just went to her first ball and she said she had a blast. She told me that some of the women there looked amazing... beautifully dressed up...and others, not so much... She said you could see one womans booty when she bent over because of how short her dress was. *insert me rolling my eyes and shaking my head*

My other friend said she got an email about how to dress accordingly at the ball. She read it to me and it sounded like the FRG leader was basically trying to nicely say, "Don't dress like a streetwalker because you represent your husband." She was more tactful than I would have been...maybe that is why I'm not cut out for positions in the FRG...lol

So, what should you wear? There really is no one certain thing. You can wear a long dress or a short dress... IMO a short dress for the ball is between shin and knee length. Anything above the knee would be inappropriate to me. Again, that is just my opinion.. I have been to a few balls and I'm taking my opinion from what I have seen, and what I wish I didn't see. What has been seen cannot be undone =( I'd also like to point out a few things about the breasts...yes the "gals"... If you are a big busted woman, I know sometimes it is hard to find appropriate fitting things, I'm a big busted woman myself so this is how I know. However, we can make sure we have proper support and buy something that fits us so that our breasts aren't spilling out of dress! If someone is looking at you thinking, "if she lifts her arms her boobs will spill out all over" then you are not wearing the correct size dress. And just because you might have smaller "gals" it doesn't mean it is appropriate to go bra-less in gowns that don't support that. Keep the "gals" in check no matter what your size. There is a way to look sexy and classy at the same time. Showing a little bit goes a long way..showing too much is just overboard.

And what woman doesn't like jewelry?! From what I have seen, something small and elegant always looks wonderful! When you've got a necklace on that is too big and "gawdy" it takes away from your dress and frankly, IMO, looks kinda ghetto. Simplicity always looks good.

Let me touch on make-up too. For the love of Cover Girl, leave the 80s make-up alone!!! Bright and bold make-up just doesn't "mesh" with a formal evening... Remember, this is just my personal opinion and it's cool if you don't agree lol

Alcohol! Most of these functions have alcohol... if you can't hold liquor, don't drink. Don't go into a formal evening and drink so much that you end up making yourself and your soldier look like asses. Falling on the dance floor because you had one too many Long Island Iced Teas is embarrassing and you'll forever be known as that "THAT" one.

Let me show you what I mean =)

I believe this Marine is PMS-ing...small rant

My friend did a search on how to do a "high and tight" cut for her son. She stumbled across a forum where a Marine made himself sound like an arrogant asshole. I don't know if he is just generally an ass or if he was on his menstrual...

Here is his response to the question about what size clippers to use:

"As a US Marine I get angry when I see civilians with a military regulation haircut. Our way of living shouldn't be a fashion statement. Especially for those who have no idea what we go through on a day to day basis. It's an insult to us to see a nasty civilian walking around immitating something they are not. (and yes, just about any good Marine can point you out a mile away) We do not get a high and tight during recruit training. We earn that privilage when we march across the parade deck on graduation day. During recruit training we are shaven pretty much bald (0 all around) until our last week and a half. At that time we are given a high regulation haircut but it's not very noticable. "

Is anyone elses jaw on the floor? Did asking a simple question deserve this response? Where is his honor? Really..."nasty civilians"..well this nasty civilian here could give two shits about how angry you get when you see a civilian with a military regulation haircut... Did I miss it when the military received copyrights to a hair cut? So, just because a civilian man wants a "high and tight" that means he is trying to imitate someone in the military? Well, that is news to me.. I thought people liked it because it was nice and clean looking...silly me, I guess I missed the memo where everyone who gets a "high and tight" wants to be a Marine.

This pompous ass makes me want to puke. Arrogance and ignorance are not admirable traits and this man seems like a disgrace to the Marines. He should be ashamed. /rant

Out of Control...

Let's start from the beginning of this whole mess... I will not refer to people by their real names. I'm sure some involved are embarrassed enough, but I have to share this because I'm just dumbfounded at the ignorance and lack of control that I have seen this past week.

