Hope for Soldiers who may have severe facial disfiguration - (a bit from Mitch Hunter -guest blogger)

Here is what Mitch shared with me:

"Our Government is doing what they can to help. Right now face transplants are being funded by the Military/Government mainly for injured soldiers but also for civilians as well. I just hope it doesn't become a procedure that is done to help a person look younger. I hope only gets given to the people who actually need it for a better quality of life. Burn victims aren't the only ones with facial deformities. Cancer patients with massive tumors on their face can benefit as well. The full transplant done after mine was Charla Nash, the woman who was mauled by her friends chimpanzee. So any type of accident or condition that causes facial deformity can be fixed now and give a person back a normal appearance and a better quality of life.

It was hard over the last 10 years, seeing all the stares and hearing comments you wouldn't expect any human being to say, but I did what I was trained to do and soldiered on! Now I'm in a position to be an advocate for people who are in similar situations like I was before the transplant, give them that hope. I have a very big heart and love helping people in anyway I can."

For a little info on Mitch Hunter -
A whole new face: Transplant joy for hero soldier whose face was destroyed in car crash
Indiana Man Receives Nation's Third Full Face Transplant
Mitch Hunter: Second Full Face Transplant in U.S

Read here ---> Guest Bloggers ✦ <---- if you'd like to be a guest blogger =)

Staying Healthy and Active: A Great Stress Reliever (By: Kristin Wells - guest blogger)

As a military wife, it is hard to live your life as usual while having to deal with the knowledge that your husband is thousands of miles away in a foreign and dangerous country. It is common for women in this situation to suffer from problems with depression, anxiety and stress. However, leaving negative emotions unaddressed is well known to lead to things like heart problems, cancer, increased susceptibility to infection, weight gain, emotional eating habits and chronic fatigue.

Fortunately, keeping these negative feelings at bay is as simple as being physically active. Numerous scientific studies have found that people who exercise daily tend to be emotionally better adjusted and have fewer health problems than those who did no exercise at all. Besides making you feel better, physical activity will transform your appearance and give you something to surprise your husband with when he comes home! Here are some great exercises you can do to prevent negative feelings and how they help.

Weight-Bearing Exercise

Although the fitness world still has a way to go in regards to its opinions on women and weight lifting, it is a very beneficial type of exercise for several reasons. Primarily, it drives up levels of testosterone and dopamine, which promote feelings of confidence, relaxation and resilience. Growth hormone levels also increase, which helps your body burn fat and gain muscle more efficiently. A study by the AAOS has shown that women are more susceptible to bone loss than men and often times have to work harder to keep the bone density they currently have. Weight training can even make certain tasks easier to perform without a man's help by significantly increasing strength, stamina and energy.

Walking

Walking is a leisurely and relaxing way to exercise. If you route your walks through attractive areas, they can be a very therapeutic and soothing experience. Another great of walking is that it serves to boost your metabolism, which causes your body to burn fat even while you're resting. Going for a walk after meals is also very beneficial to mood and health. It stimulates digestion, which prevents heartburn as well as improving nutrient absorption. Having poor digestion could exacerbate a current stomach conditions, such as Peritoneal Mesothelioma. The more nutrients you absorb from food, the better you will feel because many of them are heavily involved in the production of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters.

Yoga

My personal favorite. Yoga could easily qualify as the best form of exercise to enhance your mood and benefit your health. It focuses on concentration and deep breathing, which help to soothe stress and anxiety. Many Mesothelioma cancer patients find Yoga to be an invaluable therapy in relieving anxiety associated with Chemo. Yoga also helps to keep you limber, as well as improving blood flow and muscle tone. It is also a low impact activity. Yoga was great for me because I hurt my knee on uneven payment when running last year, so Yoga was an activity I could still do regularly without exacerbating the problem. It was also great to stretch that area with Yoga regularly, which I believed cut my rehab time down considerably.


~Kristin Wells

Kristin Wells is a recent college graduate from The University of Georgia and an aspiring writer. She wants to make a difference in people's lives through her writing. Kristin also enjoys competitive cycling, running, and traveling as much as possible.

WINNER of American Hero Clothing Giveaway for AWDIWH **Kandi Althouse**

Please excuse my sloppy handwriting..I was kinda scribbling lol

Congrats!! I will contact Kandi via FB ((So please make sure you check your "other" messages)) & I will let American Hero Clothing know as well =)

Today is the day!! (weight loss/health)

Over the weekend I went and bought a treadmill. I was contemplating between a treadmill or elliptical, but I look at the elliptical in the gym and want to cry lol..so a friend (Thanks Kevin!) told me that I should pick what I enjoy doing and will keep me motivated. So, the treadmill won. =)

Yesterday, Darrell put it together for me (thanks babe!). Today will be the day I start using it =)

Last night, Darrell gave me an iPod touch and this morning I loaded some music on it so I can "get my jam on" while on the treadmill.