This started on Tuesday. My friend, whom I will refer to as "Spouse" dropped off her 2yr old for the day with me because I have been watching him for her. All was well all day long until my son came home and told me that "M" (a boy who lives 2 houses down) had my friend "Spouse's" other son on the ground after school with his arm twisted behind his back. Naturally, when "Spouse" came to pick up her baby, I let her know of this situation. She went next door to speak to "M's" mother, who I will now refer to as "Soldier", but she wasn't home yet. So "Spouse" let the two boys know that she would be coming back later to talk to their mother about what was going on.

A few hours later "Spouse" came over and I went with her to "Soldier's" house to try to resolve this issue with the kids. I went because my son is the one who saw the altercation. When "Spouse" and "Soldier" were talking, "Soldier's" other son, "A", was there. "Soldier" asked "A" what happened after school and he kept giving some jumbled explanation and then started getting hype and rude with "Spouse". Then "Spouse" says to "Soldier" in so many words that she needed to tell her boys not to be putting their hands on other peoples kids and they needed to be taught some respect. Well that didn't go over well with "Soldier". They exchanged some words and "Soldier" told "Spouse" - "you black bitch you need to take your ass back to the ghetto"... My face dropped!! I couldn't believe she said that. So then "Spouse" tells "Soldier" - "make me take my black ass back to the ghetto"... that is when "Soldier" hit "Spouse" and a fight broke out. "A" tried to jump on "Spouse" and I grabbed him and pulled him off yelling to get out of it before he got hurt. When "Spouse" saw the boy was trying to jump in it she backed away and turned around. Then "A" yelled out that "Spouse" punched him, which she didn't, and that caused "Soldier" to come up to "Spouse" and hit her again. Which resulted in her getting her ass beat...bad. The MP's were there, the ambulance, CID...it was crazy..

The next day, Wednesday, "Spouse" went to the school to let them know that her kids weren't gonna be there because of this altercation. You see, "A" was in the same class as "Spouse's" daughter "S". She knew there would be tension and she wanted to let it cool down a bit.

So, yesterday, Thursday, during school at recess, "A" was picking on and pushing "S" around. Nothing more happened with them... at that point. Well, my son comes home and tells me that "M", the same boy from Tuesday who had put his hands on "Spouse's" son, had pushed MY daughter in the back and then punched her in the back. Being my Pookie, she smashed the little boy in the face and ran home crying. I decided not to approach "Soldier" about her son because I was a witness to what had happened when "Spouse" approached her. I didn't need to be getting into a fight. I just figured, okay, the boy learned his lesson because my daughter shocked him by hitting him back.

Fast forward about 2hrs... "Spouse" comes to pick up her baby and told her about the boy hitting my daughter and we were talking about how "Soldier's" boys were out of control. "Spouse" goes home. Next thing I know, "Spouse" is rushing in my door telling me to call the MP's because "Soldier's" son, "A", had attacked her daughter "S" with a stick and a knife. He had pulled her hair, threw her on the ground and kicked her in the stomach. At this point I'm in complete shock. Srsly! What 10yr old kid does that shit?! My son saw the whole thing and made a report to the MP's...

Now, I had done had enough at this point and so had my friend "Spouse". I went to the MP's and filed a report about the boy hitting my daughter. I also went to the school to make them aware of the boy hitting my daughter. Together, "Spouse" and I went to the housing office and made resident complaints about "Soldier's" kids. I also gave them a copy of my sworn statement to the police. Turns out, they have a file already on "Soldier's" kids and "Soldier" said in one of the reports "they are kids on a military installation, that is what they do".

Now, all because "Soldier" doesn't have her kids in control, she is about to get evicted. Her command is being involved and everything. I'm pretty sure this is not going to look good for her army career.

So, there are more details, but that is the gist of it. This just goes to show that kids WILL behave according to their examples and kids who have no supervision and little discipline WILL be trouble makers.