My daily goals for now:
*get on the treadmill for at least an hour a day
*keep track of my calories (between 1200 & 1600 a day) with my "lose it" app
*keep track of my exercise on the "lose it" app too
*I'll be doing sit-ups, push-ups, and weight/resistant exercises with the stuff I have at home. Once I make up my schedule, I will share it =)
*I will start using my Zumba fitness for the wii but this will be every other day

That's all for now lol

2012 Military Spouse of the Year - Vote for El Brown!

First El Brown had to win Army Spouse of the Year...now she has moved on to the Military Spouse of the year! There is a spouse from each branch - VOTE FOR MRS. EL BROWN =)

I now have the link for voting!

Dear Friends and Family!!!

I am in the running for 2012 Military Spouse of the Year. Anyone can vote, military affiliation is not required. Your vote and the votes of the people in your networks would help me tremendously in this rewarding personal and professional endeavor.

Please, visit my profile at http://msoy.milspouse.com/ViewProfile.aspx?id=371 , click "Vote", and register as a user. After you have created an account, you can visit my profile and vote once every 60 minutes.

Thank you in advance for your support. Your help will allow me to expand my efforts in advocating Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention, and Parent Education in the military community.

My Campaign Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bypp-LMV2ss

With Gratitude,

El Brown, M.S.Ed., Chief Founding Mom
===============================
phone | vm: 831.383.9818
email: elbrown@kinderjam.com
www.kinderjam.com

From El Brown - Nominee for Army Spouse of the Year 2012

Dear Fellow Military Spouses,

I am excited to announce that I am a top 5 finalist for Military Spouse Magazine’s Army Spouse of the Year. It is an honor to be recognized for my work in the military community and with military spouses and families. In addition to being a personal honor, this opportunity would provide a national platform to further the work that KinderJam is doing with military families with young children. KinderJam seeks to empower parents with the tools and resources needed to become their children’s first educator and greatest advocate. This skill set is especially important for military parents as we move frequently from duty station to duty station, with our children. These frequent moves require changes in pediatricians, teachers, counselors, therapists, and other service providers. Military parents would benefit greatly from additional training and access to training in the art of working with their young children at home and confidently articulating their children’s needs and progress while effective advocating for their children’s educationally and developmentally needs. A child’s time to learn is precious and should be maximized.

I have first hand experience on the importance of knowing a child’s needs and advocating effectively to ensure he has every opportunity for success. My precious son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I had to be skilled in keeping personal records and speaking confidently on my observations in order to quickly get my son the assistance he needed to maximize his personal potential. To God be the glory, he is flourishing!

Because I have been so open about my son’s diagnosis and the work my husband and I do with him, I have had tens of military parents reach out to me with concerns of their own about their children’s development. The concerns have ranged from ASD to separation anxieties. All the parents shared one common bond; they wanted to know how to best assist their child. I know with the utmost certainty based on the number of military parents who have reached out to me personally that there is a definite need for additional parent education in our community. The national platform of Military Spouse of the Year would further my reach as I continue to advocate for Early Childhood Education and Parent Education.

On Tuesday, voting will begin for the Army Spouse of the Year. If I receive the most votes from the public. I will move on the compete for Military Spouse of the Year. Anyone can vote and I need as many votes as possible. I will forward the link to vote, once it becomes available. I am asking for each of you to please pass on that link to your friends, family, and social network contacts.

I have found my passion and purpose in life. I will continue to advocate for Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention, and Parent Education in the Military community, with or without a title. However, I recognize the potential of good that could be done for families outside of my immediate reach with the title of Military Spouse of the Year. Please help me by campaigning for votes for El Brown starting Tuesday, January 17th.

2012 Military Spouse of the Year

Please note I will provide the link for voting once Mrs. Brown sends it to me. Good luck El!

I now have the link for voting!

Dear Friends and Family!!!

I am in the running for 2012 Military Spouse of the Year. Anyone can vote, military affiliation is not required. Your vote and the votes of the people in your networks would help me tremendously in this rewarding personal and professional endeavor.

Please, visit my profile at http://msoy.milspouse.com/ViewProfile.aspx?id=371 , click "Vote", and register as a user. After you have created an account, you can visit my profile and vote once every 60 minutes.

Thank you in advance for your support. Your help will allow me to expand my efforts in advocating Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention, and Parent Education in the military community.

My Campaign Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bypp-LMV2ss

With Gratitude,

El Brown, M.S.Ed., Chief Founding Mom
===============================
phone | vm: 831.383.9818
email: elbrown@kinderjam.com
www.kinderjam.com