I have not had problems living on post in 9yrs until this week. The problem was not with another wife, it wasn't some petty drama... it was out of control kids and a mother who apparently displays some questionable actions in front of her kids. If my kids went around hitting on others and calling people "black bitches" and "fags" they would not be able to even walk. Yes, "Soldier's" son "A" said those things....I heard him. SMH...

CONTROL YOUR KIDS LADY!!! /rant

He wasn't "highly intoxicated" so that makes it okay...

NOT! Okay, so here is the story - Grissom High School football coach is on paid administrative leave while the Huntsville City School Board decides his punishment after his DUI arrest. Read it. =)

Now, my opinion I'm sure will not be liked by some and as my readers know, I don't care. Let's put a few things out here:

1. This man is a football coach - a man who is trusted to teach and guide young men.. my husband played football during his entire high school "career". His coaches were like fathers to him and he looked up to them. Young "men" in high school are very impressionable, especially by those they look up to.

2. This man was on school property - true, it was on a Saturday and he was off work, but he was on school grounds, driving school property... I don't care if he was only a "little intoxicated" - the point is, he had drinks and then he drove. Did he think no one would hear the commotion going on at the school on a Saturday night and call someone? Oh, he probably wasn't thinking at all! He had been drinking.

My kids are taught at home AND at school that drinking and driving is NEVER okay. You don't have one drink and get behind the wheel, so definitely not enough to make you legally intoxicated.

If this teacher appeals and gets away with it, this is teaching kids that it is okay to have a few drinks and then get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Just my opinion, but this is not the kind of school I would want my kids to attend.

What if one of his football players, who is old enough to drive, decides "hey I can have this drink at a party and drive home, I'll be okay because I won't be highly intoxicated... the coach did it, so it must be okay." Then gets behind the wheel of his parents car to go home or pick up friend or whatever... then crashes because for one, he is an inexperienced driver and two he has alcohol in his system. He could kill someone or kill himself at worst. Damage property, the car or someone elses...but hey! it's alright because he wasn't "highly intoxicated"... NO.

BTW, I would be willing to bet my life that if this was a man in the community who wasn't affiliated with the school football team that it wouldn't be "oh he wasn't highly intoxicated" - he would end up being in more trouble than I'm sure this coach will be in. SMH.

Sorry for my rant. Guess I'm just sick of adults acting a fool. /rant

Breast Reduction - Part 2

The call I've been waiting for came this morning... Tricare approved my surgery! So many emotions are coming and going right now about this. At first I felt sick from the nervousness and realization that I'm actually on my way to doing this. Don't get me wrong, I'm still absolutely sure I want to do this, it's just a big decision.

I know my breasts don't define me but they are a part of me and it makes me a little nervous on how I feel about my body afterwards. I think being a little nervous is normal, at least I hope it is. However, I'm so looking forward to no more back pain, shoulder pain, migraines, indents from my bra straps... (I am fully aware that not all my "symptoms" will just go away completely, but it will be so much better!)

I'm excited to get this done, heal and get back to the gym. My chest was a major factor into why I stopped going. It was painful on the treadmill working with "the girls"... I never seemed to have enough support and I hated when I would get rashes. I also wouldn't want to do anything else after the gym because my back would be killing me. Pain is not fun.

So, my pre-op appointment will be at the end of this month. At this appointment I'll be given the prescription for my medications, guidelines on the days leading up to my surgery and the guidelines for the day of my surgery. I'm sure they'll give me directions on post-op care too.

My actual surgery is set for the very beginning of September. I'm extremely glad to be getting it done for 2 reasons. One, I just want to do it and get it over with lol. Two, my husband will be here. You know in the Army they are always gone for training and schooling and such, so September is the perfect time because he will be gone for a bit in October.

More to come =)

*If you haven't read Part 1, you can read it now -
Breast Reduction - Part 1

I like to add pics sometimes to my posts, as my readers know...I thought this was funny:

This song hits close to home right now..

I went to school with the guy who sings this song... The song really says it all..

"Sasha" - Scentsy's Charity Bear for the Ronald Mcdonald House

Scentsy has come out with an awesome idea!! Their charity this season is going to be "Ronald Mcdonald House". Scentsy designed a charity bear, another scentsy buddy, for this purpose. The bears name is "Sasha".

Ronald Mcodnalds House mission from their website:
"The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Guiding us in our mission are our core values:

** Focusing on the critical needs of children.
** Celebrating the diversity of the programs we offer and the staff, volunteers and donors who make them possible.
** Staying true to our heritage of 36 years of responsible stewardship.
** Operating with accountability and transparency."

Ronald Mcdonalds House vission from their website:
"We believe that when you change a child’s life, you change a family’s, which can change a community, and ultimately the world.

We strive to be part of that change and part of the solution in improving the lives of children and their families by providing programs that strengthen families during their most difficult or challenging times. We extend our reach and impact by leveraging our 36 years of experience and strong relationships with local communities and people in the field to continually establish Chapters across the globe. We continually work to improve and expand our core programs, while also developing new services to address the unique needs of the communities we serve.

We don’t do it alone. We rely on our Chapters to identify needs and carry out our mission on the ground. We rely on our strong relationships with the medical community to provide access to health care. We rely on strategic alliances with organizations that have the knowledge and infrastructure to extend our reach. We rely on you – our donors, volunteers, staff and friends."

All proceeds from the sale of "Sasha" will go directly to "Ronald Mcdonald House".
This is a great gift for a child in your life, the child in you or you could donate your "Sasha" to your local Ronald Mcdonald House.

I'm also doing my own promo - whoever orders through her party will be entered into a drawing to win one of the "Sasha" Scentsy Buddies. & 75% of my commission will go to a Ronald McDonald House.

Here is the website for Ronald Mcdonald House for more info on them:
Ronald Mcdonald House

And here is a picture of the lovely "Sasha" who comes with one Scent Pak, available September 1st 2011:

To order, simply go to my website and Click on "Sash's Charity Party" -named after the bear. I'm asking this b/c that way I can calculate more accurately the money I'm going to donate from my commissions on the sale of "Sasha" (when the time gets closer I will add the link to the "Sash's Party" here.

(Sasha's Charity Party is Closed - thank you)

Remember, Sasha isn't available until September 1st, however you can make other purchases through her link starting now (8/11) and that will go towards my commission I'm donating. Thanks! Most of the catalog this month is 10%off -august 2011

Recycling 101 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Most places you live, on post or off, want you to recycle. Some places, like where my MIL lives, will give you a fine if you don't recycle! So, here is some info and stuff I got from Recycling 101 ~

What is recycling? Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product.

We can recycle almost everything!! And if there is something you can't recycle, try to see if there is a way to re-use it instead of trashing it right away =)
We can recycle:
*construction materials
*glass
*metal
*automotive
*garden stuff
*household items
*paper
*plastic
*hazardous things
*electronics

To get continuing information when on facebook, just go "like" the facebook page Earth911 - let them know you saw them here =)

We have done things around the house, mainly with the kids, that involve reuse some things instead of recycling...
*cut cereal boxes and let the kids make painting/drawings, get a frame and hang it in their room - their very own artwork
*my boys use cardboard of all kind, from cereal boxes to my scentsy boxes, to make ramps and little play areas for their action fingers or finger skateboards (teck decks)
*I drink coffee so my kids will use the cans sometimes and decorate them as their "change boxes"
*my scraps of paper from the printer when something doesn't print right, I save for my daughter to write on, practicing numbers or letters or drawing when she is bored
*towels that get raggedy are cut apart to use for hand towels when we eat messy things like ribs and crabs - or used as little cleaning rags

Those are just a few things we do... I have heard of people taking a broken or old door, sanding it down and making it into a table. My MIL likes to use things around her house in her garden...for instance they had and old antique sink that she put outside and incorporated it into her garden and have flowers in side like it was a flower pot...very cute... I have seen this done with tires too.

Do you have any recycling tips or tips for reusing certain products? Share your ideas!

**If you live on post housing, make sure you contact your housing office and see the guidelines related to recycling in your area.**

Volunteering =)

I'm going to be looking into volunteering around post to help with my skills and such since I'm having a hard time finding a job. ((The only thing I regret about being a stay at home mom for so long.))

My first stop is registering with Army OneSource. (I already have an account but can't for the life of me remember it so I'm setting up a new one lol) Registration takes less then five minutes.

On the top right you will see "volunteer tool", I clicked on that on and now I see a map of the USA. There is a spot to click if you're already a volunteer, which I'm not, so I'll continue on and see what I need to do lol =) Okay, I guess I click on my state. ((Hang in there with me, we're doing a step by step to see what I find lol)) I'm going to click on Georgia! Hope I don't blow anything up!

I know see a list of "communities" for Georgia. Strolling to look for my area....
I see the volunteer coordinator and number and I click on that as well. It takes me to a page of "volunteer opportunities".

Now if I move my scroll bar down some I will see a list of opportunities to volunteer for!!! This was easy!!

If you're looking for a way to help and build your skills in your free time, this is a great way to do it!! Now, I'm going to look at the details of each one I see listed and see how I go about signing up!! Wish me luck!

And good luck to you to those who choose this as well!

Also check out my "Job Search" posts for helpful info:

Job Search ~ Part 1: Your skills
Job Search ~ Part 2: Opportunities
Job Search ~ Part 3: Your Resume/Job search letters

Breast Reduction - Part 1

I've decided to "document" my little "journey" to getting a breast reduction. It isn't something that I decided on a whim, I've been thinking about it for years now. It really became clear to me that I wanted one last year when I lost almost 50lbs and my breast didn't get any smaller...not one bit...Then this year I gained half that back from my thyroid medication being off! In order for me to lose weight, I need to exercise extra hard, but with DDD's, it is painful. So here we go...

I went to my regular doctor and told him my problems and requested that he give me a referral for a breast reduction. It took about a week to go through with Tricare. I'm seeing a plastic surgeon in Savannah and I'm glad I'm doing it there because they have a great team!

Today was my first appointment, my "consultation". At this appointment, I met the doctor and his assistant. We talked about why I wanted a breast reduction, the size I wished to be and they took measurements and pictures. If you're modest, let it go. You will be fondled...in a professional manner of course, lol.

Did you know that 98% of your symptoms/problems from large breasts will disappear with a reduction? Another small fact - our breasts are not the same size! One may be slightly bigger than the other! I didn't know that before today lol.

My surgeon told me that it is an out-patient surgery. Meaning, I will go in in the morning and leave later that day. He said that it takes about 2hrs and I will be in recovery for about 2hrs. I will get pain medication and have to take it very easy for about a week. At the end of my second week I will be able to start slowly easing back into my regular activities.

After meeting with him I met with the secretary who handles getting the actual surgery approved by Tricare. She said I'm a perfect candidate but it should take about 2 to 3 weeks to get approved. I have heard that it takes less. Maybe they say that just in case. After I'm approved, they will give me 2 appointments. One will be my surgery and one will be for a week before my surgery to get me my prescriptions for my medications afterwards and for last minute instructions.

I'm so excited to be getting this done! Don't get me wrong, I'm nervous because of the pain and it is a major surgery, but I'm excited that I'll be on my way to feeling so much better physically and begin getting my health back on track.

Some pretty pictures!!

Here are some certificates on the wall (yes I know, I was bored lol)

Here I am after putting on my robe for the doc to "examine me" and take pics:

And here is the black area I stood against and did my amatuer playboy shoot (haha, I joke...):

Stay tuned =)